Language.

Their language, abounding in vowels, enables it to be spoken with fluency, and has by no means a harsh sound. Every tribe has its own dialect; this is greatly caused by ill-feeling on the part of many of the tribes towards each other, so that they will not condescend to use the same words for many things. One tribe is acquainted with the dialects of those tribes adjoining, and use the same dialect when speaking to a friendly tribe, but they speak most contemptuously of those with whom they are upon bad terms, and ridicule the expressions used by them. This makes the task of the philologist a difficult one, though I understand that similar terms for many places and things remain intact, and can be traced throughout the country. The late Rev. Mr. Threlkeld compiled a very complete vocabulary of the language of the tribes inhabiting the Wollombi, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Port Stephens, and adjacent country. This energetic missionary was known at lake Macquarie as Mr. "Kowhow." "Kowhow" is the negative, and is never used by the men, who only condescend to give a sort of grunt. Women alone use it, consequently, for that reason, it has a degrading meaning; but as Mr. Threlkeld, who wished to set a good example to the men, made a point of using it, it was soon attached to him as a nickname, whilst his influence among them was not increased thereby.