o count above
3, or at most, 4. The Yuckaburra[33] natives can go no further than
_wigsin_, 1, _bullaroo_, 2, _goolbora_, 3. Above here all is referred to as
_moorgha_, many. The Marachowies[34] have but three distinct
numerals,--_cooma_, 1, _cootera_, 2, _murra_, 3. For 4 they say _minna_,
many. At Streaky Bay we find a similar list, with the same words, _kooma_
and _kootera_, for 1 and 2, but entirely different terms, _karboo_ and
_yalkata_ for 3 and many. The same method obtains in the Minnal Yungar
tribe, where the only numerals are _kain_, 1, _kujal_, 2, _moa_, 3, and
_bulla_, plenty. In the Pinjarra dialect we find _doombart_, 1, _gugal_, 2,
_murdine_, 3, _boola_, plenty; and in the dialect described as belonging to
"Eyre's Sand Patch," three definite terms are given--_kean_, 1, _koojal_,
2, _yalgatta_, 3, while a fourth, _murna_, served to describe anything
greater. In all these examples the fourth numeral is indefinite; and the
same statement is true of many other Australian languages. But more
commonly still we find 4, and perhaps 3 also, expressed by reduplication.
In the Port Mackay dialect[35] the latter numeral is compound, the count
being _warpur_, 1, _boolera_, 2, _boolera warpur_, 3. For 4 the term is not
given. In the dialect which prevailed between the Albert and Tweed
rivers[36] the scale appears as _yaburu_, 1, _boolaroo_, 2, _boolaroo
yaburu_, 3, and _gurul_ for 4 or anything beyond. The Wiraduroi[37] have
_numbai_, 1, _bula_, 2, _bula numbai_, 3, _bungu_, 4, or many, and _bungu
galan_ or _bian galan_, 5, or very many. The Kamilaroi[38] scale is still
more irregular, compounding above 4 with little apparent method. The
numerals are _mal_, 1, _bular_, 2, _guliba_, 3, _bular bular_, 4, _bular
guliba_, 5, _guliba guliba_, 6. The last two numerals show that 5 is to
these natives simply 2-3, and 6 is 3-3. For additional examples of a
similar nature the extended list of Australian scales given in Chapter V.
may be consulted.

Taken as a whole, the Australian and Tasmanian tribes seem to have been
distinctly inferior to those of South America in their ability to use and
to comprehend numerals. In all but two or three cases the Tasmanians[39]
were found to be unable to proceed beyond 2; and as the foregoing examples
have indicated, their Australian neighbours were but little better off. In
one or two instances we do find Australian numeral scales which reach 10,
and perhaps we may safely say 20. One of these