I believe it would be impossible to procure many examples of this weapon in Victoria: it seems to have been used only amongst certain tribes, now, as tribes, extinct.
Quirriang-an-wun.
The instrument called by the natives of the River Murray Quirriang-an-wun (Fig. 98) is not generally used as a missile, but most often in close combat, just as a sword would be used by a soldier.
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| FIG. 98. |
The length of this weapon is thirty-six inches, the greatest breadth is three inches and a half, the breadth of the lower part is nearly two inches and a half, and the greatest thickness of the blade is four-tenths of an inch. It weighs from nine to ten ounces.
It is made of very hard wood; the edges are sharp, and whether used as a sword or a missile, it is undoubtedly a formidable weapon.
It is much curved, as shown in the engraving, and both in striking at the enemy and in hurling it this form would not be without advantage to the native who used it. It is now very difficult indeed to obtain weapons of this kind in Victoria. I have been able to find only two specimens amongst the tribes of the southern part of the continent.
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| FIG. 99. |
The group of weapons shown in Fig. 99 represent the Quirriang-an-wun, a; the Barn-geet or Praah-ba-wittoo-ah, b, c, d, and e; and the Wonguim, f.
