I j I Kli ABLY
III' Till.
IWttmsUu oi ^ctliftri;uta.
Ao.
/)/'/•/ si o//,
Ramgc
ShM
/~z/SJ
University of California.
GIFT < >K
1ST*.
■ ■■' .■'•-■■..■■■.••'••- ■■
L I B R A K V
UNIVKKSJTV of
CALIFORNIA.
KAMILABOI,
AND OTHEB
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGES,
ZB"3T ttETT. WILLIAM HILLEY.
B.A. OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, AND M.A. OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY.
SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED BY THE AUTHOR; WITH COMPARATIVE
TABLES OF WORDS FROM TWENTY AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGES,
SONGS, TRADITIONS,
LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF THE AUSTRALIAN RACE.
LI B R A \{ Y
\ X-LX KKS1T Y oi
CALIFORNIA
THOMAS RICHARDS, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, PHILLIP-STREET, SYDNEY.
i8 7 5-
s>7 #<
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Prefatory Note v
Kamilaroi —
Grammar 3
Vocabulary 17
Phrases 39
Paraphrases 40
"Wailwun 47
Phrases 51
Kogai 55
Pikumbul 59
Dippil —
Vocabulary 63
Dialogues 70
TURRUBUL —
Grammar 77
Vocabulary 80
Dialogue r 88
Paraphrases 89
Turuwul —
Vocabulary 99
Phrases 101
George's Eiver Language 103
"Wodi-wodi Ill
"Words used at Twofold Bat 115
The Names of Australia and its Inhabitants 117
Comparative Tables of "Words in Twenty Languages 119
Traditions 135
Tales in Tharumba and Thurawal 143
Bao-illi — Songs ... 148
Habits and Manners of the People 151
Institutions and Laws... 153
Laws of Marriage and Descent 161
Bandom Illustrations of Aboriginal Life and Character 166
A Parting "Word for the Bace of Murri 171
ILLXJSTR^lTIONS.
PAGE.
Telopea speciosissima ( Waratah, or Native Tulip) 2
Maesilea ptjbescens (Nardoo) 62
Clianthus dampieeii (Sturfs Desert Pea) 76
Steeculia eupesteis {Bottle Tree) 116
1 6 f
i
I .IB1/A U\
I VKHS1TY OF
CALI FORNIA, j
PEEFATOEY NOTE.
HE information presented in the following pages, on the
Kamilar6i, Dippil, and Turrubul languages, was chiefly
obtained by the author during three years' missionary effort
among the Aborigines of Australia, including journeys over
Liverpool Plains, the Barwan or Darling, and its tributaries,
the Namoi, the Bundarra, the Macintyre, and the Mooni ; also, along
the Balonne or Condamine, across Darling Downs, by the Brisbane
Biver, and in a circuit about Moreton Bay. In the year 1871 the
author again visited the Namoi and the Barwan, for a few weeks, at the
request of the Government, in order to obtain further information on
the language and traditions of the Aborigines. The shortness of the
time spent in the research will account for the fragmentary character
of this contribution to the Philology of Australia. In seeking
knowledge of the languages, with a view to the communication of
instruction to the Aborigines, the author gladly accepted the aid of
colonists who, during many years' residence among that people, had
learned to converse with them in their own tongue. He was especially
indebted for instruction in the Kamilaroi to the Bev. Charles G.
Greenway, now of Bundarra, who had lived in his youth at Colle-
mungool (a Kamilaroi name, meaning, Broadwater), on the Barwan;
to James Davies, blacksmith, Brisbane, who lived thirteen years with
the blacks near "Wide Bay, Queensland, for instruction in Dippil ; and
VI PREFATORY NOTE.
to Mr. Petrie, of Brisbane, for instruction in Turrubul. Both before
and after receiving this help, the author communicated with the
Aborigines in the districts where these three languages are spoken ;
and verified and extended, by his own observations, the information
thus supplied. Limited as is the author's acquaintance with the
several languages referred to, he has met with abundant evidence of
their remarkable regularity, and of the exactness with which they
express various shades of thought. The inflections of verbs and nouns,
the derivation and composition of words, the arrangement of sentences,
and the methods of imparting emphasis, indicate an accuracy of
thought, and a force of expression, surpassing all that is commonly
supposed to be attainable by a savage race.
Their tradition concerning Baia-me (the Maker of All) as a ray
of true light which has passed down through many generations, may
well suggest to their Christian fellow-countrymen that this branch of
the family of Man has been from the beginning an object of our
Heavenly Father's preserving mercy. And for what purpose have
they been thus preserved ?
A practical answer to that question, as far as regards a small
number of the race, has been given by the unequivocal success of the
Christian missions at Poonindie and at Port Macleay in South
Australia, at Coranderrk, Bamahyuk, and Wimmera in Victoria.
At those and other places, where Australian Aborigines have been
instructed by word and example in the Gospel which was designed for
all mankind, some of them have by consistent adherence to the rule
of Christian life, and by the words of rejoicing hope in death, proved
the reality of their conversion to God.
KAMILAEOI:
The Language of the Aborigines of the Hamoi, Barwan, Bundarra,
and Balonne Riuers, and of Liverpool Plains
and the Upper Hunter.
OF
JALIFi
l^amtlarot Grammar.
HE Aborigines of Australia having no written language, the
use of European letters to express their vocables is to some
extent arbitrary. In accordance with the practice of those
who have reduced to writing the Polynesian languages, five
English vowels and sixteen consonants are used in this
grammar, to represent the sounds hereunder attached to them.
Throughout this work, in adopting the words in other Australian
languages which have been furnished by the several writers to whom
I am indebted for information, I have taken the liberty of spelling
them according to this system, so as to compare them with Kamilaroi.
a, as a, in father
a as a in mat
e as ey in obey
e as e in net
\ as i in ravine
i as i in it
o as o in tone
b as in bad
d as in do
g as in goose
h as in hat
as o in on
ii as oo in moon
u as u in tun
ai as i in wine
ao as ow in how
oi as oi in noise
j as in James
k as in kin
1 as in lot
mas in me
4 KAMILAROI GRAMMAR.
n as in no
g as ng in sing
p as in pin
r as in rate
t as in to
v as in vain
w «s in way
y as m ye
It is pronounced with more force than in English. So sharp and
forcible is the native pronunciation of r in the names Yarr and
Wolgerr, that those who reduced these names to writing spelt them
" Yass" and " Walgett," and so they will probably be written in our
maps and books to the end of the world. There is no sound of s.
The nasal », written n, or TJ, occurs often at the beginning of a
syllable.
The letters dh are used to represent the sound of th in than.
Instead of /, the sound of dy- or ty- (y being always a consonant) is
often used ; that is, in words where some aborigines distinctly utter
the/ sound, others soften it to ty, or even t or d. They also frequently
give an aspiration after the initial consonant : thus " baia" is some-
times sounded " b-h-aia." There are many words in which the sound
of h and that of y are sometimes inserted.
In Kamilaroi, every syllable ends in a vowel or a liquid. They
avoid the sound of two consonants together, even though one is a liquid.
Thus, Doctor Milner is called by the blacks " Docketer Milener." In
many words the vowel interposed between two consonants is very short.
Some who have reduced this language to writing call it Kamilroi, some
Gummilroy ; but the aborigines insert a short sound between the I and
the r. It is about equal to the sheva or half-vowel, as pronounced by
Hebrew scholars; and, following the method of expressing the composite
sheva in the Hebrew grammars, this word may be written thus —
" Kamil a roi." The tendency of the aborigines to attach a vowel to
every consonant is known to all who have observed their pronunciation
of English words.
They habitually soften the sound of the thin mutes, so that it is
difficult to determine, in many instances, whether the consonant they
sound is b or p, d or t, g or k. This accounts for the divergencies in
spelling. Again, between the short vowel sounds of a and u it is often
difficult to determine. "When it is remembered that miscellany, servant,
banana, abundance, are pronounced by many English people as if they
were spelt " miscelluny, servunt, bunana, abun dunce," or, at least, so
that no stranger to the language could decide whether the vowel sound
in each case was a or u, it will not appear surprising that the short
vowels, and especially the half-vowels, of Kamil a roi should be
differently rendered by different observers. In support of the spelling
" KamiProi" in preference to " Gumilroi," it may be here added that,
when pronouncing the word "kamil" (no) emphatically, the blacks
give the first syllable a prolonged sound, as of a in father.
NOUNS.
Nouns are declined by suffixes.
There are two nominative cases ; the first simply naming the
object of attention, the second indicating the agent of the act described
in a verb.
Often, however, the agent suffix is omitted, even before an active
verb.
KAMILAROI GRAMMAR.
The suffixes are -du. {the sign of the agent) ; -nu. {of or belonging to) ;
-go {to) ; -di {from) ; -da {in); -kunda {with, i.e., remaining at rest with;
this suffix is related to kundi, a house) ; -gunda or -kale {going ivith).
Example.
1st Nom. : mullion, an eagle. mullionda, in an eagle.
C with an eagle
2nd Nom. : mulliondu, an eagle as agent, mullioukunda, <
( at rest.
( icith an eagle
Possessive: mullion nil, of an eagle. mullionkale, ] .
( m motion.
Objective : mullion, an eagle.
mulliongo, to an eagle.
mullioudi, from an eagle.
PRONOUNS.
Pronouns are declined in some respects like nouns. They have
distinct dual and plural forms. All the personal pronouns begin with
the nasal n.
I. — Personal Pronouns.
1. naia, I. 2. ljinda, thou.
nai, my. yinnu, thy.
ljunna, me. ljinnuna, thee.
ijulle, we two — thou and I. yindfile, ye two.
nullina, we two — he and I.
neane, we. nindai, ye.
neanenu, our.
3. ijernia, he or she.
gergu or gundi, his or her.
ljarma, they.
guyuggun, my own or our own.
The nasal at the beginning is sometimes softened down very much,
especially in the second person, which is often pronounced inda.
II. — Demonstrative Pronouns.
])ubbo or numma, this.
ljuruma, that by you (iste).
nerma or rjutta, that yonder (ille).
III. — Interrogative Pronouns.
andi? who? [hence the verb "anduma," tell who.]
minima? which?
minna ? or minya ? what ? [hence minyago ? why ?~\
minyuijgai ? how many ?
IV. — Indefinite Pronouns.
kanugo, all ; guno, all.
minnaminnahul, all things whatever.
ljarage, other; ljaragedul, another (hence ijarageduli, at (mother
time).
8 KAMILAROI GRAMMAR.
VERBS.
The modifications of verbs are very numerous and exact. There
are causative, permissive, reflective, reciprocal, and other conjugations.
Eor example, from the root nummil {see) comes nummilmulle {cause to
see or show) ; frombuma {beat) comes bumanabille {alloiv to be beaten).
" Gir" (verily), an adverb of emphatic affirmation, is frequently
used with the past indicative. " Yeal" {merely) is commonly used with
the same tense, when the intention is to give assurance that the speaker
having told the truth, will add nothing more as a reason or excuse for
the fact. In answer to the question, Why did you come ? a black-
fellow may say, "yeal yanani," I just came ; that's all.
Example.
{ Root) goal speak.
INDICATIVE.
Past : goald°ne {contracted) goe spoke.
gir goe did speak.
Past in small degree : goahjain or goalne spoke to-day.
gir goahjain did speak to-day.
Past in greater degree : goalmien {or gir goalmien) spoke yesterday.
Past still more : golillen spoke long ago.
Present : goalda speaks.
Euture : goalie will speak.
" Yila" and "yerala," "soon" and "by-and-by" are often used
before this tense of the verb.
goahjari or goabjurri icill speak to-morrow.
Sometimes "nuruko," to-morrow, is used with this tense. It is
not necessary.
IMPERATIVE.
go'alla speak.
goallawa speak ; you must and shall !
The emphasis and urgency of the command is measured by the
prolongation of the syllable -wa.
go'almia speak, if you can, or if you dare.
This ironical imperative mood is common to all verbs. It is
remarkably indicative of the character of the race — scornful and
jocular ; irony is ingrained in their nature.
SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
golildai speak.
Ex. : yelle ljinda go'aldai if you speak.
Eor the potential they use a compound of the indicative future
with an adjective : thus, —
murru nai goalie
I can speak.
able (good) I will speak
yamma ninda murru goalie ? )
> can yoit speak ?
(icord of interrogation) you able will speak )
PARTICIPLES.
Imperfect : go'aldendai speaking.
Perfect: goalnendai having spoken.
goalmiendai having spoken yesterday.
goallendai having spoken long ago.
10
KAMILAROI GRAMMAR.
Past :
Present
Future :
Past
Present
Future :
wimi put, or put dozen.
INDICATIVE.
wimi or gir wimi did put.
wimulije or wimulgain put down to-day.
wimulmien put dozen yesterday.
wimullen put down long ago.
wimulda puts.
wirrmlle will put.
wimulgari will put to-morrow.
IMPERATIVE.
wimulla put down.
wimullawa put dozen ; yozi must !
wimulmiaor wimunnumia... put dozen, if you dare.
kage take.
INDICATIVE.
kane took.
kfuje took to-day.
kamien took yesterday.
kaijen took some days ago.
kabaniu took long ago.
kagila or kawa is taking.
kage zeill take.
kayari zcill take to-morrow.
VERBS.
11
IMPERATIVE.
kfuja take.
kSnawS take ; you must and shall !
kilnamia take, if you dare.
PARTICIPLE.
kagillendai taking.
Tai (Wither) prefixed to kane makes it mean bring : taikaga — bring.
Prom yanani (icent) is derived in the same way taiyanani (came).
Past :
Present
Puture :
winun hear, understand.
INDICATIVE.
winurji heard.
winunanain heard to-day.
Avinuijulmien lieard yesterday.
wmurjullain heard long ago.
wmmjulda hears.
winmjulle will hear.
wmmjulijari will hear to-morrow.
IMPERATIVE.
wiimijulla hear.
winmjullawa hear ; you must !
winui)ulmia hear, if you can.
yamma gincla gunna wimnjulda ? {interrog.) you me understand t
gir winuiji yes, I understand.
gimbi or gim°bi make.
INDICATIVE.
Past : gim°bi made.
gim bilijen made {to-day) .
gim°bilmien made {yesterday) .
gimbillen made {long ago).
Present : ginibildona makes.
Euture : gim°billc will make.
gim°bili)ari icill make to-morrow.
IMPERATIVE.
gimbilla or gim°bildi make.
gimbillawa make ! you must !
gim°bilmia make it yourself {I icon't) .
SUBJUNCTIVE.
gimbildai make.
PARTICIPLES.
gimbildendai making.
gimbilgendai having made.
gimbilmiendai having made yesterday.
gimbillendai having made long ago.
Past :
Present :
Future :
L i n /.'
ginya be, become.
INDICATIVE.
ginyi or gir ginyi was.
gir gigge was to-day.
gir gimmien was yesterday.
gir gig gen was long ago.
gigila or gilla is, becomes.
gigi will be.
gig-gari will be to-morrow .
IMPERATIVE.
ginya, gia, or kia be.
'-V;
•v li
c 4Lii
Oj
'o/. v/ .
SUBJUNCTIVE.
gindai , be
( yelle ginda yili gindai
I if V ou angry be.
PARTICIPLES.
gindai, ginyendai, gimmiendai.
DERIVATION AND COMPOSITION.
Adjectives and nouns are combined for the formation of new
epithets. Thus "rnuga" means blind or stupid ; " miigabinna" (blind
ears) signifies deaf. Adjectives are also formed by adding suffixes to
nouns. From "yul" (food) come "yiilarai" (full, satisfied) and "yulnin"
(hungry)) from "kolle" (water) "kollenin" (thirsty). Prom "yinar"
comes "yinararai" (having a loife) ; from " giwir" conies " giwirarai"
(having a husband) ; from " gulir" comes " gulirarai" (having a
spouse) — three terms for married. The suffix -arai (having) is
applied by the blacks to the English word milk, to make " milimbrai"
(milkers, i.e., cows giving milk). Erom "bul" (jealousy) comes
"biilarai" (jealous). " -dul" is an adjective suffix; as "yaruL" a
stone, " yaruldul" stony, -dul is used with a diminutive meaning ;
thus, "warurjgul" mighty, "waruijguldul" somewhat mighty or strong,
"narage" other, " naragedul" another; " birradul" (youth) and
"miedul" (maiden), meaning having something of the boy, and
having something (not much) of the girl left.
Verbs are formed from nouns, pronouns, and adverbs. Thus, from
"mil" (the eye) comes " milmil" (to see) ; from "andi" (who?) comes
"anduma" (say who).
Erom the particle "yeal" (merely ovjust so) come "yealo" (also)
"yealokwai" (like) " yealokwaima" (likewise).
The noun giru (truth) is evidently from the particle gir, meaning
yes, or indeed.
SYNTAX. 15
The names of this and the neighbouring languages are derived
from the negative adverb ; thus " kamil a roi" from " Kami!" {no) ;
" wol a roi" from " wol" {no) ; " wailwun" from " wail" {no) ; both
"wiraiarai" and "wiradhuri" are from "wira" {no). "Plkumbul," the
language spoken on the "Weir River, to the north-west of New England,
is named from its affirmative, u pika" (yes). Cf. Langue d'oc and
Langue d'oil, or d'oui, in France. " Pika" is the name of one of the
languages of Central Africa.
SYNTAX.
The usual order of words in a sentence is this, — nominative,
accusative, verb. Adverbs are placed before the verbs, often also before
the nominative. Ex. gr. —
^yamma rjinda ijunna gummi?
< {adv. of interrog.) you me saw ?
\ did you see me ?
gir rjai uinnuna ijummi,
verily I you saw.
kamil ijaia ginnuna ijummi,
not I you saw.
rjinda gai yaraman gummilmulla,
you my horse show {make to see).
After "kurria," cease, the verb indicating the action to be
abandoned is in the imperative. Thus "kurria goalla," cease talking !
VOCABULARY OF KAMILAROI.
I.— NOUNS.
1. Deity.
God Baia-me or B-haia-me.
In Wiradhuri the word is pronounced Baiamai. This name of
Deity is known among many tribes on the Narran, the Darling and
its tributaries. It is evidently derived, as Bev. C. C. Greenway has
pointed out, from " baia," to make or build. In the ancient and still
preserved creed of the Mum — " He who built all things is Baia-me."
The Kamilaroi blacks say that Baia-me made all things ; that he
is resting away in the far west. They never saw him, but regard thunder
as his voice.
Spirit, ghost, or subordinate deity wunda.
In all parts of Eastern Australia the aborigines apply the word
which commonly signifies spirit, demon, or angel, to the white man.
About Moreton Bay " makoron" and " mudhere" signify ghost, and
each of these words is applied to white men. So the Namoi and
Barwan blacks call white men " wunda."
18
VOCABULARY OF KAMILAROI.
2. Man : his distinctive and relative names.
man (vir) giwir
woman yinar or mar
{They have no word for "homo.")
Australian
aboriginal
mum
white man wunda
full man borba
young man who
has attended i^kubura
a bora
young man not
yet admitted ibiribirai
to the bora J
young man yiramurrun
boy birri
boy {youth) birridul
boy (very small) kiriga
girl mie
girUSSftSSo misdul
voung woman "j
mamurawuri
(whose breasts begin V
baby kahjalorkaindul
father buba
mother rumba
spouse (hu ti a f") dor gulir
child, offspring kai
son wurume
daughter gumuna
elder brother daiadi
younger brother gulami or colami
elder sister boadi or bukandi
younger sister bure or boriandi
uncle
uncle's wife
nephew
karodi or kurugi
pamandi
wurumuijadi or
kurugandi
niece numunadi
childless woman maredul
spouseless JS^ gulir-taliba
old (grey)
old woman
chief
diria
yambuli
durunmi
to appear)
Children call their mother gum ! or gunidi !
Family names of men ippai, murri (or baia), kubbi, kumbo.
Corresponding names of women ippata, mata, kapota, biltii ;
sometimes pronounced ippatha, matha (or madtha), kubbothii, and
budha (or budtha).
NOUNS HUMAN BODY.
19
The human body : —
head
( ga, or gha, or
(kaoga
shoulder
( walor, wullar, or
I wolar
hair
tegul
arm
bunun
brains
forehead
kombiri
ljulu
great muscle of)
?-pupa
the humerus )
eye
mil
elbow
dm
eye-brow
ljuyin or neare
wrist
nunuga
eye-lash
dinm.il
hand
murra
nose
muru
right-hand side turial
nostrils
muyuda
left-hand side
warragal
cheek
wa or kwati
thumb
gunederba
lips
ille or kumai
little finger
bumbugal
teeth
yira or Ira
knuckle
biel
tongue
tulle
finger-nails
yiilu
ear
binna
side
numun
chin
tal •
loins, waist
gulur
beard
yare
ribs
turrur
moustache
but!
heart
ki or gi
throat
wuru or dildil
lungs
kaogi
neck
nun
liver
kanna
breast
birri
kidneys
mukar or mogur
breast (ofivoman)qximmu.
belly
mubal or mobal
back
guria or bao-a
[hence "mubalyal" pregnant.~\
[Prom biri (breast) and bao-a (bach) come " birrije"
(in front) and"bao-»je" (behind).]
hip
mila
shoulder-blade
pilara
thigh
durra
20
VOCABULARY OF KAMILABOI.
knee
loo*
dinblr
(buiyo or
( po'iyu
great toe (see
thumb)
{ guncderba
lc o
blood
gue
calf
wuruka
vein
buran
ankle
nor
bone
bura or burar
foot
dinna
fat
ghori
heel
tag a
skin
yuli
3. Animals.
{Many animals, especially birds, are named from the sounds they utter."]
adder
miindar
animal <g££Sf di or dhi
ant dunu
ant (great red) burudha
ant (black) gijil
ant (green)
ant (sugar)
bandicoot
bee
bird
busr
muun
karlin
kuru
warrul or gunni
tighara
butta
bustard (turkey) burowa
butcher bird burenjin
cat (wild)
centipede
cockatoo
cod
bugundi
kian
biloela or moral
guddii or kuddii
crane (white)
crane (blue)
crow
cuckoo
diver (duck)
dog
dog (wild)
duck
karasra
bunabaru
(waru, waim, or
I dumbal
murgii
(urunaoa or
I gunundal
biiruma
( murren, oryuggi,
( or maiai
karaiji
duck (whistling) thip-ai-yu
rijurapala,
duck (wood)
duck (musk)
guminbai,
gunambi, kaoai,
nunumbi
berlila
I g"
Lor
NOUNS —
ANIMALS.
21
eagle rnullion
insects kao
(dfno-un or
^gorraworra,
kukuburra,
emu ]
( dhina-wan
laughing
[From dhina (foot) wan {strong.)']
<
jackass
ghukughagha,
fish o Iu ya
<~or kukuraka
(a certain species)dukkai
jew-fish kaikai
flea biriji
kangaroo bundar
flies burulu
kangaroo (red) ganur
fowl (bla ^ r li f ^i b ) am ' kulgoi
kangaroo (rat) turwai or gimur
frog gin durra or yuria
fwano'i or
kangaroo SB )
( murriira
leeches gurman
( kaodiil or
grasshopper <
( dubbibaiala
grub biriTi
lizard (edible) murjgai
(miujaran or
hawk <
(palSna
lizard tari
lizard (ruffled) bullawhakur
/"tulletula, or
lobster kurai or kerai
hedgehog < murrowol, or
magpie burugabu katalu
V.butta
mole Sg^, pupo-mor
herring (freshwater) bheringa.
mosquito mug in
horned cattle nulkanulka
mussel kunbi or ginbi
horse yaraman*
mussel 0««e species) turjghal
iguana dull
mussel shell wollu
iguana (large) urundiali
native ( b ll ralga or
iguana (striped) nuliali
companion ( buralgha
[bural (great or high) glia (head).}
*A11 the Australians use this name — prol
ably from the neighing of the horse, or, as
some think, from " yira" or " }
D
'•era" (teeth) and " man" (with).
opossum
mute
!
owl
( bukuta or
( bukutakuta
paiTOt (small green)
gijoriga
parrot
korugan
parrot
kobado
parrot
bunbunbului
perch
kumbal
'"garumbon, or
i
i
pelican
guleale, or
gulamboli
<^(from guli. net or flsh-bag.)
i
i
i
pigeOllC^rottze-winged
) tamur
(gulawulil, or
t
pigeon (topknot)
[ guluwalll
1
■mo»Prm (squatter, or
pigtJUIl white-cheeked
momumbai
i
pigeon S2S5J
wirria
i
pigeon
kollemurramurra
1
plover
birumba
rat
kimma
( iimba
sheep j J
V (a corruption of " jump-up.'")
snake (black) nurai
snake (brown) kaleboi
snake (carpet) yubba or yebba
snake (gray) nibi
snake^ 6 ^^)"" 11 gundoba
snake (diamond)yapati
spider gurra
squirrel kuliya
squirrel (flying) bagor
swallow
millimumul
swan
( burunda, or
(barrianmul
teal (red)
tibiu
turtle
warraba
wallaby
burrai
wallaroo
yuluma
whitethroat (bird) mulujgal
4. Miscellaneous Nouns.
acacia pendula burl or maial
acacia (bastard) kawi
anger yiili
apple-tree bulumin
ashes kerran
axe yundu
axe mark (chop) bail
bag bulba or mitta
bark tura
bark (inner skin)bo war
beak (of bird) mum
beginning Ilambial
Twill (worn with pendants f nKnL-o
UtJll round the waist) L U UllJid.
blaze tnrri or nalun
boat (canoe) kumbilgal
Sburran, burrigul,
barun, or
burunba
boomerangwood giddir
box (tree) kulaba or birri
box (white) bibil
box (black) kiiburu
branch iigan
branch (main arm) durra
[The same icord serves for the thigh of a
man and the arm of a tree.]
briglow
broom-like
shrub on V n
flooded land
( wolbun, buril, or
(bhjgui
bush karui
cloth baia
biirigul
bucket
nimm
cloud gundar, yuro
cross nanbir
crown kabai or bur
currajong
(tree, and rope made of it)
darkness nurii
day yeradha
daylight ljurran
door girinil
down (of sedge) munabuda
dust yu
earth taon
edge nirrin or yiribrai
egg ko or kao
j / • xx (B 513 * muru, or
end (point) 1
( kaburun
end (butt)
warun
evening
bulului
feathers
gundir
feathers
(quills)
wirll
feathers
(down)
yudara
fire
Wl
flood
ugoa or wukawa
flower
giiren
fog
giia
foot
dinna
u
VOCABULARY OF KAMILAROI.
forefoot
ma
honey
wadel or warul
frUlt (gooseberry-like)
rjaiban
house
kundi
fruit *
1 goadtha
hook
yinab
(Like a Siberian crab, j
tasting like tamarind, j
or
jealousy
bid
with a spherical stone
used for ornament.) J
' worrobS
leaves
karril or kurril
fur
baoa or baia
light
tun or burian
friendship
frost
ncrundama
tundar
lightning
Tmi, ljurumi or
(bundur
girdle
bor or bur
love (sexual)
kaiai
(Hence Bora, the ceremony of initiation into manhood,
meat
di
where the candidate
manhood.)
is invested with the belt of
marsh
walowa
grave
taonma
mist
dhiiber
grass
f gorar, or yindal,
{or goaror
mistletoe
moon
bhan
gillc
graSS (long species)
yeremuda
morning
niiruko
grass-tree
taplan
mountain
kubba
gum (tree)
yeran
mud
minun
gun
murgun
net
kule
hail
halo
terian
gunurima
night
(r\ uru or
(bului (black)
head-band
(see forehead)
) ij uliighet or
) ljiilugair
nulla nulla
(club)
> murulil or pundi
herbs
gian
oak (swamp)
bilfir
herb (like dock)nurigul
oak (forest)
kubu
herb ("ke mallow cdible)beran
orange (wild)
pumbul
hill
taiyul
Orion («* consteiutionjberai-berai
MISCELLANEOUS NOUNS. 25
X leiaCleS stellation)
( miai-miai or
I murun-muran
scrub (twck jungk) yiirul
sedge burara
path
turabul
seed kiilu
path (short cut) wobbu
pine (tree) gorari
seed vessel or)
> kuluman
basket )
pipe-clay
millamilla
shrub (jciiow flower) durimaogal
plain
f kunil, kfmial,
shrub (prickly) bindea
lor gunyal
shield bumai or burin
plain (small)
kunildul
skin yuli
plain (long )
\ gorarnan
marshy) )
(gunakuUa or
sky ]
( gunagulla
play (sport)
yuluge
sleep nurarra
post (straight)
waragil
smoke du
potato (wild)
melan
spear pilar
pennyroyal
boiyoi
stars mirri
quietness
tubbia
stem (of a tree) worrain
rain
yuro or kollebari
stone yarul
rain how
Tyulowirri or
StOOl (wood for sitting on) tulu UUmligO
X CIJLJJ. KJ\J IT
I yulubirgi
sun yarai, yiiroka
river (large)
biikhai
sword gadelan
rivulet
mai-an
tail tubilga
sand
rkumbogan or
thorn bindea
I gerai
thunder tulumi
sandalwood
Tbumbal or
tree (wood of)
[tulu.
