518 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



eaten to make them strong. A corrobboree (dance) is held before 

 the feast, and wlien all is over the koolaman is burnt. 



Pituri, or native tobacco, is obtained from Sandringham, in 

 Queensland, and is chewed by both men and women. It is pre- 

 pared by burning the leaves of the gidyea bush, the ashes being 

 carefully gathered up and mixed with the pituri, which has been 

 previously chewed. The mixture is then passed from one to the 

 other. 



Fish are caught by means of a large net, about 20ft. by 10ft., 

 made of native flax. At each end is fastened a long stick. Two 

 blackfellow^s take the net — one at each end — and, with the net 

 stretched out to its full length, swim quietly and slowly across a 

 waterhoie, invariably catching a few fish. When hunting or 

 fishing words are never spoken, all communication with one 

 another being by signs, thus preventing the game from being 

 frightened or disturbed. In order to be a lucky hunter a native 

 will scarify himself across the breast with a piece of sharp bone, 

 and after a successful day's hunting or fishing a corrobboree will be 

 held. The animals or fish are cooked without disembowelling, 

 being placed in the ashes and baked whole. Tht- blackfellows 

 always eat first, the women afterwards. 



IVar. — Before a war is declareti between two tribes a big 

 corrobboree is held, the natives decorating themselves, covering 

 their bodies with alternate rings of red ochre and burnt gypsum. 

 In actual war quarter is never given or accepted. 



Government. — There is no form of Government. The old men of 

 the tribe possess a large amount of power over the younger 

 members from the fact that they perform all the important tribal 

 ceremonies. The old men are supposed to be able to make rain 

 and inflict and cure diseases, and drive away devils (koochoo.) If 

 a blackfellow is ill and suffering from a disease one of the old men 

 takes a mouthful of water and then blows it out of his mouth on 

 to the diseased part of the sick man. The old man then sucks the 

 place, but, before doingr so, secretly puts a piece of red ochre into 

 his mouth ; he then spits out a reddish fluid somewhat resembling 

 blood. In order to make rain the old men cut themselves on the 

 ears and both sides of the face. Rain is also made by the following- 

 ceremony : — Twelve old men sit dov*^n at a small waterhoie and 

 make a large copi ball about lOlbs. in weight. The ball is put into 

 the waterhoie and the twelve men return to the camp. Then one 

 by one they go and have a look at the ball to see if it is dissolved. 

 When it has dissolved it is bound to rain. 



During the winter months they amuse themselves by spinning- 

 round balls made of copi (gypsum) on flat pieces of wood. 



Calculation.— T\\ey can only count up to twenty. Each hand 

 stands for five, the hands and feet combined for twenty. Any 

 further number is signified by signs meaning a mob or many. The 

 age of children is reckoned by so many moons. 



