at sixty yards, with an unerring aim. Labillardiere
describes it well: the warrior grasped it in the middle; raised it as
high as his head; drew it towards himself with a jerk, that gave a
tremulous motion at the extremities, which accelerated its progress, and
tended to support it longer on the column of air; it was darted at 100
paces, and remained in a horizontal position for three-fourths of the
distance. The children were early trained to the exercise: Lieutenant
Breton saw a child, five years old, throw a stick through the ring
affixed to the wall of the gaol, with great precision.

A chief, confined in Hobart Town gaol, taken on the Shannon, exhibited
these feats of quickness and strength. He would spring up into the air
five feet, and reel round and round, with uncommon rapidity. He threw a
broomstick, at twelve yards distance, through a hole in the sentry box,
of but little larger diameter; and a lath, cast at thirty yards, pierced
a hat through and through. They used no throwing stick, or sling.

In the estimation of Europeans, their practice in war was savage and
cowardly: "they do not, like an Englishman," complained a colonial
writer, "give notice before they strike." The perfection of war, in
their esteem, was ambush and surprise; but an intelligent observer
sometimes saw considerable cleverness in their tactics. Mr. Franks was
on horseback, driving cattle homeward: he saw eight blacks forming a
line behind him, to prevent his retreat; each with an uplifted spear,
besides a bundle in the left hand. They then dropped on one knee, still
holding the weapon in menace; then they rose and ran towards him in
exact order: while they distracted his attention by their evolutions,
other blacks gathered from all quarters, and within thirty yards a
savage stood with his spear quivering in the air. This weapon, ten feet
long, penetrated the flap of the saddle, and the flesh of the horse four
inches, which dropped on his hind quarters. The rider was in despair;
but the spear fell, and the animal recovered his feet and fled. The
servant, less fortunate than his master, was found some days after,
slain. The attack was well planned, and exhibited all the elements of
military science!

A tribe, who attacked the premises of Mr. Jones, in 1819, at the
Macquarie, were led by a chief six feet high: he carried _one_ spear, of
a peculiar form, and no other kind of weapon: this he did not use, but
stood aloof from the rest, and i