The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-01
NEW AUSTRALIAN RACE.
AbOrfgines Who Never Saw White
Men Until Recently.

London Globe.
The days of Australian exploration are
not yet at an end, for a couple of scien-
lists from Queensland and New South
Wales, respectively, have just ascertained
the existence in the far North of a people
VINO had never previously seen a white
man. The discoveries We're Dr. Roth. the
Queensland protector of northern aborig-
Ines, who is, perhaps, more familiar with
aboriginal life and character than is any
other individual in the commonwealth, and
Mr.. Charles Hedley. conchologist of the
Sydney Museum. They were making
scientific tour OF the Gulf Of Carpentaria
and Of the Wellesley archipelago, at the
southern end of the gulf. Mornington
island, which has area of ten to forty
miles, was discovered by Captain Matthew
Flinders in 1909, while surveying and map
ping out the gulf, but he does not appear
to have landed on it, Since that time the
island has been known only by name. 1t
is not an inviting place for the settler, the
soil being poor, with extensive tracts of
marshy country. There is plenty of bush
and coarse forest. and this affords shelter
to large numbers of kangaroos and other
animals, which furnish a plentiful supply
of food for the islanders.
DR.. Roth and Mr.. Hedley experienced no
d u,
the islanders scientifically speaking, an in
teresting people, their modes of living and
general characteristics showing that they
had been separated from the mainland ma
tives for many generations. With one ex-
ception, an aboriginal who had visited the
shores Of the gulf, none of the islanders
had ever seen white man, and the use Of
clothing was unknown. The visitors, to-
gether with some tame blacks-that is,
natives who have been educated at the mis-
sion stations in northern Queensland and
elsewhere-remained on the island three
days, employing the tame" blacks as guides
and scouts; and it was speedily discovered
that the latter could converse. in a fashion.
with the islanders, whose language was a
dialectical version of that of the gulf ma
tives. Great caution had to be observed
by the visitors, who were always armed
the islanders having spears and a few
boomerangs, but always running away as
the white men advanced.
At last, however. couple of the islanders
were induced to make friends with the two
stold gaze, as If their unexpected appear
ance was an everyday occurrence. This
seeming indifference is an aboriginal char
acteriStic. Their assumed apathy vanished
the moment that DR.. Roth and Mr. He'd
ley lighted their pipes. They stared in be-
wilderment and, according 10 the tame"
boys, declared that the white were
burning their mouths. They were equally
astonished when a match was used for
lighting fire and billy employed for
boiling water. Mr.. Hedley distributed
among them number of penny whistles
which he had brought from Sydney and
soon the bush began to be filled with sounds
to which 1t had previously been a stranger.
The islanders, who form a race new to
ethnologists, are supposed TO be a retro
grade type or else a more primitive type.
They do not make huts, do the natives
on the mainland, but simply collect heaps
of grass and sleep on the bare ground to
the leeward of them. Articles which have
to be carried from one place TO another are
wrapped in bark, the use Of baskets being
unknown, as Is that of canoes, the water
craft employed being rudely constructed
RATS. consisting each of couple of logs
with some light weed, propelled by branch
es paddles. Compared with the natives
on the mainland the islanders seem far be-
hind in a knowledge of even the rudest alb
original appliances. They have, however
stringent system of tribal classification
intended to represent different degrees OF
relationship and to assist in preventing too
close intermarriage. 1t is probable that a
second visit may be paid to the island few
months hence. when some further informa-
ton respecting the islanders will be pro-
durable, there being an opinion that further
investigation will assist In throwing some
light on the character of Australian abb
original life in the past.