Fortunately It Is Only Those Natives Who Have Come Within The
Civilising Influence Of The White Man, That Learn Such Little Acts Of
Courtesy.
It is noticeable that amongst the treasures in this camp were a
great quantity of "letter-sticks," which is evidence that the carvings
on letter-sticks cannot be written messages, unless this camp was a
desert post-office!
If, however, the sticks are tokens, as I suppose,
then one of this tribe may be a craftsman who carves distinctive symbols
on each stick to order, and who had lately received a number of
commissions for such sticks. It seems likely that one man or tribe should
have a special aptitude for manufacturing message-sticks, whilst others
perhaps make a speciality of hair-string or spears. Or again it may be
that the number of sticks, certainly two dozen, denote orders from
far-off tribes, who wish to barter such articles as pearl-shells for
perhaps spinifex-gum of a superfine quality. (I have noticed that the
spinifex growing on the sandstone hills, particularly on the Stansmore
Range, exudes a great deal more resin than that growing on the sand.)
This bartering of goods is very remarkable, and here we found pearl
oyster-shells which must have passed from tribe to tribe for at least
five hundred miles; pieces of glass, carefully protected by covers of
woven feathers and opossum-string; the red beans which are found in
Kimberley, and, as Warri tells me, in the MacDonnell Ranges of Central
Australia; a stone tomahawk-head, a dark green stone (serpentine); and
besides, numerous sporrans of rats' tails, feathers, nose bones, red
ochre, and a piece of the top part of a human skull polished and slung on
a string.
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