One remarkable custom prevalent equally amongst the most ancient nations of whom any records are preserved, and the modern Australians, is that of naming children from some circumstance connected with their birth or early infancy.  Thus in Genesis chapter 30 verse 11:  And Leah said, A troop cometh, and she called his name Gad; etc. etc. etc.

Burckhardt observed the same custom among the Bedouins and says: 

A name is given to the infant immediately on his birth; the name is derived from some trifling accident, or from some object which had struck the fancy of the mother or any of the women present at the child’s birth.  Notes on the Bedouins, page 55.

CUSTOM OF CIRCUMCISION.

The natives of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and also those on the eastern shores of St. Vincent’s Gulf, practise the rite of circumcision.  That is, this remarkable rite is known to be observed in two points of the continent of Australia exactly opposite to one another, and which are separated by a distance of about twelve hundred miles.

OTHER SCRIPTURAL CUSTOMS.

The injunctions contained in Deuteronomy chapter 23 verses 12 and 13 are literally fulfilled by the natives in several parts of the continent.  In addition to my own testimony on this point I will refer to Wilson’s Voyage round the World, page 165, where he states: 

They are cleanly in their manners, and in some respects superior to the Europeans, fulfilling the injunction of Moses in the twelfth and thirteenth verses of the twenty-third chapter of Deuteronomy.

This passage relates to the natives of Raffles Bay on the extreme north of the continent of Australia, whereas I have observed the custom in the South-western parts of Australia.

They also conform strictly to the injunctions in Leviticus chapter 15 verse 19.

CHAPTER 17.  CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTES.

The following casual anecdotes, though trivial in themselves, will assist in illustrating some of the peculiarities of the native mind and character.

MIAGO’S IMAGINARY SPEECH AS GOVERNOR.

Speech that the native Miago would have addressed to the aborigines of Perth if he had landed as Governor instead of His Excellency Mr. Hutt.  He came into my room directly after the Governor had landed, and made this imaginary address.

Yiee, nap yongar Perth bak-ad-jee yuado—­Moon-dee Moondee gurrang, gurrang boola:  Mir-ga-na, Mir-ga-na gurrang, gurrang boola:  Yal-gon-ga, Yal-gon-ga, gurrang, gurrang boola; yarn bal?

Buck-il-bury Wattup gidjee, yam bal gurrang boola?

Bun-bury gurrang, gurrang boola.

Golam-bidie gwab-ba:  Mam-me-rup wan-gow-een boola.

Goo-lam-bidie wilgey nab-bow, yago mial, Goo-lam-bidie donga broo:  mam-me-rup meno been boola, mam-me-rup gurrang gaduck, golambidie gid-jee; Dule.