LAST REMNANT OF A RACE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1921, Page 4

LAST REMNANT OF A RACE.

A 15ASS STK-MT SKTTI .KMICNT. , j. j s well-known fact that the AosU:ilrm aborigine was among Uic lowest . t t’.m luimail family, and, as far as inv information servos me. the Jasimmiai. section was the most baekwnul. , \ scientist has recently made a statement to the ell'ect that the Tasmanians cocked the cradle of the human race. ; V c in 'V feel ll a tiered by the statement, linl A ; lind any consolatory thorn-lit in the plain fact 'hat o:r little corner of the. earth contained a t'mt la-'ged behind and eventually 0',., (fed out” like one. of those oldtime odorous candles of which we have heard from our grandparents. V lew “blaokfollows” may he seen :n some parts of the Australian eonl.n-. ent -northern and mirth-western .nit Ll.ey are going out like the ta o candles giving place to better. All that remains of the tribes that : ... one time occupied the island of Tasmania may be seen in a sctt.le-u-.l at (’arc llarrcn Island, the southern neighbour of Flinders Island, in ! Hass Strait. Tim Tas man (.ovotn- : mi ; Mt h:!S given over t„ this remnant : of an almost, forgotten race tho «hole of the Cane Barren Island. lK'-'-O' 1 acres in extent, and it affords material i for studv for those who care to mire

, (he journey. . j Despite the contiguity and the mllu- ! enees of ' civilisation tlm people of the ! settlement give vcr v little evidence of j adaptability to modern conditions, onless it lie in a vicious direction, and i thov are simply fraying out toward ' complete extinction. They are dcscen- ! daiits of a stock of which little is understood. Scientists to-day would gladly pay for reliable information concerning the lost tribes if it were available for the missing link would have an important bearing of the study of human origins, and deveopment. Shyness is the first characteristic

that strikes the visitor, haziness is another, hut that is all inheritance which they have not squandered, for it

would seem that they regard the efforts nf the Government and the people ~il»,>nt. them as merely modest, inadequate contributions to the scions of a noble race. The only pride that they seem to In; capable of displaying is their pride in indolence. Those who expect to see only true types will he disappointed. On the other hand a shock will I xperienced when a redhaired. freckled youth appears among those who are entitled to all the privileges of the settlement. There are several such, coarse and sensual, and they recall tile broad characters alleeted bv low comedians on the vaudeville stage. The explanation to that, apparent incongruity is that the whaling industry was in full swing at the time that the Tasmanian Government re. moved all the ‘'black fellows" male and female, from Tasmania to a new settlement on Finders Isand (not that it present occupied), and the rough men engaged in that work made it a practice to take a wife whenever they desired. On flic other hand there may he seen tlu‘ exact reproduction of the original tyj c. showing that nature lias insisted against contrhry conditions for, as may 1,0 gathered the line Ins been broken, and there has been very promiscuous adniixt urw. It most he borne in mind that it is a great streleli of courtesy to call these people It:llfcastes; they arc decidedly far removed from that. \ ha by which I saw on its motlier's knee (his year might have been born in ISQ-I before there w:k an v

.onlaci with the while people. It had the thin legs and sharp shin. bone, d.-ep I'i'itow between bushy, crisp eve-brows an I strong banal ridge over the eye-, string jaw. and ape-like face. It was a rare privilege to he aide to witness such an example of atavism. Hotli unroots might disown it for the blood in them had undergone tlm usual liilra-

The Tasmanian blacks had not any of the i lover shifts..ml hush craft artifices of the Australian aborigines, though they undoubtedly had a common origin, ami were aide to cross over between Victoria and Tasmania by the strip of country of which only these islands remains. The v had reed spears hut could not chip wooden wei- , polls with stone implements; their spears were thrown liv hand, whereas the Australians used a wotnera or throwing stick, Mr (1. A. Robins m. a (,‘overumenl official, who vi-ited I 'lindets island in |K3S. luid to learn four languages in order to umlerst.iml and h<’ understood In the natives. Tasmania was not an ideal place for the maintenance of a large number of tlics,, pco|dc in one group or tribe there was so m"r!t impeding. tangled growth. This cut, them up and kept them separate. It is noteworthy in this connection that the methods which the natives adopted ■ ‘ 'eg spaces were similar to those of the North American radians. The Indians were cruelly punished by the Uovernincut in a mistaken belief that they were wrong. It is now admitted that they were right, mid many millions of pounds’ north of timber might have been saved if there had been no departure from their method. It was a simple procedure. They resorted to biirning-oir the scrub \ eriodieally in order to maintain clear open spaces: this also promoted growth of grass. \\ him the work was stopped forests appeared where the plains had been. Idle black fellows, liv removing the litter from the ground removed the means by which bush tires spread. Rush (ires have been disastrous in Australia, as well as America. Australians are only now npproonitinpr tho value »of tlieir own nntivo timbers and lamenting t-lirit so much has gone up in smoke. Recent, exhibitions have proved that the varieties of hitherto despised timber are capable of many uses- for exquisitely finished furniture, as well as other articles calling for severe and continuous strain.

When the Europeans appeared in their territory the aborigines united in tlieir general interests. Prior to that a camp consisted of about thirty nr forty people - families nearly related. The new organisation resulted in the

formation of camps consisting of 300. Members of a camp, with a prevision of present day socialism, called each other brother and sister. Tn the winter they had tlieir seaside resorts; tlieir canoes were of hark. They were not such skilful artists as the Australians, and were devoid of invention. Their fire-lighting was like, that of the Poly-

ne.sia.ns—friction with a stick in a groove. They were not naturally ferocious or treacherous, but rather agreeable and cheerful. They wore gluttonous when food was plentiful, and their descendants are notoriously so bo-dav.

T.u'ut. W. J. Darling, a relative of Sir Charles Darling, who was in command of the settlement on Flinders Island in 1832, took a kindly interest in his charges, who were housed in a slid, ter 20ft long by 10ft deep, with sloping break winds. 'Pile cabined life was fatal to them. A suit of grease would have been more serviceable to them than the best Bannockburn tweed. They dwindled from the time they were removed from the strenuous open-air life. Hunting for a living was conductive to hardiness and stamina. Ibis fag end with a few notable exceptions - is living down to level of shiftless self-obliteration. There is one man on the island IsO voars of age. Another, Harry Armstrong, well liked throughout the whole of the island, Who lived at Killiecrankie (about the middle of Flinders F|.,„d west coast, and away from the settlement), followed the occupation of a fisherman. He died in February, 1020. in his 70th year. A woman, who has an island, tv. herself, carries on a small sheep farm with success. Some men have land with sheep on hbndors ( Island • hut these are tho exceptions. . Dancing is a favourite pastime, the j most trifling incident being deemed ivnrthv of a ceremonial dance .Tnzz, two-step, turkey trot, and other modern departures from orthodox dancing are unknown, but all that they do has a furious element, which would staggei a debutante from a civilised community If tliev have a. phonograph they cannot make it reel off its records with sufficient rapidity to satisfy them, sense of time in this direction as in another is not in them.