304 MATHEWS— AUSTRALIAN BURIAL CUSTOMS. [May 7. 



in such a position that when the animals come moping about in the 

 fogginess caused by the dense clouds of dust, they can be speared 

 or clubbed without difficulty. When a " dust-storm " was wanted 

 for hunting purposes, a man who had a reddish or dust-colored 

 ceremonial stone, took charge of the function. 



Another use of a " dust-storm " was to obliterate the foot-marks 

 of men or animals. A party who had been out on a marauding or 

 murdering expedition, would bring up a " dust-storm " to prevent 

 their enemies from following their tracks. Or a party of hunters 

 could be frustrated in their operations if an adverse conjurer 

 brought up a " dust-storm." 



Mr. Tobin, who has lived a long time in the Darling district, 

 tells the following. During a very dry time at Enngonia, on the 

 Warrego River, a few old black fellows were camped on the bank. 

 They were believed to possess the paraphernalia requisite for per- 

 forming all the supernatural feats professed by a medicine man. 

 One day a stockowner and one or two of his friends visited the 

 camp, and asked the black fellows how it was that they did not 

 bring a downpour of rain. He jocularly said that he would give 

 so much flour and tobacco to any of the old natives who could 

 break up the drought. One of them, called " Gurara Charlie," who 

 was very anxious to take advantage of the offer, talked the matter 

 over with his fellow conjurers, but it transpired that the stone which 

 he possessed was only a <^;<.y/-producing implement. One of the 

 other blacks, " Jimmy Kerrigan," said that he had the right sort 

 of stone for making rain, and he undertook the job for the promised 

 reward. He was, unfortunately, not successful on that occasion, 

 but attributed his failure to the malignity of an adverse conjurer 

 who lived somewhere down the river. 



When the stones were used for producing an abundant supply 

 of nardoo, or other grass seeds, or for the increase of game, as 

 stated at page 7, Vol. 48, the words of the incantation sung by the 

 old performer were varied to suit the case. Moreover, when it 

 was thought that enough rain had fallen, the magic stones were 

 employed for bringing about fine weather. And when it was 

 desired to prevent a " dust-storm " from rising, or to shorten its 



