; generally sacrificed at the instance of the unnatural husband, Scarcely, says a voyager, do the intoxicating fumes get into their heads, when they breathe nothing but battle, and shout forth their war-cries. Impatient for murder, they seek antagonists, provoke them by ferocious songs, and demand death in the hope of inflicting it. They find but too readily the opportunity they desire; and their war-hoop is answered by whooping not less terrible. Then the combatants, drawn up in two lines, perhaps twenty steps from each other, threaten mutually with their long-pointed spears, launch them at their adversaries with wonderful strength and dexterity, and finally attack each other with ponderous and formidable clubs, called waddies. Limbs are fractured, bones smashed, skulls laid open; no exclamation of pain escapes from these ferocious savages, the air resounds only with frightful vociferations. He who falls without having found a victim, dies rather of despair than from the hurts he has received and the warrior, who has laid low a few enemies, soon expires, without regretting the loss of life. In those conflicts, it is common to see the combatants alternately stooping the head to receive the blow of an antagonist, it being deemed cowardice to avoid a stroke. Many of these rencounters are occasioned by the want of prudence in Europeans, who exchange with them spirits for the skins of serpents and other animals, instead of giving them such matters as would administer to the comforts, ease, and civilisation of life. Fortunately for the peaceable portion of society in that quarter, these scenes are not of frequent occurrence, and the exertions of government are not wanting to check them altogether. The settlers have succeeded to engage many of the natives in the labours of the field; and these poor creatures ask no other reward for their toil than a good feast of boiled pumpkin and sugar. Care is taken not to give them any drink till their day's work is over, for, were their appetites satisfied, they would do nothing after, hunger alone having the power of compelling them to work. A draught of the washings of a sugar bag, which is called bull, or a drink of grog, at the conclusion of the harvest, sends those simple mortals happy and delighted to rove again among their native wilds. Dawson, a late visitant, speaking of the Aborigines, says that they are inordinately fond of bull; which they sometimes prepare by cutting up a sugar bag and boiling it in water. This they reckon one of the greatest treats, and drink it till they are blown out like an ox swelled with clover and can take no more. They have an Cunningham's Residence, vol. ii. p. 20. † Arago's Voyage, 4to. p. 172. Dawson's Present State of Australia, 8vo. p. 60. Breton's Excursions in New South Wales, 8vo. p. 195. ingenious mode of making drinking vessels of the bark of the tea-tree, a species of myrtle, and which display more ability than is usually attributed to these savages. They strip the trunk of its bark, and after neatly rolling it up, tie it at one extremity, and thus furnish a goblet sufficient for the purpose. Of this bark they also make baskets, and use its broad lamina as a shelter from rain; it is often spread as a carpet to keep out damp, and is as soft as velvet. It grows in lairs, and is taken off the tree without a hatchet; the nearer the wood, the softer the coating, sometimes scarcely exceeding brown paper in thickness. Dawson assures us that the colony of New South Wales is in a prosperous condition, and that at Sydney, houses are erecting on every side, while distilleries are at work and steam-engines are common. Grapes are found to succeed in every favorable situation throughout the country. Not only does every establishment prosper, but the vine is likely to afford a supply of wine. The sugar-cane is said to thrive in many places, and fair samples of rum have been produced. A plantation at Port Macquarie contains upwards of ninety acres. As almost every species of fruit known to other countries grows here, materials are afforded for the manufacture of all kinds of drinks found elsewhere. In 1826, Mr. Townson, the author of Travels in Hungary, with other enterprising gentlemen, was actively engaged in the manufacture of Australian wine, and one of them, Mr. George Blaxland, had succeeded so well as to have six pipes and a halfof it in his cellar. At present there are many acres of vineyards in the colony; those of the more wealthy proprietors being, for the most part, under the management of scientific and practical vine-dressers from the south of Europe. Wine and brandy have been manufactured to a considerable extent from the grapes of the vineyards of the Messrs. Macarthur at Camden, on the Cow-pasture river. The quality hitherto produced had a strong resemblance to Sauterne, in taste, strength, and appearance. The latest accounts say, that the wine-crops afforded the best promise of a plentiful supply, and gave every hope that this portion of the globe may yet become a flourishing wine country. The wine made in 1834, by Sir John Jameson, at Regentville, was of a superior quality, and the saccharine property of the grapes was such, that scarcely any brandy was deemed necessary. Cuttings of European and African vines have frequently been imported into this settlement. Mr. Redfern, a respectable colonist, brought with him from Madeira a number of cuttings, and encouraged some Portuguese families acquainted with the culture of the vine, to emigrate to New South Wales, for the purpose of training the plants and laying down vineyards. Mr. James Busby, British resident in New Zealand, brought to New South Wales upwards of a hundred varieties which he procured in France, and gave them for general cultivation. On the policy of cultivating the vine in this colony, Dr. Lang has made some judicious remarks tending to show, that if wines were manufactured to any considerable extent, it might be the means of advancing the cause of temperance, by placing within the reach of the people a cheap and wholesome beverage, to the exclusion of those inflammatory, deleterious, and expensive liquors so prejudicial to health and morality.