230 Geographical Collections. 



skin, leaching to the knees, and fastened about the shoulders with a rush, so 

 as to leave the right arm free. But, in common with all other Indians, they 

 make a free use of a reddish coloured earth, mixed with grease, with which 

 they disfigure themselves. Painting their bodies is not, however, as at 

 Sydney, a sign of war, but seems to be more general, and carefully attended 

 to, as grease is more or less to be had ; and, when plentifully obtained, their 

 cloak undergoes the same process of painting as themselves. Another 

 barbarous custom — that of cutting gashes in different parts of their body, but 

 principally about their shoulders — is common among them, and a means of 

 distinguishing the various tribes or families. From these gashes elevated 

 cicatrices are raised, and are considered marks of distinction. They also 

 perforate the septum of the nose, and wear a feather in it. 



It appears that they have few or no chiefs ; the most influential persons 

 among them being doctors, or mulgarradocks, who claim to themselves 

 supernatural powers. Mr Nind witnessed an attempt of one of these 

 mysterious persons to stop a thunder-storm. His process was to stand in 

 the rain, making violent gesticulations, shouting loudly, throwing his arms 

 about, and shaking his cloak, for a length of time. They also believe 

 they can cure disease ; but their attempts are attended with as little success, 

 as they are likely to be on the elements. They are generally a healthy 

 race, and are very particular in the diet of their sick. Roots only are at 

 first eaten by them, then lizards, bandicoots, opossums, &c. 



Polygamy is general among them, but their customs relating to these 

 matters, Mr Nind says, are yet in obscurity. The whole of the natives are 

 divided into two classes, and it is a law that they must intermarry with each 

 other ; those who break this law being subject to heavy punishment. The 

 girls are promised by the fathers even before they are born, and are always 

 at their disposal. There are instances, however, of elopements, as among 

 ourselves ; and the displeasure of the parents is great, during the temporary 

 absence of the parties. A period of six months, or a year, with presents, 

 is sufficient, however, to wear off the impression of such misconduct. They 

 have a barbarous practice, in the event of any of their women having twins, 

 of putting one to death ; generally preserving a female, and asserting as a 

 reason, that the mother has not sufficient milk for both. 



Their principal method of taking game is, by setting fire to the face of 

 the country, which, being generally dry, burns very rapidly. The men place 

 themselves in the paths which are most frequented by the animals, and vast 

 numbers of kangaroos, opossums, and emus, are thus destroyed. In order 

 to prevent the fire from extending too far, they burn it in consecutive 

 portions. Snakes, it appears, form an article of their food. When they 

 kill one, they are particularly careful to beat its head to atoms before they 

 take it in their hands. If they find it has recently eaten food, they reject 

 it, stating that it causes sickness. They are very careful of their dogs, 

 which they consider entitled to a portion of the game they kill ; but when 

 they are deficient of provisions, these animals frequently leave their masters 

 to provide for themselves, and generally return to them at the expiration of 

 a iew days. 



In summer they come down to the coast for the purpose of taking fish. 

 They generally spear them in shoal water, and sometimes take them in a 

 sort of weir, which they form of bushes in the shallow parts of the rivers. 

 They also practise the system, so common among our fishermen, of attract- 

 ing them by a light at night. It sometimes happens that a dead whale is 

 thrown on shore by the sea, which affords them food, and a quantity of fat, 

 which lasts them a long time. They are very fond of their children, but do 

 not always treat their women with kindness. These, as is customary with 

 the North American Indians, perform many useful offices. They not only 

 do much towards procuring food, but build their huts, prepare their cloaks, 

 besides various other services. Of domestic utensils they have very few. 



