382 AUSTRALASIA. 



towards the rising sun, and a fire is then kindled near the grave to scare away the 

 evil spirits. In the York Peninsula they are placed on the headlands, and a 

 terrace on a rocky islet at the very extremity of Cape York is covered with an 

 enormous pile of skulls enclosed by a fence of stones and surmounted by a stout 

 bamboo cane. No more solemn site or more in harmony with a deep poetic senti- 

 ment could have been chosen for the necropolis of the community. 



Amongst numerous tribes, especially in the northern regions, the mother cuts 

 off a finger at the death of each child. Elsewhere the obsequies are accompanied 

 by cannibal scenes. When a man dies young or through old age his nearest and 

 dearest consider themselves bound to eat him in proof of their affection. In South 

 Australia, also, the child dying of any illness is devoured, the mother taking the 

 head in the hope of thus restoring the lost one to life ; but in other tribes she is 

 condemned to keep with her the dead body of her child for months together. A 

 common practice is also that of consuming the enemy killed in battle, the motive 

 being to acquire their strength and valour, and to prevent their shades from 

 aveno-ing their death. But in order to achieve this object all that is needed in 

 certain districts is to eat the kidney fat, which is regarded as the seat of the soul. 

 Elsewhere the same purpose is secured merely by consuming the eyes, in which 

 shone the rage of battle. 



The Australians believe in charms, incantations, and miracles. No malady but 

 has been caused by some hostile magician ; no cure but has been effected by a 

 beneficent wizard. The universe is full of spirits and genii, some wandering 

 about in pain and seeking to reoccupy some new body, others animating the trees 

 and rocks, heaven itself, the storm, clouds, and stars. But the natives do not 

 appear to have idols properly so called, though all their surroundings are objects 

 of worship ; in everything they see some formidable or benevolent being, who 

 must be invoked to appease his wrath or secure his aid. The moon-god especially 

 seems to be a potent deity, more powerful than the sun- goddess; for he is born 

 again each month to beget the stars, trees, animals, and men. Thanks to the 

 action of the Christian missionaries the various national myths have gradually 

 assumed a certain biblical aspect, so that some writers have discovered a distant 

 resemblance between them and the Mosaic records 



Few Australian tribes show even the rudiments of a state in their political 

 organisation. Amongst these mention is made of the Narrinyery people of Murray 

 River, who, according to Taplin, have elective " kings " assisted by a council of 

 elders ; but such constitutions are rare, and their existence is absolutely denied by 

 Curr. In any case each head of a family has almost complete control over the 

 destinies of his domestic group. Doubtless the halyas, or sorcerers, exercise great 

 influence, and this influence combined with that of age at times secures them real 

 political power. But these are all exceptional cases, and it seems safe to assert 

 that there is at all events no transmission of authority from father to son or through 

 the female line in any Australian community. 



The universal rule is equality of rights for each family as well as for each 

 tribe. In time of peace all were held to be of equal worth ; but in the course of 



