Front Cover

Inside Cover

Title Page

Camp Jottings
Volume IV

Notes

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October, 24th. Camp No. 64. Balanbrinni. A very clammy tropical morning and we all feel decidedly limp if not livery. At 6.40 Spencer, Parunda and I are in the saddle and away with the packs. Our stage consisted of 22 miles of undulating country, mostly forest with Bay of Biscay soil, seamed in all directions with great cracks, and very heavy travelling. With the packs we average about 4 miles an hour while Chance with the wagon cannot do more than about 2 1/2 even when the road is fair; in the Biscay country he does less, so that we are always in camp hours ahead of him. Our camp is by the side of a waterhole in an unnamed creek, when full, the hole is a fine sheet of water but unless rain falls, the present supply will not last more than two or three weeks. The day is fiendishly scorchingly hot and we are glad to huddle under the scant shade of a gum tree while Parunda builds the usual wurley. A water lily similar to that at Winalyiru,

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but having a blue flower, flourishes in the waterhole. Literally thousands of birds are coming in to water. I had a pot at a flock of galahs and bowled over 6 with one shot, two of which are being reserved for our collection, the others the boys eat. Chance captured a tree-climbing rat which Spencer believes to be new.
October, 25th. Camp No. 64. Stewy morning, everything moist from the dew. Shot a number of birds for collection including 1 beautiful yellow crested cockatoo and a bower bird. Spencer busy skinning birds most of the day. It is necessary to leave supplies here for our boys’ return journey, so they have planted in a hollow tree close by, 12 tins of meat and 1 tin of jam which I hope will not be discovered by some possum hunting savage. Intensely hot with great banks of cumulus clouds rising in the east. As tomorrow’s stage is a heavy one, we are sending Chance on with the wagon this evening. He will go out about 4 miles and send the horses back here to camp on water. Some of the draught

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horses are looking jaded and rapidly losing condition and I am anxious about them. The absence of salt in the native herbage is much felt by horses bred in the south, where the saltbush flourishes, and even the locally bred animal has to be provided with a substitute in the form of rock-salt placed in raised troughs, at which they lick away with great gusto for hours. A new experience: I am feeling rheumatic pains across the shoulders.
October, 26th. Camp No. 65. Laila Creek Top Yard (Nanarpula). My rheumatism kept me awake all night and I am feeling very sore - Started at 10 minutes to 6, a record start, and in 5 1/2 miles overtook Chance who was camped on a breezy hill where he says the night was comparatively cool. Travelled on 13 miles over range country; low jumbly hills and in places a very rough track which made us fear for the safety of our wagon and thank the Lord that we had not ventured further with the buggy. Camped at a fine permanent waterhole fringed with white cedar, pandanus and gums of various kinds. Intensely

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hot, a moist heat quite unlike that of the MacDonnells. Thermometer registered 110 in our wurley. Wagon arrived safely at 3.30 and we are greatly relieved. Thunderstorms all round us in the evening. We quite expected a downpour but it only drizzled a few points. Away towards the valley of the McArthur River it appears to be raining heavily. My rheumatism is much better. There is a roughly built stockyard a little north of our camp, which marks the western boundary of the McArthur River Cattle Station, and judging by the tracks men have been mustering here recently. It is wretched country for cattle, in places the grass is luxuriant but too coarse and rank to be good for stock.
October, 27th. Camp No. 65. Spelling here today. Spencer and I did some shooting before lunch. Horses looking fagged. Thermometer registered 115° in our wurley at 2 p.m. I am feeling

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decidedly limp and oh so thirsty. A cool drink is out of the question and even from waterbags hung up in the shade the water is tepid and sickly. Chance who shrivels up and looks like a dried sheepskin on a cold day fairly revels in this weather and eats like a horse while Spencer and I do not eat enough to keep a pair of sparrows alive. Spencer skinning birds all day. He is a wonderful fellow, never idle for 10 minutes, smokes incessantly and always cheery and bright. Much more of this sort of weather and I shall feel that it would be a relief to dispense with my too, too solid flesh and move round only in my skeleton. About 4 p.m. a thunder storm accompanied by fierce wind broke over our camp so suddenly that we had barely time to get things under cover; limbs of trees were flying in all directions, our wurley was demolished and all hands were hanging on to the guys of the fly which, through being badly rigged, was soon torn from its fastenings in three or four places. About half

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an inch of rain fell in ten minutes but it appears to have been much heavier towards the coast. While it lasted it was a fine example of a tropical storm and its suddenness has taught us the necessity of being better prepared in future. For some hours after the rain ceased it was very close and muggy and the ever active mosquito stimulated by the warmth attacked us in considerable force.
October, 28th. Camp No. 66. Laila Creek Murruraga Waterhole. Parunda had the pots on at 10 minutes past 4 and we breakfasted before daylight. It is my birthday and Spencer who never forgets anything reminds me of the fact with ‘Compliments of the Season old man’. We are in the saddle and away with the packs at 6 a.m. and after travelling over 11 or 12 miles of undulating well-timbered country mostly following the course of the Laila Creek we struck water and camped. The Creek here is deep and narrow with precipitous banks, fringed with a splendid growth of large gums, paperbark, white cedar and pandanus and other tropical trees, of which we do not know the names.

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One species of tree growing to a height of 50 or 60 feet has great clusters of fruit which look like bunches of huge grapes curiously springing from its trunk and branches. The fruit smells and tastes like figs, so the tree probably belongs to the Ficus family. On many of the gum trees parasitic orchids are growing luxuriantly. We noticed two varieties, one in full bloom bearing clusters of delicate bell-shaped flowers, the other has not yet flowered but we hope to see it in bloom further on. The plant generally grows in the fork of a tree or at the junction of two limbs, while the leaves of the plant grow upwards, the flowers hang down. The plant does not, like the Loranthus (mistletoe), strike its roots into and feed upon the sap of the tree on which it grows; its roots lie under the bark or in a crack in the wood but the plant draws all its sustenance from the air and sunlight. The seed may be blown into a crevice in the fork of a tree by the wind or it may be deposited there by a bird. The parasitic orchids will not grow in soil. The country is daily becoming more interesting and

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today there has been a marked increase in the size and variety of trees but considering the great rainfall to which this district is subject I am surprised that the creeks and waterholes are not much larger. Looking around us it is difficult to realise that the average rainfall is 40 inches. Spencer and I did some shooting during the morning. Our collection of birds promises to be a very fine one. Quite a pleasant day. Yesterday’s storm cleared the air. October, 29th. Camp No. 67. Wolverninni. A cool refreshing night. I awoke feeling alive once more. We started with the packs at a quarter to 6 and in 14 miles struck the Anthony Lagoon track, which is well defined, beaten down with vehicle traffic and vastly different to the track we have been following since leaving the Telegraph Line. In many places our track has been little more than a horsepad and sometimes it was not easy to follow. Our wagon will have improved it considerably for any travellers coming after us. Just at the junction of the

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two tracks we finally crossed the Laila Creek where we expected to find water but were unable to locate it. Travelled on over low hills, flats and forest country for 10 miles and camped on the track, quarter of a mile from Wolverninni billabong. Whole of country traversed today, decidedly uninteresting and disappointing. We hoped for some interesting scenery or at any rate big trees now that we are so near the McArthur River, instead of which we have to content ourselves with a hideously ugly camp amidst spinifex and red ant-hills where quite 20 trees have to be sacrificed to afford us sufficient shade.
October, 30th. Camp No. 68. McArthur River Station (Thirrinminni). Spencer, Parunda and I left with the packs at 6.40, leaving Chance to spell a day and rest the team. In 7 miles we struck the McArthur River and crossed over at Capella crossing. The River bed here is dry, about 100 yds. wide, and very stony and sandy with a splendid growth of trees in the channel and along the banks. Another five miles landed us at the Station where we were hospitably received by Mr. Amos, the manager. The Station is owned

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by a New South Wales firm Messrs. Amos and Broad and has been established for 18 years with very unsatisfactory results. Originally it was started with 14,000 head of cattle mostly breeding cows. Mr. Amos says that he is doubtful if he could muster that number now, after all these years, owing to the persistent depredations of the natives who are killing continually. The Station building is of weatherboard and very comfortably fitted up. We quite enjoy a lounge under its broad cool verandahs. In the afternoon we visited the native camps on the banks of the river and did some trade. At one man’s camp we noticed a great paperbark bundle placed in a forked stick, around the base of which a low circular mound of sand had been raised. The bundle arrested my attention at once and on making enquiry from the custodian we learnt that it contained the bones of his brother who died some months ago. He

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calmly informed us that he and others had eaten the body and then removed the bones to their present resting place. Of the small bones (radius) of the arm, his father had made magic pointing implements which were to be used for pointing at the individual who was responsible for the death of deceased. A little tobacco and a couple of pipes and knives persuaded the gentleman to let us take these bones away and they are now safely stored in our packs. Not content with the pointing bones, 3 in number, we are now in treaty for the bundle of bones which in their paperbark wrapping, would make a unique addition to any collection. So far the men of the Binbingga do not appear to be a prepossessing lot, they are of the same type as their neighbours the Gnanji. The old men crop their beards closely and all those in the camp appeared as if they had neglected to shave for three or four days. Mr. Amos tells me that some time ago a man accidentally killed his little son with a spear while out hunting. He threw the body over

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his shoulder and took it back to the camp where he and his family dined off it. Probably the eating of one’s relatives is something in the nature of a religious or sacred custom. It may be that these people believe that by eating the body they effectively give rest to the spirit of the dead or that those who consume the flesh inherit the strength of the dead. It is a matter into which we shall have to enquire most carefully. Here we met Mr. Weldon of Pinda who is perhaps the oldest settler in this district, having come out with the first draft of cattle sent to stock the McArthur. The man Leonard, who was killed by the Gnanji and of whose murder I have made mention in Vol. III was, he tells me, most probably eaten by those amiable people, for when the bones were found some days after the murder they were all stripped clean of flesh and it had, evidently not been touched by dogs, in fact it is very doubtful indeed if a dingo will touch the body of a dead

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man. October, 31st. The morning is spent writing letters to catch the mail leaving here today via Camooweal and Brisbane. Messrs. Amos and Weldon poured out their grievances and the grievances of their neighbours against the natives and I am beginning to believe that unless some serious effort is made by the authorities to protect the struggling and long-suffering pastoralists in the Gulf district, they will have to abandon the attempt to settle the country. The blacks all through the Gulf country and in the well-watered districts of the Territory generally are very numerous and, if not exactly hostile to the whiteman, they seem to be determined to share with him the privilege of living upon beef. There is no scarcity of game and vegetable foods so that there is no excuse for their wholesale raids upon the cattle. They not only kill a great number of cattle but they disturb and run the others about, to such an extent that whenever they get sight or smell of a nigger they run for miles and the consequence is that they rarely become fat and are often

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strained to pieces. It is difficult to know how to cope with the trouble but at present I am inclined to think that the American system of confining the natives to definite tracts of country would be the best means of solving it. The adoption of this system would mean very considerable expense and it would doubtless be for some years extremely difficult to carry out but, unless the alternative of shooting the blacks down be adopted, I do not see how the pastoralist in a district such as this is going to flourish, or even exist. Chance arrived during the afternoon and we shifted down to the River so as to get an early start in the morning.
November, 1st. Camp No. 69. Frog Lagoon. It was just six o’clock and we were busy saddling and packing up, when a deputation of the Binbingga arrived carrying various articles for trade and in the rear to our great joy was an old man carrying the much coveted bundle of bones - the bones of his son - which I promptly relieved him of. All day yesterday we were consumed

