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The meaning of the first four words was unknown to my informant.
After this wail there would follow a long-drawn ululation.

To join with others in mourning for their friends was considered
a sympathetic, courteous and proper action. A blackfellow, once com-
plainging to me about the unkindness of another, regarded it as all
the more reprehensible, seeing that he had joined in the mourning for
the ungrateful man's brother.

As a sign of mourning the women tied bunches of emu feathers in
their hair all over the head, and these were left to drop off
gradually in course of time. During mourning certain kinds of food had
to be avoided as mundha (tapu). Fasting for the dead was called
ngarīn. The names of the dead were not uttered. They were usually
referred to as kananngur, ie., poor fellow.

ART, IMPLEMENTS, UTENSILS, WEAPONS, CORROBOREES

The tribes under notice, like most tribes on the east coast, were
kept to a large extent isolated by river and mountain barriers. Several
facts indicate their peculiar primitiveness. The wommera for spear-
throwing was not in use. The spears were without stone tips; they had
no prongs apart from the shaft itself. The only barb they had was cut
out of the solic, and this was rare. There was little or no carving on
their weapons for ornament, and any coloured designs were of the simpl-
est outline. Besides, their manufactured articles of any kind were
comparatively few.

As regards implements the muyīm, or stone-axe, was the most useful
and important. Of the axes there were different makes. They were
chipped and ground to an edge. I have two in my possession, both of
diorite. One is 4 1/2 in. long, 1 1/4 in. thick, and when in its perfect
state must have been nearly as broad as long. Without a hangle, it
weighs 15 1/2 ozs. The other is 6 3/4 in. long, 4 in. broad, 2 1/2 in. in
greatest thickness, and 2 1/2 lbs. in weight. The handles were formed
of pieces of the scrub vine or a withy doubled round the middle of the
stone, secured with grass-tree gum, and the ends forming the haft held
together by being wrapped round tightly with cord. Another make was
unique in shape, and was known by the name of waggara. A specimen is
to be seen in the Brisbane Museum. The head is cylindrical, about 2 in.
thick and 4 1/2 in. in length. The cutting end is bevelled like a wedge,
the other end is rounded for use as a hammer. The handle is wrapped
round with emu-skin, having the feathers on.

Stone knives, known simply as dhakkē (a stone), were also in use.
They were made of quartzite. One, that I have, is very broad, the edge
having a large curve. It shows marks of having been flaked with a
straight-edged stone, which must have been used as a chisel and struck
with, probably, a peice of wood. It may have had a handle, but could
have been used without one for flaying and dissecting game.

Flints and shells were also used as knives, and served as spokeshaves
and chisels for dressing weapons. Bone awls were employed to assist in
sewing. String was made of kangaroo sinews, the fur of the squirrel and
human hair. The inner bark of trees, such as the currajong and stringy-
bark, was also utilised as cordage.

Before the tinder-box was obtained from Europeans, fire was produced
by friction, the flower-stalks of the grass tree (Xanthorrhoea) being
employed for the purpose. One stalk was laid horizontally on the ground.
Into a notch in it, the end of a lighter stem, held vertically, was in-
serted. This latter was then twirled rapidly round backwards and for-
wards, between the two hands until ignition took place. Round about the
notch there was placed some dry bark, rubbed soft, which easily caught
fire and could be blown into a flame.
(over)