The same author in another place adduces the wounds and scars of women as examples of "ill-treatment."[173] How much weight is to be attached to such an inference is well known, after the explanation given by Spencer and Gillen.[174] I adduce this statement as one which is obviously unreliable, at the same time being typical of a whole class of statements based upon insufficient and superficial observations. [173] _Loc. cit._, p. 181. [174] Compare their statement below. Interesting is what Turnbull says in his old account: "The women appear to attach themselves faithfully to their husbands thus chosen: they are exceedingly jealous of them."[175] [175] Turnbull, J., p. 99 (concerning some tribes of New South Wales, probably of the neighbourhood of Port Jackson). C. P. Hodgson,[176] speaking of some New South Wales tribes, says that _gins_ were slaves of their men and had all the drudgery of camp. The misleading term "slave" is of little use to us. [176] _Loc. cit._, p. 217; compare p. 208. According to Collins, in the Port Jackson tribes the father enjoyed absolute authority over his family.[177] [177] Collins, i. p. 544. Dr. John Fraser[178] speaks of the bad treatment of the woman by her husband amongst the natives of New South Wales. Further he says: "In spite of the hardness of their mode of life, married couples often live happily and affectionately together...."[179] [178] _Abor. N.S.W._, p. 2. This work is not written by a first-hand observer; I quote his opinion because the writer seems to have got sometimes good personal information, and to be an able compiler. [179] _Ibid._, p. 35. G. W. Rusden writes:[180] "... a man had power of life and death over his wife." This asserts absolute authority; we know, that as a rule, the man had not the power of death over his wife unless she proved especially guilty. [180] _Loc. cit._, p. 283. The tribes in question are the Geawe Gal, New South Wales, Hunter River. Rob. Dawson relates of the Port Stephens blacks, that they treated their wives very badly--with club and spear.[181] [181] _Loc. cit._, pp. 66, 67. Hodgkinson remarks that the women are better treated in the River MacLeay tribes than among the other tribes he had under observation.[182] This may point to a real difference in the treatment of women among different tribes, or to the fact that the other tribes which Hodgkinson might have observed were nearer the settlements, and therefore more degenerate. [182] _Loc. cit._, p. 229. As to the Euahlayi, Mrs. Parker remarks only: "In books about blacks, you always read of the subjection of the women, but I have seen henpecked black husbands."[183] This statement, which implies that bad treatment was not universal, is inexact and therefore of little use. [183] _Loc. cit._, p. 58.