These primitive people have peculiar customs and ceremonies in their
intercourse with strangers, and on first meeting preserve a most painful
silence; whether this arises from diffidence or some other feeling it is
difficult to say, but it is exceedingly awkward; but, however awkward or
embarrassing it may be, there can be no doubt as to the policy and
necessity of respecting it. The natives certainly do not allow strangers
to pass through their territory without permission first obtained, and
their passions and fears are both excited when suddenly intruded upon. To
my early observation of this fact, and to my forbearing any forced
interview, but giving them time to recover from the surprise into which
my presence had thrown them, I attribute my success in avoiding any
hostile collision. I am sure, indeed, whatever instances of violence and
murder may be recorded of them, they are naturally a mild and inoffensive
people.
It is a remarkable fact that we seldom or ever saw weapons in the hands
of any of the natives of the interior, such as we did see were similar to
those ordinarily used by natives of other parts of the continent. Their
implements were simple and rude, and consisted chiefly of troughs for
holding water or seeds, rush bags, skins, stones, etc. The native
habitations, at all events those of the natives of the interior, with the
exception of the Cooper's Creek tribe, had huts of a much more solid
construction than those of the natives of the Murray or the Darling,
although some of their huts were substantially built also.
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