BLACK TRACKERS. 41 



In some parts the blacks themselves, when attacking 

 their enemies by stealth at night, wear a sort of shoe 

 which they call kooditcha invisible spirit. The soles 

 are made of the feathers of the emu, stuck together 

 with human blood, which the maker is said to take 

 from his arm. They are about an inch and a half 

 thick. 



The uppers are nets made of human hair. The 

 objects of these shoes is to prevent those who wear 

 them from being tracked and pursued after a night 

 attack. It is only on the softest ground they leave any 

 mark, and even then is impossible to distinguish the 

 heel from the toe. 



The blacks say that they can track any thing that 

 walks, except a man shod with kooditcha. 



One of these fellows, walking over short grass, will 

 tell you at a glance whether a kangaroo or a rabbit 

 has been feeding there during the night. All he may 

 see is the mark on the grass left by the animal's teeth. 

 He knows by the shape of the bite the kind of animal. 



In seeking the opossum, which sleeps in hollow trees, 

 during the day, like the raccoon, prowling only at 

 night, he examines the bark, and will tell you at once 

 whether an opossum has lately ascended. 