I gar-wi
any kind) )
salt-hush
ninil
tree (likemyal) medir
26
VOCABULAKY OF KAMILAROI.
tree (another
> K flTMIl
water
kolle or wollun
species)
( IV til HI
water-lily
turilawa
tree (another
species)
j yurar
watercourse
waterhole
warumbul
maian
trunk or stem
warrun
whirlwind
bull
to-morrow
ijuruko
wind.
f maier, yaragi,
truth
giru. or kiraol
(. or biiriar
'"TiJaije-kindamawa
window
barrie
or "RJindi-kin-
wing (see arm
) bunun
Venus
dawa (the star
wing (pinion)
yutar
that laughs at
word
gurre
^ me or at you)
yam
kubbiai or guweai
war
Ilane
yard (or enclosure)
whunmul
NAMES OF PLACES (Stations on or near the Namoi).
Kollenrnngul Broad water
Kurug gora Long water
Wollon gora Long water
Tarlldul (commonly called Drilldool) Having reeds
Tarllarai Having reeds
Yarrularai (commonly called Yalaroi) Having stones
place of the leopard tree (Austra-
lian ash)
Murkudul place of oaks (murku)
Wi-wha (Wee Waa) fire cast away
Wolger (Walgett) high hill
Buk-kulla
Gundiuiaian (Gundamaine)
Biridja (Breeza)
Bukkitaro (Pokataroo)
Bilagha (Piliga)
Goraman (Graman)
Worra (Warrah)
Bawun (Barwan)
Burl Warina (Breewarrina)
Buriagal
Buriagala, (Briglow)
"RJamai (Namoi)
Guida (Gwydir)
Guniwaraldai
Bukkiberai (Boggabry)
Giinida (Gunnedah)
Kulgoa (Culgoa)
Kobada (Cobbedah)
Munlla (Manilla Biver)
Milli
house on the stream
place of fleas
river going wide
head (gha) of scrub oak (Bila)
long plain, or glade
On the left hand (** from Murrurundi)
great, wide, awful (River)
f trees (scrub acacia, commonly
X called briglow) standing up (in
V. clumps)
related to the burl
place of the burl
^"place of the ljamai tree (a variety
of the acacia) or from rjamii
breast (the river curving like a
. woman's breast)
place or river of red (banks)
lime or white stone (guni) spread
place of creeks
place of white stone (others say
place of the destitute)
running through or returning
place of a hill
( round about (this river forms
( almost a circle)
white pipeclay (silicate of magnesia)
\
28 • VOCABULARY
OF KAMILAROI.
Kaghil (Coghill)
bad, nasty (water)
Balal (Pallal)
bare
Guligal
long grass seed
Tuluduna
made or chiselled ont of wood
Burburgate
place of belts (burr)
Bundarra
place of kangaroos
Murrowolarai (Molroy)
having hedgehogs (murrowol)
Inariendrai (Henriendry)
the sale of the inar (woman)
Nurraburai (Narrabry)
Porks
Duijgalia (Dungalea)
little piece of wood
^why weepest thou ? (the name of a
fountain on the mountain side
about forty miles from the
Minyilgo yugila
Namoi). The blackfellow who
told me the name described it as
" kolle waimul," water bubbling
s. U P«
Bulerawa
( place of the bulera (a tree — bastard
(. myal)
Wolobrai
stony (in Wiraiarai)
Yaruldfd
stony (in Kamilaroi)
Deran
dry ground
Guigola
red ground
Teluba or Ktiluba
native clover
Warian
native onion — a poisonous plant
Mobbo
beef wood
NOUNS — NAMES OF PLACES.
29
Wuriga
clear ground
Miat (in Wiraiarai)
a well
Tinai
ironbark
Tmwai
string
Burran
a boomerang
Bulgari (in Wugai dialect)
a boomerang
Ginne (in Wugai)
wood
"Wurai or Wirai (in Wiraiarai)
No!
Yuriyuri
Kolormbrai
launder
Wiragungal
"Wangun (Wiraiarai)
Dungun (Kamilaroi)
Kumal
Geribila
Piririgul
Mukai (Mooki)
Turi
Yulaigul
*^
a kind of parrot which abounds at
this place (on the Barwan)
abounding in kolorin, the flowers
af the kuluba tree
deep bank
long tooth — a place on the Biver
Bugaira (Bokhara)
crooked bark
a place where a blackfellow died
a place where twins were born
a place of salt bush
"Flinty ; a river which near its junc-
tion with the Namoi is dangerous
for its soft mud, but higher up
runs over a rocky bed.
a water- weed
a sapling
30
VOCABULARY
OF KA.MILAROI.
Kumbal
a turkey buzzard
Milkomai
eye dropt out
Kubbo
a grub
Maianbar
a deep tank or waterhole
II.— PRONOUNS. {Seep. 6.)
III.— ADJECTIVES.
afraid
( gial or ghilghil
clear (shining) killu
J (from ghi, the heart)
clever, sensible binal or binnal
alive
moron or narilon
(from binna — ear)
alone
ljandil
cold karil
angry
yili
cowardly gurrl gurri
asleep
babl or rjiiraru
dead balun
awake
warria
deaf mugabinna
bad
kagil or kuggil
deep birii
bare
V»o1n1 (as balal kaogha,
UcUcll bald-headed)
destitute taliba
bitter
butta
[used as a suffix, as in wi-taliba, without fire, kolle
taliba, without water.] .
blind
muga
distant urribu
blue (light)
kaoaraoa
dry ballal
black or dark
► bului
expansive muggul
blue or brown
fasting wanal
brown (bay)
duda
[as yai wanal kudu, I am abstaining
religiously from kudu, a choice fish ; —
bay ("of redder hue)
yutta
rjai wanal bundar, I am abstaining from
kangaroo.]
chief
wuraia
fat wommo
clean
bullar
full (satisfied) yularai
ADJECTIVES.
31
glad guiye
good or beautiful murruba
green gian
green (dull) bulum bului
grey diri or diria
heavy munan
high bao-irra
hollow beruo-e
honest (or sweet) kuppa
hot kuduai^na
hungry yulrjin
jealous bularai
lame bain
large burul
light (in weight) kubonba
( yealokwai or
(-keart (suffix)*
long gurar
mighty waruijgul
near kuinbu
old (grey) diria
(nandll or
(muijgal
own guiyuuun
like
only
outrageous
rjuriella
piebald
guloliba
pregnant
mubalyal
quick (eager, fervent)
kaiabur
red
koimburra
red (blood)
gue
red (light)
koiko'i
roan
gundgundi
round
(guru, or
\ gurugal
short
bungudul
sick
wibil
/"bullo, or
slow
< bullowa, or
Imalo
small
C kai or kaidul,
[also butl
sorry
budda
stinking
nui
stout
biirel
fwaruijgul or
strong A waruijguldul (in
Jess degree)
straight waragil or gura
Thus pukadi-keart is like a pookadi (squirrel), bhan-geart, like bhan (mistletoe).
32
VOCABULARY OF KAMILAROI.
stupid
(womba, wur
( or mor
Igor,
white
( pullar or
(burjgoba
sweet
kuppa
wicked
milburadil
tall
kudiikudu
wide
murjamurja
thin
thirsty
woladul
kollerjin
yellow
(gerlr or
( gunaguna
weary
igg 11
young
kubura
Numerals.
one
mal
four
bularbular
two
bular
five
bularguliba
three
guliba
six
gulibaguliba
A blackfellow from the Balonne Eiver, whom I met on the Barvvan in 1871, gave
the numbers in use among his countrymen up to 20, as follows : —
1. mal
2. bular
3. guliba
4. bularbular
5. mulanbu
G. mal mulanbu mummi
7. bularmulambu mummi
8. gulibamulambu mummi
9. bularbularmulambu mummi
10. bulariu murra
11. mal dinna mummi
12. bular dinna mummi
13. guliba dinna mummi
14. bularbular dinna mummi
15. mulanbu dinna
16. mal dinna mulanbu
17. bular dinna mulanbu
18. guliba dinna mulanbu
19. bularbular dinna mulanbu
20. bulariu dinna
bulariu is the possessive case of bular : ten is the belongings of the two hands ;
eleven is one, from the feet, added ; twenty is the (toes) of the two feet (with the fingers).
VERBS.
33
allay
tubbiamulle
answer
korielle
appear
taibu
appoint
baiald°na
arouse
kirulle
ask
taialle
barter
wmlunni
be
ginya
bind
yulale
bite
yild°na
IV.— VERBS.
climb kolie or kullial
come taiyanani
cover or shut up kundowi
cry aloud kakuld°ne
cut (as with a saw) karile or kurrila
cut (with a)
> bhi or bhlni
knife) or skin ;
bl0W(as in smokiiigapipe)bubilli
boil giitala
break gunni
bring taikane
rkagine or
(.kainani (sec "baby)
baia or wurrimi
( wombail°na
( {past wombi
carry off kagillina
catch, lay hold on kunmulli
catch with vio- )
_ \ karamulli
lence, rob J
catch with a)
ii a A y enabmi
hook, as fish ;
bring forth
build
carry
( baliini or
(balii baiane
morgi
die
dig
draw out with)
[ nfinmulli
the hands )
drink garugi
drop {intrans^) dulirri
eat tali, tald°na
enquire taiald°na
fall bundane
fear guriguri
feed niira-uri
frighten karaoele
fly parane
give wune
hang (intrans.) pindele
hang (trans.) pindemulle
hear winuni
34
VOCABULARY OF KAMILAROI.
hold
jump
fkummi or
\ kunmulta
pari
pleased be kuia durule
( kai^mille
plunder ]
((past) karami
keep
kick
wlmuldi
( duduna or
I gigirma
( yari or
pour •]
(yeremulle
praise baoillona
kill {dead-strike) balubuma
prepare bukanmulle
kiss
rjaikaiala
put maiabia
know
(tirune or
(wmunailun
put up maiald°na
put down wiald°na
laugh
gindami
quiet maiala
learn
yirabaiane
rejoice yugali
leave off
tubilun
remember wmunail°na
let go (don't)
tubbia or kurria
rend baraine
lift
tiome
return (trans.) kar a bille
lose
(wuijguriml or
I murgin
return (intrans. )t&r&oelc
rise warren
make
gim°bi
run (imjperative)huYvai
make (by hand) murramulle
make (by chopping) baia or baialda
rbunnaijunne or
run ]
(punagai
make (by splitting)
rbaraile, bliaruni,
( or marubild°na
save yulon waragil
see rjummi
make (constitute)
mugille
seek kirumegu
paint
pierce
karuldai
diini or durilli
send wiiala
sew (with needle) ijiijije
pinch
nimmolli
shake bulunibula
ADVERBS. 35
shine
bui]gatail°na
talk goalda
sing
bao-ill°na
taste . tatule, yirabaine
sit
•
ij uddela or n urria
teach (make to see) i) umniilmulle
sleep
( babi, babil°na or
( baubi
teach (make 10 know) uruunbulle
touch tamulle
( warm or
turn away taraoele
spread
I warumailun
twist wiri
stand
warine
wash wurgunbumulle
strip
dumale
fyiigila (present)
strike
bumale
weep X yuni (past)
SUCk (see breast)
fijamughi or
(nummughi
V^yiina (impera.)
wonder {Grange!" ijipai goalla
sweep
burunbula
work burunbailun
swim
kubl
wound nimmi
Y.— ADVERBS.
1. Of Time.
nOW (immediately)
yeladu
to-day ilanu
then (at once)
yila
to-morrow nuriiko
[yila or ila denotes any near time, past or future.]
for one day malo or nerido
long ago
f Ilambo or
I ghibailindi
always yalwurja
again ye'alo
very long ago
nuribu
after nurra
hereafter
yerala
then (at another time) rjaraegduli
yesterday
(gimiandi, or
(naribu, or aoane
, when ? wirii ?
36
VOCABULARY (
3F KAMILAROI.
•
2. Of
Place.
here
here (beside me
nowo or naialle
) nabu.
on this side
( uriellona or
(niiriellona
there (in front)
nurri
on the other
furrigalina or
there (on the right)
nutta
side
I narrikolinya
there (ontheleft)
nurriba
on the far side
miilanda
there (at your hand)
murra
hither
tai
there
arrigo
from above
nurribatai
np there
nurriba
near
ku'inbu
down there
nutta
far
urribii or beru
outside
nam
where ?
tulla ?
in the midst
bigundi
3. Of Comparison.
as
so
yealima
na
very much
indeed
> murramurra
merely
yeal
also
ljellibu or yellibu
furthermore
ye'alo
together
aielle
very
murra
4. Of Affirmation and Negation, and Interrogation.
yes
y°
no
kamil
'gir or giraol,
note of
)
verily
I sometimes kir
^and kiraol
interrogation
^ yamma
"yo" is used as a verb of ai
hrmation : thus '
ljaia yo" (I yes)
means I assert it to be so.
" yamma"
is placed at the bee
'inning of a quest
ion.
INTERJECTIONS.
37
VI.— INTERJECTIONS.
alas ! (in sorrow) nil ! onward !
alas! (in pity) guraga !
avaunt ! kurria !
far be it ! wunna !
strange !
wonderful !
kaoai !
ljipai !
kuttabul !
Intensity is given to any expression of thought or feeling by
prolonging the last syllable. Thus, the longer they dwell on the u in
" beru" the greater the idea of distance ; the longer the ga in "guraga"
the deeper the pity.
''' BRA KT
I'M VEB8ITY OF
California!
phrases.
I go to catcli fish
I am splitting wood
Truly I have got honey
We two belong one to another (or
are friends)
Friendly blackfellows
Hostile blackfellows
I sing
I am smoking
I hear (or understand)
I am sleeping
I have well slept
I have well drunk, or drunk of nice
drink
I am worn out
The fire is gone out (dead)
The day is coming
Catch hold ! Let go !
Go back, my friend
You and I hate one another
T'is true ! T'is only lies !
It is my own
The water runs over the stones
I shall be there on an early day .
I do not know where he is
I was not there this morning
I think he is at the camp
You are my love
He is a wicked man ; have nothing
to do with him
I hope
You are good (thanks !)
Grui'ya rjaia yenabilli
Tulu nai bharuni
Warul glr [or klr] ljai bai-aldina
Guiyungun i) alii
Gui'yungundul inurri
Yili-an murri
TJaia baoillini
TJaia bubillini
TJai winmj-gailun
TJaia baubillani
Glr nai baubillina
Murrii nai ijurugalani
Malo nai giul (or ghinni)
~WT baliini
TJurran durl
Kunmulla ! Wunnabilla !
Turruwulla, nai dhurudi
Thai inda wuna bulanbarana
Glru ! Yeal gunial !
TJaii guinun
Kolle bunnagella yarula
Yerala nai a germa dhurali gurri
TJerma nuriluna kamil ijaia
TJerma wariijene
Wolla ya ljurrilona
TJa rjinda gullrdul
Gun murruba ; wunna guma
TJaia barabai daraoela
Murruba inda
40 GTJRRE KAMILAROI.
GURRE KAMILAROI.
(Extracts from a Missionary Primer, prepared for the Kamilaroi-spcaTcinr/ People.)
[ Verbatim translation.']
Baiame gir giwlr gimobi ; mal giwir
God verily man made ; first man Adam.
Adam. Baiame goe : " Kamil murruba
God said, " Not it is good for man alone
giwlr gandil ijuddelago ; gaia giwlrgo
to dwell ; I for man woman will make."
Inar gimbille." Ila Baiame inar gimobi ;
Then God woman made ; first woman
mal inar Iva ; Iva gullr Adamu.
Eve ; Eve wife of Adam.
Adam buba murrigu, buba wondagu,
Adam father of blackfellow, — father of
buba kanugo ; Iva gumba murrigu, gumba
whitefellow, — father of all. Eve mother
wundagu, gumba kanugo.
of blackfellow, — mother of whitefellow, —
mother of all.
Adam Iva ellibu warawara yanani.
Adam, Eve also astray went. All men,
Kanugo giwir kanugo inar warawara
all women astray went ; all bad became.
yanani; kanugo kagil ginyi. Baiame yili
God angry became, said, "All men, all
ginyi, goe, ""Kanugo giwir kanugo inar
women astray went, all bad became ; I
. warawara yanani, kanugo kagil ginyi ; gaia
them dead will strike." Immanuel, son
garma balu bumale." Immanuel, "Wurume
of God, said, " No ! not thou them smite ;
Baiamegu, goe, "Kamil! Kamil ginda
thou me smite ; I will die, men, women
garma bumala, ginda gunna bumala, gaia
alive to be."
balugi, giwir inar moron gigigo."
Murruba Immanuel ; kamil garagedul
Good is Immanuel ; not another is
murruba yealokwai genua.
good like Him.
Ilambo Immanuel taongo taiyanani,
Long ago Immanuel to earth came,
giwir ginyi.
man he became.
Giwlr kair Layaru. Uergu bular boadi,
A man named Lazarus. Belonging to
mari, mata. Layaru wibil ginyi bular
him two sisters, Mary, Martha. Lazarus
boadi gurre waala immanuel go, goaldendai,
sick became. The two sisters word sent
" TJai daiadi, ginnu layaru, wibil."
to Immanuel, saying, " My brother, Thy
Lazarus is sick."
GTJRRE KAMILAROI.
41
Kamil yanani Immanuel. yerala Layaru
baluni. bularbularo babine balun taonda.
Ila Immanuel taiyanani. mari mata ellibu
yugillona. Immanuel goe, " TJinnu daiadi
yealo moron gigi." Burula giwir burula
inar yugillona. Immanuel daonmago
yanani. yarul daonma kundawi ; Im-
manuel goe " TJindai yarul diomulla."
TJarma gir yarul diome. Immanuel kakul-
done ; " Layaru taiyanuna !" Ila Layaru
moron ginyi, taiyanani. bular boadi
burul guiye".
TJarageduli miedul wibil ginyi ; numba
boiyoi wune ; kamil miedul murruba
ginyi ; murru ginyi wibil, rjullimun baluni.
Yaairu buba yanani Immanuel rjum-
millego ; gir rjuinmi : goe, " inda barai
taiyanuija, murruba gimbildi ijai miedul.
TJai miedul burul wibil rjullimun baluni ;
inda taiyanuija ijai kundigo." Immanuel
goe, " TJulle yanoai kundigo." Ila yanani
bular kundigo. TJumba duri, yugillona,
goe " TJii ! rjii ! rjai miedul baluni."
Burula Inar yugillona, goe " TJii !
miedul baluni." Immanuel goe "kurria
yurja. kamil miedul baluni ; yeal babi-
lona." burulabu gindami ; rjarma gir
balundai wlnurji. Immanuel murra
kawani miedul, goe, " miedul waria." Ila
miedul moron ginyi, warine, gurre goe.
TJumba, buba ellibu, burul guiye.
Not went Immanuel. By and by
Lazarus died. Four days be lay dead
in the ground. Then Immanuel came.
Mary, Martha also, were weeping. Im-
manuel said, " Your brother again alive
shall be." Many men, many women,
were weeping. Immanuel to the grave
went ; a stone the grave covered ; Im-
manuel said, " Ye the stone take away."
They the stone lifted up. Immanuel
cried aloud, " Lazarus, come forth !"
Then Lazarus alive became, he came forth.
The two sisters were very glad.
At another time a little girl sick
became ; the mother pennyroyal gave ;
not the little girl well became ; much she
grew sick, almost dead.
Jairus, the father, went Immanuel to
see ; truly he found him ; he said, " Thou
quickly come, well make my little girl.
My little girl is very sick, almost dead.
You come to my house." Immanuel said,
" We two will go to the house." Then
went the two to the house. The mother
came, she wept, said, " Alas ! alas ! my
little girl is dead."
Many women were weeping, said, "Alas !
the little girl is dead." Immanuel said,
" Cease weeping. Not the girl is dead ;
only she is asleep." All of them laughed;
they verily her to be dead knew. Im-
manuel by hand took the girl, said,
" Damsel, arise." Then the girl alive
became, arose, words spoke. The mother,
father also, very glad.
Uarageduli bular glvvir muga nuddelona
turrubulda. Irnrnanuel aro yanani ; bular
muga winuni. kakuldono, " Immanuel,
durunmi, wurume davidu rjuinmilla !
nurraga neane." burula giwir goe
" kurria ! kurria nindai kakullego." giwir
mugayealo kakuldone " durunmi, wurume
Davidu, nummilla ! nurraga neane." Ila
Immanuel warine, goe "minna ljindai
goalie ? minna naia murramulle ?" ljarma
goe, " Durunmi, wuna neane nummildai."
ila Immanuel narrna mil tainfilda : baianbu
narma murru nummillego."
Burula kagil giwir Immanuel kun-
multa. TJarma kaogo bindea yulalle.
TJarma glr tulu wimi, naragedul tulu
nanblr wimi. TJarina gir Immanuel wimi;
murra blrudiini, dinna biruduni ; tului
wirri. Uarma tulu Home, Immanuel
tului pindelundai. Terala Immanuel
baluni. Terala giwir pilari turrur diini ;
gue dulirri.
Bullului narma gir Immanuel taonda
wimi; kundawi. Immanuel ijuru babine
baliin taonda ; yealo malo babine balun
taonda ; yealo naragedul guru babine
baliin taonda; naragedul ljuruko moron
ginyi, warine.
Terala Immanuel gir gunagulla-go
yanani. .
Giwir ijuddolona littraga : bain dinna
tuijgor, ijurribu bainge bain ; kamil
yanelina. Paul, Barnaba ellibu, aro
yanani. Paul goaldonc ; baiiuliil yerma
Another time two men blind sat by the
way. Immanuel there came ; the two
blind heard, they cried aloud, " Im-
manuel, King, Son of David, look ! pity
us." Many people said, " Have done !
cease ye to cry aloud." The men blind
again cried aloud, " King, Son of David,
look ! pity us !" Then Immanuel stood
still, said, "What you will say? ~\\ r hat
I shall do ?" They said, " King, grant
us to see." Then Immanuel them eyes
touches ; instantly they are able to see.
Many bad men Immanuel seized.
They on his head thorns bound. They
verily a log laid, another log across they
laid. They verily Immanuel laid ; hands
they pierced ; feet they pierced ; on log
fastened. They the log lifted up,
Immanuel on the log hanging. After-
wards Immanuel died. Afterward* a
man with spear his side pierced ; blood
flowed forth.
In the evening they verily Immanuel
in ground laid ; covered up. Immanuel
the night lay dead in ground : also one
day he lay dead in ground ; also another
night he lay dead in ground ; another
morning he alive became, rose up.
Afterwards Immanuel verily to heaven
went.
A man dwelt at Lystra ; with sick
foot diseased, very ill indeed ; not he
could walk. Paul, Barnabas, also there
came. Paul was speaking ; the lame man
GURRE KAMILAHOI.
43
wlnugailone. Paul kaia ljuminildone,
kakuldone, " waria rjurriba dinnaga."
Turjgordul parine, yanani ellebu.
Burulabu giwir rjumrni, goe " ljipai !"
kakudone " Baimae bular yarine yealok-
wai giwir." Paul, Baraba ellibu, bunna-
rjunne, kakuldone, " kurria ! karnil neane
baiame ; neane giwir yealokwai nindai.
ljeane guiye duri ; neane budda ginyi ;
neane yili ginyi, yealo geane murru rjurri-
nillone. ljeane murru goalda burulabu ;
kurria rjindai yealo kagil gigile: berudi
warraia, ljummilla Baiame moron. Baiame
gir gunagulla, taon, burul kolle, kanuno
minnaminnabul gimobi. Baiame yalwuna
Baiame."
him was hearing. Paul earnestly looked,
he cried aloud, " Stand upright on feet."
The lame man leapt, walked also.
Many people saw, they wondered, they
cried aloud " Gods two are come down
like men." Paul, Barnabas also ran, cried
aloud " Have done ! not we gods ; we men
like you. "We glad become, we sorry
become, we angry become, again we are
reconciled. "We good tell to all ; cease ye
anymore evil to be ; turn ye, look to God
the living. God, verily, heaven, earth, the
great water, all, everything made. God
always is God" (the same ever).
¥AIL¥UN:
The Language of the Aborigines on the Barwan, below the
junction of the Namoi.
atlfotm,
LANGUAGE spoken on the Barwan, below the junction
of the Namoi. It is called " wailwun," from the negative
" wail."* It is also called " niumba," from " nia" (speak).
man
woman
father
boy
girl
maiden
mother
young woman
child
chief
little baby
blackfellow
white man
TYinlp ( man or °ther
IllcHc creatures)
brother (grown man)
brother (child)
NOUNS.
tdhur
sister (grown)
kati
'wiriingar
sister (young)
gidurai
(plural)
spouse
nuan
^wlriingai
uncle
kani
buba
aunt
mama
murrukunga
cousin
nulungan
mariyurjga
truant wife
yanawe
kuma-dhilia
head
kuboga
gimni
hair
wulla
nikimikai
forehead
nulii
worm or wuru
beard
kir
durunmi
whiskers
narma
wurudhul
moustache
mulajin
mai-i
cheek
tdukkal
wunda
chin
kir
mundawa
poll
nan
kukka
eye
mil
kukkamin
nose
muru
* This word " wail" is pronounced like the English word " wile" — according to the rule
at the beginning: of the Kamilaroi Grammar.
48
WAILWUN.
mouth
ijundal
great toe
guni
lips
willi
adder (deadly)
murai
teeth
wira
bandicoot
guru
tongue
tulle
bat
wibulla-bulJa
ear
kurig-gera
cockatoo
murai
throat
nuggi
crab
ijulaga
neck
nirrimirri
cray-fish
keri or win gar
shoulders
wurru
crow
waru
arm
nuru
cod (fish)
kuddu
forearm
P 1
diver (mna**k)
tirmum
elbow
nunuka
diver (large)
duguru
hand
murra
dog
mirri
fingers
worria
duck
wiruwurra
thumb
( gunendlr or
( gimi (mother of fingers)
duck (black)
duck (whistling)
budunba
thipaiyu
thigh
durra or dhurra
duck (red)
gurao-er
knee
bunde
duck (blue winged)
ululu
foot
dinna
duck (teal)
daraoer or bu'iga
arm-pit
kilkulbiiri
duck (wood)
kunambi
breast (woman's)
nummu
duck (spoonbill) wilidubai
chest
wirri
duck (musk)
kumogumar
belly
burl
emu
rjfiri
navel
gindyur
eagle
mullion
leg (below knee)
piyu
fish (bream)
kumbal
calf
kaia
fish (black bream)
bunuidla
toe
wirria
fisll (email bream)
berije
NOUNS.
49
fish (best bream) duggai
Venus (emu)
nuri
fisll (cat-fish or jew-fish) dungUT
sky
gunagulla
iguana duli
ground
tagun
kangaroo muru'i
fire
wi
opossum kuragi
water
kolle
padymelon wiru
tree
kogur
( wirea or
pelican I
( gulamboli
gum
ironbark
guara
bigur
pigeon (squatter) mimumbi
pine
guraba
pigeon (crested) tao-ilgera
yellow box
mulli
pigeon (bronze) yamur
acacia pendula
bri
porcupine bigabilla
bastard myal
yimmu
shrimp tugale
snake (boa) munun
yam*
r gunawa or
(kunowa
snake (black), yuki
fish-ponds
nunnii
snake (brown) tdhuru
boomerang
bier
snake (carpet) yubba
sacred stone
)
snake (whip) murai
in the chief's
> wiar
swallow millimaru
possession
)
turtle waienber
death
giirinl
swan (black) burrima
enmity
kulgiurun
wagtail dirijiri
anger
gulgi
sun duni or dhiini
moon giwur
astonishment
rnudii-wundu-
( baigu
stars girila
friendship
maindyul
[t grows in sand ridges.
* The yam found near the Barwan is sweet, juic
y, and most refreshing.
50
WAILWUN.
PRONOUNS.
I
nattu
ye two
nindula
we
ljeene
ye
nindugul
thou
ijindu
he
mundewa
ADJECTIVES.
alive
muun
white
bunoba
bad
wurai
black
bului
cold
gunundai
blue
bului
good
yiada
red
girawil
hot
girru
yellow
giinainguna
old
bugaia
green
gldyungidyun
sick
wogin
brown
dhugungulia
young
dhulunaimba
ADVERBS.
Yes
ijaru
above
ijunaowa
No
wail
below
nunadhur
VERBS.
Lite
kutulli
sing
biiga
catch
mumulli
sneeze
tiga
cough
gununguna
weep
yurjani
laugh
gindani
PHRASES.
51
PHRASES.
I love you
I hate you
I do not like you
I think
Did you see me ?
Yes, I saw you
Ippai built a house
Murri pulled it down
Kubbi killed Kumbo
Kumbo killed Kubbi
What for ?
The greatest of enemies
kurridu ninundun inda
gadunu gumalago
wail du ninunda ginda
wmiujunni
ljanandu dhi rjani ?
narti, gudhu gani
Ippandu wune gunnu
Murrlggu wlrime
Kubbiggu gurne kumbunii
Kumbuggu kubbiiju gume
minyango ?
kulkiwunwungan
KOGAI:
The Language of the Aborigines to the Westward of the Baton ne,
on the Maranoa and the Cogoon.
Hflffat,
§. LANGUAGE spoken to the westward of the Balonne, on
the Maranoa and the Cogoon.
