[116] It is remarked (in a pamphlet of a Journey of Discovery to Port Philip, New South Wales, by Messrs. Hovel and Hume, Sydney. 8vo. 1831, undertaken in 1824 and 1825,) that “the impressions of the feet of the aboriginal natives may be readily distinguished from those of Europeans, by the narrowness of the heel, the comparative broadness of the fore part of the foot, the shortness of the toe, and a peculiar bend of the internal edge of the foot inwards, (a form very probably incident to the method employed by these people in climbing trees,) and the smallness of the entire impression, compared with that of an European.” [117] The common opossum is called by the aborigines, in this part of the country, “Wille,” and “Wadjan;” the ring-tailed opossum, “Bokare,” and “Kindine.” [118] The men at one of the farms, when occupied in shearing, complained of a small green-coloured fly annoying them exceedingly, by flying about their eyes; so much so, as frequently to oblige them to discontinue their labour: an itching sensation of the eyes followed, and it seemed, to use their own words, “as if they were about to have an attack of the blight.” [119] Alluding to large trees, I heard a person, who had fully persuaded himself of the fact, endeavour to impress his auditors with the belief that a tree existed upon the estate of the Van Dieman’s Land Company nine hundred feet high!!! This gigantic vegetable production would certainly beat “Raffle’s flower,” or “Crawford’s root,” and must be very valuable if only as a gigantic curiosity. [120] An excellent ley for soap, is made from the “swamp oak,” when burnt; and a ley is also procured at the island of Tahiti, in the South Seas, from the Casuarina equisetifolia for a similar purpose. [121] The aborigines call our domestic fowls, as well as all birds, by the general name of “Bújan.” [122] The “black leg” is evidently the disease among the cattle, known in Ireland as the “_crippawn_,” a kind of paralytic affection of the limbs, which generally ends fatally; the customary course is by bleeding, and changing them to a drier pasture. [123] Called honeysuckle by the colonists, because the flowers secrete a quantity of honey, which is attractive to the natives, and the numerous parroquets, when the trees are in bloom. [124] The name of the native that accompanied me was “Buru, birrima,” which he said he received from the name of the place where he was born. This appears a common method among the aborigines of bestowing names upon persons, as well as from any personal defect. The native name of Mr. Bradley’s farm is “Bungee,” and his little child born there will usually be known by that name among the aborigines.