2o7 



Here is a case in point. A young girl who had been with us 

 from a child — the best girl, in fact, on the station — wished to 

 see me about some trouble or other. She was afraid of the wild 

 blacks ; so was I, in her interest. I strongly advised her to 

 marry. She laughed, and said she would rather remain free. I 

 told her this could not be ; she was growing too big — we had yet 

 no nuns on the station — for I verily believe her desires went in 

 this direction. I reminded her that there were several eligible 

 young Christians from v/hom she might choose. At last she gave 

 me to understand that if it needs must be so, there was one 

 young man to whom she would not object. I innocently advised 

 her to toll him so. Then T was surprised indeed. She was 

 horrified, and positively blushed — for blacks can blush. Such a 

 thing could not be thought of, she said ; he must speak first. All 

 I could oVjtain was permission to let the young man know the 

 coast was clear, for his ambition would not have gone so high. 

 This I did, and before many days I found they were engaged. I 

 afterwards married them. They are a happy couple, and have 

 their little farm. Of course, I am now their father ; but they 

 have a special v.^ord signifying father in this relationship, and in 

 speaking to them I should not say simply child, but should use 

 the term which is correlative to that used by them when address- 

 ing me. 



Circumcision is practised by all the Daly River tribes. A few 

 refuse to submit to the operation. If able to escape the old men 

 for a few years after the time — about fifteen — for the operation, 

 they are left in peace. But for life tliey will be called Larrikiyas. 

 The Larrikiya is the Port Darwin tribe, who do not circumcise. 

 The mutilation practised on the Victoria and in other places to 

 the south and south-west, T mean the slitting of the penis, is not 

 known on the Daly. I wish to emphasise this fact, for I have 

 heard the contrary maintained by a travelling doctor, whose only 

 proof, given to me, was, " Why, man, T have read a paper on the 

 matter to tlie Royal Society in England." So is history some- 

 times made. 



The women have a curious mutilation. When young girls 

 they remove the two first joints of the right forefinger. The 

 operation is most artistically jDerformed, judging by results. Yet 

 they use no knife or, as when circumcising, sharp stone. They 

 find in the jungles a very strong cobweb, and with a thin skein 

 of this they tie tightly round the joint. The circulation is, of 

 course, stopped, and after a time the dead joints fall off'. This 

 custom is far from universal. 



In great sorrow they shave their heads. 



The natives are undoubtedly cannibals, but then their canni- 

 balism is peculiar and limited. Infanticide is very common, and 