* Temperance Societies are now established in this settlement, which originated in Van Diemen's land through the instrumentality of Mr. Backhouse, a member of the Society of Friends, and salutary effects may be anticipated. Few places, perhaps, on the face of the globe require the exertions of such institutions more. The only drawback on distilleries and breweries is the scarcity of barley, but this grain is likely to become more extensively cultivated, being so essential to distillation and brewing. Manufactories of this description have every facility for promoting the interests of the proprietors. Though wood is the chief material for fuel in the country portions of the colony, native coal is used in great abundance, and may be had at the Newcastle pits for five shillings the ton, and at Sydney for twenty shillings; the freight being fifteen shillings of the money.† The imports into New South Wales for 1833, were :— Gal. 244,490 Geneva Gal. 17,3681 2,718 Whiskey 112 335,134 Other Spirits 86 161,410 An Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales, by the Rev. Dr. Lang, 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1834, vol. i. pp. 363 to 369. † Cunningham's New South Wales, vol. ii. p. 3. Duty on Spirits imported in 1832 Do. on ditto distilled in the Colony Licenses to retail Wine, Malt, and Spirituous Liquors Department of the Surveyor of the Distilleries The settlements of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land are become places of such importance, that the government has turned a great portion of the tide of emigration to their shores; and many now prefer going to those distant regions, than to those of the United States or Canada; the climate being more congenial to British settlers. The agricultural products are valuable, and the efforts that are now making by the settlers, who have already established themselves in these quarters, as well as of those who emigrate there, are calculated to raise the best expectations. Such is the fertility of Van Diemen's Land, that Edward Curr, in his account of that settlement, relates that in 1821, fifty-thousand bushels of wheat were exported from that island to Port Jackson,* besides what was sent to the Cape of Good Hope, Isle of France, and Reio Janeiro: more recent accounts lead us to conclude, that crops are as abundant there as in England. The wheat is said to yield from 60 to 65lbs. per bushel, and, what is singular, it is not subject to the weevil. In Hobart's Town, as well as in other parts of the settlement, are several breweries and distilleries; but the manufacture is not equal to the consumption; hence there are considerable importations to supply the defect, as is shewn in the following table : Beer, in value Geneva, Rum, £ £ £ £ £ 7,655| 6,280 6,040 7,253| 2,540 Gal. Gal. Gal. Gal. Gal. 12,894 35,352 7,315 1,776 2,273 3,857 4,420 4,231 1,758 1679 87,043 77,132 24,441 20,204 58,983 53,532 30,458 15,198 16,084 18,118| New South Wales is represented to be rather barren immediately about the coast, but beyond that the country improves, and the trees of the forest rise to the most stately dimensions. When a traveller has advanced about twenty miles into the interior, he beholds a country truly beautiful, displaying an endless variety of hill and dale, An Account of the Colony of Van Diemen's Land, 12mo. London, 1824. clothed in the most luxuriant herbage, and disclosing regions fit to be inhabited by civilized man. In those countries, the arts and manufactures are progressing, and promise in a reasonable process of time to emulate those in many parts of Europe. Coasting along the east of Africa, little interest or information has been obtained respecting the various nations extending from Abyssinia to the settlements bordering on the Cape of Good Hope. In the kingdoms of Adel and Ajan, the inhabitants are generally Mahometans; and though they pretend to comply with the restrictions of the Koran, yet they indulge in the use of bousa and other intoxicating beverages. In Ajan, a species of brandy is made from dates and raisins furnished by the Arabians, with whom the inhabitants carry on a considerable intercourse. In Monemugi, which lies west of Zanguebar, abundance of palm-wine is manufactured, and honey is so plentiful that above the one-half of it is lost, the natives not being able to consume it; and therefore it might be to them a valuable article, had they a regular intercourse with civilized countries. In Mozambique, the chief article of cultivation is the manioca or mandioca root. The principal trees are the cocoa-nut, cachew, mango, papaw, and orange. The natives are skilled in making beverages from the cocoa in the manner practised by the other nations. They deal in palm-wine, and the Portuguese settlers have made them acquainted with those liquors which they import from Europe. The Zoola nation, which lies in the interior, between Delagoa bay and the bay of Natal, has a description of beer with which the natives regale and intoxicate themselves. This beer they make from a seed termed loopoco: it is somewhat like rape in size and colour. It contains very powerful fermenting properties; and when drawn off from the vessels in which it has been prepared, it forms an excellent beverage, both potent and stimulating, and has a red or light brown tinge. Mr. Isaacs, a late sojourner in this country, often partook of this liquor, and acknowledges its enlivening and refreshing virtues. He usually received it from the king, or as a present from some of his chiefs.* They likewise make several sorts of drinks from their fruit; but the most common liquor used in the country is made from millet, and is termed huyembo or puembo. The Delagoa territory produces rice and maize to a great extent, and from the latter grain are made various beverages. The sugar * Isaacs' Travels and Adventures in Africa, descriptive of the Zoolas, their manners and customs, &c. 2 vols. 8vo. vol. ii. p. 319. |