3&'8 ANTHROPOLOGICAL NOTES, 



had therefore to be cautious and avoid polluting any water when 

 travelling in company. 



When about to give birth the women retired to a secluded 

 place and usuall}^ managed the confinement without assistance 

 from other females. 



The children generally received a name after something remark- 

 able that happened at the time of their l^irth or after something 

 in connection with the locality of it. 



As a rule the children were a good deal indulged and were 

 allowed to have things their own way, but were supposed to be 

 obedient to their parents. If they disobej^ed, they were taught 

 they would be punished during later years by getting bad rashes 

 and sores on their body and limbs, caused through the influence 

 of a fiendish spirit. A disease of this kind was often the cause of 

 death amongst them. It began with an itch like a scab that was 

 dry on the surface but festering below the skin, and at an 

 advanced stage smelled very offensively and sometimes caused the 

 flesh to rot away. Some who were only lightl}^ afflicted with it 

 would perhaps be cured, but when the disease became general and 

 severe it was mostly fatal. As a cure the natives ate a kind of 

 yam^ cooked in hot ashes or roasted on stones, as well as other 

 vegetable food and certain herbs. 



Whenever a native became ill he imagined that "Jakkandibbi" 

 (the suj)j)osed evil spirit) had taken his " gurai " (kidney fat). It 

 was believed by them that they may recover from it, but if 

 Jakkandibbi was to take the gurai the third time it would be 

 followed by death. The blackfellow's belief was that he would 

 live for ever were it not for the evil one who robbed him of his 

 life; even if a spear were thrust through his heart, it would not 

 be the spear that killed him but it would be Jakkandibbi. 



* From the desciiptioa received of the plant, I believe these to be the 

 tubers of a liliaceous plant. The disease, from the description and its cure, 

 seems to be scurvy of a severe natuie, or a similar atfiiction, caused no 

 doubt through unhealthy meat or want of a variety of food. 



