10 
The Queensland Naturalist 
January, 1930 
“once that matter was agreed upon no poaching ever 
occurred. ’ ' Some people even state that the tomahawk 
scars were cut in such a fashion that each tree was really 
branded with its owner's mark. An examination of scars 
in different localities, however, does not seem to bear 
this out. 
In any case, when the Bunya season approached, 
message sticks were sent out from the tribes living in 
Bunya districts, inviting distant tribes to the forthcoming 
Bunya feast. The invited tribes often invited others, and 
all gradually converged on the appointed localities. It 
is even recorded that a tribe came from as far west as the 
Barcoo River and the Bunya Mountains just north of 
Dalby. Large numbers of natives thus became assembled, 
and the apportionment of the trees began. The method 
of distribution probably varied in different districts be- 
cause the reports on this matter are often conflicting. 
The trees were ascended by means of toe holds cut in 
the bark of the trees by means of stone axes. These 
notches were cut up as far as the lowest limb, which might 
be sixty to eighty feet above the ground. The scars were 
cut in two rows, those in each row being vertically above 
each other. The right hand row formed a right foot-hold 
and the left was for the left foot. 
The distance apart of the scars was as far as the 
climber could stretch with his legs, which in some cases 
was just over four feet. On most trees two, and often, 
three, notches were cut one above the other, two or three 
inches apart, as a choice of foot-holds for each step. This 
was probably done so that men with shorter legs might 
climb as well as those who could stretch the maximum 
distance. 
The foot-holds were made by first procuring a length 
of a pliable vine sufficient to pass around both the tree 
and the man's body, and then cutting the first notch with 
a stone axe at a height of two feet six inches to three feet 
above the ground. The vine in many cases would be quite 
long, as many mature trees are seven feet in diameter, and 
possibly was not used at all in many cases. The left foot 
was then placed in the lowest notch, the vine was flicked 
up higher, and then, leaning back, the climber drew him- 
self up to a standing position. Another notch was then 
made for his right leg at a distance up the tree, which 
was the maximum he could stretch. A third cut was made 
above his head and over his right shoulder by chopping 
above and across his head; this was the second hold for 
the left foot. The vine was then flicked up, and he mount- 
