2 RECORDS OF THK AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



I.— TRANSPORT. 



1. As a matter of choice, the native will rather wade 

 across a stream than go to the exertion of swimming it, and 

 will often make a comparatively long detour to find a suitable 

 ford. On occasion, the overhanging timber being suitable, he 

 will climb over on the interlacing branches. Sometimes he may 

 effect his purpose by utilising a log that happens to have fallen 

 in the proper direction or to have been purposely placed there, 

 such a natural bridge has a special name given it, and in the 

 case of the Endeavour River Natives is known as walmba, the 

 same term as is applied to the forked limb put against a tree in 

 order to climb it, or to act as a .sort of platform on which to rest, 

 while cutting out a bees' nest, etc. 



Though perhaps occupying country adjacent to the banks of a 

 river, it certainly does not follow that its presence indicates any 

 capability of the local blacks being able to svvim. Doth on the 

 Burke and Georgina Rivers I noticed this peculiarity, which in 

 the latter case was perhaps explical)le by the fact that the lands 

 on the further side were claimed by another tribe, and that 

 consequently the necessity for crossing not having arisen, the art 

 had either not been practiced or had fallen into disuse. 



2. Where natives do know how to swim, the posture assumed 

 varies in different localitie.s, and will be de.scribed when dealing 

 with the whole question of postures generally. If saddled with 

 impedimenta these are carried, according to size, either in the 

 teeth, on the head, or in a bark or dug-out wooden vessel pro- 

 pelled in front of them. When on the head, the weight is often 

 balanced (as is usually the case when the transport is on land) 

 by a head pad (KYI. CKn, mordi), made in the form of a thick 

 circular ring, out of tea-tree bark, or grass; when a vessel is 

 utilised, it is either one of the ordinary domestic water-troughs, 

 " koolamoiis," etc., or else specially made for the occasion out of 

 a length of l)ark tied up at both ends. 



3. When about to cross any large stream, the native, if by 

 himself, will guard against pos.sible accident from crocodile or 

 Rhark, by practising certain auguries, some of which have already 

 been detailed-. When in company, such practices are usually 

 discarded, all his companions swimming across in more or less 

 close formation with a gootl deal of splashing and shouting. 

 Wliere however necessity demands that a known crocodile- 

 infested river has to be crossed, and there is no canoe, the black 

 manages it by diving, a methml which I had an opportiuiity of 



a Roth— Bull. 5— fSect. 104. 