NOUNS.
father
yabunii
eyebrow
milgul
mother
yarjanu
eye
dilli
son
andii
nose
daughter
burgul
ear
muna
grandson
yambiru
mouth
biggi
elder brother
tagiindilla
teeth
yira
younger brother maiandilla
beard
mug gar
elder sister
mungunnu
throat
aoar
younger sister
babunnu
neck
ljugun
man (aborigina
l)murdin
shoulder
bira
woman
murendin
arm
duru
youth
aola
ribs
bibun
boy
andiin
hand
murra
little girl
ambi
fingers
murda
baby
tiiru
thigh
durra
head
biibwa
leg
olburr
forehead
bulga
cockatoo
digurri
56
KOGAI.
dog
nurun
boomerang
wunal
eagle
otella
camp
yambai-eder
emu
rjuruin
hut
kundi
kangaroo
gargu
spear
bugga
native companion urriir
water
amu
snake (brown)
btimburra
PRONOUNS.
I
rjaia
thy
yunu
my
rjaidhu
he
yeraggo
thou
inda
ADJECTIVES.
asleep
okarhjgo
dead
uladirri or ulala
hungry
abir
thirsty
amu-gin
weary
iggil
[from auiu, water, with suffix-rjin,
wanting, as in Kamilaroi.]
VERBS.
beat
onimeala
lose
wombomulla
break
unilgo
put down
iderburra
come
iiguara
pick up
punder
eat
watidalulla
run
unbermelgo
go
undawaralgo
see
wottiijagulla
hear
imbulloaddi
sing
waralgo
know
imbulgo
smell
ljutulla
jump
diimbaia
throw away
undubidi-ir
lift
bundalla
PIKTJMBTJL:
The Language of the Aborigines about Calandoon, in Queensland,
on the Weir and the Macintyre.
-
PftumM,
<0$^l
Mfllm^ LANGUAGE spoken about Calandoon, in Queensland, on
sZgf&fifff the Weir and the Macintyre.
tIt nouns.
i
God Anambu or Minumbu.
man (white) gun
arm
yama
man (aboriginal) mial
hand
mara
woman tamar
thigh
mabun
youth mollumi
leg
buiyu
maiden migedul
cockatoo
giabun
boy kaa
cuckoo
nugu
girl mie
dog
mirri
baby kagul
eagle
due
head kabui
emu
nurun
forehead wenda
flies
kulunan
eye mil
frog
durra
nose muru
hawk
kagun
ear bidna
laughing jackass kaguran
mouth yunda
mosquito
buri
teeth tira
opossum
kubi
beard yarun
pelican
gulegali
throat kuruijgara
snake (black)
mindar
neck bimbi
swan
bibu
60
PIKTTMBUL.
PRONOUNS.
I
gutta
my
ijie
thou
ijinda
-
ADJECTIVES.
bad
wombo
hungry
dilgi
black
kumba
thirsty
kollerjin
fuU
buijun
white
kao-un
good
wlumba
ADVEEBS.
yes
pika
truly
galo
no
yuga
hither
yurri
VEEBS.
bring
yurri kaija
sit
rjinne
catch
yalumul
speak
guagga
give
yere iira
stand
kuraga
go
yaboga
stand still
mobia
put down
tirra
take up
kandimulla
see
naiya
•
DIPPIL:
The Language of the Aborigines about Durundurun, on the north
side of Moreton Bay, and thence towards Wide Bay and
the Burnett District, in Queensland.
UipptL
HE Aborigines about Durundurun, on the north side of Moreton
Bay, and thence towards "Wide Bay and the Burnett District,
speak Dippil. The following words and sentences were taken
down from the lips of Davies or Darumboys, a blacksmith,
at Brisbane, who spent thirteen years with the blacks, and
whose history is narrated by the Kev. Dr. Lang, in his " Cooksland."
I.— NOUNS.
1. Man (aboriginal) — dan.
head
kam
hair
dhella
forehead
nului)
brow
dipinji
eye
mi
nose
muru
mouth
tunka
lips
tambur
tongue
dunnum
ear
binung
cheek
wag gum
chin
yikul
beard
yeran
neck
guna
breast
amun
shoulder
kora
right hand
( duruin or
( ginning duruin
left hand
wottugga
back
pondur
fingers
biddi
thumb
biddi winwor
64
DIPPIL.
little finger
biddi diirumai
hole through ( murumburri or
belly
duguu
nose ( kagarabaoin
hips
kondun
marks on chest mulkar
thigh
durran
old man winyagun
knee
bon
young man kippa
leg
puiyu
a crowd of men miller
foot
jinmuj
boy iikhuun
heart
dukku
young boy birwain
liver and bowels gunnun
baby methindum
flesh
blood
baowin
kukki
(yirkun, winya-
old woman \ c
(.gun
skin
*
brabra
married woman yirum
spittle
nuin
Relationships.
father
bobbin
brother (younger) wudhun
mother
navan
sister yaobfm
-
( yimmu or muki-
uncle immo
son
Cver or kumma
aunt martin
daughter
naiber
cousin yimudheme
brother (elder)
nun
cousin (female) kumedheme
2. An
IMALS.
animal
murar)
bee (small) dibbin
bat
girrama
bee (large) turbain
bear
kulla
centipede girowa muraij
NOUNS —
ANIMALS. 65
cockatoo kiggum
kangaroo (female) niigal kuttuwain
black cockatoo kulverwa
do. (scrub k.)kulembi
cod dokko
do. barrel
crane kwowol
do. female bao-i
dog wutta
duck nar
do. (female )
> kumaij
kulembi) )
eagle wurama
do. (common)murri
eel yulu
locust yilla
emu nuruin
mosquito bumba
fisb (flat tail) billa
mouse mobur
fly tibin
goose rjirrii) ormulgaoi
(kirbibbaor
mullet <
( undaiya
grub puiyim
opossum narambi
hawk kigum
opossum (black) kabbila
iguana warui
owl kuggu
iguana (yellow")
> kutyi
bellied) ) J
parrot per
pelican nirringa
jackass bird kaggu
pigeon konkelum
kangaroo (old)
> kroman
man) )
pigeon (bronze-winged) tamUT
porpoise yullu
do. young durwun
porpoise (small) yuijun
do. female yimmer
quail murrindum
do. (young } .
y wulbai
rat kogkolai
in pouch) j
scorpion merinda
do. wallaby boal
shell fish yimar
do. (do. big) kuttiiwain
shell fish yuin
66
DIPPIL.
shell fish
wurui)
deaf adder
munulgum
shell (oyster)
dibir
stingaree (fish)
winwaba
shark
kullo'i
swan
nirrin
snake (black)
mullfi
tarantula
thiwa
Snake (black deadly)
murriglr
turkey buzzard
wagun
snake (carpet)
wiujgai
turtle
mebir
snake (whip)
wirrawa
-
3. Miscellaneous.
apple-tree, a*"
)
clothes
bumblr
species of
> yulayiilo or popa
cloud
mirrin
gum j
)
coast
bukkan
axe
muyim
creek
durrai)
axe (of stone)
yemar-yemar
(See thigh mid arm of tree in
axe-handle
womboi
Dippil and
in Kamilaroi .)
beginning
uriunkin
egg
bam
boat
kumba
end
torn
blossom
nerida
end (point)
muur
basket
warn, warum
end (butt)
turbai
bark
kumba
enmity
winderu
box-tree
muij gamungara
fire
glra
branch
deraij
fig
kabura or bimer
bucket
P 1
flat (plain)
biru
bread-fruit
winnum
ground
daoer
boomerang
berkan
grease
mfiron
cloak
hella
gum (flooded)
yerra
NOUNS — MISCELLANEOUS. 67
gum (forest) tambir
( udhumbil or
path ]
( guan
gum (blue) murjgar
honey (white, ) .
from small bee) )
pine gunum
Pleiades miirrinmurrin
honey (dark, )
I gilla
from large bee) )
hill waikerdummai
pole pundai
poison-bark ~)
r [ dilkai
(brush -wood) )
hut dfirabunnu
poison-bark tree tummapurba
ironbark tobun or tandor
rain yurui) or yuron
interior of country dunba
reed kaga
leaves wururj
river niiken
lightning billibira
root terbai
lemon (native) tarum
smell kabelliman
mark (notch) tindai
thunder miimba
mountain waiker
taste kagillanor
mountain range pondur
to-morrow bunyirki
mountain ridge diinba
shadow of a tree tuunurakalim
middle nirrim
scrub (jungle) duri
milky way muin or muun
shield (light) gudmurri
morning star dirai yirki
shield (heavy) yaoun
nest wldhun
smoke wiilui
net merburj
song yaoiir
netting (act of) duppi or kupera
spear (light) kunnai
oak billai
spear (heavy) billar
Orion's belt )
\ kunnai
(a spear) )
spear point nor
spear wound kunnuthum
68 DIPPIL.
stick (throwing) kutha
victuals
pintja
stick (heavy) binba
water
kon
stick (curved) nulawa
water (salt)
tin-nir*
stick (fire) giradunka
waterhole
nullakongor
stem dokko
waterspring
kongowurrain
stone (free stone) kitta
waves
buriman
stone (black) nmllu
waves (breakers) bokankuriman
stone (flint) kunkum
summer nfirunan
winter
Twulladha or
(wiggin
swamp tlkumbi
yam
tarn
track (of feet) jinun daoer
yesterday
nambura
II.— ADJECTIVES.
bad wuran
many
murrin
black mulu
new
dulliba
fast gillawa
old
wurubain
good gilangiir
round
duruin
heavy tankinbul
short
talbur
hungry kandu.
slow
dhimpe
large winwor
small
dummai
light nundi
tall
kuran
long kuran
white
kukkul
Comparatives are formed by doubling, as talburtalbur — too short or
very short.
* In Turrubul, at Moreton Bay, water is " tabbil" — salt water "
tabbilbon, i.e., dead water.
VERBS.
69
bend
III.— T
kumaggali
^EE,BS.
ttiaVp
( yunkaorboberen
build
(bunnin or
t duriyankin
11 Lev JVC
run
{.or durianker
bitelle
call
buialle
see
nunyin
come
bain
sharpen
kurigeyer
come back
bumgai
sit
ninnai
convey
dandinna
sleep
mibon
fight (with sticks)
fight (by pulling hair'
kudhera baiyi
tella baiyi
spear (to throw
the kunnai)
^ bonkog
fasten together
bunurrin
spear (to throw
? - •
give
wa
the billar)
> nurvam
go
yannin
stop
yiinmigo
hang
duggillina
spit
nuinbirra
jump
burrain
taste
kabundinna
kill
baigin
thrust out
birra
kneel
bondabumi
touch
budyia
laugh
wedhewedha
walk
yenna
lie (recline)
yunmlgo
weep
dungin
lie (tell lies)
yupillime
IV.— A]
)VERBS.
back again
buiya
not
ba
here
gai
where ?
wunti ? or winta ?
long ago
wurukiirubra
yes
yoai
no
kabbi
70
DIPPIL.
V.— PRONOUNS.
I, nai, or ai, or ljutta
me, unna
to mc, enna
we two, alien, or nullin
thou, ljin, ninna, inta, indu
ye, gindai
he, unda
that (pointing to it) numhain
that (in front) mittenda
that (behind) kutyenda
that (on the right) durumya
that (on the left) wudlmngeru
that (above or below) minda
TiJin wunti yanin ?
Wai yowai yanin.
TiTin winta bain ?
Mai barin bain.
Ttfai kandu ; enna wa.
Mai baliin koijgo ; enna wa.
Winyo Magilpi ? Minda bobain
Makoron. indu nunyin ?
Yoai.
Makoron wunti yanin ?
Dalle winta makoron yanin ?
Nambur wurri yanin.
Dan murriyu yanin.
Dan winta bunna bumgai ?
Bunni yirki bumgai.
DIALOGUES IN DIPPIL.
You where going ?
I northward am going.
You whence come ?
I from the south come.
I am hungry ; to me give.
I am dying for icater ; to me give.
Where's Magilpi ? There he stands.
White men have you seen ?
Yes.
White men whither went t
Sow long since white men went ?
The day before yesterday they went.
The aborigines after kangaroo icent.
The aborigines when will come back?
To-morrow morning they come back.
"Wunda kurbunta bumgaigo.
In three days they come back.
DIALOGUES.
71
"RTullin kroigo yengo Boppilkurri.
T<Iulle winta bunna mara bago ?
Banna nundara.
"EXulle dher murrin na merban.
Allin bunna duppigo yango ?
Nulla winta kam bunna-ungo ?
Murrinda bunna watungarimjgo.
Ket yenka kankulli.
Ba bitulle ; dhimper ; kankulle.
Minya dhurra buter ?
Murrinmurrin,
Kroman kurabunta,
Tharuain budela,.
Yimera boppa,
Bo'all budela,
Wutta bullana,
TiToron kalim.
Urru dan bumgain bobbinkurri ba
baigingo.
Bobbin bundu yunmigo,
Bobbin kammi bunnaginmain.
Dan di yowai baigin dan barringa ;
dan barringa bitellin.
Budela gira budela balun.
Kumbakabbi, dan di Bimba,
Let us for opossum go to Boppil.
We where them shall roast ?
By and by, on the other side.
We have plenty of nets.
Shall we to set nets go ?
Which way are heads to turn ?
Very much to the left.
On meeting call out.
Don't run ; take time ; shout.
Sow many did they kill ?
Very many,
Old men kangaroos three,
Bucks two,
Does three,
Wallabies two,
Native dogs two,
Emu one.
Some blackfellows came here my
father to kill.
Father asleep lay.
Father uncle him awoke.
The men of the north beat the men
of the south ; the men of the
south ran aicay.
Four died.
Kumbakabbi, a man of Bimba,
72 DIPPIL.
Kam baigin dan di Toun.
Head cut from a man of To-un.
Dan kerbona durrai) burin.
Man another thigh, was broken.
Dan da Boppil burain,
A man at Boppil was mad,
Ba unda Dankurri ninnain,
Not he with men dwelt,
Unda burain durigo,
He went mad in to the scrub,
Unda murrinda buiyallin,
He often cried out,
Undaru dukkira kaowin.
Himself with knives he cut.
Wa dan bumgain,
If men came,
Undaru tankaru kaigin.
He ivith teeth bit.
Magilpi Boppilkurri yanin yirki,
Magilpi to Boppil went next day,
Unda na burain nunyin ;
He the madman saw ;
Undaru bunman.
Him he cured, i.e., (< bunman" drew
out (the evil).
^Tallin mebirgo gu inyago.
Let us for turtles go out.
Wunti nummulligo ?
JjThere shall we look ?
Tom karango yango.
To Sandy Flat let us go.
Kumba nattu, ljindu,
Canoe my, yours,
Yikki kerbana.
Also another.
TiTa wunna budyigo,
And ivhen you find,
J6in kwivT.
You whistle.
"RTutta wunna budyigo,
I when I find,
Ttfutta kwivi.
I'll whistle.
Kai ! budyin !
Here ! found !
Wuraka murrin ; kai,
Dive plenty ; here
Kamwurrin.
Headfirst dive.
Kai unda bumgain kuruburu.
Here he comes another.
DIALOGUES.
73
Uradummain.
Ponderuna wundina.
Kai mebir baigin.
Morbaingo,
Timdar baigi ; gunai) bunma.
Dukkin mohar,
Wuruma buggo.
Dan buialle mebirgo.
He's caught.
On his back turn him up.
Sere's a turtle caught.
Hoast him,
Shell break ; inside take out.
Red hot stones lay,
Put it on the fire.
The men call to the turtle.
TTJEEUBTJL:
The Language of the Aborigines on the Brisbane Riuer.
CALIFORNIA.
CttrrufruL
<X>K*iCM>
HIS language is spoken on the Brisbane River. It does not
?w* extend nearly so far as Dippil.
>ft£» There are in Turrubul, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs,
i adverbs, and conjunctions. Instead of prepositions, suffixes
are employed.
I.— NOUNS.
-du (suffix) signifies agency, and distinguishes the nominative
which has a verb from the simple name.
Example : —
1st Nominative : duggai a man
2nd Nominative : duggaidu a man (followed by a verb) .
Genitive : duggainubba ... of a man.
Dative : dugganu ............ for or to a man.
Accusative : duggana a man.
Ablative : duggaibuddi . . . with a man.
duggaiti at a man.
duggaida from a man.
Plural : , duggatin men, people.
78 TURRUBTJL GRAMMAR.
Gender.
Difference of gender is expressed sometimes by using different
words ; as kruman, a male kangaroo (largest species) ; yimma, female
kangaroo.
Sometimes the suffix -gun or -un, gives a feminine signification,
as in the proper family names, e.g., derwain, derwaingun; bundar,
bundargun, bandur, bandurun ; also nurrig (son) ; nurringun
(daughter).
II.— PRONOUNS.
The Turrubul has personal, possessive, interrogative, demonstra-
tive, and indefinite pronouns.
(1.) Personal.
Singular : 1. nutta, atta, gai, ai, naia I.
2. ijinta, inda thou.
3. wunnal he, she.
Dual: 1. rjullin you and I.
2. nilpug ye two.
Plural: 1. nulle we.
2. gilpulla ye.
3. wunnalina, wunnale, orwunyale they.
(2.) Possessive.
1. ijurriba my.
2. ninnuba thy.
VERBS. 79
(3.) Interrogative.
Masculine and feminine : gandu ? who ?
Neuter : minna ? what T
(4.) Demonstrative.
This duga.
That guruga.
(5.) Indefinite.
All gambille.
Another kurruba.
Many millen, millenkulle.
III.— VERBS.
The most remarkable feature in the grammar of the Australian
languages is the very extensive inflection of the verbs. The voices,
active, reciprocal, causative, permissive, &c, are numerous ; and the
tenses are adapted to express various slight modifications of past and
future. Here is one specimen, taken down in the hope, not yet
realised, of having opportunity to add many more.
bulkurri to come.
bulkairi bring, i.e., cause to come.
Indicative past : bulkurri came.
future : bulkulliba will come.
Imperative: bulka come.
VOCABULARY.
( Words in brackets are used at Durimdurun, near the Glass-house Mountains.)
I.— NOUNS.
Names of most important Objects.
God
man
woman
•I
-Mumbal,*
Mirir
Burrai
^Burrani
duggai
Jjundal (njgurun)
(iijaran)
ghost, spirit, "\
/ magu*i,makoron,
also white >
V mudhar
man J
{guru, nurul,
tungin
f maowi,
(maiyi
Sbigi (bulubar),
(kuiyar)
soul
devil
sun
moon
stars
Skillen, babun,
kakurri (rjaitj urj-
gil) (guddui))
f mirregm
earth
sky
man (white)
( (mirrhjgim)
tar or dar
birra
{makoron,
makurrag
woman (white) tjerran
Sty an j dan,
dumban,
kurringum
aboriginal man dan
aboriginal
woman
!
yeran
* "Mumbal" signifies thunder. It is also used as the name of the Great Being
who speaks in thunder. So did the Britons, before the introduction of Christianity,
worship Taranis (Thunder) as one of the three deities they acknowledged. At Point
Macleay, in South Australia, the aborigines speak of " Nurundee " as the supreme God.
" Mirir" or " Mirirul" is used in this sense far along the coast to the south, and
" Dhurumbulum " has the same meaning at Twofold Bay.
NOTTNS-
—MAN. 81
2. Man : parts of his body.
head
magul (kom)
arm (fore-arm) taron (wiyebbi)
hair
kabui (kum)
hand murra (dukkur)
forehead
yilim (guliig)
finger killin
eyebrow
( mithiltin
( (dippinjun)
finger-nails mukkura
belly tiggeri (kuddur)
eye
mil, mia
thigh durra (durrug)
nose
muro
knee bon (budn)
lips
tamburu
leg puiyo
teeth
tier (dug gal)
foot tidna (dinnag)
cheek
(turgor)
blood kaoun, giwvir
ear
pidna (piniag)
( tirben or tjirben,
beard
yeren (yeya)
(geralgeral, dig
throat
(diinug)
vein kaiyug
neck
(gurrun)
breath or spirit gar, guru
breast
tundera (guggur)
flesh paigulpaigul
back
toggul
flesh and blood budelum
side
shoulder
kutta
kikka
marks in the )
J- mulwarra
flesh )
arm (humerus)
yumma (gumig)
3. Man: h
is relations.
father
big, babiin, buba
f nuridmun,
mother
pujag, bfidag
son "j
(nurrig
child
nammul
daughter nuringun, kin
82
TURRUBUL —
VOCABULARY.
wife
( mirru
( (dual) mirruij
grandmother
girl
(kuminun)
kin, yurumkun
brother
(nubbin) a, aban,
( (wuntjimun)
little girl
boy
killalan
( mualum,
(. duandin, buiy Ir
brother (younger)
duaijal
sister
daddi,mui)ur)kul
baby
moalam
friend (comrade) u'njun
young man
kippa
grandfather
(yuguinpin)
full man
mutta
4. Animai
US — Daoiin.
bird
mirrun,daounpin
flies
dudunburra
bream
nullun
jackass bird
kakowan
butterfly
balumbir
kangaroo
(murri)
catfish
gamerikurra
kangaroo (old
") kuruman,
) g u ruman
cockatoo
kaiyar
man)
black cockatoo
karara, karer
locust
dinplr
cock of wood
kao-al
mosquito
tibig
crow
wowul, wowa
mussel
bukkaoa
dog
meye, mirri
HlUSSei beautiful)
dullin
dog (wild)
nulgul
opossum
kubbi
duck
ija, nar
pelican
bulualum(ijirrir))
eagle
dibbil (budhar)
sea pigs
yunun
eel
tagun
shark
poai
emu
fish
guyi (ijurun)
( gandakul,
snake
( kabuljbui, yuun,
( (yuwun, wmjai)
(kuiyur (gundaya)
whales
talubilla
MISCELLANEOUS NOUNS.
83
5. Miscellaneous Nouns.
ant-hill tanmurrin
basket yirimbin
basket (small) bui)gug,bui)gom
boat kundu
boat's deck kurragutta
boomerang barrakadan
boots (feet, belonging to) dinnaguba
bread-fruit tiungul
bucket yuppar
bushes kuddal
charcoal kuro'in
clay (pipe) dullan
clay (red) guiyin
club tabbir
corobbary yowar
day bigi
dung kudena
dung (man's) bandiko
dung (ox's) gunan
dung (dog's) dungul, dual
dust yarun
of dust y aruntiber
C girar, yarun,
( durrun
evening bigibirpi
earth (dry)
fire
fern durvin
fig noana
fig (little) kunnin
^talu, kuddum,
( or ku'iyim
( bungil pungil,
grass <
( bon
grass (long coarse) walli wallin gar an
grass (similar) wugarpin
graSS (another variety) tukka
grass (rushes) yikibbin
hat (head, belonging to) magulkuba
hilaman (shield) kuntan
herb kegirelpin
herb (creeping) dam
herb muttanuntunbin
herb ( water-weed)y err a
herb do. nambur
herb (fern-like) yugai
hole mir
leaf (withered) wuij
light kittibilla
light (of candle) telija
(tudnagain or
lightning <
( tug gain or tjil
84
TURRTJBUL VOCABULARY.
master
bundur
river
warril
morning
nunnunubbu
road
Tkulgun or
(gulwun, tumbar
mud
wobum
mug
bunduin
sand
yarun
name
nurri
( pamirrikiri'i
(tabbilbon
necklace or
)
sea
headband of
> kaiirbin
shape
nor
yellow reeds
)
shield
kuntan
net
baial
smoke
duun
large fish net
mundin, tumma
spear
bilan, gunnai
kangaroo net
merbun
stone
nullungirra
night
nunnu
things
nunantjin
nulla nulla (club) taberi
thundei
mumbal, miigara
potato
gua, gulwal
trousers
5 (thi fugto!) ng " derra 9 UDa
quartz pebble
dakki
water
ljaraoin, tabbil
rainbow
kai-ao-ur
wharf
mumpa
Various spec
ies of Trees.
tree
Cpaggum, bagur
(du (wilaij)
gum (another
bulortum
gum
do.
kundibar
fig
gurai, goana
gum
do.
mungar
( burutlia,
( tabilpulla
oak (sw
r amp)
bundlbar
myrtle
stringy-
■bark
ti
gum
gillumbir
tree blossom
bumbar
gum (another) yurra
log
bural, mulliij
gum do.
buneri
dry and
dead ti
•ee dulgai
ADJECTIVES.
85
brushwood darum, dillar
small tree *\
bearing a > bundai
black berry J
another species kidnabullum
do. birjper
do. bundugumbin
do. wungo
guran tuanpin
another species burabi
stump billayir
a red-leaved
shrub
another shrub dirbag
another shrub durri
another(water shrub) duntibbin
anotheroikeras P berry)kubbukubburan
II.— ADJECTIVES.
alive
milbulpu
good
murrumba
black
kurun
great
kuriimba
blind
milwaddeli
hungry
waiara
cold
igil
like
gamba
dark
kurun
red
kaoinkao'in
darling
kunman
useless
waddeli
eldest
nawudenmun
white
buppa
NUMEKALS.
1 Kunnar. 2 budela. 3 muddan.
4 budela budela. 5 muddanbudela.
first
Ordinal Numbers.
yutta.
second kurruga.
86
TURRUBTJL — VOCABULARY.
III.— PRONOUNS— (See Grammar.)
IV.— VERBS.
appear
numbani
meet
dandiiri
break
bug ui) din
name
nai-iburri
breathe
pui
pity
tugul
brillff (cause to
30 me) bulkairi
run
buaraoa ; Igere
close up
dulluguntumurri
say
yari
come
bulkurri ; ba
see
nanni
come back
wirepi
send
waiari
covered
kunkamurri
separate
punmangillin
cut
( kaii ; kabari ;
( kulkurri
set (set) ;
will set
} kurrai ;
) kurraipuggu
draw out
punman
sit
ijinnen
fly
yuruduija
shine ;
") numbai ;
give
wudda
will shine
) numbaipuggu
go
yadeni ; yennan
sleep
bugan
grow
C durun,
sleep, put to
buganmurri
(duruthuga
stop
kagalom
kiss
dandildelaima
swim
yuruduga
lose
balloteriari
want
yaneri
make
yugari
work
yakka
ADVERBS. 87
V.— ADVERBS.
afar yunpag
long ago kaloma
afterwards burm or paru
not yugar (wukka)
also ikki
now, at once berren
altogether ")
completely )
quickly banka
there nam
first berren
there (very far off) na-m
here goggum
yes yoai
Adverb of interrogation eko.
Unlike " yamma" in Kamilaroi, " eko" is put at the end of the question.
88 TURRUBUL.
NAMES OP ABORIGINES ON THE BRISBANE.
[The first is the proper personal name ; the second, the family name.]
Bippinerra (bundar).
Dugalantin (bundar) )
> old men, brothers, uncles to Bippinerra.
Berali (bundar) ;
Burrul (derwain) a very tall
man.
Durur (derwain).
Dulluwunna (derwain) son of Birumbirra (bandur) .
Wudnarjga (derwain) his wife Bumerum (derwain gun).
Baiiba (derwaingun).
DIALOGUE.
minya inta yuggari ?
What you have done ?
minya inta berren yuggaliba
? What you now are doing ?
kahu ! nutta kulkulliba
Stop (just now) ! I am cutting
diranum bagur
This tree
tagoba or jakoba
Altogether.
nutta yuggari berren.
I have finished now.
nam ljandu ?
There, who ?
nurri bulkai minyalun ?
To me bring that thing — what d'ye
call ?
wunyalu yaraman bulkairi.
He the horse brought.
wunyalu nurrii) waiari
He (his) son sent.
(weari)
:pj^:r ajphk ases.
From Genesis
Mumbal rjambillebu nunantjin yugari.
Kaloma blgi yugar, rja killen yugar
rja mirregin ; rja daoun yugar milbulpu.
Ikki tar, rjulpa rjinedu, tar yugar.
Kurumba Mumbal gambillebu yugari.
Tar berren kiirun, yugar nor rjinedu.
Kurunkurun wungunti tabbil rjinne.
Bagul yugar duruthurja tarti, kuddal
yugar, duggatin yugar, yaraman yugar rja
murri yugar, rjurun yugar.
Mumbal rjambillebu yugari, muddan rja
muddan blgi. Tutta blgi ; Mumbal yari;
"Kittibilla bulka!" Berren kittibilla
bulkurri. Mumbal kittibilla nanni ; kitti-
billa murrumba ; Mumbal kittibilla pun-
mangillin kurunkurunti. Mumbal kitti-
billa naiiburri Bigi ; wunnal kurunkurun
naiiburri rjunnu. Blgiblrpi rja rjunnu-
rjubbu bigi kunnar.
Bigi kurruga ; Mumbal birra yugari.
Bigi muddan ; Mumbal yari ; " TJam-
billebu tabbil kunnarti wuni ; rja durrun
numbani." Burru wunnal tabbil naiiburri
Tabbilbon ; "RTa durrun naiiburri Tar.
"Wunnal bagur yugari rja bungil ; bungil
dvirun, tar kiinkamurri.
Budela rja biidela blgi; Mumbal bigi
rja killen yugari ; Wunnal yari ; bigi
nfimbaipuggu ; burru wunnal kurraipuggu.
Ikki Wunnal mirregin yugari.
i., ii., and hi.
God all things made.
Long ago sun not, and moon not, or
stars ; and creature not living. Also earth,
we upon it, earth (was) not.
Great God all made. Earth at first dark,
not shape in it. Darkness upon water sat.
Trees not growing on earth, bushes not,
men not, horses not, and kangaroo not,
emu not.
