Figs. 71, 72, 73, and 74 show various forms of the Nandum. This spear is used in war. As in making and keeping the wooden Mongile, great skill, patience, and care are necessary so as to fashion the barbs of the Nandum neatly and to keep them whole. The same kinds of wood are used for this spear as for the Mongile, and it is generally of the same length.
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| FIGS. 71, | 72, | 73, | 74. | FIGS. 75, | 76. | |
| (Scale 1/10.) | ||||||
Some men, instead of carving barbs, which is a difficult and tedious business, cut a groove on one side, and insert chips of quartzite, quartz, or black basalt, fastening them in their places with Pid-jer-ong, if they can get it, in the same manner as in making the Mongile.
The Nandum is sharpened at the lower end, and is not thrown with the Kur-ruk. Spears similar to the Nandum are used by the natives of Central Australia, but they are propelled with the throwing-stick.
The natives of the Murray and other parts have a spear of hard wood, barbed on one side, and fitted into a reed, which is thrown with the Kur-ruk. This resembles the Tir-rer. The jagged war-spear of the natives of the Lower Murray, made wholly of wood, is called Tilloo-koanie.
Figs. 75 and 76 show the usual form of the reed-spear—Tir-rer, Da-aar, Djer-rer, or Jer-aor. It consists of a tough heavy piece of wood, rounded and brought to a fine point, and hardened and polished, which is fitted into a reed (Phragmites communis) which grows abundantly on the banks of the River Goulburn and other rivers. The wood is fastened to the reed by the sinews of the tail of the kangaroo, and
