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 78 FIRST CONVERSION. who have made the same resolve, but it was a decision adhered to until death. Waukeri had been forcibly seized and compelled to go through the disgusting rites of making narumbe. Before this he had heard me preach and teach for about three months. So he began to refuse to conform to the native customs of the narumbar; he would eat with the women, he would not smear himself with red ochre and grease, and he would not go about in & state of nudity. So one night the old men of the tribe solemnly threatened to kill him for his disobedience. He then came away to our house and asked for my protection. This conduct led me to inquire the reason for his desire to give up native customs, and he declared his resolve to be a Christian; his expression was that he did not mean to serve the devil any longer, but would serve Jehovah. I warned him of the persecution which he might expect, then prayed with him, and commended him to the protection of Jehovah. Now I never specially noticed this young man Waukeri, nor offered him any inducement to take this step. He never went back from his decision. His profession of religion had many faults and inconsistencies, as might have been expected, but still it was maintained amidst difficulties and persecutions and discouragements to the last. When he first became a Christian he set to work to wash off the grease and red ochre with which he was bedaubed from head to foot. He succeeded pretty well with his body, but he could not get the mixture out of his really fine head of hair; so he came for assistance, and my dear wife and her servantgirl set to work and with a tub of hot water and soap gave his head a good scrubbing, and got all the red stuff out of his curls, and restored them to their original glossy black. Waukeri was a really handsome fellow; his face was by no means destitute of comeliness, and his form was of perfect symmetry. He was of a kindly, affectionate disposition, but yet with a great deal of firmness. I heard of several instances in which he showed even to ungodly white people that he was not ashamed of his profession. He died of pulmonary consumption in November, 1864, as I shall hereinafter relate, and I trust found acceptance with Him who will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking


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 A "VERY GOOD MINISTER. " 79 flax. I felt this young man’s decision at such an early period of my work was the voice of God bidding me go forward. A little incident occurred in that first year which will give some idea of what missionaries’ wives have to do sometimes. One week I had been away from the station, and I left my wife and children and the servant-girl at home. On Saturday, down came the blacks, and asked Mrs. Taplin, "I say, Missis, what we do long a Sunday, no have em chapel?" After some talk she told them to come down at the usual time, intending to have a sort of Sunday school instead of worship. The hour arrived, and to her dismay a perfect crowd assembled, old grey-headed warriors and young men, women and children; they quite filled the room. There was no help for it, Sunday school was out of the question, so my dear partner stood up behind the table and gave out a simple hymn and pitched the tune. This concluded, she read the Scriptures and offered prayer, then gave out another hymn. Now came the crisis; what was to be done? It was soon decided; she took a volume of "Line upon Line," selected a chapter, and made it the foundation of an address upon the subject contained therein, and kept their attention the usual time; then again sang a hymn and offered prayer, and dismissed the people. The natives said afterwards, "My word, Missis, you very good minister." I don’t suppose my wife seriously infringed any law of the New Testament by acting thus in such very exceptional circumstances. Our congregations at first were often strangely dressed. Some would be enveloped in the original oppossum-skin rug. Some of the men would wear nothing but a double-blanket gathered on a stout string and hung round the neck cloakwise, others with nothing but a blue shirt on, others again with a woman’s skirt or petticoat, the waist fastened round their necks and one arm out of a hole at the side; as to trousers, they were a luxury not often met with. To our horror and dismay one Sunday a tall savage stalked in and gravely sat down to worship with only a waistcoat and a high-crowned hat as his entire costume. Of course I sent him out quickly. The women came most of them

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 80 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. wrapped in a blanket, or else perhaps arrayed in a man’s long greatcoat. But yet there was always devout and solemn attention no levity or want of reverence. I had some trouble to cure them of want of punctuality. I found that they got later and later in their attendance. The bell rang (a hand bell), and the gossip of the wurley or some other thing would delay them; and it got worse and worse. So one morning I had the bell rung, and no one came. I waited ten minutes, and then locked the door, and resolved that if my congregation would not come in time they should stay outside. I then proceeded to hold worship for my own family. Very soon there came a knocking at the door and a muttering outside. I took no notice, but went on with the engagement until the conclusion of our devotions. Then I went and opened the door, and sure enough there was the congregation outside, all standing with rueful faces. I gave them a scolding, and told them that Sabbath time was too precious to be wasted in waiting for them. They begged me to have service over again, but I could not, as it was dinner time, so I advised them all to be present in the afternoon, and I had then a crowded congregation. Various occurrences took place during 1860, some of which I find recorded in my journal. I will again make a few extracts. 13th January. I went with the whaleboat and crew to get salt at the lagoon, twelve miles up the lake. The wind blew us there fast enough, as it became quite stormy after we started. This salt lagoon must cover about forty acres, and is situated in a gully surrounded by low hills covered with dark trees. It looks like a sheet of snow in the bottom of the valley. The salt is about nine inches thick, and varies in kind and quality. There is not only common salt, but sulphate of magnesia in some places, and a good deal of alum in a liquid form. We got 5 cwt. of salt. I and the blacks had dinner, and then started on our return. The wind and sea were against us. After pulling a mile or two they got tired of the oars, and preferred to strip and tow the boat along the shore in the shallow water. I and Captain Jack walked on the land to lighten the load. There are a great


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 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 81 many mounds on the shore, covered with mussel shells. They are from ten feet high to four feet. Captain Jack says the blacks made them to bury the dead in at a time of great sickness.* When we got to Point Malcolm we had a hard job to get across the entrance to Lake Albert, as the wind and water were so rough. However, we faced it and got home soon after dark. 16th. I asked Waukeri to-day if he prayed to God, He replied that he had tried but found that he could not. I advised him to go and tell God that he could not pray, and ask Him to help him. 22nd. A good attendance at worship to-day. I spoke of the Bible as the Word of Jehovah. The natives got hold of the idea. After the service Captain Jack and a lot more came round the Bible and looked at it curiously. They asked me to tell them what Jehovah said. I had a long and interesting talk with them. 26th. I tried to make a poor old sick woman understand the Gospel. I fear I did not succeed, although I spoke very simply. Her senses seemed to be quite deadened with old age and pain. It afflicts me very much to see the poor old people dying like beasts, ignorant, wretched, and hopeless. 27th. Most of the men and boys are off to a great duck hunt. They encircle clumps of reeds with their nets, and catch ducks by the hundred. The ducks when moulting are unable to fly, and take refuge in the reeds. I went with some women in the whaleboat to the beds of reeds near Lake Albert passage, and got nine bags of moomoorooke (Murray down) to make beds. Such expeditions give one a good chance for long talks, and thus I am able to gain their attention to instruction. 29th. Sabbath. I preached this morning on the moral law, and never was heard more attentively by any congregation. There were not quite so many as usual at the service on account of the duck hunt. 30th. Had some earnest talk with the blacks about my sermon yesterday. They evidently understood it. I pressed it upon number of skeletons of men and women, all laid side by side.
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 82 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. them personally. I asked one, "Why do you not do as I tell you? It is because you do not think that what I say is right and true." "Yes," he said, "I do." "Well, then," I replied, "why not do as I say?" "Ah," he answered, "not yet, not yet." Just what hundreds of white people say. 31st. To-day I was struck with something Billy Waukeri said. I had been expostulating with him for persecuting his brother, who is inclined to become a Christian. I told him I should advise Waukeri to break their bad customs. Billy said, "What for you do that? God told us to do these things." I asked him, "Where in the Bible did God tell you to do them? There is only One God, Jehovah, and only one Bible." He answered, "How do you know that Bible is Jehovah’s book ? Did he give it to you? Did he tell you it ? Did not whitefellow make it?" "No," I replied, "Jehovah gave it to my fathers a long time ago." "Well," he said, "and our God told my fathers these customs a long time ago, and so we must do them." The conversation was continued at some length, and I could see that there was more thoughtful opposition to the Divine Word than I expected to find. 17th March. A great fight at Teringi; several were speared, and one man killed outright. This battle was between five tribes. It caused us a great deal of trouble. 22nd April, Sabbath. Worship as usual. In the evening I heard that the hut of a shepherd named T, which is about a mile off, had been robbed in the absence of himself and his wife. It is supposed that some native is the thief. There is a large number of blacks encamped here now. 23rd. This morning, quite unexpectedly, police-trooper Morgan arrived. The shepherd, who was here, immediately informed him of the robbery of his hut, so they and I went to the camps on the hill to make inquiries. After we had looked in several wurleys, a man named Kilkildareetpiri called out very


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 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 83 saucily and defiantly, "Here! you come and look in my wurley." I advised Morgan to do so. He had not looked far before he found the stolen goods. He seized Kilkildareetpiri, but he cried out, "I did not steal them! it was Baalpulare." So the trooper seized Baalpulare by the wrist, that he might handcuff him. As he did so, I stood a little back from the group, and saw old Pelican go up behind Morgan with a net rope in his hands, and proceed to throw it over his head, so as to strangle him. I called to the trooper, who let go his prisoner and turned upon the blacks. At the same instant the shepherd struck up Pelican’s arms. Both the white men now drew their revolvers, and the blacks rushed to their heavy spears, which were stuck around the camps. There seemed to be danger of bloodshed. The natives brandished their weapons and danced with rage. Teenminne screamed out, "Oh, Taplin, do stand away! you will be speared." There was abundance of savage threats and yells. I never saw the blacks in such a fury before. The police-trooper took it very calmly. He said it would never do to have bloodshedhe could not justify himself if it took place. At this instant Pelican ran out of the wurley with a gun; he knelt on one knee and was going to present it at the shepherd, when blackfellow Robert sprang at him and knocked it out of his hand. Just at this time Captain Jack and his brother and others ran up from another camp, and began to wrench the spears from the natives who were threatening us. Morgan now thought it wisest to draw off, as the blacks were still very fierce. We went down to my house and consulted as to what had better be done. It was decided to get all the help we could and then try again, so the trooper sent for two stock-keepers and three white fishermen, who were within a few miles. They arrived in the afternoon. Thus reinforced, we went again to the camps, but found that Baalpulare had fled. Then Morgan arrested Pelican for pointing the gun at them. The natives were very much surprised at this, and showed great concern, as he is a leading man. However, he was marched off in handcuffs to my house. In the evening his friends brought Baalpulare, and gave


