Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842), Wednesday 5 May 1841, page 2


DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.—On Monday Mrs. Mary Folk was placed in the dock of the Police Court, charged by a constable with being drunk and disorderly in the public street on Saturday night, and also with assaulting the constable in the watch-house. In defence, the prisoner said it was a good thing for the prosecutor that some of the other " traps" got hold of her arms in the watch-house, as, if they had not done so, she would have given him a winder, which was what he deserved ; and she would give it him now if he would give her a chance, as she could take her part with any man. Mr. Windeyer re-minded the prisoner that he was an old ac-quaintance of hers, as he had known, her for up wards of seventeen years, and that he had once occasion to apprehend her, when she gave such proofs of her prowess, as fully proved the truth of her assertion, which, however, was not calcu-lated to do her much good. She was ordered to pay a fine of 40s. with 1s. çosts or go to gaol for 21 days. When asked if she would pay, she declared she would rather rot in prison than pay a single penny to any police-scamp in the

colony.

THE SUNDAY AMUSEMENTS OF THE JUVE-NILE CLASSES.- It is really disgraceful to see the numbers of young tradesmen who, instead of repairing to a place of worship on Sunday, are in the weekly practice of leaving town for the bush, armed with muskets, and spending the whole day in parrot shooting, while others of them, accompanied by numbers of dissolute females, betake themselves to boating, and sail up and down the harbour, singing lewd and ob-scene songs ; while numbers of children, who ought to be attending places of worship with their parents, are to be seen struggling about the domain, where the elder ones amuse them-selves by gambling and throwing stones, so as to endanger the lives of persons passing along the footpaths. As a warning to those parents who allow their children to net in such an im-proper manner we may state, that a boy, named Michael M'Lusky, who immigrated hither two years ago with his parents, was yestenhy ordered, hy Mr. Windeyer, to give bail-his father in X10, and two sureties in .C5 each-to be of good behaviour for 12 months; he having been apprehended gambling in the domain with other boys, on Sunday forenoon. While another boy, named Joseph Lang, was held to bail in n similar amount, for throwing stones from the bush on to the road, running along the east side of Hyde Park.

THE BLACKS. - The aborigines change their place of abode very often, some-times from necessity, and sometimes from superstition or caprice. They seldom pitch far from the missionary station now, whenever they are in the neighbourhood at all. To remove from one place to another costs them little trou-ble, as they have only to fix three sticks in the form of a triangle in the ground, and to cover them with the bark of a tea-tree, of which the women have always to carry a quantity on their backs, as they might not fall in with any of these trees at a place otherwise eligible for their abode. Their hut, when complete, assumes the form of a bee-hive cut asunder in the middle, and is from three to four feet in width, and six in dia-meter; the floor being covered with a piece of the same bark, upon which they lie down, in the only position which the shape of the hut will allow of, namely, with the body bent in a semi-circle. One family only occupy such a hut; in the front of which a fire is always kept up for warmth, light, and cooking. Skins, and some-times blankets, serve for their covering at night; but in want of these they keep themselves warm, if necessary, by lying close together. Spears, shields, nets, water-utensils, and bags called dilly, are generally stuck or hung up on branches of trees around the hut, or like the waddies and womerahs, deposited in it; but their most for-midable, weapon—a stone knife or blade of steel carried about in the girdle, or in a small dilly under the arm-is scarcely ever laid aside. Their water-utensils are either made out of a peculiar kind of wood, and nearly in the shape of a three-cocked hat, or from the leaf of a plant resembling the banana, with this difference, that the fibres run longitudinally, whilst those of the banana run transversely or across the leaf; this leaf is gathered up at both ends, each end being made into a bundle, through which a stick is forced to serve as a handle. Some of these

vessels will hold a gallon of water ; but generally they are not so large, and the smallest are used to collect honey. Their camps, although irre-gularly scattered over the ground, always show a distinction of the tribes, in the several groups

