Review: Remarks on the Probable Origin and Antiquity of the Aboriginal Natives of New South Wales... 1846

 Australian Indigenous / Aboriginal / First Nations Archive 

1. Origin and language 

The following review appeared in a Victorian newspaper during 1846 and reveals much of the thought around the local Indigenous population of Australia.

Anonymous, Review: Remarks on the Probable Origin and Antiquity of the Aboriginal Natives of New South Wales, deduced from certain of their Customs and Superstitions, and existing Caves and Drawings. By a Colonial Magistrate, Melbourne: J. Pullar & Co. pp. 40, Geelong Advertiser and Squatter’s Advocate, 19 August 1846.

This article is notable for a number of reasons, but most especially for the inclusion of a statement by George Grey that there is an unity across the continent in regard to the Indigenous language. This rejects the simple idea that all the various dialects were, in fact, different languages, and the statement in 2026 that there are 2600 Aboriginal languages in Australia. It can be argued that there is basically one, with many variants and dialects. 

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2. The article

REVIEW. Remarks on the Probable Origin and Antiquity of the Aboriginal Natives of New South Wales, deduced from certain of their Customs and Superstitions, and existing Caves and Drawings. By a Colonial Magistrate. Melbourne: J. Pullar & Co. pp. 40.

Although this little work has a somewhat high-sounding title, leading the reader to anticipate a bold flight into the regions of hypothesis, we find on perusal that the pretensions of its author are of a less daring na- ture. So far, indeed, from being an abstruse dissertation, the work is in reality a collection of facts, or assumed facts, which are briefly narrated ; while the theoretical remarks of the author are more of a suggestive than a dogmatic character ; the reader being supplied with data from which he is left to draw his own conclusions,—data, however, selected for the purpose of leading to particular opinions. The spirit and intention of the work are accurately described by the author himself in the introduction :—

The primary inducement to the compilation of the following remarks, was the perusal of "Burder's Oriental Customs," in connection with Captain Grey's Work on South Australia. Many of the observations are from the Compiler's own personal experience and inquiry ; but for the main facts he is indebted to the re- ports of the most enterprising and faithful of the early and recent explorers of New South Wales —Missionaries, Protectors, and others, who have taken an interest in the Aborigines of Australia. It will be noticed that few, if any, customs or ceremonies are alluded to which have not affinity to those practised by the Ancient Inhabitants of the Eastern World ; and which have a tendency to identify the descent of the Aborigines from them.

Probably no race or tribe of the human kind (the Vedahs of Ceylon excepted), have ever sunk so low in moral degradation or intellectual power, as the various families of Aborigines of the Colonies, and Districts of New South Wales ; who, though varying to a limited extent in Customs and Dialects, have as far as has been hitherto ascertained, no hereditary chieftains— no established laws—and amidst their long vocabulary of words, have few, if any, which ex- press any thing beyond the absolute wants of life and family relationship. It is true they have some words indicative of right and wrong ; such as Murderer, Thief, Liar ; but none for God, Chief, Priest, or Prayer ; and they are probably the only Savages who have no natural feeling or sense of shame at appearing naked before white men.

Whether they are the degraded descendants of the Nations driven out by Divine command to the uttermost parts of the Earth, and to Islands far beyond the Seas. [Josephus' History of the Jews.—Leviticus, ch. 18, verses 27 and 28] Whether they are the remnants of Colonies sent out and planted by the Phœnicians and Carthaginians. [Miller's Universal History, vol. 1, page 30.] Whether they are of Ethiopian, or direct Malay origin ; or whether some ancient revolution of nature has separated the Australian Islands from the Asiatic Continent, will probably ever remain an interesting subject of philosophic and speculative inquiry.

Of the latter, the Natives are said to have some obscure tradition ; either hypothesis may be reasonably entertained, there being so close an analogy between many of the Aborigines of New South Wales, and those of the ancient nations of Asia, and Africa, of the Chosen People, of the Modern Hindoos, and of the Malays of the Indian Islands.

There is, however, a strong objection to the idea of Australia having ever formed a part of the Asiatic Continent ; the Marsupial Animals never have been found in India, or the more ferocious beasts in New South Wales. Indeed the existence of fossil marsupalian animals tend to prove the original disjunction and vast period of existence, of the Australian Continent, as the gigantic remains of non-existing animals, do the probability of its having been at a very remote period submerged by water.

Evidently fast passing away—in a few years the aborigines of New South Wales will be spoken of, by some, as a race who formed the connecting link between the human and the brute creation. One object of the Compiler is to place them in a higher relative position as regards mankind, and to induce some more power- ful mind to direct itself to a subject of so interest- ing a character, and at present involved in so much mystery.

