TARANNA. 



323 



bark of the " Stringy Bark" tree for thread, by 

 first perforating holes in it with a sharp" piece of 

 bone, and then passing the thread through the 

 holes as he proceeded. I asked him some ques- 

 tions, and then gave him a piece of tobacco : he 

 asked for two piece tobacco, because " I merry 

 busy, and you ask me much," said blackee. 



I visited " Northwood," (distant about six 

 miles from the Plains,) the neat farm of Mr. 

 Francis M 'Arthur, and afterwards rode across 

 the plains to Dr. Gibson's farm, at Taranna, 

 which is situated near the " Soldier's Flat ; " this 

 latter place consists of several small farms, of 

 about a hundred acres eacli, which were granted 

 by government to the discharged veterans. There 

 were small bark huts erected upon the grants, 

 and several ripe fields of grain and vegetable 

 gardens about them. 



The numerals among the aboriginaF tribes 

 of Goulburn Plains are as follows. One, Me- 

 tong ; — Two, Bulla ; — Three, Bulla, metong ; — 

 Plenty, Nerang and Gorong. 



Christmas Day is regarded as a festival by 

 the blacks who live near the habitations of the 

 white men, it being customary at this period 

 for the settlers to distribute among them provisions 

 and spirits, with which they contrive to render 



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