curve back in the air and return to the feet of the
thrower; thus the black did not lose his weapon. The boomerang shows an
extraordinary knowledge of the effects of curves on the flight of an
object; it is peculiar to the Australian natives, and proves that they
had skill and cunning in some respects, though generally low in the
scale of human races.

The Australian aboriginals were divided into tribes, and these tribes,
when food supplies were good, amused themselves with tribal warfare.
From what can be gathered, their battles were not very serious affairs.
There was more yelling and dancing and posing than bloodshed. The braves
of a tribe would get ready for battle by painting themselves with red,
yellow, and white clay in fantastic patterns. They would then hold
war-dances in the presence of the enemy; that, and the exchange of
dreadful threats, would often conclude a campaign. But sometimes the
forces would actually come to blows, spears would be thrown, clubs used.
The wounds made by the spears would be dreadfully jagged, for about half
a yard of the end of the spear was toothed with bones or fishes' teeth.
But the black fellows' flesh healed wonderfully. A wound that would kill
any European the black would plaster over with mud, and in a week or so
be all right.

Duels between individuals were not uncommon among the natives, and even
women sometimes settled their differences in this way. A common method
of duelling was the exchange of blows from a nullah. One party would
stand quietly whilst his antagonist hit him on the head with a club;
then the other, in turn, would have a hit, and this would be continued
until one party dropped. It was a test of endurance rather than of
fighting power.

The women of the aboriginals were known as gins, or lubras, the children
as picaninnies--this last, of course, not an aboriginal name. The women
were not treated very well by their lords: they had to do all the
carrying when on the march. At mealtimes they would sit in a row behind
the men. The game--a kangaroo, for instance--would be roughly roasted at
the camp fire with its fur still on. The men would devour the best
portions and throw the rest over their shoulders to the waiting women.

Fish was a staple article of diet for the Australian natives. Wherever
there were good fishing-places on the coast or good oyster-beds powerful
tribes were camped, and on the inland rivers are still found weirs
constructed by the nativ