William Milligan

“ They are excellent watch dogs, and will attack strangers; in the wild state they are sometimes killed by the natives, who, eat their flesh, but of the skin no use is made. The mode in which they hunt the kangaroo is in small parties, or singly; they select a time when the rain is pouring heavily, or the wind blowing;hard to prevent the noise of their approach being heard, for the kangaroo is very quick in hearing, and always on the alert. The hunter creeps upon them with the greatest caution, and generally succeeds in approaching them unobserved. ”

“ During the winter and early spring they are very much scattered, but as summer advances they assemble in greater numbers. It is at this season that they procure the greatest abundance of game; it is done by setting fire to the dry underwood and grass which rapidly burns. With a kind of torch, made of the dry leaves of the grass tree, they set fire to the sides of the covert, by which the game is inclosed and cannot escape. The hunters, concealed by the smoke, stand in the paths most frequented by the animals, and spear them with facility as they pass by. ”

“ Hail of a large size, about an inch in diameter, is sometimes mixed with the rain; snow has not been seen once, and ice is rare, being only seen out of doors a few times in the morning during the winter; it soon disappears after sun rise. A fire is agreeable morning and evening in the winter and in wet weather, but on the whole rather a luxury than an absolute want. The winter is a season of flowers ”

“ That of both species is easily detached from the skin. The comal is frequently hunted with dogs by moonlight, when it is either speared in its flight, or driven to its haunt in some hollow tree; the natives then make a hole, and extract it, but should it be too difficult or troublesome, they kindle a torch of grass-tree leaves and push it into the hole, when, in attempting to escape, the animal is easily taken.
During the summer and autumn months the natives derive a large proportion of their food from fish. They have no canoes, neither do they swim well. ”

“ Immediately on killing a large fish, they make a small opening just below the gills, through which they extract the entrails; if there be any fat, it is carefully separated; the bowels, liver, &c. they cook and eat. Although sharks are numerous, the natives are not at all alarmed at them; sometimes they will spear them, but never eat any part of the body. Sting-rays and maiden-rays are also common, but not eaten; though sometimes killed for amusement. Crawfish ("challons") and prawns, are to be obtained in the Swan river in some quantities, the natives roast them in the ashes and eat them. ”

“ Those families who have locations on the sea coast, quit it during the winter for the interior, and the natives of the interior in like manner pay visits to the coasts during the fishing seasons. As the country does not abound in food, they are seldom stationary, removing, according to the time of year, to those parts which produce the articles of provision which may be in season. ”

“ Ornaments, however, are not considered as marking the man of authority, for they are worn by the young single men. Every individual of the tribe, when travelling or going to a distance from their encampment, carries a fire stick for the purpose of kindling light; and in winter they are scarcely ever without one under their cloaks for the sake of heat. It is generally a cane of Banksia grandis, which has the property of keeping ignited for a considerable time. Rotten bark or touchwood is also used for the same purpose. ”

“ They are shallow for the most part; in some places called the "flats" it is difficult at low water to get a boat over; the Swan is however navigable to vessels carrying three or four tons as far as Perth, that is, about twelve miles from the coast; the banks vary alternately on each side into hilly points and extensive flats, and are either sandy, alluvial or loamy, according to the tract of country they pass through. They are studded by trees, but neither the height of the banks, nor the number of trees, shade the water from free exposure to the sun and winds. ”

“ If possible they keep the wind in their face, and when one is observed they take off their cloak, and when the animal stoops or turns his hack upon them they hastily advance, keeping a bush between, them for concealment. As they approach their prey, they move very lightly in a stooping posture, and only at the time when the noise of the, wind prevents their footsteps being heard. Should the kangaroo turn, round and observe them, they instantly stop and remain perfectly motionless until he resumes his feeding. ”

