a complete account of the settlement-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Their　eyes　are　full；　black　and　piercing；　but　the　almost　perpetual　strain　in　which　the　optic　nerve　is　kept；　by　looking　out　for　prey；　renders　their　sight　weak　at　an　earlier　age　than　we　in　general　find　ours　affected。　These　large　black　eyes　are　universally　shaded　by　the　long　thick　sweepy　eyelash；　so　much　prized　in　appreciating　beauty；　that；　perhaps　hardly　any　face　is　so　homely　which　this　aid　cannot　in　some　degree　render　interesting；　and　hardly　any　so　lovely　which；　without　it；　bears　not　some　trace　of　insipidity。　Their　tone　of　voice　is　loud；　but　not　harsh。　　I　have　in　some　of　them　found　it　very　pleasing。

Longevity；　I　think；　is　seldom　attained　by　them。　　Unceasing　agitation　wears　out　the　animal　frame　and　is　unfriendly　to　length　of　days。　　We　have　seen　them　grey　with　age；　but　not　old；　perhaps　never　beyond　sixty　years。　But　it　may　be　said；　the　American　Indian；　in　his　undebauched　state；　lives　to　an　advanced　period。　　True；　but　he　has　his　seasons　of　repose。　　He　reaps　his　little　harvest　of　maize　and　continues　in　idleness　while　it　lasts。　He　kills　the　roebuck　or　the　moose…deer；　which　maintains　him　and　his　family　for　many　days；　during　which　cessation　the　muscles　regain　their　spring　and　fit　him　for　fresh　toils。　　Whereas　every　sun　awakes　the　native　of　New　South　Wales　（unless　a　whale　be　thrown　upon　the　coast）　to　a　renewal　of　labour；　to　provide　subsistence　for　the　present　day。

The　women　are　proportionally　smaller　than　the　men。　　I　never　measured　but　two　of　them；　who　were　both；　I　think；　about　the　medium　height。　One　of　them；　a　sister　of　Baneelon；　stood　exactly　five　feet　two　inches　high。　The　other；　named　Gooreedeeana；　was　shorter　by　a　quarter　of　an　inch。

But　I　cannot　break　from　Gooreedeeana　so　abruptly。　　She　belonged　to　the　tribe　of　Cameragal；　and　rarely　came　among　us。　　One　day；　however；　she　entered　my　house　to　complain　of　hunger。　　She　excelled　in　beauty　all　their　females　I　ever　saw。　　Her　age　about　eighteen；　the　firmness；　the　symmetry　and　the　luxuriancy　of　her　bosom　might　have　tempted　painting　to　copy　its　charms。　Her　mouth　was　small　and　her　teeth；　though　exposed　to　all　the　destructive　purposes　to　which　they　apply　them；　were　white；　sound　and　unbroken。　Her　countenance；　though　marked　by　some　of　the　characteristics　of　her　native　land；　was　distinguished　by　a　softness　and　sensibility　unequalled　in　the　rest　of　her　countrywomen；　and　I　was　willing　to　believe　that　these　traits　indicated　the　disposition　of　her　mind。　　I　had　never　before　seen　this　elegant　timid　female；　of　whom　I　had　often　heard；　but　the　interest　I　took　in　her　led　me　to　question　her　about　her　husband　and　family。　She　answered　me　by　repeating　a　name　which　I　have　now　forgotten；　and　told　me　she　had　no　children。　　I　was　seized　with　a　strong　propensity　to　learn　whether　the　attractions　of　Gooreedeeana　were　sufficiently　powerful　to　secure　her　from　the　brutal　violence　with　which　the　women　are　treated；　and　as　I　found　my　question　either　ill　understood　or　reluctantly　answered；　I　proceeded　to　examine　her　head；　the　part　on　which　the　husband's　vengeance　generally　alights。　　With　grief　I　found　it　covered　by　contusions　and　mangled　by　scars。　　The　poor　creature；　grown　by　this　time　more　confident　from　perceiving　that　I　pitied　her；　pointed　out　a　wound　just　above　her　left　knee　which　she　told　me　was　received　from　a　spear；　thrown　at　her　by　a　man　who　had　lately　dragged　her　by　force　from　her　home　to　gratify　his　lust。　I　afterwards　observed　that　this　wound　had　caused　a　slight　lameness　and　that　she　limped　in　walking。　　I　could　only　compassionate　her　wrongs　and　sympathize　in　her　misfortunes。　　To　alleviate　her　present　sense　of　them；　when　she　took　her　leave　I　gave　her；　however；　all　the　bread　and　salt　pork　which　my　little　stock　afforded。