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 84 SCHOOLHOUSE ERECTED. him up in hopes of having Pelican released; but, of course, it could not he. Pelican’s wife and son wept bitterly, for it turns out he has been in prison before for the killing of a former wife. Strict guard was kept over the prisoners all night. 24th. To-day the trooper took his two prisoners in a boat to Wellington. (I afterwards interceded with the Government for Pelican, and got him released. Baalpulare got twelve months’ imprisonment with hard labour). 14th May. To-day the foundation-stone of the schoolhouse was laid by my eldest son. From this time until October we were busy building the schoolhouse. I and the natives burned the lime, raised the stone and cut the thatch. A mason and carpenter built the walls and did the rest of the work. On the 10th of October, 1860, we finished our schoolhouse and began to have school for the native children therein. We had at intervals taught them before, but now we began a regular school. The natives were ready enough to send their hungry and nearly naked boys and girls, and a wilder lot of pupils teacher never had. They had no notion of cleanliness, were very noisy from having always lived in the open air, were ravenous for the first few weeks from previous short commons, and were as active as monkeys, clambering along rafters, beams, and over walls with the utmost agility. At the same time they were good-tempered and eager to learn. The first step was to have them all well washed with warm soap and water, have their hair cut, and put on clean clothes. Their parents were very adverse to the hair-cutting process for the bigger boys. It is the custom of the natives to let a youth’s hair grow from the time he is ten years old until he is sixteen or seventeenthat is until he is made a young man, or narumbe; the consequence is that their heads become a revolting mass of tangled locks and filth. But I insisted that my pupils must have their hair cut, and after some scolding from their mothers I carried the point. Very soon after we began to have school the children voluntarily brought me


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 SCHOOL WORK. 85 their marbles and playthings on Saturday night to keep for them until Monday morning, so that they might not be tempted to play with them on Sunday. They had heard me explain to them the sacredness of the Sabbath. At first, simple easy reading books were all that we could use, but the more intelligent soon became able to read the Bible. I shall never forget the awe which appeared in their faces when they read the Word of God for the first time. Their reverence for Holy Scripture has continued. I found these children very impressible. They received the truth with simplicity; but the Lord opened the hearts of some more especially to give it admission. Very soon, they, of their own accord, adopted the practice of praying for themselves in their bedrooms before going to bed. I have seen them under powerful emotions while listening to the preaching of the gospel. One Sunday evening I was preaching on decision for God. In the conclusion of my address I said, "I mean to he on the Lord’s side: now if any one of you means to be a servant of Jehovah, let him stand with me." As I spoke, a lad of twelve, about half way down the room, taking my words literally, got up and came forwards and stood by me. As he did so his sisters and others sobbed and covered their faces with their hands. That decision was never revoked: that lad is now a sterling Christian man. Thus we were led to feel that the Lord worked with us and gave His Word success. Our schoolhouse consisted of a schoolroom 28 feet by 10, two bedrooms the same size, and a kitchen and storeroom, each 16 feet by 10. We were afterwards obliged to build a larger schoolroom, 28 feet by 32, and make the first into two smaller rooms. I again make a few extracts from my journals:  16th November, 1860. A lot of Lake Albert natives came bringing ten children to put in the school. I am sorry that I cannot receive them, as the school is full. These natives are all in bad health. One young manKatyirenewas very ill I gave him medicine, and hope, by God’s blessing, to do him good.


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 86 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 17th. Katyirene is improving, to the great joy of his relatives, who had given him up. I am very thankful for it too. I also had a woman brought to me very ill from having eaten something poisonousfungi, I think. To-night, Ponge and Big Jerry came to me to try to get a girl named Petembitpiri from the school, as the latter wanted to swop her away to get another wife for himself. I firmly refused to let her go, and, as she was locked up, they could not get her. The man, to whom he wishes to give her, has already had two wives on trial, and has cast them off. 18th, Sabbath. Worship in the morning and evening. Good attendance in the morning. In the afternoon, a lot of Mundoo blacks went and attacked the Lake Albert tribe. The alleged cause was some insulting expressions which the latter had been heard to utter against the Mundoos. Some of them got some ugly knocks on both sides. One came to me afterwards with a great gash in his hand. His hand was split by the blow of a sharp-edged kanaki. 23rd. To-day, I discovered a curious mistake which I have fallen into in the native language. I have several times asked if they had any word for sin. They at once said, "yes," "yrottulun." As I was told this by different persons, I used the word. At the wurley this morning, I was talking to Pelican and others about the Judgment, and trying to show that in the prospect of God’s judgment we needed to be cleansed from sin: freed from sin. So Pelican asked me if those who would stand at the right hand of the Judge of all the earth would be very fat bailpulias they were not yrottulun. At first, I could not understand what he meant; but afterwards found out that his question arose from my using the word yrottulun. It turns out that this word means "thin," not "sin." Blacks lisp our "th," and say sin for thin. Hence, when I asked for the word for "sin," they gave the one for "thin;" and so I was led into representing that it was hateful to God for men to be thin: that they would be condemned for it. So they came to the conclusion that it was pleasing to God for people to be fat. In fact, I had


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 DAILY ROUTINE. 87 been telling them that all lean people went to hell, and fat people to heaven. I find the right word for wrong-doing in a moral sense is wirrang warrin. Our daily routine was as follows: At 6 a.m. in summer and 7 in winter, the bell rang as a signal for every one to get up. From that time until 7.30 was occupied in giving out rations to the aged, infirm, and sick, and weighing out the school rations for the day. At 8.30 I gave the children their breakfast. At 9.15 we had morning prayer, and after that school until 12. Then at 1 p.m. I gave the children their dinner, and at 2 had afternoon school until 3.30, Then the children went off to play, and I had time to write letters and look after any business requiring attention. This was the time I gave to translations and visitations of the camps. At 5.30 in winter and 6.30 in summer the children had supper, and immediately after we had evening prayer, and then the children went into their bedrooms and were locked in. At 9 the lamps were taken away, and every one retired for the night. On Saturday nights we gave all the children a complete change of clean clothes. On Sundays we had worship twice, and Sunday school. My wife was matron of the school, and the making and mending of clothes came heavily upon her. After some trouble we got the natives to cook the provisions for the children, and also to act as servants in the schoolhouse. But in about two years I felt quite overworked; it became necessary that I should have some help, and a young man named Alfred M. Stapley was appointed to assist me, and was for several years my zealous and faithful co-worker; but his physical strength became unequal to the work, and he had to seek other employment. In 1861 there was a lad of about thirteen years of age in the school named Mokooni; he was of a nice disposition and very intelligent. One day he was taken ill through eating green sheoak apples; and his parents, with my consent, took him to their own wurley to nurse him. I gave him some simple medicine, not anticipating any danger. As the night drew on the lad became


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 88 MOKOONI’S PRAYER. worse; violent inflammation of the stomach set in. His relatives, in great anxiety, did all they could to relieve his sufferings; hut the terrible disease increased. There was the wild wurley on the hill side lighted by the flickering camp fire; at the foot of the hill there stretched away for many a mile the calm waters of the lake, reflecting the stars of heaven in all their glory. There sat the mourning father of the lad, holding him tenderly in his arms, and his mother and aunts sat around ready with any little act of kindness which love might suggest. The fitful light showed how sorrowful and anxious were their faces. The poor hoy tossed in his restless agony, and begged that I might be sent for; but his friends did not like to disturb me at midnight. How I wished afterwards that they had fetched me. Suddenly the sick boy began uttering broken, sobbing entreaties, and his aunt Teenminnewhose first serious impressions were gained at that death-bed, and who became a steady and devout Christian woman until she entered God’s restsaid to her mother, "Listen! he is not like the Narrinyeri; he prays to Jehovah." Yes, he prayed to Jehovah; and Teenminne told me afterwards that his prayer was like this: "O Jehovah, you forgive me my sins; me been big one wicked. O Jehovah, forgive me. Jesus been die for me. You been say, when we got big one trouble we must come to you. Me got big one trouble now. Me soon die; very soon die now. O Jehovah, take me to live long a you. No blackfellow can help me now. My father, my mother, no more help me. O Jehovah, take care of me. Me want to live long a you. You take me now." There were a few more sobbing words, and then the poor fellow sank into insensibility, from which he never rallied, and by noon next day he was dead. Surely such a suppliant was heard by the Father of mercies. The effects of teaching and preaching the gospel became more and more apparent, especially in the young people; insomuch that the old men began to grumble at me because the youthful members of the tribes would not conform to their customs. It is not always that these customs are cast off from a sense of religious duty. Sometimes a young fellow, hearing that they are


