The following lectures, as reproduced in the Mudgee Newspaper and Mining Registry on 1 June 1858 contain observations made by the Reverend J Gunther. While he presents as someone very interested in the Wiradjuri people, his observations contain colonial language and attitudes that would be considered patronising and offensive today.
1858 - LECTURES
Mudgee Mechanics Institute - Lecture on the Aborigines of Australia - By the Reverend J. Gunther
Source: MUDGEE NEWSPAPER and MINING REGISTRY, June 1 1858
After a few introductory remarks, the Rev. Lecturer discussed the question as to the probable origin and descent of the Aborigines of Australia and how they originally might have come to this country. He then gave a brief description of their characteristic features, complexion and formation, and also of their intellectual faculties:-
‘How Australia and the islands in these parts have been peopled, how long they have been inhabited and when the original inhabitants came will, in all probability, always remain a difficult problem to solve. Now do their characteristic features, their physical formation, their colour, their habits and customs, their various languages or religious rites, which are not common to all of them, throw much light on the question, for, in all these, the different nations and tribe vary much; in many respects they resemble Asiatic natives, in others as the African races, nor would it be difficult to trace a certain resemblance amongst them to American tribes; but in all probability they came from Asia and might have been a mixed and somewhat degenerate race then.
There is, between Atlantic and the Indian Oceans a chain of numerous islands, smaller and greater, we may say, more than one chain—connecting Australia with India and other parts of Asia. There are for instance, New Guinea, the Celebes, the Phillippines and Caroline Island and Borneo; near still we find connecting links of islands such as Timor, Java, Sumatra and leading close to the Malay Peninsula with smaller ones intervening, the difficulty would not be great to come here by this route. Nor is the distance so great from Africa by way of Madagascar and the Mauritius as to render it impossible that some propitious winds might have driven some boats or canoes in safety to these shores; and then, if in no other way, we might account for the African admixtures supposed to exist in some of the islands and partly in Australia. Whether the original inhabitants left their former country from necessity in search of new habitations or by accident over ruled by providence to people this country, having perhaps drifted away from their own shores and at length found other shores. And supposing they sprang from more civilised races, which I am inclined to believe, it is likely they understood a little more about navigation and had larger boats than we are apt to suppose. That the islanders in these seas are a mixed race or people not all of the same origin, has been generally admitted by travellers and natural historians. Several of them have been disposed to divide them into three principal races for instance, Lesson, a French traveller and Forster too, who sailed with Captain Cook, viz., The Hindus Caucasian race, to which are reckoned also the Malay’s; 2. The Mongolian race such as the inhabitants of the Phillippine and Caroline islands, and thirdly the darker or black race, including the inhabitants of Madagascar, resembling somewhat the Kaffirs, with a further sub-division into the Papuan in New Guinea, the Alfuras including the Australians of this continent and Tasmania. These latter or our Aborigines appear to be the next mix of race and seem some respect partake of the same peculiarities of all others—of the Malay’s, the Mongols, the Negroes and the Kaffirs whilst to none of them show a close resemblance.
Then stated the notions they entertained concerning a superior order of beings, their belief in evil spirits and a supreme being called Baiamai and a future state of existence, saying—
‘The question had often been asked—‘Do the blacks believe at all in any kind of Supreme Being or a superior order—Have they any idea of future state—Is there any sort of religious belief amongst them or do they practice any religious rite.’ That they believe in any evil spirit or sprits, called Yardirg in the Wirradurri dialect, is pretty well known. The dread of these evil continually haunts them. All the ill they suffer, sickness and other misfortunes especially if suddenly inflicted and if they cannot at once easily account for same are ascribed to the influence of some evil spirit, who, either directly or indirectly, by the instrumentality of some evil-deposed person has attacked them. This of course implies the belief in witchcraft. But then they have their doctors as they usually call them in English, a sort of sorcerer or conjurer—Nguarir in their language—who is in communication with some of their demons as I would call them, who may have conciliated at least one of them so as to have at his bidding and command; it maybe to do evil or good, to retaliate, by inflicting an evil or to relieve by counteracting the evil curse by another demon.
