§ 11. Traditions. There are many traditions among the Australian aborigines, which to Europeans are sufficiently absurd; many of them are very obscene, and quite unfit for publication. They are, however, not more obscene or more absurd than many of the classic legends of Heathen Mythology. There is a tradition very widespread among the tribes I am concerned with, that the earth was originally peopled by a race much more powerful, especially in the arts magic, than that which now inhabits it. This first race is in different localities known by different names, but as the legends regarding them are much the same, those of one tribe will serve for illustration. The Wathi-wathi call them Bookoomuri, and say they were famous for fighting, hunting, &c., and were eventually changed into animals by Tha-tha-puli, who then created the present race. Others say that the Bookoomuri effected the transformation themselves, and that as animals they felt an interest in the new race that succeeded them, and imparted to it much valuable knowledge. A belief exists that the magical powers of the doctors, disease makers, and rainmakers has been handed down to them from the Bookoomuri. The following is a tradition of the manner in which fire was procured. Two Bookoomuri, Koorambin (a water rat) and Pandawinda (codfish), were the sole possessors of fire, which they jealously guarded in an open space among the reed-beds of the Murray River. Many efforts were made by other Bookoomuri, and by the present race, to obtain a spark of it, but without success, till one day Karigari (a hawk), who of course had originally been a Bookoomuri, discovered Koorambin and Pandawinda in the act of cooking mussels, which they had obtained from the river. He flew up to such a height that they could not see him, and then caused a strong wind to blow the fire among the dry reeds. This was, however, extinguished. He then sent a wind from the opposite direction, and eventually a whirlwind, which scattered the fire in every direction, causing a conflagration which set the whole of the reed-beds on fire, and extending to the forests, laid waste vast tracts of country, upon which trees have never since grown, so that where there were once forests we find now immense bare plains. The Ta-ta-thi have another version. Ngwoorangbin (water rat), who lived in the Murray River, had a large hut in which he kept the fire for the purpose of cooking the mussels which he brought out of the river. This fire he very jealously guarded, but one day whilst he was down in the river gathering mussels, a spark flew out of the hut and was caught by Kiridka (a small hawk), who, having some inflammable materials ready, kindled a fire, by means of which he burned down the house of Ngwoorangbin, and also at the same time a large tract of forest, so that it is now open plains. It is said that it was after this event that the blackfellows became possessed of the knowledge that fire could be obtained by friction. Another legend is told of two Bookoomuri who had a wonderful chase after a gigantic kangaroo which lived near Hilston on the Lachlan River. He was followed by the two Bookoomuri. for hundreds of miles, but they eventually lost sight of him. Following the track, however, for some days, they at last came to where another Bookoomuri, who having met the kangaroo in an exhausted state, had, with the assistance of his dog, killed it and already had partly cooked it. The visitors were invited to partake but they refused, and waiting for a few minutes till the attention of the other was engaged on something else, they restored the kangaroo to life, to the great indignation of its captor, who immediately sent his dog after it. The two hunters, however, placed a magic spell on the dog which prevented its running. They then followed the kangaroo, and eventually killed it near the junction of the Darling and Murray Rivers. The Willandra Creek, which has a course of more than three hundred miles, is supposed to be the track of the Kangaroo when flying from its pursuers. The few hills which occur in the district are the camps of the Bookoomuri when following it. The Merowie Creek is also supposed to be the track of some mystic animal which the Bookoomuri hunters had been pursuing. There are many traditions of the wonderful feats performed by the Bookoomuri, and I think that most, if not all, the tribes of New South Wales, and perhaps of Australia, believe that the country was formerly inhabited by a different race from that which occupies it at the present day. Is it possible that the totemic divisions of a tribe are connected with this belief in a race of men who afterwards became animals? It might be, for instance, that the class which has for its totems Eaglehawk, Kangaroo, Bandicoot, believes that the Bookoomuri who were transformed into those animals were the ancestors of that class. But I have no direct evidence of such a belief. The Ta-ta-thi relate that the mocn, which is supposed to be a not too-chaste female, had a special claim on a tract of country where yams grew in abundance; that on one occasion two Kilpara women, having discovered the locality, helped themselves to some of the yams, but, being discovered in the act, were buried beneath a large pile of stones by the moon. Here they remained for some time, the stones having been placed in such a manner that they were not killed by the pressure, the intention being to destroy them by starvation. They were rescued by Rakur (the Bat), who took them to Lake Victoria, where they became his wives. § 12. Conclusion. Of late very little has been done in New South Wales to ameliorate the condition of the aborigines, and although I believe that between the years 1821 and 1842 large sums of money were expended in protectorates in that colony, very little good was effected. That our present position in respect to the original occupiers of the soil is not an equitable one, is beyond dispute. We have taken from them a country, where, after their own fashion, they were contented and happy, and in return we have bestowed on them a civilisation which destroys them. I do not say that this could altogether have been avoided, for experience everywhere proves that races in a state of savagery, and even those races which are beginning to emerge from it, are unable to withstand the advance of European civilization. But it is to be hoped that something will be done without delay to at least ameliorate the condition of the tribes now fading from the earth under the influence of our presence. Very little has been done so far, and that little almost entirely by private individuals, who have found time amidst arduous business avocations to collect and publish valuable records of the tribes with which they have come in contact. Government aid is however required in the matter, not only to carry out thorough researches into the past and present history of the tribes, but also as to the best measures for the amelioration of their condition. It seems strange that in an age in which so much time and money are devoted to science, so little should have been done towards securing an authentic record of the organisation of aboriginal society. Such a record would be a most valuable addition to the history of mankind, and the cost of securing it would be trivial in comparison to its value when secured. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. JANUARY 27TH, 1885. Professor W. H. FLOWER, LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. The notice convening the meeting was read by the DIRECTOR. The Minutes of the last Anniversary Meeting were read and signed. The PRESIDENT then declared the ballot open, and appointed Mr. BEAUFORT and Mr. R. MELDOLA Scrutineers. The Treasurer's Report for the year 1884 was read by the DIRECTOR in the absence of the Treasurer. TREASURER'S REPORT. On a comparison of the present statement of Receipts and Payments with that of last year, it will be seen that the amount received from ordinary members for subscriptions is £514 10s., as against £484 1s. last year. The arrears got in have been £19 19s., against £51 9s. in 1883. It was deemed advisable to draw a certain amount from the Reserve Fund, in order to meet the expenses connected with the removal from St. Martin's Place to Hanover Square, and the Trustees were accordingly instructed to sell £199 12s. 10d. Metropolitan stock, which produced the sum of £217 2s. 2d. This reduces the amount invested to £900 stock. It will be observed, however, that the ordinary expenses of the year, notwithstanding various incidental expenses due to the change of offices, do not exceed those of previous years. The rent of the new rooms, including lighting and heating, will be £165 per annum. £153 was paid during the past year, one quarter and a half having been spent at St. Martin's Place. The cost of printing four numbers of the Journal has been reduced by nearly £50, and the miscellaneous printing also shows a reduction of nearly £8. The amount paid for illustrating the Journal has been £31 13s. 9d., and an old account that had been outstanding for several years, but not previously rendered, together with the VOL. XIV. 2 c |