Cooking.

They invariably cook their food by roasting or grilling on the charcoal fire. Sometimes a kangaroo or emu is roasted whole. A large fire is made in a hole or hollow in the ground, in which large stones are heated. When sufficiently hot, some of these stones are placed inside the animal, and whilst it is being turned on the fire these stones are rolled about in its inside, the fore and hind legs of a kangaroo being held by two blacks. This is a favourite way of cooking; otherwise it is chopped into smaller pieces and grilled on the ashes.

In cooking, the outside of the meat is roasted or almost burnt to the depth of about a quarter of an inch. This outside is then eaten or gnawed off, and the meat is again placed on the fire.

Green grass is often placed on the ashes before putting on the food. This serves to keep it clean. The teeth of many of the old people are worn quite low to the gums in consequence of the grinding nature of the ashes eaten with the food.

When food is plentiful, such as after a successful battu, they eat to repletion, and will lie down in a helpless state, "too busy" to move for three or four days, their stomachs being greatly distended.

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Kangaroos and emus are often "stalked," either by one black or by two or more acting in concert. When close enough a spear or boomerang is thrown with usually deadly effect. In level country, free from bush, the larger sort of boomerang is used, as before described; it rolls along the ground with great speed and force. Sometimes the women and a certain number of the men form an extended line along the ranges, and gradually close in, shouting the whole time. The kangaroos are driven to the valleys, where they are speared in numbers by blacks who are lying in wait for them.

The knowledge which these blackfellows possess of the habits of the various kinds of game they hunt is of material assistance to them. Kangaroos, when closely pursued, invariably make for a waterhole. Emus will make a considerable circuit so as to regain their starting point. The blacks are ready for these contingencies. A waterhole is guarded, if necessary, and, instead of following an emu, a black will take a cut across the bush and intercept the bird in its flight.

Both kangaroos and emus will take to the water readily of their own accord. I have seen kangaroos swimming across the Clyde River, and I also saw two emus deliberately walk into the water and swim across Neutral Bay.