404 ANTHROPOLOGICAL NOTES, 



first three were found by me at the place described, and the last 

 was discovered not far from it near the Crackenback River. 



It seems that the first thing in shaping a tomahawk, after 

 selecting a suitable pebble, was simply to beat another stone 

 against it and chip the edges to a slanting face that would produce 

 a sharp angle with one of the planes of the stone. This is all 

 that has been done to the first three specimens represented, the 

 rock of which is a fine grained felspathic quartzite of dark grey 

 colour. 



The finished implement is made of a similar material, but 

 somewhat lighter in colour. It is a well finished weapon 

 or tool with a sharp cutting edge and highly polished bevelled 

 sides. The other part of it is dressed smooth by being beaten 

 with another stone. By this method also the indented hollows 

 for fingerholds on the broadest surfaces of it are evidently pro- 

 duced. The implement seems to have been only intended 

 to be held with the hand when it Avas in use, and is in 

 reality an adze rather than a tomahawk. It weighs, twelve 

 ounces. 



A Native Burial Place. 



During my visit to the Monaro District in the early part of 

 1889, I opened a grave near Cobbin (situated between the Snowy 

 Kiver and its tributary the Mowamba River) that was pointed 

 out to me by Mr. Thompson, the owner of the run. To this 

 gentleman I owe the particulars I am about to communicate con- 

 cerning the individual whose remains I undertook to disturb. 



It had been an old man who for several years prior to his death 

 was carried by the tribe from place to place when they shifted 

 their camp, because owing to some hip disease he was unable to 

 walk. The wailing and lamentations over his death lasted for 

 three nights and three days, and a great many natives assembled 

 to assist in the funeral ceremonies. A number of half deca3'ed 

 sticks still lying in a semicircle about twenty yards from the grave 

 marked the place where some brushwood had been heaped up to 

 form a shelter against the wind, and some charcoal indicated the 

 spots where the fires had been lighted during the nights. 



