270 THE AB0EIGI5E8 Of AL'STEALIA. 



runs along the length of the "Wamera, and passes through the fore- 

 finger and thumb, which, from the manner in which the Wamera is 

 held, are left free for that purpose. The spear is therefore hurled 

 from the wamera somewhat on the same principle as a stone from a 

 sling, and, is sent with much greater force than if merely thrown 

 from the hand. In the use of these weapons the natives exhibit sur- 

 prising dexterity ; it is seldom indeed they fail to transfix their ob- 

 ject within a distance of fifty or sixty yards. The wamera is made 

 of a very hard wood, a coarse grained and heavy mahogany, which 

 generally obtains a good polish after being a short time in use. 



The wamera never leaves the hand of the native ; when his spearB 

 are exhausted he makes use of it in close combat, as a sword or battle 

 axe, and its sharp and hard edges lay open gashes in the heads of the 

 combatants hardly less severe than those produced by the sabre of a 

 heavy Dragoon. 



But of all weapons the Australian kilee or boomerang is the most 

 wonderful. Its form is nearly that of a crescent. It is made from 

 the crooked limb of a tree curved naturally in the form required, — 

 this is nicely scraped down, and made flat on one side and slightly 

 convex on the other ; its size is about fifteen inches from point to 

 point, and nearly two inches in width. Its course through the air is 

 eccentric and very varied, greatly depending upon the skill with 

 which it is thrown. Some have more command over the weapon than 

 others, and an experienced thrower can almost make it take any direc- 

 tion he may please. He will throw it with all his force against the 

 ground, some ten or twelve feet in front of him, when it will rebound, 

 and taking a circular course, will fall at an immense distance to his 

 right or left. Again he will dash it to the earth in the same man- 

 ner, and it will ascend from it with the speed of an arrow, until 

 almost out of sight, when, remaining poised some instants in the air, 

 it will return with fearful velocity and fall probably some distance 

 behind the thrower. It is used thus in killing birds. For instance ^ 

 a flight of Cockatoos is seen approaching ; the native waits patient- 

 ly until the birds are nearly over his head, he then throws the kilee in 

 the way I have described in front of the flight ; the kilee returning, 

 after having risen a certain height, meets the birds in their course 

 and thus knocks several of them down. 



The boomerang is the most dangerous weapon used by the Austra- 

 lian. Its course through the air is so swift that it is with difficulty 

 one can follow it with the eye, and its ever varying movements render 

 it nearly impossible to get out of its way ; — it is the only weapon 

 that the natives themselves find a difficulty in avoiding ; those who 



