THE 8PEAR-BECKET, OR "DOIGTIER" OF NEW 



CALEDONIA, THE NEW HEBRIDES AND 



OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDS. 



By R. Etheridge, June., Curator of the Australian 



Museum. 



(Plates xvi.-xix.) 



The methods of spear propulsion in use by the South Pacitic 

 Islanders must be a subject of much interest to all, accustomed 

 as we are on this Continent to see it performed by the aid of the 

 well-known wooden spear-thrower, or womerah, in one or other 

 of its modifications, when an}' mechanical contrivance is made 

 use of. 



A leathern thong or strap known as the Amentum was in use 

 amongst the ancients as a means of propelling javelins. It was 

 "used by the Greeks and Romans, and is mentioned by Virgil, 

 OAid, Cicero, Livy, Pliny, and other ancient writers, and is 

 figured on Etruscan vases; it was called ajKvkr] by the Greeks."* 

 The amentum was fastened to the javelin shaft. 



It is known to but comparatively few that both the New 

 Caledonians and the inhabitants of at least three of the New 

 Hebridean Islands employed a similar device to aid in the pro- 

 pulsion of their spears. Such, however, is the case. The object 

 of the present paper is to describe the Ounep, Ouiiede, or 

 " Doigtier " of New Caledonia, a cord or " becket " used for the 

 purpose in question, with a passing reference to the similar 

 implement of the New Hebrideans, and also to bring under notice 

 what I believe may possibly be a degenerate representative from 



* 0. T. Mason, Origin of Invention, 1895, p. 380, quoting Gen. Lane- 

 Fox's " Catalogue," 1877, p. 40. 



