262 



after certain rites liave been performed upon the wearer. The 

 large white design in the right lower corner may perhaps have 

 been intended to represent a kangaroo. It is a ^ery old painting, 

 and was much obliterated, and, as will be seen, is painted over 

 with bustard-tracks. Four of the red designs may probably 

 represent shields, but as it is doubtful whether the tribes living 

 near the place use shields, and if so scarcely any of that shape 

 and dimension (presuming that they were a representation of or 

 about tlieir natural size), this remains an open question. As far 

 as I know, only the tribes near Adelaide and those living about 

 the mouth of the Murray ha,d wide shields something like the 

 paintings they represent. Wide shields are also used by the 

 coast natives of JSIorthern Queensland. But how could the 

 painter have become acquainted with this sliape ? The drawings, 

 it may be said, are probably produced by an anibassador of the 

 tribes that have shields like them, either as a memento of his 

 visit, or to illustrate these objects to the tribe visited by him. 

 Even this is scarcely credible, and therefore I must leave them 

 unexplained, together with the other peculiar representations. 

 Circles, and circles within circles, are of very frequent occurrence, 

 as will be seen later on, and liave undoubtedly a symbolic mean- 

 ing, which it is hardly safe to speculate upon. The divided 

 white oval with cross bars will also be referred to later on. 



Plate 10, a. 



''About two and a-quarter miles to tlie n.n.e. from Arcoeil- 

 linna the Wa-Wee rockholes are situated. These are basins in 

 the bed of the watercourse, and .are likely to hold water for a 

 considerable time when once filled. The neighboi-hood lias been 

 the camping-place of natives from time to time, traces of whom 

 are abundantly perceptible. In the sandstone cliffs close by are 

 found a number of cavities fit for shelter, some of wliich contain 

 paintings. But only those in one of the largest are worthy of 

 note ; in all the others only bustard tracks are found. The 

 cavity opens to the south, and is only a few paces wide, and 

 about four deep, but not high enough to stand up in. Mr. 

 Streich copied some of the drawings yesterday, of whicli T have 

 taken a tracing. They are done with red ochre." — 26, 5, 91. 



The readiness with which the blacks adapt already existing 

 outlines to their intended designs is here particularly well 

 exemplified. A natural depression in the rock resembling the 

 shape of an eye is utilised to represent that organ, and the 

 adaptation is certainly a success. Another such adaptation (not 

 represented) was noticed in a similar cavity close by, where the 

 cracks and cleavages formed irregular squares on the uneven sur- 

 face of the rock. These had been margined with red lines, and 