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with a longing to possess this bundle. I had several interviews with the brother of the original owner of the bones and although he was evidently disposed to make a deal, I rather think the aged parent, who of course had no scruples about eating his son, was loath to part. The drawing (plate no. 83) shows the bundle in position as we first saw it, the wrapping and outer covering is of paperbark. It will probably find a resting place in the Melbourne Museum where the original scene will be faithfully reproduced. At 6.15 we started with Parunda travelled 22 miles over forest and range country, very rough, and camped on the edge of a small weedy lagoon which judging by its name is supposed to be the habitat of many frogs. Around its green edges ibis, white crane and other water fowl are busy feeding and these, later on, are visited by a pelican at which, knowing that I could not hit it, I fired with my revolver whereupon the ungainly bird turned upon me with a look of reproach and contempt and soared away. I felt mean. -

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November, 2nd. Camp No. 70. Borroloola. We are in the saddle at 5.45, full of eagerness to see the Capital of the Gulf country, Borroloola, or ‘Town’ as it is invariably called by the Station hands whom we have met en route. After travelling over 16 miles of uninteresting plain and forest, we caught sight of the galvanized iron roofs of the building and amongst them we saw a red patch which we took to be a roof of red tiles but which afterwards turned out to be a beautiful flame tree in full flower. A few minutes more landed us in the town which consists of an irregular row of five buildings, the first a public house, the second a store, the third the police station, the fourth the Local Court and Magistrate's quarters and 5th, lying modestly in the background, a little house occupied by a Chinese tailor. Truly a drearily cheerless, hot looking sun-stricken place, with nothing about its immediate surroundings to indicate that it is in the tropics - Long ago we pictured it a beautiful spot, rich in tropic growth, the buildings almost hidden

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by the richness of the vegetation - For some time we have known that it was not quite all we had pictured it, but the ghastly uninteresting reality is worse than anything we anticipated. The town was surveyed about 18 years ago and the Government established quarterly steamer communication with Pt. Darwin for the purpose of stimulating the pastoral industry and making it easy for the pastoralists to obtain their supplies of stores. The place was believed to have a great future before it and at first things boomed along merrily, two public houses sprang up, also two stores, one of each remains and were it not for other ventures it is doubtful if the publican could make a living. A resident Magistrate who also acted as Sub-Collector of Customs and Warden of Goldfields was appointed and provided with comfortable quarters. The Magistrate has been withdrawn, there was nothing for him to do in any of his capacities and for some years his quarters have been unoccupied but carefully

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looked after by the Police Officer whose quarters are close by. By the courtesy of this Police Officer Mr. Stott we are now occupying the Magistrate’s quarters where we shall remain during our stay here. The McArthur River is here a very fine stream of water flowing north and south and less than half a mile from the town. The river with its splendidly timbered banks is very picturesque but one has to walk down to it to see its beauties. From the township only the tops of the trees can be seen. It is well stocked with fish and abounds in alligators or rather crocodiles for there are no alligators in Australia. There are two species of crocodile in this river: Crocodylus porosus, commonly called an alligator, and Philas johnstoni, a much smaller, long-snouted beast commonly called crocodile. The local Police Officer tells me that he has seen the former grow to a length of 17ft. 10 inches, while the latter

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only grows to a length of 6 or 7 feet and is harmless. The larger variety often kills horses and cattle that happen to stray into the shallower parts of the river stream and the publican here has been a considerable sufferer in that respect. He informs us that he has killed a great number of crocodiles by means of baits poisoned with strychnine, these he suspends from the limb of a tree overhanging the water and the crocodiles readily take them. Sand-bars prevent vessels of any considerable tonnage from coming up the river so the trading steamer, which arrives quarterly, anchors at the mouth where goods and passengers are transhipped into a small schooner. The mouth of the river is distant 40 miles from the town. Rich copper deposits have been found at various places within 120 miles of the town and some of the mines are being prospected for the purpose of sending down bulk samples of ore for treatment at Sydney. The Borroloola-ites are sanguine

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that in the near future a great mining industry will be developed and they already talk of asking the Government to erect smelters at the mouth of the river. In the afternoon we visited the Chinese garden situated 3/4 of a mile from the town. It is about 2 or 3 acres in extent quite an ideal garden with a stream of spring water running through it entire length. The soil is dark grey, almost black and various tropical fruits such as mangoes, pineapple, custard apple and bananas flourish in it. We are disappointed to find that none of these fruits are ripe. The garden has lately changed hands and is now occupied by a lean gaunt one-eyed whiteman named Price to whom gardening is a new experience. Just above the garden there is a fine fresh water spring throwing off a continuous stream of water which runs into a small creek called the Rocky and thence into the Mc Arthur. Along this stream there is a fine growth of

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pandanus palms which give to the place a tropical appearance and suggest millions of mosquitoes. After visiting the garden we sauntered down to the McArthur River - One never does anything more than saunter in this climate, it’s far too hot - and called at the blacks’ camps where we found a number of men - all curly headed and some very fine physical types - preparing for a corroboree; they had heard of our coming and the nature of our mission and seemed glad to see us. All the men present were members of the Anula tribe whose country extends down to the coast and includes the Pellew Islands. Many of them had pipes, fashioned like the Chinese opium pipes and made out of bamboo.
November, 3rd. Camp No. 70. The morning was spent with some men of the Anula and Mara tribes but so far we have not anything of importance to record. We have attached to our staff [a] man named Umbarari who is a member of the Mara tribe whose country is on the Limmen and Roper Rivers. Spencer not very well. His wife’s name is Tokalina.

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I spent most of the afternoon in the camp of the Anula, cultivating friendly relations. They are cheery, fine-looking fellows, cannibals to a man and one old rascal who admired my portly form looked as if he would, quite in a friendly way, like to breakfast off some of it. They wear on their arms and around their necks ornaments made of plaited bamboo grass - They make and use bark canoes in which they hunt the dugong which is said to be plentiful about the mouth of the river. We have arranged with them to make us two of these canoes. Some of them talk Malay and two of the young men had been to Macassar with Malay traders. The Malays have been fishing and trading on this coast for over a hundred years and we are rather afraid that the coast blacks will have adopted some of their customs. On the Sir Edward Pellew group of Islands which lie about (?) miles from the mouth of the River there are

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a great number of blacks who collect tortoise shell and pearl shell for the Malays who in return give them rice, tobacco and a sort of rum called Arrack [sic]. Some years ago the Islanders were very fierce and treacherous but they are now fairly quiet and many of them come up to Borroloola where they pick up tobacco, knives and other articles much coveted by the savage. Some years ago a Chinese gardener here accidentally shot a lubra and being ignorant of British law he thought the best thing he could do was to bury the body and thus conceal the death. He did so and the proceedings were watched by some men of the Anula tribe who, as soon as the Chinaman had completed his task, exhumed the body and ate it. I was a little shocked to find that some of the men whose society I was cultivating this afternoon were active partakers in the feast. The funny thing about it is that when they had consumed the body they trooped up to the Police Station and gave information to the Police of what had happened, taking with them as evidence,

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the breastbone in which some shot were embedded and a number of loose shot which they had extracted from the body. The Chinaman was tried for murder and acquitted and he and the blacks enjoyed their trip to Pt. Darwin immensely.
November, 4th. Camp No. 70. The morning was spent with the Binbing-ga and Mara blacks. The former have eight classes divided into two moieties of four each, but they have no distinct names for the moieties. The class names hereunder are written in the same order and correspond with those previously recorded, that is to say for instance Chuanaaku here is the equivalent of Panunga in the Arunta and so on all through the classes:
Moiety A Males
Chuanaaku
Chulanchuka
Palyarinji
Pungarinji

Moiety A Females
Nianuma
Nurlanma
Palyarina
Pungarinya

Warrumunga Equivalents
Panunga
Chunguri
Kabidgi
Thapungarti

Moiety B Males
Tjurulum
Thungallum
Tjamaram
Yakumarri

Moiety B Females
Nuraluma
Nungalum
Neamurima
Yakumarina

Warrumunga Equivalents
Chupilla
Thungalla
Thakomara
Chambein

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It will be seen at a glance that the class names are very similar to those used by the Umbaia. The Mara tribe which occupies portions of the country along the Limmen and Roper Rivers have only four classes subdivided into two moieties:
Equivalents
in Bingongina

Urku Moiety
Murungun
(Pungarinji
(Chuanaaku

Arunta
Thapungarti 1
Panunga 2

Mumbali
(Palyarinji
(Chulanchuka

Arunta
Kabidgi 3
Chunguri 4

Yumar Moiety
Purtal
(Tjurulum
(Tiamarum

Arunta
Chupilla 2
Thakomara 3

Quial
(Thungallum
(Thakomarri

Arunta
Thungalla 4
Chambein 1

Murumgun marries only Purtal women and the children are of the same class and totem as the father:
Mumbali marries Quial ditto ditto
Purtal marries Murungun ditto ditto
Quial marries Mumbali ditto ditto
Descent is clearly paternal.
A tribe called the Allaua inhabiting the inland portion of the Limmen River and adjoining the Gnanji and Binbingga boundaries have eight classes, written in the usual order so as to correspond with previous records:

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A Panungpan
Pulanpan
Palyarinpan
Pungarinpan

B Purulungpan
Kamiringpan
Kungalanpan
Champipan

Marriage and descent same as in Arunta. In the Bingbing-ga when a young man or woman dies, the body is taken away by people of the opposite moiety of the tribe, cut up into suitable joints and cooked in a native oven which is made by scooping out a hole in the ground. A fire is lighted in the hole, some pebbles are thrown in and when the fire has burnt nearly out and the stones have become hot, some grass is placed on top of them and then the ‘joints’ are put in, covered with grass, on top of which hot ashes and coals are heaped up. The Bingbing-ga

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assure us that this is an excellent method of cooking and that, so cooked, the meat retains all its flavor - When the meat is taken out of the oven, the bones are all carefully extracted and after the flesh is consumed they are wrapped in paperbark (Melaleuca leucodendron) and taken by the men who partook of the flesh to the father of deceased who will keep them in his camp for two wet seasons. Then in the cold weather he will send out messengers, men of the opposite moiety, carrying the small arm bones (radius) of deceased to summon other groups to the final mortuary ceremonies. In the meantime the actual and tribal mothers of deceased will gather and store quantities of lily seed and honey for the visitors and the father will place the bones in a hollow log which he carefully decorates in various colours stopping up the ends with paperbark. When this curious coffin is completed the father stands it in the ground, and around it the mortuary ceremonies take place after the arrival of the visitors. At the

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conclusion of these ceremonies the coffin which is called (?) is taken and placed in a tree on the banks of a lagoon containing lilies. The lagoon then becomes tabu, sacred from the intrusion of women, until three wet seasons have passed, after which they may visit the lagoon and feed upon the lilies. When a man dies his spirit returns to the place of origin, this also applies to women and both sexes are subject to reincarnation. The spirit is indestructible, The Heavens are inhabited by two evil spirits called Mundadji, who are always trying to come down and eat up the blackfellows, but they are prevented from carrying out this amiable intention by a powerful good spirit called Yulurkuru who dwells in the forest and is ever on the watch to protect the Binbing-ga. All three spirits are at times visible to the Medicine men (Mungarnidji) who say their bodies are

