CIRCUMCISION.

The natives of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and also those on the eastern
shores of St. Vincent's Gulf, practise the rite of circumcision. That is,
this remarkable rite is known to be observed in two points of the
continent of Australia exactly opposite to one another, and which are
separated by a distance of about twelve hundred miles.

OTHER SCRIPTURAL CUSTOMS.

The injunctions contained in Deuteronomy chapter 23 verses 12 and 13 are
literally fulfilled by the natives in several parts of the continent. In
addition to my own testimony on this point I will refer to Wilson's
Voyage round the World, page 165, where he states:

They are cleanly in their manners, and in some respects superior to the
Europeans, fulfilling the injunction of Moses in the twelfth and
thirteenth verses of the twenty-third chapter of Deuteronomy.

This passage relates to the natives of Raffles Bay on the extreme north
of the continent of Australia, whereas I have observed the custom in the
South-western parts of Australia.

They also conform strictly to the injunctions in Leviticus chapter 15
verse 19.

CHAPTER 17. CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTES.

The following casual anecdotes, though trivial in themselves, will assist
in illustrating some of the peculiarities of the native mind and
character.

MIAGO'S IMAGINARY SPEECH AS GOVERNOR.

Speech that the native Miago would have addressed to the aborigines of
Perth if he had landed as Governor instead of His Excellency Mr. Hutt. He
came into my room directly after the Governor had landed, and made this
imaginary address.

Yiee, nap yongar Perth bak-ad-jee yuado--Moon-dee Moondee gurrang,
gurrang boola: Mir-ga-na, Mir-ga-na gurrang, gurrang boola: Yal-gon-ga,
Yal-gon-ga, gurrang, gurrang boola; yarn bal?

Buck-il-bury Wattup gidjee, yam bal gurrang boola?

Bun-bury gurrang, gurrang boola.

Golam-bidie gwab-ba: Mam-me-rup wan-gow-een boola.

Goo-lam-bidie wilgey nab-bow, yago mial, Goo-lam-bidie donga broo:
mam-me-rup meno been boola, mam-me-rup gurrang gaduck, golambidie
gid-jee; Dule.

Waumma Governor yool: yahi Perth yongar bak-ad-jee yu-a-do;
gwab-ba-litch.

MIAGO'S SPEECH AS GOVERNOR.

Henceforth this people of Perth must not fight. Moon-dee, Moon-dee, you
are always quarrelling. Mir-ga-na, Mir-ga-na, you are always quarrelling.
Yal-gon-ga, Yal-gon-ga, you are quarrelsome--what is the reason of this?

Bucklebury speared Wattup, what reason had he to be in such a pass