a complete account of the settlement-第29章

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ce　were　not　easy。　The　first　time　Colbee　saw　a　monkey；　he　called　'wurra'　（a　rat）；　but　on　examining　its　paws　he　exclaimed　with　astonishment　and　affright；　'mulla'　（a　man）。

At　the　head　of　the　birds　the　cassowary　or　emu；　stands　conspicuous。　The　print　of　it　which　has　already　been　given　to　the　public　is　so　accurate　for　the　most　part；　that　it　would　be　malignant　criticism　in　a　work　of　this　kind　to　point　out　a　few　trifling　defects。

Here　again　naturalists　must　look　forward　to　that　information　which　longer　and　more　intimate　knowledge　of　the　feathered　tribe　than　I　can　supply；　shall　appear。　　I　have　nevertheless　had　the　good　fortune　to　see　what　was　never　seen　but　once；　in　the　country　I　am　describing；　by　Europeans…　…a　hatch；　or　flock；　of　young　cassowaries　with　the　old　bird。　　I　counted　ten；　but　others　said　there　were　twelve。　　We　came　suddenly　upon　them；　and　they　ran　up　a　hill　exactly　like　a　flock　of　turkeys；　but　so　fast　that　we　could　not　get　a　shot　at　them。　　The　largest　cassowary　ever　killed　in　the　settlement；　weighed　ninety…four　pounds。　　Three　young　ones；　which　had　been　by　accident　separated　from　the　dam；　were　once　taken　and　presented　to　the　governor。　　They　were　not　larger　than　so　many　pullets；　although　at　first　sight　they　appeared　to　be　so　from　the　length　of　their　necks　and　legs。　　They　were　very　beautifully　striped；　and　from　their　tender　state　were　judged　to　be　not　more　than　three　or　four　days　old。　　They　lived　only　a　few　days。

A　single　egg；　the　production　of　a　cassowary；　was　picked　up　in　a　desert　place；　dropped　on　the　sand；　without　covering　or　protection　of　any　kind。　Its　form　was　nearly　a　perfect　ellipsis；　and　the　colour　of　the　shell　a　dark　green；　full　of　little　indents　on　its　surface。　　It　measured　eleven　inches　and　a　half　in　circumference；　five　inches　and　a　quarter　in　height；　and　weighed　a　pound　and　a　quarter。　　Afterwards　we　had　the　good　fortune　to　take　a　nest。　　It　was　found　by　a　soldier　in　a　sequestered　solitary　situation；　made　in　a　patch　of　lofty　fern　about　three　feet　in　diameter；　rather　of　an　oblong　shape　and　composed　of　dry　leaves　and　tops　of　fern　stalks；　very　inartificially　put　together。　　The　hollow　in　which　lay　the　eggs；　twelve　in　number；　seemed　made　solely　by　the　pressure　of　the　bird。　The　eggs　were　regularly　placed　in　the　following　position。


　　　　　　　　　O　　　　　　O　　　O　　　O　　O　　　O　　　O　　　O　　　O　　O　　　　　　　O　　　　　　　O


The　soldier；　instead　of　greedily　plundering　his　prize；　communicated　the　discovery　to　an　officer；　who　immediately　set　out　for　the　spot。　When　they　had　arrived　there　they　continued　for　a　long　time　to　search　in　vain　for　their　object；　and　the　soldier　was　just　about　to　be　stigmatized　with　ignorance；　credulity　or　imposture；　when　suddenly　up　started　the　old　bird　and　the　treasure　was　found　at　their　feet。

The　food　of　the　cassowary　is　either　grass；　or　a　yellow　bell…flower　growing　in　the　swamps。　　It　deserves　remark；　that　the　natives　deny　the　cassowary　to　be　a　bird；　because　it　does　not　fly。

Of　other　birds　the　varieties　are　very　numerous。　　Of　the　parrot　tribe　alone　I　could；　while　I　am　writing；　count　up　from　memory　fourteen　different　sorts。　Hawks　are　very　numerous；　so　are　quails。　　A　single　snipe　has　been　shot。　Ducks；　geese　and　other　aquatic　birds　are　often　seen　in　large　flocks；　but　are　universally　so　shy；　that　it　is　found　difficult　to　shoot　them。　Some　of　the　smaller　birds　are　very　beautiful；　but　they　are　not　remarkable　for　either　sweetness；　or　variety　of　notes。　　To　one　of　them；　not　bigger　than　a　tomtit；　we　have　given　the　name　of　coach…whip；　from　its　note　exactly　resembling　the　smack　of　a　whip。　　The　country；　I　am　of　opinion；　would　abound　with　birds　did　not　the　natives；　by　perpetually　setting　fire　to　the　grass　and　bushes；　destroy　the　greater　part　of　the　nests；　a　cause　which　also　contributes　to　render　small　quadrupeds　scarce。　　They　are　besides　ravenously　fond　of　eggs　and　eat　them　wherever　they　find　them。　　They　call　the　roe　of　a　fish　and　a　bird's　egg　by　one　name。

