148 ARTICLES OF FOOD. 



distance, but not with mucli precision. Of the 

 larger ones (from eight to twelve feet in length), the 

 two most remarkable are headed with a pointed, 

 sharp-edged, flatly-triangular piece of quartz or 

 fine grained basalt, procured from the mountains 

 beyond the isthmus. These large reed-shafted 

 spears are thrown with a stiff flat throwing-stick a 

 yard long, and with pretty certain effect within 

 sixty paces. 



The food of the aborigmes consists chiefly of fish 

 and shell-fish, to which as subsidiary articles may 

 be added lizards, snakes, opossums, various birds, 

 and an occasional kangaroo, turtle, dugong, or 

 porpoise. Several roots (one of which is a true 

 3'am), together with various fruits in their seasons, 

 — especially a cashew-nut or Anacardium, also the 

 base of the undeveloped central leaves of the 

 cabbage-palm, are much prized. The digging up 

 of roots and collecting of shell-fish are duties which 

 devolve upon the females. 



Before the arrival of Europeans, in cases of 

 remarkable disease or accident, certain old men 

 known by the name of bilbo (by which cognomen 

 the medical officers of the settlement have also be£ 

 distinguished) were apphed to for advice, 

 of no popular remedies, however, with the ejj 

 of tight ligatures near a wound, bruise or 

 object of ^^'hich is to prevent the malady from passing 

 into the body. In hke manner for a head-ache, a fillet 

 is bound tightty across the forehead. These people. 



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