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covered with fine white feathers -The arms of the Mundadji are of stone and like great knives and their voices can always be heard rumbling in the Heavens when a man dies. Men of the Binbing-ga do not speak to either their father-in-law or mother-in-law. Chance arrived in the afternoon, horses just about done and if he had not happened to meet a teamster who was good enough to render him assistance, it is doubtful if he would have got the team in for two or three days. The Subdued who does most of the driving looks sad, sorry and sorely tried and heartily glad to be at the end of his journey. Our horses are running on the opposite side of the river where luckily there is good green feed. When Parunda crossed the river with them at a point about a mile from our camp, it was at low tide just up to the horses’ knees, yesterday morning he went to the same crossing and found deep

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water, the tide was in and never having seen or heard of the eccentricity of tides the gallant Parunda was lost in amazement. There had been no rain and even if there had been oceans the water was running the wrong way. It was too much for his great mind, so he returned very dejected and poured out his troubles to Spencer who was hugely amused.
November, 5th. Camp No. 70. Today marks an epoch in the history of this Expedition, for today we discarded our old and tried friends the quart pots and added to our effects a Chinese earthenware teapot from which for the future we shall imbibe our fragrant Bohea. Many a time and oft have the old quart pots ministered to our thirst and brought exhilaration to our tired and sun-scorched frames. To thoroughly appreciate tea one must travel in the bush in the heat of summer behind packhorses. With the Binbing-ga all the morning, also did some

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work on Mara customs. This tribe like the Binbing-ga, eat their dead. The chances of doing good work here look very promising.
November, 6th. Camp No. 70. Spencer up at daylight developing plates taken on the track across from Powell Creek. All pictures more or less fogged but still worth having. Spent the morning working with Binbing-ga. Recorded lengthy tradition about a great mythical snake called Bobibobbi and two boys whom it followed and finally took into the earth and thence underground to Vandertin Island in the Pellew group where it has kept them until the present time. They have been seen at long intervals by Medicine men who have the gift of seeing what is hidden from ordinary mortals. Bobibobbi made the McArthur River which the blacks call (?) and at the spot where he took the boys into the earth an immense waterhole called Numbinumbi arose. Why Bobibobbi should have taken the boys away is not very clear but, so far as we could gather, it was to punish them for having killed

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and eaten flying foxes (Pteropus) which are amongst the foods forbidden to boys. They killed a number of flying foxes with their Waddies, took them to their camp at Araw-anja, made a native oven in which they placed the foxes to cook while they went forth to slaughter some more. After killing a great number they returned with them to camp and took the first lot out of the oven, only to find that they were still alive. They screeched out loudly and flew off much to the amazement of the boys. Bobibobbi was watching the proceedings from under the ground and for some unexplainable reason he removed one of his ribs and threw it out on to the plain where it was picked up by Pungarinji who said ‘Hulloa this is my boomerang’ and placed it behind his back in his girdle as is the custom. He called Tjamarum his mate and said ‘Look I have found a fine boomerang (?) for you and I’ to which Tjamarum replied ‘Yes you have indeed found a fine boomerang for you and I. I will take

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it and kill some foxes’. This he did, continuing to enjoy the sport, until Pungarinji expressed a desire to try his hand. Pungarinji was equally successful and having killed enough he sent them with Tjamarum to a fresh camp at Maaka. He then threw the boomerang straight up to the sky in which it made a great hole and disappeared from their sight. For some time they watched and watched and at length they saw it descending rapidly, finally it struck the earth end on and stuck fast therein. Pungarinji said to Tjamarum ‘You pull it out’ Tjamarum tried and tried and tried again but could not move it and his feet began to sink in the earth so he called to Pungarinji to come and help him. The two together pulled with all their might and both sank up to their knees without moving the boomerang at all. Just then Bobibobbi came forth and seized them both and took them away under ground. The boomerang descending hurt the snake who seized and held it so that the boys could not pull it out. Also recorded lengthy tradition about the

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Alcheringa doings of a Snake called Ulanji which was the ancestral father of the people of that totem. These traditions are very similar to the Alcheringa ancestral traditions of the southern tribes and it is very clear that the ideas as to origin are almost the same right through the continent. The Arunta people of today are the reincarnations of certain definite individuals who flourished in the Alcheringa. Beginning with the Unmatjira and ending with the Binbing-ga the people of these tribes are the reincarnations of spirit people who were created and left at various spots by the various mythical founders of the totems. It was these founders who made the country, who made the ranges, creeks and in fact all the physiographic features on the earth’s surface. Each one was an all powerful Creator. In the afternoon we recorded table of relationship terms used by the Mara

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Tribe. This tribe counts up to four thus: One Wanki, two Urutcha, three Urutcha-kai, four Urutcha-Urutcha. The Binbing-ga only count [up to] three thus: One Chantika, two Kucharina, three Murkuna, all over that number is called Bokarina. Allaua count [up to] four thus: One Charini, two Irwarini, three Yirmurku, four Irwarini-Irwarini (really two and two), all over four is called Namu or Wuika.
November, 7th. Camp No. 70. It has been quite a gala day in far Borroloola. I held a court this morning and disposed of two cases in which 5 out of the six inhabitants were concerned. They all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely and they attended the Court in their best apparell. The Police Officer resplendent in new uniform which fitted him as if he had been poured into it was a ‘thing of beauty and a joy forever’ to some heathen Chinese who are here waiting for the boat. Probably the majesty of the Law has never been more gorgeously garbed in Borroloola as it was today, for policemen living in

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remote places like this are generally provided only with uniform which fitted them in their callow youth and from long disuse [it] had become frowsy with age. Working with Binbing-ga and Mara all day. In the Alcheringa a Mara man was fishing on the sea coast and to his surprise he caught the moon in his net but, when he tried to land the net, the moon swelled itself out, burst through the net and escaped into the sea. We are experiencing a great deal of trouble in puzzling out the marriage system of the Mara tribe; it appears complicated and unlike any system previously met with. Both in Mara and Binbing-ga tribes young men are forbidden to eat certain foods until their beards grow and they receive permission from men who stand to them in the relationship of brothers-in-law. The following are forbidden foods: snakes, kangaroo, female wallaby, emu, turtle,

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large lizards, large fish, crocodile, female opossum, female bandicoot, flying fox, dingo, turkey, pigeon, native companion, yam (large), jaberu and black duck. After the young man’s beard grows he takes an offering of each of these foods to his brothers-in-law who rub his body with the food and then touch his mouth with it, thus granting him permission to eat it. Very warm with threatening clouds towards the coast.
November, 8th. Camp No. 70. Close, damp morning, dew dripping off roof at daylight. Parunda thinks there is something radically wrong with this climate, what with the tide and the heavy dew at night all his ideas are being upset. Toning and printing until 10, after which we devoted a couple of hours to the Binbing-ga. Recorded lengthy and drearily uninteresting tradition regarding the Alcheringa wanderings of two ancestral Dingoes. Neither the Binbing-ga or Mara tribes have ceremonies for increasing the totemic animals or plants. In both tribes widows descend to younger brother

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of the deceased husband who has the right of adding them to his own household, or allotting them to others standing in the same relationship to deceased. The whole afternoon spent puzzling over the class terms of the Anula without any satisfactory progress. Every day considerable additions are made to our collection.
November, 9th. Camp No. 70. Working with Binbing-ga all the morning. Recorded complete account of the ceremonies of initiation. Girls are allotted to their future husbands in their infancy. The method of betrothal is a very simple one. The father leads his little daughter up to the young man he wishes to make his son-in-law and placing her wrist in the palm of the young man he says ‘I give you this girl when she grows up’. The young man clasps her wrist and the ceremony is over. After this takes place the young man must not look at his prospective father or mother-in-law again, but

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he is expected to send them presents of implements and food, frequently employing as messenger the little girl, his future wife. Infanticide is common and, when an infant is killed, it is eaten by people of the moiety to which the mother does not belong. The bones are placed in a hollow log and stuck in a tree close to a billabong or lagoon. In the afternoon we got out the table of relationships of the Anula, an awful task and I’m not yet sure that we have all the terms correctly recorded. The King’s birthday. We celebrate the occasion with a plum pudding in the manufacture of which the old geezer has excelled himself. Probably he was inspired by the strength of his loyalty.
November, 10th. Camp No. 70. With the Binbing-ga all morning recorded much interesting information relative to burial and avenging ceremonies. When for instance a man of the Palyarini class dies his father hands over all the deceased’s belongings to a man of the Yakmari

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class who stands in the relationship of Purnka, that is father’s sister’s son or mother’s brother’s son, to deceased, bidding him keep the spears, boomerangs and shields and burn everything else except an opossum hair girdle. The dead man’s hair is cut off by the Yakomarri and together with the opossum hair girdle he wraps it in paperbark and makes it into a small bundle called ‘Nira’ which he gives to another Yakomari man, who is then dispatched to summon neighbouring groups to attend the mortuary ceremonies. The messenger goes from group to group showing the Nira and delivering his message. He leaves the Nira for some time in the possession of some of the old men who finally return it to him. When the groups have assembled and are ready to start the messenger takes the lead and when the party gets within a couple of miles or so of the camp to which they have been summoned they halt, and the messenger goes on ahead to apprise his

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people of their coming. They at once assemble at the ceremonial ground called Purtutha, the father of deceased taking with him the bones wrapped in paperbark. All squat down, the father of deceased on the outer edge of the group. A Yakomari man springs up holding in his hands a Nulla Nulla (fighting club) and runs around the group shouting Kai Kai Kai-i-i-i while the men sing mournfully. The messenger has in the meantime returned to the visitors and presently they appear marching in single file, each carrying a spear and woomera with the point downwards and carrying one or more boomerangs in their girdles, besides a dilly bag over the shoulder. They approach singing Oh Oh, very much prolonged, march round the circle of sitting men, each depositing in front of the father of deceased the spears and implements they are carrying. They then take up a position a little distance off, where they are later on visited by the father, who takes

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to them an offering of food gathered by he and his sons, saying ‘I bring to you now a little food but I will give you much more including honey, when you perform your corroboree.’ The visitors remain where they are and during the night the local people remain on the ceremonial ground singing of the Alcheringa totemic wanderings of the great ancestor of the deceased’s totem. In the morning the Yakomari man brings up a hollow log called Lalanga which he hands to the father, who paints on its surface the totem design or brand of his dead son, it is then stood up in a clear space on one side of the ceremonial ground so that all may see. After dark it is removed to a position directly in front of the assembly and alongside it the bones rest on paperbark. During the night the local people and the visitors perform a series of totemic ceremonies. At daylight the bones

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are placed in the Lalanga the ends of which are stopped up with paperbark. The whole of the Lalanga is then wrapped in paperbark so as to conceal the totemic designs from the women, to whom it is then taken by the Yakomari man. The women have cleared a space in readiness close to the main camp and here the Lalanga is deposited upright. The Yakomari man moves off and the women at once close in around the Lalanga, carrying kangaroo bones with which they prod and cut their heads while giving vent to mournful howls. When the women retire, the father and brothers of deceased bring up an offering of food with which they surround the Lalanga. They also place one lot on the top of the Lalanga. Two Yakomari men now come forward and remove the food surrounding the Lalanga and take it to the visitors. The food on top of the Lalanga is reserved and intended for their own special benefit. The father then bids the Yakomari

