250 



R. H. MATHEWS. 



and rub it on their own bodies. Small portions of it are 

 occasionally eaten, to make the participants fearless and 

 vengeful. The men also rub the greasy skin on the noses, 

 eyes, and feet of their dogs, to make them good hunters 

 and unusually expert in discovering game. Spears, 

 boomerangs and clubs are similarly rubbed to increase the 

 force and accuracy of their flight when thrown at game, 

 or when used for punitive purposes. 



It should be mentioned that when an early morning 

 attack, such as that particularised in the foregoing pages, 

 is made upon an individual, none of his fellow tribesmen 

 interfere, because they are probably all acquainted with 

 the facts of his having shed the blood of some man in 

 another neighbouring camp, and retributive justice must 

 take its course. When they hear the shouting of the 

 pirrimbir party, they sit up at their camp fires, or per- 

 haps spring to their feet, and take particular notice of 

 the man who strikes the fatal blow, because they know 

 that, sooner or later his blood, or that of a tribal brother, 

 will also be required by the relatives of his present victim. 



Explanation of Illustrations. 



The tree shewn in the illustrations was marked by a Pirrimbir 

 expedition in the Thoorga territory many years ago. It was first 

 pointed out to me by two old aborigines in 1899, who at the same 

 time gave me all the details and the songs of the Pirrimbir, 

 recorded in the foregoing pages. 



It is a tall, green tree of the grey box species, measuring some 

 ten feet in girth at about a foot from the ground. It stands on 

 hard, stony ground, and probably the annual growth has been 

 slow, which accounts for the good preservation of the marks. 



The tree is situated in the parish of Noorooma, county of 

 Dampier, and is about 300 or 400 yards westerly from the south- 

 west corner of Portion No. 381 of 40 acres in the said parish. 



