ABORIGINAL SMOKE SIGNALS. 505 



"bj- this means collecting the scattered members or warriors of the 

 tribe. Finding themselves unable to keep pace with the white man, 

 on the fourth day immense columns of dark smoke were raised in 

 rapid succession along the course of the Sandover River, stretching 

 across a tract of coimtry 100 miles in length, the nearest smoke 

 column being over fifty miles distant. Evidently the river formed 

 the w'estern and southern boundarj* of the tribal teiritor}-, and the 

 natives were informing their friends that the intruder had departed 

 into the territory of the range tribe to the westward. Tliese huge 

 dark columns of smoke rose majestically into the upper air, ulti- 

 mately assuming at the apex a cumulus cloud form, at a height of 

 1,500ft. to 2.000ft. As the smoke column rose from the burning 

 material the color was exceedingly dark. In the upward lush this 

 dark hue was merged into a paler hue, and high aloft info a steamy 

 white : still higher the fiure white continued, till, spreading out as 

 the due point was reached, a huge cloud-form was assumed. This 

 cloud-form reached its maximum altitude right above the smoke 

 column. This rank of giant signals, rushing up so regularly and 

 suddenly, and with such rapidity assuming the graceful foim 

 described, gradually outspread aloft and merged into immense 

 clouds, overshado>\ing the whole horizon. The whole effect was an 

 a]iparent climax of aboriginal spectacular display in demonstration 

 of their joy that their soil was no longer sullied by tiie foot of the 

 stranger. 



(A)— SPIRAL COILS OF THIX PALE (OR OF DARK) SMOKE. 



There are several methods of artificially producing the spiral 

 efi'ect from an ordinary smoke column, though, as hereafter des- 

 cribed, certain peculiarities of vegetable growth produce, when 

 fired, similar effects. 



Powell's Cre-k Tribe. — Native name of signal (jjale smoke), 

 "• Mullagar winlabardin," meaning '• All about, come quick, plenty 

 of kangaroo." Similar coils of dense dark smoke, '" Umbarunnie," 

 mean " Tavo men come quick, help cai-vy game." 



Bdrrow ( 'rck Tribe. — A thin pale coil of spiral smoke — a 

 husband notifies that his lubra is dead. Manner of producing the 

 signal — a circidar fire of grass, with a large log of wood in the 

 centre, is constructed, having a train (for use in lighting the fire) 

 leading away fiom the material for the fire, about twelve yards in 

 length. This f' rm of signal is generally raised in scrub and close 

 to a white gum tree. 



Tennanfs Creek Tribe.— A dark spiral coil. Native name of the 

 signal, " Talla paramunda," meaning " We are travelling and hunt- 

 ing-" 



Port Darivin Tribe. — Signal of pale color. "^-'In 18ti9, when the 

 survey of tlie Port Darwin country was in progress, and only a 

 small portion of the men were at Fort Point main camp, the officer 



• G. W. Gortlei-, Esq., C.M.G., Siiiveyoi-Ge-.ieral, Ailelauie, .S.A. 



