sorts and sizes, but which are used principally for hunting the
kangaroo, oppossum, bandicoot, &c. They are passionately fond of their
dogs; so much so, that the females are frequently known to suckle a
favourite puppy instead of the child. They rarely ever move at night,
but encircle themselves round a large fire, and sleep in a sitting
posture, with their heads between their knees. So careless are they of
their children, that it is not uncommon to see boys grown up with feet
exhibiting the loss of a toe or two, having, when infants, been
dropped into the fire by the mother. The children are generally
carried (by the women) astride across the shoulders, in a careless
manner. They live entirely by hunting, and do not fish so much, or use
the canoe, as in New South Wales, although the women are tolerably
expert divers; the craw-fish and oyster, if immediately on the coast,
are their principal food. Oppossums and kangaroos may be said to be
their chief support; the latter is as delicious a treat to an epicure,
as the former is the reverse. The manner of cooking their victuals is
by throwing it on the fire, merely to singe off the hair; they eat
voraciously, and are very little removed from the brute creation as to
choice of food; entrails, &c. sharing the same chance as the choicest
parts. They are extremely expert in climbing, and can reach the top of
the largest forest-trees without the aid of branches; they effect this
by means of a small sharp flint, which they clasp tightly in the ball
of their four fingers, and having cut a notch out of the bark, they
easily ascend, with the large toe of each foot in one notch, and their
curiously manufactured hatchet in the other. Their weapons of defence
are the spear and waddie; the former is about twelve feet long, and as
thick as the little finger of a man; the tea-tree supplies them with
this matchless weapon; they harden one end, which is very sharply
pointed, by burning and filing it with a flint prepared for the
purpose. In throwing the spear they are very expert; indeed, of late,