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performed at a more advanced period of life. The natives firmly 
believe that the operation on the urethra prevents the possibility 
of procreation. My observations here during the past five years 
have supported this view ; although, on the other hand, it has come 
to my knowledge that the lubras of natives of other tribes so 
operated upon have borne children. These blackfellows, however, 
always deny the paternity, and, referring to the child, assert, 
“That one belong another blackfellow ; me no get ’um piccaninny.” 
The women are operated upon when about nine years of age with 
a stone knife, but the nature of the operation is obscure, although 
it mutilates them much. The idea here, also, is that it prevents 
procreation, and as far as my observations go, such lubras have 
never conceived. There is another custom of a revolting nature 
which may be mentioned, and which I have investigated with 
considerable trouble. Old men are often noticed with no lubras, 
but accompanied by one or two boys, whom they jealously guard. 
The impression conveyed at first to my mind was that the men 
were suffering from a form of proctorexia ; but this proved to be 
incorrect upon questioning a communicative and intelligent boy 
belonging to one of these old men, whose statements have since 
been corroborated. By words and gestures the boy was made to 
understand what I thought. He laughed and shook his head, 
and proceeded by a suggestive pantomime to illustrate what took 
place. The old man, when he wished to indulge in the vice, would 
lie down by the fire and beckon a boy to him, and place him in a 
sitting posture in front. Judging from the amount of energy 
displayed by the boy in his description, which he illustrated by 
an occasional spit on the hand, the requisite excitation must be a 
laborious process. Upon my suggesting that the boy was only 
romancing, he at once exhibited an indignation at the idea of his 
word being doubted more virtuous than the language in which it 
was expressed. 
SUPERSTITION.—During my stay in the Newcastle Waters 
country I found the blacks had a curious superstition connected 
with some pieces of crystallized quartz. Coming upon a camp one 
day, I began to examine its contents, and found a large bundle of 
‘“‘paper-bark.” On unrolling it I found parcel inside parcel until 
I came to a very small one containing four or five pieces of 
crystallized quartz. Taking these back to the station, I inquired 
the use of them, and the blacks told me they were called Mowija, 
and were used to kill an enemy by creeping up to him when 
asleep and touching him on the chest with the quartz, after which 
he was certain to die. Taking the stone to the camp, I pretended 
to touch the men with it, which made them look terribly fright- 
ened and run as if for their lives. JI then drew a piece across 
my own chest, and there was a general cry of genuine horror. 
