B 505: Lecture on the Aborigines of Australia and papers on Wirradhurrei dialect, 1837-1840

circumstances attending it, or if the men of the tribe feel inclined to sanction to spurn an act of the offended husband. More frequently the offender has to stand the test of a duel or rather an unequal combat. It may be several of the tribe have to throw their weapons at them & he is only allowed a shield to defend himsel. This he may do dexterously [indecipherable] as to escape with his life or even unhurt. The shield you [words crossed out] will bear in mind is but a piece of wood not many inches in diameter in the middle with painted ends almost shaped so as to appear three sides & has a handle on the back at the middle. Speaking of the woman's degraded condition I might enlarge on her severe dependence on the whims of her husband & the drudgery she must perform on his behalf. Has he returned home succesful from his hunting with an oppossum for instance, after the wife has probably washed it for him in thanks, (sometimes he will condescend to do it himself) he takes the washed animal in his two hands tears away with his teeth the best part, and his poor wife must feel much obliged if he throws over to her the bones for her to pick [words crossed out] Then again

if they move from one camp to another, some times several miles, the woman has perhaps to carry a baby in her oppossum cloak on the back, [original text struck out] is incumbered besides with some wooden vessels and may have to carry for her load some of his heavier weapons, as it is rather against his dignity to be encumbered with much more than a spear & the light Boomerang. I confess then things often sensed my indignation, I administered many severe lectures to the men about their cruelty to the women, it was their [indecipherable] [indecipherable] of men who would have felt so inclined to act with more kindness and they have made up their minds to break [crossed out: down] through the restraints of old [crossed out:habits] customs, some refused to make occasional exceptions particularly when fond of their wives for with all the [crossed out: unnatural] arbitrarypp easy treatment to which the women are subject, [text struck out] [ text struck out] you may occasionally observe mutual affection [indecipherable] seen some couples, nor are parental affections uncommon [text struck out] among them.

But before I have done with this part of my subject - the condition of the women, I must briefly mention a singular fact which has a strong bearing on the question of marriage [indecipherable] gives too often a plea either for polygamy or else, for very unequal matches as to age

Whilst natural relationship is strictly regarded, so that no near relations can marry each other, there exists a ficticious idea of relationship, according to which certain unions are prohitited, however desirable otherwise and a woman may be claimed by a most objectionable suitor. The origin, meaning & intent of this trulu absurd & imaginary relationship I never could ascertain, nor can the Blacks themselves give any other account of it, but that isn't so, and has been handed down to them by their ancestors. Whether it be a remnant of the Indian cast system, only now absurd, or of a clanship which might have existed among the original families, from whom the present Blacks are descended or whatever it be, can merely be a conjecture, but so much I know it is far more objectionable and more injurious to the improvement & civilization of the Aborigines than the Indian cast system. This unnatural affinity is carried in the following manner: every black man or woman, bears the name, a surname I may call it ( as they have individual names besides) of an animal. Thus Bandar - Kangaroo, Willie - the Oppussum, Gunmar, - Kangaroo rat, Warralong - a Brown Snake

and Buduambang - a wild Duck, these & many others are names applied to the Aborigines,and thereby a relationship is supposed to be produced, not in the [words crossed out] slightest degree owing to any resemblance of certain animals, but altogether arbitrary. Thus the Kangaroo is related to the [indecipherable] an eagle hawk & so forth & two names descending from the mother alternately succeed each other so that the grand child bears always the name of the grandmother. The Oppussum for instance is mother to the Kangaroo rat & the Kangaroo rat again [indecipherable] the Oppossum. Some of their names consitute the nearest relationship so that they call each other brothers, others produce a kind of relationship & they are called by them little brothers or little sisters, that is, related in a less degree. Such a relationship may exist where there is not the slightest natural relationship to be [found?] for some generations. But as to inter marriages between such imaginary relatives they are looked upon just as unseemly as if the nearest relatives

brother & sister married each other. To illustrate this I will now relate to you a story (one of two instances that I might relate) when I acted somewhat in the capacity of matchmaker & tried to induce some young people to break through this absurd custom, for even they could not help perceiving its absurdity. We had a young woman who was [crossed out: nearly as well civilized as] almost as civilized and as well insructed as the generality of servants, as a servant she was most useful and could favourably compare with Europeans, her habits were [crossed out: very clean] distinguished too, by clean linen and she had attained so a considerable amount of religious knowledge. Being marriageable at the time I speak of I was informed that she was destined to become the wife of one of the most savage men we had in the Neighbourhood who at the same time acted always in a very treacherous manner against our efforts to civilize & christianize the Aborigines. I knew the girl would be miserable with such a man and all our instruction would be lost. I ascertained from her that she disliked the fellow, but had no choice left to refuse. I further ascertained that between her & a young man, partially civilized, there existed some reciprocal feelings