239 



59. They will accept no compensation, but will be avenged. 

 Of course mistakes are made, and sometimes the murder goes 

 unavenged ; but they are like blood hounds when once on the 

 track. 



60. A murderer is not considered unclean ; but, with his own 

 tribe, he is lather made much of. A murder, as they understand 

 the term, is not of frequent occurrence. 



Property and Inheritance. 

 61-G4. After the death of a chief, his eldest son assumes the 

 position and, if he should not have arrived at puberty, an old 

 warrior is selected to act until the son has gone through the 

 ordeal. Even then he has very little power, and very little 

 attention is paid to him until he has proved himself worthy of 

 the position. They have no property, except the piece of country 

 on which they were born. The installation of a new chief is 

 always a ceremony of importance. A circle is formed, as in the 

 case of the ceremony at puberty, and the chief-elect is led into 

 the circle, with his head completely covered. All those in 

 attendance (no women or children are allowed) begin a corroboree, 

 first chanting the many good qualities of their old chief, and 

 gradually coming round to the many things expected of the new, 

 who is then and there acknowledged to be their head man. He 

 is presented with a " Narleega " (throwing stick), which is carved 

 and painted very gaudily. The newly-made chief is then un- 

 covered. He assumes command, and orders a cor-roboree and 

 dance, which is continued all night. He wears no distinctive 

 dress, and a stranger would not know who was the chief. 



Fire. 



65. Fire is obtained by friction of one piece of wood against 

 another. The horizontal piece is held under the foot, while the 

 perpendicular piece is twirled quickly round between the jDalms 

 of the hands with a downward pressure. As soon as smoke is 

 observed, the operator takes from his hair (kejDt there for the 

 purpose) a piece of wax mixed ^ith fat, about the size of a pea, 

 drops it into the hole made in the horizontal stick, and again 

 twirls the other stick round, with the result that a line smoulder- 

 ing powder is produced, which, being shaken into dry grass or 

 bark and vigorously blown, soon kindles into a flame. I have 

 seen them produce fire in two minutes, 



66. Fires are never extinguished, unless it is to throw 

 pursuers off the track ; on the other hand, they will, if very 

 closely pursued and the country is dry, light fires all round to 

 burn the grass, and get away unseen in the smoke. 



67. They have no superstition about fire, or story of its 

 orioin. 