By what means they accomplish this, by what charm or conjuration or conciliation is a deep mystery which they are never disposed to reveal either to the uninitiated among themselves or to Europeans. As these sorcerers, whatever be their art or power, sometimes employ natural means to relieve sick people, we will adopt the usual term doctor for them. The office or power, as far as I could discover does not seem to be hereditary but the shrewdest amongst them are initiated who is such, may be the offspring of the doctor. They among other things pretend to the power of causing rain to come when wanted. They seem to know of a few herbs which they necessarily employ in certain cases; they also employ warm water; they breathe at times in the sick person’s nostrils or heads; the heads they often manipulate upon by rubbing them for a time. Some of these performances would remind one of mesmerism. But I will give you some instances of their mysterious performances. I remember one evening a black man was said to be in great pain, a griping pain in his stomach, on whom they manipulated; at last they came running to me and exclaimed that the blackfellow was cured, showing me a stone—it was a white quartz which they alleged one of the doctors had by some mysterious process extracted from his body. Having examined the stone I said, ‘Why this stone is so dirty and greasy, just as if it had been handled about and been kept in one of their dirty bags they carried about and I see blackfellow’s finger marks on it; it did not look as if it had just come out of a man’s body.’
This caused a hearty laugh among my young men and they seemed to comprehend the delusion. On another occasion something more plausible was practised, I heard that something very extraordinary was going on at the camp not far off. It was towards dusk, I went to see and noticed a young man lying on the ground as if lifeless. When I inquired whether he was dead they told me to stand quietly, not to talk and just to watch, then I would soon see something wonderful. Whether the young man was in a fit or merely a willing instrument of obedience I could not make out; but men and women were standing in rows on one side all in solemn silence and as if in anxious expectation of some important scene. I soon heard about a hundred yards off a deep hollow sounding groan and observed a black, one of the doctors creeping flat on the ground like a snake, slowly away from among the bushes towards the body, uttering repeatedly this mysterious groan until he reached the young man when he stretched himself for a few minutes upon him, breathed into his nostrils and rubbed his hands. He was followed by another doctor, who crept along in the same way and went through the same ceremony; then came the first again, as before, and to the third time the same ceremony was gone through and at this third performance the doctor being again stretched upon the supposed lifeless body, the doctor and the patient reanimated, after a few seconds jumped up and all the spectators, men and women clapped their hands in admiration of the wonderful cure, with a few shouts of joy.
When I tried afterwards to convince some of the more civilised young men that probably all was a piece of imposition—‘gammon,’ they gravely replied ‘blackfellow know a great deal more than you think, but they won’t tell you and that dare not tell all to other blackfellows.’
Mr Gunther next gave an account of their way of living, their means of subsistence, the irregularity to which they subject themselves, suffering want at one time and eating immoderately at another. Then following certain traits of their character and disposition, their utter want of forethought and their natural indolence; together with an outline of their methods of hunting, fishing, cooking, dress and ornaments etc.
He also stated that he had ascertained that occasions acts of cannibalism must have taken place amongst the Aborigines but this horrid practice could never have been general among them.
In conclusion there was a description of the form of government existing among the blacks, the elderly men ruling mostly the rest, guided not by strict laws but customs.
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June 22 1858
Second Lecture - The Reverend J Gunther’s Second Lecture on the Aborigines of Australia
Their peculiar form of government admits of no distinction in rank but allows each man a share in their consultations and decisions as to any question arising among them and this stamped a feeling of independence and even haughtiness with an appearance of dignity on the character of the men rarely to be met with among other differently governed nations. As they have not titles for distinction, nor a proper name for a chief, so they have neither a word in their language to signify a servant and certainly though the women are most subservient to the men, no man has an idea of serving another. This idea of their own dignity and importance is carried so far that they hesitate long before they apply the term Mr. to any European, even when they know full well of the distinction we make between master and servant. In their original state there must have been some very spirited and resolute men among the Aborigines who gained renown by their bravery but their subjugation by Europeans has an evident tendency to depress their spirit and to subdue their pride; still, among themselves there are frequent instances where they display a very haughty spirit—the slightest insult may provoke a duel amongst them, of course as a matter of honour.
