Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/97

92 head, and the great brute was then safely hauled into our tiny craft.

The capture of this immense fish seemed to the natives a fitting finale to our successful day's sport, so the lines were all drawn up at once, and the long, slender canoe poles came gracefully into play, which sent the flotilla along in splendid style, rivalling in beauty and celerity a flock of moulting swans when being chased; and just as old Sol sank to rest, mid a blaze of gorgeous colours, we landed at the port from whence we started in the morning.

The result of our day's sport was ninety-three fish, beside those demolished at our midday meal, and a few lobsters, whose aldermanic proportions were the means of their being reserved for the delectation of animals, possessing a higher organisation than the giant codfish of the Murray River. 

CHAPTER XI.

RELATING TO THEIR SPIRIT, AND THEIR UNBOUNDED FAITH THEREIN. ARORIGINAL RELIGION AS COMPARED WITH THAT PROFESSED BY CHRISTIANS FROM AN ABORIGINAL POINT OF VIEW. Bangals (doctors), and their powers of spiritual intercourse.

In matters of religion these aborigines are very, very destitute indeed, yet they admit that all their actions are overlooked by a good and by an evil spirit. These spirits are very prominent figures in all their traditions. The good spirit (Ngowdenout) has the credit of being the author of everything which has a favourable