aroundworldortra00peebiala-1

ATJSTRAIJA. 77
ogist, Strzelecki, says in his exhaustive volume, " The native
Australians, recognizing a God, whose duty it is to supply
them with all the necessaries of life, regard themselves as
his servants. T^^J believe in immortality, and locate their
heaven in the stars : they do not dread God, but reserve all
their fears for the evil spirit. To this spirit, the ' Debbie,'
they render a sort of worship."
Upon each returning November, the Australian springtime,
these natives hold the grand festival of the Pleiades,
called the " Corroboree." It was a matter of individual
regret that I could not have personally witnessed this native
anniversary. Those in Northern and North-eastern Australia
are far the most interesting. These " corroborees," celebrated
only in the spring, when this cluster of stars shines the
most brilHantly, are evidently a kind of worship paid to the
Pleiades " as a constellation announcing the spring
season."
Their monthly festivals and dances are in honor of the
moon. An intelligent native said to me in Sandhurst, " The
Pleiades are the children of the moon, and very good to us
black people." The remark reminded me of a Kne in that
Biblical drama, the Book of Job, —
*'
The sweet influences of the Pleiades."
These, called by the Romans " Vergilise," the stars of spring,
appear above the horizon at evening-time in November, and
are visible in these regions all night. The prophets of the
tribes believe that these stars rule natural causes.
Some of
their festivals are connected with the worship of their dead
ancestors.
These last three days.
FROM WHENCE THESE NATIVES?
Their origin is involved in impenetrable obscurity; and
those who have attempted to trace their migrations, or detect
the links which connect them to the primitive races, have
failed of satisfying even themselves. The structure of the
language is said to be the most nearly identified with the