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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 52

Canoes

page 31

Canoes.

The management of a bark canoe is perhaps as remarkable a feat as that of tree-climbing.

In constructing a canoe a suitable tree is selected, generally a stringy-bark. Two horizontal rings are cut round the tree through the bark, at a distance apart of 8, 10, or 12 feet, and a perpendicular cut down one side enables the whole sheet to be carefully removed. The rough exterior is pared off, leaving the thin, hard inside shell. It is then placed over a fire; this enables the ends to be gathered up and folded. Sharp sticks like skewers are passed through these folds, and secured by cords or bands of bark. The opening of the canoe is preserved by stretchers or sticks placed across.

Whilst stripping the bark from the tree, the black makes use of a ladder, formed by cutting notches in a strong forked sapling, which is leant against the tree.

These canoes support a very considerable load. With a black-fellow alone they draw but a few inches of water. Being perfectly round at bottom, having no keel, they overturn with the slightest movement; yet in these frail canoes I have known blacks to make wonderful journeys. A settler on the Clyde, many years ago, engaged a black and his canoe to remove all his effects from one side of the river to the other. I saw him with a heavy bullock plough in his canoe. After removing farm implements and furniture, he removed several tons of potatoes, his canoe being but an inch or two above the water on each trip. One old man, white with age when I knew him, seemed to have passed his life in one. He would traverse Lake Macquarie and go out into the open sea; from this lake he would carry his canoe across the neck of land separating it from Tuggerah Beach Lake, thence to Brisbane Water, and cross Broken Bay to Pittwater, and made periodical visits up the Hawkesbury River. He was never without fish in his canoe, which was often so laden as to be only a few inches above the water. This old man, "Jew-fish" by name, eventually became so cramped that when on shore he could retain no other position than that which sitting in a canoe compelled him to adopt. I have also known the blacks at Bateman's Bay to go out as far as the Tollgate Islands. They are often pursued by sharks, when they paddle away for the nearest shore, throwing over as they go along any fish they may happen to have.

The blackfellow, whilst fishing from his canoe, which he does by means of a spear, sits on his haunches, his right leg doubled under him, his left knee drawn up to his shoulder. In his right hand he carries his "wammerah" or throwing-stick, formed to serve as a paddle; in his left a small piece of flat wood, also as a paddle, whilst his fishing spear lies across in front of him, ready for use. On spearing a fish he paddles up to his spear, and page 32 instead of pulling it out at once gives it another thrust in, so as to ensure its capture. As refraction causes a difference between the true and apparent position of the fish, great practice is necessary They seldom miss their object.

Women also fish from canoes, but with a hook and line; they never use a spear. They fix the canoe in position along the edge of a bank by driving the long pointed stick, which they invariably carry, into the sand or mud. They then pass one of their arms round the pole, or tie the canoe to it, so as to steady it. By means of a flat stone and clay for a hearth, they can light a fire and cook fish. They are often accompanied by one or more children, who have to remain very quiet.

A fishing-spear consists of a grass-tree shaft with four long prongs of hardwood inserted at one end of it. Sometimes the stem of the gigantic lily is used, but this is not so strong or so durable as the grass-tree. The test as to the fitness of the grass-tree for this purpose is the manner in which it breaks off from the stem of the tree. It is never cut with a tomahawk, and must not be either too green or too dry.

In constructing a spear, two splits are made at one end of the stick, at right angles, and the pith extracted to the depth of 3 or 4 inches. This end is then bound round with ribbon-like strips of bark, obtained from a small shrub or from the kurryjong tree. The aperture is then filled with grass-tree gum, a resin having much the appearance of gamboge in its pure state, but as generally used it is not unlike pitch, in consequence of the effects of exposure to the smoke of bush fires. Into this, whilst in a soft state, the four prongs, slightly tapered at the end, are pressed. This has the effect of forcing much of the gum through the splits and through the band of bark, when, by holding it near the fire, the gum is neatly spread over the joints. These prongs, which are from 15 to 18 inches long, are scraped to a fine point, and barbed by means of a small splinter of bone fastened to the end. The four points of this spear form a square about 1 inch or more apart, and are kept in position by small wedges of wood passed between the prongs and fastened by bands of ribbon bark. The pith from the other end of the spear is extracted to the depth of about an inch, the end is bound with twine, and the whole stopped with the fine scrapings of hardwood, which serves as a pad for the hook of the "wammerah," or throwing-stick, to press against. Other grass-tree spears are made in a similar manner, but with only one prong. In those parts where the grass-tree does not exist, the spear is made of one long straight piece of wood, which is cut from the side of a standing tree.

The "wammerah," a stick by means of which the spear is thrown, is about 3 feet long, in shape something like a long-handled spoon; the spoon, a rather flat part, being used as a paddle

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A Blackfellow's Ascent of a Tree.

A Blackfellow's Ascent of a Tree.

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Sketch of male warrior

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Sketch of animals

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Aboriginal Implements.

Aboriginal Implements.

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Egypitian sketch of man and woman near forest

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At Thorntons Hill, Manly

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On rock at Berry's Bay

page 33

when fishing from a canoe; at the opposite end a short piece of stick is fastened so as to form a hook. In throwing a spear, the broad end of the wammerah is held across the palm of the hand, with the point of the hook pressing against the pad in the end of the spear, the spear at the same time being held firmly between the forefinger and thumb. By the use of this stick, great force and impetus is given to it, and makes it a much more formidable weapon than those spears which are made from one piece of wood and are thrown by the hand as darts. Occasionally these spears have sharp splinters of quartz or of glass fastened along one side. Solid spears are frequently made with one or more barbs. In those parts of the country where the wammerah is not required as a paddle, they are formed from one stick, the hook being the natural fork of the branch.