Commencing with "Traditions",— the Compiler feels it his duty to acknowledge his obligation to a high official, who has given much attention to the social condition of the Natives of the District of Port Phillip, with a view to its amelioration ; and whose critique is the more valuable as proceeding from one who has travelled much and visited the Aborigines of other lands. While we give the author credit for performing his self-imposed task in a fair and dispassionate manner, and acknowledge that he appears to be impressed with a proper sense of the difficulties which beset the subject, we must say that in many instances he is satisfied with very slight proofs and exceedingly doubtful resemblances. Throughout the whole treatise there is apparent a rage for seek- ing instances of coincidence in language, customs and antiquities,—and wherever such a disposition exists, the searcher is sure to find what he wants. So strongly is this disposition manifested in our author, that he magnifies the mere results of natural causes into remarkable and unlooked-for facts,— makes no allowances for accidental similarities,—and even in his eagerness to multiply identities he not un- frequently neutralises his labour, by bringing together incompatible ingredients. One instance of each of these errors will suffice. As an instance of natural cause and effect being magnified into something mysterious and remarkable, we may adduce the observance of particular customs at particular phases of the moon. Now, so far from this being a wonder, it would be still more wonderful if the reverse were the case, the periodical changes of the moon being the most obvious of all the phenomona of the universe ; and as these changes are visible at the same instant of time to all people in the same meridian of longitude, we ought to expect, a priori, that coincidences should exist between the periodical observances of customs in the northern and southern hemispheres. As an instance of accidental similarity being adduced in support of a far-fetched theory we may quote a passage from the twelfth page :— May not the Coroboree be a remnant of that worship of the Queen of Heaven, practised by the idolatrous nations of old, whom the Israelites (although they held their feasts at the full Moon) were so strictly enjoined not to worship. The "Ammonites," in the sacrifices of children, beat tabrets to drown their cries,—so do Aboriginal women beat their rugs so as to resemble a muffled drum in Coroborees.

Here again the absence of the cus- tom would be more remarkable than the observance. It would indeed be a wonder if the natives were to dance without music. As an instance of incongruous proofs being heaped together so as to destroy each other, we find an example in the author's short list of Aboriginal Etymologies in pages 7 and 8.

"A man — joen; Persian — juen; Latin — juvenis.

A sheep — jumbuck, qy; African jimbock, for an antelope.

The head—cobra, qy; cobra de capella — the headed, or hooded serpent."

Now, as honest reviewers, we must call this strange confusion of tongues by its proper name—and that is, a mere collection of puns—grave, point- less puns. Even if the words were correctly given, it is difficult to comprehend the drift of the author in bring- ing them forward, unless to prove that the Aborigines of New Holland derived their language from all corners of the world. We know nothing of the African language—never having heard of it before, but we are inclined to believe that jimbock, if there be such a word, is Dutch ! Springbock is the Dutch for antelope, and bock or bok the usual termination to names of animals of the deer kind,—no doubt the same word as the English buck, and the Welsh brvck. But even setting this aside—it would be absurd to suppose that the aborigines should have preserved from time immemorial a name for an animal they never saw. It is very probable that jumbuck is an imported name, very probably from the Cape, but certainly the aborigines were not the importers. Again, un- fortunately for our author, in the name cobra de capello, (Portuguese) it is not cobra which means a hood, it is capello, derived, probably, from capellao, a chaplain or monk.

These instances will suffice to show the rash and indiscriminate manner in which our author has gathered together his materials. We must how- ever admit that from the nature of the inquiry, such mistakes might accidentally escape notice ; and we would not have adduced them had they been solitary errors ; but it is too evident that the "Colonial Magistrate" has not exercised due caution, and must therefore be punished for his temerity. The author calls to his aid the authority of Dr Johnson in support of the position that "the similitude of languages affords the most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations and genealogy of mankind ;" but in no in- stance does Dr Johnson consider mere similitude of sound a proof of the derivation of words. To establish the etymology of a word, it should be traced through all its changes, and in nine cases out of ten, the derivative will bear little resemblance to its root. There are accidental coincidences in all languages, and it would be wonderful indeed if the multiplicity of dialects in Australia formed exceptions. Indeed it is capable of mathematical demonstration that in any two sets of permutations of the simple articulate sounds, there ought to be a very large proportion of similar combinations, and, in a lesser degree, a proportion of instances of conjunction of sound and sense. Such coincidences form the inexhaustible mine whence the punster derives his stock of shining but worthless ore—a mine the richness of which was well developed by Dean Swift in his English and Latin songs. Such things are only wonderful to those who do not know the rationale of their analysis.