After　this　I　never　saw　her　but　once；　when　I　happened　to　be　near　the　harbour's　mouth　in　a　boat；　with　captain　Ball。　　We　met　her　in　a　canoe　with　several　more　of　her　sex。　　She　was　painted　for　a　ball；　with　broad　stripes　of　white　earth；　from　head　to　foot；　so　that　she　no　longer　looked　like　the　same　Gooreedeeana。　　We　offered　her　several　presents；　all　of　which　she　readily　accepted；　but　finding　our　eagerness　and　solicitude　to　inspect　her；　she　managed　her　canoe　with　such　address　as　to　elude　our　too　near　approach；　and　acted　the　coquet　to　admiration。

To　return　from　this　digression　to　my　subject；　I　have　only　farther　to　observe　that　the　estimation　of　female　beauty　among　the　natives　（the　men　at　least）　is　in　this　country　the　same　as　in　most　others。　　Were　a　New　Hollander　to　portray　his　mistress；　he　would　draw　her　the　'Venus　aux　belles　fesses'。　Whenever　Baneelon　described　to　us　his　favourite　fair；　he　always　painted　her　in　this；　and　another　particular；　as　eminently　luxuriant。

Unsatisfied；　however；　with　natural　beauty　（like　the　people　of　all　other　countries）　they　strive　by　adscititious　embellishments　to　heighten　attraction；　and　often　with　as　little　success。　　Hence　the　naked　savage　of　New　South　Wales　pierces　the　septum　of　his　nose；　through　which　he　runs　a　stick　or　a　bone；　and　scarifies　his　body；　the　charms　of　which　increase　in　proportion　to　the　number　and　magnitude　of　seams　by　which　it　is　distinguished。　The　operation　is　performed　by　making　two　longitudinal　incisions　with　a　sharpened　shell；　and　afterwards　pinching　up　with　the　nails　the　intermediate　space　of　skin　and　flesh；　which　thereby　becomes　considerably　elevated　and　forms　a　prominence　as　thick　as　a　man's　finger。　　No　doubt　but　pain　must　be　severely　felt　until　the　wound　be　healed。　　But　the　love　of　ornament　defies　weaker　considerations；　and　no　English　beau　can　bear　more　stoutly　the　extraction　of　his　teeth　to　make　room　for　a　fresh　set　from　a　chimney　sweeper；　or　a　fair　one　suffer　her　tender　ears　to　be　perforated；　with　more　heroism　than　the　grisly　nymphs　on　the　banks　of　Port　Jackson；　submit　their　sable　shoulders　to　the　remorseless　lancet。

That　these　scarifications　are　intended　solely　to　increase　personal　allurement　I　will　not；　however；　positively　affirm。　　Similar；　perhaps；　to　the　cause　of　an　excision　of　part　of　the　little　finger　of　the　left　hand　in　the　women；　and　of　a　front　tooth　in　the　men；*　or　probably　after　all　our　conjectures；　superstitious　ceremonies　by　which　they　hope　either　to　avert　evil　or　to　propagate　good；　are　intended。　　The　colours　with　which　they　besmear　the　bodies　of　both　sexes　possibly　date　from　the　same　common　origin。　White　paint　is　strictly　appropriate　to　the　dance。　　Red　seems　to　be　used　on　numberless　occasions；　and　is　considered　as　a　colour　of　less　consequence。　It　may　be　remarked　that　they　translate　the　epithet　white　when　they　speak　of　us；　not　by　the　name　which　they　assign　to　this　white　earth；　but　by　that　with　which　they　distinguish　the　palms　of　their　hands。


＇*It　is　to　be　observed　that　neither　of　these　ceremonies　is　universal；　but　nearly　so。　　Why　there　should　exist　exemptions　I　cannot　resolve。　The　manner　of　executing　them　is　as　follows。　　The　finger　is　taken　off　by　means　of　a　ligature　（generally　a　sinew　of　a　kangaroo）　tied　so　tight　as　to　stop　the　circulation　of　the　blood；　which　induces　mortification　and　the　part　drops　off。　　I　remember　to　have　seen　Colbee's　child；　when　about　a　month　old；　on　whom　this　operation　had　been　just　performed　by　her　mother。　The　little　wretch　seemed　in　pain；　and　her　hand　was　greatly　swelled。　But　this　was　deemed　too　trifling　a　consideration　to　deserve　regard　in　a　case　of　so　much　importance。

