36 Director s .Innual Report. 



herring boiic and the chevron. Curves and scrolls are more rare, 

 though used with taste on some boomerangs and shields. Crude 

 attempts to represent animals are occasionally suggested, but with 

 little success. 



Inter-tribal warfare among the aboriginals was probably always 

 of rare occurrence. Possessing little or no social organization 

 every individual had equal rights, and the carr>ing of arms was 

 general. When undertaking war the campaign was decided by a 

 council. The plans were deliberated upon with ceremony and 

 secrecy, and on setting out the warriors decorated the head with 

 cockatoo feathers and covered their features with paint. Besides 

 weapons, a wallet was often carried, containing articles for repairs 

 and ochres and tufts of yellow feathers for personal use. Open 

 engagements were rare and attack was delivered if possible from 

 ambush. Early dawn was frequently chosen for assault. As no 

 prisoners were taken the successful party indiscriminately slaugh- 

 tered all who opposed them. When tracking a single enemy the 

 Australian endeavored to take his man by stealth, and, if oppor- 

 tunity offered, would kill him while he slept. 



Single combat, the usual resort in civil quarrel, was frequent. 

 The proceedure at such legal conflic?ts was regulated by the tribal 

 council. The encounters took place, as a rule, between individ- 

 uals, though at times tribal disputes w^ere settled b}- this arbitra- 

 ment between picked men. The chief causes of dispute were those 

 relating to ownership, more particularly to that of women. A par- 

 ticular time was appointed for the contests, generally in summer, 

 and several days were spent by the participants in preparation for 

 the encounter. This was begun in various ways, sometimes at a 

 distance with boomerang and spear, and sometimes at close quar- 

 ters. A usual form of duel was with the unwieldy wooden sword, 

 when blows were deliberately given atid received in turn. A form 

 of shield, to be described later, was especially made for these 

 occasions. The object was not to kill the opponent, but only to 

 effedlually disable him, and the inflicflion of mortal wounds was 

 forbidden and punished by the tribe. During the contest the 

 women, who were often no uninterested spe(5lators, stood near 

 gesticulating and screaming wildly. ITpon their champion being 

 worsted they frequently threw themselves forward with great energy 

 and fiercely endeavored to beat off the attacking foe. The most 



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