The Aborigines of Australia/Chapter 9
CHAPTER IX.
WEAPONS—ARMOURY—UTENSILS.
The weapons used by the aborigines, whether in war or hunting, are few in number, and, with the exception of the well-known boomerang, comparatively simple. Among primitive tribes implements of war are generally at the same time articles of necessity and works of art; hence, among the New Zealanders and the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands, spears, swords, clubs, and shields are found at once remarkable for the taste and labour bestowed on their construction, and for their deadly capabilities. In proportion, however, as the New Hollanders are below the people just mentioned in point of culture will their weapons be found inferior as implements of warfare and specimens of artistic skill. While, however, a deficiency, as compared with other tribes, is in this respect apparent in the Australian aboriginal, it will be found that in some other particulars his implements and his mode of using them display an amount of invention and ingenuity never attained by any other equally barbarous race. First in the category of aboriginal weapons comes the boomerang.
As this appears to be peculiar to the New Hollanders, and as, from its remarkable characteristics, as well as the recent invention of Sir Thomas Mitchell, it has now acquired a considerable degree of celebrity, the following minute description of its construction and properties, illustrated by the accompanying cut, may not be uninteresting. The extract
"The boomerang may be formed of any tough, heavy piece of wood, and is about three-eighths of an inch thick in the middle, gradually tapering off towards the extremities, and rounded on each side from the centre until brought to an edge. Construction:—Let A B E be the arc of a circle; the chord A D E = 18 inches; the perpendicular, B D = 17 inches; the width, B C = 3 inches. Thus constructed, the centre of gravity will fall exactly on the edge of its concave surface at C. When used as an offensive weapon it is usually thrown with the convex side outwards, but when intended to return it is held in the reverse position, although it will probably act in either position if properly managed."
For the latter purpose, however, it should be thrown from the hand at a considerable elevation (45 degrees), with a sudden jerk, so as to combine with the projectile force a rapid rotation round its centre of gravity. The rotation acts constantly in opposition to its line of flight, so that if a similar rotation could be communicated without any projectile force the instrument would move backwards. Now, as the force with which it is thrown is constantly diminishing, while the rotation continues, it must always arrive at a certain point where these opposite forces balance or equalize each other. At that moment the weapon would fall to the ground were it not for its flat surface and rotary motion; but in consequence of the centre of gravity being so placed that it will always present its broad surface to the air, it cannot descend perpendicularly, but slides down the inclined plane up which it has been thrown, in consequence of the whirling motion continuing after the projectile force has ceased; so that, if properly thrown, it will pass over the head of the thrower, and often to a considerable distance behind him. On the same principle, a hoop thrown from the hand with a spinning motion inwards will begin to return before it touches the ground, and also the curious, though not so familiar, instance of a ball fired from a musket, the barrel of which has been bent to the left, being carried at long distances considerably to the right of the object aimed at, in consequence of the rotation of the ball on its axis, caused by the right side of the barrel overcoming the projectile force, and thus carrying it across the right line of aim.
The boomerang may be illustrated in a room by merely cutting a piece of card into the same shape as the diagram, then holding it between the finger and thumb of the left hand at an inclination of about forty-five degrees, and striking one corner with a piece of wood, it will advance several feet and return to the spot from whence it proceeded. I find, however, that this form is not essential to produce a similar effect, although the most convenient to throw from the hand. Any thin flat body of a semicircular or rectilinear figure will return in the same manner if a rotative motion be communicated to it in conjunction with the projectile force at a considerable angle of elevation.
