Abstract
The inhabitants of this country are the miserablest people in the world … [they] have no Houses and skin Garments, no Sheep, Poultry, and Fruits of the Earth, Ostrich Eggs etc … and setting aside the Human Shape they differ but little from the Brutes … they have no Cloathes … their only food is a kind of fish … I do not perceive that they did worship anything … But all the signs we could make were to no purpose, for they stood like Statues, with no motion but grinned like so many monkeys. (Captain William Dampier, 1688, cited in Stone, 1974: 15)
From what 1 have seen of the Natives of New Holland they may appear to some to be the most wretched People upon Barth; but in reality they are far more happier than we Europeans, being wholly unacquainted not only with the superfluous, but with the necessary Conveniences so much sought after in Europe; they are happy in not knowing the use of them. They live in a Tranquility which is not disturbed by the inequality of Condition. The Earth and Sea of their own accord furnishes them with all things necessary for Life. They co. no Magnificent Houses, Household stuff, etc; they live in a Warm and fine climate, and enjoy every Wholesome Air, so that they seem to be hilly sensible of, for many to whom we gave Cloth, etc, left it carelessly upon the Sea Beach, and in the Woods, as a .g they had no manner of use for, in short they seemed to set no Value upon anything of their own nor any one Article we could offer them. This in , opinion Argues, that they think themselves provided with ail the necessarys of Life, and ..y have no Superfluities. (Captain James Cook, 1770, cited in Stone. 1974: 15)
From what 1 have seen of the Natives of New Holland they may appear to some to be the most wretched People upon Barth; but in reality they are far more happier than we Europeans, being wholly unacquainted not only with the superfluous, but with the necessary Conveniences so much sought after in Europe; they are happy in not knowing the use of them. They live in a Tranquility which is not disturbed by the inequality of Condition. The Earth and Sea of their own accord furnishes them with all things necessary for Life. They co. no Magnificent Houses, Household stuff, etc; they live in a Warm and fine climate, and enjoy every Wholesome Air, so that they seem to be hilly sensible of, for many to whom we gave Cloth, etc, left it carelessly upon the Sea Beach, and in the Woods, as a .g they had no manner of use for, in short they seemed to set no Value upon anything of their own nor any one Article we could offer them. This in , opinion Argues, that they think themselves provided with ail the necessarys of Life, and ..y have no Superfluities. (Captain James Cook, 1770, cited in Stone. 1974: 15)
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Understanding prejudice, racism, and social conflict |
| Editors | Martha Augouostinos, Katherine Reynolds |
| Place of Publication | London |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Ltd |
| Pages | 24-42 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780761962076 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2001 |