80 



and would not stand its own weight, and fell to pieces. The 

 carbonized wood was very distinct, and the outline of the 

 spear or pointed piece of wood could be followed quite easily, 

 but as soon as an attempt was made to remove it from its 

 bed in the sand it fell to pieces. 



The large round hammer-stone and the smaller one with 

 chipped sides and ends were found in the white sand and were 

 elevated some 6 or 8 inches above the level of the clay basins 

 and the chipped cores, or grinding-stones, but in a line with 

 them and on the extreme right of the sketch-plan. I think 

 it is quite possible that this raised position upon which the 

 two stones worked by the natives rested was due to the sand 

 being forced up from below, for, as I have already said, when 

 the water level in this sand bed was reached, in spite of 2 or 3 

 feet of sand having been taken out, in a few hours it had risen 

 to its original level. There were no shells seen in this white 

 sandy bottom, although sea-shells were met with in numbers 

 .higher up. 



In the early days, when the blacks were numerous on the 

 Adelaide Plains, they pulled up the roots of flags and pounded 

 them between stones prior to cooking. One strangely-shaped 

 stone which may have been used by the aborigines, added to 

 the objects already described, were all that remained to indi- 

 cate the occupation of the ground by a tribe of blackfellows 

 that must have long since disappeared. 



I have to thank Prof. Howchin, F.G.S., for his advice 

 and interest in this subject. The Professor was good enough 

 to accompany me and view the site of the excavation, and I 

 am pleased that he will add his valuable scientific views upon 

 the subject. 



The section shown in the accompanying diagram is based 

 on particulars entered in my note-book at the time of the 

 excavation, and is drawn to scale. 



