The height of the Bugong mountain may be two thousand feet from its base, and upwards of three thousand feet above the level of the sea. The quantity of moths which may be collected from one of the granite groups, it is calculated would amount to at least five or six bushels. The largest specimen I obtained measured seven-eighths of an inch with the wings closed, the length of the oily body being five-eighths of an inch, and of proportionate circumference; the expanded wings measured one inch and three quarters across; the colour of the wings dark brown, with two black ocellated spots upon the upper ones; the body filled with yellow oil, and covered with down.[105]
We returned by nearly the same route we came: the descent was however much more tedious than the ascent; but after slipping over stones, stumbling over innumerable logs that strewed the path, and a few other trifling mishaps, we rejoined our horses, and arrived at the station in the evening.
The aborigines manifested a strong desire to see the new “white feller” who had come among them, which it seemed was a rare occurrence in this secluded place: they were all eager for tobacco—some proof they were advancing towards civilization. Both males and females were in a state of nudity, wearing the opossum-skin cloaks only as a protection from the weather; and the septum naris had the usual perforation and ornament through it. Some of the females had tolerably pretty features, with dark hair, short, and having a natural curl, not, however, in any respect like the frizzled hair of the African negro, or the spiral twist of that race so closely allied to them—the Papuan, but that curled appearance often seen in the hair of European races. Many of the females wore the front teeth of the kangaroo as ornaments attached to their hair, and esteemed them for that purpose. The native weapons are clubs, spears,[106] the bomerang, and shields, which latter have rude ornaments carved with the incisor tooth of a kangaroo upon them.
The numerals in the aboriginal language at this place proceed as far as three. Thus: one, Metombul—two, Bulla—three, Bulla metong; and Biolong, which signifies any quantity.[107]
The dread of ridicule prevails to as extensive a degree among the females of this savage as among our more civilized races. One of the naked Venuses at this place was induced some time since by a European, during the absence of her tribe, to array herself in drapery; a petticoat was the portion of a lady’s dress selected, but the garment was as often thrown over the shoulders as around the waist. When the tribe returned it happened to be the latter, and they made most particular inquiries respecting the reason that she was so clothed—and whether she was ashamed to be naked, according to the custom of her forefathers? So much ridicule was levelled against her costume, that being unable to parry their jokes, she threw the garment aside, and never afterwards resumed it; she then went about perfectly naked, innocent, and unconscious of shame.
To express delight the natives utter a quick or rapid succession of whistling sounds. They have some idea of the fine arts, as I judged from some rude sketches made by a native lad in my presence. He took a piece of charcoal and sketched some figures upon a sheet of bark, which formed part of the roof of the low hut; blackee called them “white fellers,” and seemed much amused at the idea.
The “Native or Wood-pheasant,” or “Lyre bird” of the colonists, the “Menura superba” of naturalists, and the “Béleck, béleck,” and “Balangara” of the aboriginal tribes, is abundant about the mountain ranges, in all parts of the colony; the tail of the male bird is very elegant, but the remainder of the plumage in the male, and the whole of that of the female, is destitute of beauty. The tail of the male bears a striking resemblance, in its graceful form, to the harmonious lyre of the Greeks, from which circumstance it has received the name of the “Lyre bird” of Australia. The tail-feathers, detached entire from the bird, are sought for by collectors for their beauty, and are sold in the shops of the zoological collectors at Sydney, in pairs, formerly at a cheap rate, as the birds then abounded in the mountain ranges of the Illawarra district; but now that the bird, from its frequent destruction, has become rare, these tails have attained a price of from twenty to thirty shillings the pair. About the ranges, however, of the Tumat country, where they have been seldom destroyed, they are seen more frequently; at this season of the year, (December,) it has its young; indeed this is the season that the young of all the wild animals are produced in the colony, and can consequently be procured with facility.
It is much to be regretted that human beings are so eager to destroy, even to extermination, the races of animals useful or dangerous, which may be found in a new country. In the settled parts of the colony, the harmless kangaroos and emus are rarely seen, when they might easily be domesticated about the habitations. The same remark applies to the lyre pheasant. Why are they not domesticated, before, by extermination, they are lost to us for ever?
The Lyre pheasant is a bird of heavy flight, but swift of foot. On catching a glimpse of the sportsman, it runs with rapidity; aided by the wings in getting over logs of wood, rocks, or any obstruction to its progress, it seldom flies into trees, except to roost, and then rises only from branch to branch: they build in old hollow trunks of trees, which are lying upon the ground, or in the holes of rocks; the nest is formed merely of dried grass, or dried leaves, scraped together; the female lays from twelve to sixteen eggs of a white colour, with a few scattered light blue spots; the young are difficult to catch, as they run with rapidity, concealing themselves among the rocks and bushes.