Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

—380 AUSTRALASIA.The most characteristic weapon is the boomerang, a short curved stick whichwhirls with a corkscrew motion in the direction of the object aimed at, and afterstriking returns to the thrower. The inventive genius which devised this remarkableimplement has also enabled the natives to invent other ingenious contrivancesfor the hunt, fishing, and navigation. Yet it is noteworthy that the neighbouringTasmanians were ignorant both of the throwing-stick and of the boomerang, andeven of boats or canoes, although living in an island fringed with clusters of islets.The populations of Torres Strait and of the Arafura Sea, amongst whom theFig. 161.Inhabitants and Langdages op Austealia about 1850.Sciile 1 : 40,000,000.Lasb oFb^eenwichThe dots indicate the regions where the boomerang was unknown ;_ 600 Miles.the lines mark the range of certain linguistic grnnps-Papuan elements seem in some places to prevail, were also ignorant of the boomerang,the form of which curious weapon varies greatly in the different tribes.Not only is the tribal territory perfectly defined, but within this collectivedomain each individual often owns a plot, his right to which is never questioned.No one can cross the boundary without his express permission, the stranger presentinghimself without arms, and holding green branches in his hand. Theaborigines, however, are the most backward of agricultural peoples, the yam beingthe only plant cultivated by them, just as the dingo is the only animal they have