at
could be told as a general story. Each tribe of from twenty to a couple
of hundred dusky forms wandered over the land, seeking animals to hunt
and fresh water to drink. They were very thinly spread, not more than
one person to ten square miles, yet every little tribe was at deadly
feud with its neighbour.

[Illustration: GOVERNMENT HOUSE, BRISBANE.]

The tribe wandered over the grassy and park-like lands, the men stalking
ahead with spears and boomerang in hand; the women trudging behind
loaded with babies, and utensils. At evening they camp and the men put
up frail break-winds, consisting of a few branches and leafy tufts;
behind this on the sheltered side a few leaves made a bed. Meantime the
fire was lit close by, and soon a dozen little columns of blue smoke
curl up among the trees. The opossum, or duck, or wallaby is soon cooked
or half-cooked; the men devour as much as they want and pass on the
remains to the women and children. A frog or two and a lizard, or a few
grubs taken out of decayed timber, or perhaps a few roots that have been
dug up on the march by the women, form a sort of dessert. After dusk
there is the sound of chatter round the fires; then all retire to rest,
with the glowing embers of the fires to give them warmth. At daybreak
all are awake. If there is food at hand they may stay in the same camp
for weeks together, but if not they journey on.

Each man had as many wives as he could obtain. He did not support them,
but they supported him, and when children became too numerous he
lessened his family by killing off a few. More than half the children
were thus destroyed. Their enjoyments consisted of games with a kind of
ball, and mock-fights, but especially in a wild dance they called the
corrobboree. They were in general good-humoured when things went
pleasantly; but a man would spear his wife through the leg or dash his
child's brains out readily enough when things were not to his taste, and
nobody would think any the worse of him for it.

CHAPTER XVII.

EXPLORATIONS IN THE INTERIOR, 1840-1860.

#1. Progress of Exploration.#--The coasts of Australia had all been
examined before the year 1815. From that date those who wished to make
fresh discoveries were obliged to penetrate into the interior; and we
have already seen that, previous to the year 1836, explorers were busy
in opening up the south-east portion of the continent. Oxley had made
known the northern districts of New South