a complete account of the settlement-第45章

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t　grew　hot　continued　to　throw　water　on　it。　　Their　ingenuity　was　however　very　ill　rewarded；　for　the　rice　became　so　mingled　with　the　dirt　and　sand　on　which　it　was　laid；　that　even　they　could　not　eat　it；　and　the　whole　was　spoiled。＇

Unless　summoned　away　by　irresistable　necessity；　sleep　always　follows　the　repast。　　They　would　gladly　prolong　it　until　the　following　day；　but　the　canoe　wants　repair；　the　fish…gig　must　be　barbed　afresh；　new　lines　must　be　twisted；　and　new　hooks　chopped　out。　　they　depart　to　their　respective　tasks；　which　end　only　with　the　light。

Such　is　the　general　life　of　an　Indian。　　But　even　he　has　his　hours　of　relaxation；　in　seasons　of　success；　when　fish　abounds。　　Wanton　with　plenty；　he　now　meditates　an　attack　upon　the　chastity　of　some　neighbouring　fair　one；　and　watching　his　opportunity　he　seizes　her　and　drags　her　away　to　complete　his　purpose。　　The　signal　of　war　is　lighted；　her　lover；　her　father；　her　brothers；　her　tribe；　assemble；　and　vow　revenge　on　the　spoiler。　　He　tells　his　story　to　his　tribe。　　They　judge　the　case　to　be　a　common　one　and　agree　to　support　him。　　Battle　ensues；　they　discharge　their　spears　at　each　other；　and　legs　and　arms　are　transpierced。　When　the　spears　are　expended　the　combatants　close　and　every　species　of　violence　is　practiced。　　They　seize　their　antagonist　and　snap　like　enraged　dogs；　they　wield　the　sword　and　club；　the　bone　shatters　beneath　their　fall　and　they　drop　the　prey　of　unsparing　vengeance。

Too　justly；　as　my　observations　teach　me　has　Hobbes　defined　a　state　of　nature　to　be　a　state　of　war。　　In　the　method　of　waging　it　among　these　people；　one　thing　should　not；　however；　escape　notice。　　Unlike　all　other　Indians；　they　never　carry　on　operations　in　the　night；　or　seek　to　destroy　by　ambush　and　surprise。　　Their　ardent　fearless　character；　seeks　fair　and　open　combat　only。

But　enmity　has　its　moments　of　pause。　　Then　they　assemble　to　sing　and　dance。　We　always　found　their　songs　disagreeable　from　their　monotony。　　They　are　numerous；　and　vary　both　in　measure　and　time。　　They　have　songs　of　war；　of　hunting；　of　fishing；　for　the　rise　and　set　of　the　sun；　for　rain；　for　thunder　and　for　many　other　occasions。　　One　of　these　songs；　which　may　be　termed　a　speaking　pantomime；　recites　the　courtship　between　the　sexes　and　is　accompanied　with　acting　highly　expressive。　　I　once　heard　and　saw　Nanbaree　and　Abaroo　perform　it。　　After　a　few　preparatory　motions　she　gently　sunk　on　the　ground；　as　if　in　a　fainting　fit。　　Nanbaree　applying　his　mouth　to　her　ear；　began　to　whisper　in　it；　and　baring　her　bosom；　breathed　on　it　several　times。　　At　length；　the　period　of　the　swoon　having　expired；　with　returning　animation　she　gradually　raised　herself。　　She　now　began　to　relate　what　she　had　seen　in　her　vision；　mentioning　several　of　her　countrymen　by　name；　whom　we　knew　to　be　dead；　mixed　with　other　strange　incoherent　matter；　equally　new　and　inexplicable；　though　all　tending　to　one　leading　pointthe　sacrifice　of　her　charms　to　her　lover。

At　their　dances　I　have　often　been　present；　but　I　confess　myself　unable　to　convey　in　description　an　accurate　account　of　them。　　Like　their　songs；　they　are　conceived　to　represent　the　progress　of　the　passions　and　the　occupations　of　life。　　Full　of　seeming　confusion；　yet　regular　and　systematic；　their　wild　gesticulations；　and　frantic　distortions　of　body　are　calculated　rather　to　terrify；　than　delight；　a　spectator。　　These　dances　consist　of　short　parts；　or　acts；　accompanied　with　frequent　vociferations；　and　a　kind　of　hissing；　or　whizzing　noise。　　They　commonly　end　with　a　loud　rapid　shout；　and　after　a　short　respite　are　renewed。　　While　the　dance　lasts；　one　of　them　（usually　a　person　of　note　and　estimation）　beats　time　with　a　stick　on　a　wooden　instrument　held　in　the　left　hand；　accompanying　the　music　with　his　voice；　and　the　dancers　sometimes　sing　in　concert。

