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118, is much more highly developed in the north and centre of Australia than along the east coast. The rivers emptying into the Pacific and Indian Oceans have formed barriers to intercourse, whereas, on the contrary, rivers flowing into the Gulf of Carpentaria have been like highways leading inwards, and the ranges running east and west once crossed, numerous other water-courses, which converge upon the very heart of the continent, have facilitated the introduction of higher culture.

The tribes under notice, like most tribes on the east coast, were kept to a large extent isolated by river and mountain barriers. Several facts indicate their peculiar primitiveness. The wommera for spear-throwing was not in use. The spears were without stone tips; they had no prongs apart from the shaft itself. The only barb they had was cut out of the solid, and this was rare. There was little or no carving on their weapons for ornament, and any coloured designs were of the simplest outline. Besides, their manufactured articles of any kind were comparatively few.

As regards implements the muyīm, or stone-axe, was the most useful and important. Of