BY RICHD. HELMS. 401 



smaller sort, which was more curved than the other, they threw 

 at birds. This if thrown against the wind would return to the 

 thrower after making one or two circles in the air. The com- 

 monest implement was the 3"am stick, a plain stout cudgel about 

 four feet long, sharpened and hardened in the fire at one end. 

 It was used for dio'oinc: out roots and other food from the ground, 

 and in case of need served for defensive purposes. 



For carrying water they made a vessel out of bark in the shape 

 of a small canoe. For this purpose they thinned a suitable piece 

 of bark at both ends and placed it in hot ashes to make it soft 

 and pliable, and whilst in this state the ends were folded and tied. 



Their canoes were mostl}^ made of bark which was gathered in 

 folds at both ends, after these had been sweated in hot ashes, and 

 fastened together with withes and wooden pins. They chose a 

 convenient crooked tree and stripped the bark from the bent part 

 of it that "svas already naturally shaped like a canoe. To prevent 

 leaking, a good-sized lump of clay was pressed in at both ends, 

 and if through running on a snag or some other accident, leaks 

 occurred, these were as a rule also stopped with clay. Such canoes 

 did not usually last for a great length of time on account of their 

 fragile nature and the rather rapid decay of the material, but 

 they were more frequently used than those made of wood l^ecause 

 the}^ could easil}^ be replaced if destroyed by an enemy. The 

 wooden canoes were made out of a suitable log, and their manufac- 

 ture demanded a great deal of labour. The}^ had to be entirely 

 worked with stone implements, assisted b}" lighting a fire inside, 

 which when carefuU}^ managed would destroy the bulk of the 

 wood to be removed. Generally they adopted a partly hollow 

 tree for this purpose. 



Besides the casual ornamentation of painting, they used to mark 

 their body with tattoo scars. These were produced b}^ means of 

 some sharp stones with which the flesh was incised. To stop the 

 blood and to form the scars they lay down on a heap of fine ashes. 

 Ashes w^ere also applied if at an}^ future time the bleeding should 

 start again. This was all that was used to raise the scars above 

 the surface of the skin. At the age of 17 to 20 years were made 