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 NEILYERI. 89 useless and omission of them harmless, breaks through and sets all at nought. Such men though are generally not good characters. There was one named Tungeriol; he had been made narumbe, but had not been sufficiently initiated to be allowed to marry. Nevertheless he eloped with a girl named Tycarabbe, and lived with her as his wife at a cattle station near. One night, some months after, the old men decoyed him down to a camp away from the protection of the whites, pretending that his crime was forgotten. All on a sudden five of them seized him and smothered him. We could never discover his murderers, although we used every effort to do so. The elders of the tribe began to resort to secret assassination to uphold their power. This they called neilyeri. Only a short time ago, upon examining an unburied skeleton from which the sand had blown away, there was found, stuck fast between the ribs, the bone dagger with which the victim had been killed. A few more illustrations of our difficulties and struggles from my daily record of the Mission may not be inappropriate. 30th July, 1861. Had a long conversation with Teenminne and others about the death of Jesus. One of them has been much impressed by a dream. They place great reliance on dreams. To-day three of the older boys, Tippoo, Weellee, and Turtle, left the school because, they said, one of the older girls was unfit to be there, and they would not eat out of the same flour. This is a pity; they will lose all the good they have got. I spoke to them very faithfully and kindly before they went, but it was of no use. One of their mothers who stood by said, "What for you try to frighten them?" 9th August. To-day the two girls, on account of whom the three boys left me, went off to the camps and left their clothes. It seems that it is of no use to stand up for the females, they are sure to give way at last. If I had never taken these girls, I should have kept my three boys. 17th August. Large numbers of natives arrived from the Murray. I hear that a fight is to come off.


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 90 QUARRELSOME NATIVES. 18th, Sabbath. A good attendance at Divine service in the morning. I had begun service in the evening when a violent quarrel and fight arose at some camps about 200 yards away, and there was so much noise that we were obliged to leave off. They kept up the disturbance until after ten o’clock, when we tried to get some rest notwithstanding the noise and fighting of these foolish quarrelsome people. 19th. At daylight this morning the sound of quarrelling and fighting was the first thing we heard. I felt disheartened. After breakfast I found out the cause of quarrel. Minora heard the people in Captain Jack’s camp say something he did not like, so he went and threw a spear right into the wurley amongst the men, women, and children. It stuck through a man’s hand who was cutting tobacco. This was about as bad as firing a gun in at the window of a house. Captain Jack jumped up, rushed out, and threw a spear at the other wurley. It struck nobody, but a fierce quarrel ensued. At last, Teenminne said it was wicked to fight on Sunday; and after a while they quieted down. First thing this morning, when Teenminne and Pelican got up, they saw a spear with the point towards them stuck in the ground opposite their sleeping place, as if someone had thrown it at them in their sleep. Pelican in his rage seized a heavy spear, rushed at Captain Jack, and threw it at him, transfixing his leg. Then Captain Jack returned the compliment, and speared Pelican’s leg. This ended the row. 21st. The blacks have been fighting ever since Sunday night until noon to-day. They then decamped, one party going in one direction and the other in the opposite. I am very thankful at this, for the whole affair has worried me incessantly. 15th October. I have heard that some of the young men at the wurleys have begun to pray regularly, although they are laughed at by their fellows. One of them said he believed that what I preached was true. They get a good deal of ridicule. Maggie Naraminyeri told me that she prays, and that she believes that Jesus has forgiven her. Praise the Lord for all this, to Him be the glory.


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 CAPTAIN JACK. 91 23rd November. To-day Henry, the brother of Captain Jack, became ill. His two sisters also are ill. A sick family. 24th. Henry is raving this morning. He was bitten by a small snake on Friday evening, but took little notice of it. He is now in dreadful agonies. Lockjaw has set in, and he is convulsed all over. I fear there is no hope for him. His friends have given him up. 25th. Poor Henry died this morning. He leaves a widow and child. I am very sorry. He was a fine, intelligent young fellow. I had great hopes of him, as he was of such an inquiring disposition with respect to religion. I have had some very interesting conversations with him, which he himself began. 28th. This morning Louisa Tuparinyeri, Henry’s sister, died. Her death was, perhaps, hastened by the shock of his sudden end. She was a great favourite, and one of whom I cherished hopes of salvation. 29th. They are drying the bodies of Henry and Louisa. It is such a horrible violation of the sanctity of death. Captain Jack and his relations were crying almost all last night from sorrow at their loss. Poor Louisa! how many times has she sat and listened to the teaching from my lips, and from, those of my wife. She drank in instruction eagerly, and, I trust, savingly. From the commencement of the Mission I was brought into intimate acquaintance with a very notorious blackfellow named Captain Jack. He was a great warrior and sorcerer in his tribe, and a man with much natural ability. If he had lived in a civilised community, and had been educated, I have no doubt he would have distinguished himself. He had gained some celebrity among the Narrinyeri from the belief that he had once seen and had intercourse with Brupithat is, the devil. This gave him great influence. He was a man of undoubted courage and acuteness. He had suffered severely in the battles which he had fought; his head, arms, and legs bore the sears of many wounds. He greatly enjoyed telling of the various fights in


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 92 CAPTAIN JACK. which he got them. He would narrate these combats with animation and graphic power. On one occasion his tribe was pressed by an enemy of superior numbers. Captain Jack tried to rally his flying comrades, and at last was left almost alone, the mark for a hundred spears. He described with great force how the shower of spears descended on his single shield. However, he got off with very few hurts from this desperate skirmish. This man possessed all the virtues and vices of a savage. He had great physical courage and intrepidity. I never saw him afraid. He was endowed with much power of endurance. He was attached to his friends and country, and very fond of his children. But on the other hand he was greedy, and, like every true savage, dearly liked to take what he wanted from any one weaker than himself without asking leave. He was intensely superstitious, very revengeful, a dreaded sorcerer, and lazy and gluttonous when it was convenient. He attached himself to me, and we became great friends. He could clearly see that much temporal good was to be gained by the natives from our Station, so he desired that his children might be kept at school. He often exerted his influence in a very useful manner. He knew that I objected to their fights, and especially on the Station, so I have seen him rush among the combatants and smash spears right and left to prevent them from being used by their owners. He had no objection to a battle at a distance from the location. Very frequently have I sat in his wurley and tried to enlighten his dark mind with the truths of God’s Word; but it was all in vain; he never became a Christian. One week he never came to our Sabbath worship, and so afterwards I inquired the reason. He replied that it was useless for him to come, as he found that he could not do what Jesus wanted him to do. I asked what that was. He said, "You tell me I must only have one wife if I serve Jesus. Now my oldest wife, Kitty, is lame, and has only one leg, and my youngest wife, Polongane, is the mother of my children. Which, then, can I give up?" I admitted that there was a difficulty, but persuaded him not to let that stand in the way of seeking religious instruction. Captain Jack had a sister


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 CAPTAIN JACK. 93 named Tuparinyeri. One Sunday morning the lad who rang the handbell for service, after ringing a short time, ran down to the house and hid himself behind the door. Directly after Tuparinyeri came rushing in with her head and face streaming with blood from some gashes on her head. I inquired what was the matter, and found that the boy in ringing the bell had unintentionally struck it against the forehead of Captain Jack’s baby boy, inflicting a slight cut. The father coming up at the moment and seeing the blood flew into a rage. The bellringer fled, and so Captain Jack rushed into the wurley to take vengeance on his wife for not taking care of the child, and not finding her, he seized a kanake, and battered his sister about the head in his wild fury until it streamed with blood. I dressed the wounds, and began worship in a rather disturbed state of mind. Next day, Captain Jack came down to try to make it up. I told him I would have nothing to do with him; he might go. He begged me not to be angry. I replied that I would have nothing to say with him unless he asked his sister’s forgiveness. This was contrary to all native ideas! he was very un-willing to do so. He proposed that she should stick a spear into his arm, so that his blood might atone for hers; but to ask forgiveness of a woman was too humiliating. However, I insisted upon that and, nothing else, and at last he yielded and. did as I wished. Poor Tuparinyeri was afterwards given away through the influence of another brother to an old man who already had two wives, and forced to go with him. She took it to heart and pined away in the miserable life which she led. A young wife in such a case becomes the slave of the older wives. Some time after, she returned to me wasted and ill from bad treatment. We took her into the house and nursed her until she was well. We also instructed her in the truths of the gospel, and she received them with great eagerness. Truly they are the comfort and hope of the wretched in all countries. As soon as ever Tuparinyeri’s health returned she was compelled to go again with the barbarous people to whom she had been given. Very


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 94 LOUISA TUPARINYERl’S DEATH. soon she came back worse than ever. And then she died. I will extract the particulars of her death from my diary:  16th December, 1861. To-day I learned the particulars of Louisa’s death. One can get very little about the circumstances of a death amongst the natives until the shock of it has passed off. It appears that Louisa died from the effects of uterine hemorrhage. Directly this began she had a presentiment that she should not recover. She very much wished to be buried, instead of being dried native-fashion, but this wish was not complied with. The day before she died she had a long talk with Teenminne, her sister (Maranowe), who then went about her usual pursuits, and Louisa slept, appearing no worse than usual. In the evening Teenminne went again to see her. She had not long been awake. Looking at her sister, she asked, "What will you do, Maranowe, when I leave you? who will walk about with you?" Teenminne replied, "I must walk about by myself; but why do you speak like this? You will not die yetyou will live." "No," she said, "I shall not, Maranowe; I shall leave you. I am going to such a beautiful place. I have been sleeping. I thought there was a great wind, and the angels came in the wind to fetch me away. Oh, they were such beautiful ones, and I wanted to go to the beautiful place, all the same as they are, They told me I was to come with them, so I got up, I thought to go, but I awoke and found I was dreaming. Yes, I am soon going away to that beautiful country, Maranowe." Teenminne still tried to persuade her that she had much longer to live, and then left her. Very early next morning she heard them crying at the wurley where Louisa was, and ran over. She was just departing. She knew her dear sister and fixed her eyes upon her in recognition, and then she died. I trust she has reached the beautiful country. My hope for her prevails over my doubts. She was an amiable woman. I trust she hoped in Christ. We have here quite another event than the dark death of the savage, from which he shrinks in speechless horror. Louisa Tuparinyeri died with a Christian’s hope, built, I believe, on the true foundation. I long to see more living Christian natives. I have great


