The weapon figured by Bonomi, as an Australian bommereng, is not known to me, and I doubt if the like has ever been seen by an Australian native. The figure somewhat resembles a bad drawing of the Leonile.
Some years ago I saw an instrument in Melbourne, made by Mr. J. C. Benyo, which behaved in the air like the Wonguim. Two pieces of wood of equal length, flat on one side and rounded on the other, are fastened together at right-angles, in the form of a cross, and this constitutes the missile. It is thrown exactly in the same way as the boomerang is thrown, and when projected either vertically or horizontally it will describe a circle, and return to the thrower. I had two of these missiles made, and I have practised with them frequently. They are more easily managed than the Wonguim; and any one, after a few trials, can become expert in the use of them. Shortly after I had procured these toys, I had a model made, consisting of two limbs only, and placed at right-angles to each other, the limbs being flat on one side and curved on the other; but it was useless, and behaved as any piece of stick would when thrown. This puzzled me, and I set to work to find out the cause of the failure. I discovered it at length: it needed to have given to it the twist like that shown in Fig. 103. I cut away a portion of the wood at each end, so as to effect this, and it is now an excellent boomerang. It is made of light wood, and can be thrown effectively only when the wind is faint; but after a few trials, when one has ascertained exactly the direction in which it should be thrown, it will make a beautiful flight, flutter over the head for some time, and at last drop at the feet of the thrower, or very near his feet. Any one can make this toy; and both amusement and instruction are derived from watching its motions, whether it be thrown vertically or horizontally. It was in making this instrument that I discovered what points are essential in the Wonguim.
The Rev. Mr. Kane has directed my attention to an essay on the boomerang in the transactions of the Royal Irish Academy.[1]
The writer, in a scholarly paper, suggests that the boomerang was in use in ancient times amongst the peoples of Europe, that there is in Australia a race of men of Indo-European origin, and that the boomerang was one of the weapons introduced by this race into Australia.
The paper is divided into ten parts: the first treats of the Cateia; the second of the Aclys; the third of the Ancyle; the fourth of the radical meanings of the names Cateia, Aclys, Ancyle, and Teuton; the fifth of the javelin of Cephalus and Aquifolia of Pliny; the sixth of the clava of Hercules and hammer of Thor; the seventh of the remaining names of the Cateia, Caia, and Kaile, and of its origin; the eighth of the comparative antiquity of the boomerang and spear; the ninth, on the transit of the names of the curved missile to the straight weapon; and the tenth, of the modes of throwing the Cateia, &c., among the ancients.
The ingenious arguments of the author are supported by a great number of references to the writings of the ancients.
- ↑ On the Antiquity of the Kiliee or Boomerang, by Samuel Ferguson, Esq., M.R.I.A., read 22nd January and 12th February 1838.