So　much　has　been　said　of　the　abundance　in　which　fish　are　found　in　the　harbours　of　New　South　Wales　that　it　looks　like　detraction　to　oppose　a　contradiction。　Some　share　of　knowledge　may；　however；　be　supposed　to　belong　to　experience。　Many　a　night　have　I　toiled　（in　the　times　of　distress）　on　the　public　service；　from　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　until　eight　o'clock　next　morning；　hauling　the　seine　in　every　part　of　the　harbour　of　Port　Jackson：　　and　after　a　circuit　of　many　miles　and　between　twenty　and　thirty　hauls；　seldom　more　than　a　hundred　pounds　of　fish　were　taken。　　However；　it　sometimes　happens　that　a　glut　enters　the　harbour；　and　for　a　few　days　they　sufficiently　abound。　But　the　universal　voice　of　all　professed　fishermen　is　that　they　never　fished　in　a　country　where　success　was　so　precarious　and　uncertain。

I　shall　not　pretend　to　enumerate　the　variety　of　fish　which　are　found。　They　are　seen　from　a　whale　to　a　gudgeon。　　In　the　intermediate　classes　may　be　reckoned　sharks　of　a　monstrous　size；　skait；　rock…cod；　grey…mullet；　bream；　horse…mackarel；　now　and　then　a　sole　and　john　dory；　and　innumerable　others　unknown　in　Europe；　many　of　which　are　extremely　delicious；　and　many　highly　beautiful。　　At　the　top　of　the　list；　as　an　article　of　food；　stands　a　fish；　which　we　named　light…horseman。　　The　relish　of　this　excellent　fish　was　increased　by　our　natives；　who　pointed　out　to　us　its　delicacies。　　No　epicure　in　England　could　pick　a　head　with　more　glee　and　dexterity　than　they　do　that　of　a　light…horseman。

Reptiles　in　the　swamps　and　covers　are　numerous。　　Of　snakes　there　are　two　or　three　sorts：　　but　whether　the　bite　of　any　of　them　be　mortal；　or　even　venomous；　is　somewhat　doubtful。　　I　know　but　of　one　well　attested　instance　of　a　bite　being　received　from　a　snake。　　A　soldier　was　bitten　so　as　to　draw　blood；　and　the　wound　healed　as　a　simple　incision　usually　does　without　shewing　any　symptom　of　malignity。　　A　dog　was　reported　to　be　bitten　by　a　snake；　and　the　animal　swelled　and　died　in　great　agony。　　But　I　will　by　no　means　affirm　that　the　cause　of　his　death　was　fairly　ascertained。　It　is；　however；　certain　that　the　natives　show；　on　all　occasions；　the　utmost　horror　of　the　snake；　and　will　not　eat　it；　although　they　esteem　lizards；　goannas；　and　many　other　reptiles　delicious　fare。　　On　this　occasion　they　always　observe　that　if　the　snake　bites　them；　they　become　lame；　but　whether　by　this　they　mean　temporary　or　lasting　lameness　I　do　not　pretend　to　determine。　　　I　have　often　eaten　snakes　and　always　found　them　palatable　and　nutritive；　though　it　was　difficult　to　stew　them　to　a　tender　state。

Summer　here；　as　in　all　other　countries；　brings　with　it　a　long　list　of　insects。　In　the　neighborhood　of　rivers　and　morasses；　mosquitoes　and　sandflies　are　never　wanting　at　any　season；　but　at　Sydney　they　are　seldom　numerous　or　troublesome。　　The　most　nauseous　and　destructive　of　all　the　insects　is　a　fly　which　blows　not　eggs　but　large　living　maggots；　and　if　the　body　of　the　fly　be　opened　it　is　found　full　of　them。　　Of　ants　there　are　several　sorts；　one　of　which　bites　very　severely。　　The　white　ant　is　sometimes　seen。　　Spiders　are　large　and　numerous。　　Their　webs　are　not　only　the　strongest；　but　the　finest；　and　most　silky　I　ever　felt。　I　have　often　thought　their　labour　might　be　turned　to　advantage。　　It　has；　I　believe；　been　proved　that　spiders；　were　it　not　for　their　quarrelsome　disposition　which　irritates　them　to　attack　and　destroy　each　other；　might　be　employed　more　profitably　than　silk…worms。

