OBSERVATIONS ON SHELL-HEAPS AND SHELL-BEDS. 305 
My attention was first directed to these shell deposits many 
years since, by the very prosaic and practical consideration of the- 
want of a suitable material for road making, in the stoneless and 
swampy deltas of the Clarence, Richmond, and Brunswick Rivers;. 
where, consequently, this material has been extensively used to 
ballast the roads. Vast quantities of the same have also been 
utilised for lime-burning since the settlement of the districts. 
referred to; and, considering the extent of the deposits still 
remaining above tide level, it scarcely seems probable that their 
origin is wholly attributable to the aborigines, as is usually the 
explanation afforded by that great authority, the ‘“ oldest inhabi- 
tant.” In this connection, [ may mention that on one occasion, 
whilst examining an excavation from which approximately a 
thousand cubic yards of shell had been obtained, one of the old 
residents who was present remarked, ‘The blacks must have been 
very numerous at one time to have piled up all this shell.” ‘‘ Yes,” 
I replied, ‘‘and it must have been a long time ago,” pointing to a. 
giant fig-tree which had taken up a selection on the deposit, and 
the roots of which had stopped further progress of the excavation. 
I have noticed many instances where the older vegetation covered 
deposits of this description, going to show that they are pre- 
historic, and that the testimony of the oldest inhabitant must be 
taken with a certain amount of caution; the assertions of some 
being very positive as to the agency of the aborigines, others of 
long experience affirm that the deposits have not been materially 
added to since they have known them. 
Bearing in mind this conflict of opinion, Bhave observed some-. 
what closely the ascertainable camping-places of the existing race 
of blacks, where shell-fish are at present abundant, and fail to. 
discover any accumulations at all resembling these older ones; in 
fact, the characteristics are essentially different, the residual shell 
being small in quantity, and scattered, with a more noticeable 
accompaniment of partially charred wood, the residuum of the 
well known blackfellow’s fire, (made with two sticks laid cross- 
wise) the custom being to use fire to persuade the oyster to open 
T—Noy. 2, 1892. 
