The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1897-06-17
A sAVAeF PlIlOs oPHE
"a Nh ~ 49, y
The .4Ahorigine Is i Livinr
R we a ti,e stope Are.


The .AAorigine l. ! Using
re- We ~ the stoue Are.
The ceiifral Australian Ia hori9ine
is the living representative az d.
stone age, who still fashions his
spearheads and knives from flint or
sandstone and performs the most
daring surgical Operations With,
them. His origin and history are
lost in the gloomy mists of the past.
He has no written records and few
oral traditions. In appearance he is
a naked, hirsute savage, with atypey
of features occasionally pronounced-
ly Jewish. He is by nature Light
hearted. merry and prone to laugh.
ter; splendid mimic, supple joiJ
ed, with an unerring hand tll
works in perfect unison VIII ii ia
eye, which is keen as that oR ff
eagle. He has never been known e.
wash. He has no pNvate ownership
of land, except as regards that which
is not overcarefullv concealed about
his own person. Gin this respects
there are undoubtedly some terri
torial magnates.) He cultivates
nothing, but lives entirely On the
spoils of the chase, and 7agh
the thermometer frequA Il
from Is degrees to az
f. in "a hours, and. &
teoming with furred 3l1n6
no use of the skins fdr clOfI aT
goes about during the day and m
in the open at night perfectl g;
He builds no permanent
ton and usually campsAH
or fatigue overtakes h
travel from point to I'd
dreds of miles through
bush with unerring pr6c s
can track an animal over :
stones where a European
be unable to distinguish al =
is keen observer and kzAs
habits and changes of form OF
variety of animal or vegetabg
in his country. Religious belle
has none, but is excessively sd
stitious, living in constant drec
an evil spirit which is supposed
Turk around his camp at night.
has no gratitude except that of tn
anticipatory order and is as treachy
erous as Judas. He has no traditions.
and yet continues to practice witt
scrupulous eXactness a number of
hldeous customs and ceremonies
which have been handed down from
his fathers, and of the origin or req
son of which he knows nothing.
Outlines kind and even affectionate
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-
tons upon the young men and maid
ems of his tribe.
Nevertheless he is a philosopher
who accepts feasts or famine with
out murmur either at the pangs of
hunger or the discomforts of reple-
ton. His motto is "Carpe diem, and
when fortune sends him a supply of
game he consumes it all regardless
of tomorrow. He is not a cannibal.
No cold joint of missionary graces
his sideboard, and should hunger,
as a penalty for his improvident
gluttony, overtake him, he simply
ties thin hair girdle tightly round
his stomach and almost persuades
himself that he is still suffering
from repletion.
After an experience of many years
I say without hesitation that he is
absolutely untamable. 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 reverting 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
on. Verify his moods are as eccen-
trio as the fight of his own boom
erang. From w. A. Horns "Ad-
Arxe,4