278 WEAPONS. 



it would scarcely be possible to throw them with 

 effect to a greater distance than from fifteen to 

 twenty yards^ and^ judg-ing from the signs and 

 gestures of the natives on various occasions when 

 explaining their mode of warfare, they are also used 

 for charging and thrusting with, the neighbourhood 

 of the armpit being the part aimed at as most 

 vulnerable. 



The spear in most common use tapers to a point 

 at each end, more suddenly in front and very gra- 

 dually behind where it usually terminates in a small 

 knob with two or three ornamental rings. Some- 

 times a gromet, or ring of cordage, is worked upon 

 the spear near one end, to prevent the hand slipping 

 when making a thrust. There are many other kinds 

 of spears variously barbed on one or both sides near 

 the head. The fishing spear is usuaU}^ headed by a 

 bundle of about four or six slender, sharp pointed 

 pieces of wood, two feet in length, sometimes barbed 

 at the point. 



We obtained three clubs here— the only ones 

 seen — one, closely resembling the stone-headed club 

 of Damley Island, consists of a wooden shaft, four 

 feet long, sharp pointed at one end and at the other 

 passing through a hole in the centre of a sharp-edged 

 circular disk of quartz, shaped like a quoit, four 

 inches in diameter; the second is twenty-seven 

 inches in length, cut out of a heavy piece of wood, 

 lea^^ng a slender handle and cylindrical head, three 

 and a half inches long, studded with knobs ; the 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



