QUEENSLAND ETHNOLOGICAL NOTES.— HAMLYN-HAMMIS. 9 



PENDANT CHARMS. 



It seems to have been a somewhat popular practice in the Cape York Peninsula 

 to make pendant cliaiins principally with gum cement, and in those regions which 

 have been under Papuan influence it is customary to find them ornamented w'th the 

 seeds of Abrus precatorius. Several of these are in the Queensland Museum collections 

 which require to be noted. One specimen consists of a long rope of liuman hair 



Text -figure 3. 



A numljer of Charms made of the branchiostegal rays of the eel mounted in gimi cement. 

 Atheiton District. (Q. E. 15/715-718.) 



It would appear that these were in use by young boys when being initiated into manliood. 

 They are worn hanging on the chest, and the opposing tribe is supposed to throw spears at them 

 during the ceremonies. The native name is " Walc-kee." 



wound roinid with cord, ending in a fusiform mass of gum cement in wliich Abrus 

 seeds are embedded. The whole is worn suspended by a brown cord around the 

 neck (Q. E. 14/582). This specimen was obtained at Normanton and measures 

 265 mm. (Plate IX, fig. C.) 



Two further interesting examples are recorded from Cape York (exact locality 

 unknown). These are completely enveloped in gum cement suspended by cords. 

 The presence of one Abrus seed in one of these suggests the abandonment of further 

 decoration to have been an afterthought (Q. E. 16/909 — Plate IX, figs. A and B. 

 A measures 140 mm., B measures 168 mm. in length). 



In this respect it is interesting to record that on the Pennefather River the 

 navel-string (Xggerikudi, " Anombite") is covered with beeswax into which the 

 Abrus precatorius seeds are stuck, the article (luider the same name) being fixed 

 at one extremity to a looj) : the grandfather carried this slung from over the forehead 

 so as to hang between the shoulders, until the cliild from whom it has been taken 

 is able to walk, when it is buried. So long as it is thus carried about the child grows 

 quickly and healthy, but should death befall it it is burnt. ^ 



' On the authority of W. E. Roth. Consult N. Q. Ethnography, Bull. No. 5, para. 151. 



