Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/403

 AND THEIR CARVINGS. 291 In Botany Bay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay we frequently 1788 aftw the figures €i men, shields, and fish roughly cut on the rocks, is Maj. and on the top of a mountain I saw the figure of a man in the Fignres cut Attitude they pot themselves in when they are going to dance, °" which was much hetter done than I had seen before; and the ligure of a large lixard wan sufficiently well executed to satisfy everyone what animal was meant. In all the cotmfery^ through which I have passed I have seldom Trees gone a mile without seeing trees which appear to have been de- ure. ^ ^ stroyed by fire. We have seen very heavy thunderstorms, and I believe the gum-trees strongly attract the lightning ; but the natives always make their fire, if not before their own huts, at the foot of a gum-tree, which bums very freely, and they never put a fire out when they leave the place. Near some water we saw the dung of some animal that fed on Animal life. grass, and which I thought could not be less than a horse. Kan- garoos were frequently seen, but very shy ; and it is a little extraordinary that more of these animals are seen near the camp than in any other part of the country, notwithstanding they are fired at almost daily. Black swans are found on most of the Bi^ck lakes, and a bird as la^ as the ostrich was killed while I was at ^^^ Broken Bay. It differs both from the ostrich and the emu. Several have been seen, but they are very shy, and much swifter than the greyhounds. There are wild ducks, teal, and quails, with great variety of small birds. On my return from this excursion I had the mortification to find SheepkUied. that five ewes and a lamb had been killed in the middle of the day, and very near the camp ; I apprehend by some native dogs. The beginning of May, the rainy season was once more supposed May to be set in, but after a week we had fine weather. ^^ ^' The three transports for China sailed the 5th, 6th, and 8th of The ships. May, and the Supply having been caulked, sailed the 6th to Lord Howe Island, to endeavour to procure turtle in hopes of checking the scurvy, with which most of the people are affected, and near mir&oe of some large stones. They consisted chieflv of representations of themselves (the natives) in different attitudes, of their canoes, of several sor^ of fish and animals ; and considering the mdeness of the instraments with which the fisures most have hoen executed, they seem to exhibit tolerably strong likenesses.*' — Journal, p. 141. Collins makes no reference to these curiosities in his account of native customs. Some remarkable cave paintings are described in Grey's Journals, vol. i, pp. 201-8. Digitized by Google