Next in order comes the spear a weapon made more or less thick and heavy according to the strength or taste of the owner, and in general measuring from ten to twelve feet. There are several varieties of spear. The spear proper, which is about to be described, and which seems to be the most common and universal weapon among the blacks, appears to be the pike or lance of European nations, consisting of a shaft and a head; the latter is sometimes formed of a piece of hard wood, sometimes of a piece of shell, flint, or glass. The common spear is never barbed; it is commonly thrown by the hand, with or without the aid of the wommera, although sometimes made so heavy among certain tribes as to lead to the belief that it is used in the same manner as the lance or pike. Another description of spear, somewhat smaller than the former, is always thrown by the wommera; this differs from the last only in its size, and is cast a distance of one hundred yards with unerring precision. A third, the jagged spear, formed like the former, is about eight feet long and the thickness of a finger. This weapon is rendered terrible by the formation of its point or head, which is always barbed, for six or eight inches, with fish-teeth, glass, or pieces of bone. This is sometimes called by Europeans the "death-spear," from the fact that, owing to the peculiar construction of its head, death is the almost inevitable result of a serious wound inflicted by it. In the use of the spear the aborigines employ the foot as well as the arm. When hard pressed in battle they will avoid the necessity of stooping for their arms by raising them with the toes of the feet. This practice renders caution very necessary on the part of Europeans in their first intercourse with them, as several instances are on record of parties of aborigines, apparently unarmed, having invited Europeans to peaceful interviews, when they were subsequently found trailing their spears between their toes on the ground. Governor Phillip, the Æneas of New South Wales, very nearly sacrificed his life to this then unknown artifice. Approaching an aboriginal in the midst of his tribe, on whom he wished to bestow some mark of favour, the savage, mistaking the movement of the Governor for a hostile demonstration, with the speed of thought raised a spear, before unobserved, with his foot, and hurling it with unerring aim, inflicted a dangerous wound. The wommera the instrument by the aid of which the spear is projected, is, in general, like the
spear, formed of a piece of wood, about three feet WEAPONS. 81
long and three inches broad, being formed flat towards one of its ends; at the other end is a hook. The principle on which the wommera is used has been compared to that of the lever, but the sling appears a more familiar and more correct comparison. The mode of using this projectile is as follows : — The hook at the end is fixed into a hollow at the butt-end of the spear formed for the purpose, and being thus held in a line with the spear, the latter at the top, it projects it in precisely the same manner as the sling projects a stone. In addition, however, to the projectile powers of the wommera, another apparent advantage by which its use is accompanied is that it balances or levels the spear, ensuring a direct flight, and enabling the thrower to take aim with more certain precision. This instrument is made to serve another purpose besides that of a throwing-stick, viz., that of a knife. At the end held in the hand, in projecting the spear, and which is formed, as before remarked, flat and broad, a piece of sharpened shell, flint, or quartz is fastened by means of gum, and is made to answer all the purposes of a knife and chisel; the wommera being thus employed to shape the spears which it afterwards assists to despatch on their errand of death. Another weapon never wanting in the armoury of the aboriginal is the fishing spear. This instrument is in general about twelve to fifteen feet in length, and is armed with four prongs; sometimes it has three, and is then occasionally a rude imitation of the trident of Neptune. These prongs are for the most part pointed with a fish-bone, this being the sharpest and most suitable material within the reach of the aborigines. The fishing-spear, as the name implies, is used for the purpose of spearing fish, a use for which it is admirably adapted. This weapon is employed by the aboriginal either in canoes, on the banks of the rivers, or standing in the water watching for his finny prey. When the fish appear the spear is noiselessly approached to within a few inches of the intended victim, and then darted with a precision and force which seldom fail to result in lifting the fish out of its native element. This weapon, as well as the former ones, is always ornamented more or less elaborately, according to the taste or skill of the owner, by having rings or projections left at regular intervals along the shaft, and by various other carvings and figures. Of clubs or waddies the aborigines construct several descriptions. One kind common among them appears to be merely a sapling or branch with a natural knob, hardened by some process, and slightly cut or notched, so as to give it some degree of proportion and ornament. Another sort of waddy is formed of a very hard description of wood, more elaborately worked than the former, with an elongated quadrangular head, terminating in a very sharp point, which would lead to the belief that it is used as a rapier as well as a truncheon. A third waddy is made somewhat shorter than the last, of a similar species of wood; the head of this, however, is of a diamond shape, having