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to take away the Lalanga and place it in a tree overhanging a small lagoon in which the edible lily grows. This is at once done, and for a period of three wet seasons afterwards the lilies growing in the hole are the special and exclusive property of the Yakomari and no man of another class would dare to remove any. On the following day the father goes to the camp of the visitors and after telling them that he wishes them to assist in killing the man who brought about the death of his son, he produces the arm bone (radius) of deceased which is neatly wrapped in paperbark and wound around with hair string and, saying you must help to kill the man who killed my child, he passes the bone which is called Kallaua under the arms of each man and then places it in the mouth of a young Yakomari man who is to strike the fatal blow. The young man at once removes the bark sheath from his spear point and burns it in a fire, as an

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indication of how utterly he will destroy the doomed man. He then lies the Kallaua lengthways along his spear and within a few inches of the front and, thus armed, he starts on his errand of slaughter accompanied by the visitors and others who are to afford him assistance, if necessary. The party will proceed stealthily and, when close to the camp of the people amongst whom the doomed man lives, they will surround the camp and the Yakomari will creep forward, perhaps when all are asleep and drive his stone spear into the man’s body. The avenging party is always too numerous to be lightly tackled, so the other people in the camp generally submit quietly and say nothing. The Yakomari returns to his country and shows to the old man his blood stained spear-head and at the same time hands over the Kallaua to the old man who, after keeping it for some time, finally places it in a hollow tree or buries it in the bank of the lily lagoon. Amongst our Binbing-ga friends is

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a remarkably sinister looking old cuss called Kurkutchi who is a renowned Medicine man (Mungarninji). Questioned as to how he obtained his credentials he stated that one day he went into a cave called Yaua up in the mountains and while he was examining it Mendadji the devil devil blackfellow with his brother Mungarninji, who both live up in the sky, came in, seized him by the throat and killed him. They then took him up into the sky where Mendadji removed his intestines which he replaced with a fresh set that he took from his own body. Mungarninji who was the younger of the two devil devils then took Kurkutchi in hand and after restoring him to life he showed him how to practice his profession, how to remove ‘bones’ etc. from the bodies of the sick. Whenever Kurkutchi is so engaged, Mungarninji the spirit is always close by, a spectator unseen by everyone else but Kurkutchi, and as the ‘bones’ are

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withdrawn they are thrown to the spirit who deftly catches them. At the conclusion of the operation, Kurkutchi goes to where the unseen spirit is standing and begs him to let him retain the ‘bones’ so that he may show them to the sick man and his friends. Mungarninji always complies. After Kurkutchi had been inducted into the mysteries of his profession he was brought back to earth by Mendadji. The Binbing-ga have absolute faith in the story of this old rascal and look upon him as a very great man indeed. They call their old men Patchpatchi or Mulpoi. Heads of totems are called Minganingi.
November, 11th. Camp No. 70. Recorded terms of relationship used by Bingbing-ga. Men of this tribe may not look at or speak to either actual or potential fathers-in-law - by potential fathers-in-law I mean men of the class whose daughters are born legal wives to a man. Writing our mail during afternoon. Nugent’s man

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arrived to take delivery of wagon, horses etc. He brought memo from Mr. Little who wired via. Powell Creek on the 25th ultimo saying that a 15 ton ketch would leave Darwin for here on the 1st Inst. and that a steamer would follow, as soon as one could be purchased. Neither of us feel disposed to risk our hides in a small ketch during the dangerous monsoonal season and the Lord only knows when a steamer reaches us. It looks as if we are booked here for another three months and the prospect is rather depressing. We hoped to reach Darwin in time to spend a few weeks amongst the tribes in that locality. Received cheque from Nugent for £100 drawn to my order. My gorgeous swagger tennis suits which on our first day out from Oodnadatta aroused the envy of Spencer have turned out an awful fraud. On unpacking them and trying on the coats - to Spencer’s great amusement - they proved to be a shocking bad fit, quite unwearable in fact. Language followed, sulphurous, painful and free.

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The Subdued and Parunda today, while out after the horses, came across a place in which the Anula had recently cooked a gin. Some of the bones were still there. Parundas huge moustache fairly bristled with horror and his opinion of the local people is of the very lowest. Parunda has been putting on flesh rapidly since we settled down here and I rather fancy he is a bit alarmed lest his condition should tempt the cannibals. He has also a wholesome dread of the alligators and wild horses would not drag him into the river stream. The Anula blacks do not appear to be in the least bit afraid of the alligator, both men and women frequently swim across and in fact bathe in the river; occasionally an alligator dines off one of their number, but it is of very rare occurrence and evidently the alligator does not consider the flesh of the Anula a dainty morsel. Some years ago five gins started to swim across the Roper, when they got in mid stream an alligator bobbed up amongst

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them, they howled and dived, coming to the surface within a few yards of the opposite bank, four got safely ashore but one oldish woman, slower than the rest, rose to the surface six feet from the bank to find the alligator between her and the bank. It placed one great claw on her shoulder, she sang out ‘Good bye Sister Alligator gottem me now’, and disappeared. One of our Binbing-ga friends had all the fleshy part of one hip taken off at one bite. The alligator makes its nest on the bank of the river, raking together some grass and twigs on which it lays its eggs and then covers them over with sand. The local storekeeper Mr. McLeod counted 105 eggs in one nest. The young ones are from 2 to 3 inches long, when hatched, and they show fight viciously as soon as they emerge from the shell, which is about the size of a domestic duck’s egg. The largest alligator caught here measured 17 ft. 9 inches, the skin was stuffed and sent to a man at Pt. Darwin but, as it emitted anything but a pleasing odour,

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it was left on the jetty for some days to dry. Some mischevious individual tipped it into the sea and some days afterwards it drifted ashore close to the British Australian Cable Company’s quarters where it was seen by one of the officers who rushed in, mustered his friends and all armed to the teeth they crept forward and fired a volley. The great beast did not move and flattering themselves on the accuracy of their aim, they boldly rushed forward only to find that they had been firing at a stuffed animal. Language not recordable.
November, 12th. Camp No. 70. Mail due here tonight and should leave tomorrow morning, so we give the cannibals a holiday and devote our time to letter writing and light literature - Borroloola is provided with a very decent library to which we have access. The books circulate amongst the Stations for 200 miles out and must indeed be a great boon to them. The Police Trooper acts as librarian. We retire greatly disappointed at non-arrival of the mail.

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November, 13th. Camp No. 70. The great ancestral Dingo, Chani of the Alcheringa, was the first to introduce fire in the Binbing-ga tribe. Recorded tradition relating to the meeting of the Urlanji (Snake) and Kangaroo, two of the Alcheringa ancestors who introduced the present system of marriage. Urlanji who was travelling along heard the Kangaroo corroboreeing, he stopped and the Kangaroo seeing him said ‘Hulloa what is your name’, the Snake replied ‘I am Palyarinji’ (one of the class names). ‘What is your name?’ Kangaroo said ‘I am Tjuralum’. The Snake said ‘What should I call you? I think I will call you Napitchi’ the term of relationship applied to a man’s father-in-law. The Kangaroo replied ‘very good I will call you my Chungarri (the term of relationship applied to all men who might legally marry one’s daughter). Have you got a wife?’. The Snake replied ‘No I have no wife’. Then said the Kangaroo ‘I will give you my daughter. You must only have as wives, women who are my daughters, other women would be wrong fellow and their fathers would not be your

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Napitchi’. The Kangaroo then handed his daughter over to the Snake, who took her gladly and proceeded on his journey. Two waterholes sprang up to indicate the spots at which the two men stood and parleyed. Tjuralum the Kangaroo went on and met a man who said he was Chuanaaku (one of the class names). The Kangaroo said to him ‘I am Tjuralum, the Kangaroo and you are my Kaikai” (the term applied to all men of the class to which his wife must belong - his brother-in-law). Have you a sister?’. Chuanaaku who was a (?) replied ‘yes but you must ask my father who is Pungarinji’ (one of the class names). By and by Pungarinji returned and gave his daughter to the Kangaroo. The meeting of the Snake and Kangaroo occurred at a place called (?). Recorded tradition of Mara tribe amongst whom fire was first introduced by the Hawk ‘Karkan’. Previous to the introduction of fire, the people used to climb up into the sky by means of a great pine tree. Karkan

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wanted to keep the fire to himself but his brother, the Black Hawk, objected saying why not give it to all? Karkan, the fire maker, crouched over the fire, protecting it with his wings, but the Black Hawk rushed in and seizing a fire-stick he set fire to the country, making a great blaze which consumed the great pine tree and thus imprisoned in the sky a number of people who had gone up there. The stars we see now are those people. It was Karkan the Hawk who introduced the present marriage system into the Mara tribe. Recorded Mara tradition relating to the Alcheringa Whirlwind founder of that totem, also traditions relating to origin of certain initiatory rites. Mail still unarrived. Delay makes us restless and unsettled.
November, 14th. Camp No. 70. Mail arrived this afternoon and we are much concerned to learn that there is no certainty as to when the next steamer will run

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from Darwin. Continuing our enquiries relating to the Mara tradition recorded yesterday we found that the stars are believed to be transparent crystals which spring from the joints of the people in the sky. These people never die. The sky country is provided with an abundance of animal and vegetable foods. The sky is also the home of two ‘sulky’ spirits, a father and son called Anungira. These spirits frequently visit the earth where they seize upon and kill men unless prevented by the good spirit ‘Munpani’ who dwells in the forest and is ever on the look-out to protect the Mara people. From their place in the sky they can observe everything that is going on, on the earth, and when a man or woman is sick, the elder spirit despatches his son to see and report upon the condition of the sick person. Falling stars are believed to be the younger Anungira proceeding on one of these missions. The Anungira delight in seeing people sick unto death

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and it is their custom to suck the blood from the bodies of the dead unless prevented by the watchful Munpani. All these spirits make Medicine men in the manner described in the records of the 10th inst. When a man of the Mara tribe wishes to become a Medicine man he procures a quantity of fat and going to a secluded spot he makes a fire on which he burns the fat. The man lies down and waits knowing that the spirits will be attracted by the smell of the burning fat, to which they are very partial. By and by the spirit, it may be either the good spirit Munpani or the sulky spirits, Anungira, appear upon the scene, the medical aspirant is killed, disembowelled and his blood extracted by the spirit, who then takes him into the forest or up into the sky where he is provided with a fresh set of intestines, blood and even eyes. He is then brought back and released close to his camp.