I　have　already　mentioned　that　white　is　the　colour　appropriated　to　the　dance；　but　the　style　of　painting　is　left　to　every　one's　fancy。　　Some　are　streaked　with　waving　lines　from　head　to　foot；　others　marked　by　broad　cross…bars；　on　the　breast；　back；　and　thighs；　or　encircled　with　spiral　lines；　or　regularly　striped　like　a　zebra。　　Of　these　ornaments；　the　face　never　wants　its　share；　and　it　is　hard　to　conceive　any　thing　in　the　shape　of　humanity　more　hideous　and　terrific　than　they　appear　to　a　strangerseen；　perhaps；　through　the　livid　gleam　of　a　fire；　the　eyes　surrounded　by　large　white　circles；　in　contrast　with　the　black　ground；　the　hair　stuck　full　of　pieces　of　bone　and　in　the　hand　a　grasped　club；　which　they　occasionally　brandish　with　the　greatest　fierceness　and　agility。　　Some　dances　are　performed　by　men　only；　some　by　women　only；　and　in　others　the　sexes　mingle。　In　one　of　them　I　have　seen　the　men　drop　on　their　hands　and　knees　and　kiss　the　earth　with　the　greatest　fervor；　between　the　kisses　looking　up　to　Heaven。　　They　also　frequently　throw　up　their　arms；　exactly　in　the　manner　in　which　the　dancers　of　the　Friendly　Islands　are　depicted　in　one　of　the　plates　of　Mr。　Cook's　last　voyage。

Courtship　here；　as　in　other　countries；　is　generally　promoted　by　this　exercise；　where　every　one　tries　to　recommend　himself　to　attention　and　applause。　　Dancing　not　only　proves　an　incentive；　but　offers　an　opportunity　in　its　intervals。　　The　first　advances　are　made　by　the　men；　who　strive　to　render　themselves　agreeable　to　their　favourites　by　presents　of　fishing…tackle　and　other　articles　which　they　know　will　prove　acceptable。　Generally　speaking；　a　man　has　but　one　wife；　but　infidelity　on　the　side　of　the　husband；　with　the　unmarried　girls；　is　very　frequent。　　For　the　most　part；　perhaps；　they　intermarry　in　their　respective　tribes。　　This　rule　is　not；　however；　constantly　observed；　and　there　is　reason　to　think　that　a　more　than　ordinary　share　of　courtship　and　presents；　on　the　part　of　the　man；　is　required　in　this　case。　　Such　difficulty　seldom　operates　to　extinguish　desire；　and　nothing　is　more　common　than　for　the　unsuccessful　suitor　to　ravish　by　force　that　which　he　cannot　accomplish　by　entreaty。　I　do　not　believe　that　very　near　connections　by　blood　ever　cohabit。　We　knew　of　no　instance　of　it。

But　indeed　the　women　are　in　all　respects　treated　with　savage　barbarity　Condemned　not　only　to　carry　the　children　but　all　other　burthens；　they　meet　in　return　for　submission　only　with　blows；　kicks　and　every　other　mark　of　brutality。　　When　an　Indian　is　provoked　by　a　woman；　he　either　spears　her　or　knocks　her　down　on　the　spot。　　On　this　occasion　he　always　strikes　on　the　head；　using　indiscriminately　a　hatchet；　a　club　or　any　other　weapon　which　may　chance　to　be　in　his　hand。　　The　heads　of　the　women　are　always　consequently　seen　in　the　state　which　I　found　that　of　Gooreedeeana。　Colbee；　who　was　certainly；　in　other　respects　a　good　tempered　merry　fellow；　made　no　scruple　of　treating　Daringa；　who　was　a　gentle　creature；　thus。　Baneelon　did　the　same　to　Barangaroo；　but　she　was　a　scold　and　a　vixen；　and　nobody　pitied　her。　　It　must　nevertheless　be　confessed　that　the　women　often　artfully　study　to　irritate　and　inflame　the　passions　of　the　men；　although　sensible　that　the　consequence　will　alight　on　themselves。

Many　a　matrimonial　scene　of　this　sort　have　I　witnessed。　　Lady　Mary　Wortley　Montague；　in　her　sprightly　letters　from　Turkey；　longs　for　some　of　the　advocates　for　passive　obedience　and　unconditional　submission　then　existing　in　England　to　be　present　at　the　sights　exhibited　in　a　despotic　government。　A　thousand　times；　in　like　manner；　have　I　wished　that　those　European　philosophers　whose　closet　speculations　exalt　a　state　of　nature　above　a　state　of　civilization；　could　survey　the　phantom　which　their　heated　imaginations　have　raised。　　Possibly　they　might　then　learn　that　a　state　of　nature　is；　of　all　others；　least　adapted　to　promote　the　happiness　of　a　being　capable　of　sublime　research　and　unending　ratiocination。　　That　a　savage　roaming　for　prey　amidst　his　native　deserts　is　a　creature　deformed　by　all　those　passions　which　afflict　and　degrade　our　nature；　unsoftened　by　the　influence　of　religion；　philosophy　and　legal　restriction：　　and　that　the　more　men　unite　their　talents；　the　more　closely　the　bands　of　society　are　drawn　and　civilization　advanced；　inasmuch　is　human　felicity　augmented；　and　man　fitted　for　his　unalienable　station　in　the　universe。

Of　the　language　of　New　South　Wales　I　once　hoped　to　hav