64 treatment of the natives. account. Whether this be the result of indolence or im penetrable stupidity, I will not attempt to determine. The rivers, well stocked with fish, which rise on the western declivities of the Australian Alps, afford mainte nance to numerous tribes, which are troublesome in pro portion to their numbers, and render the remote inland districts of Port Philip unsafe for isolated settlers. The quarrels that take place are usually owing to the uncom promising spirit of the settlers themselves, who talk of the blacks as having no claim to the protection of law, or to any of the privileges and immunities of human beings ;— nay, the crime of shooting a native is not regarded in the jurisprudence of the bush as amounting to murder. Yet those who have gained experience in dealing with the aborigines, find no difficulty in maintaining a friendly in tercourse ; but, per contra, if the worm will turn, when trampled upon, so will the New Hollander. To protect the lives and property of remote settlers, is unquestionably the duty of the colonial government; but this cannot be done, unless the settlers subdue their own wrathful feelings, and regard the natives as untaught children of the forest, whose territory has been invaded, and whose hunting grounds have been taken from them by the white man’s flocks and herds; and who are, therefore, objects of commiseration rather than of enmity. Under the influence of humane and rational management, the aborigines are doubtless capable of becoming far more highly civilized than they are at present. They have fre quently been employed as shepherds and stockmen in the interior of New South Wales; and Dr. Imlay, of Twofold Bay, has a number of them regularly in his employment. They have also, on some occasions, been found on board