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 CAPTAIN JACK’S DEATH. 95 hope of Teenminne, and all the more as her conduct is so unostentatious. Captain Jack was sorry for his sister, as he was really much attached to her in his barbarous way. For years he stayed most of his time with me. He was my chief boatman. He would steer the boat through the wildest and darkest night across the wide lake with unflinching courage and skill. At last he was taken ill of brain fever, brought on by drinking spirits after receiving a dangerous and weakening wound in battle. His head had been no doubt much injured by previous blows. In his delirium he sat up and looked around with a smile of defiance, then started to his feet and called for spear and shield. His little son fetched his spear for him, but before he could reach it he sank back exhausted. It was the old fighting spirit strong in death. As the end rapidly approached, he seemed to recollect some of the ideas which he had been taught by us. At last he called to his wife, "Bring the nice clothes, bring the very good clothes, for they are opening the door of the house;" and then he fell back and expired. Towards the latter part of his life he became more opposed to religion than he was when first I knew him. Perhaps he was removed lest he should be an antagonist to Christianity amongst the natives. On the 14th February, 1861, the Rev. James Reid, of Scotland, arrived, and began to itinerate as a missionary amongst the Aborigines. This he continued to do until he took up his abode at Wellington, from whence he made trips to various places, preaching to natives and white settlers. He was a good but eccentric man. Two natives were converted under his ministry Allan Jamblyn, and James Unaipon. The former continued faithful unto death; the latter yet lives a sterling Christian. Mr. Reid was unfortunately drowned while crossing Lake Alexandrina in a small boat in a gale of wind on the 24th of July, 1863. His body was found by the natives, and buried at Wellington. My journals for 1862 and 1863 contain the following entries:  23rd February, 1862. Sabbath. Forty-six natives present at worship. There is a much larger number encamped here.


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 EDITED BY

MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 1913


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 96 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. At night, about eleven o’clock, some natives on the hill began fighting, and kept it up until late; they set the camps on fire so as to have light for the battle. The skirmish was between two parties, one of which is in favour of accepting a challenge sent by the Goolwa and Port Elliot clans, and the other against it. This affair cost me an almost sleepless night. 24th. The wounded came as usual to have their hurts dressed this morning. One had a nasty bite. Jeltoarinyeri had a horrid gash in his forehead. It seems to have been a scrimmage in which everybody fought with everybody else. 7th March. This evening we saw a gigantic bush fire sweeping down upon the station. It was some miles off, so we all turned out and burned a belt round the entire premises. I was much pleased at the alacrity with which the natives worked for this purpose. It was as disagreeable and awkward a job as it usually is, but we put the place in a position of safety; it took us till midnight, 21st. Last night I observed something out in the bush. At first I took it for a star shining through the trees. I called some boys, and asked them what it was; they said "Wild blackfellow." I laughed, but as I did so I saw the light move about amongst the bushes. I must say I felt queer at the sight. It was evidently carried by some one. As I was alone I did not care to go to see who it was. Early this morning I heard the crackling of burning grass; I ran with some others to the place where the smoke arose, and found flames spreading rapidly. It was coming right down on us before the wind. We beat the fire out, and then discovered in a hollow the embers of a great fire, which had been left by somebody who must have camped there. No doubt it was the person who carried the firestick last night. The blacks say that men of other clans go about in the dark for millin. Twice lately, just in the dusk of the evening, have our school children been chased, until they were close to the school-house, by strange men, probably enemies of their parents. 26th April. The natives say that if the panpande and palye trees are burned, the ponde (Murray cod) will all go away from


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 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 97 the neighbourhood. I could not help thinking to-day that a load of firewood which the boys fetched bore witness that superstition was losing its hold upon them. It was composed almost entirely of panpande and palye wood. Three years ago the boys would not have dared to burn such wood, as the old men would have been so angry. 8th June. This afternoon Boord and Menatowe charged the young men who are working with me with adultery, and demanded that they should leave the place. This charge the accused strenuously denied, and refused to depart. There was a stormy dispute. I believe that the real cause of the dislike of these fellows to the young men is that they showed a police trooper where some ngadhungi were concealed, and he took them away. Hence their threats of vengeance and millin and ngadhungi. 9th. To-day Boord and Menatowe and their adherents fell upon the workmen and beat them grievously. Four were disabled and one nearly killed. It was an atrocious proceeding. Boord is a great sorcerer, and hates the young fellows because they won’t believe in him. l0th. Boord came and tried to quarrel with me and insulted me this morning. I ordered him off. llth. Last night I was aroused from sleep by a loud knocking at my door. On calling out I found it was Boord. He said that his brother was ill at the camp. It appeared that they were all singing a corrobery when this man was suddenly taken ill, and they thought he would die, so they all shrieked and cried for fear. He begged me to go and see him. I hastily dressed and went with Boord, and found that his brother had a. slight paralytic seizure. I returned home, sent him some medicine, and then went to bed again. 6th November. Teenminne arrived to-day. She has been brought from the river in a canoe as she is ill. 7th. Teenminne is very ill, and evidently has been so for some time. She is much altered in appearance. I have no doubt of her true piety. She is a lover of prayer. I fear for her. May


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 98 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. the Lord, if it be His good will, restore her to health. She asked to be taken down to the school-house to be nursed, and so I had her carried down. 10th. To-day we had to take Teenminne back to the camp; she felt the air too confined in the house. She speaks highly of the kindness of her husband, Pelican. 11th. Teenminne decidedly better. 18th. Teenminne’s sister is hopelessly ill. I was speaking to her about it to-day. Teenminne said, "She must pray to Jesus; I was very bad, and thought I should die, but I laid hold on Jesus (morokkir yan Jesuse), and I recovered." This was faith. Teenminne is very much against gambling. I believe she has got them to destroy all the packs of cards in her wurley. 3rd December. Teenminne is still here, and will stay for some time. I am glad of this, as it enables me to watch over her. I am thankful for the work of grace manifested in her. I believe that the Lord has given me this soul. It is all His work. She said the other day, "I not afraid to die. What is die ? I think no die, only go to heaven." 4th December. The schoolboys are glorying in the fact that they have done several things in defiance of native custom, and have received no harm. They have eaten wallaby, and yet have not turned grey. They have eaten tyere (fish), and have no sore legs. They have cooked ngaikunde (fish) with palye, and yet there are plenty more. 10th. To-day, a woman named Nangowane was severely bitten on the leg by a snake, which twined round the limb while she was getting crayfish in the swamps. I applied the usual remedies. I cauterised the wound, and applied oil and ammonia. I gave her large doses of brandy and ammonia. I gave her 3 1/2 oz. of brandy and 120 drops of liquor ammonia fortissimus. Her pulse was very low; but it rose as I gave her at intervals of fifteen minutes ounce after ounce of the medicine. The first two ounces produced no effect. The third prevented the sinking. The fourth made her almost drunk. I now knew that she was safe. I am sure that under ordinary circumstances one ounce of


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 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 99 brandy would have nearly, if not quite, intoxicated this woman, as she is one who never has taken spirits. 6th May, 1863. Went with the natives to the Coorong, and the Mundoo country. 8th. Went to Lake Albert on a similar expedition to the last. I was amused at one incident. We camped at night, and the natives made a wurley at my head. I slept soundly enough. In the night the wind changed, so the natives, fearing it might be unpleasant to me, got up and shifted the wurley round without waking me; and when I got up in the morning I found that they had turned the house round. 13th June. I find that a native named James Jackson has begun, and kept up prayer at the wurleys every night before he retires to rest. He is a quiet, unassuming, industrious little man. He and Teenminne and Waukeri are regarded by all as Christians. May the Lord spread the light. 20th July. Rev. James Reid arrived from Wellington, where he is residing. He gave an address to the school in the evening. 21st. Mr. Reid left for Mundoo and Goolwa, in his own boat. I sent our boat and four men with him, to take care of him. He is an unskilful navigator. 26th. To-day James Unaipon arrived from Wellington. He is in search of Mr. Reid, as they are very anxious, fearing from his not having returned home that something has happened to him. My boat left his boat just at the entrance of the Finniss, on the 21st. 28th. Towards evening James Jackson was working by himself at the wheat-paddock fence when he saw Jerry and several others creeping about him in the bush. He could see they were bent on mischief, millin probably, so he made off home for safety. They don’t like Jackson because of his religion. 29th. To-day a cutter arrived, which had been searching for Mr, Reid without success. The weather has been very tempestuous. I fear he has attempted to cross the lake and is drowned. In the evening news came that his mast and sail have been found