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We were surprised to find that in the Mara tribe there exists a remnant of the Intichiuma ceremonies which are such an important feature in the customs of the southern tribes, in all of which the totem head men perform ceremonies for increasing the supply of the totemic animal or plant. Until today we have not dropped across any trace of such ceremonies in these tribes and it is evident that they do not exist to any great extent. Where they do exist it is probably a survival. At Nulungunpaiatchula in the country of the Mara people there is a large boulder of rock which represents a mass of Honey that was deposited there by the Alcheringa ancestor of that totem. When it is desired to increase the supply of honey, men of the Wombat and Murungun classes, with a pebble, chip off pieces of the boulder and reduce it to powder and scatter the dust in all directions. The dust going forth gives rise to bees and in

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a little time honey becomes abundant. They also have a ceremony for inducing kangaroo to come on to country which is destitute of that important animal. The latter ceremony may be performed by men of any of the four classes but the material used must be collected with the permission of men of the Kangaroo totem.
November, 15th. Camp No. 70. Mail left this morning, we devoted almost the entire day to reading the papers. Anula people still bringing in weapons, etc. Today they are preparing for some ceremony which we are to witness tomorrow. New arrivals visit us daily, all bringing implements to exchange for tomahawks and tobacco. Some of the men are murderous looking ruffians and all are sleek and fat.
November, 16th. Camp No. 70. Parunda and Erlikilyika started on their return journey at 10 a.m. We have provided them with 3 horses and ample supplies of food and they will pick up fresh supplies left by us at various

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places on the way across. We are sorry to see the boys go, they have served us splendidly and did funds permit we should gladly have taken them south to see the big ‘smokes’, as the capitals are called. Hammering away at the Anula all day. It is by no means [an] easy task dragging information out of them. The tribe like the Mara is divided into four classes:
Moiety A
Wiallia which contains the equivalents of Yakomari & Thungallum classes of the Binbing-ga.
Urtalia comprising Tjuralum & Tjamerum classes of ditto ditto.
Moiety B
Wauwukaria comprising Chuanaaka and Pungarinji of ditto ditto.
Roamburia comprising Chalanchuka and Palyarinji ditto ditto.

Wiallia man marries Roamburia woman the children are born Wiallia & the same totem as their father. Roamburia man marries Wiallia woman, children are born

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born Roamburia. Urtalia man marries Wauwukaria. Wauwukaria marries Urtalia. Children are born into the same class and totem as their fathers. Constructed table of relationship terms of the Anula tribe, also recorded list of totems peculiar to each class.
November, 17th. Camp No. 70. Working with Anula all morning, principally upon burial customs which are on all fours with those of the Binbing-ga Tribe. The flesh of dead persons is eaten only by individuals of a definite relationship to deceased. In the case of a Roamburia (Chulanchuka) man dying, his body is cut up by a man of the Wiallia (Yakomari) class who is assisted by a man of the Urtalia (Tjuralum) class and the flesh is eaten by Wiallia (Yakomari) Urtalia, and by men of the Wauwukaria classes who stand in the relationship of maternal great uncle of deceased. After the flesh is consumed, the bones are gathered

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together, wrapped in paperbark and taken to the mother and father (in the absence of actual father and mother - tribal parents would be chosen) who cry over them for some time and then place them on a small platform erected to receive them near their wurley. A small fire is lighted near the platform, it is called Kurta Kurta, is regarded as sacred and cannot be touched by anyone except the father and mother. The Anula count up to four thus:
One - Rarkula
Two - Arakanmirta
Three - Aretharitha
Four - Arakanmirta Arakanmirta (i.e. two and two).
All over four is called Chakarla, a mob.
Weather very distressing. I omitted in yesterday’s records that the Anula performed a sacred ceremony of the Snake Karrimara totems. There is little, if anything, to distinguish this ceremony from those of the southern tribes. Ceremonies are called Akunapipi and ordinary dancing corroborees, Walappa.

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November, 18th. Camp No. 70. Our Binbing-ga friends have gone out to the Batten River to catch some Philas johnstoni crocodiles, a small and rare species of which Spencer is very anxious to obtain specimens. Our friends of the Anula, tired of the routine of everlasting enquiry about their customs, have taken a day off to go fishing. It is by no means an easy matter here to keep the blacks about, as food is so varied and abundant that they are quite independent of us. Without the blacks the day is long and drags heavily, the heat is intense, muggy and depressing. Our time is spent in reading, there is happily a fine assortment of books in the local library. This morning I had a long chat on the native question with Mr. Cooper of Karanbrinni Station who is visiting the township - I beg its pardon city - Like all the other squatters, he complains of the blacks killing and otherwise interfering with his cattle and strongly urges action should be taken.

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November, 19th. Camp No. 70. A day off spent in lazily lying on our backs, mopping ourselves with relays of handkerchiefs and reading novels. A long tiresome day. In the evening a very heavy thunderstorm was raging away to the south west. Toning and printing.
November, 20th. Camp No. 70. A still, suffocating sort of night. I slept very badly and awoke feeling oh so limp and languid. At work on the Anula all morning. Recorded tradition about Ombypinga, an Alcheringa Iguana, which came out of the earth at Ullalumba and after wandering about and making certain waterholes, it climbed into the sky where it remained ever since. Also recorded tradition about two evil spirits called Gnabaia that came out of the earth at a place called Wuntirri on the Robinson River and travelled to Lanambara thence on to Lauarina, where not wishing to remain on earth with the blackfellows, they ascended into the sky where they have lived ever since only making periodic descent to injure the blackfellows. A good spirit, also called Gnabaia, sprang up at a place called

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Leewurnungaiilla on the Robinson River and he now lives in the forests and ranges where he keeps watch upon the evil spirits in the sky and prevents them injuring the blacks. In cases of illness songs are sung to keep the evil Gnabaia away and the good spirit is asked to come and restore the sick one to health. Curiously the Anula have no Medicine men who possess the power of healing but all people male and female of the Yantimara Falling Star totem have the power of bringing illness and death upon anyone who offends them. When a star is seen to fall the Anula believe that it is the evil magic of the Yantimara totem proceeding to injure someone. Every member of the tribe is acquainted with a song which is believed to be effective in keeping away the evil magic of the Yantimara. When a man dies his wives and their brothers, actual and tribal, plaster their bodies with mud sometimes white. The wives are not permitted to

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speak for a month or two during which period they collect and store quantities of food which on instructions from the father of deceased they bring in and hand over to certain members of the tribe. Before the food is handed over, the women heat their bodies over a big fire and also apply heated twigs to their limbs. The food is divided by the father into five lots and then distributed amongst five groups. If for instance a man of - I will use the Binbing-ga terms for the sake of simplicity - the Chalanchuka class dies the food gathered by his actual and tribal wives would be distributed to Pungarinji, Yakomari, Tjuralum, Tjamarum and Chuanaaku people only.
November, 21st. Camp No. 70. Working with Anula. There is no Rain totem in this tribe but a ceremony for producing rain is performed by a man of the Munpaakuwaku (Dollarbird commonly called Rainbird) totem. Anula tradition states that rain was first made in the Alcheringa by the ancestral Munpaakuwaku which sprang up at a place

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called Upinchaua, a waterhole now regarded as sacred (Kurta Kurta). No women or children are permitted to see this waterhole and only such old men as are of the Urtalia class may drink water from it. It is the ancestral place of origin of men of the Wauwukaria class and Dollarbird totem. Close by Upinchau at Rumburwonga there dwelt a snake called Nulwa who also made rain and was a friend of the Dollarbirds. The Rainbow (Putchimarra) is caused by the Snake rising from its waterhole and spitting into the sky. Men of the Dollarbird and Snake totems sing songs to prevent too much rain falling. It is rather remarkable that these people have a rain ceremony at all for drought is an unknown experience with them. We are to witness the ceremony of making rain tomorrow. The Anula do not appear to have any tradition relating to the moon but they believe in the Mara tradition which states that the moon

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(Kakara) comes down to catch fish and was once caught in a net by a Mara man. The Dugong (Walliki) sprang up at a place called Kulambiri on the Limmen River where it was seen by two men who had a canoe and some spears. They tried to kill the Dugong but it got away and joined a mob of its people lower down. The men and their canoe are now represented by a stone shaped like a canoe with a large stone standing at each end. The Dugong and its people are represented by a number of large white stones near the mouth of the Limmen and it is from these stones that all the Dugong spring. Just where the Dugong came out of the earth, there is a large gum tree surrounded with fresh water springs, The Alligator Murumbura sprang up at Yalgu on Battens Creek. The creek with its fine waterholes was made by the Alligator who finally settled down at Wonkella, where a great rock in the middle of the waterhole marks its final resting place. If the

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Anula wish to increase the supply of alligators, men of that totem procure some mangroves and while singing a certain song known only to men of that totem they break the mangrove into small pieces and cast it into the rivers. To check a tornado or whirlwind the Anula men heat small green sticks in the fire and striking in the direction of the storm, they sing to it to go away. Thunderstorm with a few points of rain followed by close, muggy heat in evening.
November, 22nd. Camp No. 70. After breakfast we proceeded with the Anula rainmaker to a small spring about a mile from our camp and witnessed the ceremony of making rain. It is very simple. The performer, who was not painted or decorated in any way, knelt over the water singing in a low reverent tone, bobbing his head towards the water and occasionally stooping to suck up a mouthful or two, which he at once spat out again. After singing for some time he took up some water in his hollowed

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hands and cast it in various directions, then repeated the singing and tasting of the water for a few minutes and finished up by casting the water about as before. I should have mentioned that he began the ceremony by sprinkling some water over his body. Recorded full particulars of Anula initiatory ceremonies.
November, 23rd. Camp No. 70. Spent morning recording fuller particulars relating to initiatory ceremonies. These tribes have elaborate ceremonies which may be regarded as the equivalent of the Engwura ceremonies of the Arunta. Our rainmaker is disappointed; yesterday he assured us that rain would fall last night. Now he reckons that the place chosen for the ceremony was not propitious. He is not a very amiable looking creature as may be seen from this drawing (plate no. 84). Like all the Anula men he clips his beard and whiskers quite close.

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Printing and toning during morning. Spencer enlarging quarter plates. Blacks all out hunting. Am reading Lord Robert’s great work on his career in India. Slight touch of fever last two or three days, must take a little quinine. Weather very hot, slightest exertion causes the perspiration to pour out of one.
November, 25th. Camp No. 70. Took a few type portraits of Anula and Mara men. Intensely trying weather. No natives.
November, 26th. Camp No. 70. Mail due at 6 p.m. has not arrived. We are greatly disappointed. Held Police Court.
November, 27th. Camp No. 70. Printing and toning during morning. Mail arrived at 1 a,m. and was delivered to us at sunrise. Writing letters from 10 till 1. Mail left in the afternoon.
November, 28th. Camp No. 70. Printing and toning until 11 a.m. One of the Anula men brought up some pandanus and tree fibre and showed us the native method of making rope. Spencer took photographs.

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The rope is of excellent quality and unless examined closely is not distinguishable from manilla rope. The blacks use it for lashing their bark canoes and for catching dugong. We are becoming anxious about our crocodile hunters, they were expected back a week ago and until their return we cannot resume work amongst the Binbing-ga. November, 29th. Camp No. 70. One boy shot a dozen ducks. The one redeeming feature about Borroloola is the abundance of game. Binbing-ga men returned and report that they were unable to get any crocodiles.
November, 30th. Camp No. 70. Did a little work with Binbing-ga and took some type photos. We banquetted off roast duck and plum pudding. Thunder storms away to the south. Weather very oppressive.
December, 1st. Camp No. 70. Sunday and a day of complete rest. No blacks about. Time is beginning to drag rather heavily. Our work here is all but complete.

