I fear there is no doubt that this train of evil
and its consequences originated in the infamous conduct of some of
our countrymen. Thirty years is a short period in which to have
banished the last aboriginal from his native island,--and that
island nearly as large as Ireland. The correspondence on this
subject which took place between the government at home and that of
Van Diemen's Land, is very interesting. Although numbers of natives
were shot and taken prisoners in the skirmishing, which was going
on at intervals for several years, nothing seems fully to have
impressed them with the idea of our overwhelming power, until the
whole island, in 1830, was put under martial law, and by
proclamation the whole population commanded to assist in one great
attempt to secure the entire race. The plan adopted was nearly
similar to that of the great hunting-matches in India: a line was
formed reaching across the island, with the intention of driving
the natives into a cul-de-sac on Tasman's peninsula. The attempt
failed; the natives, having tied up their dogs, stole during one
night through the lines. This is far from surprising, when their
practised senses and usual manner of crawling after wild animals is
considered.
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