God all made three and three
First day ; God said ; " Light come !"
Instantly light came. God the light saw ;
the light was good ; God light separated
from darkness. God the light named
day ; He darkness named night. Evening
and morning, day one.
Day second ; God the sky made. Day
three ; God said ; " All waters to one
bring; and dry land appear." Afterwards
He water named sea ; and dry land
named earth ; He trees made and grass ;
grass grew, earth it covered.
Two and two day ; God sun and moon
made ; He said ; sun shall shine ; after-
wards it shall set. Also he stars made.
90
TTJRRUBTJL.
Budela ga muddan bigi ; Mumbal
taounpin yugari ; taounpin wungunti
yurudunga. Wunnal kurumba tallubilla
yugari, ga baoai ga yungun ga gambille
kuiyiir yugari ; kui'yur yurudunga tabbilti.
Muddan ga muddan bigi ; Mumbal
yaraman, bulla, murri, yuwun, kuppi,
mirri, gulgul, munkimunki, gambillebu
milbulpu tarti ginedu yugari. Burru
Mumbal yari ; " guile yugale duggaigamba
ijulle ; ga Wunnal bundur gambillebu
tarti, ga gambillebu nanantjin ginedu."
Berren Mumbal duggai yugari gamba
"Wunnal murrumba. Ikki Mumbal jundal
yugari gamba Wunnal murrumba. Mum-
bal yaruntiber duggana yugari. Wunnal
guru pu'i kurribunmurri murudi ; berren
duggai milbulpubun; Mumbal duggana
naiiburri " Adam."
Mumbal yari " Tugar murrumba duggai
kunnar ginnen. Tutta jundal wunnaun
yuggale." Mumbal Adam bugganmurri
pu'iyala dai'n. Mumbal tirben (tjirben)
kuttadiber p unman ; Wunnal bankapaigul-
paigul dulluguntumurri. Berren Wunnal
tjirben kuttadiber punmaniber jundana
yugari. Burru Mumbal jundana bul-
kairi dugganu. Adam yari " Ka jundal
tjirben tjirbenti gurribati, gapaigulpaigul
paigulpaigulti gurribati ; wunnal jundal
gurriba."
Nurri duggai Adam ; nurri jundal Iva.
Mumbal duggana ga jundana yari : "TJmta
tjungul, goaga, kunnin, boinyi boinyi,
gambillebu bagulti tulla : gundu kunnar
bagur gurti jillerdu inta wunna dungama
Two and three day ; God birds made ;
birds upward were flying. He great
whales made, and sharks, and sea-pigs,
and all fish, made ; fish swim in water.
Three and three day ; God horse, bul-
lock, kangaroo, snake, opossum, dog, wild
dog, sheep, all living creatures on earth
dwelling made. Afterwards - God said ;
" We will make man like us ; and he
master of all the earth, and of all things
in it." At once God man made like Him
good. Also God woman made like him
good. God of dust man made. He a
soul breathed into nostrils ; at once man
was alive ; God man named " Adam."
God said " Not good man alone to be."
I woman for him will make. God Adam
sleep made long lying down. God a bone
out of side pulled ; He quickly the flesh
closed up again. At once He the bone
out of side pulled out a woman formed.
Afterwards God the woman brought to
the man. Adam said " This woman bone
of bone mine, and flesh of flesh mine ;
she wife my."
Name man Adam ; name woman Eve.
God to man and woman said : "Ye bread-
fruit, fig, little fig, bunya bunya, all trees
eat ; only one tree in midst standing you
do not of that tree eat. Te when that
PARAPHRASES.
91
bagurna tulla. kfinta winna dungama
bagurna tulli, ga ginta ljundu balluia
bigibu."
"Waddeli magu'i yuunti bulkurri ; wun-
nal yari " Mumbal yari, ginta wunna
gambillebu bagulti tulla ?" Iva yari :
" Mumbal yari gullegunna ; ginta tjun-
gul, goaga, kunnin, boinyiboinyi, ijam-
billebu bagulti tulla ; gundii kunnar bagur
gurti jillerdu iuta wunnaduugama bagurna
tulla. TJinta winna dungama bagurna tulli,
ninta gundu balluia bigibu. Bagur gurti
jillerdu tunbul."
Magu'i yuunti ginedu yari, " Uinta
yugar ballui. Burra ginta winna bagur-
na gurti jillerdu tulli, mil ginta yuggaipa;
ginta gamba Mumbal." Jundalguipunang
yuun winujigurri ; kudna muiya dunga
bagurnu. Burru wunnal piinman ; ga
turn, ga dugganu widdan ; duggaidu
turri. "Wunnale mil yuggan ; wunnale
miiginpunni ; wunnale guruman kuddalti
Mumbalnundi, naiya gundu gullinga.
Mumbal kungain : " Adam, winna
inta?" Adam yari, " gutta yundum ;
gutta muginpunni, gutta guruman."
Mumbal yari : " Inta minninji mugin-
punna ? Inta bagurna gurti jillerdu
turri ?" Duggai yari : " Jundal Inta
gurri widdaniber, wunnal jundal gurri
bagurti mddan ; ga gutta turri." Mumbal
jundana yari : " Inta minya yugari ?"
Jundal yari : " Tuundu gunna nullug-
murri yari; ga gutta turri." Mumbal
duggana ga jundana yari : " Hpug
budelabu ballui. Ilpug yarung kumbal,
ga yarung kumbal ilpung wirre.'
tree eat, even you surely will die that day."
A bad demon into serpent came ; he said,
" Has God said, ye must not all trees
eat?" Eve said: "God said to us, ye
breadfruit, fig, little fig, bunya bunya, all
trees eat ; only one tree in midst standing
ye must not that tree eat. Te when that
tree eat, ye surely will die that day. Tree
in midst standing forbidden."
The demon in serpent dwelling said "Te
not will die. After you when tree in midst
standing eat, eyes your will be well ; you
like God." The woman believing the ser-
pent heard ; heart was longing for the tree.
Then she plucked ; and ate and to man
gave ; the man ate. Their eyes saw well ;
they were ashamed ; they hid themselves
in bushes from God, see lest us two.
Godcried out: "Adam, where art thou?"
Adam said : " I was afraid ; I was ashamed,
I hid myself." God said: " You wherefore
ashamed ? You the tree in midst standing
have eaten?" The man said: "The
woman Thou me gavest to be with, that
woman to me of the tree gave; and I ate."
God to woman said : " Thou what hast
done ?" The woman said : " The serpent
me lies told ; and I ate." God man and
woman said : " Ye two both shall die. Ye
dust only, and dust only ye return.
92 TTJRRTJBTJL.
"RTunna bukki winunga ; gutta ilpullana
Me a little listen to ; I to you will
yali; gutta yugar mudyeri punna; ya
speak ; I not lies tell ; talk good for all.
murrumba gambillegu.
Tmmanuel wunnal Mumbal-nubba
Immanuel he is Q-od's son; He man
nurrig ; "Wunnal duggai punni ; wunnal
became ; he died for us.
ballun gulpunna.
"RTulle gambillebu waddeli; Mumbal
"We all are bad ; God angry with us.
bandugullegunna. Mumbal yari: ""RJam-
God said : " All men are bad ; I will
billebu duggatin waddeli ; gutta kalimurri
punish them."
wunnalina."
Immanuel yari : " "Wunna ginta kali-
Immanuel said : " Do not Thou punish
mul wunnalina ; gunna ginta kalimul ;
them ; me do Thou punish ; me do Thou
gunna ginta bumma, gutta ballupa."
smite, that I may die."
Immanuel wunnal murrumba ; "Wunnal
Immanuel he is good ; He died for
ballun gullegunnu ; guile nambillebu
us ; we all are bad ; we are alive ; us not
waddeli ; guile mibulpubun ; gullegunna
he punishes.
yugar kalimunna.
Immanuel murrumba; yugar waddeli
Immanuel was good ; no evil within him
wunalpuddi ginedu. "Wunnal paiimbiladin
dwelt. He sick people healed ; He eyes
yuggan : Wunnal mil wullimbadin yuggan ;
of blind healed ; He also deaf healed ; He
"Wunnal ga pidnaguntu. yuggan; "Wunnal
dead raised up, and alive made.
kunglr bulgunmurri, ga milbulpumurri.
Burru waddeli duggatin Immanuel mani,
Afterwards bad men Immanuel seized
ga kungirmurri. "Wunuale bagur tubui
and killed. They a tree straight cut down ;
kulkurri ; wunnale kurruba bagur kulkurri
they another tree cut down, and laid
ga wunkamurri; wunnale budelabo bagur-
along ; they the two trees fastened. They
nanunni. "Wunnale Immanuel mani ; mir
Immanuel seized; holes in hands they
murradi bimberri ; ga mir tjidnendi bim-
pierced ; and holes in feet they pierced.
berri. T^Ta wunnale Immanuel bagurti
And they Immanuel on tree put : and He
wune : l^Ja "Wunnal duran bagurti : "RTa
was hung on the tree : and He died.
"Wunnal kungirpun.
"Wunnale bulgunmurri bagurubba ; tarti
They took him down from tree; in
dai-emurri.
ground laid him.
PARAPHRASES.
93
Immanuel guaumbo kunglr daieduga ;
mudelago Wunnal kunglr daieduga ; ga
gunnu kurruba kunglr daieduga : kurruba
mudelago Wunnal bulkurrun milbulpu-
bun. Burru Immanuel birradi wundare ;
berren Wunnal birradi ginnenna. Wun-
nalu gulpana nanna.
From Luke vii.
Immanuel millendu yana ; ga Wunnal
yeatuga Kapernailm; Kapernaum miant-
jun; guruga Kommandant : wunnanubu
duggai paingo daina; wunnal tjigenti
balluni. Kommandant Immanuel wma-
gurri miantjun glnadu : wunnal duggatin
moyumko waiari : "Duggai gurriba pain-
go ; inta bulka ; paii yagulliba." Duggai
bulkurri ; tiggen yali Immanuel bulkullibi.
Wunnale yali, " Kommandant murrumba
duggai." Immanuel yeatuga guile bugga.
Wunnale tjigenti bulkurri umpigga.
Kommandant wunnaniiba gubbuga wai-
ari ; wunnal yalibe, " Wunna bulkul ;
gutta yugar murrumba; wunna ginta
bulkultu umpi gurriba. kTinta wulla
kunnar ya ; ginta ya, ' Wunnal yaraipa';
berren wunnal murrumba bai. Uutta
baigal kaiabunda: millen duggatin gunna
gurpigga ka wunna : kTutta kunnar ya,
1 ginta yerra'; berren wunnal yerri : TJutta
kurruba yali, 'ginta bulka'; berren wunnal
bulkurri ; gutta kurruba yali, 'ginta duga
yuggali'; berren wunnal yuggari." Im-
manuel duga pinag. Birribug bugguru
buddai : gillugin unal ; yari, " gutta
yugarpo nanni duggai gamba wunnal.
TJundin gunna yugar winugunna. Kar
Kommandant gunna winugunna."
Immanuel tbat night dead lay ; next
day He dead lay ; and night another dead
He lay ; next to-morrow He came up alive.
Afterwards Immanuel to heaven went up.
now He in heaven dwells. He us sees.
and viii.
Immanuel long spoke ; and He came to
Capernaum. Capernaum, a town. There
was the chief man : his man sick lay ; he
almost dead. The Commandant Immanuel
heard in town to be ; he men on message
sent, " Man my is sick ; you come ! the
sick heal." The men came ; earnestly
asked Immanuel to come. They said,
" The Commandant is a good man." Im-
manuel went them with. They near came
to house.
Commandant his brother sent ; he said,
" Do not come ; I not am good ; do not
thou come to house my. Thou word one
speak ; Thou say, ' Let him be well'; at
once he well will be. I am a man of
power : many men me behind follow :
I to one say, ' Thou go'; at once he goes :
I to another say, ' Thou come'; at once
he comes : I another tell, ' Thou this
do'; at once he does it." Immanuel
this heard. He greatly wondered : He
turned round ; He said, " 1 never saw a
man like him. Any besides (him) me
not believes. Only the Commandant me
believes."
94
TURRUBUL.
Duggatin Kommandantnubba wirreni
umpirja ; nanna duggana paingo daiida
murrumba wunnal yuggan.
Immanuel tarti bulkurri,Gadara tjigenti,
Galili. Duggai bulkurri mianjunti wun-
nana gadun. Magui'ku barkil wunnal-
puddi ginedu ; wunnal pidna-wuddeli ;
gerag gerag yugarpowumbaduga; umpigga
yugarpo ginnen ; wunnal kuggirti ginne
dug a. Wunnal Immanuel nanni ; kuggai'n
karan wunnalpuddi ; yari, " Minyago
gunna ginta, Immanuel nurrig Mumbal-
nubba ? Inta wunna, gutta muian, inta
wunna gunna kalimul." Immanuel yari,
" Magu'i, bulkurri duggai puddi."
Tjigen wunnana mani, wunnanuba
gubbug tjidne ga murra nunni ; wunnal
biigguru kamari. TJa magui'du wunnana
kawane kudnigulti. Immanuel yari, "Naii
ginta minya"? Maguidu yari, " Kurumba
mulla." Milieu magu'i wunnal-puddi kur-
rin. TJambille magu'i mu'i-an, " Wunna
gullegunna waialta wunku."
Pigpig millenkolle bippudi tanmunna.
Magu'i mui'an, yari " guile yerra pigpig,
eko"? Wunnal yari "Terra." Berren
gambille magu'i yeatunga duggaipa pigpigti
kurrin ; berren gambille pigpig tubborpun
Igcren tubburti bipudi bunkin, ga tabbilti
wunugin.
Duggatin pigpig inelta Igeren mient-
jinti; gambilla yari. Duggaitin mient-
jintiber yeatuga, nanniber minna yugari.
Wunnal bulkurri ; Immanuel nanni ;
duggai magu'i ineltu nanni jidnendi Im-
manuel-nubba ginedu, gerang gerang pilla,
The men of the Commandant returned
to the house ; they see the man sick lying ;
well him become.
Immanuel to land came, Gadara near
in Galilee. A man came from town him
to meet. A demon long time in him dwelt ;
he was mad ; clothes not wore ; in house
not dwelt ; he with the dead dwelt con-
stantly. He Jesus saw ; he cried out ;
he fell him before, said " What me thou,
Immanuel son of God ? Thou do not, I
beseech, thou do not me torment." Jesus
said, " Demon, come from the man."
Often him it seized ; his brother feet
and hands tied ; he the rope broke. And
the demon him drove to the forest. Im-
manuel said, " Name your what ?" the
demon said " A multitude." Many demons
him into entered. All the demons en-
treated " Do not us send to the deep."
Pigs many on mountain were feeding.
The demons besought, said " We may go
to pigs, may we ?" He said " Go." At
once all demons came, man from the pigs
into ; at once all the pigs quickly went
steep hill tumbled ; and in sea were
drowned.
The men pigs keeping went to the
town : all they told. The men belonging
to the town came, they saw what he did.
They came, Immanuel they saw ; the man
the demon had been in they saw at feet of
Immanuel sitting, clothes wearing, minp
PARAPHRASES.
95
pidna yuggan wunnal. Wunnale yandain.
Duggatin Immanuel-puddi glnedo yari
gambilla. TJambille duggatin tartiber
Gadara bulkurri Immanuel ga mui'an ; yari
M Terra ginta, yerra ginta" ; wunnal
kurumba yandain. Immanuel yeatuga
kundulti, klrgumti wirren.
Burru duggai, magui' wunnalpuddi ya-
deni, bulkurri Immanuel ; yari, " gutta
gintapuddi ginne." Immanuel wunnalu
yari, "yerra; wirrer umpiggo ginnuba;
numpa duggaitin taoun ginnu yugariba."
Wunnal yeatuga, ga duggatin gambillaba
yari toun kurumba wunnalu Immanuel
yugari. Burru Immanuel klrgumti wire
nebu ; duggatin diitin nanningo ; gam-
billabu wunnana undaltugga.
Duggai, nail Taairu, bulkurri ; wunnal
bunkin tjidna wunnalpuddi ; mui'an, yari;
"ginta bulka umpigga gurriba: gurriba
nuriggun kunnar kumbal, berpi kin;
wunnal barumpa baluni." Immanuel
yari " gutta gintaba yurri."
Duggatin kiirukabari wunnana. Jundal
paii'mbila; yugar wunnana murrumbayug-
gali ; wunnal gurpinje bulkurri ; gadiin
gera ggerag Immanuel-nubba. Berren
kao-un dullan; jundal murrumba bain.
Immanuel yari "gandu gunna gadun? "
TJambille yari "yugar gutta." Peter yari ;
" Bunjeru duggatin ginta kurukabari ga
ginta mumma : TJinta yari gandu gunna
gadun ?" Immanuel yari ; " Kunnara
gunna gadun ; kaia guttabuddi Igeren."
healed he. They were afraid. The men
Immanuel with abiding told all. All the
men of the land of Gadara came to Im-
manuel and besought ; they said, "Go thou,
go thou." They much feared. Immanuel
came to boat, to other side went across.
Afterwards the man, demon him within,
went out, came to Immanuel ; said, " I
thee with would abide." Immanuel to
him said ; Go ; return to house thine ;
show to the men things to thee done." He
went, and to men all said things great to
him Immanuel did. Afterwards Im-
manuel to shore returned, men glad to
see Him, all Him were waiting on.
A man, named Jairus, came ; he fell
down at feet before him ; besought, said ;
" You come to house, my daughter one
only, little girl ; she almost dead." Im-
manuel said, " I with you will go."
Men nocked around Him. A woman
was sick ; not her well can they make ;
she behind came ; touched clothes of
Immanuel. Instantly blood stayed ; wo-
man was well of her disease. Immanuel
said "Who me touched?" All said
" Not I." Peter said ; Master, men thee
flock round and thee press : do you say
who me touched?" Immanuel said;
" Some one me touched ; virtue from me
is gone."
96
TURRUBUL.
Jundal nSnni yugar wunnal murrumba
gurumun ; wunnal jikkebele bulkurri ;
karan tjidnendi wunnalpuddi ; ga duggatin
buddi gambillabo yari ; " gutta ginnuba
geraggeran gadun, berren gutta paii yug-
gan. Iinmanuel yari ; " gurriba nuriggun
murrumba ginta ! Uinta gunna guipuna
gwlneugga; dujinna inta murrumba."
Berren duggatin umpigga Yaairiinubba
bulkurri; yari " nurixjgunrjinnubabaluni;
wunna gundin yaldu." Immanuel wlna-
gurri; yari; "yandai wunna; gundu gunna
guipunag wlneiigga; nuriggun ginnuba
murrumba paii yugaipa." Burru wunnale
umpigga bulkurri. Immanuel wunna
duggatina bulgutu umpigga ; gundu Peter
ga Takoba ga Toban, ga big pudjag kin-
nixbba. TJambilladu dug inna ; yari ; "kin
balluni ; kin balluni." Immanuel yari
" wunna diigidu : yugar wunnal ballun,
gundu bugankumbal." gambilladu ginden ;
wineugari baluniber. Immanuel gambil-
lebu kawane ; wunnal kin murradi mani;
wunnal yambari wunnana; yari; "kin!
bulkurai ! " guru wlrepinebu ; wunnal
banka dulpain. Immanuel yari ; " talkiiba
wunnanu widda." Big ga pujag kurrii.
The woman saw not she able to hide
herself ; she shaking came ; threw herself
at feet him before, and to the men all said
"I your clothes touched, at once I of
sickness was cured." Immanuel said ;
"My daughter good you ; you me believing
heard ; enjoy thou good."
Then men of the house of Jairus came ;
they said, " Daughter your is dead, do not
more say." Immanuel heard ; he said ;
" Fear do not, only me believing hear :
daughter thy well of disease shall be
made." Afterwards they to house came.
Immanuel would not let people come into
house ; only Peter and James and John,
and father and mother of the girl. All
were weeping; they said, "The girl is
dead ; the girl is dead." Immanuel said
" Do not weep ; not she dead ; only asleep
only." All laughed; they knew to be
dead. Immanuel all put out ; He the
girl by hand took ; He called her, said,
" Damsel ! come ! " the soul returned,
she soon sat up. Immanuel said " Food
to her give." The father and mother
wondered.
TUEUWIIL:
The Language spoken by the now extinct Tribe of Port Jackson.
i j 1 l> 1 1 . . : i i
•
"'NIVKKS1TY OF
^ CALIFOltNIA..
/ ^ttrufoitl
^SS||p.HE Language spoken by the now extinct tribe of Port
SSwSS Jackson and Botany Bay. These words
were obtained from
^v^fff 3 Mrs. Lizzie Malone, a half-caste, and were learnt by her
c^dpr from her husband, John Malone, a half-caste, whose mother
i was of that tribe.
NOUNS.
1. Man tdhulla.
'
father babuna, babunna
old man
bangug
mother gubug
old woman
mulda
children chajug
head
kabura
son babug
eyes
me
daughter gudjeruij
nose
nugulbundi
(midjan or
sister ]
(mitjun
mouth
kommi
tongue
tullug
your father's )
> babmunderug
children )
hand
murramul
foot
dunna
you are mine )
. ' > rjaiawulli
(my daughter) )
knee
rjumun
100
TURUWUL.
.
2. Animals.
kangaroo
opossum
burral
kuruera
crow
Tmetiba or
\ warnug
dog
jugug
duck
kundyeri
magpie
gurugun
black snake
yugga
adder
nyumbutsh
3. Miscellaneous.
earth
murrurj
smoke
kurun gerij
water
batu
dew
kiblr
fire
we
night
purra
sun
wirri
food
dunminun
sunshine
wirringulla
creek
turagun
sky
dulka
sand
wetyut
sea
kulnura
grass
bumbur
clouds
kurrii
wind
kumgiima
rain
bunna
boat
yernera
hut
kunje
bora (initiatory rite)
wuriigul
ADJEC
TIVES.
bad
wirra
red or yellow
kubur
black
nuncla
small
murruwulun
good
kuller
white
tibiura
large
kaiun
PHRASES.
I see a kangaroo.
"Where ?
There he is.
He has caught some schnapper.
He killed a snake.
Eun!
Come here quick !
Go away !
Take the dog away ;
Bring it here again.
Give me some water.
I will give you some water.
Over the river.
Tou must !
No.
"What do you want ?
Why do you look sulky ?
Tou must be
So disagreeable.
Our father here will pray for us.
He brought his sister home.
"RJandagu burru.
Wutta ?
"RTo, go, i) a gullai.
Manma wtilimai.
Bunma miinda.
Chawa !
Ye ye chobug !
Yunda !
TJaindina mirigug ;
TiTaigulug ga mirigug.
Binigug batu or gaityug.
TiTai gai pindwagug batu.
Wagu yanbagal.
TJindigug mulli !
Meira.
Unijerunbi minku ?
Punmakuno wottowiye ?
TiJullai rumka
wirimigunin.
Kuraguluk tualene.
TUaigulai la mitjungun.
LANGUAGE OF GEORGE'S RIVER, COWPASTURE, AND APPIN.
^o
HIS Language was spoken from the mouth of George's River,
Botany Bay, and for about fifty miles to the south-west.
Very few of the tribe speaking this language are left. The
information was obtained by the author from Mr. John
Rowley; formerly resident at Cook's Biver (Botany Bay), son
of Lieutenant Bowley.
man (aboriginal) dullai
man (white) jibaguluij
woman
wirawi
boy
fwongerra or
(wugara
girl
werowi
father
biana
mother
waiana
child
gurorj
husband
mollimin
wife
jinman
brother
bobbina
sister
wian
brother-in-law jambi
sister-in-law jambin
comrade mittigan
re.
namesake
C damolai or
(. damili
stranger
mai-al
doctor (sorcerer) karraji
head
kobra or kobbera
forehead
kobbina
eye
mai
nose
nogra
mouth
midyea
teeth
terra
ear
kurra
breast
nabun
back
glli
stomach
bindi
arm
minniij
hand
buril
104 LANGUAGE OF GEORGE'S RIVER, COWPASTTJRE, AND APPIN.
finger berril
leg mundao-i
foot tunna
blood mula
kangaroo biirru
kangaroo (ow man) kao-walgoij
kangaroo (mountain) wolaru
kangaroo (b bS£n) wolaba
kangaroo (red) gorea
kangaroo (rock) wirain
kangaroo (rat) karnimin
opossum wai-ali
opossum (nngtaiied) bukari
bear kula
bear (ground) wombat
iguana jindaola
jungho"
dog
horse
horned cattle
cockatoo
emu
Tyaraman
< [from "yara"
V. throw fast.]
kumbakuluk
tarramue
karabl
^birabain or
< biriabain or
V.murrion
crow
wargon
duck (black)
yuranyi
hawk
bunda
laughing
jackass
> kogunda
parrot (rosella)
bundeluk
pigeon (blue)
wonga-wonga
pigeon (crested) mirral
pigeon (green)
bao-ma
pigeon (bronze}
gotgag
egg-
karbin
fish
mogra
bream
yerrermurra
shark (blue)
kon
shark (ground)
kwibito
schnapper
wallami
kingfish
wollogul
flathead
kaoari
mullet
worrijal
blackfish
kururma
eel
burra
oyster
bittongi
mud oyster
danya
black snake
cherribit
mosquito
dubiij
sun
kyun
NOUNS.
105
moon
iulluk
itch
gaibal
stars
kimberwalli
fly-blow
tullibilorj
morning
winbin
small-pox
gulgul
night
minni
hoarseness
kurak
earth
bimmal
house
gunya
water
bardo or naijun
canoe
nao-i
fire
goyon
ship
murri nao-i
sea
barrawal
club
Tnullanulla and
rain
wal-lan
\ woddi
thunder
murongal
spear
karmai
lightning
manga manga.
spear (small)
dual
dust
durir
fish-spear p ( r ^ }
muttin
frost
wind
talara
gura
throwing-stick
for spear
> womra
grass
durawoi
boomerang
biimarin
smoke
kudjel
shield
hilaman
hill
bulga
gun
jererburra
path
miiru
net
rao-rao
lvi'-n oil (thick wood about i~» ^
U1U.&I1 a watercourse) tUgi*
fish-line
kurrajog
SCmb (dry jungle)
jerematta
oar
narrawan
south wind
tugra gora
■na-rvQ-M (the inner bark
papei of a tree)
kurunderiirj
north wind
yuroka gora
cooking
kunnima
bulrush
wollogolin
opossum rug
budbilli
opossum rug
budbilli
the bora
yellabi daialorj
sore
gigi
name
nanti
boil
buka
pity or sympathy mu dj eru
106 LANGUAGE OF GEORGE'S RIVER, COWPASTTJRE,
AND APPIN.
PRONOUNS.
I
naiya
you
ninda
we
junna
that
mungan
ADJECTIVES.
afraid
jerron
hot
yuruka
angry
kulara
lean
waraij
bad
werl
large
murri
bald
kombrukno
small
nararj
big-bellied
bindimari
old
kaian
brave
mutton
stammering
kurukabundi
cold
tugra
stupid
binnin-garai
deaf
kurakabunni
stinking (bad)
kuji
fat
gorai
toothless
tarabundi
grey-headed
warringi kobbera
young
mud-di
greedy
tullinyun
nearsighted
kuji mai
good
budjeri
cross-eyed
kuragain
Numerals.
one
two
wagul
buler or blao-eri
four
( blaoeri-blaoeri
( or bulla bulla
three
blaoeri-wagul
five
bullabulla wagul
VERBS AND ADVERBS.
107
VERBS.
burn
kunnet
sleep
nangri
dance
korobra
strike
paibao
die
bo'i
take
mahan
dive
nallabogi
throw
yana
fight
durella
tell
paialla
fish
mogra
weep
yunga
give
toga
look out !
kwark !
go
yan
stop here !
wallawa !
hunt
wolbunga
sit down !
nallawalli !
hide
tuabilli
let us go !
nalla yan !
laugh
winna
make haste !
barrao !
shout
kumba
come here
kwai bidja
sing
beria
run away
whu karndi
spear
turret
run
wii
steal
karama
ADVERBS.
yes
yu'in
away
kaundi
no
beal
far away
warawara
here
bija
by and by
karbo
close by
winnima
108 LANGUAGE OF GEORGE'S RIVER, COWPASTTJRE, AND APPIN.
PHRASES.
tell me your name
your brother
my brother
strike me
the baby is burnt ; make
haste
paialla gaia nanti
nindi bobina
gaia bobina
paibao rjaia
gurug kunut ; kuai bija
WODI-WODI:
The Language of lllawarra, from Wollongong to the Shoa/hauen.
Wofct^Eotri
HE language of Illawarra, from Wollongong to the Shoal-
haven. These words were taken from Lizzie (half-caste),
daughter of a woman of the Illawarra Tribe, and wife of
John Malone.
NOUNS.