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December, 2nd. The ketch Venture 15 tons arrived with mails from Port Darwin. I envy Spencer his bundle of letters for I am without one. Binbing-ga men brought in a native coffin (Narlanja), a hollow log decorated with totemic design of the Snake Urlanji totem. This is a valuable addition to our collection.
December, 3rd. Our Binbing-ga friends presented us with another Narlanja - this one is decorated with designs of the Kangaroo totem.
Spencer and I went up to the Town and saw Captain Mugg of the Venture he informs us that he cannot take passengers having no accommodation of means of carrying water. The Captain cannot afford any information anout the next Steamer but thinks there is a chance of his being around with one in January or February. The incertainty is causing use a lot of worry and we are anxiously considering as to whether it

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would be advisable for us to arrange to go to Burketown by means of hired horses. Such an alteration in our plans would mean incurring about 100 pounds additional expense which would be money wasted if the Steamer runs to contract time.

December, 4th. Printing and toning during morning. Binbing-ga men brought in another Narlanja - native coffin.

December, 5th. Printing and toning during morning. Spencer enlarging quarter plates. Did a little work with Binbing-ga. In the afternoon Spencer and I visited the ketch Venture. She is only 14 tons burden and has no conveniences for carrying passengers. The cabin is a pokey little den not capable of holding more than two men. In view of the uncertainty about a steamer calling here, we should have been glad to sail by the Venture and risk the discomforts of a voyage in such a small craft but the Captain says it is impossible to take us

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and he appears to be confident that a steamer will be round at latest, early in February. The uncertainty about a steamer is worrying us considerably and could we procure horses to take us across to the Katherine River, 400 miles away, I think we should be strongly tempted to start at once. Should we have to adopt this course later on, there will be very great risk of our being blocked on the way by the wet season. Binbing-ga brought in two small native coffins, these we shall keep for our private collections. The other two will go to Melbourne and Adelaide Museums.
.c.December, 6th. Today within a hundred yards of our doors three young men of the Binbing-ga killed and cooked a milker’s calf belonging to the local publican. For cool daring impudence, I have never known blacks to equal these fellows. The spot at which they killed the calf is a thoroughfare to and from the spring

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from which the township people cart their water. The lubra who shepherds the cows found the remains of the calf this evening, the blacks had eaten portion of it and covered the remainder over, evidently intending to come tonight to remove it. The Police Officer, aided by a number of blacks, is now out trying to capture the offenders. Very boisterous night with thunderstorms all round, much lightning, but only 7 points rain here. For the last fortnight I have suffered daily from malarial headaches.
.c.December, 7th. 105.5 in our verandah, the perspiration fairly pours out of us. Spencer daily losing condition and I am down to 13 stone. This heat is equal to about 120 in Adelaide. My eyes bad, am unable to read today. Held Police Court this morning and sent a Karawa man to gaol for three months for stealing from the local garden. The local gaol, in which prisoners summarily convicted are imprisoned, is an iron structure

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about 12 ft. square, an inhuman sort of place to imprison anyone, 3 months in such a prison should cure the most hardened offender of his criminal instincts. It doesn’t though for one of the Binbing-ga implicated in calf killing yesterday has only just served a term of 3 months, .c.The calf killers have made off into the bush, they are being followed by half a dozen niggers and it is expected that they will be captured within a few days. .c.Curiously the blacks are always ready to assist in the capture of offenders.
.c.December, 8th. An awful night, no wind, lowest temperature registered 78.5. All feeling very limp. Mail left for Port Darwin by ketch Venture.
.c.December, 9th. Lowest temperature last night 79.5. Mosquitoes very troublesome, just before daylight. They are small and almost black in colour but their penetrating capacity is equal to that of any species with which I am acquainted. We shall have to rig our nets. I shudder to

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think of sleeping in a net in such a climate as this. It is just nine months today since I left home. Eyes still troublesome, head improving. Two of the calf killers arrested and lodged in lockup.
.c.December, 10th. Two offenders brought before me and remanded until the 12th. In meantime Police expect to capture the third man. The prisoners are under 20 years of age. The one still at large has already served a term of imprisonment. Thunderstorm with 30 points rain during the afternoon. Mail arrived at 7.30. Mailman reports track to Camooweal very dry, one stage of 60 miles without water, and unless rain soon falls there will be a 90 mile stage Ð With a dry stage of 90 miles contractor states he could not run a mail. The prospect of being stranded here without mail communication is appalling.
.c.December, 11th. Spent morning writing our mail. 29 points of rain before lunch. Our boy George started out shooting after breakfast and returned at sundown with two fine turkeys and some ducks.

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Mr. Amos in from the McArthur River. .c.Met William Lennie, who was for many years Assistant at Tennants Creek. He is now engaged in cattle droving. I am treating him for a very bad eye, the sight of which has completely gone. The eyeball is enlarged, the pupil considerably dilated and the upper lid has drooped and covers the eye. I haven’t the remotest idea what is wrong, apparently the disease, whatever it is, came on suddenly about a fortnight ago. Poor Lennie seems to feel sure that I can put him right. .c.Lennie was never a favourite of mine but I must confess I was glad to meet him for he was one of the old Central identities, about the only one that appears to have strayed to these parts. My own optics are still in a very unsatisfactory condition.
.c.December, 12th. Two calf killers brought up and remanded for 15 days. Rigged our mosquito nets for first time.
.c.December, 13th. Anula blacks brought up an alligator which had been poisoned by the local publican. It measured 10 ft. 6 inches in length. Spencer and

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Chance skinned it. I hope some day to have the pleasure of presenting it to the Moonta Institute. The place reeks of alligator.
.c.December, 14th. I am enjoying Gavan DuffyÕs Life in Two Hemispheres. He was a very high type of politican. The aroma of the alligator is still painfully in evidence.
.c.December, 15th. Finished DuffyÕs Life. It is many years since I have read a book with so much interest. My heart goes out to the men of 48 and, had I lived in those times, I should have been one of their followers. .c.Our boy George is a mighty hunter today, he brought in 3 wild geese and two ducks. We are out of meat so this addition to our larder is specially welcome.
.c.December, 16th. 109° in the verandah at 1 p.m. Very oppressive weather. Oh that this too too solid flesh might melt so that I might sit around in my skeleton and get cool. The alligator skin is I'm afraid a failure. It smells dreadful.

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Reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, an exceedingly powerful book but very, very sad. Thunderstorm with 28 points of rain this afternoon.

December, 17th. Looks as if the wet season is upon us, weather threatening all round and very close. Towards evening, clouds cleared off and all sign of rain disappeared. Reading [Samuel] Lover's Handy Andy to correct the melancholy impression left by the Scarlet Letter. Very humorous.

December, 18th. minimum temperature last night 78. Reading Butler’s Life of Gordon Pacha. An extraordinary appreciation of a great and noble man.

December, 19th. Concluded Life of Gordon. If Butler has not, blinded by friendship, exaggerated the greatness and goodness of Gordon then he Gordon must indeed have been the noblest Briton of them all. Judging from Butler's account of his career he must have been strangely neglected by the people of his generation. Until he went to Khartoum on his final mission, he was comparatively unknown in England

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and as an instance Butler relates that a country Squire, Deputy Lieutenant of a County and rural pillar of Conservatism, expressed his indignation that a Chinaman should be sent on such a mission. Gordon after his splendid services in the Chinese Taiping Rebellion was often called Chinese Gordon. I was indignant about his treatment and Spencer and I have a warm argument. Gordon's generous appreciation of Ireland and her grievances warms the cockles of my heart. In a few weeks’ tour in the distressful country, he learnt more of the true sentiments of the people and their requirements than a whole generation of unsympathetic English politicians. He was honest, fearless, anxious to learn the cause of the trouble and how best to remedy it, while the politician only concerns himself with how he can most effectively stifle the national and imperishable sentiment and add Irish shekels to the Exchequer. With a few men of Gordon's mental and moral calibre in the English electorates there would soon cease to be an Irish difficulty.

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December, 20th. Melting moments from early morn till dewy eve Ð and after. Thermometer registered 108 in verandah at 2.30 p.m. Much hotter in the house. We strolled up to the store this morning and every man we met was wet through with perspiration. .c.Reading Miss Holdsworth’s Joanna Traill Spinster, a clever interesting story that gives one food for thought and should be read widely by the 'unco guid'. Dined languidly off wild goose furnished by our own Nimrod. .c.Thermometer stood at 93° in the verandah at 8 p.m.

December, 21st. Day spent principally in mopping up the perspiration. Thermometer 109 in verandah. At noon I felt quite apoplectic and was obliged to bathe my head in cool water. Chance reports the town greatly disturbed. Some court cases to come off on Monday, all residents except one interested, either as principals or witnesses. Confound their squabbles, I wish they would defer them until our departure. The fairest minded man cannot be sure of doing justice in such weather as this. It's too hot even to sift evidence.

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December, 22nd. 4th Sunday in Advent. We keep it very quietly.

December. 23nd. We have been up nearly all night. A most anxious time. Chance was bitten on the leg by some poisonous reptile, probably a large centipede, about 9 o'clock yesterday evening, when on his way home from the Police Station. We at once rubbed in some Sal volatile but it was not strong enough to counteract the poison; in a few minutes the leg began to swell and, in an hour after, the poor old geezer was in agony and continued suffering horribly all night. We administered laudanum to deaden the pain. His sufferings continued until 10 a.m. when happily he dozed off and had an hour or two of broken rest. By noon the pain had become much modified and in the afternoon he had a refreshing sleep. Chance did not see the reptile and we were not at all sure that he had not been bitten by a snake, and for some hours we were very anxious about him. At dawn I lay down and, dozing off, dreamt that he was dead, that I was writing a note breaking the news to his wife, and that Spencer was packing his things in a box, a

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horrible dream and I awoke in a cold perspiration and was relieved to hear his pitiful groans. Borrolola has been enjoying its dear little self — two court cases 1 assault and the other abusive language — all residents but one interested in the cases. These people do enjoy a court case. Hang them, I wish they’d hold over their differences till we have gone. I am reading Meredith’s The Amazing Marriage, a very clever book, high class literature, just a little too high to be thoroughly appreciated or understood by my modest capacities. In the evening the old geezer is able to limp about. We are delighted to see him on the move again. Thunderstorm with 27 points rain during the afternoon. Mail due tomorrow. Tis weary work waiting here for news of the steamer.

December, 24th. A cool night - that is cool for Borroloola - and we awake comparatively fresh. I finish The Amazing Marriage and am disgusted with its ending. It appears to me that the best modern writers destroy much of the[ir] best work by making their stories end unhappily. Personally

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I prefer the old style of story in which the villain either met his deserts or repented in sackcloth and ashes and everybody else married and lived happily ever after. I think the present generation of writers lose sight of the fact that people mostly read novels to be amused or as a pleasant means of passing the time and not, as many of them appear to think, judging by the ending of their stories, merely to be depressed. Bah I'd like to wring Meredith's neck, much as I admire his genius. Chance about again, but very limpy and looking rather washed out. Thunderstorm with a few 6 points of rain in afternoon. Mail due tonight not arrived. Traveller arrived today reports that in all probability there is now a dry stage of 80 miles between Top Camp and Anthony Lagoon. If this be true, the Lord only knows when we shall get a mail. Cheerful.

