278 R. H. MATHEWS. 



the person he wishes to injure. If the party whose destruc- 

 tion is sought be a greater conjurer than the man who 

 44 sings" him, no harm can result from it. 



Aboriginal Astronomy — the Zodiac. 

 All aboriginal tribes have names for many of the principal 

 fixed stars, and also for remarkable stellar groups. There 

 is generally a story about the star, which was in olden days 

 a man, the wondrous doings of which are duly recorded. 

 Not infrequently there are families of stars — the parents 

 and offspring, husbands and wives, and other relationships — 

 all being pointed out, and assigned their places in the nar- 

 rative. Legends are more numerous concerning stars 

 situated in the neighbourhood of the moon's path through 

 the heavens, and in this way a zodiac may be said to exist. 

 The stars near the ecliptic and the zenith change their 

 positions in the sky more rapidly than those toward the 

 poles, and therefore more readily arrest attention. Besides 

 constellations at these high altitudes can be seen easily 

 when the people are camped in thickly wooded country, 

 whereas stars near the horizon would not then be visible. 



Throughout the summer months, and during fine weather 

 at other periods, the blacks usually camp out in the open 

 air, where they have every opportunity of watching the 

 starry vault above them. The fact of the moon, who was 

 a human being in ancient times, wending its way through 

 these star's month after month, helps to increase the 

 peoples' interest. There are always some clever old men 

 in the camp, who are the recognized repositories of the 

 lore of the tribe, who take advantage of this out door life 

 to teach the young people stories about some of the differ- 

 ent stars which may be visible at such times. 



As soon as an old man commences one of these stories, 

 the young folk from the neighbouring camp fires congregate ; 

 around him and listen with avidity to his marvellous nar-. 



