46 AUSTRALIA AND THE AUSTRALIANS. 



any one feels sore in the chest after sleeping, it is 

 always attributed to the touch of the plongge. 



Ngathungi. This form of sorcery is practised with 

 bones, or remains of animals which have been eaten. 

 A bone of some bird or beast which an enemy has 

 eaten is obtained. This is mixed with grease, red- 

 ochre and human hair. The mass is stuck in a 

 round lump on the end of a skewer of kangaroo's 

 bone, and is then called " ngathungi." When injury is 

 intended against the man who ate the animal from 

 which the bone came, the ball above described is put 

 down before the fire, and as it melts disease is sup- 

 posed to be engendered in the person so bewitched, 

 and if it wholly melts he dies. Any one who knows 

 that another person has ngathungi capable of injuring 

 him, buys it if he can and throws it in the river or 

 lake. This breaks the charm. 



Neilyeri. This is practised by means of a pointed 

 bone. It is scraped to a very fine point. Sometimes 

 an iron point is used. This is poisoned by being 

 stuck into a dead body. Any one wounded by it 

 usually loses a limb or dies. Sometimes this wound 

 is inflicted secretly, when the person is asleep. The 

 bone is kept moist by being wrapped in human hair 

 soaked in liquor from a dead body. The natives are 

 so terribly afraid of neilyeri that they dread even to 