December, 25th. A Merry Christmas to you, my diary, and to all the loved ones who may read your pages. The day begins dull, overcast and threatening but cool. Nothing more unlike Christmas could well be imagined. We wish each other a Merry Christmas about every

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half hour, just by way of reminder that it is the festive season. Spencer and I think of our kiddies and fervently wish that we could be with them to participate in the enjoyment of their presents. We breakfast off lean, oh! so lean, steak and afterwards watch Chance preparing a leaner chicken (it’s about 7 years old really, but we call it a chicken) for the midday banquet. We admire the development of the breast bone and agree that it is abnormal rather than admit that its prominence is due to the absence of flesh on the bones. A Merry Christmas by my halidom, oh my diary! The blacks brought up a poisonous snake, a curious looking beast, quite new to us, its body being covered with short spines. After dinner - I apologise to the fowl — I retract everything and cheerfully admit that it is a chicken, a young, tender, tasty, succulent, juicy, delicious, though not fleshy bird. Washed down with a bottle of cool Walkerville ale, it was a feast not to be despised. The pudding well, it was a failure, the old geezer allowed the water to get into it and when it emerged from the pot it was a

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merely a moist squash and the niggers are now being regaled upon it. We are invited to Christmas dinner at the Police Station this evening. 10 p.m. We have dined sumptuously, never was there seen such a spread at far Borroloola. The dinner party numbered six, there was food enough prepared for 18. It gladdened us to see a white clean tablecloth with serviettes once more. The menu consisted of soup, roast fowl, beef, mutton, three sorts of vegetables, plum duff, blancmange with tinned fruits, cake, watermelon, mangoes, bottled ale, Lager and English wine and whisky followed by coffee and cigars. The party assembled at the Police Station arrayed in their best. Spencer gorgeous. Too hot to wear coats so at a mild hint from us, our host bid us hang up our coats. A pleasant evening was spent spinning yarns. Some of McLeod's stories about the early days of Borroloola are well worth preserving. The gardener whose premises are about 3/4 of a mile outside the town, also gave a Christmas dinner to which he invited several travellers, men out of

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work who happened to be in the town. Great preparations were made for this dinner and three cases of beer were laid in. The guests numbered 7 or 8. The dinner I understand passed off very well, but about 4 o'clock in the afternoon things became a bit mixed and the harmony of the proceedings was abruptly broken up by the host, now comfortably drunk, running amok at his guests. He fought with one and challenged others and the guests, in various stages of intoxication, were to be seen wending their ways unsteadily in all directions, until mine host was left alone in his glory. So endeth the record of my Christmas of 1901. May the fates preserve me from such another.

December, 26th. We are none the worse for our festivities of yesterday and our only trouble is the non-arrival of the mail. Two blacks brought up on remand for killing calf and remanded for another fifteen days.

December, 27th. Mail arrived at 3.30 p.m. We had quite given it up. Mailman reports dry stage of 80 miles between

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here and Anthony Lagoon. Finished and posted our mail in the evening. No news re steamer. Mail from Powell Creek did not turn up at Anthony Lagoon and we conclude it has stopped running, owing to long stages without water. Spencer busy skinning birds. Gloomy weather all day, looks like setting in of wet season. Little rain - 30 points.

December, 28th. Mailman did not leave until noon - nearly four days behind time, consequently our next mail is bound to be late. Weather continues threatening but cool. Few points rain. Grass beginning to spring all round. Enjoyed reading papers.

December, 29th. Cloudy, showery day, 17 points rain. Blacks brought in a frilled lizard, a species which we have not previously met with but known to be widely distributed in Queensland. Weather wonderfully cool.

December, 30th. Cloudy, threatening weather, 9 points rain. Spencer stated he discovered today that the local blacks, in addition to the ordinary Cats

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Cradle game of our youth, these blacks made various figures with string, signifying different animals.

December, 31st. Day began fine but quickly clouded over. Showery all day off and on. Spencer busy drawing figures made with string and representing various animals. If only we are the first to record these figures, it will be an important addition to our work but in all probability Dr. Roth has met with the same things amongst the tribes he is investigating. Tis New Year’s Eve and my thoughts are of the dear ones at home. 50 points rain.

January, 1st. 1902. A happy new year to you, my diary. May your life be a short one, that is the best wish I have for you. We did not see the old year out, in fact we are rather tired of it and went to bed early. Our black Nimrod provided us with wild ducks for dinner. Washed down with a bottle of Walkerville ale followed by a decent plum duff. A feeling of great content was produced. Gloomy day but no rain.

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January, 2nd. Spencer still making drawings of the ‘Cats Cradle’ figures. I did some photography and spent the day reading one of Justin McCarthy's charming stories. There is a healthy tone about these books, vastly different to that so much affected by more recent writers. Bright clear morning, looked as if weather had cleared up, but the clouds rolled up and bye again in the afternoon. The place is beginning to look quite green and we are lulled to sleep at night by the harsh song of a million frogs. Had a rough time last night dreaming of centipedes, result of Chance's plum duff.

January, 4th to 6th. Colourless, monotonous days spent in reading. Weather becoming hot again. Spencer engaged on his Age articles. Chance and he much concerned to know whether yesterday was properly called the 2nd Sunday after Christmas or the 1st Sunday in Epiphany. A man named Phitchowski offers to horse us through to Burketown for £60, should we hear that steamer not coming in February.

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c.January, 7th. A hot night made miserable by a succession of disagreeable dreams. I rewrote a book that I had just read and turned all the best characters including a charming girl into unscrupulous ruffians of the deepest dye. Thermometer registered 107 in shade during day. Both writing but principally engaged in mopping ourselves. Spencer, adopting the custom of Borroloola, has discarded his jacket and goes about the house in pyjama trousers only. Mail due tonight has not arrived. It never does arrive to time. Our nigger had a fight with a nigger named Charlie and from all accounts got rather the worst of it. The wife or rather one of the wives of Charlie had, so the story goes, cast admiring eyes on our fellow and Charlie naturally resented it. When our boy went 'forth to the fray' he and his wife decorated their bodies with white stripes.

January, 8th. Another wretched night quite impossible to sleep, particularly in a mosquito net. Lowest temperature in the open air during night 80°. Morning very

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hot and disagreeable. Afternoon stormy, one awful flash of lightning in the form of a ball, fell apparently within 20 yards of where I was sitting reading in the verandah. I bounded up as if I had been shot and was quivering from the effect of the shock for an hour afterwards. Still no mail.

January, 9th. Somewhat better night. Min. 76. Slept well but awoke frequently during the night and hugely enjoyed the furious buzzing of the mosquitoes outside my net. Curiously these little scourges hardly touch Spencer at all. Still no mail.

January, 10th. For three days our eyes have been straining up the track, looking for the mail which surely must have met with some accident. Anula blacks brought us a fine bark canoe, nearly 17 ft. long, for which we gave them 6 tomahawks, 6 butcher’s knives, 6 pocket knives, 4 watermelons and 2 lbs. of tobacco. Weather threatening but no rain.

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January, 11th. Minimum thermometer during night 81 and this in the open air, mosquitoes revelled in it. No mail. Steady rain until 2 p.m. registered 60 points. Both feeling depressed about non-arrival of mail. We are quite shut off from the rest of the world. Hang Borroloola!

January, 12th. Raining nearly all day, 105 points registered. Trying to kill time reading novels. Oh that we could get away from this wretched hole, it seems such an utter waste of life being cooped up here with nothing to do, and the uncertainty, as to when we shall get away, is a source of continuous worry. The wet season appears to have set in. There is weeping and wailing and tugging of pigtails amongst the local sons of the flowery land (China). It is the custom to send the bones of all Chinamen who die outside their motherland back to China and it is believed that unless this is done the deceased cannot enter paradise. The poorest Chinaman dies in peace, knowing that sooner or later his

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generous countrymen will see that his bones are deported to his native land. Some few days ago the local Chinkies disinterred the remains of two of their countrymen who died here some years ago. The bones were placed in calico bags preparatory to being packed in boxes and shipped off to China. The niggers appropriated the bags and emptied the contents in a heap so that the bones have become mixed and it is now impossible to tell to which individual the different bones belonged. The Chinkies are greatly troubled and they seem to think that Ah Kim will be transported to Paradise with some of Ah Sin's limbs and vice versa. Visions of a lopside Chinese angel are too much for the Mongolian.

January, 13th to 14th. Cool change with threatening clouds. Time dawdled away reading. Niggers offered us another canoe but the cost of deporting it is too heavy, so we decline to trade. The Mara blacks make very pretty hair girdles decorated with

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the gay feathers of the Blue Mountain paroquet. It takes the feathers of about 20 birds to make one girdle and as the birds are shy and difficult to get with native weapons it must take months to accumulate sufficient feathers for a girdle. We have secured two fine specimens of these choice articles.

January, 15th. To our surprise and disgust the mail due on the 7th inst. turned up this evening; owing to the mailman running behind his time the dates of departure from Camooweal of future mails has been thrown forward a week. We are greatly disappointed in not hearing something about the next steamer and now we cannot hope to hear until the 29th.

January, 16th. Busy all morning writing letters. As we may not be able to get away from here for an indefinite period I have written the P.M.G. asking for an extension of my leave until May 9th, conditional on steamer not running to contract time in February. Mail left at 1 p.m.

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January, 17th. An awful night. Feeling dreadfully limp and off colour generally. An alligator was shot in the river today. It sunk at once. George, otherwise Umbarari, shot four ducks. The white ants have been through the old geezerÕs portmanteau and they have eaten a suit of tweed and several articles of clothing. The only thing they didn’t tackle was a stiffly starched linen collar. The little brutes came through the floor, bored a small hole in the portmanteau and set to work on devouring its contents.

January, 18th. Another awful night, lowest temperature registered 80 and not a breath of air. We slept very badly, employed most of the night mopping ourselves. Oh it’s delightful this climate. Thunderstorms to south, no rain.

January, 19th. Continual state of mop mop mop all day. Thunderstorm with 6 points rain in afternoon.

January, 20th. Cloudy, dull, steamy morning, few drops rain midday. Threatening all round. Hot and steamy. Campbell laid 20 poisoned baits for alligators in the river. One was seen chasing a dog yesterday.

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January, 21st. Wretched night. Spencer got very little sleep, in fact he has a touch of insomnia and has not slept well for a month. Niggers brought in a hooded or frilled lizard and a brown snake, 8 ft. 3 in. long. Light rain all morning 17 points.

January, 22nd. Comparatively cool night, both slept well. Cloudy day appears to be working up for a general rain.

January, 23rd. Cloudy threatening - 14 points rain.

January, 24th. Cloudy threatening. Few drops rain. Niggers report dead alligator floating in the river. Asked them bring us the head.

January, 25th. 17 points rain. Lugger Venture arrived from Pt. Darwin today. Skipper Charles Gore reports blacks attacked boat while lying at anchor in Cadell Straits. Gore was speared through the upper part of arm with an iron hafted spear which appears to have shattered the bone. One of the sailors, a Manilla man, was struck down with a bar of iron and is now in a very critical condition

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suffering from a severe wound in the forehead. Gore shot the man who speared him. The attack was made about 7 p.m. on the evening of the 17th inst. The lugger had anchored for the purpose of replenishing supplies of fire wood which the blacks brought off during the day and for which they were rewarded with flour and tobacco. The wretches evidently intended to murder all on board and seize the stores and it is a marvel to me that they were not successful. The men on board do not appear to have had any suspicion of an attack but the Skipper, seeing a large number of natives on the shore, thought it best not to allow his dinghy to go ashore. Mr. Little writes that a new steamer has been purchased for this line and we now feel fairly sure that we shall get away in February. In the evening I examined and dressed Gore's arm. It is much swollen and discoloured, the wound is suppurating and it will be some time before

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splints can be applied. Gore is full of pluck and confident that the bone will knit without splints.

