IMFL-EMENTS OF SUPERSTITION AND MAGIC.— 11 AMLYN-B ARBIS, 7 
may have been used for magical purposes. Mr. Coghlan, of Glenormiston, to 
whom we are indebted for a great number of valuable donations, mentions a 
splinter of -wood which had entered the flesh of a combatant during a fight. 
This was extracted by him and given to the tribesmen, who, after a solemn 
ceremony, wrapped it in emu feathers and red cloth and were with difficulty 
persuaded to part with it, since in the hands of an enemy it might be used in 
sorcery against them. (Q. M. Sp. No. QE 14/552.) 
jMedicine men of the now extinct Lankelly tribe used the quartz crystal 
also for refiecting images (Q. M. Sp. No, QE 14/548), and therefore it would 
not be unreasonable to suppose that even they whiled away their time practising 
in their crude w^ay the art of crystal-gazing. '' That the crystal has been put 
to other uses as well is evident from the fact that we have in our collections 
two large quartz crystals joined together with gum and partially coated with 
human hair on the surface, evidently a crude i‘e presentation of a bird’s head. 
The exact locality of this charm is unfortunately unknown. (Q. M. Sp. No. QE 
14/549.) Charms on the whole are not veiy plentiful; any pebble or similar 
object will sometimes do duty as a talisman, and I have seen in North Queens- 
land small stones worn in a dilly-bag under the arm as a protection against all 
dangers. Fluor-spar also seems to possess a special virtue, why or how used 
I have never been able to ascertain. 
^Ir. Thomas Illidge (now of Brisbane), who was for many years in close 
contact with the natives in the early days, gives me the following account of the 
efficacy of magic and the wonderful power of suggestion, from his own expe- 
rience ; it is therefore worthy of more than passing notice : — ^ ^ Many years ago 
I had a blaekboy working for me, but having missed him for a few days I pro- 
ceeded to the camp and found he was sick, and under the care of an old black 
‘ doctor’ who explained to me what was the matter, and his method of treat- 
ment. He said the boy was sick because some other blackfellow had cast a spell 
on him and gave him a pain in his side. The old man ’s treatment was to put 
a gieen (untreated) possum-skin (fresh), the hairy side up. over the painful 
spot, pressed fairly tight. He then made a flat stone about the size of the bottom 
of a small saucer very hot in the Are, and put it on the ’possum skin and left it 
as long as the boy could stand it. He said the liot stone melted the far and that 
went into the boy and 'would make him alright. The boy was at work again 
m a day or two and said he w^as alright. I looked for that stone but could 
Cf. Kotb, Etlinological Studies, cduipter xi, p. 284. 
