Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal (WA : 1833 - 1847), Saturday 16 March 1833, page 42


NATIVE CORROBORY AT

PERTH.

At the solicitation of Yagan, who had not been present at the celebration of this native festival on previous occa-sions, Capt. Ellis was induced to allow the Swan River and the King George's men to hold a corrobory in Mr. Purkis's yard, on Wednesday evening last, which attracted an overflowing audience. A-bout dusk the two tribes assembled, and

commenced their preparations by chalk-ing each others breasts in tastful devices, resembling the spangled decorations of

the riders at Astleys, which cerimony

was accompanied by a hurdy-gurdy chaunt chorused by the party. They appeared highly flattered by the interest

the audience took in their manœuvers,

and preparatory to the entertainment, stalked to and through rehearsing their chaunts, and exercising their singular attitudes, with all the self complacency of our more cultivated Artists.

As a novelty the corrobory is well worth

seeing, but much of its interest is lost to us, from the want of a programme of the performance. The representation of

killing the Kangaroo, the one performer assuming the character of Huntsman, the other the Kangaroo, was striking from its fidelity indeed was a fine specimen of acting ; but the necromantic dances, as they were termed, could only gratify the

initiated, of whom we believe there were but few present. We are of opi-nion it would require some stretch of im-agination, to construe, the knocking of noses together, dancing on their knees, and pulling each others legs, into necro-mancy, however, we yield to those whose experience and knowledge of their habits

has led them to draw this conclusion.

The display on the whole was interesting,

but rather tedious. Towards the close

the performers solicited the indulgence of being allowed to remain and sleep in the yard for the night, which was grant-

ed them. His Honor the Lieutenant Governor honored the natives with his

presence, and we observed nearly the whole of the respectable inhabitants of Perth, including several ladies, all of whom seemed highly entertained. The figures of most of the natives of this part of the country displayed to advantage in this muscular exercise, would have form-ed a fine study for the artist ; The King George's Sound men are far inferior to them, both in person, ingenuity and activety, in their native sports. Yagan was the master of the ceremonies, and acquitted himself with infinite dignity and grace. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

The prices of manufactured articles, as well as general articles of consumption are still exravagantly high, with which the quality does not keep pace. When is this system of trade to have an end? The dread of extortion, deters many from resorting to the market, and forces them to many expedients, which the trad-er when too late, will find to his cost, have materially affected his returns. Our market is limited, but subjected to such prices as we daily suffer under, it must not be a matter of surprize, if less fre-quented.

R. Thorn was brought before G. Leake, Esq., the Civil Commissioner, at the instancs of Mr Weavell, who com-plained that he had left his service with-

out giving him due notice.—Committed

to Jail for one week. This is the first commitment of the kind we remember to have heard of in the Colony.

To The Working Man.—However small may be a man's income, there is one very certain way of increasing it—that is Frugality. A frugal ex-penditure will enable almost every body to save something ; and as there are now established

throughout the country Banks, where the indus-trious may safely deposit their savings, however little they may be, and receive the same sort of advantage which the rich derive from their money, that is, interest, there is every inducement to make an effort to save. Dr. Franklin observes, in his usual forcible way, that six pounds a-year is but a groat a day. For this little sum, which may be daily wasted, either in time or expense unperceived, a man of credit may, on his own security, have the constant possession and use of a hundred and twen-

ty pounds." Many humble men in England have risen to wealth by such small beginings ; but many more continue to expend the groat a-day unneces-sarily, and never cease to be poor.—Penny Maga-

zine

Slow Death.—Snakes eat lizards, and generally gorge the head of the lizard and fore legs first, in which case you see the tail and hinder legs projecting out of the snakes mouth ; but it sometimes happens that the snake seizes the lizard by the tail, when its bright eyes will be seen peep-ing out of the destroyer's mouth, quite alive, and struggling hard, but in vain, to get away. It is well known how slowly the serpent tribe swallow their food ; as the lizard is very tenacious of life, its lower extremities are pretty well digested before the head and upper parts are dead or nearly swallowed.—London's Magazine of Natural His-tory.