The Aborigines of Australia

by R.N. Richard Sadleir

That Sir Richard Bourke felt a great interest in these people is certain. He made a trial of what may be hoped on their behalf, by confining some adult aborigines, who had committed some serious offences, on an island in the Sydney Harbour, placing them under the care of Mr. Langhan, who by this means acquired their language and became acquainted with their habits, and was thus trained to the office of Superintendent of the Port Phillip Institution. But my prognostic became, unfortunately, too true. Had the Institution been more judiciously placed it might have had better results, but it had to be abandoned—the fate of almost all attempts hitherto made on behalf of this unfortunate race.

The rapid increase of white population alone must in a very few years have crushed such an infant Institution, when it increased in 1836 from Batman with a following of 244 persons to, in 1873, 700,472 persons. A Board for the Protection of the Aborigines having been appointed, the following is the report to Parliament:⁠—“The Aborigines of Victoria.—The Board for the Protection of Aborigines in Victoria has submitted a report to Parliament, of which the following are extracts:⁠—‘It is a matter for congratulation that the condition of the aborigines in all parts of the Colony is as satisfactory as could be expected, having regard to the habits of this people, and the great difficulty experienced by the local guardians and superintendents of stations in keeping them under control when they are induced by old associations or superstitions, or tempted by the lower class of whites, to wander from the spots where in health they are supplied with good food and suitable clothing, and in sickness tended with the same care as is bestowed on Europeans. For many years the Board has conducted experiments at the several stations, with the object of producing crops that would necessitate neither heavy nor sustained labours—labours that the aborigines as a rule are not fitted to undertake—and which would yield a return sufficient at least to pay for the support of the natives. At Coranderrk a great many different crops have been grown. At one time it was expected that tobacco would yield largely; grain has been grown, fruits of various sorts have been cultivated, and at some expense an attempt was made to establish a dairy. All these, however, failed to give such results as were satisfactory to the Board. It was not until the assistance of Mr. Frederick Search was obtained that any fair prospects presented themselves. He examined the lands at Coranderrk, and recommended that a hop plantation should be established under the care of a competent hop-grower. Owing to his skill and knowledge, and with the assistance of Mr. Burgess—who has proved himself thoroughly competent to manage hop grounds and prepare the produce for market—success has at last been achieved. The crop sent to market during the season just passed, 15,244 lbs. in weight, has realized good prices. The first lot was sold at auction for 1s. 10½d. per lb., and the condition in which it was presented to buyers elicited the highest praise from experts. The gross sum derived from the season’s crop was £1,140 6s. 3d. From this has to be deducted commission, discount, &c., and the wages of the hop-pickers, leaving a net sum of £983 5s. 10d. The cost of the experiment has been small. Next year the results will, it is anticipated, be far more satisfactory. The plantation has been extended, and arrangements will be made for drying the hops rapidly, and for sending them earlier to market. The condition of the aborigines, from the foundation of the Colony, was never as prosperous as at the present time. Useful employments have been found for the adults of both sexes; the children are educated and trained by competent teachers; and the material interests of both the aged and the young are carefully guarded. The wise liberality of the Parliament of Victoria may perhaps induce the Governments of the neighbouring Colonies to enact laws similar to those under which the natives of Victoria are now prosperous, and to provide means for the support of the aboriginal population and for the education of the children.’” I have not been able to learn the result of this experiment so full of promise, but the project was discontinued.

Mr. Westgarth does not appear to be over-attached to these unfortunate people, and considers, with many others, it is the decree of Heaven that they should perish before the civilized population. But this is merely an excuse for the demoralizing influence of civilization, with its multiplied evils, for we have the fact before us in the Sandwich Islands, Tahiti, and where there has been a native society under missionary enterprise, that this was not the case, but that life and morality would be fostered with the advance of civilization under the power of Christianity.

Let us not cast upon Heaven a destruction which is our own, and say they are doomed by Divine decree, where the guilt lies with ourselves.

The native population in 1860 was about 2,000, but in 1859 was computed at from 6,000 to 7,000. The Select Committee assigns the cause of diminution to be drunkenness, and the exposure and consequent disease too often resulting from this vice.

Mr. Westgarth says that in 1861 only thirteen natives were residents within municipal towns; and in the gold districts, in the same year, there were but 147. We may ask who slew the others?—the pestilential vices of the European Christians.

Several efforts have been put forward on behalf of these people, but with little success. The Government in 1838 instituted a protectorate; three years afterwards, they formed a native police force, and in 1846, a native school. During thirteen years, £60,000 was expended without any important results.

The Wesleyans formed a mission at Buntingdale in 1838, where they were partially successful; but, in spite of cottages and gardens, daily employment, and daily food, the blacks returned with renewed relish to their native wilds.

There was also an Anglical Episcopal Mission in 1853, but all alike unsuccessful, with the exception of the Moravians, commenced in 1851, at Lake Boga, near the Murray, removed since to the Wimmera. This district contains about one-third of the population of the Colony. At Cooper’s Creek there were about 300, and about 120 more within the neighbourhood, all speaking the same language. Mr. Westgarth winds up his summary by asking what is the destiny of these unfortunate savages, and there can be but little doubt but that the aboriginal race will entirely disappear before civilization at a gallop.

Mr. Lloyd describes the rapid destruction of these people. In 1837, the Barrabool Hill tribe mustered upwards of 300 sleek healthy blacks. In 1853, his second visit, he met only nine gins and one sickly infant. On inquiring what had become of them, the answer was, “All dead, all dead,” and they chanted the following sorrowful dirge: “The stranger white man come in his great swimming corong and landed with his dedabul-boulganas (large animals), and his anaki boulganas (little animals). He came with his boom-booms (double guns), his miam-miams (tents), blankets, and tomahawks; and the dedabul ummageet (great white stranger) took away the long-inherited hunting-grounds of the poor Barrabool coolies and their children, &c., &c.” Then having worked themselves into a frenzy, they, in wild tones, shaking their heads and holding up their hands in bitter sorrow, exclaimed, “Coolie! coolie! coolie! Now where are your fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters? Dead, all gone! dead!” In broken English they then said, “Never mind Mitter Looyed, tir, by-’n-by all dem blackfella come back whitefella like it you.” They seemed to think that they had discovered the reality of their belief in a resurrection or transmigration. Only nine women, seven men, and one child out of 300 remained. How fearful the account! The sheep-farmers destroyed their game and their support. The law of the man-slayer prevailed here. Mr. Lloyd gives a painful history of one black who had been speared. One dark night, the dog barked the alarm, the avenger had traced out his victim and drove a spear through him and killed him. Mr. Lloyd gives another of the poetic laments:⁠—