74 NDTKS ON THK HUNTINC STICKS. ETC. 



It is very probable that at first any stick of sliort 

 length, just as picked n]> on the ground, was suitable, later 

 on the ends were pointed, and one end was notched to en- 

 sui'e a iirmer grip. It was probably soon discovered — 

 though appartntlv the Tasmanians never made the discov- 

 ery, or, if they did, never turned it to a practical use — that 

 curved sticks were more suitable to be thrown with a rota- 

 toiy motion than straight ones. This curved stick was cap- 

 able of many improvements, without losing its character as 

 a missile, notably with regard to its thickness; instead of 

 being round like the primitive iu.sti-umcnt it was flattened, 

 and the natural result was the boomerang (11), or instini- 

 nients like it. It is, therefore, hardly astonishing to find 

 boomerang-like instruments pictured by the ancient Egyp- 

 tians, or the similarly-looking trombash made of iron, and 

 used by the negroes of Central Africa up to the present day. 

 All these instruments represent nothing else but highly 

 specialised forms of the primitive human implement, the 

 lughrana or hunting stick. This view is certainly more 

 plausible and probable than to assume that there is in 

 Australia a race of men of Indo-European origin, and that 

 the boomei'ang was one of the weapons introduced by this 

 race into Australia (12)." 



It is very interesting to note, that while the Central 

 Africcin negroes substituted iron for wood, thus producing 

 a very effective weapon, the Australian natives have only 

 Cjuito lately learnt to use metal in the manufacture of the 

 boomerang. A paragraph in a weekly paper published in 

 Svdney, seems to indicate that the Clarence River tribe on 

 the Orara (N.S.W.) use strips of tin-plate in the manufac- 

 ture of bocmcrangs (13). Of course, this statement requires 

 further confirmation, but, if true, it would mean another 

 interesting stage in the evolution of man's primitive instru- 

 ment. 



(11) Brough Smyth (Aborigines of Viotoiia. vol. T.. page 311, lins con- 

 cUisivelv shown lliat lliat type of the bnonierang, llie woriKuin. which 

 returns"to the feet of the thrower, is "usually regarded as a playlhing." 

 though It Is occasionfilly used in battle, and sometimes for kllline 

 birds and small animals, it is not so handy as the short sticl< named 

 konnung. and on page 302 Brough Smyth says: "-.V weapon of very simi- 

 lar chararter was in use amongst the natives of Tasmania. 



The l)arn-Keet, the war-boomerang, used In battle does not come 

 back t) tlie tlirower. 



(12) Ferguson, on the antiquity of the klllee, or boomerang Transact. 

 Roval Irish Academy, 1838. (I quote from Brough Smyth), as I have been 

 unable to obtain this paper In Hobart). 



(13) "Yalgun." Seen the tinerang yet? T have— among the rem- 

 nant of a Clarence Uiver (N.S.W.) tribe on the Orara. Billy cadges the 

 raw material, wliich ccmsists of a strip of tin plate from tlie local 

 canning works, and having twisted the goods into tlie roqiiired shape, 

 he does the same old tricks with It as he does with Us woori.en brother, 

 the boomerang.— "The Bulletin," Vol. 32, No. 1,628, April 27. 1911, page 

 14. 



