Yet again, R. Urquhart, Esq., Tangery, informed me that he also had seen the Aborigines engaged in religious observances. First of all, a vast multitude of men and women joined in a great Corrobbarree, or Heathen festival and dance. Thereafter each marched individually towards the centre of a huge ring, and after certain ceremonies, bowed as if in worship towards two manlike figures cut in the ground. Our life amongst the heathen had taught us that Worship was there.
The rite of circumcision was practised also amongst the blacks of Australia as well as amongst our New Hebrideans. Boys, on attaining what was looked upon as early manhood, were thus initiated into their privileges as men; and the occasion was accompanied with feasting, dancing, and what they regarded as religious ceremonies.
Some tribes in Australia, as on our Islands also, indicate the rank or class to which a man belongs by the barbarous custom of knocking out the two front teeth! This is done on reaching a certain age; with feasts and dancings held at midnight, and during full moon, in connection with sacred spots, which no one but a priest will be found daring enough to approach.
Hence there is no doubt in my mind as to the character and meaning of such “mysterious figures” as those so much discussed, carved on the flat rocks at Middle Harbour, or on the South Reef promontory at Cape Cove. They are found also at Point Piper, at Mossmans, at Lane Cove, and at many other places throughout Australia, representing the human figure in almost every attitude, the kangaroo, the flying squirrel, the shark, the whale, etc., etc.,—all of which I believe to be sacred objects, and these rocks and cliffs to be sacred places. Some of the fish carved there are twenty-seven feet long. The Aborigines would give no explanation of their origin, except that they were “made by black fellows long, long ago;” and that the blacks would not live near them, for “too much devil-devil walk about there.” The Balmoral blacks informed me that their sacred men carried about such objects as I showed them, and “that they were devil-devil,”—which is their only word for God or Spirit, when they talk to you in broken English.
The 18th of February, 1863, was a day worthy of being chronicled and remembered. I visited the Wonwonda Station in the Wimmera district of Victoria, and there beheld a great camp of the Aborigines on the plain near by. Securing the company of the following witnesses, I proceeded to the camp, and found that part of them had already seen me at Balmoral. Two of them spoke English fairly well. I managed to break through their reticence, and in course of time they told us freely about the customs and traditions of their people. They took us to their “doctor,” or Sacred Man, who was lying sick in his hut. Half concealed among the skins and clothes behind him, I observed several curious bags, which I knew at once would probably contain the little idols of which I was in quest. I urged the witnesses to take special notice of everything that occurred, and draw up and sign a statement for my future use. The following is their attested report:—
“Mr. Paton, having carefully explained to the blacks that he would like to see some of the sacred objects which they said made the people sick and well, assured them that his aim was not to mock at them, but to prove to white people that the blacks had objects of worship and were not like pigs and dogs. He offered them a number of small pieces of silver to get bread and tea for the “doctor,” if they would open these little bags and let us see what was in them. After a good deal of talk amongst themselves, he took some of the Island stone-gods from his pocket, saying, ‘I know that these bags have such things in them.’ An Aboriginal woman exclaimed, ‘You can’t hide them from that fellow! He knows all about us.’ Mr. Rutherford offered to kill a sheep, and give them sugar and tea to feast on, if they would open the little bags, but they refused. After consulting the Sacred Man, however, he took the silver pieces and allowed them to be opened before us. They were full of exactly such stones and other things as Mr. Paton had brought from the Islands, to prove to white people in Melbourne that they were not like dogs, but had gods; he offered the Sacred Man more money for four of the objects he had seen. After much talk among themselves, he took the money; and in our presence Mr. Paton selected a stone idol, a piece of painted wood of conical shape, a piece of bone of human leg with seven rings carved round it, which they said had the power of restoring sick people to health, and another piece of painted wood which made people sick; but they made him solemnly promise that he would tell no other black fellows where he got them. They were much interested in Mr. Paton’s conversation, and said, ‘No Missionary teach black fellow.’ They then showed us square rugs, thread and grass bags, etc., all neatly made by themselves, as proofs that if they were taught they and their wives could learn to do things and to work just like white people; but they said, ‘White man no care for black fellow.’ All this, we, whose names follow, were eye-witnesses of:—G. Rutherford, (Mrs.) A. Sutherland, (Mrs.) Martha Rutherford, Jemima Rutherford, Ben. B. Bentock, tutor of the Rutherford family.”