Page:The Aborigines' Friend and the Colonial Intelligencer - 1855 - Vp0215.pdf/49

Rh America will be so far consumed or modified as to render all attempts at the solution of the mystery perfectly hopeless. The great actors in this tragedy of races are the Hudson's Bay Company, and other for traders, the gold-hunting settlers in California, the colonists of Texas and Mexico, and the now restless and unsettled citizens of South America.

"On the other hand, it affords unqualified pleasure to observe the well-directed efforts of the Smithsonian institution, which has done 80 much to render the archaeology of America the subject of systematic investigation.

"I have thought that it would be a very important step to endeavour to ascertain, by the comparison of the physiognomy, languages, and customs of the existing remnants, some clue to their remote connections, and some indications of the parts of the two great continents of America from which the diffusion of the now scattered families has taken place.

"In some cases it will be found that a similar type of person, affinity of language, and community of customs, are extended over a wide tract of country; whilst in other cases differences in all these respects are to be found in a comparatively limited circle, reminding us of what has been shewn by our fellow-member. Dr. Latham, to be the case as to languages, at least, in that part of Asia "regarded as the ancient Caucasus."



was the son of one of the chiefs amongst the natives of South Australia, residing not far from Adelaide. He was brought to England by Edward Eyre, the distinguished Australian traveller, accompanied by another native lad, who, after some short stay, was, it is believed, carried back to his own country, and of whose subsequent fate we are uninformed. Edward's age was not exactly known, but he was a mere child. He accompanied his kind patron almost wherever he went, and his good and orderly conduct was certainly very remarkable. He exhibited neither shyness nor obtrusiveness, but an unaffected manliness and propriety of manner, with a little imitation of his patron, which made him appear very amiable and interesting. Not long after his arrival in this country he accompanied the Australian traveller to Windsor to see the Queen, and the "Illustrated London News" published some account of him and his visit, with a portrait, giving a pretty accurate idea of his person as he then appeared.

When Sir Edward Eyre was appointed by Lord Grey, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to be the Assistant-Governor of New Zealand, an arrangement was made at the Colonial Office for the purpose of defraying the expense of maintaining and