of missiles. A number of weapons have been sent to Europe from time to time, and experiments have been made with them, and quite erroneous conclusions have been formed respecting them. Because a war boomerang will not return to the feet of the thrower, and because the play boomerang has been thrown both by blacks and whites with indifferent success, it has been assumed that this missile is uncertain in its flight, and its return to the feet of the thrower an accident.
Those who have seen a wonguim thrown by a native accustomed to its use need not be told that the statements published from time to time in the scientific journals in Europe are founded on imperfect information, or dictated in an unphilosophical spirit by a too great desire to prove that the Dravidian races of the Indian Peniusula and the ancient Egyptians belong to the Australoid stock, and that the boomerang was known to the Egyptians. All the facts that have been gathered up to the present time support Professor Huxley's theory of the origination of the Australian race, or at any rate tend to support it, and it is a pity that any mischievous error should be allowed to obscure what little has been revealed by the researches of Professor Huxley, the late Dr. Bleek, the Rev. William Ridley, the Rev. Lorimer Fison, and others.
There is nothing to show that anything like the wonguim was known to any other people anywhere at any time, and it is at least doubtful whether any weapon resembling the barngeet was known to the Egyptians.
The Wonguim and Barngeet are altogether different from the Saparu, or sickle-shaped sword, which is represented on Babylonian and Assyrian cylinders as the weapon of Merodach or Bel.
All the mistaken notions respecting the Australian wonguim could have been at once disposed of if those who have been experimenting had referred to the statements made, nearly a quarter of a century ago, by one of the ablest and most conscientious observers of his time—the late Sir Thomas Mitchell. Speaking of the weapons of Australia, he says "The boomerang is one of the most remarkable of these missiles. Its flight through the air from the hand of an Australian native seems in strict obedience to his will. In its return after a very varied course to the foot of the thrower, this weapon seems so extraordinary, that a vice-president of the Royal Society, about twelve years ago, observed to me 'that its path through the air was enough to puzzle a mathematician.'"
Sir Thomas's remarks are strictly accurate; and any one may satisfy himself of the capabilities of the instrument who will take the trouble to make and experiment with the toy which is described in that part of this work which treats of the boomerang. It is almost useless for an adult European to seek to acquire the art of throwing the wonguim of the natives. Some of the wonguims one may throw very well, but others—and such are often the best—it is impossible to throw with success. The want of success, however, does not justify any one in stating therefore that the flight is uncertain. It would be just as reasonable for one who knows nothing of music to find fault with a flute or a violin.
Nothing is known of the origin of the wonguim. The Barngeet was probably in use for a long period prior to the discovery of the weapon which returns to
