350 



HAMMERS. KNIVES. SPEARS. 



FIG. 148. A very similar inventory is given by Capt. Grey, 

 who adds, however, a flat stone to pound roots with.* 

 They have also stone hatchets, hammers, knives, pieces 

 of flint, and sticks to dig up roots. The hammer 

 is used for killing seals or other animals, and for 

 breaking open shell-fish. The handle is from twelve 

 to fifteen inches long, pointed at one end, and having 

 on each side at the other a hard stone fastened on 

 by a mass of gum. The knives have a similar 

 handle, and at the end a few splinters of quartz or 

 flint, arranged in a row and stuck on with gum in 

 the same manner. 



The natives of Botany Bay had fish-hooks, but no 

 nets ; on the contrary, Capt. Grey, in describing 

 those of Western Australia, mentions nets, but not 

 hooks ; and, according to Dampier, the natives 

 of the north-west had "na instruments to catch 

 great fish." Those seen by King were also 

 without hooks or nets.f Throughout the conti- 

 nent they were ignorant both of slings and bows 

 and arrows. On the other hand they had spears, 

 clubs (fig. 148), shields, and two very peculiar 

 instruments, namely, the throwing stick and the 

 boomerang (fig. 149). The spear, however, is their 

 national weapon. These " are about ten feet long, 

 and very slender, made of cane or wood, tapering to 

 a point, which is barbed. They are light, and one 

 would scarcely be inclined to believe that they could 

 be darted with any force : nor could they, without 

 the aid of the wummera, a straight flat stick, three 

 feet in length, terminating in a socket of bone or 

 hide, into which the end of the spear is fixed. The 

 wummera is grasped in the right hand by three 

 * I.e. p. 266. f I.e. vol. ii., p. 137 



