Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 14, 1903.djvu/408

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Notes on the Aborigines of Roebuck Bay,

7. Ceremonial or sacred beheading-sword. Only second in value to the mask in whole collection. Stolen from a camp, and given secretly to Mrs. Peggs. Of very heavy wood, seen much service. See page 342.

8, 9. Chastity-shells and hair girdle. The full war dress of the warriors. When shell is worn behind it denotes that the man wants a wife. See pp. 327, 334, 353.

10. Mask used in a man-making ceremony. See pp. 342, 345, 354.

11. Smaller chastity-shell with hair girdle.

12. Ceremonial sword made by lame William. On the back may be seen his peculiar footmark. Before giving the same he had to obtain permission from King Ross.

13. Pearl-shell charms against sickness; and kangaroo teeth taken from the head of a child who was wilgyed. See pp. 346, 347.

13A. Mary's spindle on which she used to weave the hair into belts. See page 357.

14. Shell necklace worn by the women when in want of a husband. See page 346.

15. Back of shield in soft wood; the bands signify into how many fights the bearer has carried it. Not used by Roebuck Bay natives. Given by a Lagrange Bay native.

16. Wilgy; a mixture of red earth and fat, lumps of which are worn by the native women as mourning. They are left on till they drop off of themselves. Further north, in the Derby district, white clay is used in the same way. 16a. One of the decorations used at the Kobba-Kobba; white wood shaved finely. See page 330.

17. Fire-stick with which Mrs. Peggs saw fire made. A piece of hard wood is split and a wedge inserted, some shavings or dry grass put into the cleft, and the hard wood rubber applied briskly till fire is obtained. See page 349.

18-19. Fish kylies. The white bands on red wood of 19 denote Roebuck Bay manufacture. See page 326.