The　tooth　intended　to　be　taken　out　is　loosened　by　the　gum　being　scarified　on　both　sides　with　a　sharp　shell。　　The　end　of　a　stick　is　then　applied　to　the　tooth；　which　is　struck　gently　several　times　with　a　stone；　until　it　becomes　easily　moveable；　when　the　'coup　de　grace'　is　given　by　a　smart　stroke。　Notwithstanding　these　precautions；　I　have　seen　a　considerable　degree　of　swelling　and　inflammation　follow　the　extraction。　　Imeerawanyee；　I　remember；　suffered　severely。　　But　he　boasted　the　firmness　and　hardihood　with　which　he　had　endured　it。　　It　is　seldom　performed　on　those　who　are　under　sixteen　years　old。＇


As　this　leads　to　an　important　subject　I　shall　at　once　discuss　it。　〃Have　these　people　any　religion：　　any　knowledge　of；　or　belief　in　a　deity？　any　conception　of　the　immortality　of　the　soul？〃　are　questions　which　have　been　often　put　to　me　since　my　arrival　in　England：　　I　shall　endeavour　to　answer　them　with　candour　and　seriousness。

Until　belief　be　enlightened　by　revelation　and　chastened　by　reason；　religion　and　superstition；　are　terms　of　equal　import。　　One　of　our　earliest　impressions　is　the　consciousness　of　a　superior　power。　　The　various　forms　under　which　this　impression　has　manifested　itself　are　objects　of　the　most　curious　speculation。

The　native　of　New　South　Wales　believes　that　particular　aspects　and　appearances　of　the　heavenly　bodies　predict　good　or　evil　consequences　to　himself　and　his　friends。　　He　oftentimes　calls　the　sun　and　moon　'weeree；'　that　is；　malignant；　pernicious。　　Should　he　see　the　leading　fixed　stars　（many　of　which　he　can　call　by　name）　obscured　by　vapours；　he　sometimes　disregards　the　omen；　and　sometimes　draws　from　it　the　most　dreary　conclusions。　I　remember　Abaroo　running　into　a　room　where　a　company　was　assembled；　and　uttering　frightful　exclamations　of　impending　mischiefs　about　to　light　on　her　and　her　countrymen。　　When　questioned　on　the　cause　of　such　agitation　she　went　to　the　door　and　pointed　to　the　skies；　saying　that　whenever　the　stars　wore　that　appearance；　misfortunes　to　the　natives　always　followed。　The　night　was　cloudy　and　the　air　disturbed　by　meteors。　　I　have　heard　many　more　of　them　testify　similar　apprehensions。

However　involved　in　darkness　and　disfigured　by　error　such　a　belief　be；　no　one　will；　I　presume；　deny　that　it　conveys　a　direct　implication　of　superior　agency；　of　a　power　independent　of　and　uncontrolled　by　those　who　are　the　objects　of　its　vengeance。　　But　proof　stops　not　here。　When　they　hear　the　thunder　roll　and　view　the　livid　glare；　they　flee　them　not；　but　rush　out　and　deprecate　destruction。　　They　have　a　dance　and　a　song　appropriated　to　this　awful　occasion；　which　consist　of　the　wildest　and　most　uncouth　noises　and　gestures。　　Would　they　act　such　a　ceremony　did　they　not　conceive　that　either　the　thunder　itself；　or　he　who　directs　the　thunder；　might　be　propitiated　by　its　performance？　　That　a　living　intellectual　principle　exists；　capable　of　comprehending　their　petition　and　of　either　granting　or　denying　it？　　They　never　address　prayers　to　bodies　which　they　know　to　be　inanimate；　either　to　implore　their　protection　or　avert　their　wrath。　　When　the　gum…tree　in　a　tempest　nods　over　them；　or　the　rock　overhanging　the　cavern　in　which　they　sleep　threatens　by　its　fall　to　crush　them；　they　calculate　（as　far　as　their　knowledge　extends）　on　physical　principles；　like　other　men；　the　nearness　and　magnitude　of　the　danger；　and　flee　it　accordingly。　　And　yet　there　is　reason　to　believe　that　from　accidents　of　this　nature　they　suffer　more　than　from　lightning。　Baneelon　once　showed　us　a　cave；　the　top　of　which　had　fallen　in　and　buried　under　its　ruins；　seven　people　who　were　sleeping　under　it。

To　descend；　is　not　even　the　ridiculous　superstition　of　Colbee　related　in　one　of　our　journies　to　the　Hawkesbury？　　And　again　the　following　instance。　Abaroo　was　sick。　　To　cure　her；　one　of　her　own　sex　slightly　cut　her　on　the　forehead；　in　a　perpendicular　direction　with　an　oyster　shell；　so　as　just　to　fetch　blood。　　She　then　put　one　end　of　a　string　to　the　wound　and；　beginning　to