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 100 TROUBLES FROM NATIVE FIGHTS. on the shore near Paltallock. I went down to Loveday Bay in search, but could find nothing. 31st. Boat returned from the lower lake. It appears that a native met Mr. Reid at Mundoo Channel on Friday last, and got him to put him across the channel. This man noticed that the boat was very leaky, and expostulated with him about it, saying, "Mr. Reid, by-and-bye you will drown." But he would not listen. The black then baled the boat out for him. He left him, and saw him sail away, and go round Rocky Point. It was very tempestuous. A squall of wind with rain came on, and hid him from the native’s sight. He was seen no more alive. I learn that several friends expostulated with Mr. Reid for sailing in such weather. 5th August. Mr. Reid’s boat has been found bottom upwards at Point Malcolm. llth. To-day Putteri found the body of Mr. Reid floating in deep water near Point Malcolm. He put it in his canoe, covered it with a blanket, and brought it here. I had it decently covered and put into our boat, and sent it to Wellington to his friends. The natives expressed great sorrow at seeing it, and behaved most respectfully. The remains were interred next day in Wellington cemetery. Poor fellow! he was a true and loyal servant of Christ, but yet he lost his life through not being sufficiently careful of himself. The extracts from my journals show that some of the principal troubles of the early years of our Mission were the fights continually arising amongst the natives. There were ceremonial and funereal fights, and casual fights, and the whole were a thorough nuisance. The routine of our school-house would be going on as usual, when all on a sudden there would come the tidings of a fight, and off would go children and servants to the field of battle to see how the little affair came off; or perhaps we would be just thinking of going to bed when there would be a shout and a yell and a blaze of light, and then we would see a general scrimmage going on by firelight. One of the worst,


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 CHRISTIAN SOCIETY FORMED. 101 battles we had lasted at intervals for six days. It arose out of a quarrel between a husband and wife. Solomon Baalpulare had a young wife, Tungkungutte. After she had lived with him some years he brought an older woman home to his wurley as a second wife. Now, a wife amongst the heathen Aborigines has no objection to her husband taking another spouse, provided she is younger than herself; but this woman was Tungkungutte’s senior, and consequently mistress of the camp. Solomon refused to listen to his first wife’s remonstrances, so she fled to her tribe at Lake Albert. Solomon gathered his tribe and came to Point Macleay and met the other tribe. He demanded his wife; her friends refused to let her return to him. Then they fought, and he nearly killed his wife’s brother; indeed, he ultimately died of the wound which he received. But it was all of no usehe could not get his wife back. They fought day after day, until I was sick of the hoarse shouts and yells. At the conclusion Solomon offended some of the second and intruding wife’s friends, and so they turned to and gave him a thrashing. This finished the affair. Very few were killed in these combats, but many received dangerous and disabling wounds. Fighting gradually passed away before the influence of Christianity and civilization. The old warriors died; a party grew up and became strong which was opposed to it, and at last it ceased. In September, 1864, James Unaipon came to reside on this station, and has made this his place of regular abode ever since. He has maintained his Christian profession in the face of many difficulties and persecutions. His coming was most advantageous for us; it gave me what I had long neededa steady Christian adult native, who would always take the side of truth and righteousness. He became also a nucleus around which those who were impressed by divine truth could rally. There were Christians amongst the blacks, but they were isolated, and had no united communion. I felt that the time had come to form a Christian society. I began with a bible-class, but soon found that something more was needed. On the 4th February, 1865, I constituted a class,


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 102 DIFFICULTIES WITH NATIVE YOUTHS. the members of which should be understood to make a profession of faith in Jesus, and to be on trial to see whether they would continue steadfast or not. On the 26th of the same month I baptised three adult nativestwo men and a woman. They had for three months made a consistent profession of faith in Jesus. One of them had lived as a Christian for above a year: his name was James Jackson. He died on the 17th of the March after his baptism. I had no doubt of his conversion. Another of those whom I thus baptised was William Kropinyeri. When he embraced Christianity he had two wives one a young woman who was a Christian, and another who was a girl of fourteen. I told him he must put away the youngest wife. He willingly consented to do so. He was then baptised, and his wife with him. After he had put away his youngest wife the old blacks were very much offended. They began to perceive whereunto this thing would grow; so first of all the father of the girl Tina who had been put away beat her and used her cruelly to compel her to return to Kropinyeri, but he could not succeed in inducing her to do so. Then the heathen natives turned their wrath upon the husband who had dared to break their customs. They lay in wait for him continually, and thus obliged him to go armed. It is a custom of the natives, if they cannot be revenged on an enemy, to take vengeance on his nearest relative; so one day two of the heathen blacks found the father of Kropinyeri in a solitary place, and beat him almost to death. His son found him and brought him in a helpless condition to the station. Eventually he recovered; but this led the Christian natives to be very cautious about exposing themselves, and they always went armed and in parties after dark in the evenings. Poor Waukeri, whose name has been mentioned in these pages, fell a victim to that scourge of the natives, pulmonary consumption. He died in firm faith in Jesus Christ. When the boys who had been in the school grew up to be youths of 16 or 17, we found great difficulty in dealing with them at the first. Their education made them superior to their


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 DIFFICULTIES WITH NATIVE YOUTHS. 103 fellows, and their pride knew no bounds. Of all failings this is the one into which the blacks fall most readily. This cause of trouble gradually ceased after several successive classes of boys grew up and finished their school life. It was, however, a cause of great annoyance and hindrance at the first. On the one hand the old blacks wanted to make the youths go through the disgusting ceremonies of narumbe, which I felt bound to oppose, and on the other, the young fellows were intoxicated with vanity, conceit, and self-assertion. Three who gave me much annoyance were named Tippoo, Turtle, and Nipper. They were all clever lads. I had hoped that Christian influences would lay hold upon them, but in this I was disappointed. Some extracts from my journal will illustrate some of our trials of patience in this direction:  llth October, 1864. To-day, Nipper gave the natives some trouble. He came to his father’s hut, a large native hut built of logs and reeds, some fourteen feet in diameter, and demanded bread. His mother told him she had none, as the flour was all expended. No uncommon thing with them, as they frequently, consume all the bread, and then take to fish and game. So Nipper flew into a rage, and, taking a firestick from the fire, he set the whole camp in a blaze. His mother and two infant children were within at the time, and had a narrow escape from the flames; for a high wind was blowing, and the place ignited like tinder. Spears, clothes, blankets, guns, cooking utensils, and all the various odds and ends of a native camp were burned. Lurundinyeri got severely scorched in trying to save some things. Nangowane received a severe wound in the leg. When the mischief was done, the fellow who had caused it sneaked off, and has not been seen since. The loss in goods to the natives must be some ten or twelve pounds. A serious loss to them. 14th. Was much abused to-day by two of the young fellows. One of them stood and called me everything he could think of, all the time holding a loaded gun in his hand. I made a rush at him, seized the gun and fired it off, then took the ramrod and


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 104 CELEBRATION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. broke it. I felt that it would not do to let mere boys act in this way without showing that it could not be tolerated. 19th. To-day I received a Testament from Tewunungge, the aunt of Waukeri. He died at Milang. Before he died he gave it into her charge, begging her to bring it to me. This he did out of reverence for the Word of God. He was a steady, pious fellow. Often he would go away into the bush by himself to read the Scriptures. I marked many passages for him, and he said that he believed and understood them. He was not one to make a noise about his religion, but more inclined to retire from observation. 20th November. To-day Turtle was very impudent to Mr. Stapley. He not only threatened him, but used such violence he is a powerful fellowas to hurt him severely. This arose from my assistant telling him to leave the room where the school children were having their dinner, and where he was behaving badly. I could select other instances of the same kind. The way in which this came to an end was mournful and instructive. Two of the youths who gave us most trouble went into a rapid consumption and died. One died hopelessly impenitent; the other professed repentance and faith in Jesus, After their decease their brotherthe very Nipper who burned the camp became deeply impressed, and decided to become a Christian. I never saw a clearer case of conversion. Naturally he is a badtempered man, but he has exhibited for years a steady Christian life, and is respected by all. His infirmity needs our forbearance yet, but I believe he has overcome it very much. Several youths who gave us trouble have become Christians, and are now consistent members of the church. Fifty-six adult natives have been baptized up to the date when this is written. Of these seven have fallen back from their profession of Christianity. On the 2nd of January, 1866, we commenced the celebration of the Lords Supper. Seven of us united for the first Commu