eight sides or surfaces, and four sharp angles, with which to inflict a blow. The handle of the waddy is always ornamented by a knob, and is marked by a number of notches, which serve the double purpose of ornament and use, by enabling the combatant to take a more secure hold of his weapon. A sword is also found among the weapons of the New Hollander. This instrument, which, like the others, is formed of wood, bears no affinity to that formidable weapon the barbed sword of the South Sea Islands, partaking more of the nature of a club. In shape it bears a striking resemblance to the semicircular Turkish scimitar, representations of which are to be met with in the illustrated editions of the "Arabian Nights," the point being formed by cutting off lengthwise a segment of a broad end. The shield or, as it is called in aboriginal parlance, the "eleman," is an important article in the armour of the New Hollander. It is formed of wood, sometimes of bark, and is for the most part of an oval shape. The shield varies as to size, being found from a foot in length to an extent sufficiently capacious to conceal the whole person, and, so far as construction and ornament are concerned, might have belonged to a knight-errant or crusader of the twelfth century instead of a savage of the Australian wilds. The mark which more particularly calls to mind the similarity mentioned, is a cross formed by two parallel lines drawn from top to bottom, and two more from side to side, on the face of the shield. Sometimes the eleman is decorated with a representation of a hand, formed by placing that member on its surface while the paint or gum with which it is coated is yet moist. A handle, formed of thongs of hide, is fastened on the inner side, and a layer of soft bark, fixed to the shield, saves the knuckles from the effects of friction. Besides the implements above enumerated, and which comprise the principal weapons of war and hunting among the aborigines, numerous other articles of a similar though inferior description are met with, varying in design and construction among different tribes. Of these may be mentioned a small spear, formed of reed, and used as a javelin in offensive operations.
When a tribe of aborigines encamp in any locality an armoury is formed, in which the whole of the weapons belonging to the warriors are deposited. The site chosen is generally in the shade of some gigantic gum-tree, or other towering lord of the forest, round the trunk of which, in a standing position, and with a due regard to regularity, are placed the spears, while the boomerangs, clubs, shields, and other smaller weapons are arranged with equal care on the turf at the base of the tree.
Among the utensils of the New Holland tribes may be mentioned a vessel resembling a calabash, used for carrying water; this is formed out of a globular-shaped substance, composed of an excrescence of the gum- tree, and which, when hollowed out, forms a vessel well adapted to the use for which it is intended. Baskets are formed from long pieces of bark brought together at the ends, and tied by cords formed from strings of bark, the handle being formed of similar material. Another description of basket, called a "migit," is formed of rushes, woven with a degree of taste and skill which have excited the admiration of Europeans. The rushes used in the construction of these baskets are of various colours — green, white, and pink predominating — arranged so as to produce by the various figures, and by the contrast of colours, a highly ornamental effect. The hatchet, or tomahawk, is an implement of universal necessity among the aborigines. Since the commencement of intercourse with Europeans iron tomahawks are much sought after, and have become plentiful among the aborigines throughout the greater part of the territory. The tomahawk of the aboriginal is, however, altogether a different article; this latter is formed of a piece of stone or flint, ground to an edge at one end. A handle is formed by two pieces of wood of a flat shape, between which, towards one end, the head is placed; the strips of wood are then bound firmly together by ligatures of bark or other description of twine on each side of the stone and at intervals along the handle, and the head is secured more firmly by means of gum, which is melted into the interstices where the stone and wood are joined. Besides the fizgig before described, the aborigines use hooks and lines in catching fish. The hooks are formed of
mother-of-pearl, and are not barbed, but are curved to 86 THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA.
a greater extent than those used by Europeans, which is, no doubt, intended to supply the place of the barb by rendering the hold on the fish, once obtained, more secure. The hook has a knob at the end, to which the line is fastened, to render the fastening more secure and less difficult. The line is in general of two strands, made from a peculiar kind of bark, and twisted with considerable neatness and skill. Fishing with hooks and lines is altogether confined to the females, who sometimes relieve the dulness of the employment by singing, in chorus or singly. Nothing, perhaps, illustrates the industry and patience of which the New Hollander appears to be capable more fully than the formation of the fishing-hook just described. The material of which it is formed, as is well known, is only to be found in a state and in a shape the most unfavourable to being transformed into a hook, and nothing but a most wearisome and tedious course of grinding and cutting could succeed in producing the perfect instrument with which aboriginal anglers hook their prey.