aborigines’ water-quest. 
64 $ 
soil right over the root. They are easily raised. A native goes to a 
water- tree, and tries the ground at from four feet to five feet from the 
stem ; or, if guided by “ bulge” or “ crack,” finds the root at once. 
If the ground is hard it is usually scooped away with his wooden 
shovel or scoop till the root is bared. If the soil is loose he drives his 
yam-stick or spear-point into the ground, and getting it under the 
root prizes it up, and breaks it off near the stem. Then dropping 
spear or stick he grasps the root with both hands, and straddling its 
bed, shakes, and pulls up the root to its points. Then, breaking it 
into lengths of 18 inches to 3 feet, lie sets the pieces on end against 
the trunk, standing them in a eoolainiu or wallaby-skin bag, or in a 
trough formed from the bark stripped from the roots, by which, bark 
glittering it is conducted into his water vessel. Boots of the size of a 
man’s wrist are best. If larger the root is apt to be too woody, and 
the water does not flow freely. 
If the hunter is very thirsty a portion of the root is broken off 
and the bark near one end removed, so as to give only clean wood for 
the mouth end. The piece of wood is then up-ended, the water flowing 
readily into the hunter’s opened mouth, another and another piece 
being similarly taken, as each one is drained, till thirst is assuaged. 
One such rnallee root will generally suffice to satisfy the wants of two 
or three thirsty men. Bor purposes of carrying, one end of such root- 
piece is at times plugged up with clay, and in this way water may be 
carried, retained in the root, for long distances. If need be, numbers 
of pieces of the root are placed horizontally in a conlamin and so 
carried, the water not flowing out so long as the pieces are in this 
position, but flowing when up-ended. If the water, on up-ending the 
root, dees not spontaneously flow freely, the native hastens the process 
by vigorous blowing at one end. He sometimes obtains the water 
by shaking (as we swing a wet umbrella), when the water comes out 
like fine rain. The bark is generally stripped from the roots so as to 
give perfectly clean and pure water. 
Each mallee-trec will have from four or five to seven or eight 
mainroots running out from the stem at a few inches depth from the 
surface. Trees growing in hollows between ridges will have greater 
abundance of water than those growing on the ridge tops. 
The sap flows most freely in the hot season, when the greatest 
demand is made to meet the stress of rapid evaporation. In the 
desert of South-western Australia the explorer Eyre saw natives 
obtaining water from roots an inch in thickness, the surrounding soil 
being dust dry. (Ed. John Eyre, vol. i., pp. 349-351.) 
The red malices of the west coast always have water roots ; 
quantity more abundant in rainy season than in summer. Gallons of 
water may be obtained from the roots. A man is always safe, as 
concerns thirst, with the red rnallee about him. It is a permanent 
water supply. From the roots of E. microtheca “a quart-pot full of 
water was obtained in half-an-hour.” 
The water obtained is beautifully clear when fresh, deliciously 
cool, forming a most palatable aud refreshing drink, free from any 
unpleasant taste. From the red malice the water obtained, after 
standing for some hours, becomes discoloured and turbid. 
The red rnallee root of the west coast of South Australia is very 
porous, and the water gushes out at once when set on end. On the 