“ Another mode of hunting the kangaroo, when huntsmen are numerous, is by surrounding and gradually approaching the game, until they get sufficiently near to spear them.
The emu is speared chiefly in the winter, at which time they lay their eggs; when a nest is found, the hunters conceal themselves behind a bush near it, and endeavour to secure the male bird first; the female they are pretty certain of unless she has been disturbed, when she will forsake the nest. ”

“ The snakes which are eaten by the natives are of several kinds; when the natives kill one they are careful to beat its head to pieces before they take it up; they then examine if it has recently eaten, and if it has indigested food in its stomach, they reject it; for, if eaten, they say it would cause violent vomiting. At the spring time of the year they live principally upon the eggs and young of birds, chiefly of the parrot tribe, bat also of hawks, ducks, swans, pigeons, cockatoos, land turtle, &c. ”

“ The wyang is of the tribe orchideæ; it is very pleasant eating when roasted. The mutta is the small bulbous root of a rush; it is very fibrous, and only edible at one season; the roots of fern, sedge, and other plants, are also used as articles of food; also mushrooms of two species, and another kind of fungus. When the different species of banksia first come into bloom, they collect from the flowers a considerable quantity of honey, of which the natives are particularly fond, and gather large quantities of the flowers "monca" to suck ”

“ An encampment rarely consists of more than seven or eight huts; for, except during the hunting and fishing season, at which time large parties assemble together, their numbers are generally small, and two or three huts suffice. The number of individuals, however, seldom exceed fifty. The huts are so arranged as not to overlook each other; the single men have one to themselves, the children sleep with the women in a large hut near the husbands: these encampments generally consist of near relatives, and comprise families rather than tribes. ”

“ The soil is of three different kinds—1st, sandy—2d, alluvial—3d, red loam; the first is found near the coast, and, though unpromising in appearance, trees, shrubs, and grasses grow on it abundantly, and with the assistance of manure excellent esculent vegetables are obtained from it, as the valuable gardens in the farms of Perth and Freemantle sufficiently testify. The second or alluvial is in extensive fiats, and produces admirable crops of wheat, barley, oats, &c, without any assistance from manure. ”

“ Along the banks of the rivers may be seen fields of wheat, barley, oats, peas, potatoes, turnips, pumpkins, Indian wheat, &c. intermixed with fine pasture land. The sandy soil is covered with coarse herbage, on which cattle thrive remarkably well; on the good soil, about sixteen kinds of grasses are met with, amongst which the kangaroo grass is conspicuous. The gardens furnish most kind of edible vegetables in great abundance ”

“ They have neither nets, nor hook and line, and the only weapon they use is the spear, with which they are very dexterous. In the mouths of streams they take large quantities by weirs made of bushes; hut the most common method is pursuing the fish into shoal water and spearing them, or as they lie basking on the surface. Fish being very plentiful, they often kill more than is sufficient for present use; in this case they roast them, and, separating the flesh in large flakes from the bones, pack it carefully up in soft bark, in which way it will keep good for several days. ”

“ The natives at Swan river live upon the productions of nature, unassisted by art, varying at different seasons and in different districts; poor in quality, often scanty, and therefore compelling the natives to a vagrant life. The population consequently is far from numerous—they have no general chief, and associate and disperse as season or inclination leads them. ”

“ As soon as the fire has passed over the ground, they walk over the ashes in search of lizards and snakes, which are thus destroyed in great numbers, and those which have escaped their holes are easily discovered. In the chase the hunters are assisted by dogs, which they catch young and domesticate; but they take little pains to train them to any particular mode of hunting. ”

“ Like those of other savage tribes, the women suffer little from child-bearing, and even the next day walk out to seek their food as usual. For the first few weeks the child is carried on the left arm in a fold of the cloak, but subsequently is suspended on the shoulders; until they can ran alone, they are not clothed. ”

