NOTES OF SAVAGE LIFE IN THE EARLY DAYS 

 OF WEST AUSTRALIAN SETTLEMENT. 



(Plates V. and VI.) 



(Based on reminiscences collected from F. Robert Austin, Civil 

 Encfineer, late Assistant Surveyor, W.A., late Sergeant-at-Arms 

 Parliament of Queensland, discoverer of the Kimherley Goldfields, 

 W.A.) 



By WAIiTER E. ROTH, M.R.C.S., B.A., Oxon. 



Northern Protector of Aboriginals, Q. ; Corresponding 

 Member of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 



[Read before the Royal Society of Queensland 8th March, 1902.] 



The following notes deal with an account of a tribe occupy- 

 ing the country around Port Leschenhault, Koombana Bay — 

 where Bunbury now stands — lat. about 30 deg. 30 min. south, 

 long. 116 deg. east — in the district of Wellington, Western Aus- 

 tralia. The back country here in the years 1841-3, to which 

 times these reminiscences refer, was known to the natives as 

 i-lap. On the coast the nature of the soil was sandy, although 

 further inland it was rich, fertile, and well watered ; all around 

 were large areas of Zamia,* a plant which there attained a very 

 great size. The surrounding country, at this time, had only 

 been settled about eleven years previously. 



The habitual posture of sleep was lying on the back, but, 

 as a rule, the head was not raised. A very common position of 

 standing was, in the case of the men, with the sole of one foot 

 resting upon the area just below the opposite knee, the hand, 

 corresponding to the raised leg, being supported on a spear. In 

 walking the foot was very straight ; in those cases where it 

 was turned outwards it was noticeable and characteristic, espe- 



* Macrozamia Fraseri, Miq. 



