Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-06-26
4 SAVAGE PHILOSOPHER.
The Australian iburis;nc l. Living
Representative a. the stone Age.

The Australian hburls:nc Is Living
Representative OF the stone Age.
The central Australian i.borigine
il the living representa- V, OF
stone age, who still fashions his
spcarhcuda and kn.y !:om !lint OF
Nlstone and performs tho most
Glring surgical operations with
thGm. His origin ana history are
lost in the gloomy mists of the past,
He HI, no written records and few
oral Traditions. u Hpp,ul .Mre he Is
/. naked, lil.Wty SAVAGE, wi,L a type
of features occasionally pronounced.
Is Jew ish He Is by nature light
hearted, merry and prone to laugh
ter; Il splendid mimic, supple Joint
cd with IN uncrling hand that
works in perfect unison with his
eye, which is keen as that Of IN
eagle. He has never been known to
wash. lie has 10 private ownership
of land, cX"eiit a. regards that which
is not oyercarcfu.iy concealed about
his own person Qn this respect
there are undoubtedly some terri
torial magnateS) He cultivates
nothing, but lives entirely on the
spoils Of the chase, and although
the thermometer frequently ranges
from - degrees to over 80 degrees
Il. in 2l hours, and his country is
tecming with furred game, he makes
no use OF the skins for clothing, but
goes about during the day and sleeps
in the opcu at night perfectly nude.
He huilus no permanent hablta-
ton and USUALLY camps where night
on fatigue overtalie3 him. He can
travel from point to point for hun
drcds of miles through the pathle. )
bush with unerring precision and
can track an Animal over rocks and
stones where Il European eye would
be unable to distinguish Il mark. He
is Il keen observer and knows the
habits and changes ri form of every
variety of animal OF vegetable life
in his country Religious belief he
has none, but is excessively super
stiiiOus, living in constant dread Of
an evil spirit which is supposed to
Turk around his camp at night. He
has no gratitude except that of tho
anticiputory order and is as treach-
elous us Judas. He has 10 traditions,
and yet continues to practice with
scrupulous cNIctness Il number OF
hideouS customs and ceremonies
which have been handed down from
his fathers and of the origin or rea
son of which he knows nothing.
Outlines kind and even aifectiOnate
to those of his children who have
been permitted to live, he still prac-
tees, without any reason except
that his father did so before him,
the most cruel and revolving mutila-
tions upon ihe young men and maid,
ems of his tribe.
Nevertheless. he is Il philosopher
who accepts feasts OF famine with
out IL m,llnur eithCru the pangs of
hunger on the diScomiorts of reple-
ton. His motto is "Narl.e ctiem, and
when fortune sends him Il supply Of
game he consumes it all regardless
of tomorrow. He l., not u cannibal.
No cold joint OF missionary graccs
his sideboal'tl, and should hunger,
as Il penalty for his improvident
gluttony, overtako him, he simply
ties Il thin hair gir;lle tightly round
his stomach and almost persuades
himself that he is still suffering
from rcrlction.
After an experience of many years
| say without hesitation that he is
absolutely Untainable. You may
clothe and care for him for years,
when suddenly the demon Of unrest
takes possession. He throws off his
clothing and plunges into the track
less depths Of his native bush, at
once ,ovcrting to his old and hid
eous customs, and when stated, after
months of privation, he will return
again to clothing and civilization,
only to repeat the performance later
pn. Verify his moods are as ecccn-
tric as the flight of his own boom
erang. From W. 4 Horns "Ad-
vance Australia. "