Various weapons are employed in their duels—it may be the spear, or the cudgel or some other weapon, such as the dundumel, or magala, shaped like a boomerang but at one end finished something like an axe. Both parties have their friends to watch them. They feel most indignant at being called cowards, though I must confess that most of them often display great cowardice; from whatever motive, they were, on most occasions glad if someone especially a European interfered and prevented a conflict. I was sometimes both pleased and amused when anyone of them was afraid to fight a duel or when a number were to enter into some combat or a whole tribe into a battle with another tribe, one party would inform me with much apparent alarm as to the seriousness of the affair with a view that I might interfere. This I generally did and almost invariably succeeded in preventing a duel or a general fight. Then of course, they had a good excuse if the opposite party upbraided them as cowards, they would declare have fought had not Mr. Gunther stopped them. I could always make sure when they were earnest to fight—they tried as much as possible to hide their movements from me.
I will now try to give you a brief description of their war proceedings for fights and their preparations. You can easily imagine that a very trifling affair may prove the cause. A very short contemptuous song by one tribe against the other or an insulting message or an undue encroachment on their own territory, [for different tribes have certain boundaries] their fishing or hunting ground but more frequently a dispute about some woman or women who may have been stolen from another tribe becomes the occasion. They usually send their messengers to and fro, who are mutually treated with respect and who may have authority to settle the matter in dispute amicably, or come to some compromise. It may be after some weeks preparation the tribe meet and come to an amicable arrangement, possibly after a long dispute with words or verbal abuse [for they are not so prone to fight in an open engagement] it ends in a little combat between a small party of both tribes—a few blows struck and a little blood spilled may satisfy them.
Before a fight commences, the previous day, all the fighting men paint themselves, especially their faces with yellow and red ochre to give themselves a very fierce appearance. In a regular fight determined on, they commence with a disdainful challenge of Goliath against David, getting much excited and speaking most contemptuously of each other. More generally some old woman rush forward first and issue against each other a sort of Billingsgate language, fly first their boomerangs, whilst in such a way high in the air, as to divert attention by looking upward to evade its fall from the coming spear, which comes straight towards them. Their ammunition is not easily exhausted, except one party retreat, for the women standing behind the scene pick up the weapons of the enemy hand them over to their own party. Unless they are determined on a great revenge they generally stop when one or two or three are killed or seriously wounded. When all is over they usually sit down together as the of best friends, or assist each other in burying the dead, if there be any, and perhaps in the evening they hold a corroboree together. The various tribes have their own allies and often assist each other.
On this account they sometimes require several weeks till they are all prepared to meet. The day for the fight is usually fixed upon some time previous. They always cease fighting before sundown. But their quarrels are not always settled in this more open and honourable way; revenge too frequently leads them to set by more clandestine and cowardly proceedings. Revenge is often carried on, the tribe against tribe, for years and the allied tribe becomes implicated. The most innocent may then become a victim, for, if there be a feud between them, they care not whom they obtain from the opposing tribe or tribes as their victim.
I may exemplify and explain this by relating to you a sad story of successive acts of retaliation which happened within the ten or twelve years. The Mudgee and Wellington tribes have been previously allied on the one side and the other the Castlereagh and Lower Macquarie tribe. In consequence of an old grudge, on of the Castlereagh tribe killed a black of the Mudgee or Guntawang tribe, about Mendooran clandestinely. The victim was a peaceable black at the time in service of a settler. In consequence of this outrage a few of the Mudgee tribe some months after went across to the Macquarie, and after having watched some Macquarie blacks for a few days, one morning suddenly surprised two or three of them whilst bathing in a deep water-hole not many miles from Wellington and there threw their spears and other weapons at them until they sank in the water.
