Flight of Boomerang, 1 59 



the neighbouring trees, afforded all the shelter that was required. 

 Both men and women, especially the latter, seemed to be in a 

 filthy, degraded state. They had just received their yearly gifts 

 of blankets from the Queensland Government — I believe the only 

 return which they receive for the appropriation of their land. It 

 appears, however, that they do not much appreciate the donation, 

 for soon after the general issue many of the blankets are bartered 

 with the whites for tobacco and grog. Some of the young men 

 are really fine-looking fellows, and seemed to feel all the pride of 

 life and liberty as they strutted about encumbered with a variety 

 of their native weapons, among which I saw the nulla, waddy, 

 shield, huge wooden sword, spear without throwing-stick, and 

 different patterns of boomerangs. They are very expert in the use 

 of the latter. It was the first time that I had seen the boomerang 

 thrown, and I can safely say that its performances, when manipu- 

 lated by a skilful hand, fully realized my expectations. I noticed 

 that whatever gyrations it was intended to execute, it was always 

 delivered from the hand of the thrower with its concave side fore- 

 most — a circumstance I was not previously aware of. Some of 

 the children were amusing themselves in practising the art, using 

 instead of the regular boomerang short pieces of rounded stick 

 bent to about the usual angle of the finished weapon ; and I was 

 surprised at noticing that even these rude substitutes could be 

 made to dart forward, wheel in the air, and return to near the 

 feet of the thrower. I had always imagined up to this time that 

 the flat surface was an essential feature in the boomerang. 



The foreshore at low-water afforded us examples of a great 

 many flat Echinoderms of the genus Peronella, Starfishes of the 

 genus Aster acanthus, and Crustaceans of the genera Macrophthal- 

 mus, Matuta, Mycteris, etc. We made several hauls of the dredge 

 in four to five fathoms of water, obtaining a quantity of large 

 Starfishes and Gorgonias, and Crustaceans of the family Porcel- 

 lanidce. 



We left Port Denison on the 24th of May, and continued our 