“ They possess few utensils, and these are of the rudest construction; a piece of soft bark, tied at each end, serves for a drinking cup; the claw of a kangaroo they use for a needle, and through a hollow rush, or the wing bone of a bird (neveel) , they suck the water, when it cannot be conveniently reached with their mouth. Polygamy is a general practice amongst them; one man sometimes having many wives. The girls appear to be at the disposal of the father, and are generally bespoke in their infancy; even before they are born we are told they were betrothed, if they prove to be females. ”

“ During the first months of the colony, much anxiety was caused by the straying and loss of cattle in the bush, and by exposure to the weather of valuable plants and goods. Had any individual established a farm for the reception of cattle, and a ware-house to receive goods, it would have amply repaid him, and been the means of saving a vast deal of valuable stock and other property. ”

“ The Nutsya floribunda, or cabbage tree, a singular plant, nearly confined to this part of the coast, and named after its discoverer; when in flower it much resembles the orange tree in full bearing. The Anthistiria australis, or kangaroo grass; Mesembryanthemum officinale, or Hottentot fig; and the Anigozanthos (several species) , a beautiful plant, called by some the 'kangaroo's claw,' from the resemblance of its flower to the fore-foot of that animal. ”

“ In cases of twins one of the children is killed (of different sexes, the female being preserved) , the reasons assigned for which measure are that a woman has not sufficient milk for two children, and cannot carry them and seek her food. ”

“ The natives, who appear to enjoy property in common, did not understand being punished for taking their neighbours' goods, and resented the insult. They attacked the houses of the settlers, generally of those living in isolated places, distant from the towns, plundered them, and sometimes murdered whomsoever they caught in the house. They also speared the cattle, and killed and carried away the sheep. ”

“ Horned cattle, sheep, goats and pigs furnish the inhabitants with meat of prime quality, milk, butter and cheese. The pig was a moat useful animal; it increased rapidly, and soon supplied fresh meat for the settler, a matter of great importance in the early period of the colony, in checking the scurvy ”

“ When individuals quarrel, it is taken up by their respective families; when a man is killed, his tribe instantly sets about revenging his death, but they are not particular whether they kill the principal offender or any other of his tribe. ”

“ This mating of retaliation is, however, extended much farther; for if a man be killed by accident, the friends of the deceased will impute his death to some bulgal (or doctor) of an adverse tribe, and kill an individual belonging to it in retaliation. Also when a man is seriously ill, and fancies he shall not recover, he will attempt to kill some body, in hopes thereby of recovering. ”

“ If we suppose the population of one of the agricultural parishes in England, with a sprinkling of half pay officers of the navy and army, some gentlemen from the East and West Indies, and a few cockneys, put down on the shores of a wilderness, it will give some idea of the individuals who were destined to become the founders of this interesting new Colony.
The settlers may be divided into two classes, viz. gentlemen and labourers, many of them married and having young families, others single. ”

“ The diseases which they are chiefly subject to, are dysentry, opthalmia, catarrh and rheumatism, and these occur but seldom. Their poor-diet, want of clothing, and the miserable huts they dwell in, will readily account for their suffering from vicissitudes of the weather which give rise to these diseases. It is only surprising that they are so remarkably healthy. [3]
Previous to entering upon a description of the weather, I shall first suffer a few remarks on the topography of the town of Perth, where these observations were made. ”

“ The large skins of the male kangaroo are appropriated to the women; the single men ornament their head with feathers, dogs' tails and other matters, and sometimes have the hair long and bound round the head, the women, who are mostly plainer than the men, use no ornaments and wear their hair quite short Both sexes smear their faces and the upper part of the body with red pigment (wilgu) , mixed with grease, which gives them a disagreeable odour. ”

“ Ships, however, always happily arrived in good time to prevent any mischief; the crops in the second harvest were more abundant than the first, and have continued to increase every season, in such ratio as to satisfy every competent judge that the crops of succeeding seasons will be sufficient for the whole population, and render them altogether independent of supplies from without As the settlers got comfortably housed, and obtained vegetables from their gardens, and fresh meat from the increasing flocks, the scurvy gradually gave way, and at length ceased altogether. ”