AUSTRALIAN BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1923, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN BLACKS.

WONDERFUL SIGHT AND MEMORY. SYDNEY. October 18. The Australian black is too often judged bv the degenerated example that one -cos meanly -übsisting on what is doled out by the whites. But those who know them in their wild state have a very dilfereiil story to tell ef their self-roliame and mental capacities, and it is a revelation to hear the subject treated by men -ttch as I’ritfessor ‘■dr Baldwin Spencer, who is probably the greate-t living authority on the race. \\ riling in the "Adelaide Advorii-er." he makes a spirited (lefeme of the sturdy people whom lie lias made his special study. "We are aceii-ionied.” i,e -ay-, "to

regard ourselves as being ,-o far superior t!i the aborigine that no comparison i.s possible. As a matter of fact, the native is -o far superior lo uin many ways. He has a wonderful sense of sight and memory. When once he sees anything, whether it he a person, a tree, or even a rock, lie never forgets ir. lie seems to he able si a glance to nick out tiie essential features that make one tiling different from anoiher. The fir-t time 1 went up to the Northern Territory there were annul lit teen in our party. We had two er three black hoys with us, and one day two of us decided to go collecting animals in the opposite directions, so as to cover as much ground as possible. Each of us took a hoy to help its. and, to my surprise, after we had I,ecu out in the wild scrub for snme time, my boy looked down, and said, ’That one nutlicr fellow been walk" this way.’ I asked him how he knew and found mi returning to the camp that he had recognised nut only the font mark, but Lhe particular sluice of Hie shoe, and was quite right as lo who was it- wearer. A little later I was again out in the scrub collecting with the same hoy and two others, ween, suddenly, they cm,, lo a stan.d--till and after examining the hard ground, became very excited. On asking them what wa- the matter they told me that there was ~n emu about with six young ones. The three then separated. and began to track them up. They wilt , n a tret the whole time. Not a word was spoki n. hut when the scrub was thin they eommuilieated with each other by signs. After about two miles ran. during which it was quite euoi'gh for me lo do lo keep lip with them with out looking, out for tracks that 1 could mu di.-eeni. they came to a halt. There, in front oi us. was lhe

mother iinu and her six voting ones’ They are wonderfully oli-ervanl in all kind- of ways, and lag viihoul a sen-e of humour. One member of our party bail a -mall. hare, smooth, rall’er glistening patch on the top ef his head, and was at once known privately am,me l the natives a- T’bleritppa. v.!ii,'h means a clay pull. They are wonderful al mimicking anything that they think tunny, and the action , f two native-, mie ,u whom tried In -how me how a iornmr Government Re-ident. el tile T-rrilory had behaved when he a <-, i. |.u 11 a liy trod mi a -Hake, and llm oi her. who. after posing a few native- for the purpose, imitated with three .-tick- for a tripod, and a sheet of paper hark Me tlm focussing , loth, the actions el an exeituhle ph-to-c raphe r. was u ,-mler! ally reali-iie Nothing amn-e- them more than an an undignified , r uiicoint nUable position. It a friend 1 unihles over a log er gives 1 1 int-< ■ll a good knock, they four with laughter, and the elmimos iu"‘ (nut he joins in. If anyuim comes mi who did not .-ee it happen, lie will lie I'oijiiestru| to do ii again for the benefit r, Hie lie ", arrival, and I lie chanceare thal he will eheeifully repeat th* ; ■(■ rfei'ma nee.