19,2 Manners and Customs of the Australian Natives, 



grief, and being snperstitious at the same time ; considering 

 all these points^ it is not so much to he wondered at that 

 they should seek for the cause without the region of human 

 influences. The aborigines have many other superstitious 

 ideaSj and although not possessing such a dangerous tendency 

 as the one above quoted^ still such take hold of the imagina- 

 tion with a pernicious and undue strength. It is asserted 

 that far distant tribes^ viz., Kukatas, have the power to pro- 

 duce strong rain, intolerable heat, and barrenness, in conse- 

 quence of which famine arises, and causes the other tribes to 

 be snatched from this life en masse. It is worthy of remark 

 that from the north-west, where the Kukatas camp, come 

 in winter the most severe rain and in summer the terrible 

 hot winds which make the ground arid and dries up all 

 vegetation. A comet, or any other atmospheric meteor, is 

 looked upon as a sure sign of death. Upon the appearance 

 of the great comet in 1843 they were so overcome by fright 

 and consternation, that they sought refuge in caves. The 

 inhabitants of Port Lincoln have a mass of superstitions, in- 

 herited from their forefathers, in the highest degree impro- 

 bable and monstrous, as we shall perceive from a few cases 

 before us. 



Pulyalanna was a great man, who died many years ago, 

 and who had benefited his successors by having given names 

 to the southern and western parts of the land, names they 

 still retain at the present time. It happened unfortunately 

 for him, however, that his two wives ran away from him, a 

 circumstance that in no wise improved his temper. After a 

 long and fruitless search he discovered their trail, and, fol- 

 lowing it up, he overtook them near Cape Catastrophe, and 

 murdered them both, together with their children. They 

 were then transformed into stone, and are to be seen at the 

 present time in the middle of the sea, in the shape of islands 

 and rocks. Their sighs can also be heard in a holloAv rock 

 through Avliich the waves sometimes beat. Pulyalanna him- 

 self was, later on, taken near Point Isaac into the air, or into 

 heaven, where he still remains in an angry mood. When 

 he is excited, he raves and storms in the clouds, and produces 

 thunder. He has been depicted as armed Avith clubs, Avith 

 Avhich he especially hits the pardnapas, and often with so 

 true an aim, that he severs them in twain, and legs and 

 bodies fly in diiferent directions. Some of the old aborigines 

 once prayed him to spare the pardnapas, and to destroy in- 

 stead the she-oaks, which to this day bear the marks of his 



