256 



encampment, and, carrying the dead bodies with them, 

 removed to a spot two miles distant to the north, where 

 they kept up the most horrible lamentations. Having en- 

 camped, they immediately commenced their operations by 

 flaying and burying the bodies : they then carried the skins 

 away to a considerable distance, where they formed a triangle 

 of spears, around which they twisted the skins, leaving the 

 face, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet suspended. 

 A fire was then kindled beneath them, till the skins were 

 dried to the consistency of leather, when one of the warriors 

 took them down, and after performing some ceremony over 

 them, carried them away, the whole tribe uttering a dreadful 

 yell, and nothing farther was seen or heard of them. 



Mr. Cunningham has in his possession the skin of one 

 of the female aborigines, which was procured by Private 

 Piatt of the 57th Regiment, from the hut of a native on the 

 banks of the Brisbane River, just above its junction with the 

 Bremer. It consists of only the front of the body, arms, 

 and legs ; the fingers and toes have their nails perfect, but 

 the face is wanting, although the ears remain. It had been 

 deposited in the Dilly or luggage-bag of a female, and care- 

 fully placed within one of their nets. 



At one o'clock we continued to ascend the range, by which 

 we were enabled to keep on our course; the rise was 

 gradual, so that the cattle got up without difficulty, and the 

 defiles on each side are clothed with Pine foi'ests to the very 

 summit, over which is the only practicable pass, and along 

 which we found travelling very good. Our bullocks being 

 extremely fatigued, we encamped at the northern extremity 

 of the range: our progress was estimated by the odometer 

 at nearly nine miles, its reduced true southerly course at five 

 and a half miles. On the summit of the range we observed 

 a rock of remarkably compact granular silex, which, on ex- 

 amining, we found to have been lately split by the natives, 

 for the purpose of fabricating tomahawks and chissels ; but 

 by what means they contrived to break this rock yet remains 

 a secret. An extensive view is obtained from this eminence, 

 stretching to north and south-east, whei*e the whole of the 



