702 ON A FORM OF WOMERAH, OR "THROWING-STICK." 



through the kindness of the Curator, Mr. George Masters, a series 

 of four from Cape Grenville, the Herbert River, and the Batavia 

 River, Gulf of Carpentaria. The Herbert River weapon is exactly 

 the counterpart of that from Agate Creek, but is one inch longer; 

 that from Cape Grenville swells out in breadth in the centre, being 

 two and seven-eighths wide, graduating off towards the fore end 

 so as to accommodate itself to the hand of the thrower. At the 

 same time, it is equally as thin as the woraerah from Agate Creek, 

 but the shells are set at right angles to the shaft, instead of 

 obliquely. The length is two feet two inches. The Batavia 

 River womerah is precisely similar to the last. It is, however, 

 two inches longer and three inches at the widest point. The 

 hand-grasp is gummed to afford a better hold to the thrower, the 

 same part in the womerah from Cape Grenville being bound with 

 a reed also. These throwing-sticks form a well-marked type, 

 differing entirely from those used in the south and south-west, 

 and, like the large, irregularly oval, light wood, painted shields, 

 seem to be chiefly confined to the north-east of the continent. 



It is much to be regretted that some one does not undertake a 

 systematic description of the Aboriginal wooden weapons and 

 implements, district by district, when, I am quite sure, much 

 useful and instructive information would be forthcoming. A 

 great deal of praiseworthy research was carried on by the late 

 Robert Brough Smyth, and detailed in his work on the Aborigines 

 of Victoria* but so much information has been gathered since he 

 wrote that it would be better to commence the subject de novo. 



* 2 vols., 4to, Melbourne, 1878. By Authority. 



