It capons and 5 shows a number of their weapons,- only two of which are worthy of mention—the boomerang (p1. 5, fig. 8) and the hurling-stick (p1. 6), the latter being used for the purpose of giving a more forcible impulse to the spear. Their wars, though frequent, are not sanguinary, consisting, as they do for the most part, of yells and opprobrious epithets. Indeed, the first blood generally ends the conflict. Cannibalism was at one time practised, though not extensively; the fat lying around the kidneys of the fallen foe was eagerly sought after. They frequently mangled the corpses and used the skulls as drinking-cups (pl. 5, fig. 15.) This was also a custom in the case of near relatives, whose bodies were often partly or wholly devoured.
are generally obtained by forcible abduction; this, however, in many places is mere ceremony, as the man always looks to another clan for his wives, to whom no numerical limit is set save his ability to support them. Strict chastity is expected only from the mar ried women, not from widows or maidens. The married women are the absolute property of their husbands, and are compelled to do all the work, such as building the huts, lighting fires, and providing food; and they do all the carrying—even their husbands' spears, and, of course, their chil dren. Notwithstanding all this heavy work, they are frequently ill treated, and receive only the broken bits from the tables of their lords. But all transmission of relationship is the exclusive province of the women, and, despite the frequent practice of infanticide, there is often considerable family attachment between man and wife and parent and child.
a whole, the character of this race is by no means bad— at least, where no foreign cause has intervened to spoil it. Even their lazy habits may be cured, as has been repeatedly proved. Their mental powers are fair, although they count only so far as the number four or five, and although many clans and individuals among them have become at present exceedingly degraded. It should also be remembered that their nomadic habits have prevented the, development of many of their capabilities.
achievements in the arts are, of course, very insignificant. Plate 4 (figs. g, 1o, r) and Plate 6 (fig. S) contain specimens of their painting, both from the north-west, in which the large heads and the man with the kangaroo show traces of Malayan influence. Their poetry is mostly short epigrammatic verses composed at the time of great and important events; but there are also longer songs, which are sung on festal occasions. Their vocalism, consisting generally of chromatically descending intervals, is said to be pure and not devoid of rhythm.
Amusements and have many kinds of games, and they are especially fond of dancing by the light of the moon. These dances, always accompanied by singing, are principally imitative in cha racter, representing kangaroo- or emu-hunts or battles, and are frequently intermixed with much obscenity (pl. 4, 12). No feast or solemn occasion takes place without dancing, such as the dance of the treaty of peace (corroboree), and likewise the dances of the full moon and of the dead. Their most important feasts, during which there is no lack of dances of a religions character, with plenty of sacred ornaments (pl. 5, 12), are those which celebrate the progress of the youth to manhood —first, the feast of circumcision, and then that of full majority. In some places the latter event is marked by drawing the front teeth of the young man. Women and children are forbidden, under pain of death, to be present at these highly-varied ceremonies. The noise made by a block of wood hung on a string—the so-called " bullroarer" (also used to frighten off evil spirits)—is the signal for them to keep at a respectful distance.
tribes, which are very numerous and in some cases closely connected, are based on the family. In the west they even have names in common taken from some animal or plant sacred to the tribe. The oldest man of the tribe generally has so much influence that he may be regarded as its head ; yet in the east and the south we find actual chiefs who have inherited their dignity and have great power, and to whom the heads of the families are subject. Strict divisions of society (whose members are none the less equal in law and in daily life) are to be found only in the north. Every tribe has its own well-recognized terri tory, in which no member of another tribe may travel, still less hunt for game. Likewise, each small family possesses its own portion of land, which cannot be transmitted by the women, although in some cases they may be joint-heirs. The tribe adheres to the old custom of reprisal in the case of misdemeanor of a member—at least, when the evil-doer escapes. If he is caught, the punishment for small offences is a few thrusts with a spear in the side ; for greater ones, he must take his shield and protect, himself as best he can against the spears of the whole of his tribe. Adultery and theft, if committed against one of the same clan, are pun ishable by death. Duels are quite frequent. They believe in super natural punishments for a large class of offences.