God
Mirirul
[from " Mirir," sky]
spirit or ghost guun
white man jirurjgalun
old man
young man
young woman
boy
child
little child
head
forehead
hair
eyes
nose
ear
beuggun
yurun or baijguij
yirawlun
bunbari
kudjaguij
murrakaiggui)
wollar
niilu
jura
mobura or mer
nugiir
kuii
mouth
kommi
throat
kuru
chin
wullu
teeth
Irra
tongue
tullun
shoulder
kogo
arm
niirun
hand
murrurmur
nails
birrinul
thigh
turra
leg
nurri
knee
nummu
ancle
wutaota
foot
dunna
kangaroo
burru
emu
birribain
112
WODI-WODI.
opossum
kiiraora
Pleiades
mullamulluT)
padymelon
buluwa
fire
kanbi
dog
mirrigun
water
naityun
horse
yaraman
earth
murun
iguana
laughing
jackass
gindaola
f kukara
sea
sky
(kaiun or
(nurrowun
mirir
cockatoo
yambai-imba
cloud
kurru
black cockatoo
naoara
rain
yewi
pelican
kurunaba
smoke
kuruijgurij
pigeon
wongawonga
hut
nurra, kundi
topknot pigeon
native com-
panion
giiralga
► guraclawak
canoe
tree
(mudyeri or
(. yanaoera
kiindu
black snake
mundar
bark
kuninda
brown snake
gubalan
book (tea-tree bark;
gurrinduruij
diamond snake
mokka
road
yowun
deaf adder
mujuwich
boomerang
wurarjain
lizard (small)
dillun
spear
maiagun
fish
dun
fish spear
kullar
sun
bukurun
trees (tea-tree)
banban
moon
tedjuij
do. (ironbark'
1 barima
stflTK
rjinjinnurui)
do. (swamp oak)
mumbara
O I .IL kj
( (sparkling)
do. (forest oak)
wiraluij
Venus
burara
do. (honeysuckle)
kurlja
Sirius
I
kurumul
do. (pigeonberry)
wulununda
PRONOUNS AND ADJECTIVES.
113
PRONOUNS.
I
rjaiagui)
he
dulla
we
nilgui)
that one
naiadulla
you
rjindigmj
ADJECTIVES.
alive
murungulla
grey
yerurj gada
asleep
nun gun
good
nukkurj
awake
baitba
high
worn
bad
bullin
hot
bukurhj
black
blue
[ gundur
large
red
kaiyug
wurugurui)
cold
maiiij
small
murruwailuij
dead
bulier or bulyar
true
kubya
false
murii
white
tao-erurj
green
nurmrjuruij
NUM]
]RALS.
one
two
mitturj
bular
six
C wowulli bo
(wowulli
three
wowulli
( wowulli bo
four
bularbular
seven
( wowulli mittuij
five
( bularbular bo
( niitturj
Ill
WODI-WODI.
VERBS.
beat
go down
jump up
leave off
lie down
lift up
bulmugan
irriba
baitba
nawalinna
nun gun
kaitbava
run
jowa
make to run
jomunja
sing
yungamun
speak
kamun
throw down
vurrer
yes
no
naiyun
ADVERBS,
here
yai
SENTENCES IN WODI-WODI.
Sit down quietly.
Go and play.
Don't fight, play quietly.
Let us go.
Give me a drink.
Give me some food.
I hate you.
I will tell you the truth.
He will come soon.
He stayed a long time.
TJullari jungiri.
Yunda wariiri.
Jumbunya wariiri.
Nilgun yandiniun.
Wundumaia ljummi.
Dunman dieri.
Kunnundlgu, or wirrunmlgun.
TJutbai egu.
Yunula nulimun.
Dimug alle.
LI B UAii
WORDS USED AT TWOFOLD BAY.
(From Johnny Wyman, an Eden black, in gaol, 14 October, 1864^
In the language spoken about Twofold Bay, 200 miles south of
Sydney, the word for God is " Dhurumbulum."
I gaiadha.
Thou indiga.
I and thou ljaiawung.
We three uaiowing.
Sin kurnina.
Pardon wurnuga.
I shall forgive him Igindaga murada.
I shall not forget it warindmjambada.
I shall think of it winduga.
Father baba.
Mother miga.
A man courting one's sister . . . kubbo.
A man married to one's sister tembi.
Proper names of a family : —
Waiaman father.
Dadun and Maiada brothers.
Mamui) sister.
tj B IV A 11 y
PKIYEKSITY 6f
CALIFORNIA.
THE NAMES OF AUSTRALIA AND ITS INHABITANTS.
HE Aborigines of Australia are called, by Kamilaroi-speaking
blacks and neighbouring tribes, " Murri "; westward of the
Balonne they are called " Murdin," and about the Weir
River, "Mial" (Mee-al) ; along the coast about Moreton
Bay the name of the race is " Djan " or " Dan." As they
have no knowledge of the extent of the country they inhabit, the
names given to the land can only be regarded as the names of small
districts. At Cape York, Australia as known to the inhabitants of
that coast is called " Kai Dowdai" (which I suppose to mean "Little
Country"), in contradistinction to "Muggi Dowdai" ("Great Country"),
that is, New Guinea. Mr. M'Gillivray, in his narrative of the
Expedition of the " Rattlesnake," gives the above as the names used
by the Aborigines for Australia and New Guinea. He renders " Kai
Dowdai" Great Dowdai, and " Muggi Dowdai" Little Dowdai. But
" Kai" means little in Kamilaroi ; and muggi looks like a modification
of " murri," great. To those who live near Cape York, and pass to
and fro across the Strait, without any means of knowing the real
extent of Australia or New Guinea, the low narrow point of land
which terminates in Cape York must appear very small, compared
with the great mountain ranges of New Guinea. Regarding "dowdai"
as a variation of "towrai," a country, I think it probable that "Little
Country" was the name given by the Aborigines to Australia. It may
118 THE NAMES OF AUSTRALIA AND ITS INHABITANTS.
be that those of the race of Murri who first came into this land,
passing from island to island, until they reached the low narrow point
which forms the north-eastern extremity of this island continent, gave
the name Kai Towrai (Little Country) to the newly- discovered land ;
and as they passed onward to the south and west, and found out some-
what of the vast extent of the country, the necessities and jealousies
of the numerous families that followed them forbade their return.
The current of migration was ever onward towards the south and
west; and, therefore, the north-eastern corner of Australia was always
the dwelling-place of a people ignorant of the vast expanse beyond
them, and willing to call it still " Kai Dowdai," the Little Country.
This is, of course, only a conjecture. And from the wide difference
between the various languages it is not safe to assume that kai and
towrai have the same meaning at Cape York as in Kamilaroi. But,
as shown in a former part of the work, Kamilaroi is known, in some
measure, far to the north of Brisbane. On the other hand, the
Aborigines in various parts of the continent point to the north-west as
the quarter from which their tribes came. And some travellers' tales
have made public a tradition about the first landing of man on the
north-west coast of Australia, from Java.
COMPARATIVE TABLES OF WORDS IN TWENTY LANGUAGES.
ITHIN the country intersected by the tributaries of the
Darling many languages are spoken, though Kainilaroi is
understood by all the tribes. In fact, natives of Port Curtis,
to the north, and of Twofold Bay, to the south, with others
from various intermediate localities, know enough of Kami-
laroi to understand and answer, in that language, such questions as
this : — " Yamma ginda Kamilaroi winugulda ? " (Do you understand
Kainilaroi ?) Their answer is, the Kamilaroi negative, " kamil."
" Ko'inberri" is spoken on part of Liverpool Plains and the Castle-
reagh River ; — " Wiradhuri " lower down the Castlereagh, and over
the Wellington District; — "Wailwun" or "Tdmmba" on the Barwan
for about forty miles below the junction of the Namoi; " Burrunbinya"
and "Kuno" and "Wiraiarai" lower down the Barwan; "Muru-
wurri" is spoken on the Bree, the Culgoa, the Bugaira (Bokhara), and
the Narran (tributaries of the Barwan below the Namoi) ; "Yualarai"
is spoken on the Balonne, " Kogai " on the Maranoa and Cogoon (tri-
butaries of the Balonne, coming in from the west and north-west) ;
the "Wogaibun" is also spoken on the Narran ; " Wolaroi " (in
which " wol " is no) on the Bundarra or Gwydir ; " Pikumbul " on
the Weir and Macintyre ; " Khjki " and "Paiamba" on Darling
Downs.
120 COMPARATIVE TABLES.
In the first of the following tables seven of the above-mentioned
languages of Queensland and the North-west of this Colony are
compared, in a few examples, with Turuwul, the language of the
extinct Botany Bay and Sydney tribe, with Wodi-Wodi,. the language of
Illawarra, with that of George's Biver, with that spoken about the
Lower Hunter and Lake Macquarie (from the Grammar of the Bev.
L. E. Threlkeld), with l)ippil and Turrubul (spoken at Wide Bay
and More ton Bay, in Queensland), with one of the many languages of
Victoria (from a work of D. Bunce, Esq.), and with that of the North-
western Coast (as given by Andrew Hume.) The words of Wiradhuri
are from a manuscript work by the Bev. James Giinther, of Mudgee.
The places where some of these languages are spoken are five hundred
miles apart, and in the extreme instances about two thousand miles
apart. There are many intermediate dialects — probably some hundreds
in Australia. The dialects differ so widely that it seems proper to call
them, as is done generally in this work, " languages"; but these tables
afford evidence that all the dialects spoken in Eastern Australia are
either derived from one language or are widely intermingled ; and,
considering the jealous isolation of the tribes, it is impossible to
account for the existence of the same words in Queensland and
Victoria by any recent intercourse.
While the preceding pages have been going through the press,
my attention has been called by a friend to some information of great
interest, contained in a Beport by Mr. Edward S. Parker, Protector
of Aborigines in the Port Phillip District (now Victoria), printed and
bound up with the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Council
COMPARATIVE TABLES. 121
of New South Wales for 1843. On the 5th January 1843 Mr. Parker
wrote thus : — " I have found not less than eight different dialects pre-
valent among this people, viz. : the Witowro in the neighbourhood
of Buninyong and Barumbeel, the Jajowrong in the country between
the Loddon and the Pyrenees, the Knenknemourro in the vicinity of
the Pyrenees and to the westward, the Burapper among the Malle-
goondeet, the Taoungurong among the petty tribes north of Mount
Alexander and on the Campaspe, the Nindakkedoivrong to the west-
ward of the Pyrenees, and at least two other dialects, respecting which
I do not at present possess definite information, among the Bolokepar
and the tribes of the "Wimmera. The Jajoiorong is generally under-
stood by the majority of the Aborigines frequenting the stations. The
Knenknenwurro prevails among the tribes between the Pyrenees and
the Grampians. The Burapper is, I have reason to believe, spoken
on some parts of the Murray."
The district thus referred to comprises about one-fourth of the
Colony of Victoria, toward the north and west boundaries. Mr.
Parker gives specimens of five of these dialects. Of the words he
gives, forty are subjoined in the second Table for comparison with
those in the first Table. Their sound is represented by the mode of
spelling used throughout this work.
122
COMPARATIVE TABLE OF WORDS IN FIFTEEN LANGUAGES.
NOUNS.
Man ,
woman
young man
boy
girl
baby
Australian abo- ")
riginal )
white man
father
mother
son
brother <
sister <
husband...
wife
head
forehead
eye
nose
mouth
teeth
tongue
chin
ear
hiiir
beard
neck
NEW SOUTH WALES.
giwir
inar
kubura
birri
mie
kahjal
murri
wunda
buba
ljumba
wurume
daiadi
gullami
and ")
» J
boadi and ~)
buri J
giilir
guiir
ga or kaoga
nulu
mil
muru
ille
yira
tulla
tal
bimia
tegul
yare
nun
Wiradhnri.
gibbir
birrin
inargaij
wangai
babbin
gunnibaij
kagaij
muagan
ballaij
mil
utha
yaran
Wailwun.
tdhur
wiriinga
nurrukuijga
mariyunga
worrii07 - wuru
mail
wunda
buba
guuni
kukka (grown
up)
kukkamin
(boy brother)
kati or
gidurai
guan
kuboga
nulu
mil
mum
ljundal
wira
tulle
kir
kuriijgera
wulla
kir
nirrimirri
Lower Hunter.
kore
nukuij
biyunbai
tunkan
binnai
wolluij
naikun
niikoro
kurrurka
tira
wattun
ijureui) or ")
turrurkurri )
kittuij or ~)
burruij )
yarrei
kulleny
Turuwul.
tdhulla
babunna
nubun
babuij
mitjun
kabura
m6
nugulbundi
kommi
tullun
George's River.
dullai
wunara or
wongerra
werowi
guroij
biana
waiana
bobbina
wiaij
mollimiij
jinman
kobra or
kobera
kobina
nogra
midyea
terra
kurra
K
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
123
QUEENSLAND.
Kogai.
Pikumbul. KUJki. Paiamba,
Dippil.
Turrubul.
VICTORIA.
NORTH-WEST
COAST.
tamar
mollunii
kaa
nrige
kagul
mial
gun
kabui
wenda
mil
muru
ljunda
tira
bidna
yarun
bimbi
kabui
mil
murtu
mulindin
tyitta or \
jitta )
binna
dunguin
tyan
kidn
dan
Yirum
duggai
jundal
kulinth
birrarja
numoangan
tjuku
tyan
karabi
ukhuun
yorogun
metbindum
dan
makoron X
bobbin
rjavaij
nun and
wudhug
yaobun
kam
muru
tunka
yikul
binun,
dhella
yeran
guna
mualum
yurumkun
namul
tyan
magui or
mudhar
biij and buba
pujaij
nubuija and ~)
duarjal )
dadi and *)
muijuijkul )
yanyian
miinmundik
bubtip
kulinth
niarmunth
parbine
wunthuloij
mollokin
magul
kowon
mil, inia
muro
tamburii
tier
pidna
kabui
yeren
nurrun
coijatba
woronatha
leorjatha
nondiik
kidnogatha
yarragoijatha
yarragondok
koorn
giul
ginaia
bunia
yiradiul
buben
milkawina
burgun
wingren
balgun
aiyua
ljilun
mulu
tilua
kunuka
wuta
giddon
garginj
galgua
124
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
Kamilaroi.
Wiradhuri.
NOUNS.
throat
shoulder
arm
hand
belly
thigh
leg
foot
(animals.)
adder (deadly)
cockatoo \
crow
duck
emu
grub
kangaroo
magpie
opossum
padymelon . . . ,
pelican
pigeon
snake (brown)
turkey (buzzard) ...
(elements, etc.)
earth
fire
water
sun
moon
wuru
wolar
buijun
murra
miibal
durra
puiyu
dinna
mundar
biloela or'
morai
waru
ijunumbi
dinoiin
birra
bundar
mutg
murriira
gulamboli
tamur
kaleboi
taon
wi
kolle
yarai
gille
urru
kanna
;ur
marra
biirbin
tharraij
buyu
dhinnaij
wagan or
wsiudvu
thullur
rjurain
birgarj
karru
willai
wabba
yarrhjgarj
gambal
guyaij
kalhj
yurruga
yuroka
giway
Wailwun. Lover Hunter.
nuggl
wiirru
nurii
murra
buri
duiTa
piyu
dinna
murai
murai
waru
kunambi
ljuri
kuragi
wiru
wirea
munumbi
tdliuru
tagun
wi
kolle
duni or
dhuni
giwiir
mirriuj
kopa and ")
turrun, )
purraij
biilloinkoro
wolloma and
turra
yullo
tembiribe-en
kearapai
wakun \
pirama
koijkororj
willai
karoijkarorj
purrai
koiyurj
kokoi'n
> I punnul
Turuwul.
murramul
dunna
nyumbutsh
metiba or
warnui)
kundyeri
burral
gurugug
kuriiera
muruij
we
batu
wirri
George's River.
minniy
buril
mundao-i
tunna
karibi
wargon
yurami
birabain or~\
murrion * j
burru
wai-ali
gotgaij
luminal
goyoy
bardo or
naijoij
kefin and
yiluk
julluk
Wodi-wodi.
kurii
nurrun
murramur
durrmj
rjurri
dunna
mujuwich
yambai-imba
biribain
burru
kuraora
biiliiwa
gubaluij
nuiruij
kaubi
ljailyuij
bukunuj ")
and wfirri J
tedjmj
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
125
QUEENSLAND.
Kogai.
Kirjki.
Paiamba.
Dippil.
Turrubul.
VICTORIA.
NORTH-WEST
COAST.
kurijgara
yama
mara
mabun
buiyu
giabun
ljurun
bunbiil
kubi
duruijul
bunna
bukur
gille
kora
duruin and ")
wothinga j
dmjun
durran
puiyu
jinnug
manulgum
kiggiim
nar
ljurum
puiyim
kroman
narambi
nirrirjga
tamur
wagun
daofii"
gira |
korj
dunuij
kika
taron
tiggeri
durra
puiyu
tidna
wowul
13a
1JU1
kuruman
kubbi *
bulualum
yuun
tar
kuddum or '
kuiyim
tabbil
bigi
killen and
kakurri
thirrok
thoroni
thirroij
thirroijatha
geenongatha or \
jinonatha j
nayuk
wa'ag
tulome
patheron
barroworn
mungubera
kurnniil
bik
winth
kalliyi
yarrh and no-
winth {see five)
meniyan
kimbika
buger
gilinta
dabir
tburrug *
dimar
wurrulorj
qwaulir
wugglr
wumbilug
murruuntbulu
gurbun
kondula
kurwar
wille
kunar
guluijkun
dibijoloij
jerun
gumbal
dargum
niriala
kolinutuw a
gugarun
126
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
NOUNS.
(elements, etc.) —
continued.
stars
NEW SOUTH WALES.
Kamilaroi.
Wiradhuri.
Waihvun.
Lower Hunter.
Turuwul.
George's Kiver.
TVodi-wodi.
mini
gunagulla
or yuru
tun and
burian
ijuru
tulumi
mi
maier
}
i
■1
girralan
murrubir
nallanawcZyirrin
nurrun
murrubarrai
miggi
girrar
gwoij and igurra
kallandar
murrian
yurrun
dhirran
girila
gunagulla
kimberwalU <
jinjinnurun ")
(sparkling) j
sk 7 {
light {
night
dulka
wiriijgulla
purra
minni
murongal
mangamaijga
gura
thunder
mulo
pinkun and
wottol
lichtniner
(
)
wind
I
)
kumguma
kibir
dew
frost ,
tundar
talari
barrawal
sea
kuhjura
kurru
jjurrowun *)
and kaimj )
cloud
yuro
kubba
taorai
tura
goaror
wadel
(
yareil and *)
yura )
mountain
I
district
bark
dhurraij
gurruijgal
ljarru
gurroij
dhin
nubbun
burguin
gullur
thallai
nunumba
grass
woiyo
bumbur
durawoi
milk
meat
di
tulu
yundu
kundi
yi-ili
karai
wood
baibai
hut
kunga
guny. ( kundi
gulgi
• I
ana yura )
bul
kaiai
North
ljarruin
ballima
South ..
thirrangal or "^
girraij-gan )
West . .
r
COMPABATIVE TABLE. 127
QUEENSLAND.
VICTORIA.
NORTH-WEST
COAST.
Kogai. Pikumbul.
Kiljki.
Paiamba.
DippiL
Turrubul.
mirrigin
birra
(
whycurl
burura
durran durran "1
and nowinth J
buronthuith
murndell and ~\
drumbullabuU )
mornmut
wyibuba'anth
dumbalk
warrain
lark
rjorak
miram-bikbik
jeraloij
narroij
mugara
murrunj
wurumbarai
wimije
mibian
barduga
bar
thiijgun
kaloara
tburun
mingunka
turaij
pargun
naraij
wilbian
din
bulduna
burguun
gurrbar
guriinduer
giunda
kiliumpaka
nunaina
dunigilina
kiwuntawali
dhinukala
jinkiuialowa
yuru
I
rjunnu
mugara <
tudnagain
mumba
billibira
mirrin
waiker
kumba
*
bungil
poath
(
kobbai and ")
gilla j
I
brimbrim
bulgana
muyim
durabunnu
kiindi
porkwaddirj
mulloko-monomith
quinki monomith
■ /
carmuggy no- ")
winth (see sun) j
C
128
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
NOUNS.
(elements, etc.)-
continued.
North-west
North wind
South wind
ADJECTIVES.
alive ,
bad
dead
good ,
htingry
thirsty ,
ADVERBS.
yes....
verily .
VERBS.
beat ,
drink
eat ...
find
hate
hear
kill...
love
run
see
sleep
stand ,
NEW SOUTII WALES.
Kamilaroi. Wiradhuri.
moron
kagil
balun
murruba
yuhjin
kolle-rjin
yo
gir
kamil
murndhurei
balluiu
ijawa
bumala or ")
buma )
biimara
narugi
thalmarra
tali
widyarra
ljamminya
waimbillinya
w'inuiji
winnaijgarra
balubuina
ballubunmarra
ljarruimharra
bunbunna
bunnaijunne
ijummi
ljanna
babi
yurrrai-wirinya
warine
warranna
Wailwun.
miriiraka
or murala
muun
wurai
yiada
gam
wail
Lower Hunter.
e-e and
kau-wa
keawaran
pittulhko
tukkilliko
bummilliko
nakilliko
ljarabo
qarokilliko
Turuwul.
George's River.
Wodi-wodL
kuller
yiiroka gora
tugra g5ra
wen
bo'i
budgeri
miirungulla
bullin
bulyar
nukkuij
yuin
bel or b^al
durella
ije
naiyuij
bulmiigan
jowa
nangri
♦ There are several instances of the samo word being used with different meanings by separate tribes. Thus " biraban" is eaglo on tin-
the other word used for emu on George's River, is apparently of the same root as " mullion," which means eagle in Kamilaroi and Wnilwun.
thigh all over Eastern Australia. " Kubbi," a class name— not an animal name— amoug the tribes speaking Kamilaroi and AVailwun, means
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
129
QUEENSLAND.
Kogai.
Pikumbul. Kiljki. Paiamba. Dippil. Turrubul.
VICTORIA.
NORTH-WEST
COAST.
uladirri
abir
amu-gin
onimeala
watidalulla
imbiilloaddi
unbermelgo
wottigagulla
dilgi
kolle-gin
pika
galo
yuga
naiya
kuraga
ambu
yoai
kabbi
baigin
bitelle
nunyin
mibon
milbulpu
bog
yoai
yugar
buarao-a
nanni
bugan
murmbull
n'uther
ja'alburt
liubuk
thai) garth
brimbinthon
bullarto n'ud'lara
mirrig
ja'alburt
githo-yuarrabuk
mirambiak nanO
gufch j
yiun
yilug
gara
ta-wupan
kulinua
talu wununda
niltuwa
akwian
kalkuna
maiwia
kilteruna
tinua
nitalbi
taiwult
Lower Hunter ; " birabain" is emu in the language of George's River and Botany Bay ; and " biribain" is emu in Illawarra ; " JIurrion,"
So " thurrug," giyeu by A. Hume as the word for leg on the North-west Coast, is probably the same as " durrug " or " durra," which means
opossum, in Turrubul (Moreton Bay), and " kubi" is opossum in Pikumbul.
130
COMPARATIVE TABLE OF WORDS IN FIVE LANGUAGES.
father
mother ...
son
daughter . . .
brother ...
sister
husband ...
wife
man
woman . .
black man
white man
eyes
ears
tongue
hand
thigh
foot ..
fire ..
water
earth
stone
sun ..
moon
stars
great
little..
alive..
dead
good..
bad ..
long ..
short
one ..
two ..
three
four . .
yes ..
no
VICTORIA.
Witaoro.
Jajaoron. J/femjenwurro. Burapper. Ta-uijguron
pedvirinettuk
nardon rjettuk
boran
bagoriik
warnuij
wairrja nettuk
warringur tannu
nannapunguranuk
gole
bagoriik
bangondeduk
amigit
mirruk
winguk
tallanyuk
munangin
karrlmnuk
lurtamniik
tinnanuk
wing
moabit
dar
lar
mirri
minyan
turb baram
detarbul
nani akoru
muron
detarwa
ko-enebanyuk
nulam
nerrim
mo-ert
koenmo-et
bullait
bullait par koenmoet
bullait bullait
yiyi
borak
marmuk
barbiik
bobiili
tor-roi
warwuk
kotuk
nannetuk
marrarbuk
gole
ture
bangodeduk
amigit
minniik
wimbuluk
talhjuk
munnar
karrepiik
burapiik
tinnanyuk
wi
wonyeram
dar
lar
nao-i
yern
tiirt
nuribabuk
wanimuk]
muron
deryuij
talkuk
yurroij
karpul
mo-et
kiarp
bullait
bullait par kiarp
bullait bullait
yiyi
lo-wurrug
marmak
barpanoriik
watyepuk
mangapuk
warwuk
kotugan garuk
nannetiik
nettargoruk
gole
bienbiengu bullar
bangodeduk
amigit
minnuk
wimbuluk
talhjuk
munnenuk
karrepiik
burapiik
tinnanjowuk
wi
katyin
dar
lar
nao-i
yern
turt
murtyowuk
wardibiik
miiron
detyurj
talkuk
yartinyar
tuwurnge
mo-et
kiarp
bullait
bullait par kiarp
bullaityewubullait
yiji
nullunyer
marmuk
barbiik
layuruk
warwuk
kotuk menniik
nannetuk
matermenniik
woitu bullar
layuruk
bangodeyuk
moandit
minnuk
wimbuluk
talleijuk
munnaijuk
karrebii
burapiik
tinnanuk
wannap
kartln
dar
lar
nao-I
wiyingwil
tiirt
kuriiinanduk
murtuk
muron
wlkin
talkuk
yettowarndiik
tuwarnanduk
tuluwanduk
kiarp
bullait
bullait kiarp
bullait bullait
ljaar
burapper
warredii
bai'bauuk
bobup
bagurii
parngannu
bainbainu
nangoronu
bimbanml
golln
badyuru *
marramgondegu
amigl
mingu
wirringii
tallanu
munangu
tarramjii
gurambu
tinnanu
wl-iu
parn
bi-ik
moidyerre
nummi
minnun
turt
wurtabuk
wikoruk
miiron
werregi
wan wan gu
niilam
yurobot
mo-ert
kuptyu
bullarbil
bullarbil barbup
bullarbil bullarbil
yari-ia
targun
*It is evident that four of the words given for " woman" are the same, with very slight variations, as those given for
" daughter." Probably the relation was not clearly understood by those who supplied the words; it may be supposed that
these words mean simply " woman."
COMPARISON OF WORDS IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES. 131
In this list we find some of the roots that are used in Queens-
land and New South Wales. " Gole" may be a variation of "kore"
(man) in the language of Lake Macquarie. " Wi" (with the variations
"wing" and "wi-in"), meaning fire, connects these languages south
of the Murray with Kamilaroi. " Dar" (the earth) is found north of
Brisbane, in Queensland. " Tallanyuk" (the tongue) is evidently the
same in origin as "tulle" and "tullun." "Tarrannu" (thigh) in
Taungurorj is of the root " durra" heard in many northern languages.
"Tinnanuk" (the foot) is a variety of the root "tinna," " dinna," or
" tidna" ; both these extend over a very large portion of this Colony
and of Queensland. " Muron" (alive) is the same root as " morun"
or " moron" in Kamilaroi and neighbouring languages. And yet the
words for dead are quite different.
The most remarkable root that re-appears in Victoria is " bullait"
(favo). As in the name Wolger and other words, the European ear has
taken the very sharp sound of r to be that of t ; it may be that this
word is truly " bullair" ; and in one case Mr. Parker gives " bullarbil."
It is evidently the "bular" of Kamilaroi and the "budela" of Queens-
land. The words for " one" in Victoria (" kiarp" and " koenmoet") I
never heard in any part of this or the northern Colony ; but here is
the root for two (" bular") extending over all Eastern Australia.
Like the languages on the Upper Darling and its tributaries,
" Burapper," south of the Murray, is named from its negative adverb.
The most striking difference between these Victorian words and those
of more northerly tongues is the frequency with which the thin mutes
(p, t, and especially k) end a word. In Kamilaroi every word and
every syllable ends with a vowel or a liquid.
132 COMPARISON OF WORDS IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES.
The above specimens illustrate this fact, — that the languages of
neighbouring tribes differ very much, and yet are connected by words
common to both. Wiradhuri and Kamilaroi are very similar, and
both are widely spread. I suppose that one word in fifty is the same in
Kamilaroi and Pikumbul, and one in eighty the same in Kamilaroi
and Kogai. The suffixes are more frequently found the same in
several languages.
The words for " the head" differ in almost every language ; but
" mil," the eye, and " muru " the nose, are found in many languages.
I believe " durra," varying only as durrung and durrun, is found
all over Australia for the thigh, arm of a tree, or arm of a creek ;
" puiyu," the leg, and " dinna," the foot, are also widely spread, but
not so general as durra ; while for the arm the words differ in almost
every language.
" Murra " or " mara," the hand, is another very wide- spread
word.
The names of some animals, derived from the noises they make,
are of course much alike.
The pronouns of the first and second person are nearly the same
all over Australia ; those of the third person differ much.
I. In Kamilaroi " ijaia " (I) ; in Wiradhuri " naddu" ; in
Wailwun "nattu"; in Kogai "naia"; in Pikumbul
" nutta " ; in Dippil " nai " ; in Turrubul " ljutta,"
" natti " ; South Australia (West), by Captain, now Sir
George Grey, "ganya" and " nadjo " ; South Australia,
by Taihleman, " gaii " ; at Newcastle, by Rev. L. E.
Threlkeld, "gatoa"; at George's River "naiya"; in
Wodi-wodi (the language of Illawarra) "gaiagug."