This caused a great consternation among the neighbouring Wellington tribe; they came to Mudgee and remained in this neighbourhood for some months, night after night apprehending to be suddenly surprised by the Macquarie and Castlereagh tribes. Repeatedly they encamped just below my garden and gave me more than once a hint in the evening to leave my kitchen door and the back door of my house open, that they might take refuge on my premises should the enemy come, telling me, at the same time, they would call me up when they were attacked. Several of them had been my former scholars and were personally, perfectly innocent in the whole affair. However the enemy never came and they returned after a while to Wellington. But two or three years after, one of the young men of the Wellington tribe was killed near Burrandong, in a clandestine manner, by one of the Macquarie blacks and as fas as I could ascertain the affair did not end there until another victim of the Macquarie tribe fell. Thus, these blacks, whom some Europeans have at times pronounced such a happy race of beings, are in continual fear. I have never known them perfectly quiet for many months together. Often they are alarmed without any just cause, merely by false rumours of the movements of unfriendly tribes. You will understand that these acts of retaliation assume a sort of public character and involve the honour of the tribe—tribe against tribe, demanding satisfaction. Should any individual kill a black of his own or a friendly tribe, from private spite and malice or perhaps only in a passion, the affair would be viewed as wilful murder and the guilty party would have little chance to escape with his life. Without regular trial, after a little enquiry the murderer would be most summarily dealt with and put to death; judge, jury and executioners all consisting of the same men.
I will now describe the conditions of the fair sex, if that term may be applied to these poor Aboriginal females. Their degradation and slavish dependence can hardly be painted in too strong colours. From their childhood up to old age they are entirely subject to the arbitrary will and caprice of the men. Often they are betrothed by their parents at a tender age, it may be to a man in the prime of his life, who is perhaps already possessed a wife. Polygamy, I would remark is quite common among these Aborigines and is not only a source of much dispute but on occasion of rendering the conditions of the women as degrading as I shall presently show. Whether a girl be betrothed in her infancy or not, or supposing her intended husband dies before she becomes marriageable, in no case is the woman consulted; she has not the choice of refusing an offer, nor to delay the time of becoming the wife of him who is destined for her. No regard is paid to any affections or attachments on her part. In most cases the young woman obtains an elderly man and it may be has one or two rivals to contend with. Should her parents or other natural guardians die before she is of an age to marry, it may happen that her intended husband puts her under the guardianship of his wife or one of the women he possess. These early betrothal are made sometimes for a consideration or by intrigue, it may be threats; also at a later age similar schemes are had recourse to. To these, come in addition as great auxiliary, certain claims depending on a fictitious relationship. It is a frequent occurrence for a number of young men to surprise the camp of a distant, perhaps unfriendly tribe and carry away a number of young women, no matter whether married or single and to divide their spoils when returned in safety to their own tribes. You may imagine that they cannot always make sure of retaining their spoils; they may have to fight for the same and after lose it again and as a reprisal, they may lose some women of their own tribe. In fact, to steal a woman is almost the only kind of theft heard of among the Aborigines; the only sort of property they value is a woman and to describe a poor man among them is to imply that he is without a wife. But this not all; the wife is literally treated as he pleases. The husband can give his wife to another man for a continuance or merely for a time. I do not feel at liberty to make any further remarks on this particular subject, the evil consequences can easily be guessed. Still it must not be supposed ruler over wife or wives but he is jealous if any wife dare to commit herself or another man take undue liberties with her, the punishment maybe no less than death to both parties, if there are any aggravating circumstances attending it or if the men of the tribe feel inclined to sanction so stern an act of the offended husband. More frequently, the offender has to stand the test of a duel or rather an unequal combat. It may be several of the tribe have to throw their weapon at him and he is only allowed a shield to defend himself—the shield is made of wood, not may inches in diameter in the middle with pointed ends, almost shaped so as to appear three sided and has a handle on the back in the middle—this he may so dexterously wield as to escape with his life or even unhurt.
