BY WALTER E, ROTH, M.R.C.S., B.A., OXON. 58 



snake, or iguana inhabiting it. They would naturally be averse 

 to bathing in such localities, or if they did, would never ven- 

 ture far from shore. From cross-examination on different 

 occasions, Austin was led to the conclusion that individuals 

 having been now and again drowned at these places accounted 

 for the superstition — a phenomenon that he could not otherwise 

 explain, 



Tribes were not named after any animal, but children at 

 the time of birth would be named after a particular animal, 

 some circumstance in connection with which may have im- 

 pressed the mind of the mother, either during pregnancy or 

 about confinement. This was the name by which the child as 

 he grew up was referred to in ordinary general conversation. 

 Anyone so named would not, at certain seasons of the year, 

 partake of his patron-animal, and this quite independently of, 

 and additional to, the special dietaries otherwise prescribed for 

 him by tribal usage. 



There was no worship of gods of any description, and the 

 idea of a Creator of all things was conspicuously absent ; 

 similarly there was no sign of any diety connected with the sun, 

 moon, stars, or with war. 



Whenever the results of previous experience taught them 

 that game and food were sufficiently plentiful, they sent round 

 word to tbeir neighbours to come help partake of it. Such an 

 occurrence would be the occasion of what might be called a 

 festival, when songs would be sung, friendships made and 

 cemented, and corrobborees performed. So also when the 

 nose-borijg of the males took place — the actual operation being 

 performed secretly in the daytime — the opportunity was made 

 a festive occasion of so many people being present. Otherwise, 

 even at the birth of a child, or at marriage, no festivities helped 

 to mark the event. There was never any festival of a religious 

 character, and nothing in the shape of prayer or sacrifice. 



On the death of a friend, the women (especially the wife 

 and family of the deceased) would, with their finger nails, cut 

 deep gashes in their foreheads and cheeks, pipe-claying in 

 addition the former portion of the face. The men used to 

 whiten the forehead simply. 



Women were considered impure and unclean during the 

 menstrual period, when they sat apart at a separate fire. 



The position of the corpse, when doubled up before covering 

 over with earth, was invariably towards the east. 