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 INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE. 105 nion. Since then the Church of Christ at this Mission station has increased to fifty-five members. There are at this date thirty-nine natives and sixteen whites.* But to return to the past. After the formation of the church in 1866, it became very desirable to insist upon marriage being solemnised with Christian rites. This was brought about by two of the church members being married by the Rev. John Gardner, of Adelaide, while on a visit to the station. The writer was not at that time empowered to legally perform marriages, as his church and congregation consisted of Aboriginal natives. Had they consisted of the same number of whites, he would have at once received authority. However, this difficulty was got over, and the writer afterwards received power to legally solemnise matrimony. This was of importance, because native marriage was not recognised by law; consequently, if a native Christian had his wife forced away from him by the heathen blacks, he had no legal redress, because he was not legally married. And not only on this account was it of importance, but also that a check might be put upon divorce, which is easy and common amongst the heathen natives. The introduction of Christian marriage gave sanctity to the nuptial tie, and made it appear more indissoluble. The old heathen blacks saw this, and after the first two marriages they set to work to try if they could not undo them. Amongst the Aborigines it has been often the case that where a young woman has been given in marriage against the wishes of some of her relatives, they have tried to take her away from her husband and give her to somebody else. Laelinyeri had been legally married to Charlotte by the Rev. J. Gardner, as stated above; so a party of the old blacks pretended that they were offended at this, especially an old savage called Fisherman Jack. Soon after the marriage, down came the Lower Murray tribe to the station and encamped near. With their usual deceit they pretended to be quite friendly with the newly-married couple, so as to throw them off their guard. fifty-six natives, forty-one whites.
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 106 INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE. When they had accomplished this they suddenly seized Charlotte by force in the absence of her husband, and went off rapidly to an island called Towadjeri, on the Lower Lake, about ten miles from the station. There they defied her husband to get her, and declared he should never have her again, as they would give her to another man. Laelinyeri came to me and told his story in great grief, as was natural. I could see that a crisis had arisen, and sought, by the help of God, to be equal to the occasion. I got our farm overseer and a friend who was staying with him to go with us, and I and Laelinyeri got into the boat, and we four sailed off down the Lake to Towadjeri. When we got there we anchored, and while we were doing so somebody said, "There is Charlotte on the shore, sitting under a bush." I saw that the girl, suspecting that I was coming to fetch her, had slipped away from her captors, and was waiting for me; so I jumped into the dingey (it would only carry two), and bade Laelinyeri put me ashore. When I got there I saw all the Lower Murray tribeabout sixty men drawn up in rank about 200 yards off with their fishing spears (ugly three-pronged weapons) in their hands, and trying to look as fierce and angry as they could; but I believed it was all bounce, and walked up the shore, sending Laelinyeri back to the boat for my two friends and my gun. Then I went up to Charlotte and told her to follow me. This she readily and joyfully did, and I led her to where the dingey was again approaching the shore. Just then old Fisherman sprang out of the ranks and began dancing about and swearing at me in native, and whirling his spear round his head, and calling on the other blacks to come and take the girl out of my hands; but not a man moved. Up came the dingey; my friends jumped ashore, in stepped Charlotte, and her husband took her on board the cutter. I now knew she was pretty safe; so we walked up amongst the blacks, and began to talk in a friendly way to them, not alluding to the subject in dispute. One of the fellows pointed to my gun and said, "What! you going to shoot blackfellow?" I said, "No; I only want to shoot ducks." We stayed half an hour, and


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 VISIT OF THE REV. G. MEISSEL. 107 then went off to the cutter and sailed for home. That put an end to all attempts to undo legal marriage; it has never been attempted since.* A short time after, a young man who had never been narumbe, married a young woman in defiance of all native custom. His father and mother declared before me that they would kill the pair of them; but it all ended in threats, and by-and-bye they gladly acquiesced in the marriage. During 1865-6, we had many cheering tokens of the power of Divine truth. One youth, named David, died, and he evidently was a Christian. My poor friend, Teenminne, continued to hold her faith and love in the Lord Jesus. I find several entries in my journals, showing the growing spirit of devotion and prayer fulness amongst the natives. One young woman, Petembitepiri, was overheard in fervent supplication at night in the camp. The entry of the circumstance in my diary is interesting, for immediately afterwards she went to Lake Albert, and we soon heard of her death. But while the work of grace was going on we did not escape the malice of the enemy. Some of the old natives did all they could to annoy the people who made a profession of religion. They also kept some children from school, and tried to terrify those whom they could not prevent from attending. One night a large stone was sent crashing through the window of the sleeping-room. Another night, some of the children saw a human figure outside their bedroom window; and presently a face was put close to the glass. They shrieked with fear, and imprudently called out a name, supposing it to be that of the intruder; immediately a heavy waddy was dashed against the panes smashing in glass and woodwork. In November, 1865, the Rev. G. Meissel, Moravian missionary, one of a party consisting of himself, Walder, and Kramer, destined to labour as missionaries in the far north, came to reside with me until the drought which then prevailed should cease. He stayed with us eight months, and was beloved by us all. He marriages at Reidtown.
 * December, 1877. Up to this date there have been thirty-four native Christian


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 108 FARMING OPERATIONS. made himself very useful; for he was rather an accomplished musician. His assistance was valuable, and I wished to retain him with me; but the rules of the Moravian church would not allow this. In the course of our mission to the natives, nothing has impressed me more than the continual evidence of Divine power. We have taught and preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ; we have tried to persuade men to accept of salvation and become servants of Christ; but, while we have done so, we have always felt how utterly inadequate were our words to accomplish what we desired. We could only attribute any good results to a Divine power working with us; overcoming aversion and opposition; changing opinions and habits; winning love and devotion to Christ as Lord. Often, the most unlikely persons, those for whom we did not like to hope, have been the first to show that they had been conquered by the word of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. On 16th November, 1866, Mr. J. A. Ophel became my assistant, and has continued his earnest and efficient labours ever since. We found it necessary in 1865 to provide employment for those natives who were willing to work, so that they might remain with us and be instructed. We had employed a few before this, but only casually, and to no great extent. Our desire now was to produce the wheat required for the station by native labour. A farm overseer was therefore appointed, and a considerable breadth of land gradually brought under cultivation. A flock of sheep was also purchased. Our success will be made more apparent by quoting the yearly sales of produce from the farm. They were as follows:  £ s. d. £ s. d. 1866.. 198 17 4 1872.. 276 13 10 1867.. 73 10 4 1873.. 841 3 1 1868.. 98 12 9 1874.. 506 9 9 1869.. 314 17 6 1875.. 645 4 5 1870.. 501 9 8 1876.. 507 4 7 1871.. 332 17 1


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 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 109 It is true that the money thus raised was spent upon the natives; but it is satisfactory to think that the benefit which they thus received was derived from their own labour. We have had to endure the vicissitudes of the seasons, hut have great reason to be thankful to our Father in Heaven for prospering the work of our hands. The Government of South Australia, in 1865, gave a lease of 730 acres of land to the Institution. Upon this tract our farming operations have been carried on. I will here give a few more extracts from my journals, showing the state of the Mission in 1867:  5th June, 1867. I fear that the number of children amongst the natives is decreasing. I account for this state of things by supposing that it arises partly from drink and partly from prostitution. The former leads to the latter. The tidy virtuous women, who live in the bush, have as many children as they had formerly. The falling-off is on the part of the bad characters, who hang about the townships and public-houses.* 6th. Truly our work is very humbling and dispiriting. There is no romance about it; it is downright hard routine and drudgery. And yet, if Jesus took upon himself the form of a servant, why should we murmur. The waywardness of the Christian natives is a constant trial; they want the most unreasonable things, and are vexed when we must refuse. It is natural to man to like work in which he succeeds, and to work all the harder under the influence of success, but there is little of that here. May God give us help, that we may not be weary in well-doing. lst July. A very wet and stormy day. On Saturday night Teenminne had a daughter; she is doing very well. When I went to see her she was sitting up in the wurley, and the cold wind blowing in upon her; all she wanted was half a stick of tobacco, which I gave her. Afterwards I took her into the house and provided for her. Christian natives has steadily increased.
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 110 EXTRACTS FROM JOURNAL. 8th. Teenminne has gone to the camps again. She does not like the close air of the school-house. 9th. This morning, at two a.m., some blacks knocked at the door, and begged me to come to Teenminne, for she had burnt her foot badly. I got up and went to the camp, and found the poor woman in agony. One foot is very much burned, the other only slightly. She must have put her foot into the fire in her sleep; and the strangest part of the affair was, that it did not seem to have awakened her. She appeared to be, they said, in a sort of nightmare, instinctively moving her feet from the fire, but she did not become conscious till someone shouted in her ear. The sole of the left foot is roasted off, and the two smallest toes quite consumed. After I had dressed it the pain was so great that she fainted. In the forenoon I dressed the wounds again. The right foot is a little burned. I suspect she had a fit. May the Lord graciously restore our dear friend to health. 25th. Teenminne’s foot is healing slowly. She suffers much from unskilful nursing. She is very patient. 1st September. Poor Teenminne is very ill. I am at a loss what to do for her. I can only recommend her to the healing power of the Great Physician. O that He would spare her life! it seems so precious to her children, and to our little church and mission. We all love her. I asked her to-day if she was afraid to die. With the calmest and most cheerful expression, she said that she was not. She manifests the firmest confidence in Jesus as the Saviour who died for her. 28th. To-day poor Teenminne managed to get to our house on crutches, after an illness of three months. I thank God for this; may He grant her perfect restoration to health. 1st November, 1867. The natives are beginning to arrive, to attend the expected torarin in honour of the Duke of Edinburgh. 7th. The Goolwa and Murray tribes arrived. There are some fine men amongst them; physically, as symmetrical and wellgrown specimens of humanity as one would wish to see, notwithstanding their dark skins.


