FIRE. POLYGAMY. SUPERSTITION. 353 



They obtain fire by rubbing together two pieces of wood. 

 The process, however, being one of considerable labor, par- 

 ticularly in damp weather, great care is taken to prevent the 

 fire, when once lighted, from becoming extinguished. For 

 this reason they often carry with them a cone of banksia, 

 which burns slowly like amadou.* 



The Australians observed by Captain Cook had " no idea 

 of traflic, nor," he says, " could we communicate any to 

 them: they received the things which we gave them, but 

 never appeared to understand our signs when we required a 

 return. The same indifference which prevented them from 

 buying what we had, prevented them also from attempting 

 to steal : if they had coveted more, they would have been 

 less honest." f In other parts, however, they are more ad- 

 vanced in this respect. Yarious kinds of pigments, feathers, 

 shells, implements, and especially flints,, are the principal 

 articles of barter. 



Polygamy is permitted ; but a man who takes more than 

 two wives is looked upon as a selfish and unreasonable per- 

 son. If a married man dies, his brother inherits the wife, 

 who " goes to her second husband's hut three days after the 

 death of her first." This custom does not say much for the 

 strength of their affections. 



They have no religion, nor any idea of prayer ; but most 

 of them believe in evil spirits, and all have great dread of 

 witchcraft. In fact, they have a remarkable superstition 

 that no one ever dies a natural death. 



Captain WilkesJ describes an Australian funeral as follows. 

 Almost immediately after death the corpse was arranged in 

 a sitting posture, the knees bent up close to the body, the 

 head pressed forwards, and the whole body closely tied up in 

 a blanket. An oval grave was then dug, about six feet 



* D'Urville, vol. i., p. 194. f I.e. p. 635. 



J I.e. vol. ii., p. 195. Fitzroy, I.e. vol. ii., p. 628. 



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