The Rev. Mr. Bulmer has been able to obtain an ancient fish-hook, formerly used by the natives of Gippsland. It is made of bone, and is thus shaped.—(Fig. 226.)
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| FIG. 226. |
As soon as the natives were able to get hooks of European manufacture, they ceased to make hooks of bone or wood, and the ancient fish-hooks are now very scarce in Victoria. The cord which is attached to the hook is made of the bark of the lightwood, called by the natives Yowan. The fibre is strong and flexible.
The women are expert anglers. They will sometimes secure as much as 60 lbs. weight of fish with the modern hook; but what was the measure of their success when they used the bone, wooden, or shell fish-hook is not known to me.
Mr. J. A. Panton says that the natives of the Geelong district used in former times, for catching bream, a piece of hard wood or bone sharpened at both ends and attached to the line by a hitch-knot.—(Fig. 227.)
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| FIG. 227. |
This cannot be called a hook. It was baited, however, and when seized by the fish and the line strained, the bone stuck in the jaws, and the prey was secured. This is a very simple but a very ingenious contrivance for taking fish.
A curious implement is found in Queensland, which it is believed is used for catching fish. It is formed of a piece of hard wood, sharpened at each end and barbed.—(Fig. 228.) The barbs are fastened to the wood with some vegetable fibre.
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| FIG. 228. |
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| FIG. 229. |
A fish-hook used by the natives of Rockingham Bay in Queensland, and presented to me by the late Mr. Matthew Hervey, is shown in Fig. 229. It is somewhat similar in form to the ancient fish-hook of the Gippsland people; but instead of being made of bone, the material used is a section of the shell of a species of haliotis. It is beautiful in shape, highly polished, and has a very sharp point. It is securely and neatly attached to the cord with twine made of the fibre of some plant. This is in all respects a most excellent hook; it is in good preservation, and might be used now, I have no doubt, with success, in taking large fish.
Another kind of fish-hook—made of tortoise-shell—is also in use at Rockingham Bay. In form it is exactly that no. 229. figured above. It is four inches in length, and about a quarter of an inch in width at the widest part. It is a very beautiful hook.
