
452 RECORDS OF THE S.A, MUSEUM 
in days prior to the artificial drainage system fresh water supplies must have 
been available almost everywhere at all times of the year. 
On the coastal strip, Lakes Bonney and Frome are permanent waters—the 
former a. sheet: of impressive dimensions (about eighten miles m length and two 
and a half miles in width). Lake Canunda and several depressions associated 
with the Lake Frome area are seasonally flooded. 
On the fats forming the broad level valley between the Woakwine aud the 
Reedy Creck-Mt. Muirhead Ranges much water still collects in the wet season 
on certain areas, in spite of the dramage system, These flats have been described 
as a ‘‘dreary waste of water’? in pre-drainage days, and remained so for months 
of the year. In certain locations on the west side of this flat valley and hard 
against the eastern side of the Woakwine Range barrier depressions exist which 
were almost certainly permanent swamps. These were known as the Woakwine, 
Cootel, Permatta, Mayurra, Wyrie, Pompoon, and German Creek Swamps-— 
existing now as Dames only; for since the 1860-70 intensive drainage works they 
have become highly productive flats, Cootel Swamp, immediately to the east of 
Narrow Neck gap, was aj striking example, well known to have held water to 
a depth of at least ten feet for most of the year. 
Still further east, on the ‘‘inland”’ side of the Millicent-Hatherleigh subsi- 
diary ridge system, are the Millicent-Mt, Muirhead fiats which, in former days, 
abounded with permanent large springs and were flooded in winter. 
Thus there is ample evidence to show that fresh water supplies were abun- 
dantly available to the original inhabitants of this district. 
Angas notes that the natives round Lake Albert and the adjoining Coorong 
used human skulls as drinking vessels. They fasten a handle of bulrush fibre 
to them to carry them, and a twist of dry grass is placed in the water to prevent 
it spilling (p. 68), A girl on the Coorong carried with her her mother’s skull from 
whieh ‘‘she drank her daily draught of water’’. (p. 136), 
Hasirations. 
From study of the locations, camp sites and our personal observation of living 
aborigines in other parts, it is obvious that these South-Bastern natives adopted. 
the usual practice of camping preferably on elevated, well-drained, sandy slopes 
or hollows on the sheltered side of a ridge or range. Under such circumstances, 
with ample fires, little constructed shelter would be necessary in warm summer 
months. But the fact—as records show—that these people did construct 
““wurlies’’ fairly often, may be accounted for by the fairly protracted inclement 
weather; and alsa, that in a favourable environment, there would be a tendency 
towards settled domestic habits rather than towards a continuous nomadic exis- 
tenee. Their wurlies were of the usual wood framework, well-covered with tree 
cr bush branches and sometimes with skin rugs. Augas recotis that the brush 
humpies of the early shepherds in this region were not to be compared with. those 
seen of the aborigines in construction and tidiness. The same writer refers to 
worlies built of eatth ‘*clode'’. 
All remnants of such structures have, of course, long since disappeared, so 
that present evidences of necupation gives no clues to constructional details. 
Description or Camp Srres Examinep, 
The following account gives detailed locations of the camp sites and a descrip- 
tion of their main features, Where the term “‘implement’’ is used, it refers to 
stone implements only, ‘‘Hearths’’ or ““bearth remnants’’ implies the generally 