II. In Kamilaroi "ginda" {thou) ; in Wiradhuri and Wailwun
•• gindu" ; in Kogai w inda" ; in Pikumbul " ginda" ; in
Dippil "gin" "inta" ; in Turrubul " ginta" ; S. Australia
"ginnei" and "ninna"; Newcastle "gintoa"; at George's
River "nindi"; in Wodi-wodi "gindigug."
III. He in the above languages is " genua," " yeraggo,"
"nila" or "guia," " unda," " wunnal," "bountoa," and
"dulla,"
A comparison of the numeral adjectives in various languages
shows this remarkable fact, — that while in every tribe the words for
one and three are different, the root word for two is the same in almost
all the languages of the eastern portion of Australia. Many of them
have no separate word for 4 and higher numbers : but make up those
numbers by combinations of 1, 2, and 3.
The languages from "Kamilaroi" to "Wodi-wodi" extend over
districts in the N.W. and S.E. of New South Wales more than 600
miles apart ; and from the " Kigki" to the other side of the "Dippil"
is at least 300 miles of Queensland.
Kamilaroi.
Wailwun.
Lower Hunter.
Kirjki.
Paiamba.
1.
..mal
nagu
wakol
pieya
kabuin
2.
..biilar
bulugur
buloara
bud e la
purayu
3.
. . guliba
s
kuliba
goro
kunnun
guruamda
134
COMPARISON OF WORDS IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES.
Turrubul.
Dippil.
Turuwul. Wodi-wodi.
l...kunnar
kalim
wakul mittug
2...bud e la
bular
wakulwakul* bular
3...muddan
(boppa or
( kurbunta
[ dugul wowulli
* Wakulwakul (one-one) is evidently a substitute for the forgotten numeral of the
extinct Sydney tribe. And as the next language on the south has " bular," and all to
the north and north-west the same root, it is almost certain that the former inhabitants
of Port Jackson had also the same root for two. At Portland Bay, on the south coast
of Victoria, two hundred and fifty miles west of Melbourne, I found " bular" used for
two, while the other numerals were words I had never heard before.
TRADITIONS.
I.— THE CEEATOE.
J^ItlHE greatest of the Australian traditions — that there is one Maker of all things in
heaven and earth, who sustains and provides for us all — has been already spoken of.
Baia-me (from " baia" to make or build) is the name, in Kamilaroi, of the Maker, who
created and preserves all things. Generally invisible, he has sometimes (they believe)
appeared in human form, he has bestowed on their race various gifts, and he will bring
them before him for judgment, and reward the good with endless happiness.
The Rev. James Gunther (of Mudgee), who was many years engaged on a mission
to the Aborigines of the Wellington District in this Colony, where the Wiradhuri
language is spoken, has recorded in his Grammar of that language this conclusion: —
" There is no doubt in my mind that the name Baia-mai (so it is pronounced in
Wiradhuri) refers to the Supreme Being ; and the ideas held concerning Him by some
of the more thoughtful Aborigines are a remnant of original traditions prevalent among
the ancients about the Deity." Mr. Gunther states that he has found in what the
Aborigines said to him about Baia-mai " traces of three attributes of the God of the
the Bible, viz. : — eternity, omnipotence and goodness." He also says " the idea of a
future state of existence is not quite extinct among the aborigines." Some of the more
thoughtful expressed to him their belief that " good natives will go to Baia-mai when
they die."
It may be thought strange that the Bev. L. E. Threlkeld, who laboured zealously
for years among the Aborigines at Lake Macquarie, near Newcastle, and who has recorded
many of their traditions concerning various spirits, has made no mention of any belief
entertained by them concerning one Supreme Being. If the blacks of Lake Macquarie
had held any such belief as that of the Kamilaroi people in Baia-me, surely Mr. Threlkeld
would have heard and recorded it. But as the result of an extensive observation, I
believe that the natives of some parts of the interior are superior to those on the coast.
The Wiradhuri, Kamilaroi, Wolaroi, Pikumbul, and Kogai tribes may have retained a
tradition of this kind, after it had been obscured and utterly lost among the tribes
on the coast.
136
TRADITIONS.
The Eev. C. C. Greenway, who lived some years at Collemungool, in the district of
the Kamilaroi-speaking tribes, and made himself conversant with their language and
traditions, says, in a letter to the author — " Bhaia-mi is regarded as the Maker of all
things, the name signifying maker, cutter out. He is regarded as the rewarder and
punisher of men, according to their conduct. He is said to have been on the earth. He
sees all ; he knows all, if not directly, through Turramiilan a subordinate deity. Turra-
mulan is mediator for all the operations of Bhaia-mi to man, and from man to Bhaia-mi."
For my own part, before seeing what Mr. Gttnther and Mr. Greenway had written,
I heard of Baia-me from the Aborigines on the Namoi and Barwan. Many of them,
when asked concerning any object, such as as the river, trees, sun, stars, &c, — who made
these ? uniformly and readily replied " Baiame." And many of them have said to me in
answer to questions about him, — as old King Bory of Gingi did in 1871, — " Kamil naia
nummi Baiame ; naia winunulda (I have not seen Baiame ; I hear him)."
In Pikumbul, Baiame is called Anambu, and by some Minumbu.
The Wailwun blacks, according to Mr. Thomas Honery, of the Upper Hunter, who
was brought up on the Barwan, and was familiarly acquainted with the tribe, relate the
following ancient traditions : —
Baiame first made man at Murula, a mountain between the Barwan and the Narran
Bivers. He formerly lived among men. And in the stony ridges between those two
rivers there is a bole in the rock, shaped like a man, two or three times as large as a
common man. In this, it is said, Baiame used to rest himself. He had a large tribe
round him, whom he fed at a place called Mldul. Suddenly he vanished from them, and
went up to heaven. Still, though unseen, he provides them food, making the grass to
grow for them. And they believe he will come back at a future time.
There was formerly an evil spirit called " Mullion" (eagle) who lived in a very high
tree, at Girra on the Barwan, and used to come down and seize men and devour them.
The people often tried to drive away Mullion, by piling wood at the foot of the tree and
setting fire to it. But the wood was always pushed away by an invisible hand ; and the
fire was of no avail. Baiame, seeing their trouble, told a blackfellow to get a " murru-
wunda" (red mouse) and put a lighted straw in its mouth, and let it run up the tree.
This set fire to the tree : and as it blazed up, they saw Mullion fly away in the smoke.
He never returned. The smoke from the burning of that tree was so dense that for some
days they could see nothing.
Similar traditions have been found in widely distant parts of Australia. In Illawarra
from 30 to 100 miles south of Sydney, the supreme Ruler is called " Mirirul."
TRADITIONS. 137
Mirirul, whose name is apparently derived from "mirir" the sky, whom therefore we
venture to call the Australian Zeus, — is said by the blacks of Illawarra to have made all
things. When people die they are brought up to a large tree, where Mirirul examines
and judges them. The good he takes up to the sky. The bad he sends to another place
to be punished. The women say to their children, when they are naughty, " Mirirul
wirrin munin," (Mirirul will not allow it.)
A " Colonial Magistrate," the author of " Remarks on the probable origin and
antiquity of the Aboriginal Natives of New South Wales," published at Melbourne, by
J. Pullar & Co., says " The Murray [River] natives believe in a Being with supreme
attributes, whom they call Nourelle. Nourelle never dies ; and blackfellows go to him,
and never die again." From the same writer we learn that the natives of the Loddon
ascribe the creation of man and of all things to Binbeal. They say that Binbeal subjects
the spirits of deceased persons to an ordeal of fire, to try whether they are good or bad.
The good he liberates at once ; the bad are confined and punished.
At Western Port, in Victoria, there was a tradition that Bonjil, or Pundyil, created
men. He formerly lived at the falls of Lallal on the Marabool River ; and is now in the
sky. Pundyil seeing the earth overrun with serpents, sent his good daughter Karakarok
with a long staff to destroy these tormentors of men. Karakarok killed many ; but this
good work was stopped by the breaking of her staff. As the staff snapped in two, fire
came from it, the first fire ever given to man. Presently, however, Wang, an evil spirit
in the form of a crow, flew away with the fire ; but the good Karakarok restored it.
Mr. Beveridge, in the evidence he gave before the Select Committee of the Legis-
lative Council of Victoria, in 1858, said of the Aborigines " They believe in one all-
presiding good Spirit," whom they call " Grnowdenont"; and "they have an idea of a very
wicked spirit named Guambucootchaly."
II.— GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS.
The Aborigines believe in many spirits. " Wunda"is the common name for these among
the Kamilaroi and neighbouring tribes. Anything mysterious or supernatural is called
" wunda." One of the chief of these is Turramulan, who acts as the agent of Baiame.
In some places, however, Turramulan is spoken of as an evil being, or an enemy of man.
His name signifies " leg-only-on-one-side" or lame. He has a wife called " Muni Burre-
bean" (egg-like, nourishing-with-milk.") She has the duty of instructing women ; for
they may not see Turramulan on pain of death. And even when mention is made of
Turramulan, or of the Bora at which he presides, the women slink away, knowing that it
it unlawful for them so much as to hear anything about such matters.
138 TRADITIONS.
" Tohi" is the name for the spirit of man ; "bunna" is that part of him which dies.
"When the bunna returns to dust the " tohi," may become a wunda. The wunda may
enter some other body. "Wicked men are punished by the degradation of their souls.
Their " tohi" may be condemned to animate a beast. But the good are rewarded by
their spirits passing into beings of superior condition. And the Aborigines generally
acknowledge the superiority of white men by saying that some of the good Murri, after
their decease, arise as white-fellows.
Among the Wailwun tribes " Kinirkinlr" are the spirits of the departed, wandering
over the face of the earth. " Yo-wl" is a spirit that roams over the earth at night.
" Wawi" is a snake or a monster, as large as a gum-tree (30 to 40 feet high), with a
small head and a neck like a snake. It lives in a waterhole 30 miles from the Barwan ;
and used to eat blackfellows. They could never slay it. " Murriula" is a dog-like
monster, formerly in the water between the Barwan and the Narran. " Buba" (father)
is the name of the first great kangaroo, progenitor of the whole race of kangaroos. His
thigh-bone — 4 feet long, 7 or 8 inches in diameter, and tapering in form — is carried about
by one of the tribes. It was found in the ridges of Murula. The Murui of the tribe
(select men) have charge of it.
According to Mr. J. M.Allan, (examined before the Select Committee above mentioned)
the Aborigines " believe in the existence of evil spirits, whom they seek to propitiate by
offerings. Water spirits are called " Turong" ; land spirits " pot-koorok" ; another is
" tambora," inhabiting caves. These they suppose to be females without heads. The
sun (yarh) and moon (unnung) they suppose to be spirits. " Why churl" is their name
for a star. They are much afraid of thunder and lightning, calling the former — " Mum-
dell." Mr. M'Kellar, on the same occasion, said " They do, according to their manner,
worship the host of heaven, and believe particular constellations rule natural causes.
For such they have names ; and sing and dance to gain the favour of the Pleiades,
" Mormodellik," the constellation worshipped by one body as the giver of rain ; but if it
should be deferred, instead of blessings curses are apt to be bestowed upon it."
Andrew Hume (who stated that he had gone from Queensland across the continent
to the north-western coast, and who lost his life early in the summer of 1874, in an
attempt to verify his narrative by recovering some relics of Leichhardt, which he said he
had seen, — whose statements, though marked by the uncertainty of a man never trained
to the habit of accurate report, are certainly entitled to some credit), gave to the writer
the following account of the belief held by the natives of the north-western part of
Australia. They believe in four deities,— Munnuninuala, the chief god in the highest
heaven, Thalinkiawun, his wife, Mulgianun, her sister, and Munduala, also called
Thilkuma, the fire-god, who will burn up the earth and destroy the bad. He is also the
author of plagues and other penal visitations.
III.— TKADTTIONS OF THE PAST, AND OF THE FUTUEE STATE.
According to Andrew Hume the Aborigines near the north-western coast say that the
first people who ever settled on this land were four men (brothers) and their four wives,
who came in a canoe from the eastward. After they had been here some time, two of
the women expressed a wish to return to their native land. The men strongly opposed
them ; and the two Avomen secretly took the canoe and went out to sea by themselves.
The god, Thilkuma, punished them by throwing a large piece of rock on the canoe, and
thus destroyed them. The two men who had thus lost their wives were advised by the
other two to go back to their native country and get other wives there. But this they
would not do ; and some years after, when the daughters of the women who remained
were grown up, their uncles (the widowers) seized them and made them their wives.
This was a flagrant breach of a law known to be maintained in this Colony and
probably established over all Australia. For this transgression they were driven south-
ward, into a cold and barren country. After some years the Inyao-a (righteous people)
of the north-west, being grieved at the misery of their kindred, prayed that they might
be forgiven. They were forgiven and were allowed to settle in peace all over the country,
on condition that they re-established the law of descent and marriage which they and
their fathers had violated. But as a mark of their guilt they were not allowed to speak
the same language as the Inyao-a. Hence arose the division of tongues among the
Australians. To this day the people in the north-west call themselves Inyao-a, and speak
of all the rest of the aborigines as Karnivual (bastards).
To this legend may be added the fact that, both on the Barwan and at Scone, in the
Hunter Biver District, old blackfellows point to the north-west as the quarter from
which their ancestors came long ago.
Another legend related by Hume is this, which was told in explanation of the
division of the territory among the tribes. Two brothers came and settled in the country.
One was good, the other bad. The bad one got up a conspiracy to drive out his good
brother ; but Thilkuma, the fire-god, came to the help of the latter, and burnt up part of
the army of evil-doers. Thilkuma then advised the man to whom he had given the vic-
tory to be content with his own territory and live in peace. But the man was greedy of
power, and invaded the land of others to the north and the west. After many days
fighting, this man fell sick. In his sleep Thilkuma appeared to him, and threatened to
destroy him unless he ceased from killing men. Still he persisted in attacking his
neighbours. They cried to their god, Dhaigugan, who helped them, and drove back the
invader.
140 TRADITIONS.
Thereupon, to prevent future aggressions, the several tribes received distinctive
marks on their breasts and arms, and their boundaries were fixed by rocks, trees, rivers,
and mountains.
The " Colonial Magistrate," above quoted, gives the following legend concerning the
beginning of the Human Eace : — " The natives of Western Australia say that when men
first began to exist, there were two beings, male and female, — -Wallinyup (the father),
and Dovanyup (the mother) ; that they had a son named Bindinwor, who received a
deadly wound, which they carefully endeavoured to heal, but without success ; where-
upon it was declared that Wallinyup should also die, as his son had died. If Bindinwor's
wound could have been healed, the natives think death could have had no power over
them. Bindinwor, though deprived of life and buried, did not remain in the grave, but
rose and went to the west, across the sea, to the unknown land of spirits, whither his
father and mother followed him, and there they have ever since remained."
Bony, the Murri from the Balonne, who gave me the table of numbers up to twenty,
declared this as his belief: — "Murruba murri (good men), when they die go up to guna-
gulla (sky), to be with Baiame. Kagil murri (bad men) never come up any more. He
is murruba who speaks glrii (truth) and is kind to his fellow-men. He is kagil who tells
gunial (lies) and kills men by striking them secretly. It is no harm to kill a man in fair
fight."
Billy, a very old blackfellow of Burburgate, whose proper names are Murri Bundar,
with the surname "RJumera Gunaga, spoke Guinberai (or Koinberi). He told me he
received his surname from the place where his father was buried ; and that it was a
general custom for a Murri to get a name from the place where his father was buried.
His father was Ippai Mute, and lived near Wunduba, on Liverpool Plains. In his tribe
Murri Duli Wagiira was a chief man. He took the lead in fights, and laid down the
law to the tribe. But Billy could not tell how he got his authority. When Billy was a
little boy, a Burburgate blackfellow, Charley, was killed by one of the Wee Waa tribe.
On this, Grun-guele (Charcoal), whose inherited names were Murri Ganur (red kangaroo),
called on the Burburgate blacks to go and punish the tribe guilty of the murder. Natty
(as the whites call him), now an old man, whose proper names are Murri Ganur
Yawlrawiri, was one of the leaders in the fight. They met about fifteen miles above
Narrabri. After a great talk they fought till many were killed on both sides. The
combatants were painted red and yellow. Their weapons were spears, boomerangs — bundi
and berambu, (different clubs) — and shields.
This old man, Billy, told me, as a great favour, what other blacks had withheld, as
a mystery too sacred to be disclosed to a white man, that " dhiirumbulum," a stick or
TRADITIONS. 141
wand, is exhibited at the bora (to be explained hereafter), and that the sight of it inspires
the initiated with manhood. This sacred wand was the gift of Baiarne. The ground on
which the bora is celebrated is Baiame's ground. Billy believes the bora will be kept up
always all over the country. Such is the command of Baiame.
The milky way, as King Bory told me, is a worrumbul, or grove with a watercourse
running through it, abounding in ail pleasant things, where Baiame welcomes the good
to a happy life, where they walk up and down in the enjoyment of peace and plenty. It
is " the inside," he said, that goes up to the sky — not the bones and flesh. Sometimes
the good come down again to visit the earth. Colonists who have for many years
observed the Aborigines, say that it is a common thing for these people, in the prospect
of death, to express a cheerful hope of being better off hereafter.
IV.— TEADITIONS OF STAES.
Venus is called TiTindigindoer (you are laughing), or "RTaijikindimawa (laughing at
me). Among the squatters occupying the part of the country where these names of
Venus are used are some gentlemen of classical attainments ; and possibly the idea of
the laughing goddess may have been suggested by them. Orion is called Berai-berai
(a young man). This young man was said to have been "burul wlnunailun miai-miai"
(much thinking, or desirous of young women), when Baiame caught him up to the
sky, near to the " miai-miai" (the Pleiades), whose beauty had attracted him. He has a
boomerang in his hand, and a ghuliir (belt) round his waist. One of the miai-miai (the
Pleiad which is barely visible) is supposed to hide behind the rest, on account of her
defective appearance, and is called gurri-gurri (afraid or ashamed).
King Bory, on a beautiful starry night, in June, 1871, gave me the name
" "RTindigindoer " for Venus. He also gave the following information : — " Mars is
" Gumba " (fat) ; Saturn is " wungal " (a small bird) ; Arcturus is " guembila (red)_
At Gundamaine, far away up the Namoi, an old blackfellow called it " Guebilla."
Canopus, he called wumba (stupid or deaf) ; I suppose because this beautiful star,
while it looks so fair, is deaf to their prayers.
Benemasch and the star next to it, in the tail of the Great Bear, which rise about
N.N.E. and set N.N.W., not rising high, but apparently gliding along under the
branches of the tall trees like owls, are called nun-gu. (white owls).
The Northern Crown is " mullion wollai" (the eagle's camp or nest), with its six
young eaglets. "When this constellation is about on the meridian, Altair (chief star in
Aquila) rises in the N.E., and is called by the Wailwun people "mullion" (eagle).
Shortly after this Vega rises to the N.N.E., and is also called " mullion." These are the
parent eagles, springing up from the earth to watch their nest. King Bory used the word
" mullion ga " of them both, signifying eagles in action. The Pleiades he called worrul
(bees' nest). Bungula and Agenor (the pointers to the Southern Cross) he called
murai (cockatoos). The three principal stars of the Southern Cross are ^Tuu (a tea-tree).
The dark space in the sky at the foot of the cross is gao-ergi (an emu) couching.
The Magellan clouds are two buralga (native companions).
Antares is gudda (a lizard).
Two stars across the Milky Way, near Scorpio, are gijeri ga (small green parrots).
The dark space between two branches of the Milky Way, near Scorpio, is
Wurrawilburu (a dreadful demon).
The S-shaped line of stars in Serpentarius, between the Northern Crown and
Scorpio, is called Mundewur (the notches cut in the bark of a tree to enable a black-
fellow to climb it) .
Spica Virginis is giirie (a crested parrot).
Eomalhaut is ganl (a small iguana) .
Corvus (the four stars) is bundar (a kangaroo).
The Peacock's Eye is murgu (a night cuckoo).
On the Murray a beautiful legend has been ascribed to the Aborigines, concerning
the two pointers, Bungula and Agenor. A flock of turkey -buzzards (commonly called
plain-turkeys), used to sport every evening on a plain ; but an old cannibal bird
watching them, when he saw one weary with the dance, or race, pounced upon it and
devoured it. Grieved at the loss of their young birds, the flock met, and took counsel
together to remove to another plain. But when they were about to leave, two birds of
the same species, from a distance, came up and encouraged them to stay, promising to
save them from their persecutor. When evening came, one of these two birds hid himself
in the bushes near the old cannibal : the other joined the ring. After a while, this last
bird, pretending to be weary, fell down in front of the persecutor, who at once sprang
forth to kill him. But the second stranger came to his help, and the two soon despatched
the old bird. AVbile the whole flock were applauding the deed, the two deliverers rose
up from their midst, and flew higher and higher, until they reached the sky, where they
now shine for ever.
TALES IN THARUMBA AND THURAWAL.
J-^Ml H AEUMB A is spoken on the Shoalhaven Eiver, in the south-eastern part of this
Colony, by the Wandandian Tribe, Thurawal in another part of the same district, south
of Illawarra where Wodi-wodi is spoken. Thurawal appears to be the same word as
Turrubul and Turuwul, the names of the languages spoken at Moreton Bay and Port
Jackson.
The following tales in Tharumba were supplied to the Government by Mr. Andrew
Mackenzie, of the Shoalhaven District, for transmission to Professor Max Muller. The
first was related by Hugany, an Aboriginal of the Wandandian Tribe ; the second by
Noleman, of the same tribe.
Jerra Tharumba.
Tutawa, Puluggul.
"Wunna puru minilla, wanekundi Tuta-
wanyella ; kuritjabunjlla ililla thogunko ;
kunamimbulilla ; gubija mirigambila ;
jukundai murrundohila Puluggul. Uarin-
madthai jambinuro mundija kunda
bundilla. " Bu ! Puluggul garinmagarao-
undtha." " Mundija yandthaono binyaro."
Uurawunko bungailuwa thaorumbrao ;
bungaluwa gurawun.
Tutawa pururuggala, pururururu. Bu-
thulala Tutawai thulinyo ; thitbulo wakara
guia, gurawan, kurru. Kiiru gama
yanaila. Taukuga, "Kuwai-ai-ai! Pulug-
gul, kunugaluni yai waukarag, garinma
kunnumbaithali mundijain purajain.
Niruna bunna, kuruguma ! "
Bithaigala karugandthilla Puluggul, —
" Puluggul wunnamakoin yaawe." " Bu !
indigaga bundugan jinna."
Puluggul karamblla.
" Wunnama narugga
Wunnama
narugga
! "
Tharumba Story.
Tootawa and Pooloongool.
Out of the oven-hole brought the
kangaroo ; Tootawa carried it on his
shoulder, took it to the camp, roasted it,
gave a little to his dog, and carried the
biggest part to Pooloongool. Brought
stinking meat to his father-in-law and
brother-in-law. "Hush! Pooloongool, your
son-in-law will hear you." " Por meat
go, Binyara." To the sea they paddled,
the whole party; they paddled to the sea.
Tootawa jumped about with rage, jump,
jump, jump. Split Tootawa his tongue ;
he spat the blood west, east, south, north.
The west wind came. They said, " Oh
dear ! Pooloongool, you must try to get
ashore with us ; you said a bad word to
your father-in-law this morning about the
meat. Look at the rain and the wind ! "
The pelican said to Pooloongool, " Poo-
loongool, come here, I'll put you in my
canoe." Get along ! I'll put you in my
canoe."
Pooloongool was getting drowned.
" Put me into the canoe ! " Put me into
the canoe! "
144 TALES.
Tanilowa yakuna waukao.
Those went to the shore.
Yerrimbulo jella, jella, jella, jella, jiik,
The musk duck bailed the water out of
jiik, jiik, jiik, yapoilla warri wakarain ;
his own canoe, dip, dip, dip, dip, drip,
jellajellunkawedthu. kudjiir wurrakain.
drip, drip, drip, went that way to the
shore ; flapped the lake all the way.
Taowalli purapiindo, kunyu, bethaigal,
They dived and came up again ; the
pa kuna pa tora, pa munda, pa mara. Jura-
black shag, the white-breasted shag. They
bawulara birura, birrimbaimin Jurabai-
dive now for the fish ; they fish ; they feed
wunnaora mara, numbulo jeriwan taora
in the water all day long. There was no
yakunjo waoari. Kumari yenna thukia
wind in former times ; all was calm.
Kaor.
Bumbilla nurawan Tutawai punyiri-
Tootawa brought all that wind that's
mula kumariwaindo yakunjo waoari,
blowing now all the time from the west,
bimira, guia, n urawundakurru ; yibundaido
south, east, north ; it blows now all the
yakunjo waoari.
while.
Jerra Thdrumba.
Tharumba Story.
"Wunbula.
"Wunbula (a man's name ; also, three
stars in Canis Major).
Nadjirjajon, Murrumbul, Mundtha.
The bat, the brown snake, the black
snake.
Tanilla Kolumbri, yetbunillawa Kolll-
He went away from Columbri, passed
jaga Munai ; thogun yenna. Yanillawa
Collijaga to Monga ; camped there. He
bunguto. "Nyeniinya, maiirro ; irribaoga
went to look for wombat. " There it is ;
mirigandtha wenkinbra Murrumbul
you stay here ; I'll go in with my dog, my
Mundtha."
women, Murrumbool (Mrs. Brown Snake)
and Moondtha (Mrs. Black Snake)."
"Thunnamagali kunjawogtunala; tukao-
" Our husband makes us tired taking us
na yaniuna warri thogundtha."
about ; we'll shut him up ; we'll go to the
camp."
Jin a yaninjoana warri ; jig a tharar.
That fellow went in far ; that fellow
" Ijella tukalinga, Murrumbula pa Mund-
came back. "Those have shut me up,
tba. kTirilla munduga mungala; mand-
Murrumbool and Moondtha." He heard
thilla jirai kumirgurirjo minilla mirigano
the fly buzz ; waited for him to go out at
wurri punanjiwona; mijilla jerai tharar;
the little hole, took the dog a long way
yanilla nurri thogundtha.
under his arm ; went outside ; went right
away to the camp.
TALES.
145
" Yanaonyi gaiunko wenkinbra."
" Let's go for ants' larvae, women."
" Pukerigji, jurabaonyi." Tanillawa
"It's hot, let's bathe." They went
wurrigala. "Ma! jurabaona gatenwalla
close to the bank. " Come on ! let's
yaoalia naiaga tulunya."
bathe — you on one side, and you on the
other, I in the middle."
Kulala jerabaddi yaoalia ijatenwalla;
The barbed-spears spear them on this
jerumbaddi murrilaora merero.
side and that; the barbed-spears were
sticking up.
Munaoraggarila ; yaoalia yuinyumbulo
They went to join the Munowra (con-
Wunbuleriba.
stellation) Wunbula, their husband, on
the other side.
Jerra Thurawaldhery.
A Thuraioal Story.
Yirrama Karwer.
The Spirit of the Fig Tree.
Tandi gai karwerullago.
" I am going for wild figs."
TJai, yannig kainandha yandhanai.
" Very well ; go ; go on ; start away."
Kurmunnu, biagaly.
Net, basket.
"Wunnomainbala kurwery ; kurma
He picked the figs ; filled net and
biagaly gobimata.
basket.
Kullymirgaia, biagaly wal, gobimata
Cut more bangaly for basket, and filled
kurwery.
them with figs.
Yandhanai inumbaianai, kubaia yirra-
The spirit comes ; catches him ; swal-
main.
lows him.
TiTaindhanai wurri nadjongo, undhumaia
Takes him to the water, drinks, spits
dhurawaia.
out again.
Jellunjiiranadthanai ; yangundaianai ;
Looks back ; tickles him ; looks at him,
nanyinajellanai, yallumbunyainoi yangun-
comes back and tickles him again.
dibbala.
Jauagunalaia, yallumbunga, yangun-
Goes away ; comes back and tickles
dabillajaia. Jauia warry jaulajilaia,
him again. A long way goes, comes back
yangundibbala jella.
and tickles him again.
Jaugunalaia war-ry bobaradha. Ya
Groes a very long way to the mountains.
jauianabulgo thobararalunbilla,ye maunda
He gets up, runs to the sea, and jumps
wunanye.
in ; the spirit very near catches him.
146 TALES.
Kaiugoyia yangaruya ya wudjut yendag .
Into the sea he goes, the spirit along
the beach walks.
Barungaga thallybunbila ya kurubun
Upon an island he got ; to the rocks went
juya yirraina. Karrugaia " yuinya ya-a-i ! "
the spirit. He shouted — " Come here !"
Karuganbilla.
Shouted again.
Gummagaimathauakulwaiona. " Yirra-
They fetch spears ; walk round him.
ma na pulla! " Mudgerypurria. Parrilan-
" The spirit is this way !" The man got
kanaia, yerrauaga, yirribalaia.
into a canoe. The spirit could not be
found ; he went into the rocks ; he got
into the hole.
Mullimula.
The Plea ides.
Thurawaldheri Kurialla.
A Thurawal Story.
Tenda Jeju mulliwauthama Jejugko
Came the Moon ; was enamoured the
mullimula mega yandthannug.
Moon, to the Mullymoola damsels came
he.
