is extracted on arriving at the age of
14.

2. The next is the Myall tribe, who inhabit the central parts about
Cudduldury, at the great bend of the Bogan to the northward. These
natives can scarcely speak a word of our language, and they have several
curious customs. Some of the young men are gaily dressed with feathers,
are all called by one name, Talambe, and great care is taken of them. The
chief and many of the tribe say they have no name, and when any others
are asked the names of such persons they shake their heads, and return no
answer. The tribes in various parts of the colony give the name of Myall
to others less civilised than themselves, but these natives seemed to
glory in the name, and had it often in their mouths. They were the only
natives I ever knew who acknowledged that they were Myalls; and I can say
of them, as far as our own intercourse enabled me, that they were the
most civil tribe we ever met with. They do not extract the front teeth.

3. The Bungan tribe, with whom the one last mentioned made us acquainted,
inhabits the Bogan between Cambelego and Mount Hopeless. They are perhaps
less subtle and dissimulating than the Myalls, and if possible more
ignorant than they of our language and persons. Yet the Bungans came
forth from their native bush to meet us with less hesitation, observing
at the same time that downcast formality which is the surest indication
of the natives' respect for the stranger, and ignorance of the manners of
white men, especially when accompanied, as in this instance, with an
openness of countenance and a frankness of manner far beyond the arts of
dissimulation.*

(*Footnote. I have since been informed by an officer who had been some
time in Canada that he noticed, when on shooting excursions with the
Indians, that they observed a somewhat similar silence on meeting with
strangers.)

Lower down the Bogan we saw so little of the inhabitants that I cannot
characterise the tribes, although there appear to be two more, the haunts
of one being eastward of New Year's range, those of the other to the
north of the Pink hills. Both these tribes appeared to be of rather an
inoffensive and friendly disposition than otherwise, although quite
ignorant of our language. They were terrified at the sight of our cattle,
and even still more afraid of the sheep.

Unlike the natives on the Darling these inhabitants of the banks of the
Bogan subsist more on the opossum, kangaroo, and emu tha