THE PORT LINCOLN TRIBE
depends partly on the locality, partly on the quantity of food near it. There are in the Port Lincoln district many isolated wells and holes in rocks containing water; while, for thirty or more miles round, there may not be a drop to be found; so that the natives are compelled to resort to the same camp so long as they remain in the neighbourhood. Again, on favourable fishing grounds, they will sometimes protract their stay in one camp from ten days to a fortnight, but never longer. As they travel much more in summer than in winter, they change their camping places more frequently during that season. Each family occupies a separate hut; and, if there be any young unmarried men, they sleep apart in a hut of their own.
MARRIAGE AND NOMENCLATURE.
The Aborigines of this portion of the province are divided into two distinct classes, viz., the Mattiri, and Karraru people. This division seems to have remained among them from time immemorial, and has for its object the regulation of marriages; none being allowed within either of these classes, but only between the two; so that if a husband be Mattiri, his wife must be Karraru, and vice versa. The distinction is kept up by the children taking invariably the appellation of that class to which their mother belongs. There is not an instance of two Mattiri or Karraru being married, although they do not seem to consider less virtuous connections between parties of the same class incestuous. There are of course other limitations to marriage between nearly related people besides this general distinction; but it is very difficult to ascertain them, on account of the innumerable grades of consanguinity that arise from polygamy, and from frequent interchanging and repudiating of wives. Besides, friendship among the natives assumes always the forms and names of relationship, which renders it almost impossible to find out the difference between real or merely adopted relatives. The mode of marrying is the most unceremonious in the world. Long before a young girl arrives at maturity, she is affianced by her parents to some friend of theirs, no matter whether young
