31 
The sanitary conditions prevailing at such a camp, even when 
the camp is to be stationary for some time, are far from pleasant. 
The excrementa are deposited in direct proximity to the camp, 
within a foot or less of the sleeper. 
During the hot summer months cave shelters in the neighbor- 
hood of permanent waters appear to be frequented and used as 
dwelling places. The very numerous drawings in such caves and 
the game traps around the waters bear out this statement. 
Marriage Rites, etce.— The number of wives possessed by blacks 
varies. The greatest number that was observed (and that 
appeared unique) was three, one or two being the usual number. 
A fair impression as to the number of members comprising 
individual families may be gained from the following statistical 
data of families belonging to natives of the Musgrave Ranges :— 
A, two lubras and three piccaninnies ; В, three lubras and one 
piecaninny ; C, one lubra and one piccaninny ; D, one lubra 
and three piccaninnies ; Ж, two lubras and four piccaninnies. 
The methods adopted by the women of carrying their children 
are various, and all are used with equal frequency. In the first 
case the child sits astride on its mother's hip, clinging to 
her arm or neck for a support (Plate X., fig. 1); the second 
method is that ordinarily known as riding “ pickaback ” ; and in 
the third instance, remarkable in its way, the child is placed in 
a lying posture behind the lubra, the legs of the child being 
placed under the forearm of the lubra at one side and its head 
treated similarly at the opposite side, while very often the child 
seizes one of the breasts for a support. This method permits the 
mother free use of both hands (Plate VIII., fig. 2). 
The lending of wives is à common custom.* It appears that 
the custom signifies an act of hospitality and friendly relation 
ship between the parties concerned. At Pundijarrinna, a native 
soakage well north of the Musgrave Ranges, a party of the 
Karkurrerra Tribe had camped not far from the main camp of 
the Expedition. Upon visiting their camp I was somewhat 
surprised to see the old man of the tribe coming towards me 
with a young gin, and giving me to understand that I might 
take her with me as my own. This act on the part of the 
native was merely to show the friendly feeling the tribe had 
towards the white men. 
Moreover, a corroboree was instituted for our benefit by the 
same natives. Fires were lit at the corners of an oblong 
enclosing a clear space, and we were told to sit down. Three 
men, apparently the most respected, who had disappeared in the 
darkness, suddenly reappeared at the further fires, having 
ornamented their bodies with short, broad, white bands of ashes 
* Compare Spencer and Gillen : The Native Tribes of Central Australia 
pages 74, 96, 97, and 98. 
