Itwouldbetrespassingonthereader’sindulgencewereItoimposeonhimanaccountofanycivilregulations，orordinances，whichmaypossiblyexistamongthispeople。Ideclaretohim，thatIknownotofany，andthatexceptingalittletributaryrespectwhichtheyoungerpartappeartopaythosemoreadvancedinyears，Inevercouldobserveanydegreesofsubordinationamongthem。TotheirreligiousritesandopinionsIamequallyastranger。Hadanopportunityofferedofseeingtheceremoniesobservedatdisposingofthedead，perhaps，someinsightmighthavebeengained;
butallthatweatpresentknowwithcertaintyis，thattheyburnthecorpse，andafterwardsheapuptheeartharoundit，somewhatinthemannerofthesmalltumuli，foundinmanycountiesofEngland。
Ihavealreadyhinted，thatthecountryismorepopulousthanitwasgenerallybelievedtobeinEuropeatthetimeofoursailing。Butthisremarkisnotmeanttobeextendedtotheinteriorpartsofthecontinent，whichthereiseveryreasontoconcludefromourresearches，aswellasfromthemanneroflivingpractisedbythenatives，tobeuninhabited。ItappearsasifsomeoftheIndianfamiliesconfinetheirsocietyandconnectionswithintheirownpale:butthatthiscannotalwaysbethecaseweknow;
foronthenorth—westarmofBotanyBaystandsavillage，whichcontainsmorethanadozenhouses，andperhapsfivetimesthatnumberofpeople;
beingthemostconsiderableestablishmentthatweareacquaintedwithinthecountry。Asastrikingproof，besides，ofthenumerousnessofthenatives，Ibegleavetostate，thatGovernorPhillip，whenonanexcursionbetweentheheadofthisharbourandthatofBotanyBay，oncefellinwithapartywhichconsistedofmorethanthreehundredpersons，twohundredandtwelveofwhomweremen:thishappenedonlyonthedayfollowingthemurderofthetwoconvictrushcutters，beforenoticed，andhisExcellencywasattheverytimeinsearchofthemurderers，onwhom，couldtheyhavebeenfound，heintendedtoinflictamemorableandexemplarypunishment。Themeetingwasunexpectedtobothparties，andconsideringthecriticalsituationofaffairs，perhapsnotverypleasingtoourside，whichconsistedbutoftwelvepersons，untilthepeaceabledispositionoftheIndianswasmanifest。AfterthestrictestsearchtheGovernorwasobligedtoreturnwithouthavinggainedanyinformation。ThelaudableperseveranceofhisExcellencytothroweverylightonthisunhappyandmysteriousbusinessdidnot，howeverstophere，forheinstitutedthemostrigorousinquirytofindout，ifpossible，whethertheconvictshadatanytimeilltreatedorkilledanyofthenatives;andfarther，issuedaproclamation，offeringthemosttemptingofallrewards，astateoffreedom，tohimwhoshouldpointoutthemurderer，incasesuchanoneexisted。