210 



The Aborigines of the Upper and Middle 

 FiNKE River : Their Habits and Customs, 

 WITH Introductory Notes on the Physical 

 AND Natural-history Features of the 

 Country. 



By Rev. Louis Schulze, Missionary. 



(Communicated hy the Honorary Secretary.) 



TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN MANUSCRIPT BY J. G. 0. TEPPER. 



[Read April 7, 1891.] 



CONTENTS. 

 I. The Country. 

 1. Physical Features and Soil. 3. Natural Products- 



1. THE COUNTRY. 



1. Physical Features and Soil. 



The basin of the upper and middle River Finke is situated 

 between the 23° and 25° S. lat. and 132°-134° E. long. It is an 

 undulating plateau, gradually rising from north to south, and 

 crossed by two main ridge-like ranges. There are several minor 

 ones as well as isolated mountains, as, for example, the Water- 

 house Ranges in the east, the Gosse Ranges in the west, ttc, but 

 which are virtually offshoots of tJie main chains. The northern 

 range, called Merena by the natives, is the more lofty, its highest 

 peak being said to be 3,800 feet above sea-level. At a distance, 

 Avhen viewed from the south, it presents a majestic appearance, 

 but on a nearer approach this impression vanishes, owing to the 

 gradual elevation of the intervening country. This range forms 



