and
which exactly resembles the print made by the foot of an emu. Probably
the youths thought it a _kobong_, for they frequently pointed to
it and to the emu skins which the party had with them.--See OXLEY'S
_Journal_, p. 172.

[46] The command in Deut. xxv. only extended to the case of eldest sons
dying without children.

Respecting the languages spoken in different parts of New Holland, it is
doubtful whether they have all a common root or not, but the opinion of
Captain Grey, who was not unqualified to judge, is in favour of their
kindred origin. In so vast an extent of country, among wandering tribes,
that hold little or no communication with each other, great differences
in language were to be expected, and are found to exist. If three men
from the east, the west, and the north of England meet together, they
occasionally puzzle one another by their various dialects; what, then,
must be expected by way of variety in a country between two and three
thousand miles across, without much communication, and totally
differing, at its extreme points, in climate and in animal and vegetable
productions? For new objects new names were, of necessity, invented; but
the resemblance between words signifying objects common everywhere, as,
for instance, the parts of the human body, is said to be remarkable. The
Australian languages are stated to be soft and melodious in their sound,
and their songs, though rude and wild, have amazing power over the
feelings of the soul. _Noise_ would appear to have great charms in
savage ears, and, sometimes, from the high key in which our English
songs are occasionally pitched, it would seem to have charms also for
"ears polite." But an elegant and refined European song would only be
laughed at and mimicked by the musical blacks, some few of whom are not,
however, quite insensible to the sweets of civilised melody. Warrup, a
native servant, was once present when "God save the Queen" was sung in
chorus, and it so affected him, that he burst into tears. He certainly
could not have understood the words, much less could he have entered
into the noble and loyal spirit, of our National Anthem: it must,
therefore, have been the music, and, perhaps, the excitement prevailing
around him, which affected him.

[Illustration: OPOSSUM HUNTING.]

CHAPTER IV.

MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE IN THE BUSH.

One of the most important occupations of every man in this present state
of things, is the