of huts, which are fixed at some distance from each other. The Aborigines derive their food both from the animal and vegetable kingdoms ; of the former, almost every creature the bush affords is eaten, as kangaroos, opossums, snakes, lizards, birds, and even worms ; to which must be added the produce of the sea, fish and shell-fish, seafowl and seahogs. All these articles undergo a certain course of preparation over the fire to singe the hair off, &c., sufficient, in their opinion, to make them eatable. Their cooking therefore resembles that of underdone meat ; but when hungry they will not disdain even raw flesh, and you may see them occasionally tearing asunder a small snake with their teeth, which a few minutes before had crossed their path. From the vegetable kingdom they derive, amongst other edibles, two roots, which consti-tute their chief food, and which it is the daily occupation of the women to dig out of the swamps ; the one is called Bangwall, the other Imboon ; the plants somewhat resemble the fern tree, but the imboon is more farinaceous than the bangwall. They are found in pieces of the size of a man's thumb. When the root is roasted on the fire and the black skin pulled off, it is not unpalatable ; but, to increase its relish, the good housewife has a smooth stone with which she pounds it into small cakes, and then hands them to the different members of her family, or to a guest if he should fancy the dish. It is a homely sight, when you proceed in a clear evening to a camp of the black natives,

to behold them occupied in taking their frugal, or it may be even plenteous meal; for they, will just regulate their appetite by the scarcity or abundance of the food at hand. As you approach you will hear a noise as of many small hammers ; but on coming close to them, you find it is the busy wife or mother pounding cakes for the family. Every other eatable is then produced, according as the good luck of the day in fishing or in the chase, or from their labour otherwise, may have filled their dillies; but however plentiful their repast may be, and however great the supply, no provision is made for the next day : what they are not able to eat is given away to such as have not been so fortunate in their exertions. Should any of the tribes on the sea coast have been so fortunate as to catch a sea-hog—called youngan—which sometimes is of the size of a young bullock, intelligence of the event is immediately sent along the coast to invite the neighbouring tribes to the banquet ; this lasts, between incessant eating and sleeping when quite gorged, two or three days, until the whole animal is consumed ; their gluttony then obliges them to change their place of encampment, and sometimes oftener than once:, as their olfactory nerves seem to be very sensitive, notwithstanding their voracious appetites. At certain seasons the fruit of certain trees, especially a nut called bunya bunya, of the size of a large walnut, and at other times wild honey, which is very plentiful in the mountains, serve them for food ; but as they are only the children of chance, they have plenty of food at one time, and grow quite fat upon it, while at other times they are half starving ; and then, in want of anything better between their teeth, they will chew and suck the cloth with which they have wiped their hands and caught up drops of honey, when revelling in this luxury. Since Europeans have cultivated the ground, and introduced grain and vegetables, they have become exceedingly fond of potatoes, maize, pumpkins, melons, &c. ; but they have never imitated their practice in raising a supply of food for themselves, by tilling the ground. They prefer robbing the gardens, if they can, to earning their bread by the sweat of their brow. Such as have mixed much with white men will eat anything they see them eat. They find also great delight in smoking a pipe of tobacco, for which there has of late been a great demand, which has not, however, been complied with on the part of the Missionaries, who do not use any themselves.-Report of the German Mission to the Aborigines.

THE RAIN.-FromtiiC Meteorological îlcpon published in yesterday's Herald, it nppcnrs that not less than 20 3-25 inches of ram fell on Thursday last, , Sucli, a full of rain,in a flat level country would have betlu followed by the most

destructive effects.

GARDENERS' CALENDAR von MAY.-In Aus-tralia, the month of May, as regards the seasons, corresponds with the month of November in the northern hemisphere, and towards its com-mencement; agriculturists arc generally fully em-ployed in getting ino sowing tit the -wheat trop brought to a close j the completion of pulling the maize crop, and the second cutting of to-bacco, arc also objects of considerable impor-tance to be nttended to during this month ; moreover, the digging find housing of the potato crop is also to "b2 nÜcndcM lo. The second ploughing for pease should bj performed in May, to the depth of ten or twelve inches, and new land intended for the spring maize crop should he now broken up, and the sowing of spring harley, caificd alt. This month is also regarded asi.be best for grubbing, as the ground is generally soft, and considerable assistance in bringing down largo trees may now be calcu-lated on from the strong westerly winds which generally prevail about that time. This is nlso the best'month for stripping bark, as well as fir felling timber, and splitting it for fencing and building purposes. The autumn lambing season generally ends with May. alni the fattening of pigs should now be persevered in. The White and yellow turnip c:ops ore now ready ta be used, but they should be very spnrinsly used, rs they form nn excellent supply of winter forage, and become more valuab'c as the winter season advances. The preparation of charcoal for malting may a'so be attended to this month. In the orchard, May is the best s;nson for pru-ning the fruit trees, and nil useless branches should ha cut close oír". In the kitchen garden, early in the month of May, cabbage, cauliflower, broad beans, small salads, turnips, onions, and pease, may be earthed ; and towards the close of the mouth, cauliflowers, brocoli, and all the varieties of cabbnge and grrens mny be trans-planted. In order to secure the potatoc crop, several modes of procedure may be followed, the following is that generally employed where no shed or store is in usa, viz.-They are laid when dry in long triangular prism-shaped heaps, having a base of four or five feet, after which a clothing of dry straw or rubbish is sprend over the two upper surfaces of the heap. A trench is cut round the whole so as to allow the watt r to run off, the earth taken from the trench being thrown over the straw to the depth of five or six inches, nnd the whole is lo be ren-dered ns solid ns possible by being beat round with lit; spade.-Tg,'< Almanac.

