Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/483

 25 Dulbo, s.—A fine farinaceous substance eaten by the natives, and this is the name sometimes given by them to our flour.

Dulgar, s.—The gum of the Hakea. Eaten by the natives.

Dulurdong, a.—Round; spherical; egg-shaped.

Dul-ya, s.—A fog; mist.

Dul-yang, v.—To visit distant tribes in search of articles required.

Dumbin, v.—Pres. part., Dumbinin; past tense, Dumbinăgga. To avert or turn aside the course of a spear, or other missile weapon, by shouting to it. Some individuals are supposed to be peculiarly qualified in this way. Also, to procure injury to any one by Boylya, or enchantment.

Dumbu, s.—The womb.

Dumbun, s.—A cave. The only vestige of antiquity or art which has yet been discovered, consists of a circular figure rudely cut or carved into the face of a rock, in a cavern near York, with several impressions of open hands formed on the stone around it. The natives can give no rational account of this. They tell some fables of the moon having visited the cave and executed the work. They have little curiosity regarding it, and pay it no respect in any way. In short it appears as if it did not concern them or belong to their people. Caves with well executed figures, done in different colours, are said to have been found on the north-west coast, when visited by Messrs. Grey and Lushington in 1838. This rude carving at York may possibly be the last trace of a greater degree of civilization proceeding from the north, and becoming gradually more faint as it spreads to the south, till it is almost entirely obliterated; or, again, it may be the only monument now left to speak of a former race, which has altogether passed away, and become superseded by another people.

Dumbung, s.—Xylomela occipentalis; the native pear-tree. It bears a hard solid woody substance, which has a most tantalising outward resemblance to a good fruit.

Dundăk, s.—The outskirts of a place.

Dunganin, s.—Adam's apple of the throat.

Dun-ngol, s.—A very short person; a dwarf.

Duranduran, s.—Ptilotis; white-eared honey-sucker.

D-yillak, s.—A sort of coarse grey granite.

Durda, s.—A dog. The native dog is a sneaking, cowardly animal, having the stealthy habits of a fox, and committing great depredations among the sheep and poultry. Some are partially domesticated by the natives; but as they do not bark, European dogs are much more valued, when persons are unwise enough to give them to the aborigines.

Durdip, s.—The seed-vessel of the Eucalypti, or gum-trees.

Durdong, a.—(K. G. S.) Green.

Durga, s.—The north-west wind accompanied by rain. It blows chiefly during the winter season of Western Australia, from May to September.