The　hardiness　of　some　of　the　insects　deserves　to　be　mentioned。　　A　beetle　was　immersed　in　proof　spirits　for　four　hours；　and　when　taken　out　crawled　away　almost　immediately。　　It　was　a　second　time　immersed；　and　continued　in　a　glass　of　rum　for　a　day　and　a　night；　at　the　expiration　of　which　period　it　still　showed　symptoms　of　life。　　Perhaps；　however；　what　I　from　ignorance　deem　wonderful　is　common。


*****


The　last　but　the　most　important　production　yet　remains　to　be　considered。　Whether　plodding　in　London；　reeking　with　human　blood　in　Paris　or　wandering　amidst　the　solitary　wilds　of　New　South　WalesMan　is　ever　an　object　of　interest；　curiosity　and　reflection。

The　natives　around　Port　Jackson　are　in　person　rather　more　diminutive　and　slighter　made；　especially　about　the　thighs　and　legs；　than　the　Europeans。　It　is　doubtful　whether　their　society　contained　a　person　of　six　feet　high。　The　tallest　I　ever　measured；　reached　five　feet　eleven　inches；　and　men　of　his　height　were　rarely　seen。　　Baneelon；　who　towered　above　the　majority　of　his　countrymen；　stood　barely　five　feet　eight　inches　high。　　His　other　principal　dimensions　were　as　follows：


Girth　of　the　Chest。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2　feet　10　inches　Girth　of　the　Belly。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2　feet　6　1/2　inches　Girth　of　the　Thigh。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　18　1/8　inches　Girth　of　the　Leg　at　the　Calf。　　　　12　1/8　inches　Girth　of　the　Leg　at　the　Small。　　　10　inches　Girth　of　arm　half　way　between　the　shoulder　and　elbow。　　　　　　　　　　9　inches


Instances　of　natural　deformity　are　scarce；　nor　did　we　ever　see　one　of　them　left…handed。　　They　are；　indeed；　nearly　ambidexter；　but　the　sword；　the　spear　and　the　fish…gig　are　always　used　with　the　right　hand。　Their　muscular　force　is　not　great；　but　the　pliancy　of　their　limbs　renders　them　very　active。　　〃Give　to　civilized　man　all　his　machines；　and　he　is　superior　to　the　savage；　but　without　these；　how　inferior　is　he　found　on　opposition；　even　more　so　than　the　savage　in　the　first　instance。〃　These　are　the　words　of　Rousseau；　and　like　many　more　of　his　positions　must　be　received　with　limitation。　　Were　an　unarmed　Englishman　and　an　unarmed　New　Hollander　to　engage；　the　latter；　I　think；　would　fall。

Mr。　Cook　seems　inclined　to　believe　the　covering　of　their　heads　to　be　wool。　But　this　is　erroneous。　　It　is　certainly　hair；　which　when　regularly　combed　becomes　soon　nearly　as　flexible　and　docile　as　our　own。　　Their　teeth　are　not　so　white　and　good　as　those　generally　found　in　Indian　nations；　except　in　the　children；　but　the　inferiority　originates　in　themselves。　hey　bite　sticks；　stones；　shells　and　all　other　hard　substances；　indiscriminately　with　them；　which　quickly　destroys　the　enamel　and　gives　them　a　jagged　and　uneven　appearance。　　A　high　forehead；　with　prominent　overhanging　eyebrows；　is　their　leading　characteristic；　and　when　it　does　not　operate　to　destroy　all　openness　of　countenance　gives　an　air　of　resolute　dignity　to　the　aspect；　which　recommends；　in　spite　of　a　true　negro　nose；　thick　lips；　and　a　wide　mouth。　The　prominent　shin　bone；　so　invariably　found　in　the　Africans；　is　not；　however；　seen。　　But　in　another　particular　they　are　more　alike。　　The　rank　offensive　smell　which　disgusts　so　much　in　the　negro；　prevails　strongly　among　them　when　they　are　in　their　native　state；　but　it　wears　off　in　those　who　have　resided　with　us　and　have　been　taught　habits　of　cleanliness。　Their　hands　and　feet　are　small*；　especially　the　former。

＇*I　mentioned　this；　among　other　circumstances；　to　colonel　Gordon　when　I　was　at　the　Cape；　and　he　told　me　that　it　indicated　poverty　and　inadequacy　of　living。　He　instanced　to　me　the　Hottentots　and　Caffres。　　The　former　fare　poorly；　and　have　small　hands　and　feet。　　The　Caffres；　their　neighbours；　live　plenteously　and　have　very　large　ones。　　This　remark　cannot　be　applied　to　civilized　nations；　where　so　many　factitious　causes　operate。＇

Their　eyes　are　full；　black　and　piercing；　but　the　almost　perpetual　strain　in　which　the　optic　nerve　is　kept；　by　looking　out　for　prey；　ren