In consequence of the very extraordinary shyness of these people since the arrival of our settlement, little addition has been made to the knowledge of their manners attained by Captain Cook:  but most of his observations have been confirmed.  The whole, indeed, that can be known of a people, among whom civilization and the arts of life have made so small a progress, must amount to very little.  The assertion that they have no nets*, is amongst the very few that have been found erroneous.  Some small nets have been brought over, the manufacture of which is very curious.  The twine of which they are made, appears to be composed of the fibres of the flax plant, with very little preparation; it is very strong, heavy, and so admirably well twisted as to have the appearance of the best whipcord.  Governor Phillip mentions having had lines of their manufacture, which were made from the fur of some animal, and others that appeared to be of cotton.  The meshes of their nets are formed of large loops, very artificially inserted into each other, but without any knots.  At a small distance they have exactly the appearance of our common nets, but when they are closely examined the peculiar mode in which the loops are managed is very remarkable.  Some ladies who have inspected one of these nets lately imported, declare that it is formed exactly on the same principle as the ground of point lace, except that it has only one turn of the thread, instead of two, in every loop.  This net appears to have been used either as a landing net, or for the purpose of carrying the fish when taken.  They have also small hoop nets, in which they catch lobsters, and sea crayfish.  Their canoes and other implements are very exactly described by Captain Cook.

[* Cook’s first voyage, Hawkesworth, Vol.  III. p. 233.—­If it was only meant that they have no large nets for fishing, like the feine, as the New Zealanders have, the remark is certainly true.]

The inhabitants of New South Wales have very few ornaments, except those which are impressed upon the skin itself, or laid on in the manner of paint.  The men keep their beards short, it is thought by scorching off the hair, and several of them at the first arrival of our people seemed to take great delight in being shaved.  They sometimes hang in their hair the teeth of dogs, and other animals, the claws of lobsters, and several small bones, which they fasten there by means of gum; but such ornaments have never been seen upon the women.  Though they have not made any attempt towards clothing themselves, they are by no means insensible of the cold, and appear very much to dislike the rain.  During a shower they have been observed to cover their heads with pieces of bark, and to shiver exceedingly.  Governor Phillip was convinced by these circumstances that clothing would be very acceptable to them, if they could be induced to come enough among the English to learn the use of it.  He has therefore applied for a supply of frocks and jackets to distribute among them, which are to be made long and loose, and to serve for either men or women.