254 



with many of their careless and dirty habits. In sandstone for- 

 mation these rockholes are never of great extent, and from the 

 nature of the rock the water as a rule will not remain so long in 

 them. 



The native wells are irregularly dug holes, rarely very deep, 

 and mostly found near the base of some range or hill wjiere a 

 concentrating catchment-area promises a good soakage. These 

 holes are also often filled with sticks and debris, and frequently 

 even with sand, to prevent evaporation and hinder animals from 

 getting at the water. Certain small soakages under rocks near the 

 base of some hills, known to the natives, and yielding only small 

 supplies, are always completely covered up again when leaving. 

 The supply from such sources is scarcely better than that ob- 

 tained from the roots of the mallee. This last-mentioned supply 

 is no doubt in many places often resorted to, and when the proper 

 kind of root is found yields a splendid, clear, and cool water, 

 that at times drips rapidly from the broken roots when they are 

 held vertically. It requires, however, the knowledge of an 

 aborginal to hit upon the proper tree, for which there are proba- 

 bly some outward signs only known to them, because my own 

 efforts led me only accidentally to a root holding water, after 

 trying a good many before without obtaining a drop. 



Sometimes hollow trees harbor water, and preserve it for a 

 long time from evaporation. The keen eye of a black will easily 

 detect such a reservoir by one or tlie other indication. I remem- 

 ber on one occasion that a native noticed a string of ants going 

 up and down a tree, entering and emerging from a small knot- 

 hole about his shoulder-height from the ground. This was quite 

 sufficient indication for him, and making himself a tube from a 

 straight twig, by loosening the bark between liis strong jaws, and 

 then stripping it, he obtained a drink Ijy sucking the water up 

 tlirough this impromptu syphon. 



The " wanna " and the " wera " are the constantly accompany- 

 ing implements of the blacks of the interior, and are frequently 

 used during the whole day for the purpose of digging, either for 

 water or food. The wanna is used for loosening the soil, or as a 

 lover when roots or stones require lifting, and with the wera the 

 loosened stuff is scooped up. It does not take long to go down 

 a couple of feet with the help of these two implements, and the 

 presence of either water or food, whatever tlie object of the 

 search may be, is soon proved. 



Various are the objects looked for underneath the soil, and as 

 the occupation of the native consists mainly in procuring food, 

 he tries to secure it at every opportunity, and with this motive 

 his eyes are constantly sweeping the ground for tracks and other 

 indications of game. Spying the track of a large lizard, he fol- 



