SKIN CLOAKS. 
313 
ground soon after they are taken off the animal, 
when dry, cold ashes or dust are thrown in, to absorb 
any grease that may have exuded. If the weather 
is damp, or the native is in a hurry, they are pegged 
out near the fire ; after drying, the smaller skins are 
rubbed with stones to make them flexible, or are 
scored or ornamented with various devices, cut with 
a flint or shell on the skin side ; the larger skins 
have their inner layers shaved off by flints, shells, 
or implements of wood. Opossums, wallabies, young 
kangaroos, &c. are skinned sometimes by simply 
making a slit about the head, through which the 
rest of the body is made to pass ; the skins are turned 
inside out, and the ends of the legs tied up, and are 
then ready for holding water, and always form part 
of the baggage of natives who travel much about, 
or go into badly watered districts. I have seen 
these skins (lukomb) capable of holding from two to 
three gallons of water : the fur is always inside. 
The karko is a small spade of wood, used by the 
natives north of Adelaide for digging up grubs from 
the ground. The canoe or “ mun” is a large sheet 
of bark cut from the gum-tree, carefully lowered to 
the ground, and then heated with fire until it be- 
comes soft and pliable, and can be moulded into 
form, it is then supported by wooden props, to keep 
it in shape, until it becomes hard and set, which is 
in about twenty -four hours, though it is frequently 
used sooner. On its being launched, sticks or 
