rongly advise you to relinquish the idea at once, and relieve
yourself of an immensity of trouble and anxiety in the future."

"No," replied John, "my mind is fixed; I am determined to try the
working of my plan, and am sanguine of success. It is true the blacks in
this part of the country, are wilder than those I have been accustomed
to mix with; but I've very little doubt, but that I'll be able to live
on terms of amity with them, and avoid all those hostile contiguities,
which we are led to expect are incidental on a residence in this
district."

"Well," said Rainsfield, "I must confess myself sceptical of a
favourable result, and only trust your experiment may not have a
tragical termination; for I've no faith in the aborigines: they are
treacherous in the extreme, and will commit any act of violence to
possess themselves of a coveted article. I myself have known shepherds
on out-stations murdered by them, for the sake of their rations, or
even a blanket, which had excited their avarice."

"It is true," said John, "we hear of such cases; but, in nine out of
ten, I believe the black perpetrating the act of violence, has been one
who has been domesticated with the whites; and having been brought into
contact with the vilest of our race, and acquired all the vices which
have been daily presented to his sight, it is not to be wondered at,
that (having these constantly submitted to him for his example and
emulation, and without the influence of moral obligations) he should
perpetrate the very acts he has heard lightly treated of, or perhaps
extolled. But, with the aboriginal in his native state, and without the
degrading influence of civilised immorality, you rarely, or never, meet
with such violation of the ethical and natural laws."

"The very depravity which you have described," replied the other, "is
the accomplishment possessed by the chief of that tribe which is our
neighbour; so you know exactly what you have to expect from him and
his."

"I doubt not," said John, "if the fellow is of the nature you mention,
he will have sufficient cunning, and natural instinct, to perceive that
a friendly intercourse with me will be more advantageous to him than a
constant warfare; for, after all, these fellows must be gifted with
reasoning faculties. They must know, that where their visits are
permitted so long as they maintain their integrity, and their wants to a
certain extent supplied, it is far better for them to conti