240 



Food. 



68. They eat almost everything in the shape of animal food. 

 Crocodiles (Crocodilus porosus) are the only reptiles that they 

 will not eat, and they would rather resort to eating each other 

 than touch their flesh. The much smaller Gavial (Philas 

 Johnstoni), found on fresh -water lagoons and at the heads 

 of the rivers, is quite harmless, and of its flesh the abor- 

 iginal male adults are very fond. They believe that if any of 

 them eat the flesh of the large crocodile, they will pine away and 

 die ; and I know of no tribe amongst whicli its flesh is eaten. 



69. Men and women eat together seated round the fire. 

 70-71. Children eat with their parents, except when they get 



shell-fish. These they cook and eat by themselves ; but in the 

 case of game or fish being brought in, the women do the cooking, 

 and the children get their share. 



72-75. Cannibalism is practised among some of the tribes. They 

 sometimes eat a child that has died, but they never kill a child to 

 eat the flesh ; and it is only in the case of the death of a young 

 boy or girl that they practise cannibalism. Adults they do not 

 eat, and the mother of a child never partakes of its flesh — in fact, 

 neither women nor children practise it at all, and male adults only 

 when they are extremely hungry, and cannot get animal food ; 

 even then it is done in a stealthy manner, and with as little show 

 as possible. 



76. The bones of a child that has lieen eaten are given to the 

 mother, who carries them about with her for some considerable 

 time, in order to prevent the anger of " Gnabya," or the ghost of 

 the departed child, who visits the camp. After the mother 

 thinks she can deposit the bones in safety, she will do so by 

 putting them into a hollow log, and placing the same in some 

 secluded tree or cave. 



77. Immediately on killing a kangaroo they sometimes drink 

 the blood. 



78. In the case of the flooding of a w^oman, they will not even 

 look at her ; but this very seldom occurs, and is the only instance 

 in which blood is abhorrent. AVomen have no objection, or are 

 they forbidden, to see the blood of men. 



79. Fasting is only practised when want compels. If they 

 suffer from indigestion, they start a corroboree and dance. 



80. The omental fat of the kangaroo is eaten by the slayer, and a 

 portion of it rubbed on his body ; tliis is supposed to strengthen 

 the sinews. AVomen are forbidden to eat flying foxes fPteropusJ, 

 for if they do so all the flying foxes will leave the locality. They 

 have no idea that they will acquire the qualities of certain 

 animals by eating their flesh. 



d 