CUSTOMS' DKI'ART.MBNT.-The amount of Re-venue collected at the Customs' Department du-ring the past month, exceeded that of any pre. vious month for some years past, except recency wlicnjibc additional duties were about coming into operation. The amount collected from the 9tll April, to the end of that month was X14.

DI:ATH BY DROWNING.-During the late heavy rains, a man named George Webb, be-longing to the iron gang at Cabramatta Bridge, rendered important assistance to such passengers as had to effect a passage at that quarter, and, we believe, was the means of saving several persons, who were in danger of being drowned;

but after all his exertions the poor fellow fell a victim to the torrent on Friday night, being swept away and drowned before assistance could

be afforded him.

Tun CASK OF AR*ON.-The girl Mary Riley, who has been in custody charged with repeat-edly attempting to fire the premises of Mr. Smith, publican, at the corner of Kent and King streets, was yesterday fully committed to take her trial for the offence ; from the evidence given against her, it appeared that she had been seen throwing a bundle of lighted rags on the "back roof of abut joining Mr. Smith's bouse ; and after being apprehended she endeavoured to implicate Mr. Smith's cook who lind been in custody, but having clearly established his innocence he was discharged. It also appeared from Mr. Mitchell's evidence, that since the prisoner had been in custody, in order to render her'confinement as light as possible on account of her tender years, the cell door was left open, until it was discovered that she had availed her-self of this indulgence to get hold of the keys of the cells and fling them into the cesspool.

CAUTION TO WATER CARTERS.-On Saintdiy Constable M'Carty, who was on duty in the vicinity of the wnter pipes, observed one of the water enrters named Mulvchill, going into the Spread Eagle, but before he did so he gave his whip a crack and started his horse off to the cistern. M'Carty very properly took charge of the horse and conveyed it to the police yard. The case ngoinst the defendant was beard on Monday, but as the defendant wished to call the publican as to the time he was in his bouse, judgment was postponed till yesterday, when n fine of ten shillings was inflicted with 2s. Gd. costs. As the conduct charged against Mulvchill is one of daily, almost hourly, occurrence, and Í3 highly dangerous to the children attending tlu Australian College, the Normal Institution, and several private schools in thnt quarter, it is hoped that the fine inflicted on Mulvchill will operate as a cnution to thoja parties engaged in

the water trade.

We are requested to state that Mr. Mark, surgeon, of Cumberland-street, having produced certificates from the Loudon College of Surgeons nnd the Apothecaries' Company, of his qualifi-cations, is duly recognised by the Sydney Medi-cal Board, and has rccccived his testimonial to

that effect.

TRADING PUIILICANS. -The repeated cautions which the magistrate] have felt it their duty to make lo sundry publicans, respecting their carrying on other trades and businesses, basides that for which they have obtained a license, ap-pear to be entirely thrown away, as it is notori-ous that some of them net ni butchers, others as bakers, and others of them as master-builders, and carpenters. The licensed carters nrc also complaining loudly tin. t several of them arc in the practice of sending carts and drays to the various stands to ply for hire. Every publican is bound by the terms of his license to carry on no other trade, calling, or business, while he holds a license to keep a public-house.

' THE POLICE OFFICE.-Mr. Windeyer, yes-terday afternoon, ordered the chief constable, mid those clerks engaged in the Fie¿ Police Court, to get all their books and papers removed, by nine o'clock this morning, into the western court room, commonly used ns the prisoners' court; the reason being that the Colon al Archi-tect is to set some men to work, in order to re-pair the eastern room, where the free court lins been generally held. As this is b ¡t a new building, there has becti gross neglect in some quarters. lind the building been properly finish, ed, it would not so soon have been in so dila-pidated a state.

PRESBYTERIANS.-A meeting of the Sydney Presbytery was held yesterday, when the sus 1 pension of the Rev. Mr. Allan was determined

upon. A motion for the suspension of the Rev. I Dr. M'Garvie was made by the Rev. Dr. Lang,

and postponed.