Page:Dawson - Australian aborigines (1900).djvu/94

 erratic weapon, and affords a fine opportunity for displaying the remarkable activity of the aborigines. This activity is, no doubt, considerably roused by fear of the severe cut which is inflicted by the boomerang. Mourners are not allowed to join in these tournaments, as it would be considered disrespectful to the dead. Women and children are generally kept at a safe distance. The chiefs and aged warriors stand by to see fair play, and to stop the proceedings when they think they have gone far enough. At the periodical great meetings trading is carried on by the exchange of articles peculiar to distant parts of the country. A favourite place of meeting for the purpose of barter is a hill called Noorat, near Terang. In that locality the forest kangaroos are plentiful, and the skins of the young ones found there are considered superior to all others for making rugs. The aborigines from the Geelong district bring the best stones for making axes, and a kind of wattle gum celebrated for its adhesiveness. This Geelong gum is so useful in fixing the handles of stone axes and the splinters of flint in spears, and for cementing the joints of bark buckets, that it is carried in large lumps all over the Western District. Greenstone for axes is obtained also from a quarry on Spring Creek, near Goodwood; and sandstone for grinding them is got from the salt creek near Lake Boloke. Obsidian or volcanic glass, for scraping and polishing weapons, is found near Dunkeld. The Wimmera country supplies the maleen saplings, found in the mallee scrub, for making spears. The Cape Otway forest supplies the wood for the bundit spears, and the grass-tree stalk for forming the butt piece of the light spear, and for producing fire; also a red clay, found on the sea coast, which is used as a paint, being first burned and then mixed with water, and laid on with a brush formed of the cone of the banksia while in flower by cutting off its long stamens and pistils. Marine shells from the mouth of the Hopkins River, and freshwater mussel shells, are also articles of exchange. Attendance at those great meetings is compulsory on all. As an instance of the obedience paid to the usual summons, a very faithful native, who had charge of a flock of sheep at Kangatong, gave notice that he had received a message directing him to attend a meeting at Mount Rouse, whenever he saw the signal smoke, or a reflection in the sky of a fire in that direction. As there was at that time a very great scarcity of shepherds, in consequence of the rush to the goldfields, permission to go was refused. Some days afterwards the signal was seen. Next morning Gnaweeth was away, leaving his flock in the fold. Having thus broken his engagement, he considered he had forfeited all claim to payment