Speaking of the woman’s degraded condition, I might enlarge on her servile dependence on the whims of her husband and the drudgery she must perform on his behalf. As he returned home from his successful hunting, with an opossum for instance, after the wife has probably roasted it for him in the ashes [sometimes he will condescend to do it himself] he takes the roasted animal in his two hands, tears away with his teeth the best part and his poor wife must feel obliged if he throws over to her the bones for her to pick. Then again if they move from one camp to another, some several miles, the woman has perhaps to carry a baby in her opossum cloak on her back, is encumbered besides with some wooden vessels and may have to carry for her lord some of his heavier weapons, as it is rather against his dignity to be encumbered with much more than a spear and the light boomerang. I confess these things often roused my indignation and I administered many severe lectures to the men about their cruelty to the women. Nor were there instances wanting of men who would have felt inclined to act with more kindness, could they have made up their minds to break through the restraints of old customs.
Some ventured to make occasional exceptions, particularly when fond of their wives; for with all the arbitrary treatment to which the women are subject you may occasionally observe mutual affection between among them. But before I have done with this part of my subject—the conditions of women, I briefly mention a singular fact which has a strong bearing on the question of marriage and give too often a plea either for polygamy or else for very unequal matches as to age. Whilst natural relationships are strictly regarded so that no near relatives can marry each other, there exists a fictitious kind of relationship, according to which certain persons are prohibited to be married to each other, however desirable otherwise and a woman may be claimed by a most objectionable suitor. The origin, meaning and intent of this truly absurd and imaginary relationship I never could ascertain of it, but that it is so and has been handed down to them by their ancestors. Whether it be a remnant of the Indian cast system, only more absurd or of a clanship which might have existed among the original families, from whom the present blacks are descended or whatever it be, can merely be a conjecture: it is far more objectionable of the Aborigines than the Indian cast system. This unnatural affinity is carried on in the following manner:- Every black man or woman bears the name or surname I may call it [as they have individual names besides] of an animal—thus Bandar kangaroo; Willei, a brown snake; and Buddambang a wild duck; these and many others are names applied to the Aborigines and thereby a relationship is supposed to be produced not in the slightest degree owing to any resemblance of certain animals but altogether arbitrary; thus the kangaroo is related to the Mallian, an eagle hawk and so forth and two names descending from the mother alternately succeed each other so that the grandchildren bears always the name of the grandmother. The opossum for instance is mother to the kangaroo rat and the kangaroo rat again to the opossum. Some of their names constitute the nearest relationship, so that they call each other brothers, others produce a kind of cousinship and they are called by them little brothers or little sisters that is related in a less degree. Such a relationship may exist where there is not the slightest natural relationship to be traced for some generations. But as to intermarriages between such imaginary relatives they are looked upon just as unseemly as if the nearest relations—brother and sister married each other. To illustrate this I will now relate to you a story [one of two instances that I might relate] where I acted somewhat in the capacity of a match-maker and tried to induce some young people to break through this absurd custom—for even they could not help perceiving its absurdity. We had a young woman who was almost civilised and as well instructed as the generality of servants; as a servant she was most useful and could favourably compare with Europeans, her habits were distinguished too by cleanliness and she had attained to a considerable amount of religious knowledge. Being marriageable at the time I speak of, I was informed that she was destined to become the wife of one of the most savage men we had in the neighbourhood, who at the time acted always in a very treacherous manner against our efforts to civilise or Christianise the Aborigines. I knew the girl would be miserable with such a man and all our instructions would be lost. I ascertained from her that she disliked the fellow but had no choice left to refuse. I further ascertained that between her and a young man, partly civilised, there existed some reciprocal feelings of affection but they dare not think of ever being married because they happened to be thus fictitiously related, otherwise there was not the slightest consanguinity between them. However, then they heard that I would approve the union, they agreed to be wedded with the understanding that I should protect them against any interference from their own people. This I promised to do to the utmost in my power and they felt secure. They were solemnly united in my presence, though not exactly according to our usual marriage ceremony. As soon as their marriage became known among the blacks, the greatest possible excitement was produced amongst them. It was unpardonable in these two young people to marry each other, being brother and sister and it was very wrong of Mr. Gunther to allow it, or even to aid them in their unlawful doings—but of course he knew better. Such were their murmurings and loud complaints; they went to the nearest Crown Lands Commissioner and Magistrate complaining against me and upbraiding the young couple. The worthy magistrate paid me a friendly visit to ascertain what had cause such a burst of indignation and clamour among the blacks and was highly amused when I explained the nature of our offence. Had the young couple not lived under my protection and had the old men not been afraid of the European police, I have no doubt their lives would have been in danger; Still after a time they became more or less reconciled to this unlawful match.
