The present state of Australia |
Common terms and phrases
afterwards amongst animals answered appeared arrived Australia Australian Agricultural Company Bael banks bark belonging black pellow bleve Blue Mountains boat Bungaree bush blacks called camp cattle climate coast colony companions considerable convicts Corbon Massa debble distance district dogs emancipist encampment England establishment exceedingly fire flocks forest frequently friends grass ground gunyers harbour Hawksbury head hills horses Hunter's River immediately journey kangaroo kangaroo dogs Karuah labour land laugh length look maize manner miles morning mountains murry muskets Myall Myall River nangry natives never night observed occasion opossum party Pisherman poor Port Macquarie Port Stephens proceeded produce quarter schooner seen settlers sheep shore side Sinbad situation soil sometimes soon South Wales spears spot stream Sydney tent thing timber tion tobacco took travelling trees tribe waddy Wallis white pellow Wickie wild Wool Bill
Popular passages
Page 63 - Pp. 57, 68. Most of this gentleman's attention appears to have been given to the observation of the capabilities...
Page 141 - The true bred greyhound is the most useful dog : he has more wind ; he ascends the hills with more ease ; and will run double the number of courses in a day. He has more bottom in running, and if he has less ferocity when he comes up with an " old man," so much the better, as he exposes himself the less, and lives to afford sport another day.
Page 142 - The kangaroo was so heavy, weighing above one hundred and fifty pounds, that we could not lift him out of the water, and we were obliged to leave him till our party arrived on the opposite side. A fresh scene of pleasure ensued amongst the natives when they became acquainted with our good fortune. They were soon all in the river, from whence they drew the " woolman," and placed him on the back of one of the horses.
Page 140 - ... it. When hard pressed, and near to water, the kangaroo always takes it: if it be deep water, and the dogs follow him, one or the other is almost sure to be drowned. If a .single dog, the kangaroo is nearly certain to come off victorious, by taking his assailant in his forearms, and holding him under the water till he is dead; but if he has two dogs opposed to him, he is not left at liberty to hold either of his opponents long enough under to drown him, and he generally himself falls a sacrifice,...
Page 141 - ... so much the better, as he exposes himself the less, and lives to afford sport another day. The strongest and most courageous dog can seldom conquer a wool-man alone, and not one in fifty will face him fairly ; the dog who has the temerity is certain to be disabled, if not killed. The herd of kangaroos we had thus come upon was too numerous to allow of the dogs...
Page 140 - When they can they will hug a dog or a man as a bear would do, and as they are armed with long sharp claws, they frequently let a dog's entrails out, or otherwise lacerate him in the most dreadful manner, sitting all the while on their haunches, hugging and scratching with determined fury. Young dogs, that are fierce and of good bottom, are almost sure to be sacrificed if allowed to run at these 'old-men' before they have acquired some experience with smaller ones.
Page 57 - The natives are a mild and harmless race of savages; and when any mischief has been done by them, the cause has generally arisen, I believe, in bad treatment by their white neighbours. They have usually been treated 38.
Page 57 - I have, perhaps, had more intercourse with these people, and more favourable opportunities of seeing what they really are, than any other person in the colony. My object has always been to conciliate them, to give them an interest in cultivating our friendship, and to afford them protection against any injuries or insults from the people on this establishment, or elsewhere, within my jurisdiction.
Page 63 - ... them. They are, however, one of the best-natured people in the world, and would never hurt a white man if treated with civility and kindness. I would trust myself any where with them; and with my own blacks by my side, as I call them, I should feel myself safe against any enemy I could meet with in the bush.
Page 190 - I could discern, to a considerable distance, the bendings of the stream, which was marked by a fringe of casurino and mimosa plants. The sun was just receding behind the western ranges, which on that side bounded this comparatively extensive plain. The beautiful effect of its departing rays, as reflected from the opposite hills and broken ranges in the distance, formed a magnificent picture. The stillness of the scene was only interrupted...