XV.

No saint in all the calendar

Carried her healing powers so far
As Geneviève, tho' no degree
She held of surgeon or M.D.

She cured the blind, as we have told,

And ailments half a lifetime old,

And madness nothing could withstand,

All melted 'neath her gentle hand.

Those "shocks to which the flesh is heir"
She never look'd on with despair.

A child, who once to see her came,

Was deaf, and dumb, and blind, and lame,
And "past all surgery," one would think,
Yet did the patroness not shrink
From such a case; her prayers were heard,
Her sacred oil administer'd,

And soon the child began to talk,

To hear, and see, and jump, and walk;

Nay, Geneviève, 'tis even said,

Could raise up those already dead,

As instanced by a child who fell

With fatal force into a well,

But whom the Saint's all-healing power

Restored to life in half an hour.

XVI

The virgin Saint was now grown rather passee
(Most ladies are at eighty-three or so),
And had she deign'd to stand before a glass, a
Reflection sad that glass had had to show;
For beans and bread, and vigils, tears, and fasting
Are apt to fail-if beauty be their goal,
But they develop what is far more lasting--
A starving body makes a fatted soul.
No wonder she was very often ailing,

When we observe how all her life she cried;
Her own and other people's sins bewailing,
It seems no wonder that at last she died.
For she was ever prone to weep,

And weep with right goodwill ;
Awake, she cried with sadness deep;
Asleep, she sorrow'd still:

Her chamber-floor was like a sea,

Its boards her tears did drench,

She was a second Niobé

Translated into French.

It could not, could not last,
Such anguish unremitting,
Her sainted spirit pass'd

To regions more befitting.
She died, and then-O dear!

What sorrow was created,

The town went mad with sheer

Grief unadulterated.

XVII.

It was about the year of grace 500

Her soul from clayey tenement was sunder'd; Her heavenly passport was made out and sign'd Ere in the tomb her body was enshrined,

But miracles began almost before

Her soul had time to knock at Peter's door;
Cured were the mad and sick, and blind and lame,
All other physic quite a "drug" became,
And those who tried the panacea were fain
To own that now "physicians were in vain."
The wealth upon her shrine exceeds belief,
Until it was annex'd" by midnight thief.
Upon the tomb, where lies this best of women,

THE ABORIGINES OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

factory; such of the children who did authority of the Secretary of State for not return to their old life having

the Colonies, and in 1841 a native proved by no means creditable mem- school was established in Adelaide bers of society.'

under the auspices of Governor Grey, and in charge of Mr. and Mrs. Ross,

who received from the Government a "Memo.

yearly stipend of £80, together with a “My attention has been drawn to house and rations. In 1843 another the above extract from article on Government school was opened at *Aborigines of South Australia' (vide Walkerville, under the superintendence DUBLIN UNIVERSITY Magazine for of Mr. Smith, formerly a draftsman in January, 1876, page 89) containing the Colonial Land Office; and at one statements calculated to convey a very

period there were 107 native children erroneous and imperfect impression under instruction in these institutions, with respect to the results of the steps and making satisfactory progress in taken by the Government and private acquiring the rudiments of education, persons in South Australia to amelio. as also the habits and tastes of civilized rate the condition of its aborigines. life.

“With a view to give a more correct “These schools appear to have been idea as to the nature and extent of the

continued to about 1850, when the diffiofficial and private attempts made for culty experienced in keeping the chilthe protection and support of the dren, owing to the evil influences and aborigines of this province, I beg to prejudices of their parents and the submit the following statement :- wandering tribes who frequented Ade

laide, gave rise to the idea of founding “ Roman Catholios.

an institution in an isolated position, “So far as can be ascertained from to which the children could be removed the records of this office, and inquiries after their preparatory training in these I have made, I believe I am correct in schools. This idea was practically stating that the Roman Catholics have carried out by Archdeacon Hale (now never at any time organized any efforts, Bishop of Brisbane), and a mission either privately or aided by Govern. station formed at Poonindie, near Port ment, on behalf of the aborigines of this

Lincoln, 220 miles from Adelaide, on a province.

reserve of 16,000 acres of land dedicated “ German Missionaries.

by the Government. “ The earliest attempts in this direc- " Appropriation of Money by Governtion were made about 1838, by the

ment. Moravian and Lutheran missionaries, "When South Australia became & Messrs. Meyers, Teiklemann, Schur

Crown colony in 1841, one-tenth of the mann and Kloze, who had mission

proceeds of the sales of all waste lands stations and schools at Encounter Bay, was set aside for the benefit of the Adelaide, and Port Lincoln, towards the aborigines. This was found, as the support of which the Government con- sales of land increased, to be more tributed pecuniary assistance, as well

than suflicient, and thereafter any defi. as rations and blankets.

nite portion ceased to be set aside, but In 1839 Dr. Moorhouse was ap- whatever amount their necessities pointed Protector of Aborigines, under required was drawn from the territorial

66

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revenue ; and this state of things existed trustees—the Lord Bishop of Ade-
until the control of that revenue was laide (Church of England) and Messrs.
ceded to the colonists under the new S. Davenport and G. W. Hawkes, S.M.
constitution, and from that time sums Up to 1860 the Government contributed
have appeared annually upon the esti- annual grants in aid of this establish.
mates. The total amount expended ment amounting to a total sum of
for aborigines from 1840 to 1871-5 was £7,225; from that time it has been
291,430 163. 3d. The sum voted by entirely self-supporting.
parliament for current year for abo-
rigines department was £4,694, appro-

* Point McLeay.
priated as follows :-

"This native station was formed in “ Twosub-protectors' sala

1857 by the • Aborigines Friends' Asries and allowances . £444 sociation,' and is situated on the Lower Provisions, blankets, cloth

Murray, on a Government reserve coning, implements, medical

taining 730 acres, but which is about to attendance, travelling

be increased by an additional block of allowances, defending

three square miles along the Coorong prisoners, transport of

Lake. The Rev. George Taplin, of the stores, and sundries . . £3,750

Congregational Church, is the super

intendent. The natives of this district Grant in aid of Aborigines

number over 500, of whom 154 are on Friends' Association £500

the station. The school is attended by " Mission Stations and Schools nou 40 children, who are making satisexisting.

factory progress and present a very “ Poonindie.

neat and orderly appearance. “Established in 1850, at Port Lin. “ The health of this community has coln, by Archdeacon Hale, on a reserve

been good, no epidemics of any serious set apart by Government, containing

nature having visited them for several about 16,000 acres.

There are now 78 years. During the first year several natives resident at this institution, which natives were taught rough masonry is under the superintendence of the and carpentering, and made a road Rev. R. W. Holden, of the Church of across a lagoon for the speedy transit England. The school is attended by of produce. Many of the natives have 26 children. During the past year

been employed by European settlers 250 acres were cropped, and produced in clearing land, raising stone, and 2,400 bushels of wheat and 60 tons of shearing; and it is gratifying to note hay; 900 sheep were depastured, yield. that some of them have been placed in ing 115 bales of wool; the stock also positions where none but trustworthy includes 150 cattle and 30 horses. All men would be employed. the natives except two earn their own “This institution has not yet become living and perform all the work on the self-supporting, owing to the limited station, receiving regular wages, the area on which its operations have been same as paid to European workmen. conducted; it receives assistance from The people are reported to be cleanly private subscriptions, and an annual and well behaved, and appear very grant in aid of £500 from Government. happy and comfortable.

In 1875 a special vote by parliament ". This institution is vested in three of £700 was received to defray liabilities

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