22

Union Street,
Toowong, S.W.1.
January 22nd, 1943.

Dear Mr. May,

With reference to the information wanted by the
"Telegraph" as set out on the inclosure in your letter of 20th
instant, I can give no information on (1) except that which you
yourself have noted, and which, presumably, you have obtained from
Tyrrel's "Abc. Place names.

No. 2 I can only give corresponding names in S.E. Queensland
languages. Choosing the Yugumbir, (Logan River) language,
(a) One edible water lily is the blue water lily called by the
natives, mū-^i'-ūm (mee-^'-i-oom). The roots were baked and eaten,
but no flour was made therefrom.

(b). The natives ate almost anything that was digestible and
not poisonous, whether vegetables, fruit, animal, bird, fish, reptile or insect.

A list of foods and of their preparation would fill a small
book.

(c). Spears were guńai and bilara, dhaan was a fish spear,
in this locality the spear-thrower, commonly known in Austral-
ian literature as woomera, was unknown.

(d) Waterfall, - ngulara;, creek - ballun; ocean, or sea,
tumgun; lake - or lagcen, - nanda or nyanda.

(e) Wattle (black), - tyumau; Wattle (green) dhaí-ī; Flannel
flower, aboriginal equivalent is unknown; Banksia, integri-
folia, - bumbarra; Gumtree (blue) mūngara.

No. 3.

Young girl, under 8 years of age, dhábūgun; Strong boy, -
dha'bū-bullang; Good mother, waidhung-baugul; Good hunter, no
English equivalent, every man was his own hunter.

Note. To apply these names to anywhere other than in
than in S.E. Queensland would be inappropriate.

Regarding books on Australian aboriginal lore, I think
that "The Australian Race" by E.M. Curr, is one of the best
as far as the Eastern Districts are concerned. For South
Australia and the Northern Territory Dr. Herbert Basedow's works
are to be commended, i.e. "Australian Aborigines", For North
Queensland, words by Dr. Roth. (I forget the titles).

For books of place names, some published works are, "Australian
Aboriginal Place Names", by James Tyrril; "Aboriginal Word Book"
by Justine Kenyen; and one published by the Australian Museum,
"Australian Place Names and their meanings". These supply
long lists of place names, but, as etymological and philological
studies, I am of the opinion that they are not worth a "weir
built by a worker in tin plate".

I will meet you at the Q.P.N. room on Wednesday next if
possible.

Yours faithfully,
[signature]
(F. J. Watson).