Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/78

73 hours. It is then in a fit condition for the next process,, which is scraping. This is done by means of mussel shells, with the view of removing all the husk and pithy matter. Whilst the scraping is in progress the rushes are continually being dipped into water, the softening influence of which, aids materially in the proper cleansing of the flax. When it is quite finished it is laid on the grass to dry, which it soon does, as it is spread out in small parcels, each parcel being merely sufficient to form one of the neat hanks of the correct size required in the manufacture of the cord or twine they may have in view. When dry it is made into the hanks, and stored away for future use.

From this fibre fishing lines and nets are made, as also nets for taking ducks. It makes a most serviceable netting twine, having the power to resist the rotting influence of water to a great extent; in fact, it is superior in that particular to the common netting twine of commerce, which we have proved on more than one occasion.

The next and last of their cord-making plants is the giant mallow. The fibre from this plant is of a much coarser nature than those already described; therefore it is only employed for making very thick cord, which is afterwards worked up Into nets for capturing emus. The process of separating this fibre from the plant is the same as that adopted in the case of that derived from the rush, with this one difference—After the mallow is taken out of the oven it is well bruised with heavy clubs previous to its maceration and scraping.

The emu nets made from the cord which is manufactured out of the mallow fibre are frequently from eighty to one