There is another error into which the author of this pamphlet has fallen, and as it is one which may lead others astray, we consider it our duty to put the reader on his guard. Throughout the whole treatise the strangest geo- graphical confusion prevails. At first we ascribed this confusion to carelessness, but a closer perusal makes it evident that the author's mind is in a corresponding state of confusion. In his introductory remarks, he says he was led to consider the subject from perusing Captain Grey's work on South Australia. Now, we beg to assure him there is no such work in existence ! The work from which his extracts and drawings are taken, is entitled, "Journals of two Expeditions of Discovery in NORTH WEST and WESTERN AUSTRALIA during the years 1837, 38, and 39, under the authority of her Majesty's Government ; describing many newly discovered, important, and fertile districts, With observations on the moral and physical condition of the Aboriginal inhabit- ants ; by George Grey, Esq., &c. &c." Can it really be possible that the "Colonial Magistrate" has read the work in question ?—that he has accompanied the adventurous explorer through six hundred mortal pages of print descriptive of nearly an equal number of miles of the Northwest coast, and yet all the time be under the hallucination that he was wandering in South Australia, some thousand miles distant ? If "Colonial Magistrates" so commit themselves, we ought to be very charitable towards those who, residing in England, display their ignorance as to the boundaries of the various Australian colonies, and who are very naturally puzzled to know whether Port Phillip is in New South Wales or in South Australia.

After the wholesale blunder just pointed out, the author goes on to make confusion worse confounded by stating, in page 6, that "one of the most recent and best authorities as to the language of the Aborigines of New South Wales is Captain Grey." Now Captain Grey, we believe, never was in New South Wales, except on one of his late visits to Rivoli Bay, when he stood astride on the boundary line, the 141st degree of East longitude.

Our author devotes a large portion of his pamphlet to a description of the caves discovered by Capt Grey in the neighbourhood of Hanover Bay on the north-west coast of Australia. In page 28 the author introduces the subject in the following words :—

"The only known caves denoting antiquity and a higher state of intellectual condition of the natives of New South Wales, lie between Mount Lyall and the Glenelg River, were discovered and explored by Captain Grey."

Again he quotes (page 30) from Capt Grey's diary,—

"March 29th, 1838.—Captain Grey, in lat. 15.26 S., long. 125.8 E., crossed the Glenelg, (or a branch of that river)—passing through a valley he suddenly came upon a gorge, and at this point saw another cave, which he entered, hoping again to find native paintings—nor was he disappointed."

In page 33 he states that he showed Captain Grey's drawings to an intelligent Port Phillip black named Yangulla alias Bob Cunningham, and goes on to say that—

"Yangalla, having visited South Australia, had probably been at the cave, as the paintings were apparently familiar to him, and he inquired how they had been obtained by white fellows." These three paragraphs afford us a key to the unlucky author's conglomeration of ideas on Australian geography ; he evidently confounds the River Glenelg of Major Mitchell with the River Glenelg of Captain Grey, although he ought to have known that they are some fifteen hundred miles apart ! How he could make such a blunder after perusing Cap- tain Grey's work is altogether incomprehensible, especially as the latitude and longitude laid down in his own pamphlet as the locality of the caves, is no less than 16 degrees of longitude and 22 degrees of latitude from the place where he supposes Bob Cunningham to have seen them ! When such glaring errors are made in matters of modern knowledge by one who volunteers to act as a guide through the dim regions of antiquity, we cannot be blamed for refusing implicit faith in his interpretation of matters which cannot be brought to so tangible a test as we have applied applied to his geographical knowledge. By the way, too, there is another point connected with these caves which demands our attention. Our author suggest the hypothesis that these caves have been executed by human hands, in the same manner as many caves in the East are supposed to have been formed, and in order that there should be no mistake about it, he says that the description is Capt. Grey's, while the hypothesis is his own. Now, in quoting Capt. Grey's statement that "the cave appeared to be a natural hollow in the sandstone rock," he omits the word naturol. If this omission be accidental, it is another proof culpable carelessness ; if intentional, of gross dishonesty. The two readings of the passage are as follows :— Captain Gray, vol. i. / The Colonial Magistrate, page 28.

The cave appeared to / This cave was a hol- be a natural hollow in / low in the sandstone the sandstone rocks; its / rocks; its floor was floor was elevated about / elevated about five feet five feet from the / from the ground. ground.

