Depuch island would seem to be their favorite resort, and we found several of their huts still standing. The natives are doubtless attracted to the place partly by the reservoirs of water they find among the rocks after rain; partly that they may enjoy the pleasure of delineating the various objects that attract their attention on the smooth surface of the rocks. This they do by removing the hard red outer coating and baring to view the natural color of the greenstone, according to the outline they have traced. Much ability is displayed in many of these representations, the subject of which could be discovered at a glance. The number of specimens are immense, so that the natives must have been in the habit of amusing themselves in this innocent manner for a long period of time. These savages of Australia, who have adorned the rocks of Depuch island with their drawings, have in one thing proved themselves superior to the Egyptian and the Etruscan, whose works have elicited so much admiration and afforded food to so many speculations, namely, there is not in them to be observed the slightest trace of indecency. [Illustration: FIG. 131.--Petroglyphs in Depuch island, Australia.] Fig. 131 shows a number of the characters drawn on these rocks. They are supposed to represent objects as follows: _a_, a goose or duck; _b_, a beetle; _c_, a fish, with a quarter moon over, considered to have some reference to fishing by moonlight; _d_, a native, armed with spear and wommera or throwing stick, probably relating his adventures, which is usually done by song and accompanied with great action and flourishing of weapons, particularly when boasting of his powers; _e_, a duck and a gull; _f_, a native in a hut, with portion of the matting with which they cover their habitations; _g_, shark and pilot fish; _h_, a corroboreeo or native dance; _i_, a native dog; _j_, a crab; _k_, a kangaroo; _l_, appears to be a bird of prey, having seized upon a kangaroo rat. The same author, page 5, describes another locality as follows: In New South Wales, in the neighborhood of Botany bay and port Jackson, the figures of animals, of shields and weapons, and even of men, have been found carved upon the rocks, roughly, indeed, but sufficiently well to ascertain very fully what was the object intended. Fish were often represented, and in one place the form of a large lizard was sketched out with tolerable accuracy. On top of one of the hills the figure of a man, in the attitude usually assumed by them when they begin to dance, was executed in a still superior style. The figure last mentioned was probably the god Daramūlŭn, see Howitt, Australian Customs of Initiation (_a_).