attempted to teach me the use of the instrument, I learnt that it was by a kind of jerk just at the moment of leaving the hand that the best effect was produced. It is of course thrown underhand. Tommy Farmer was by far the most expert in throwing the Weet-weet, and he sent one so great a distance that I determined to ascertain by measurement how far he had thrown it. Mr. John Green assisted me in doing this, and we found that he had thrown it 220 yards. We were of opinion that if its flight had not been checked by some rank fern and underwood which it struck, it would have gone much further. Many of the other men threw it easily 100, 150, and 190 yards. Its flight is so rapid that the eye cannot always follow it. It is a highly exciting and interesting game, but it is one that is not altogether free from danger. On one occasion, as I was informed, a person sitting carelessly too near the line of flight of the toys was struck by one, which pierced his thigh, and inflicted a dangerous wound. If the missile hit the softer parts of the body, it would penetrate deeply, and undoubtedly cause death. As well as I could ascertain, it is never used in battle.
In olden times this game was frequently played. The players stood in a row, and he who could throw the Weet-weet the greatest distance was accounted the winner.
It is singular that so simple an instrument is not known and used amongst the young persons of civilized nations. It has been a plaything of the natives of Victoria probably for ages, and they may claim to have discovered the best form of projectile long before any knowledge of the principles involved in its construction dawned upon the minds of scientific men in Europe.
The Rev. J. G. Wood thus describes the peculiarities of this missile:—"The 'Kangaroo-rat' is a piece of hard wood shaped like a double cone, and having a long flexible handle projecting from one of the points. The handle is about a yard in length, and as thick as an artist's drawing pencil, and at a little distance the weapon looks like a huge tadpole with a much elongated tail. In Australia the natives make the tail of a flexible twig, but those who have access to the resources of civilization have found out that whalebone is the best substance for the tail that can be found. When the native throws the kangaroo-rat, he takes it by the end of the tail, and swings it backwards and forwards, so that it bends quite double, and at last he gives a sort of underhand jerk and lets it fly. It darts through the air with a sharp and menacing hiss like the sound of a rifle ball, its greatest height being some seven or eight feet from the ground. As soon as it touches the earth, it springs up and makes a succession of leaps, each less than the preceding, until it finally stops. In fact, it skims over the ground exactly as a flat stone skims over the water when boys are playing at 'ducks and drakes.' The distance to which this instrument can be thrown is really astonishing. I have seen an Australian stand at one side of Kennington Oval, and throw the kangaroo-rat completely across it. Much depends upon the angle at which it first takes the ground. If thrown too high, it makes one or two lofty leaps, but traverses no great distance; and if it be thrown too low, it shoots along the ground, and is soon brought up by the excessive friction. When properly thrown, it looks just like a living animal