January, 26th. Raining off and on all day. Nice and cool. Wounded sailor is now quartered in a lean-to on the premises we occupy. He is delirious.

January, 27th. Raining during night and until 3 p.m. today - 177 points registered at 9 a.m. Rocky Creek, close to our camp, running. Assisted M. C. Stott dressing wounds of Gore and sailor, former doing well, latter in very critical condition, does not appear to get much rest, is constantly talking and singing out. His skull is fractured and I'm afraid there is little hope for him in the absence of skilled surgical treatment. Wet season set in in earnest. Our surroundings very sloppy. Local residents going about bare-footed in the mud. Our boy George ran away last night, it is supposed that he eloped with another man’s lubra.

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He left his wife behind, she does not appear much concerned and admits that she and her husband had a serious difference of opinion last night. Mr. Bostock called on us.

January, 28th. 193 points rain registered at 9 a.m. Day began with dense fog, everything dripping even inside the house. Wounded sailor who is quartered close to us raved and shouted in a very distressing manner all night. George's wife came to us today and shyly informed us that she wished to take another husband, a local boy, so she has not lamented the eloper long. We gave her our blessing and wished her better fortune with her new spouse. The eloping couple are making for the Roper River. The wounded sailor is gradually sinking. He is a French Creole native of Canada and in his delirium he talks in French, Spanish, English, Malay and Chinese. He is being attended to by two sailors, Manilla men, and tonight they read in Spanish the prayers for the dying.

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It was a pathetic little scene and moved us deeply. While the prayers were being read they placed in the sick man's hand a lighted candle. It is distressing to think that this poor fellowÕs life is probably passing away, simply through want of skilled medical treatment. Mail due today but as usual it has not turned up, without doubt this is the worst conducted mail contract in Australia.

January, 29th. Busy packing all morning, everything except our purely personal effects must be sent down to the mouth of the river by a sailing boat, leaving here in a few days to meet the steamer. I have reluctantly had to throw away my alligator skin: it is too 'high' to take on board a boat. The head is in fair condition and I am taking it down. Cloudy, steamy day. Nothing smaller than a bath towel will keep my face dry. Mail arrived at 5 p.m. reports good rain on tablelands. Mailman riding mail between Powell

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Creek has perished of thirst. He left Powell Creek some weeks ago intending to tackle 85 mile stage without water and nothing has been heard of him since, nor can he be searched for until rain falls. The mails will probably be destroyed by wild dogs.

January, 30th. Mail started back at 1 p.m. Wounded sailor gradually sinking. He moans piteously all day but is happily unconscious. His forehead is fractured and a piece of the skull has apparently been driven into the brain.

January, 31st. Sold to Mr. McLeod all our surplus stuff. Finished packing stuff to go by lugger Minnie Ha Ha which will meet steamer and tranship at mouth of the river. Sailor John Louis died about 1 o'clock. At four oÕclock the jury viewed the body and while the inquest was proceeding, the body was sewn up in an old sail by two coloured sailors and carried away to the cemetery by four naked niggers. The poor fellow’s death has made us all more or less sad. Raining lightly all the evening.

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February, 1st. Rain 37 points. Mr. Amos arrived from McArthur River Station last night and spent this morning with us. He reports niggers killing his cattle wholesale.

February, 2nd. Rain 2 points. Alligator shot in Rocky Creek this morning.

February, 3rd. Rain 12 points. Held Police Court. Three aborigines committed for trial at Pt. Darwin. Amos sat with me. Thunderstorms in the afternoon.

February, 4th. Rain 42 points. Heavy thunderstorm with strong wind during evening. Now anxiously looking forward to arrival of steamer.

February, 5th. Rain 35 points. River now very full and running at a great rate.

February, 6th. The steamer should be now at the mouth of the river. We are consumed with anxiety to know if it is there.

February, 7th. An anxious day. Turned in at 8 p.m., greatly disappointed that boat has not arrived. At 9 p.m. just when I was dozing off we were startled by the arrival of Captain Myers of the

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steamer Vigilant, who informed us that he had just arrived from Normanton in Queensland, whence he had come by direction of the Queensland Government to take us away. We are in the 7th heaven of delight and can scarcely believe that it is not all a dream. Who is responsible for our release from this dreary spot? We haven't the remotest idea, nor can the Captain afford any information. He has some vague idea that we are supposed to be suffering from ill health. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who are responsible for coming to our relief. Not much sleep tonight, much too excited. We all three solemnly shake hands and dance round the premises.

February, 8th. Settled our accounts and bade adieu to Borroloola at 10 a.m. Travelled down the river for 6 miles and then boarded the good ship Vigilant, a trim little Pilot Steamer of about 35 tons burden. On getting aboard we found that the

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good fairy who is responsible for our release has sent a plentiful supply of delicacies and medical comforts, including 2 cases Three Star Brandy which under ordinary circumstances would last Spencer and I a year. McLeod and Amos came down the river in a dinghy to see us off and out of our abundance we gave them 6 bottles of brandy. There is not a drop of any alcoholic drink in Borroloola at present, so it was very acceptable. At 7 p.m. we reached Carringtons Anchorage 40 miles from Borroloola, and 10 from the mouth of the river. Here we anchored for the night. Our vessel grounded more than half a dozen times coming down. No steamer has ever been up the river so far before and, in taking the Vigilant up, the skipper undertook considerable risk although the risk was modified by a strong fresh in the river due to late rains. I am feeling very unwell, think it must be the result

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of last nights surprise and excitement. It is simply heavenly to think that we are at last homeward bound. Still no sign of the Pt. Darwin steamer. We conclude one is not coming for an indefinite period, otherwise this steamer would not have been sent for us.

February, 9th. An awful night with the mosquitoes. Am feeling very unwell. All our personal belongings were taken off the lugger Minnie Ha Ha and placed in our vessel before breakfast. At about 8 we started and in 10 miles, after grounding more than once, we reached the sea which here is dotted over with a number of small islands called the Pellew Group. In 20 miles we cleared the Pellews and struck into deep water. Unable to eat anything.

February, 10th. I am feeling half-dead. Boat bumped and rolled a great deal during the night, I scarcely slept a wink. About noon we passed some small islands and called the Forsyths. Water about these islands

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very shallow, we grounded several times but after considerable delay a channel was found. Further on passed Allan and Bentinck Islands, put in at Sweers Island where there is the remains of an old settlement, now occupied by a couple of men with a few sheep and goats. Feeling little better in evening.

February, 11th. Arrived at Karumba (mouth of Norman River) at 7 a.m. Rained heavily last half hour, coming in, got all my bedding sopped. Went ashore and breakfasted with Captain and Mrs. Myles at their house - Very pleasant to see a nice white woman’s face once more. Feeling better today. We shall have to remain at anchor for some hours until tide rises. Telephone office here connected with Normanton, sent messages to our wives. Much amused with paragraph in local paper stating that we were at Borroloola in destitute condition. I wonder who is responsible for this lie. Lunched with Captain and Mrs. Myles and started on again at 3.15. Feeling wretchedly ill again during afternoon. Reached

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Normanton at 9.30 p.m. The town is situated about a mile from the river. Staying Helys Hotel. During the evening met several local people. They all seem curious about us and seem to think that we are simply an exploring party. They are surprised to find that we are not in an emaciated condition. Shall have to wait here nearly three weeks for the next steamer.

February, 12th. Had a look around Normanton, a decidedly nice little place of about 500 inhabitants. Judging from the number of unoccupied buildings, many falling into decay, the days of its prosperity have gone by. A private English syndicate is about to construct a railway between here and Cloncurry and when this is accomplished the Normantonions believe their town will boom again. The people are all cheery and perspiring and nearly all dressed in white. I have never seen so many big men in such a small community. The place is bright and cheery and a great contrast to dreary Borroloola.

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Normanton at 9.30 p.m. The town is situated about a mile from the river. Staying Helys Hotel. During the evening met several local people. They all seem curious about us and seem to think that we are simply an exploring party. They are surprised to find that we are not in an emaciated condition. Shall have to wait here nearly three weeks for the next steamer.

February, 12th. Had a look around Normanton, a decidedly nice little place of about 500 inhabitants. Judging from the number of unoccupied buildings, many falling into decay, the days of its prosperity have gone by. A private English syndicate is about to construct a railway between here and Cloncurry and when this is accomplished the Normantonions believe their town will boom again. The people are all cheery and perspiring and nearly all dressed in white. I have never seen so many big men in such a small community. The place is bright and cheery and a great contrast to dreary Borroloola.

February, 13th to 18th. Revelling in luxurious idleness.

February, 19th. We went to Croydon. Government kindly provided us with passes over railway line. Croydon is a gold reefing town of over 3,000 inhabitants. We were met at the Station by the Warden and Police Magistrate Mr. Milligan, and a local mining manager Mr. Woldie, who very kindly drove us over the mining area in the afternoon. The evening we spent at Mr. Milligan’s house where we met a number of local people, ladies and gentlemen.

February, 20th. Wandered around the town until noon. Interviewed by Mr. Real, editor of the Mining Record, returned to Normanton in the afternoon.

February, 21st to 28th. Fooling away our time, trying to keep ourselves cool. This place quite as hot as Borroloola.

March, 1st. At 8.30 we bade farewell to our Normanton friends and boarded the river steamer Dugong which takes out passengers and cargo to the large steamer, about 20 miles down stream. We shipped 30 head of bullocks for Thursday Island, this necessitated

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several hours delay and we did not reach the S.S. Eurimbla until 3 a.m. The Eurimbla is a dirty-looking old tub but we are comfortably housed in a deck cabin.

March, 4th. Arrived at Thursday Island this morning after splendid passage. To my surprise and delight, I was not the least bit sick, in fact I quite enjoyed the passage. We left the Eurimbla at the wharf and stay here to join the Changsha which is bringing our luggage from Pt. Darwin. This island is a most picturesque spot and the people, comprising 36 different nationalities, are a most interesting mixture of races, Chinese and Japanese business people are numerous. On the jetty we bowed to the Bishop of Carpentaria who is going south by the Eurimbla. He evidently did not recognise us in our civilized garb. Interviewed by editor of local paper in the afternoon.

March, 5th. S.S. Duke of Norfolk arrived from London. We boarded her with the Government Resident, the Hon. John Douglas C.M.G., and when leaving the

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ship Spencer was surprised to meet three of his old students, Doctors Balfour, Bull and Gardiner. We dined with Captain Prentice of the Duke and Mr. George Smith, a local pearling magnate, and in the afternoon drove round the island with the young medicos. All the heights are either mounted or being mounted with big guns for defence purposes. There is a local garrison of about 100 men. The place is a great centre of the pearling industry but if the Government of the Commonwealth carry out their policy of excluding the coloured races, who are used as divers and sailors in the pearling fleets, I am afraid this important industry will soon be a thing of the past in Australian waters.

March, 7th. In the evening the Changsha arrived from Pt. Darwin and we boarded her at 9 p.m. and took possession of our berths. She is a fine steamer of 2,400 tons, clean and beautifully fitted up. The saloon berths are full and

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some of the saloon passengers are obliged to sleep in the 2nd class. There are two Chinese ladies on board, one with the curiously contracted feet in which the female elite of that nation delight.

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F.J.Gillen 29.6.01

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