Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/76

50 (1) Milpulko, on the Darling frontage from Wilcannia downwards.

(2) Naualko, the Darling frontage from Wilcannia upwards to about 70 miles below Bourke and extending back towards the Paroo River.

(3) Guerno. Thence up the river to Bourke, and extending up the Warrego to about Ford's Bridge.

(4) Barrumbinya, from Bourke up to the Barwon River.

There are three other tribes which I have not been able to assign to either of these nations. The Badjeri, who extend up the Paroo River from Currawinya, near Hungerford, to Eulo. The Barunga, who occupy the Wanaaring district on the Paroo River. Finally the Paruinji, from Hungerford down the Paroo to Bootha-bootha, a shallow waterhole in Gorimpa, and who claim also the country of the Barunga. There appears to be an overlapping of tribal boundaries in this case, and possibly an indication of a larger nation.

Most of these tribes speak the same language, but the speech of others differs so much that a native of one division may not understand one word of the language of another.

The third nation is the Barkinji, whose country, according to Mr. A. L. P. Cameron, is on the Darling River, between the junction of the Bogan with it and a point about half-way between Menindie and Pooncarrie, although other information given me extends their range still further. It seems uncertain whether tribes belonging to the Barkinji nation are to be found on both sides of the Darling River. My information places them on the south-eastern side, occupying about 50 miles back from the river. This agrees with a sketch map of Mr. Cameron's, who says that the tribes adjoining it are the Wonghibon, a tribe with four sub-classes, to the south-east, and the Ta-tathi, Muthi-muthi, Wathi-wathi, and Ithi-ithi to the south.

These three nations are a good illustration of the terms used by me. The unit of local organisation is a small