The question raised by Miss Nightingale, “Can we civilize the
aborigines without killing them?” naturally arises from the fact that
wherever Europeans have taken possession of the country of savage
races, the latter have gradually disappeared before the face of the
“white man.”
This state of things, I believe, may be traced to the three following
causes:―
1st. The acquirement by the aborigines of the love for intoxicating
liquors.
2nd. The immorality of the women with the “white man,” preventing their
bearing children.
3rd. The introduction of diseases more fatal to them than to the
Europeans, arising from their exposed lives, and general objection to
submit themselves to proper medical treatment.
It will thus be easily seen that the aborigines do not, in reality,
gradually disappear before the advantages of civilization, but rather
fall victims to the vices and diseases introduced by the advent of
unprincipled Europeans among them.
JOHN FERGUSON,
Colonial Surgeon.
Perth, Nov. 17, 1860.
It is quite certain that the natives die in quick succession in the
districts inhabited by Europeans, and it appears not less certain that
a great many of the deaths are attributable to their having lived
among us. But it is not civilization that has caused their deaths;
it is rather the vices of the Europeans which they have imbibed, and
the ignorance and recklessness of results in the natives themselves.
They are mere children in understanding, and if their present wants
are gratified they care not for the future. As an instance:—There is
a stringent law prohibiting the selling or giving intoxicating drinks
to them, but they willingly yield to the assistance offered to them
by unprincipled sailors and others to elude this law made for their
benefit. The men become intoxicated, and misery and wretchedness are
the consequences to a portion of their families, who die prematurely,
but not before their vicious habits have injured many besides
themselves. There are many individuals in all countries who neither
regard the laws of God nor man, and these unfortunate people might
have been of the number, even if they had been civilized, but the
probability is, that there would not have been so many victims if
they had been rescued as children, and been taught what was right and
really civilized. To live such a life as they now lead in towns among
Europeans is not being civilized.
Not one of the Annesfield school children have ever shown the slightest
wish to return to the bush; and from their parents and other relatives
visiting them they have had opportunities enough to do so, if they had
chosen to go. They duly appreciate civilization, and it has not injured
the health of any of them, but, on the contrary, several that were ill
when they came have improved in health.
It can scarcely be said that the civilization of the aborigines has
been attempted in Western Australia. Five or six schools have at
different times been established; some of these by private societies
or individuals, and the remainder by Government. But there has been
no organized system adopted, such as is necessary to the carrying out
any great work. How little can any single school do! In the Annesfield
Government Institution it has been the aim to prove that the natives
are capable of being made useful members of society, and, what is
more, that they are capable of understanding and embracing the great
truths of salvation; and the result is fully satisfactory. But this
institution is limited to 24 children.
The aborigines are like so much material without capital or tools
to fashion it. For in a country such as this, where there are so
many profitable {64} ways of employing money and labour, few can be
found willing to furnish either of these requisites for this work
of benevolence and unsought justice. It is said that nothing can be
effected among the adult natives. But the colony has now been in the
possession of the English 31 years, and if the then parents had been
induced to give up their children for training, or even if they had
given them up three or four years after, when they had got to know us
as a friendly people, there would now be few of them in the settled
districts but such as would have had the opportunity of being civilized.