e stone is found in the shallows at the upper part of the Hawkesbury,
and a handle being fixed round the head of it with gum, the under part is
brought by friction to an edge fine enough to divide the bark of such
trees as they take their canoes or hunters huts from, and even the
shields which are cut from the body of the tree itself. There is no doubt
of their readily applying this as a weapon, when no other offers to their
necessities.

[* A representation of this and other instruments is given in plate 11.]

It must be observed, that the principal tribes have their peculiar
weapons. Most of us had made collections of their spears, throwing-sticks,
etc. as opportunities occurred; and on showing them to our Sydney
friends, they have told us that such a one was used by the people who
lived to the southward of Botany Bay; that another belonged to the tribe
of Cam-mer-ray. The spear of the wood tribes, Be-dia-gal, Tu-ga-gal, and
Boo-roo-bir-rong-gal, were known from being armed with bits of stone,
instead of broken oyster-shells. The lines worn round the waist by the
men belonged to a peculiar tribe, and came into the hands of others
either by gift or plunder. The nets used by the people of the coast for
carrying their fish, lines, etc differed in the mesh from those used by
the wood natives; and they extend this peculiarity even to their dances,
their songs, and their dialect.

Among other customs which these people invariably practise, is one that
is highly deserving of notice, as it carries with it some idea of
retributive justice.

The shedding of blood is always followed by punishment, the party
offending being compelled to expose his person to the spears of all who
choose to throw at him; for in these punishments the ties of
consanguinity or friendship are of no avail. On the death of a person,
whether male or female, old or young, the friends of the deceased must be
punished, as if the death were occasioned by their neglect. This is
sometimes carried farther than there seems occasion for, or than can be
reconcilable with humanity.

After the murder of Yel-lo-way by Wat-te-wall his widow Noo-roo-ing being
obliged, according to the custom of her country, to avenge her husband's
death on some of the relations of the murderer, meeting with a little
girl named Go-nang-goo-lie, who was some way related to Wat-te-wal,
walked with her and two other girls to a retired place, where with a club
and a pointed stone they b