MESSAGES AND "MESSAGE STICKS."— HAMLYNEAHlilS. 19 



TECHNIQUE. 



The kind of wood used is not of any particular signifieance, since it would 

 probably Ix' selected for its aceonnnodating size. It is interesting to note that 

 amongst the Queensland iluseum specimens the following woods have been 

 used: — Leichhardt pine, white pine, cypress pine, gums of various kinds, 

 blackwood, ironbark, &c.- nibiscus hrachysiphonius or some other soft wood 

 is used in the Gulf district (Hey) ; whereas Both informs us that some such 

 wood as gidyea or tea-tree is frequently used in North-West Central Queensland, 

 and that the name for the message stick among the Kalkadoon simply means 

 " a piece of wood." In the neighbourhood of Dmik Island, so Banfield tells 

 me, " the natives used no particular wood, though they had a preference for 

 wattle, especially that which was reddish in colour." As a rule the sticks 

 remain plain, the use of ochre seeming to be a modern invention, at least so it 

 would appear from the study of the Queensland Museum .specimens; the older 

 variety were rarely if ever ochred, but the more recent the stick, the more 

 ochre has been dalibed on it. This, it seem.s, is also E. J. Banfield 's opinion, 

 who says — ' ' I have no information as to ochres on message sticks, except during 

 current times when it is sought to catch the eyes of collectors; in such ca.ses a 

 white clay, a soft red rock, and a yellowish earth are used with water. I thought 

 that perhaps coral lime might be employed, but I am told not." 



In pre-white days the wood was cut with a .stone implement used somewhat 

 as a saw. The process would of course be slow, but, as we know, time with 

 the native was of no object. The piece of wood once secured was scraped down 

 with shell or stone scrapers. For polishing and obtaining fine edges the sticks 

 were rubbed together luitil the desired end was obtained. 



In some cases Banfield tells me that the leaves of Ficus opposUa were 

 used for polishing, but ordinarily the .shells made the .stick smooth enough. 



QUEENSLAND MESSAGE STICKS. 



Text-figure 2. 



The obverse and reverse sides of a message stick from tlie Burdekin River, Queensland. 



(No. 970; HO mm. x 17 mm.) 



* No specific names of these can be given. 