This discrepancy would be of little consequence were it not that the description is following (page 37) with the fol- lowing words :—

The existence of the caves and drawings (dis- covered by Captain Grey,) being undoubted, it remains only to enquire by whom were the caves formed and the drawings executed ? What affinity have the former to existing caves in the eastern world.

It is evident that the natural hollow would not have suited his purpose. We must conclude this notice abruptly, for the further we proceed the more disagreeable becomes our task. In justice to the author, however, we append his closing remark, which are conceived in a proper spirit of modesty : as if his researches had in some degree disappointed his own anticipations.

The remarks herein made may by some be considered altogether fallacious—by some much strained—by others worthy of consideration. To the reader they are given to draw his own conclusions.

If the Aborigines of New Holland have (as asserted) hitherto resisted every effort that has been made to ameliorate their condition, or to impart to them religious knowledge or moral principles. If they are the remnant of the ancient nations, how lamentable it is to be thus convinced of the awful depravity of man, when the divine light has been withheld or departed from, and when he lives (literally) without God in the world. There is nothing whatever inconsistent in the admission of the fact that the Governor of the universe has permitted a total defection from truth, or the divine light in the natives of New South Wales, if we are prepared to admit that it has conducted to some further purposes of his providence, and has been the means of contributing to those secret purposes which are designed for the benefit of all his creatures. Discouraging as all the efforts to reclaim the Aborigines have hitherto been, and hopeless as they may be, it is the duty of the white man, who now occupies their land, still to persevere in his endeavours to impart the blessings of religion and civilization to these unhappy savages, who, even in the Protectorate Districts, are rapidly passing away, and who in a very few years (according to appearances) will have ceased to exist but in name.

If nations are but as clay in the hands of the potter, with Him who rules all things.—If He has reserved a chosen race (bruised, but not broken) to be yet restored as a monument of His mercy and power.—If the ancient cities of the world exist but in the page of history.—If Athens and Rome still remain but as shadows of their former greatness, may it not be readily conceded that the inferior race, whose origin has been here considered, will also pass away ? At all events we cannot but be impressed with the truth of the axiom—'That the rise and fall of nations is a subject far beyond the scrutiny of man.' "

The following remarks of Capt. Grey in support of the theory that the various aboriginal dialects have had a common origin, do not appear in the pamphlet before us ; but they will be read with interest by all who have taken the trouble to follow us so far :—

The arguments which prove that all the Australian dialects have a common root are,— 1st. A general similarity of sound and structure of words in the different portions of Australia, as far as yet ascertained ;

2nd. The recurrence of the same word with the same signification, to be traced, in many in- stances round the entire continent, but under- going, of course, in so vast an extent of country, various modications ;

3rd. The same names of natives occurring frequently at totally opposite portions of the continent. Now, in all parts of it which are known to Europeans, it is ascertained that the natives name their children from any remarkable circumstance which may occur soon after their birth ; such being the case, an accordance of the names of natives is a proof of a similarity of dialect.

The chief cause of the misapprehension which has so long existed with regard to the point under consideration, is that the language of the aborigines of Australia abound in synonymes, many of which are, for a time, altogether local ; so that, for instance the inhabitants of a particular district will use one word for water, whilst those of a neighbouring district will apply another, which appears to be a totally different one. But when I found out that in such instances as these both tribes understood the words which either made use of, and merely employed another one, from temporary fashion and caprice, I felt convinced that the language generally spoken to Europeans by the natives of any one small district could not be considered as a fair specimen of the general language of that part of Australia, and therefore in the vocabulary which I com- piled in Western Australia, I introduced words collected from a very extensive tract of country. Again,—in getting the names of the parts of the body, &c., from the natives, many causes of error arise ; for they have names for almost every minute portion of the human frame : thus, in asking the name for the arm, one stranger would get the name for the upper arm, another for the lower arm, another for the right arm, another for the left arm, &c. ; and it therefore seems most probable that in the earlier stages of the enquiry into the nature of the language of this people, these circumstances contributed mainly in the erroneous conclusion, that languages radically different were spoken in remote parts of the continent.

One singularity in the dialects spoken by the aborigines in different portions of Australia is, that some of those districts widely removed from one another, sometimes assimilate very closely, whilst the dialects spoken in the intermediate ones differ considerably from either of them. The same circumstance takes place with regard to their rites and customs ; but as this appears rather to belong to the question, of the means by which this race was distributed over so extensive a tract of country, I will not now enter into it, but merely adduce sufficient evidence to prove that a language radically the same is spoken over the whole continent.

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Last updated: 11 July 2026

Michael Organ, Australia