274 



noticeable. Tt is easy enough to account for the latter, be- 

 cause where there are" no large trees to climb, and no rivers 

 to cross, and consequently no demand for boats, the toma- 

 hawk is an implement not much required, and for the chippnig of 

 their weapons and implements, the cliisel is probably sufficient. 

 But for the absence of shields and clubs I am at a loss to account, 

 except that these tribes are so extraordinarily peacable that they 

 do not light at all, or very rarely ; or that they do not use the 

 spear to fight with, or ward it off in some other way than with 

 the shield. A number of spears were found hidden under some 

 rocks not far from Camp 15, but shields were not seen there. 

 The blacks whom we surprised at the waterhole between Cn,mps 

 4.3 and 44 had no clubs or shields with them, altliough otherwise 

 fully equipped with the implements of peace and war. None of 

 the'roving lots we met ever carried either, and none were seei; 

 amongst those from the various districts that were met with near 

 the Fraser Range. 



It is not from the want of proper material that these triljes 

 have no shields, because there are sufficient Kurra-jong trees 

 ( Jlrachychiton (Iregoriil found throughout the country ; and re- 

 o-arding tomahawks, there is nowhere lack of material for them. 

 " Gnora is the resin of the Grass-tree (Xanthorrhea) mixed with 

 fine sand and dust, which makes an excellent cement, that is 

 deservedly esteemed by the natives for the purpose of fastening 

 the chips of flint to tlieir cutting tools, and for other things. The 

 setting of these stones is rather a slow process, because the lump 

 of cement used for the purpose requires to be gradually heated 

 til rough to make it thoroughly plastic. If it is heated too 

 quickly it froths up and crumbles, behaving much like natural 

 asphalt under such conditions. 



When a native wishes to fasten the stone, say to a Meru, he 

 begins by warming tlie wood near the handle, and then attaches 

 a lump of the cement to it, wliich is slowly warmed through over 

 a few embers and hot ashes. After the stone is inserted into the 

 cement, the warming is further continued, and the soft mass 

 pressed into shape with the fingers : before that, however, it is 

 moved over a small lieap of dust and dry eartli, scraped together 

 for the purpose, partly to prevent the cement sticking to the 

 fin'^ers, as well as with the object of working more fine particles 

 of earth into it. This manipulation is continued for some time, 

 until after reapeated warmings the stone is well imbedded, when 

 it is allowed to cool. The stone sticks very Hrmly after that, 

 and rarely comes out till it is removed for the pui'pose of being 

 replaced by a sharper piece. 



The hooks of tlie meru and the barbs of spears are also set 

 firm with a little gnora, after they have been well tied with the 

 sinews from the tail of a kangaroo or wallaby. 