Thullimalaoa kaiuggo kundthumaiaoa
They were catching kyoong (a kind of
paiamingagga kaiugga Pulinjirugga
fish) : were roasting (with hot stones)
Kanda. Yangao ana Jindaola Uurund-
piaming (a bulbous reed), and kyoong,
thilanai Guiaiin. "Wudthawaiin. yaggai?
at Poolinjirunga, near Kan. They went
tburaodamurra yagganai gurumbagganda ;
to Jindowla. Heard them the Southron.
kubbutgailagganda; piailinuradtha yagga-
" Where are they singing about me ? I
naoraniirdtbundtha. Kulinaianumai thuri-
hear them about me, singing in the gully ;
naianai mobarudthu."
let me have pipeclay to corrobaree ; sing
that song ; let me dance. " I'll spear
you in the eye."
Kulabimaianai ; meriruggo yenaiuwa
They go under the ground ; up to the
Kuranaiuwa inamrudtbana.
sky they went. The sisters became stone.
Jerra Bundula.
The Story of Bundoola.
[Told by Bimmoon, o
f the Ulladulla tribe.]
Yanaoya maranji : kulambaroga ina-
I go fishing ; I am going to spear fish ;
ranji; mujeri, yirraganji. Kuttbu kawa
my canoe, my fish spear. What a fine
kuruaolan ! bungaoga jilluggo ; kuroa
calm sea. I'll paddle over there to the
kalandthun ! yanaoga tbaogulivvollun
surf at the rocks ; I'll go to the bush, the
kaorai'li ; bungayuga kutthugo.
sea is too rough ; I'll paddle out to sea
i. — —
again.
TALES. 147
Tariuunye, ma mara nombimunnolo.
Let us run away, because nasty fish
Tanuunye, wurruga, wunnianye, bangun-
(are what he gives you). Let us run
adtha. Yandthaojina :
away, children, let us leave him when he
goes out far. He follows them.
" Wudthaolono, ka-u !
" Where are you ? holloa !
TJaiuraga gaila. Yanaga.
I hear them over there. I must go
there.
Yakullli guiangal," yaparanu, "jambin-
There they are, the Southerners," he
yuna.
says, " Our brother-in-law coming.
Tanaonye, gumma ginnamaraya ;
Let us go, let us make the spear ready ;
kurairi kulagiyema, ny-ao-umboni, ma
all ready ; you are a good marksman ; you
nainjiwanna buttunu murriba.
wait here, because this is the path the
kangaroo takes — his road.
Tanaonye, jambi, nyaonidtha thun-
Let us go, brother-in-law; you'll see
bugaruga wullugaranya, irrininagaor-
your wife's country ; you'll see the great
anna."
precipice,"
Bundilli wenkinoji gundigura, wurri-
Bundoola's wife belonged to that place.
galla na, mai-iraji jellowigallu yirrimula
" You come close to the edge ; you stop
warrinowarri, kabutsh niiri, minirra guri,
here." They shove him over a good way,
bungoi'n ; yanilla wurriji meriro ; " jergara
kill him dead. " Rope (vine) ; you catch
juwe wurraora indai." Banboro-gundo.
hold of the rope." He comes up a long
way to the top. " Cut the rope : serve you
right: you dead now." This was at
Banboro.
Murraoga nenji thogunda, kumiranyl
I'll go home to my place ; this place is
kunnin-yekumba, murrai-oga nenji naia
too rough ; I'll go a little further. This
thogunda nyaimbioga Bundarwai.
is the good habitation. I'll stop here at
Bundarwa.
In these Thurumba and Thurawal tales,
it is easy to see some of the root words which
are used on the Namoi and in Queensland
. There are " thulin" or " tullun" (tongue),
"yan" (go), "nanyi" (see), "naia" (I), "i
ndai" (thou) ; " merir" or " mirir" is sky or
top, as in Wodi-wodi; "bul" means jealoi
lsy in Kamilaroi, and the sea in Thurawal.
" Nadjog" (water) is the same root as in W
odi-wodi.
-SONG-S.
J^MlHB first six of the following songs, in Kamilaroi and "Wolaroi, with the explana-
tions, were kindly furnished to me by the Bev.
I.
This song was composed in derision of so
C. C. Greenway.
>me one of the same tribe, and is a speci-
men of their sarcastic style.
TJandunago ?
Who comes ?
three ghilliana,
large head of hair,
bunun mulliago,
arms crooked,
naighin bular.
like two cockle shells.
"RTai murrin ?
Is it one of my people ?
naia warrambria
on the road he is.
nirri go ma
toh dirraldia.
II.
This song was composed to ridicule the c
Smoke comes out.
onduct of those who frequent the public-
house. It shows how the Aborigines adopt English words, and give them their own
inflections.
Publikaor wirithea, ^
Public-house screaming,
djeamillia mlr mir,
seizing hips,
nummildeago kamiweandi,
he appears, tripped up by a stick,
^jKj-i> *& drungilla, tiunal a duni. '-■
drunken, stricken with fists. *
III.
This song is called a Ugal, or dancing song, to be sung to the dancers on a warlike
or festive occasion.
Burran, burin, bilar bundl,
Shield of buree (wood), spear and club,
Murala berar karnl !
Throwing stick of berar, bring !
Wakara waroi tubilka bundln
The broad boomerang of Waroee, waist-
belts and pendants of boondin,
Tumbu ! yumbu ! gumil
Jump ! jump ! use your eyes,
"Warakel munan.
With the straight emu spear.
IV.
The following Ugal is'for a more peaceful
occasion.
Murri goriah,
Yeraman buraldi, \,
Blackfellow very fat,
Horses driving,
Wi wi kurral-ah,
Firewood sawing,
Millimbrai kakullah,
Milking cows crying out,
Kirawa !
Looking for them.
BAO-ILLI — SONGS. 149
V.
This baoilli (in the "Wolaroi dialect) is in derision of one belonging to another tribe.
His slightness is contemptuously described.
Mulla mulla gha ibbelean bull A spirit like an emu, as a whirlwind,
Bunnakunni bunnakunni, hastens, hastens,
Kirami gunman lays violent hold on travelling
Dhuddl gaia ! Uncle of mine !
Inghil nunmalinni exhausts with fatigue,
Bunda "Wahnl. Then throws him down (helpless).
VI.
Some of their songs are called " ghiribal" (imitation of the notes or actions of animals).
This one represents the cry of the black musk duck, or diver (in Kamilaroi — berala.)
Ta gaia garinga.
(repeat ad libitum.)
Puanbu gl go
(repeat and transpose, ad lib.)
Mingo ahikarai
(repeat).
Ibbi-rl-bi ta-wagg-ah !
Whoogh !
(At this last word the cheeks are filled out with the breath, and a sudden explosion ends
the " song of the duck.")
VII.
The' following " ugal " was sung at various stages along the banks of the Barwan, in
1854, by a travelling band of Aborigines, under the guidance of their Dhurumi. The
song and the dramatic performance which accompanied it, were designed to disenchant
the places visited, — in other words, as I was told by one of the company, " to drive away
dead blackfellows." Most of the performers were marked with red and yellow clay.
One was decorated from head to foot. A troop waving boughs in the air, seemed to be
charging some invisible foe. And to the tramp of their feet, and the beating of sticks
and of hands, a band of women and girls sang all night long these words : —
" Turu dhari ne, yurii dhari ge,
Dula rag a burula, yuru dhari ne !
(This is not one of the languages I am acquainted with. As far as I can judge it means
— Come and sing with me ; there are plenty ; come and sing.)
VIII.
The next ugal was apparently composed for the chase.
Diga diga burula, Plenty of wild dogs.
Murrinj, dibura. The blackfellows are spearing them.
150 BAO-ILLI — SONGS.
IX.
The following bao-illi was new and fashionable on the Namoi, in 1871.
Bukkamulli mullimulli, The ghost was skinning him,
duburrjer wine. he doubled him up and let him fall.
They sing these short songs to simple and pleasant melodies. Sometimes they repeat
the first line six or eight times, sometimes the last ; and as they repeat they let their
voices fall to a lower key, and then some of them begin again at a high pitch. They
keep exact time, and make the different parts, from the lowest bass up to counter-tenor,
combine with perfect harmony. Sometimes the effect of such a chorus, by night, on
the banks of the river, was wonderfully impressive. To themselves the music appeared
to be most exhilarating.
X.
The following is a "Wailwun song of defiance, denouncing the black police, on their
first appearance at the Barwan.
Murago muginga dhi, Go on, blind, all of ye,
Guria baigo, Go on for ever, I hope ;
Dhini-ligo, Dhini-gandhu To Sydney, to Sydney,
Mini gurago. For ever, Good bye.
XI.
This is a hunting song, in the language of George's Kiver, shouting after the
wallaby, bandicoot, kangaroos, and pigeons.
Wolba, wolba, minya, munde.
An awe, yukole, biron,
Mule, mulle, wire,
Wungor ! wungor !
Kolle miron
Ato mulle !
XII.
A song sung at corrobarees at the junction of the Hunter and the Isis, and describing
the knocking down of some one upon the ground, and a word of sorrow for an afflicted
wife.
Murrabadai bunmilde,
TiJa dinga dingai,
Daon dimi woldina
Gulir bain de ne.
HABITS AND MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE.
FOOD.
J^il£lO a European almost every part of the continent of Australia, as seen before the
work of civilisation has transformed it, bears an inhospitable aspect. To a sportsman
well provided with ammunition, indeed, many a river and lagoon, with its countless swarms
of teal and other water-fowl, and its unnumbered fish, offers a perpetual feast. But,
compared with other countries, Australia is singularly deficient in fruits, grain, and
edible roots.
The problem of sustaining life, which had to be solved by the Australian race, was,
therefore, the very opposite of that which was presented to the Polynesian tribes, for
whom the islands have brought forth abundantly yams, cocoa-nuts, and many nourishing
and delicious fruits. This people had to provide themselves sustenance in a country
where many Europeans have perished for want of food and water. And they have
managed to subsist, to multiply, and to spread over the whole continent, without any
supplies or help from abroad, without any knowledge of the use of tillage, or of the
materials under their feet awaiting the appliances of civilization to yield abundant
wealth. How have they lived ?
The staff of life in nearly all parts of Australia is the opossum, which abounds more
than any other mammal. The emu and the kangaroo furnish the most valued meat for the
men, and to women and children the use of these is allowed only to a limited extent.
Iguanas and native bears supply them with substantial meals. Snakes are eaten by them,
and they are very careful in the mode of killing them, to prevent the poisoning of the
flesh. Grubs, especially a white fat kind, about three inches long and nearly two inches
in diameter, are regarded as choice morsels. Eish constitute an important part of the
food of those who live near the sea or upon the rivers. The Darling and its tributaries
abound with fine fish. There are various kinds of vegetable food in use. The yam
of the country, about the Barwan, is a large root, in flavour and substance something
like a water-melon 7 and though very juicy it grows in dry sand-hills. There is a
clover-like plant, the beran, the roots of which (some three or four inches long and
half an inch in diameter) they grind between stones and make up into palatable and
nourishing cakes. The nardoo, found in central Australia, yields small seeds, which are
ground and made into cakes. This was the chief food of the Aborigines on Cooper's
152 HABITS AND MANNERS OP THE PEOPLE.
Creek, who kept alive King, the survivor of the Burke and Wills expedition. There are
also several kinds of fruit, the waraba, the wild gooseberry, the wild cherry, &c. The
most productive fruit-tree in Australia is the bunyabunya. This is a large and very beauti-
ful species of pine, the cones of which grow to the length of eight inches, and are composed
of nuts resembling in form, size, and flavour the English chestnut. This tree is found only
in a comparatively small part of Queensland, where it grows in thick forests.
They have many exact rules as to the different species of animals that may be
eaten at different stages of life.
The most common implements by which the natives get their food are the boomerang,
various kinds of clubs, spears of different size and form adapted to the several uses to
which they are put, and fishing nets. All these display considerable ingenuity and
industry. The boomerang is unquestionably a marvellous invention for a people who
are reputed to be the least intelligent on the face of the earth. Its peculiar curve,
which gives it the property of returning from a distance of several hundred feet to the
hand of the thrower has furnished a very interesting problem to mathematicians, and has
suggested a modification of the steam-ship acrew propeller.
INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS.
I.— THE BOEA.
J^OiHE great national institution of the Australian Aborigines is the Bora — by some
pronounced Boor-rah, — the rite of initiation into the duties and privileges of manhood.
The sacredness of this immemorial rite, and the indispensable obligation to submit to it
are most deeply impressed on the minds of the young Aborigines. Even when they
enter the service of the squatters or the settlers, and so in great measure break off from
association with their own people, they seem to be bound by an irresistible spell to sub-
mit, at the prescribed time, in spite of all that can be done to dissuade them, to their
national rite.
The Bora is held whenever there is a considerable number of youths of an age to be
admitted to the rank of manhood. Old Billy MurrI Bundar, at Burburgate, told me
that the Creator, " Baiame," long ago, commanded the people to keep the Bora, and gave
them the Dhurumbulum, or sacred wand, for this purpose. He said any one of the men
might demand that a Bora be held. Then they consult as to the place, and choose one
of their number to be the dictator or manager of the solemnity. This dictator sends a man
round to all the tribes who are expected to join in the ceremony. This herald bears in his
hand a boomerang and a spear with a murriira (padymelon) skin hanging upon it. Sometimes
all the men within twenty miles are summoned ; sometimes a much larger circuit is included.
And, as my venerable informant, Billy, told me, every one that is summoned must attend
the Bora, even if he have to travel a hundred miles to it. It is so done, he said, all over
the country, and always will be. The dictator chooses a suitable spot for the purpose,
and fixes the day for the opening of the ceremony. The ground is regarded as conse-
crated to Baiame, and his will is obeyed in carrying out the service. Notice is given
three weeks at least, sometimes three months before the ceremony begins. During the
interval the trees on the chosen ground are ornamented with figures of snakes and birds
cut with the tomahawk.
When the appointed time is come, the men leave their camps, where the women and
youths and children remain. The men assemble at the selected spot, clear away all
bushes, and make a semi-circular embankment, or fence. This being done, some of the
men go to the camps, pretending to make a hostile attack, on which the women run
away, with the children. The young men, and boys over thirteen, go back with the men
to the Bora.
154 INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS.
Very few Europeans have been allowed to witness the proceedings at the Bora.
One who was permitted to be present, Mr. Thomas Honery, of the Upper Hunter,
described the whole process to me. In the year 1862, Mr. Honery, then a boy, was pre-
sent at a Bora, held between the Barwan and the Lower Castle reagh. There he found a
place cleared and surrounded with bushes, laid as a fence, like a sheepyard. "Within the
enclosure were three old men. About twelve youths were waiting to be " made men."
These youths had been seven or eight months under strict rule,- eating only certain pre-
scribed food, and partially secluded from social intercourse. When they came up to the
scene of the Bora, they lay down flat upon their faces, and were covered with a cloak.
Two of the old men then came outside, one remaining within.
Then the youths were called up, one at a time ; and each of them, when called,
leapt over the fence, and took up a piece of string with a bit of wood at the end, which
he whirled round with a whizzing sound, three times. He then jumped out and another
was called upon by the old men, and jumped in. "While one was within the enclosure
the others remained lying on the ground, covered with the cloak ; and as soon as one
came out he fell on his face, and was covered up again. This preliminary ceremony
ended, they were allowed to go about, but not to leave the neighbourhood, for a week.
The old men kept a strict watch over them, to prevent their going off, or eating any for-
biden food. At the end of the week they assembled again, and all the three old men
went inside the enclosure, and again called in the youths one by one. As each came in
one of the old men flogged him as hard as he could with a strip of bark two feet long and
six or eight inches wide. Then, with two stones, one used as a peg the other as a hammer,
they broke off and knocked out one of his front teeth, leaving the roots of the tooth in
his jaw. All this time the youth uttered not a sound. When it was over he went out
and was covered with the cloak as before, while another was called in.
During the next four days they were allowed to walk about within a short distance,
and to eat a very little bit of opossum, but nothing more. At the end of that time they
were again brought, one by one, into the enclosure. There they were compelled to eat
the most revolting food that it ever entered the mind of man to eat, or to offer to a
fellow creature, — such as the prophet Ezekiel heard, in a vision, a command to eat
(chapter 4, verse 12). The cruelty of this rule is somewhat tempered by mixing this
nauseous food with "tao," (the root of a plant called by the colonists "pigwood").
Basins of bark are used for the mixture.
Mr. Honery is a man of unimpeached veracity, and his account was given with an
explicitness that leaves no room to doubt of the fact. But it is only fair to mention that
some of the Aborigines have vehemently protested that no such custom is practised in
their tribes. On the reliable authority of honest old Billy Murri Bundar TJumera Gunaga,
INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS. 155
who gave the important information about the sacred wand, Dhurumbulum, the revolting
practice is unknown to his tribe. White men have stated that this custom was observed
in several parts. From all I have heard, I conclude that it is actually observed by some
tribes, but not by all. It is a mystery of wickedness and folly that such an unnatural
custom could be introduced, even among a savage people. It is still more mysterious that
the thought of such an act could be suggested in vision to the holy prophet Ezekiel. In
the Aborigines it seems to be one mode — the most degrading mode that ever entered
the mind of man — of carrying out the impulses of the spirit, common in all ages, which
animated the pagan stoic and the christian ascetic. By the flogging and the knocking out of
the tooth, the young men are taught to glory in suffering anguish, and to believe that it
is manly to endure pain without a cry or a groan. On the same principle it may be held
to be meritorious to inflict on themselves, without wincing, the utmost conceivable
violation of the sense of taste. The more repugnant the process they pass through, the
greater the virtue they exhibit, in their own estimation.
After the last ceremony the young men were allowed to go away. For three or four
months they were not allowed to come within three hundred yards of a woman. But
once in the course of that time a great smoke was made with burning boughs, and the
young men were brought up on one side of it, while women appeared, at a distance, on
the other side. Then the young men went away for another month, or so. At the end
of that time they assembled again and took part in a sham fight. This completed the
long process of initiation, From that time they were free to exercise all the privileges
of men, among which are the eating of the flesh of kangaroos and emus, and the taking
of wives. This long course of alternate fasting and suffering is a very severe ordeal. It
has often been observed that young men come out of it exhausted and sometimes half dead.
During the intervals between the ceremonies of the Bora, the candidates are care-
fully instructed by the old men in their traditions, in the very exact laws of consanguinity
and marriage, hereafter set forth, in the rules concerning the use of particular kinds of
food, and other things. They are truly a law-abiding people. Probably no community in
Christendom observes the laws deemed most sacred so exactly as the Australian tribes
observe their traditional rules. That kind and measure of moral purity which their un-
written law enjoins is maintained with the utmost vigilance. A breach of morality, in
regard to the relation between the sexes, exposes the offender to the risk of death. He
must stand as a mark for the spears of his tribe, which in many cases have cut short the
life of the culprit.
The ceremonial of the Bora is the great educational system by which this exact
observance of the laws is inculcated.
156 INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS.
The name " Bora" is derived from the " bor" or " boorr," the belt of manhood is
there conferred upon the candidate. This "bor" is supposed to be endowed with
magical power, so that by throwing it at an enemy sickness can be injected.
According to some, Baia-me is supposed to be present at the Bora, and is personated
by one of the old men ; others say it is Turramulan, the agent of Baia-me, or mediator,
who appears. As above mentioned, in some of the tribes a sacred wand, "Dhurumbulum,"
given them by Baiame is exhibited, and the sight of this wand as waved by the old men
in sight of the candidates imparts manly qualities. Before I heard of this wand, a black-
fellow from Twofold Bay, near the south-east corner of this Colony, at a distance of full
600 miles from the Namoi, told me that in his country " Dhurumbulum" was the name
of the Creator of all things.
Near the junction of the Hunter and the Isis, a few miles from Aberdeen, is the
consecrated spot where, for generations, the blacks have held their Bora. To this spot I
was taken by Mr. M'Donald, a squatter residing in the neighbourhood. It is a pleasant
well-wooded glen at the foot of a high hill. On the ground is the horizontal figure of a
man, roughly modelled by laying down sticks and covering them with earth so as to
raise it from four to seven inches above the grouud. The arms and legs of the figure are
stretched out as in the attitude assumed by a blackfellow in dancing, the hands being
about on a level with the ears. The figure is 22 feet long and 12 feet wide from
hand to hand. The body is 4 feet wide, and if the knees were straightened it would be
25 feet from head to foot. Hough as the work is, there can be no mistake about it ;
and though, of course, no features are distinguishable, the attitude has a lifelike expression
to those who have seen an Aboriginal dance. Around this spot are 100 or 120 trees
marked with the tomahawk in various regular patterns, some with concentric curves,
some with simple angles. In some the marks reached as high as 15 feet from the ground
Near the head of the human figure is a tree naturally bent, as is not uncommon in this
country, into an almost horizontal position ; and along this tree the blacks have cut
marks like the footprints of an emu.
"While the young men are awaiting the ceremony, they are made to lie flat on the
ground just in the posture of the figure above described. Then a stuffed emu is carried
along the bending tree over the footprints, as if it were walking on them, and on coming
down to the ground walks round the scene by a path of 150 yards. The candidates are
made to pass through an ordeal of pain. But there is no knocking out of a tooth ; nor
is the revolting practice mentioned by Mr. Honery practised here. The account the
blacks give of this ordeal is that their god comes down through the trees with a great
noise, and tosses each of the candidates up in the air, to see if he is good for anything ;
and if they are bad he tears them to pieces. They say this deity is very good and very
powerful. He can pull up trees by the roots and remove mountains.
INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS. 157
II.— MAERIAGE.
The law of selection in marriage is set forth in a subsequent chapter ; but here, as a
sequel to the Bora, it seems proper to mention the manner in which the privilege of
taking a wife, conferred at that ceremony, is exercised. In some parts of Queensland an
old man takes charge of the damsels in a tree, and as the candidates for matrimony come
up he presents each of them with a bride. On the Hunter, when a man seeks a wife he
goes to a camp where men and women are sitting together round a fire, and throws in a
boomerang. If one of the men throws back a boomerang at him he has to fight for the
privilege sought ; but if no one challenges him, he quietly steps in and takes one of the
young women for his wife. „
In some tribes it is a custom, as soon as a girl is born, for her father or mother to
betroth her to some man. Among the Wailwun it is common for old men to get young
girls for wives, and for old women to become the wives of young men. There is no law
restricting a man to one wife. It oftens happens that those who are strong enough to
insist on having their own way have three and sometimes four wives — some have none at
all. But in whatever manner a man becomes possessed of a wife, or whatever the
number he can secure, he must take only those who, according to the laws of genealogy
and marriage, are eligible for him.
III.— SECLUSION OF WOMEN.
It might be supposed that a people who do not wear any clothes must be utterly
devoid of modesty ; but in their own way, within the limits of traditional rule, the
Aborigines are very strict in the observance of the dictates of natural modesty. Their
rules as to the seclusion of women correspond remarkably with the law of Moses in
Leviticus (12th and 15th chapters) ; but the seclusion observed by the Australian women
is even more strict and prolonged than that which is commanded in Leviticus. On the
approach of childbirth the expectant mother is given into the charge of two elderly
women, who take her to a sheltered spot, attend to her wants, and watch over her for
many days, until she returns with her child to the camp. During the other period,
referred to in Leviticus 15th, a woman must not be seen by a man — must not touch any-
thing whatever that is used by the other natives, nor even walk upon a path frequented
by them.
A more singular rule in force among them is this — that a woman must not speak
with or look upon the husband of her daughter. This rule is rigidly observed. If a man
meets his mother-in-law by any chance, they instantly turn round, back to back, and
remain at a distance. If one of them has a desire to communicate any message to the
other it is done through a third party. They appear to think it would be indelicate in
158 INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS.
the extreme for a rnother-in-law and son-in-law to speak together. So far does this
notion prevail, that even when an infant is betrothed, by the promise of her parents, the
man to whom she is betrothed, from that hour, strictly avoids the sight of his future
mother-in-law.
I V.— CIRCUMCISION.
Another part of the Mosaic Law — circumcision — is observed by some of the tribes.
Dr. Leichhardt and other travellers have recorded this fact. The practice, however, is
not in vogue over the whole of Australia. It is, as far as my information goes, in some
of the northern parts only that it has been observed.
V.— MEDICINE AND SORCERY.
The medical properties of various herbs are known to the blacks. One common
medicine is "boiyoi" (pennyroyal), a tonic. The people are strongly endowed with the
self-restoring force, and recover from the ghastly wounds often inflicted in their fights with
wonderful rapidity. Their usual surgical treatment of a wound is to rub earth into it.
But the chief business of the medicine-man (krodgee or kuradyi) is to disenchant
the afflicted. All kinds of pain and disease are ascribed to the magic of enemies ; and
the usual way in which that magic is supposed to be exercised is by injecting stones into
the body of the sufferer. Accordingly the kuradyi is provided with a number of stones,
secreted in his belt ; and on visiting a patient sucks the part where the pain is felt until he
has convinced the sufferer that the cure is in a fair way of being effected, and then
produces stones, which he declares that he has extracted from the seat of pain. The
kuradyis exercise a strong spell over the minds of their people, and are believed to have
power to inflict plagues as well as to cure patients.
VI.— PROPERTY.
In regard to individual property, they appear to have no other law than that one
should use for his own sustenance and enjoyment what he has in his own hands. Between
the members of the same camp or tribe something like communism prevails. At all
events, presents given to one of a tribe are speedily divided as far as possible among the
rest ; but on tribal territorial property their rules are exact. Each tribe has its " taorai"
or district marked off with minute accuracy, by watercourses, rocks, trees, and other
natural land-marks ; and one cannot go upon the territory of another tribe without risk
of losing his life. In some cases when individual blackfellows have gone in the company
of white men into the " toarai" of another tribe, they have been waylaid and speared for
the intrusion.
INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS. 159
But this jealous maintenance of tribal property has sometimes yielded to the con-
siderations of a wider policy. For instance, the tribe whioh occupies the bunya-bunya
district in Queensland have a law by which they admit other tribes to enter their territory
in peace, at the time when the fruit ripens — once in three or four years. Whether the
neighbouring tribes originally acquired this right by war, or whether it was conceded of
good will, does not appear ; but certainly the law exists. "When, however, the other
tribes enter the district they are not allowed to take anything but the bunya-bunya fruit.
The opossums and other common sources of food supply they must not touch. Their
visit lasts six weeks or more. And so strong is the hold which this traditional rule has
upon their minds, that when urged by an intense craving for animal food, rather than
transgress the law by killing an opossum, they have been known (it is said) to kill one of
their own boys or girls, and devour the flesh.
VII.— LEX TALIONIS.
The Australian Aborigines carry out the principle of retaliation, not only as a
dictate of passion, but as an ancient and fixed law. The relatives of a slain man are
bound to avenge his death by killing some one of the tribe to which the slayer belongs.
In some parts of the country a belief prevails that death, through disease, is, in many,
if not in all cases, the result of an enemy's malice. It is a common saying, when illness
or death comes, that some one has thrown his belt (boor) at the victim. There are
various modes of fixing upon the murderer. One is to let an insect fly from the body
of the deceased and see towards whom it goes. The person thus singled out is doomed.
VIII.— BUKIAL AND MOUNKINQ EOE. THE DEAD.
In all parts of the country the Aborigines show a great regard for their dead. They
diifer much in the mode of so doing. Some bury the dead in the earth, and raise a
circular mound over the grave. And of those who do this, some dig the grave so deep
as to place the deceased in a standing position ; others place them sitting, and with the
head higher than the surface of the ground but covered with a heap. They carefully
preserve the graves, guarding them with boughs against wild animals. There are some-
times as many as a hundred graves in one of their cemeteries ; and they present a sight
that cannot fail to convince a stranger that the resting-places of the departed are sacred
in the eyes of their friends and descendants. Sir Thomas Mitchell has given a sketch of
the graves of two chiefs, on the top of a hill. It seems as if they had been buried with
a hope of resurrection, that on rising from the dead they might at once survey the terri-
tory over which they had ruled.
160 INSTITUTIONS AND LAWS.
Among the "Wailwun people a chief, or person regarded with unusual respect, is
buried in a hollow tree. They first enclose the body in a wrapper, or coffin, of bark.
The size of this coffin is an indication of the honor due to the deceased. Mr. E. J.
Sparke, of Grinji, saw one chief buried in a coffin 13 feet long.
As they drop the body thus enclosed into the hollow tree, the bearers and those who
stand round them, join in aloud " whirr," like the rushing upwards of a wind. This,
they say, represents the upward flight of the soul (" tohi") to the sky.
In other places they deposit the dead body on the forks of a tree, and sometimes
they light a fire under it, and sit down, so as to catch the droppings of the fat, hoping
thus to obtain the courage and strength for which the dead man was distinguished. In
some parts they eat the heart and liver of the dead for the same purpose. This is, in
their view, no dishonor to the dead. And they do not eat enemies slain in battle.
When the flesh is gone, they take down the bones from the trees and carry them about
in baskets.
Affection sometimes induces them to carry about the bones in this manner for a
long time. It is no uncommon thing for a woman to carry the body or bones of her
child for years.
"When a death occurs they make great wailing. All night long I have heard their
bitter lamentations. In some cases the wailing is renewed year after year ; and in spite
of the cruelty of some of their practices, none who have heard their lamentations and
seen their tears can doubt the sincerity of their grief. The fashion of their mourning
is to plaster their heads and faces with white clay, and then to cut themselves with axes.