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 VISIT OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH. 111 9th. Blacks continue to pour in. This morning there was a quarrel amongst the Port Elliot clan. Then the old enemies, the Murray and Mundoo clans, fell out. Black Agnes ran away from her husband, and caused the row. The Mundoo men attacked the Piltinyerar (Murrays), and so enraged them that it was all I could do to prevent a battle. Old Teelbarry got excited in the squabble, and in her rage executed a vehement war dance, displaying amazing activity, to the intense amusement of everybody. The two clans then sat down and talked over the affair; mutual explanations were given and received, and all was settled with nothing worse than a bumped head, and a woman’s leg cut with a boomerang, which of course I doctored. On the whole, the natives are peaceable. 10th. Sabbath. Present at worship, 110 adults, 40 children. The blacks behaved very decorously all day. There was hardly any singing or dancing. llth. This morning we served out three days’ rations to 400 adults. There are over 500 blacks of all ages here now. It takes all our time to supply their wants. Rations for them have been sent here by the Government, as, of course, it is necessary to provide food for such a gathering of people drawn away from their usual places of abode. The men of the clans practised marching all the morning. At two p.m. all started for Wommeran, Loveday Bay, five miles from here, where the Duke of Edinburgh is to land. The main body went first, I and the children followed. When we got to Wommeran I found the main body of the natives camped a quarter of a mile back from the Lake in the scrub; they said they had been ordered by an officer to stay there. Tents for the accommodation of the Duke and suite were pitched on the open ground next to the Lake. A considerable number of European settlers were assembled there. The natives complained of thirst. It was no easy matter to fetch water such a distance for above 400 people. So I went and asked the officer who appeared to be in charge for leave to let the natives get drink. He refused, and I got rather a rough reception from him. We then marched our school children down to the


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 112 VISIT OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH. lake. They were all decently dressed and carried two flags made for the occasion. The steamers containing the Duke and suite came in sight. The blacks began to murmur at being kept back from the shore. I could see we should have trouble if I did not take the matter into my own hands, so I ordered the natives to march up. They immediately said, "Minister is our master, we must do as he tells us;" and up they came. With a little help we arranged them on each side of the causeway up which the Duke would pass. When he landed, they cheered lustily in good English hurrahs; but afterwards they broke out into their own peculiar native running cheer. The natives had written and signed an address to the Prince, but I could see no one to introduce the bearers of it, so I sent the young men forward by themselves to present it. I did not like to go with them lest it might be said that I merely got up the address to obtain personal notice for myself. The address was received by the Prince very kindly. Pantuni read it well. After this there was spear and boomerang throwing and native cheering. In the evening I took the school children home and many of the young men accompanied us. We got home late, as the landing-place is so far from the Mission Station. 12th. There was a great corroboree (ringbalin) last night at Wommeran in the presence of the Prince and suite. I could not be present. 13th. I am sorry that the Duke of Edinburgh is not allowed to see the Mission Station. However, we must be content. I should have liked him to see that we are trying to instruct the natives. 14th. The natives are beginning to leave. After a good deal of trouble the Lower Lake clans got away. I gave to all provisions for the journey. 15th. The Murray River tribe departed, and so the assembly of the tribes to meet the Prince has come to an end; it has given us all a fortnight’s very hard work. The effect will be good. It will enlarge the ideas of the natives, and give them notions of rank and honour and dignity, which it was difficult to make them


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 IMPROVED CONDITION OF THE NATIVES. 113 understand before. Poor old chief Peter was so frightened at the affair that he ran away across the scrub and hid himself in the reeds at Ngoingho. He is very ill with the excitement. Some foolish people tried to terrify him. 15th February, 1868. A horrible event has happened. Old Peter has been insane ever since the meeting of the natives in November. His friends have been very careless of him. Today, at noon, he seized a tomahawk at the camp, and attacked Kitty and chopped her frightfully. He inflicted nine wounds, some very dangerous, before he was pulled off. It then took six men to hold him. He tried to attack others and injure himself, but was prevented. Kitty’s husband brought her here. I sent her off at once by boat to the doctor at Milang. I also informed the police. 17th. The police have apprehended Peter. It is a relief to know that he is taken. It is dangerous to be near him. It would be terrible to have this poor old mad man roaming about the bush. Poor Kitty lies in a dangerous condition. (Peter was sent to the Lunatic Asylum, and eventually recovered his reason. Kitty recovered from the wounds, but eventually died of shock to the system. ) The Christian natives soon began to find the wurleys very uncongenial to the practice of Christianity. There is no privacy, no security for property, and every hindrance to piety which barbarous heathenism can devise. First of all, James Unaipon and John Laelinyeri built a small stone, thatched, cottage with their savings. Then an excellent lady in ScotlandMrs. Smith, of Dunesk, a friend of the deceased missionary, the Rev. James Reidfeeling interested in the two converts made by his labours, sent out £40 to be divided between them. They devoted this money to building themselves two stone cottages. Then we erected another cottage ourselves. The natives now began to entertain the idea of building a place of worship. Gradually they raised the sum of £30. Mrs. Smith, of Dunesk, having heard of our desire to build a place of worship, sent us £50 towards it, and £100 for more cottages. We then began to build, and with the


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 114 DEATH OF TEENMINNE. help of kind friends in Adelaide managed to finish our chapel. It cost £148. We then built more houses, and called the village which thus arose around us Reid Town, in memory of the missionary who lost his life in seeking the welfare of the natives. Our great want at the present time is houses for the Christian natives. Although we have a native stonemason, the demand for houses greatly exceeds the supply. Two or three more extracts are all I shall trouble the reader with. They relate to the close of the life of one often mentioned in these pages. llth September, 1869. Teenminne is very ill. Dysentery has set in. I fear she cannot recover. 18th. Teenminne has been continually getting worse. Her faith continues unwavering. I often talk and pray with her, and listen to her expression of firm faith in Jesus. She asks me to read to her in the native language, because she feels it fatigue her attention less than English. 19th. My poor sick friend is gradually sinking. She cannot last long. She begs me to have her body buried and not dried. Of course I promised to comply with her wishes. There is no fear of death, but no rapturesonly a sort of anxious waiting for departure, all the while resting on Jesus to bear up against fear. 21st. To-day, at three p.m., our dear friend Teenminne departed to her everlasting rest. She was a little delirious this morning, but that passed off; then deafness came on, and the restlessness which precedes dissolution. I prayed with her, but she heard very little. Her husband was attentive and kind to her. She went off at last quite suddenly. Teenminne was my first friend among the natives. She was a truly excellent womankind-hearted, intelligent, faithful, courageous, devout. She was a good loving wife, and a good mother. I feel we have lost a dear friend. To die was gain to her, but grief to us. She possessed more of what we call character than any woman I ever met amongst the natives. She was goodlooking for an aborigine, although she had lost an eye in her childhood. There was a cheerful merry way with her which


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Rh won everybody, and her downright good sense was ever conspicuous. My wife says she has lost the only woman she could ever make an intimate friend of amongst the natives.

23rd.—To-day we buried the remains of Teenminne. All the blacks except one or two attended the funeral. It was a solemn season.

The church of Christ at Reid Town increases in numbers. We have much to encourage us. Those for whom at one time we scarcely dared to hope are becoming disciples of Jesus.

Thus Christianity has been winning its way gradually amongst the Narrinyeri, producing the peaceable fruits of righteousness and civilisation. Christian life has led to Christian marriage, Christian worship, Christian homes, and last, not least, Christian burial of the departed. Those who came to us as children have grown up to manhood and womanhood and become heads of families. Some have passed away to the rest of God who came to us painted heathen savages, but were led to sit at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in their right mind. Many other deathbed scenes could be described where natives died in sure and certain hope of a resurrection to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I do not think I could produce a better illustration of the power of Christianity than one which occurred some little time back. I have several times mentioned the name of Baalpulare in the course of this narrative. The people, bearing this name were a large and influential but extremely superstitious and heathen family of the Point Macleay tribe. The youngest of four brothers who bore this name we called Baalpulare; the next elder was Minora Baalpulare. Now this family was by native law ngia-ngiampe to James Unaipon, consequently they were forbidden to have the slightest intercourse with him, or he with them. One day James came to me and brought a kalduke which he said had been sent to him by Minora Baalpulare upon the birth of his child to show that he wished the same custom to be kept up between their children. James felt that he could not


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 116 CONVERSION OF BAALPULARE. agree to this, as he was a Christian; but it would have been risking a quarrel if he had gone and spoken to Minora about it, so he asked me what he had better do. I told him that I would carry back the kalduke and settle the matter. Consequently I went to Minora and told him that as James Unaipon was a Christian, he could not have any more to do with such heathen customs; and I gave him back the plume. The Baalpulares were very much scandalised, and very ill friends with James for a long time after this occurred. Baalpulare the youngest was a gross and licentious savage, and did not hesitate to show his resentment. Some two years after this both Baalpulare and Minora were brought under deep conviction of sin through listening to the preaching of the gospel. In their distress they cast aside all thought of native customs and went to James Unaipon for counsel and comfort. Baalpulare was especially earnest and teachable. He set himself to learn to read with the greatest diligence and considerable success. I could scarcely believe in the change in these men. They applied to be admitted to the Church and baptised. So I put them under a specially long course of probation, and they passed through it with credit. At last they were baptised and became communicants. Here was an instance of the power of Christianity to break down native customs; these men cast aside all thoughts of ngia-ngiampe, and under pressure of religious concern, sought counsel from the very man whom native law forbade them to speak to. And up to this time they are the most intimate friends of James Unaipon. A passage from my journal will supply another contrast. The quotation is as follows:  "June 30, 1859. Camped at Point Macleay. A large wurley is erected close to our camp; Pelican, Teenminne, and many other natives live in it. To-night they had a corroberyringbalin, they call it. Two of their songs especially attracted my attention. One of them, the first, began with a low chant, the words being rapidly uttered to a sort of cadence, and frequently repeated. The women all sat on the ground on one side of the


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 A CONTRAST. 117 fires, several of them beating time with the plongge, or native drum, while the men stood on the other side of the fire, beating time with the tartengkthat is, two waddies or kanakis. The scene was indescribably wild. The dark row of seated women, with rolling eyes and gleaming teeth, the play of light and shadow on the rough logs of the wurley, and the eager swaying forms of the men, some of them light and beautifully proportioned youths, and others stalwart and hairy savages. Then the chant rose higher and higher with beat of tartengk and plongge, then sank again to plaintive but rapid minor tones. Then the men’s hoarse voices broke in, shouting in time to the chant, and stamping and beating their brandished weapons in the wildest excitement. Then the shrillest treble of the women rose above the fierce warlike tones, sounding like an imploring supplication in reply; then the whole concluded with a loud chant in chorus, to the beat of tartengk and drum. The other song was to slower time, and the burden of it was, ’Shall I ever see my country again,’ a native utterance of love of birthplace and home. One of the men asked me if I could write what they sang in a letter." And now for the contrast. Great has been the effect produced by Christianity upon the natives. I do not mean to say that Christian Aborigines are faultlessfar from it. They have their inconsistencies, their failings, their falls. As yet religious life is a conflict with them, even as it is with us. But there exists amongst them much earnestness, and they have become more cleanly, more industrious, more moral, through the influence of the Gospel. The change is so great that I can scarcely believe that they are the same people. One Saturday night, a few weeks ago, I went, as I always do, to take away the lights at nine o’clock, see the children were comfortably in bed, and lock up the schoolroom. It was a soft, still night. When I got down there I stood a moment and listened to the sounds around me. Nobody knew I was there. From the young men’s sleeping-room came the sound of voices singing devoutly and with feeling Lyte’s beautiful hymn "Abide with me, fast falls the eventide."


