NO RECOGNISED CHIErTAINSHIP. 27 



or the tuber of a wild 3'am (Dioscorea btdbifcra), 

 cut into small pieces^ and Avell steeped in water to 

 remove its bitter taste. 



Among- the edible fruits of Cape York I may 

 mention the leara, a species of Anacardium or 

 cashew nut (the lurgala of Port Essing-ton), which 

 after being* well roasted to destroy its acridity has 

 somewhat the taste of a filbert^ — the eldri (a species 

 of Walh'otliia')^ the size of an apricot^ soft and 

 mealy^ with a nearly insipid but slightly mawkish 

 taste^ — n'obar, the small^ red^ mealy fruit of Mi- 

 musops KmiMi, — and the aplga (a species oi Eugenia), 

 a red^ apple-like fruity the pericarp of vrhich has 

 a pleasantly acid taste. The fruit of two species of 

 pandanus yields a sweet mucilag-e when sucked, 

 and imparts it to water in which it has been soaked, 

 after which it is broken up betw^een two stones, and 

 the kernels are extracted and eaten. 



Throughout Australia and Torres Strait, the exist- 

 ence of chieftainship, either hereditarj- or acquired, 

 has in no instance of Avhich I am aware been 

 clearly proved : yet in each community there are 

 certain indi^dduals ^^ho exercise an influence over 

 the others Avliich Europeans are apt to mistake for 

 real authorit}' . These so-called chiefs, are generally 

 elderly men, who from prowess in war, force of 

 character, or acknowledged sagacity, are allowed to 

 take the lead in everything relating to the tribe. 

 In Torres Strait such people are generally the 

 o\\ ners of large canoes, and several wives ; and in 