I have seen a party of mourning women sitting on the ground, thus plastered over ; and
blood running from gashes in their heads, over the clay, down to their shoulders.
LAWS OF MARRIAGE AND DESCENT.
■ 7t3®2@QQQG®=
J/H.LL Kamilaroi blacks, and many other tribes, as far at least as Wide Bay in Queens-
land and tbe Maranoa, are from their birth divided into four classes, distinguished in
Kamilaroi by the following names. In some families all the children are " ippai" and
"ippatha"; in others they are " murri" (not "mum," the general name for Australian
Aborigines) and "matha"; in others " kubbi" and " kubbotha"; and in a fourth class of
families "kumbo" and "biitha." The families take rank in this order : — Murri, Kumbo,
Ippai, Kubbi. Besides this division into four classes, there is another division, founded
on the names of animals, as bundar (kangaroo), dinoun (emu), dull (iguana), nurai
(black snake), mute (opossum), murriira (padymelon), bilba (bandicoot).
In the four classes there are on the Namoi ten divisions. They are — I (1), Murri
and Matha Duli, (2) M. and M. murriira; II (3), Kumbo and Biitha Dinoun, (4) K.
and B. Nurai ; III (5), Ippai and Ippatha Dinoun, (6) I. and I. Nurai, (7) I. and I.
Bilba ; IV (8) Kubbi and Kubbotha Mute, (9) K. and K. Murriira, (10) K. and K. Duli.
(In some parts there are additional subdivisions.) Ten rules of marriage are established
in relation to these divisions : —
I. Murri Duli may marry Matha Murriira, and any Butha.
II. Murri Murriira may marry Matha Duli, and any Butha.
III. Kumbo Dinoun may marry Butha Nurai, and any Matha.
IV. Kumbo Nurai may marry Butha Dinoun, and any Matha.
V. Ippai Dinoun may marry Ippatha Nurai, Kubbotha Duli, and Kubbotha
Murriira.
VI. Ippai Nurai may marry Ippatha Dinoun and Kubbotha Mute.
VII. Ippai Bilba may marry Ippatha Nurai and Kubbotha Murriira.
VIII. Kubbi Mute may marry Kubbotha Duli and Ippatha Dinoun.
IX. Kubbi Murriira may marry Kubbotha Mute and Ippatha Nurai.
X. Kubbi Duli may marry Kubbotha Murriira and Ippatha Bilba.
The rules of descent are these : —
I. The second name, or the totem, of the sons and daughters is always the same
as their mother's.
II. The children of a Matha are Kubbi and Kubbotha.
III. The children of a Butha are Ippai and Ippatha.
IV. The children of an Ippatha are Kumbo and Butha.
V. The children of a Kubbotha are Murri and Matha.
Thus the mother's names, not the father's, determine the names of the child in every case.
162 LAWS OF MARRIAGE AND DESCENT.
The children in no case take the first names of their parents, yet their names are
determined invariably by the names of their parents.
The effects of these rules, in passing every family through each of the four classes
in as many generations, and in preventing the intermarriage of near relations, will appear
on inspection of this pedigree : —
1st gen. : Kubbi marries Ippatha.
(their children are all)
2nd gen. : Kumbo and Butha
Kumbo marries Matha Butha is married to Murri
(their children are) (their children are)
3rd gen. : Kubbi Kubbotha Ippai Ippatha
marries Ippatha married to Ippai marries Kubbotha married to Kubbi
Mhgen.: Kumbo Butha Murri Matha Murri Matha Kumbo Butha
If ippai in the third generation chose to marry ippatha, of a different totem, instead
of kubbotha, three families out of the four descended from the first kubbi in the fourth
generation would be kumbo and buta ; but if, as above, ippai marries kubbotha, then the
third generation being equally divided between two classes, the children of the fourth
generation are equally divided between the other two.
The principles of equality and caste are combined in a most singular manner. "With
regard to intermarriage, the effect of the above rules is to prevent marriage with either
a sister, a half-sister, an aunt, a niece, or a first cousin related both by the father's and
the mother's side.
The foregoing names, with the classification and law founded upon them, extend far
beyond the Kamilaroi tribes. In the Balonne River District there are four divisions
of Kubbi, namely K. muriira, K. mute, K. duli, and K. giilu (bandicoot) ; the Kumbo are
K. dinoun and K. burrowun (a kind of kangaroo) ; the Murri are M. mute and M.
maieri (padymelon) ; and the Ippai are I, bundar and I. nurai. Among the Wailwun
there are four divisions of Murri, — M. murrira, M. mute, M. guru, and M. duli ; three
of Kumbo, — K. dinoun, K. nurai, and K. bundar ; three of Ippai, — I. dinoun, I. nurai,
and I. bundar ; four of Kubbi, — K. murrira, K. mute, K. guru, and K. duli. Others
among the Wailwun tribes have sixteen subdivisions, four iu each class, with the totems
(the same for each of the four classes), muriiwi (kangaroo), rjuri (emu), tdhuru (brown
snake), and kuraki (opossum).
LAWS OF MARRIAGE AND DESCENT. 163
And even where the names " ippai," &c, are unknown, the same system prevails.
Over a large portion of Queensland, between Moreton Bay and Wide Bay, the following
names are used for a similar purpose : — barag and baraggun ; bundar and bundarun ;
bandur and bandurun ; derwain and derwaiggun ; the name in -gun or -un, being in each
case the feminine of the foregoing. Many, if not all, of the Aborigines have other names
in addition to those they take by descent. Thus, on the Barwan, one " Ippai nurai" is
called also " Kurai bruddhin muniye " (duck's feather). An " Ippatha dinoun" is called
" yaddai yunderi" (opossum cloak). A Wiraiarai man is surnamed " tarratalu" (speared
in the shoulder) ; his son is " Tippummele" (an eagle looking all round) ; another is
" Thugerwun" (a turtle). They give names to Englishmen who become known to them.
Thus they call one gentleman " Dungumbir" (the rain-maker) ; another " Wolumbiddi"
(large head); another "Tarunderai" (great legs and arms). .Billy, Mr. Dangar's shep-
herd, is " Kumbo dinoun," with the surname " Bunberuge," meaning broke his leg by a
fall from his horse. Among the "Wailwun tribes one Kubbi tdhuru is also called
" Kuakumboan," another is "Ttfulurnan" (bald), from the bald hill where he was born.
An Ippai tdhuru is " Dhlnawurai " (crooked foot). A King, a MurrI, is also called
" Dinabukul." A woman — Butha tdhuru — is " Mugumilla " (blind) ; another is called
" Winaliwurai " (lame) ; another is " Wullubungubia " (grey-headed).
Among the Kogai blacks to the westward of the Balonne Eiver, the names are —
Instead of ippai and ippata — urgilla and urgillagun.
Instead of murri and mata — wuggo and wuggogun.
Instead of kubbi and kubbotha — obur and oburugun.
Instead of kumbo and buta — unburri and unburrigun.
There are five names in use among the men about "Wide Bay, viz., bundar, derwain,
balkoi'n, tandor, barag.
At Moreton Bay, the wife (not the sister) of a " derwain" is " derwaingun ;" the
son of a " bandur" is " derwain " ; the son of a " barag" also is " derwain." Sometimes
the son of a "derwain" is "bundar." Sometimes the son of a "derwain" is called
" barag." Brothers bear the same name.
Among the Pikumbul tribe, on the Macintyre, " Tuluma " (black kangaroo) is a
totem. Henry Bose, for twenty-two years a faithful servant of Mr. Christian, on the
Mooki, is Ippai yuluma ; his father and mother were MurrI and Kubbotha yuluma.
On the Narran the divisions are— I. (1) Murri and Matha duli, (2) M. and
M. mute, (3) M. and M. maieri ; II. (4) Kumbo and Butha bundar, (5) K. and B.
nurai, (6) K. and B. kugugalu (bandicoot) ; III. (7) Ippai and Ippatha bundar, (8)
I. and I. nurai ; IV. (9) Kubbi and Kubbotha duli, (10) K. and K. maieri.
164 LAWS OF MARRIAGE AND DESCENT.
The relative position of brothers and of sisters is marked by a singular nomenclature.
There is no word in Kamilaroi meaning simply " brother," but one for " elder brother,"
another for "younger brother." Daiadi is elder brother ; gullami is younger brother. Of
six brothers the eldest has five gullami and no daiadi ; the youngest has five daiadi and
no gullami ; the fourth has three daiadi and two gullami. Of eight sisters the eldest
(who is boadi to all the rest) has seven burl and no boadi ; the youngest has seven boadi
and no burl ; the third has two boadi and five buri.
The Rev. Lorimer Fison, Missionary of the Wesleyan Church in Fiji, on seeing
these rules of marriage, descent, and relationship, said they contained the principles of
the "Tamil," a system which prevails among the Tamil tribes of India, among the
Fijians, and among the North American Indians.
Subjoined are the eight characteristics of " Tamil," compared severally with illustra-
tions of the Australian system.
I. In Tamil, A being a male, his brother's children are considered as his own children,
his sister's children are his nephews and nieces ; his sister's grandchildren, as well
as his brothers, are considered as his grandchildren. So in the above system, Kumbo
Nurai's brother is also Kumbo nurai. They marry women of the same name. Each
marries a Matha ; each Matha's children are Kubbi and Kubbotha ; so that each man's
brother's sons and daughters have the same names as his own sons and daughters. But
Kumbo's sisters are Butha, and their children are Ippai and Ippatha. And, as seen in
the genealogy, the grandchildren of Kumbo and Butha, brothers and sisters, have the
same names.
II. In Tamil, A being a female, her sister's children are her sons and daughters.
Her brother's children are her nephews and nieces. Her brother's grandchildren, as
well as her sister's grandchildren, are her grandchildren. Taking Butha nurai, instead
of Kumbo nurai, in the above rule I, it will be seen that her sister's children have the
same names as her own, while her brother's children have different names, and the same
names return in the grandchildren.
III. All A's father's brothers are A's fathers. All A's mother's sisters are A's
mothers. So Kumbo's father's brothers are, like his father, Kubbi ; and Kumbo's
mother's sisters, like his mother herself, are all Ippatha.
IV. All A's father's sisters are A's aunts, and A's mother's brothers are his uncles.
So Kumbo's father's sisters are Kubbotha, while his mother is Ippatha. His mother's
brothers are Ippai, his father is Kubbi.
V. The children of A's father's brothers, and of his mother's sisters, are A's
brothers and sisters. The children of A's father's sisters, and of his mother's brothers,
are his cousins. So in the Australian system, the children of two or more brothers have
the same names ; and the children of two or more sisters have the same names ; but the
children of a brother and a sister must have different names. Thus the children of
several Ippais are all Murri and Matha ; the children of several Ippathas are all Kumbo
and Butha. But the children of an Ippai have not the same names as the children of
his sister Ippatha.
VI. A being a male, the children of his male cousins are his nephews and nieces,
the children of his female cousins are his sons and daughters. This rule and the Aus-
tralian rule coincide at some points. Thus, in the pedigree given above, Ippai and
Ippatha are the cousins of Kubbi. Ippai's children have different names to those of
Kubbi ; and Ippatha's children, like her cousin Kubbi' s, are all Kumbo and Butha.
VII. All brothers of A's grandfathers and grandmothers, are his grandmothers. All
sisters of his grandfather and grandmothers are his grandmothers. So Kumbo's grand-
father by the father's side is Kumbo, and all brothers of that grandfather are Kumbo.
Kumbo's maternal grandfather is Murri, so are that grandfather's brothers. Kumbo's
paternal grandmother and her sisters are all Matha ; his maternal grandmother and her
sisters are all Butha.
VIII. In Tamil the elder brother is distinguished from all the rest by the title
" brother." The Australian rule as to the use of the terms " daiadi " and " gullami "
for brothers, and of " boadi " and " buri " for sisters, is more complex, but indicates some
similarity of thought as to the distinction.
In reference to the above remarkable system of classification, marriage, descent, and
relationship, I have been careful to test the accuracy of the rules, by obtaining inde-
pendent statements from many Aborigines and half-castes, and comparing them together.
Thus I am now able, with unhesitating certainty, to state that the system is as above
described ; and, while there are local variations in names and divisions, the rules are sub-
stantially the same all over the north-western parts of this Colony, and in a large por-
tion of Queensland. And in the absence of any architectural monuments of antiquity
among the Australian race, this all-comprehensive social classification and conservative
marriage law may be regarded as constituting a memorial of the most significant
character.
RANDOM ILLUSTRATIONS OF ABORIGINAL LIFE AND CHARACTER.
JB{OR the most part, the blackfellows who have not come under the pernicious influence
of the lazy and drunken habits which generally prevail over those that live near the
towns are well formed and agile. On the Barwan I have seen some of the race of Murri
over 6 feet high. As a rule, the stnallness of the calf of the leg, especially when con-
trasted with a fine muscular development about the shoulders, detracts from their
appearance ; but some are really splendid models of symmetry and strength. The aspect
of a troop of them on the march, armed, and coloured with red and yellow ochre, recalls
the designation of the "noble savage." The portrait which forms the frontispiece to this
work is a true picture of the aboriginal man of Australia. Some more intellectual and
prepossessing countenances are to be found among them. But this man is an average
specimen of thousands, without a touch of European culture or a scrap of adornment ;
but with muscular frames, and faces expressive both of energy and of some measure of
thought.
There is a great variety in their countenances ; some remind one of the Hindoo
physiognomy ; some are like the African negro ; and it is no uncommon thing to find
among the blackfellows at a station some bearing the names " Paddy" and " Sandy,"
given them in consequence of the characteristics of Irishmen and Scotchmen having been
traced or fancied in their countenances. At Durundurun, near the Glass-house
Mountains, Moreton Bay, I found a family with decidedly Hebrew physiognomy. It is
a curious coincideuce that these men call their race by the name " Dan." At the Bora
Station, belonging to Mr. Orr, between the Namoi and the Castlereagh, a blackfellow
came up, among others, whom I at once declared to be a good representative of the Jack
Tars of OlcUEngland. There was certainly as much of the thorough English expression
in his frank and daring countenance as of the Irish and Scotch expression in others.
And Mr. Orr told me of a feat done by this blackfellow worthy of a British seaman. He
was in the service of two white men at a solitary hut, when a band of hostile natives
came up to kill them. This brave fellow stood in the doorway, and declared that they
should never kill the white men till they had first killed him ; and his firmness defeated
their attempt.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF ABORIGINAL LIFE AND CHARACTER. 167
There is a blackfellow on the Narran called among the whites " Peter," of whose
power over his tribe the following example was told me, in 1871, by a squatter on
the Barwan. A few weeks before my visit to Bundarbarina, two young men of the
Narran Biver were condemned to death by the tribe for a violation of the marriage
law, in taking women whose names marked them as not open to the choice of these
men. The women who shared their crime were condemned to die also. But the two
young men were in the service of squatters ; and, as Peter wished to commend
himself to the confidence and patronage of the white people, he resolved to save them.
He therefore stood forward with his shield to meet the spears thrown at them by a
number of the men of the tribe. The two women aided him in his defence ; but the
young men left him in the midst of the danger. Such were the skill and prowess of
Peter that he came out unscathed. He warned the two cowards that if ever they
offended again he would leave them to their fate.
Some time ago a blackfellow died on the Barwan, below Bourke ; he was buried for
two days. Then Tommy- Tommy and other blacks dug up the body, and skinned it.
King Rory, who told me about it, though an old man, declared that he never heard of
any other man being thus treated ; he thought it was infamous. The wicked Tommy-
Tommy keeps a bone of the dead man, and believes that he can kill any one by throwing
this bone towards him.
A few years ago Bory being desirous to go with Mr. Sparke to the Races, was told
that they could not go if it continued to rain ; it was then raining heavily, with no
prospect of fine weather. Bory cut bark here and there, and threw it on the ground,
calling "pu-a! pu-a!" according to a custom he had learnt of his father. The rain
ceased in time for him to go to the Eaces ; and he told me that the blackfellows up in the
Worrumbul (Milky Way) had stopped the rain for him.
Bory was a young man, living on a plain 50 miles from the Barwan, when he first
saw white men ; he thought they were wunda (ghosts) ; he ran away when he first saw
a horse. After that a white man came and lived a long time among the blacks ; Bory
made fishing-nets for him. This white man had very long hair and beard ; he returned
up the Namoi for Sydney.
Henry Bose, by birth Ippai Tuluma, the son of MurrI and Kubbotha Yuluma, of
the Pikumbul tribe, on the Macintyre Biver (in Queensland, near the border of this
Colony), has been twenty -five years in the service of Mr. Christian, on Liverpool Plains,
and a good trustworthy servant he has proved himself. This man told me that, when he
was a very little boy, some of his tribe having committed robbery, the black police were
168 ILLUSTRATIONS OF ABORIGINAL LIFE AND CHARACTER.
sent to " disperse" them. Poor little Ippai hid himself in the prickly scrub ; and from
his hiding-place saw the black police cut off with their swords the heads of men and
women ; he did not then know what the swords were, having never seen anything like
them ; he also saw these policemen take up little children by their feet and dash their
brains out against the trees. That is the way British authority has been enforced in
many cases by the black police — a force armed for the maintenance of the peace.
As an instance of the way in which power is sometimes transferred among the tribes,
Mr. Honery related the following incident : — A king or chief on the Barwan having sent
his wife away for a time, when she came back with a baby he said it was not his, and
beat her ; he then killed the baby by driving a tomahawk into its head. The woman's
brother coming up, and seeing what was done, speared the chief and killed him. Then
the tribe, finding their chief killed, attacked the slayer ; but on his telling what had
taken place, some took part with him. In a fight, he and his partisans overpowered the
avengers of the late chief; and having thus shown his superior prowess, he was recog-
nised by the tribe as their king. He was well known to the colonists as " Wyaburra
Jackey."
The people about the junction of the Hunter and the Iris give this account of the
origin of Rivers : — Some blackfellows were travelling in search of water, and were very
thirsty. One of them, with a tomahawk, cut a tree, in which there was a gulagur
(opossum's hole), and a stream flowed out which became a river.
The same people tell of a chief who sent some of his men to strip bark. They came
back and told him they could not get any. These men had broken the laws, and for their
sin a terrible storm came down upon them. The chief then took a tomahawk and stripped
off a sheet of bark ; he told his men to get under it. They said it was not large enough.
Then he stretched it, and made it longer and broader. A t last they all consented to go
under it ; he threw it down and killed them all.
The following vision of an aboriginal woman of the Wodi-wodi tribe was related to
me by her niece, Mrs. Malone (half-caste) : — Mary Ann (by that name the aboriginal
woman was known to the colonists) fell into a trance and remained for three days
motionless. At the end of that time Mrs. Malone's uncle let off a gun which awoke her
out of the trance. She then told her friends that she had seen a long path, with fire on
both sides of it. At the end of this path stood her father and mother, waiting for her.
As she went on they said to her " Mary Ann, what brought you here ? " She said " I
don't know ; I was dead." Her mother, whom she saw quite plain, said "You go back."
And she woke.
ILLUSTRATIONS OP ABORIGINAL LIFE AND CHARACTER. 169
When I first went down the jSTamoi, in 1853, I saw there an old blackfellow named
Charley, of whom the early settlers told this narrative : — On the first occupation of that
part of the country by squatters, Charley was the leader of a set of blackfellows who
greatly annoyed them by spearing cattle. Many attempts were made to cut short
Charley's career with a bullet ; but he was too active to be overtaken, and too nimble to
be made a target of. One day a stockman pursued him a long way with a pistol, but
could not get a successful shot at him. Shortly afterwards the same stockman was
travelling unarmed through the bush when his horse was knocked up, and he had to
dismount and try to drag the weary brute after him. "While he was in this plight a
number of blackfellows suddenly sprang out of the bushes and surrounded him. At their
head was Charley. The stockman thought he was now to die ; but instead of spearing
him, Charley addressed him in this manner : "You 'member blackfellow, you chase'm with
pistol, you try shoot him. I that blackfellow, Charley ! Now me say I kill you ; then
me say bel (not) I kill you; bel blackfellow any more coola (anger) 'gainst whitefellow ;
bel whitefellow any more coola 'gainst blackfellow ! You give me 'bacca." So he made
friends with the white men ; and from that time was a useful neighbour and often servant
to them — protecting their cattle and minding their sheep. Like many a blackfellow who
was at first an enemy and afterwards a steady friend, Charley made the settlers know
that his word could be relied on.
One common characteristic of the Aborigines of Australia, which ought not to be
unnoticed, is their tender care for the blind, and especially for the aged blind. Dr.
Creed (now of Scone) and other travellers on the northern coast of Australia have
related instances of the care taken of the blind. They say that these afflicted people
were the fattest of the company, being supplied with the best of everything. I also saw
an old blind Murri, on the Balonne, who was treated with great attention by his tribe.
He held a spear in his hand, and when he wanted guidance stretched it out for some one
to take. Seeing him signalling for a guide I took the end of the spear for him ; and all
his friends joined in an approving laugh as the old man said to me "murruba inda"
(good are you).
Many reminiscences of a higher kind might be produced from the several Mission
Stations. When the present Bishop of Brisbane, Dr. Hale, then Bishop of Perth, in
Western Australia, was coming to attend the General Conference, and to assist in
forming the General Synod for the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania, he
visited the Mission which he had established more than twenty years ago at Poonindie,
Port Lincoln, and gave public and solemn expression to his confidence in the christian
character of twenty-nine Aborigines there by administering to them the Communion of
the Lord's Supper. The aboriginal congregation testified their gratitude to the Bishop,
as the Founder of the Mission, by presenting to him a service of plate, which had cost
them over £13.
170 ILLUSTRATIONS OF ABORIGINAL LIFE AND CHARACTER.
One of the first-fruits of that mission was Daniel Tudhku, a native of the Murray
River, who was for years a diligent workmen, a devout worshipper, and a zealous pro-
moter of the Gospel. The last character he fulfilled by visiting his countrymen, and
bringing in all whom he could persuade to come and receive instruction at the station.
When that man was on his death-bed, the ruling passion of his life was strongly ex-
pressed in his prayer that a mission might be established on the Murray, for the benefit of
his tribe. At the last he gave a remarkable proof of his faith and patience : — As he was
evidently in great pain, those who stood by expressed their concern for him, on which he
said — " Oh ! there's no cause for impatience ; this is the Lord's doing ; let him do what
seemeth him good."
Poor Harry ! I must not end this chapter without a word or two about him. "When
I was preaching on the Upper Paterson, in 1851, he was working as a boy for Mr.
Alexander Cameron, a highland farmer, then tenant of Gruygallon, now cultivating his
own property on the Dingo Creek, Manning River. Harry had been brought down from
the Namoi to Maitland, about 400 miles, by some carriers ; and found his way from
Maitland up the Paterson. Cameron and his wife treated him very kindly, and he was
content to stay with them and make himself useful. He used to come in with the small
congregation that gathered in their house, to the evening service, once a fortnight. He
was pleased at being recognised as one for whom the minister cared : and I found that
by merely acting on the rule — " honour all men" — treating him as a fellow-creature, I
had won his friendship. About four years afterwards I met him in the district of his
tribe, at Bungulgully, near the Namoi. He had heard of my coming and went out on the
track to meet me. His countenance expressed his joy. He gave me help in learning
Kamilaroi, and listened with earnest attention to my endeavours to express, in his native
tongue, the thought, " murruba Immanuel ; kamil naragedul murruba yealokwai nerma"
(good is Immanuel; there is not another good like him), and the facts that prove the
truth of that assertion to a simple mind.
"When I went down the Namoi in 1871, there was no one else of whom I thought
so much as Harry of Bungulgully, my first and most hopeful friend among the Australian
Aborigines. When I came to the place, I found that he had been accidentally killed.
The curse of Aborigines, and settlers too, in many instances — rum — was the occasion of
the accident. After drinking at a public-house till his brain was confused, he leapt on
his horse and rode full gallop under a tree, with the arm of which his head came in con-
tact. Poor Harry ! it shall be more tolerable for thee in the day of judgment than for
many who have abused greater advantages.
A PARTING WORD FOR THE RACE OF MURRI.
J^ltlHE recent history of the race into whose life and thoughts some glimpses are
offered in the preceding pages is so entwined with that of the progress of the British
people in Australia that it should not be difficult to awaken an interest in their behalf.
It has been the misfortune of the Murri and kindred tribes, as it was of the
Carribee, the Delaware, and the Hottentot, to be found in the way of European
colonization ; and the Murri have not seen the white man take possession of their territory
without many an attempt (by deeds of cunning and of blood) to stop the invasion and
to avenge the injury. It would be easy to gather from the records of British colonization
in Australia many instances of horrid crimes committed by the Aborigines. They are, in
fact, partakers of the worst passions of human nature. But it must not be forgotten
that among the people of British origin who have come to settle upon the land formerly
occupied by Murri alone, have been some whose crimes against the Aborigines were at
least equal in atrocity to theirs. In short, there has been war, and along certain Hues of
Australian territory there is still war, between the Colonists and the Aborigines. In this
warfare cunning and ferocity have been developed j and the remembrance of what cunning
and ferocity have done tends to make the Colonists slow to recognize any characteristics
of an opposite kind in the blacks. There has been a tendency to seek reasons for
believing that these people are not of the same species as ourselves. And even in a
volume of Gospel Sermons the assertion has been, somewhat oracularly, published to the
world, that for the Aborigines there is no immortality, that they have no idea of God,
no devout feeling, nor any capacity for such thoughts and feelings.
It has, however been shown, in this book, out of their own mouths, from their songs
and their cherished traditions, that they are by no means destitute of some qualities in which
civilized men glory — such as the power of inventing tragic and sarcastic fiction, the thirst
for religious mystery, stoical contempt of pain, and reverence for departed friends and
ancestors. It may even be affirmed, with some reason, that they have handed down with
reverential care, through many generations, a fragment of primeval revelation. The
manner in which they have displayed these characteristics presents to us such a strange
mixture of wisdom and folly, of elevating and degrading thoughts, of interesting and of
repulsive traditions, of pathetic and grotesque observances, — that, in order to account for
the apparent contradictions, we must have recourse to the supposition of an ancient
civilization from which this race has fallen, but of which they have retained some
memorials.
172 A PARTING WORD FOR THE RACE OF MURRI.
The dark side of this people has not been concealed in this book. Their degrading
customs and their brutal crimes have been spoken of. A very large book might be filled
with instances in which Australian Aborigines have exercised the nobler qualities of
man, as faithful servants and true friends of Europeans. In no branch of the Human
Family can there be found more convincing proofs of gratitude and affection. Many a
settler and traveller could relate instances of blacks who, when once assured that a
white man was their friend indeed, held to him in danger and distress with unalterable
attachment. The faithfulness with which Jacky Jacky attended the explorer Kennedy
in his last hours, which has been commemorated by the Muses of History and Painting,
is by no means a solitary case of devoted attachment.
Many a lost English child has been saved from a miserable end in the bush by the
earnest and clever search of aboriginal trackers ; many a colonist has been rescued from
the floods by aboriginal swimmers ; and many a time has the poison injected by a snake-
bite been sucked from a wounded settler by a blackfellow. There have been instances
at different mission stations, of Aborigines who manifested in their lives a good under-
standing of the principles of the Christian Eaith, and a conscientious resolution to fulfil
its obligations. As for the artistic part of worship, a congregation assembled in St.
Phillip's, one of the episcopal churches of Sydney, has heard approvingly the sacred
music of the service, without knowing until afterwards the fact that an aboriginal
organist was leading their devotions.
Hitherto, it must be confessed, British colonization has done much to destroy, and
British Christianity has done little to save, the Aborigines of Australia. Sometimes
effort for their good is discouraged by the anticipation of their speedy extinction.
But this too popular theory of the speedy extinction of the Aboriginal race must be
modified, if not negatived by such a sight as I have seen, and as may still be seen in
some parts of New South Wales, — an assembly of hundreds of them, including dozens of
hoary heads, and dozens of infants at the breast.
When the Christianity we profess has become a living and a ruling power in the
British Australian community, — when the questions concerning different ecclesiastical
traditions and rules, which at present engross too .large a proportion of our zeal, have
given place to a supreme desire that the will of God may be done upon earth, — it will be
one of the objects which the Australian Church will seek with the most intense earnest-
ness, to convey to the remnant of the race of Murri and to their kindred, from Cape York
to Cape Leuwin, the knowledge of the love of Him who gave himself a ransom for all.
Sydney : Thomas Richards, Government Printer.— 1875.
THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE
STAMPED BELOW
AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS
WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN
THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY
WILL INCREASE TO 50 CENTS ON THE FOURTH
DAY AND TO $1.00 ON THE SEVENTH DAY
OVERDUE.
AUG 137 1M*
APR 2 7 1970 7 fl
tftVlN&IO
• ->R % 1970
(SAN MMWNBO
RFC!) LP JUL 2 3
JUN OH I9P (
—
72 -2 PM 2 8
MAY 1 fa »»
LD21-100m-7,'33
m
W^MFSSmE
Eks ■■»>,'.% '' i i;
WJffiffiBffli ^Sli
8&-«?>i8i
iHiMHLij' TlMC
U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES
vm
C00S282bM3
•'- '"-..■"■■■'■■■ ■■
V "•,:■'■-■"••.■, ■
-■"•■■■".■■'■.■■
19113