All that we behold in Australasia, however, is not to s be considered as entirely new; for there are, in the man . -nets and custom's' of the natives, several conspicuous coincidences with those of the old world. In certain places they burn their dead. The origin of this custom -is lost in the antiquity of those barbarous nations • but M. Peron, while speaking of the tombs which be found in Maria's island, endeavours to account for it thus.
Man is, in these regions, an absolute stranger to every principle of social organization ; wanting chiefs, pro perly so denominated ; withoutlaws, naked, ignorant of agriculture, and deprived of the certain means of subsistence. His only arms and utensils are a rudely fashioned club and spear. Wandering with his family on the coast, where his ordinary exigencies are'sup plied, he remains longer, and returns more frequently to parts where shell fish abound, and where a stream of fresh water enhances the value of the situation. Does a respected old man die, leaving a numerous family, how shall they dispose of his body ? They cannot abandon the corpse of a parent to beasts of prey ; consequent putrescence could not fail to prove disgusting; and the scattered bones of what they knew once formed their parent, constantly presented to their sight, would excite a painful sentiment of self reproach. They are restrained from throwing the body into the sea, a natural and easy expedient, lest it its again be cast up on the shore; and per haps ts corrupted members might be mingled with what they sought for daily food ; embalming it is beyond their ideas and resources ; and inhumation is so much the more difficult, from the .hard and .rocky soil, and from their having no utensil where with to dig a grave. Yet such a measure would pro bably be resorted to, did not one occur which is more easily executed. This is cremation.. Here every thing conspires to the facility of execution ; fire and materials are ready at command; only a few hours are required to finish the work ; and the fragments of bones, which are the sole residue, may be covered with the ashes produced. Thus the custom of burning the dead is not the pure effect of chance ; it results from physical and local circumstances." Although many Australasian regions are wild and sterile, there are extensive portions which cannot be exceeded in fertility. The beauty of different .islands, the salubrity of the climate, and excellence of the, soil, held forth the conspicuous advantages which would ensue from rendering them a permanent abode. Hence it was that, centuries ago, the utility of
colonizing Australasia occupied the attention of Eu ropeans. Mendana, as we have seen,established himself in Santa Cruz, an island presenting the most valuable resources to the navigators of the neighbouring seas. His views, however, were not originally directed to that particular spot ; for it was only in consequence of his search for the Arsacides that he went thither in 1595. When the colony was abandoned, on Mendana's.deccase,•the government devolved on his widow, she made another attempt to discover the Arsacidcs. 'The voyage was short and unsuc cessful, and a sudden determination was adopted to sail for the Spanish •settlements in South America., Quiros, who had been chief pilot to this expedition, renewed the design of a colony, after having a second time traversed the Australasian ocean. Whether or not he carried out people and materials for such a purpose, or what was the specific intention of his voyage, is uncertain ; but he addressed a memoir on the subject to Philip III. of Spain, which was pub lished in 1610, a few years after his return. He en tertained a different opinion from Mendana, with re gard to the most suitable -place for a settlement, judging the Tierra Austral del Espiritu Santo, lying some degrees farther south, as the best. It is not surprising thathe should have felt partiality towards a territory which he himself discovered. In enumerating its qualifications, he proceeds: ,‘ Finally, sire, I eau, with confidence, assert, that the bay of Vera Cruz, situated in 15° 20' south latitude, presents the great est advantages for the foundation of a large city, and the establishment of a numerous colony. I can but imperfectly describe the riches awaiting those Euro peans who shall visit such delightful countries ; time, in unfolding them, will make amends for my inability ; and I doubt not that this colony will become the centre of communication and future mart for all the commerce of Peru, Ternate, the Philippines, and other remote kingdoms under the dominion of your majesty." Quiros pledged himself for the suc cess of any enterprise which should be devised for es tablishing a colony : and, as a more ready inducement, gave in detail a truly flattering picture of the soil, climate, beauty, and salubrity of that and other Aus tralasian regions. We apprehend that no active mea sures were ever taken to adopt his judicious proposal.