e comparisons formed from such compilations must
necessarily have been erroneous in the highest degree. Moreover in many
instances these strangers were grossly imposed upon. One gentleman
published a vocabulary of the King George's Sound dialect which has been
largely quoted from by other writers; in this the numerals as high as ten
are given, although the natives only count to four; and the translations
of some words which he has put down as numbers are very humorous, such
as: What do you mean? Get out, etc.

COMMON ORIGIN OF NATIVE POPULATION.

Many words spoken by the natives at Shark Bay are the same as those used
by the natives at Perth, and the dialect in use in the Province of
Victoria appears very nearly to assimilate to the latter, as is shown in
the extracts from Mr. Moore's journal at page 120. Having thus traced the
entire of the coastline of the continent of Australia, it appears that a
language the same in root is spoken throughout this vast extent of
country; and from the general agreement in this as well as in personal
appearance, rites, and ceremonies, we may fairly infer a community of
origin for the aborigines. This being admitted, two other questions will
arise.

How were they disseminated over the continent?

and

At what period, and from what quarter, did they arrive upon it?

CHAPTER 10. THEIR TRADITIONAL LAWS.

ERRORS OF THEORETICAL WRITERS REGARDING THE SAVAGE STATE.

No question has, in as far as I can apprehend the subject, been so
utterly misunderstood and misrepresented as the one relating to the
customs and traditional laws of savage races. Deistical writers and
philosophers of great note but small experience have built up whole
theories, and have either overturned or striven to overturn ancient
faiths and wholesome laws by arguments deduced, in the first instance,
from the consideration of man in his simple or savage state; and from
false premises they have deduced, logically, argument from argument,
until even the most unwilling have begun to doubt.

COMPLEX LAWS OF SAVAGE LIFE.

But to believe that man in a savage state is endowed with freedom either
of thought or action is erroneous in the highest degree. He is in reality
subjected to complex laws which not only deprive him of all free agency
of thought, but at the same time, by allowing no scope whatever for the
development of intellect, benevolence, or any other great moral
qualification, they necessarily bind him down i