70 NOTES ON THE HUNTING STICKS, ETC. 



while a trench was dug in a swamp. The specimen here 

 described is unquestionably the lughrana referred to bv Mr. 

 Morton, as it has quite the appearance of wood that has 

 been under water for a long time and then became exposed 

 to the air, for the surface shows cracks, and along these 

 cracks the wood is slightly raised. Besides these cracks, 

 there are numerous marks and cuts made with a European 

 knife; it almost looks as if the finder had tried to test the 

 hardness or the quality of the wood. 



We will now examine how far the various accounts and 

 descriptions given of the lughrana agree with the actual 

 observations made on the specimens under discussion. The 

 length of the lughrana is stated to be 2 feet bv Henderson 

 (9), 2 feet 6 inches by Thirkell, 2 feet 3 inches by Bligh. and 

 2 feet 6 inches bv Lyne. Only Norman gives the length 

 much smaller, viz.. 1 foot 6 inches; but I feel inclined to be- 

 lieve that he understates the length, because he gives the 

 circumference as 11 inch (38 mm.), a measurement which is 

 undoubtedly too small. These measurements agree exceed- 

 ingly well with the length of the specimens here described, 

 and it may be taken as certain that the length of the lugh- 

 rana probably never exceeded 2 feet 6 inches (760 mm.), 

 though the average length was probably not more than 

 2 feet (608 mm.). 



The thickness is given as 1 inch by Backhouse and 1| 

 inch by Lyne ; this also agrees well with the above measure- 

 ments. It is therefore certain that the lughrana was a 

 short implement, and rather heavy for its size. Backhouse 

 speaks of it as a "short stick brought suddenly to a conical 

 point at each end and at one end a little roughened to keep 

 it from slipping out of the hand." The tapering at both 

 ends is confirmed by Norman and West. Both Thirkell 

 and West point out that one end is roughened or notched, 

 but Norman, who is otherwise so explicit, does not mention 

 this. 



All these accounts agree ver}'- closely with the appear- 

 ance oT specimens Nos. 1 and 2, the only somewhat different 

 description is given by Norman. Caldc further states that 

 it was held by the thinner end, but he docs not say that 

 one end was notched or rough. Now, I hardlv doubt that 

 Calder as well as Norman would have noticed the difference 



(9) All these quotations are taken from Ling noth. Aborigines of 

 Tasmania. 2ncl edition. 1899, pages 65-82, wliere, under the heading 

 "War," numerous references are given. It would be useless to quote 

 again tlie titles of the original booJts, as a full list of literary refer- 

 ences has been given by Ling Koth. 



