Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/283

 NURUNDURI'S HISTORY. 205 gibly. The other tribes to the eastward arriving later, ate the contents of the intestines, which caused them to speak a language slightly different. The northern tribes came last, and devoured the intestines and all that remained, and immediately spoke a language differing still more from that of the Raminjerar. All this happened before the time of Nurunduri, with whose departure from the earth the power of transforming themselves, and making rivers, hills, &c., ceased. As, with Nurunduri, a new epoch commenced, as much of his history as can be told with decency here follows: —He was a tall and powerful man, and lived in the east, with two wives, and had several children. Upon one occasion his two wives ran away from him, and he went in search of them. Wherever he arrived he spread terror amongst the people, who were dwarfs compared with him. Continuing his pursuit, he arrrived at Freeman's Nob and there made water, from which circumstance the place is called Kainjenauld (kainjamin, to make water). Disappointed at not finding his wives, he threw two small nets, called witti, into the sea, and immediately two small rocky islands arose, which ever since have been called Wittungenggul. He went on to Ramong, where, by stamping with his feet he created Kungkengguwar (Rosetta Head). From hence he threw spears in different directions, and wherever they fell, small rocky islands arose. At length he found his two wives at Toppong. After beating them they endeavoured again to escape. Now tired of pursuing them, he ordered the sea to flow and drown them. They were transformed into rocks, and are still to be seen at low water. Discontented and unhappy, he removed with his children to a great distance towards the west, where he still lives, a very old man, scarcely able to move. When he went away one of his children was asleep, and, in consequence, left behind. Nurunduri, when arrived at the place where he intended to remain, missed him, and making fast one end of a string to his maralengk, he threw the other end towards where he supposed his son to be, who, catching hold of it, helped himself along to his father. This line is still the guide by which the dead find their way to Nurunduri. When a man