40 ni7'cctor' s Avjival Report. 



SPEARS. 



Australia exhibits a great variety of form in its spears, render- 

 ing a simple and satisfadtor}^ classification difficult. This is in- 

 creased b}^ the fact that the same form of weapon may not only, 

 among different tribes, be thrown either with or without the wum- 

 mera — an instrument to be described later — but also that in various 

 distri(fts it ma}- be used for such distinct purposes as that of 

 warfare or the chase. Before the advent of the white man the 

 Australian possessed no fish hooks, and condu(5ted his fishing 

 operations entirel}' with the use of the spear. This custom has 

 given many forms of this weapon, some of which are at times used 

 in warfare, but find no place in this paper. Although the method 

 of propulsion of a spear may at first seem unimportant, it necessi- 

 tates a slight modification in the form of those thrown with the 

 wummera, and in fact constitutes the difference between a true 

 spear and an arrow. A classification of the Australian spears 

 founded upon the different uses, or on the variety of form, is for 

 the above reasons not satisfacftory unless confined to the weapons 

 of a particular tribe. Speaking generally, these weapons fall into 

 two well marked divisions, the hand spears and those propelled by 

 the aid of the wummera. A spear intended for one or other of 

 these two uses is readily distinguished ; but the division, though 

 true of individual specimens, is often arbitrar}' when applied to the 

 various forms. 



HAND SPEARS, TAPERING BUTT. 



The hand spears are charactered by their tapering butt, which 

 renders them unsuited for use with the wummera. They are also 

 generally made of only one piece of wood. 



Unbarbed Hand Spears. — lu its simplest form the hand 

 spear consists of a long cylindrical shaft of a single piece of wood, 

 from 8 ft. to I o ft. in length, and sharpened to a point at the distal 

 extremity. Occasionally a ring of gum-cement is placed towards 

 the point in which to imbed jagged flakes of quartz or similar 

 cutting material. A close inspe(5tion of a specimen may reveal 

 where such a ring has once been. In order to throw the hand 

 spear it is held over the shoulder resting upon the palm of the 

 hand and the thumb, which latter is extended below the shaft of 



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