1222 On the Aborigines of Cooper's Creek, Australia. [Decne | | 
dark, and never venture away from their fire ona dark ne 
without a firebrand. 
They make fire by the friction of two sticks of wood. iie 
often seen them do it, and moreover have done it myself. Two 
sticks are taken, one of hard dry wood and tapered to a point, 
the other is any piece of wood that has a soft spongy or fibrous 
pith. A hole is cut in the side of the latter large enough to ad- 
mit the point of the first. A narrow channel is also cut from the 
hole to the side of the stick to let the powdered pith produced 
by friction out. The soft stick is placed on the ground, held 
firmly by the feet, and the point of the hard stick placed in the 
hole prepared, and revolved rapidly by being rubbed through the 
hands by a peculiar up and down motion, without ceasing until 
the powdered pith begins to smolder, which it soon does, and 
then the solid pith commences to smoke and finally smolders. 
Then it is taken and whirled around in the air till there is a live 
coal on the end. The whole process is ey simple, and ais 
can do it. 
Their mode of living is rude to a degree. They build rue 
structures called “ wurleys,” in which they sleep. A wurley 8 
formed by driving a few sticks in the ground inclined so that the 
ends meet above ground, and then heaping branches and ie 
over them until covered. A small entrance hole is left on ome 
side. The wurleys are usually about three or four feet high it 
side. A fire is built in front and a break-wind or mim 1 
branches erected around it, and the habitation is complete. 
can be done in less than an hour. These structures are aa 
built on some elevation near water. The natives live 5 
on snakes, lizards, mussels (Anodon), birds and seeds. Te a 
ter are ground between two stones by hand, by the wee 
meal called “ nardoo,” and then baked in the ashes. The ts 
f sand, and it is © 
generally contains about twenty-five per cent 0 p 
which wears away their teeth. They are often short of ie d d 
consequently many of the tribes are cannibals. The wo 
at 
all the work, hunt, fish, &c. The men do nothing : r ha 
help it. A narcotic plant, called Pitcherrie, is chewe di 
A quid is passed from one to another until they are en ee 
when it is plastered behind their ears to be kept till next 3 
They are usually in a state of nudity, but, sometimes on 
a dress which consists of a string many feet in length 
