KOCK-HOLES USED BY ABOKIGINES FOR WARMING WATER. 215 



Scattered here and there over the rock surface are a number of 

 hollows worn by the aborigines in sharpening their stone toma- 

 hawks. I counted one hundred and thirteen of these grinding 

 places within a radius of about thirty yards from where the ovens 

 and carvings above described are situated. The length of these 

 hollows or grinding places vary from about a foot to eighteen 

 inches. For descriptions and drawings of similar native grinding 

 places see my paper on "Some Stone Implements used by the 

 Aborigines of N. S Wales." 1 



Some of the old blackfellows belonging to the Shoalhaven River 

 and other parts of the south-east coast of New South Wales, have 

 told me that in the winter time, when the water was very cold, 

 they used to warm it by means of hot stones. Water was brought 

 in a native vessel made of bark or wood, and one or more stones 

 were heated in the fire and lifted into the water with a forked 

 stick, to take the chill off it, in order that the natives could drink 

 it with comfort. My informants also stated that wild honey was 

 sometimes added to the water to make a palatable and nutritious 

 drink. 



These statements show that the natives were acquainted with 

 warm water, and the theory may be advanced with some reason, 

 that instead of carrying water in a vessel, as stated, if a suitable 

 pot-hole could be found in the rock contiguous to the water, into 

 which the latter could be drained, heated stones could be thrown 

 into it to warm the liquid for the purpose of drinking. This 

 method of warming water was the one in use before the white 

 people settled in the country; since the advent of the latter the 

 natives have used European vessels for this purpose. 



The following is the copy of a letter on this subject received by me 

 in 1897 from the veteran explorer, the Hon. A. C. Gregory, c.m.g.: 

 "In reply to your enquiry relative to the custom among the natives 

 in north Australia of boiling fish by immersing heated stones in 



1 Journ. Eoy. Soc, N. S. Wales, xxvm., 301 - 305, Plate 43. 