My next subject the ceremony of making young men and its probable origin and aim. At the age of 14 or say 13 to 15 or as you may imagine at the age of puberty, every boy is subject to a new rule—to great restrictions, has to pass through a certain ceremony to be initiated in his changed condition; his head or hair also is dressed from this time in the usual fashion. The custom may remind one of the toga of manhood put on by the Romans at 17. The ceremony is this:-- a mysterious voice is first heard, resembling somewhat the bellowing of cattle, several nights in succession at a convenient distance from the camp. This gravely listened to by all and explained by the old men to be the call of Bubu, a mysterious being—he does summon some boys to attend the ceremony of being made into young men. After a few days the old men name the boys who are to obey this mysterious call—the whole camp moves off to the Brubong, sometime several neighbouring tribes join in the ceremony. It usually takes place in a retired spot. A circle is formed by clearing the grass and shrubs away. The women and children are kept at a distance. After various preliminary movements when all is arranged and the boys placed in the midst of the circle, the elderly men surrounding them; a mysterious huge-looking being, masked with branches makes his appearance then the ceremony commences. The particulars of it are generally kept a profound secret among the blacks, no European is admitted to witness the proceedings. But the boys passing through this ordeal are kept nearly all night standing, have to pass through various gestures and movements, have with great threats, certain rules and customs enforced on them. In some tribes a front tooth is knocked out as part of the ceremony enforced on their young men but this not general, it was not done in the Wellington tribe. The young men are thus brought under a kind of military submission to the old men and have for a few weeks remain by themselves in a retired place and are prohibited certain kinds of food, most of the best sorts, especially eggs and fish. The richest and most delicate food is always allotted to the elderly men. Above all the newly made young men are forbidden to come into the presence of a woman; they dare not speak to their own mothers and sisters. This has often caused us much inconvenience when we wish to instruct them together or assemble them at Divine service or address them at camp. I might be standing at the front of my house conversing with some women, a few men might come wanting to see me but they were bound to make a detour some 2 or 2 hundred yards off and I had either to follow them or else first order the women off. These rules no doubt a well considered origin, aiming at a moral tendency and serve in general to uphold the authority of the elders rules. I believe that the rules are generally strictly observed, though I now and then caught some of the young men peeping at the women through the slabs when in their huts. These rules are gradually relaxed, some regarding certain kinds of food are binding till the men reach middle age. If any of you should be doubtful or curious to know who this mysterious Bubu might be, I will add a little anecdote which will illustrate the subject. On one occasion we had two young lads under our instruction who where to attend the ceremony. One was most promising and I was loath to lose him, even for a time. However defeasible this ceremony and its tendency might be in their savage state, I knew it proved an obstacle to our influence and instruction. I therefore tried with the one who was the most promising and spirited to dissuade him from attending the ceremony. The blacks had much difficulty to gain him over but at length he yielded to go. This roused my indignation and I began to lecture them and expose their imposition and their various manoeuvres to impede any effort we might make for their improvements—who is that Bubu? Why it is only one of the old men that makes that strange noise at night to call the young men and that strange looking fellow appearing at the Burbong is again one of the old men. This gave great offence and one of the men told me afterwards very gravely—‘That very wrong of you Mr Gunther to say what you did.’
‘Why?’ I said, ‘I only told the truth.’
‘Maybe truth’ he replied, ‘but you ought not have told it before all the women and children.’
