"How many natives are there in the colony?" queried Fred.
"I am afraid if I answered your question without an explanation," said Mr. Watson, with a smile, "I should give you a wrong impression. By natives I suppose you mean the aboriginal inhabitants of the country?"
"Certainly," replied Fred.
"In Australia, when we speak of natives," Mr. Watson answered, "we mean white people who were born in the country, in contrast to those who have migrated from England and other lands. When referring to the aborigines we call them so, and we also call them 'blacks' or 'blackfellows.' At the last census there were 148,162 natives, or whites, born in the colonies, living in Queensland, and about 20,000 aborigines. The latter number is an estimate only, as it is impossible to take the census of the black population."
WEST COAST AUSTRALIANS.
"If you want to see the difference between a native and an aboriginal," said the gentleman, "look where I am pointing."
The youths followed with their eyes the direction of his finger, and saw a white man and a black one standing near each other, close to the little station where the train was halted, some miles beyond Toowoomba. The black man was in civilized garb and had a muscular frame, quite like that of an able-bodied negro in the southern part of the United States. His garments were coarse and rough, his hair was black and bushy, and his chin was covered with a beard that seemed to more than rival his hair in its swarthiness.
"The white man is probably a sheep or cattle raiser," said Mr. Watson, "and the black is one of his assistants."