NOTES ON THE ABORIGINALS, ETC., 



49 



turtle, while Billy, with a stick for a gun, acted as sportsman. 

 The rest danced round in a circle and joined in the jinale. 

 Another production of Billy's : mimicked the antics of a party 

 of Chinamen attacked by sharks while fishing near shore. 



Among these people no less than three dialects were spoken. 

 The few from the mainland belonged to the Koobenpul tribe, and 

 called their language " tchandi " or " jandi. " 



The Stradbrooke people were the " Choochibbmehally" tribe 

 and spoke " Moonjan." The Moreton Islanders were the " Boor- 

 gammay " tribe and spoke " Go war." The two first are very 

 much alike and resemble the Yuggera oi the Yerongpan tribe, 

 Bouth-west of Brisbane ; but the latter, Gowar, is very distinct. 

 In each case the word given is the negative or "No " of the 

 language. The following will show, to a certain extent, these 

 variations : — 



When a language has no written standards, it must be very 

 subject to variation. Still, it is difficult to understand the amount 

 of variation which the dialects of the aboriginals in the district of 

 Moreton Bay has sustanied. The specimens given will serve to 

 show the great difterences which may be arrived at in a short 

 distance. Very strangely some words, for no reason which I can 