The Aboriginal dances or corroborees are perhaps so well know that I need not enlarge upon same but I will briefly describe them. According to our ideas of dancing the amusement can hardly be called a dance but would probably by those conversant with theatrical performances be compared to some tragically dramatic or farcical representation. The movement has certainly nothing graceful or gentle in it but consists more of muscular action and contortions and jumping arms and legs being most fantastically flung about. Add to this the appearance of young men—no female ever joins in the dance, painted with white lines of pipeclay on their arms, legs, faces and across the ribs, looking like spectres exhibiting before a huge fire and now and then disappearing in the shade of a tree or suddenly turning their back without the white paint, the effect produced is very strange—to gentle minds and delicate frames, rather a disagreeable sensation. But all is done with some regularity and according to time beaten by the middle aged and elderly men, who stand in front with their boomerangs. To this they sing a hollow kind of bass whilst the women sit behind and join with a screeching sort of tenor and beat time with their hands on the inside of an opossum cloak. Sometime a mimicking performances is added to the scene and at other times there are some graver and more solemn movements with certain pieces of bark stuck up having curious marks cut on them which has led me to think that some of these corroborees must have originated in a religious ceremony and superstitious practice. There songs are most monotonous and a few words or two or three sentences over and over again, will mostly make up their compositions, yet there are occasional exceptions.
Let me now describe to you a funeral scene. And first I would mention that the Aborigines are so troubled with the fear of death, that they can hardly bear to hear of it, though they may in a combat or war rush most heedlessly into it. That careless and thoughtless and merry laughter witnessed a times among the Aborigines which has been admired by some Europeans and pointed out as a proof of their happiness, all lies only on the surface is often interrupted by many apprehensions, even when there is nothing to fear; but when serious illness befalls them and they are apprehensive of death they yield themselves to a desponding kind of stupor and listlessness. Even when the chance of recovery is in their favour you can hardly persuade them to take medicine.
If any one dies they try to remove the subject of death out of sight and mind as quickly as possible. Scarcely is a man’s breath departed than they wrap up the body in an opossum cloak or similar covering. On one occasion I prevented a young man from being buried alive. He had apparently expired when the women commenced wrapping the cloak around him, I had to speak very imperatively before they desisted.
‘Why poor fellow he is quite dead,’ they exclaimed.
I said I am not sure, I must look at him once more. He revived and lived 24 hours longer. When they wrap up the corpse, they draw up the knees so as to lay them on the body, thus the corpse looks much shorter. They usually bury the body the same day if possible or if a person dies at night he is sure to be buried without delay next morning. Once in the grave they dislike having his name mentioned again. At the death of a person the women usually commence a most melancholy wailing lamentation, besmearing their faces with pipeclay, covering the head with mud and sometimes cut their head with pointed sticks till the blood gushes out. A smoke made with fire-sticks and boughs is generally continued from the moment of death until after the funeral. The smoke is intended to keep the evil spirits away, who they believe are certain to hurt the dead body and above all to steal the heart out of it. [Mr Gunther here read an extract of a description of a burial he wrote about 20 years ago which was published in one of the missionary periodicals at the time.]
The women cannot marry again for at least a year after the death of their husband. We have no certain date of the longevity of Aboriginals as they never know their age but there is sufficient proof that they may live to be at least seventy.
Now as to their language, firstly almost every district throughout the length and breadth of the colonies has its own dialect—probably there are more than 100 from Moreton Bay to South Australia. This need not surprise us when we consider Europe where there is written language, every country has its peculiar dialect. I have had specimens from the Rev. L.E. Threlkeld’s grammar of the Aboriginal language as spoken about the Newcastle and Maitland district and also of the Gamilorol spoken about ‘Tongy’ Cassilis and as far as the Namoi.
The Wellington dialect called Wirradurri is spoken on the Macquarie and on the Upper Castlereagh; Jurrujarru which varies slightly is spoken form there to Dabee and Capertee. The Bathurst district again has a different dialect. Certain natural boundaries or barriers such as mountain ranges or rivers must have caused the variation. The Wirradurri and Gamilorol each show a resemblance in words and grammatical construction and point to a common origin.
I would only observe in conclusion that the great variety of dialects would be a great obstacle to instruct them to any extent in their own native tongue.
Their wandering habits and their miserable way of existence which prevents a European living and settling amongst them, present the greatest and almost an insurmountable difficulty to do much permanent good amongst them.