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 118 A CONTRAST. From my own dwelling rolled the low tones of the harmonium, where my eldest daughter was practising the tunes for the coming Sabbath. From beyond, where the chapel lifted its silent form amidst the darkness, I could hear the sound of a hymn, sung in the native deacon’s cottage. There a party of natives had gathered for a Saturday evening prayer-meeting. As I stood there a gentle rain began to fall, and I could not help thinking of"My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew." Yes, Lord, Thy Word shall be as the rain which cometh down from heaven, and watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud. It doth not return unto Thee void, but accomplishes that which Thou pleasest, and prospers in the thing whereunto Thou hast sent it. And to Thy holy name be all the glory for ever and ever. To sum up the results of the Mission at this place, I may state that at the time when these words are being written there were twelve families living in cottages on the place, Christian homes, conducted with more or less comfort and decency. And I know that in those homes the voice of family devotion is heard morning and evening, led by the head of each family. This has come about by Christian influence, not by any positive command on my part. On the Lord’s Day, instead of a wild and oddly-dressed throng of savages, our chapel presents the appearance of a decentlydressed congregation of worshippers. And in the little village around us is carried on that conflict with sin and Satan which shall eventuate in the complete triumph of the Gospel. I should also state that I find that those natives who adopt a thoroughly civilised mode of life are the healthiest of their tribe. The most unhealthy are those who are neither civilised nor savage, but adopt a sort of half-and-half life. The writer feels that the results of this Mission abundantly prove that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation of communities as well as individuals. Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ. To Him be the glory, and the dominion, and the majesty, and the victory for ever and ever. Amen.


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 THE PRIMITIVE CONDITION OF MANKIND. 119 CHAPTER IX. THE PRIMITIVE CONDITION OF MANKIND. A GREAT deal of controversy has arisen in scientific circles on the subject of the primal state of mankind. One party has maintained that if man were not originally developed from the lowest animals, he must have been created in a state of great barbarism; and others maintain that the first individuals of our race were placed after their creation in a state which at once developed into civilisation. Now, we have in Australia arrived at the knowledge of many facts relative to the Aborigines which bear directly on the subject under discussion. Any person who has resided long amongst the natives and become well acquainted with their habits will have remarked the singular absence of the faculty of invention which they manifest. The power of calculation they possess in a very small measure, but the power to invent seems to have died out altogether. An Aboriginal will imitate what he sees others do; but it seems impossible for him to originate a fresh way of doing anything, or to improve on the method which he has been taught. Now, some savans have supposed that human languages were developed from the utterances natural to animals. If this were true, we might, therefore, expect to find amongst the natives of Australia a language very little superior to the cries of the beasts of the field. But what do we find?that they possess a language which is remarkable for the complexity of its structure, the number of its inflections, and the precision with which it can be used. Although the number of words contained in it is comparatively smallprobably not more than four thousandyet they seem to the student to be rather the remnants of a noble language than a tongue in process of development. We find the dual number throughout. We also have six cases in each declension of nouns


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 120 THE PRIMITIVE CONDITION OF MANKIND. and pronouns, and a double set of personal pronouns for the sake of euphony and expression. Verbs are regularly formed from roots consisting either of one vowel and two consonants or of two vowels and three consonants. The names of human relationships are far more copious than in English. In many respects we have niceties of expression which we do not find in our own language; for instance, instead of having only one word for the interrogative and relative "when," they have two. Now, the Aborigines with their present power of invention, if they were only developed from a still lower grade of human nature, could never have constructed this language for themselves. They possess the faculty of learning other languages readily, but anyone who knows them well has found they have really no power to invent language. And this points to the conclusion that they never could have risen to their present state from a lower grade of savage life, but must have descended to their barbarism from a state more nearly approaching civilisation; and their language must be the remnant of what was then in use amongst them. Its inflections have been retained, but its range contracted within the limits of the objects of their present sphere of existence. The natives possess many customs which are just as manifestly remnants of a higher state of social life as their language. Now, many of their customs are of a most laborious and burdensome character, involving much suffering, and having many curious rites connected with them. But while the natives observe them with great exactness and particularity, they can give no account of their meaning or origin. Now, it is unreasonable to suppose that these customs originated without a cause, that they never meant anything. The right conclusion is that they once had a meaning and an intelligible purpose; but, like many religious ceremonies in our own land, the meaning has died out, and they are now observed only from superstitious ceremonialism. And this conclusion carries with it the further inference that the natives must have descended from a higher state of civilisation, when they knew the signification of the customs which they now ignorantly observe.


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 THE PRIMITIVE CONDITION OF MANKIND. 121 The natives also possess weapons which they could not have invented in their present state. The boomerang and throwingstick for the spear are of this kind. The former even suggested a new idea to scientific men when it was first found amongst them. Their spinning of excellent waterproof twine and their netting also point to a time when they possessed a power of invention which they have since lost. And it is noteworthy that those tribes who, to reach their present seats, must have travelled across the country where there was no fish, and consequently no need of nets, Have no idea of making either twine or nets, and cannot learn to do so. These Aborigines are on the shores of the Australian Bight, and in some parts of the south-western corner of the continent, and probably travelled across the centre from Torres Straits to get to the position which they now occupy. But there are also considerations relating to the present state of these Aborigines which bear even more closely than those which have engaged our attention upon the primal state of man. The condition of this people furnishes ample grounds for the position that man in a state of barbarism, so far from rising towards civilisation, inevitably and invariably goes downwards towards extinction. The intelligent amongst the Aborigines always say that their traditions speak of a time when they were more numerous than they are now, and that their numbers had been decreasing long before the white man came into the country. It would appear, then, that the first comers possessed so much of civilisation as to enable them to increase in numbers, but in proportion as they became more numerous they became more barbarous, until the point was reached where the race began to descend towards its present position. Savage life is fatal to the increase of the human family. Man in this condition lives under the power of his carnal nature, and Holy Scripture says, "If ye live after the flesh ye shall die." Never was there a text more strikingly illustrated than this by the condition of uncivilised man. From childhood to old age the gratification of appetite and passion is the whole purpose of life to the savage. He seeks to extract the utmost sweetness from


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 122 THE PRIMITIVE CONDITION OF MANKIND. mere animal pleasures, and consequently his nature becomes embruted. And this eager pursuit of sensuality leads to injurious excess and unhealthy intemperance. The Aboriginal eats and drinks with a whole devotion and seriousness which shows that every faculty is absorbed in the occupation. The passions are never restrained, except in so far as custom prescribes, and consequently assume an imperious character; the man is entirely under their sway, and gratifies them to the utmost, although the body should die from the indulgence. And under such circumstances the race decreases in numbers; sensuality leads to infanticide and other atrocities too bad to mention; infant life perishes at an enormous percentage of the births which take place; diseases of a scrofulous type sweep away thousands of victims; and the whole people, unless some external aid comes in, is soon exterminated by mere barbarism. And in case of the Aborigines of these colonies, this result is accelarated through the vices introduced by the white man, and they receive an impulse which gives them an additional impetus towards destruction. Now it is very evident that if this representation be faithful, man never could originally have been created in a state lower than that of these Aborigines, for if he had been, he never, by any course of development accordant with the course of his nature, could have arisen out of it. The only conclusion at which we can fairly arrive is, that man was created with all the powers, faculties, and impulses which would lead him to adopt from the first that state of existence which we call civilisation.


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 LANGUAGE. 123 CHAPTER X. LANGUAGE. I DO not intend in this chapter to endeavour to make the reader acquainted with native grammar, but merely to speak of those points of interest in the languages of the Aborigines which are worthy of notice. The Narrinyeri have a language, and do not, as an English farmer once told me he supposed they did, only make noises, like beasts of the field. They have a language, and a highly organised one too, possessing inflections which ours does not. Their nouns and pronouns have three numberssingular, dual, and plural. They not only have the cases which ours have, but several others in addition. The following is the declension of the noun korni, "a man":  SINGULAR. Nom. korni, a man. Gen. kornald, of a man. Da. kornangk, to a man. Ac. korn, a man. Voc. korninda, O man. Ab. kornil, by a man. Exative kornanmant, from a man. Ergative kornanyir or kornald, with a man. DUAL. Nom. kornengk, two men. Gen. kornengal, of two men. Da. kornungengun, to two men. Ac. Kornengk, two men. Voc. kornula, O two men. Ab. kornenggul, by two men. Exative kornungengun, from two men. Ergative kornungengun, with two men.