460 A. C. Stone: 



spears (" Charram "'), which were exchanged for grinding and 

 tomahawk stones or other raw material, which could not be 

 found in the district, and which was necessary for hunting or 

 decoration. In the Boga district large quantities of small 

 pieces of quartz (" Baatch ") are to be found, which were no 

 doubt Ijrought a very long way, and exchanged from tribe to 

 tribe. These pieces of quai'tz were used to tip spears, and to 

 form the jags, for knives and scrapers to scrape and carve 

 wood, rugs, etc. Small pieces have been found with gold in 

 them. The sources were possibly St. Arnaud, Bendigo and 

 Raywood. 



Canoes, and Their Use and Manufacture. 



The district surrounding Lage Boga is peculiarly adapted 

 to the use of canoes, in consequence of the numerous lakes 

 in the locality, and the Little and big Murray Rivers. The 

 Gourrmjayuk were adepts in the arts of fishing, and used 

 nets of various patterns to effect their purpose, and of course 

 canoes came in for the purpose of running the nets, and 

 approaching fish-spearing grounds, also in the pursuit of native 

 game on both land and water. 



The canoe was made of one sheet of generally red gum bark, 

 stripped from the tree by the aid of the native tomahawk and 

 wedges. Two logs were then laid on the ground parallel and 

 at a distance of a foot or two ; two more logs were then laid 

 across them parallel, and at the required distance ; the sheet 

 of bark was laid upon the logs, and a fire of paper-bark and 

 grass was placed on the bark, for the purpose of curling up the 

 sides and ends, and also to toughen the canoe for its future 

 hard work ; heavy stones were placed where required to help 

 shape the canoe. This process w^as continued for perhaps a 

 week, or luitil such times that the canoe conformed to the 

 desires of the builder. The last process was the plastering of 

 the whole of the inside of the canoe with clay or mud to render 

 the whole waterjiroof. No seat was used, and the means of pro- 

 pulsion was either a flattened stick or the three-pronged 

 paddle, which was also used for the purpose of locating fish. 



The canoes varied in length from 5 ft. to 10 ft. and over, 

 and carried from one to four men. 



