32 



MEMOmS OF THE Qi-EEXSLA.\D MUSEUM. 



pine; the lines are cut deeply and in-et,nilarly. The obvei'se surface is convex. 

 and has a number of zigzag witli four deeply cut lines in the centre, and on the 

 side fifteen notches. Tlie reverse surface is flat. 



RtVERSE. 



Text-flgure 27. 



A vei-.v rougbly made pine message stick from Mountain Croek, Northern Territory. 



(No. E. 11/16/4; 11.5 mm. x 14 mm. Collected by Mr. M. J. Colelough.) 



Jlessage unknown. 



Text-figure 28. 



A message stick from tlic Xortliern Territory (Ho|ic'r Kiver). 

 (No. E. 11/16/3; 181 mm. x 17 mm. Collected by Mr. M. J. Colelough.) 



A definite message aeeoniit.-inicd this stick', fogetln'i- with three war-spears, 

 specially made and very straight. The nie.s.sage was something to this effect: — 

 A l)rother sends warning to his lirothcr (l)y a tlurd person) about a coming 

 foe, who had .set out to spear him owing to a Hglit over a lidu'a, and who was 

 a[(])i-oaehiiig by a given route. Owing to the wet season and the fact that the 

 whole country was in Hood (" big fella wata") it would take four moons to 

 cover the jdiii'ni'N'. 



The stiek, which is made of Leichhardt i)ine, is covered with significant 

 marks. On the ojjver.st! side the Hood-waters .-U'e indicated by a dei^p gash, 

 whilst the fonr moons are enclosed in a eirch' by themselves. On tiie I'everse 

 three lines evidently refer to the three spears which accompanied the messenger. 

 For the remainder, the zigzags with their number and variety cover the surface 

 of the stick with the exeei)tion of the two ends, which are unmarked. 



