ABORIGINAL BURIAL RITES. 539 
ABORIGINAL BURIAL RITES. 
By Wo. FREEMAN. 
[ Abstract. | 
Berore the Ethnology and Anthropology section, Mr. Wm. 
Freeman, of Bourke, N.S.W., read a paper, entitled “A 
few notes of Burial and Mourning Rites of the Aborigines 
of Western Division of New South Wales, River Darling 
localities. Description of an Aborigines’ Rockwell.” Mr. 
Freeman produced in illustration of his paper several 
unique and valuable ethnological specimens, which he is 
donating to the local Museum, stating that he is indebted 
to Mr. McInerney, of Lower Budda, Darling River, about 
150 miles below Bourke, for the specimens and for 
much of his information. According to reliable testimony, 
heavy widows’ mourning caps, such as produced, respec- 
tively in weight 11lb. loz. and 7lb. loz., were worn during 
the periods of mourning, two to four weeks. The material 
is kopi, or gypsum, placed on the widow’s head in a plastic 
condition, the marks of the fibre, or rush nets, worn over 
the aboriginal woman’s hair, being well defined. Women 
with obligation to wear such head-gear had ample occasion 
to mourn, and well might a widow wearing such a cap, 
with streaks of gypsum drainings on her face and neck 
from recent additions, say. to Mr. Freeman’s informant: 
‘Poor fellow me.”’ This some 25 years back. The remain- 
ing aboriginals are demoralised, disregard ancient rites, 
and seem to lose old traditions. On a grave near his home 
Mr. McInerney found several widows’ caps and other 
relics, including a fine prepared horn record stone (pro- 
duced) of exceeding hardness, in length 17 in., greatest 
thickness 34in. The markings on this stone are stated to 
be record of burials of 49 adults and 12 children. Seven- 
teen miles W.N.W. from the village of Filfra, on the Dar- 
ling, and 22 miles northerly from Lower Budda, an artesian 
well lease, 11,228, there is an extensive ancient cemetery, 
recently exposed by the action of simooms, locally known 
as ‘Darling showers.” Large trees had grown over the 
graves, and now, with about from four to ten feet of the 
top soil blown away, roots of these trees are exposed. In 
ancient cemeteries in the district aborigines are buried 
heads to the west, faces down, legs doubled back, ligatures 
severed, shin bones laid alongside thigh bones. Mr. Free- 
man also made reference to a rock-well excavated by abor- 
igines. It is about 15 miles easterly from the village of 
