Page:The Boy Travellers in Australasia.djvu/373

Rh "There is an excess of males in the population, as is always the case in a new country, the proportions of men to women being about three to two. About one-half the population were born in the Australian colonies, and of the remainder fully three-fourths came from Great Britain. The colony encourages immigration by means of assisted or free passage, grants of land, and other inducements, and maintains constantly an agent in London who forwards the interests of Queensland in every way in his power."

"How many natives are there in the colony?" queried Fred.

"I am afraid if I answered your question without an explanation," said Mr. Watson, with a smile, "I should give you a wrong impression. By natives I suppose you mean the aboriginal inhabitants of the country?"

"Certainly," replied Fred.

"In Australia, when we speak of natives," Mr. Watson answered, "we mean white people who were born in the country, in contrast to those who have migrated from England and other lands. When referring to the aborigines we call them so, and we also call them 'blacks' or 'blackfellows.' At the last census there were 148,162 natives, or whites, born in the colonies, living in Queensland, and about 20,000 aborigines. The latter number is an estimate only, as it is impossible to take the census of the black population."

"If you want to see the difference between a native and an aboriginal," said the gentleman, "look where I am pointing."

The youths followed with their eyes the direction of his finger, and saw a white man and a black one standing near each other, close to the little station where the train was halted, some miles beyond Toowoomba. The black man was in civilized garb and had a muscular