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30 they were. The whole tribe generally assembled to receive us, and all, without exception, were in a complete state of nudity; and really the loathesome condition and hideous countenances of the women would, I should imagine, have been a complete antidote to the sensual passion.” He furthermore tells us, “ with every new tribe we were obliged to submit to an examination, and to be pulled about, and fingered all over.” MAJOR MITCHELL AND THE BLACKS, IN 1836. This distinguished discoverer of what he called Australia Felix, arrived at Lake Benanee by the Murray, July 27, 1836. To his surprise he fell in with a tribe with whom he had a brush some two hundred miles off upon the Darling. They called out, “ Goway, goway, goway which, being interpreted, means, “ Come here.” Piper, the Sydney aboriginal guide, did not admire their contiguity, and seriously asked his leader, what the Governor said to him about killing the “ Wild Blackfellow giving a significant idea of his estimation of their value. Though at first the tribe assumed friendly appearances, there was not wanting proof of their hostile spirit. An old fellow approached the Major quite confi dently and smilingly, with a bundle of spears concealed beneath his kangaroo rug. But they were prepared. It was noticed that the rascals, with the cunning of foxes, understood the business of getting guns ready. A few shots procured “ permanent deliverance of the party from imminent danger.” It was among these people that the explorer saw an Australian beauty. “ The youngest,” says he, “ was the handsomest female I had ever seen among the natives. She was so far from black, that the red colour was very apparent in her cheek. She sat before me in a corner of the group, nearly in the attitude of Mr. Bailey’s fine statue of Eve at the Fountain; and apparently equally unconscious that she was naked.” An old man civilly offered to barter her for a tomahawk to the evidently admiring soldier. His refusal was doubtless regarded as more foolish than scrupulous. The English were amused with the Painted Tribe, the men of which accurately marked out the muscles of their bodies with the
