of the wild flax
which grows in tufts near the river. These are easily gathered by the
gins, who manage the whole process of net-making. They give each tuft
(soon after gathering it) a twist, also biting it a little, and in that
state it is laid about on the roof of their huts until dry. Fishing nets
are made of various similar materials, being often very large; and
attached to some of them I have seen half-inch cordage which might have
been mistaken for the production of a rope-walk. But the largest of their
nets are those set across the Darling for the purpose of catching ducks
which fly along the river in considerable flocks. These nets are strong,
with wide meshes; and when occasion requires they are stretched across
the river from a lofty pole erected for the purpose on one side to some
large opposite tree on the other. Such poles are permanently fixed,
supported by substantial props, and it was doubtless one of them that
Captain Sturt supposed to have been erected to propitiate some deity.

The native knows well the alleys green through which at twilight the
thirsty pigeons and parrots rush towards the water; and there, with a
smaller net hung up, he sits down and makes a fire ready to roast the
birds which may fall into his snare.

These savages have a power of manipulating with their toes so as to do
many things surprising to men who wear shoes.* This power they acquire
chiefly by ascending trees from infancy, their mode of climbing depending
as much on the toes as the fingers. With the toes they gather freshwater
mussels (unio) from the muddy bottom of the rivers or lagoons; and the
heaps of these shells beside their old fireplaces, which are numerous
along the banks, show that this shellfish is the daily food of at least
the gins and children. In their attempts to steal from us their feet were
much employed. They would tread softly on any article, seize it with the
toes, pass it up the back, or between the arm and side, and so conceal it
in the armpit, or between the beard and throat.

(*Footnote.
Morruda, yerraba, tundy kin arra,
Morruda, yerraba, min yin guiny wite ma la.
Song of Wollondilly natives; meaning:
On road the white man walks with creaking shoes;
He cannot walk up trees, nor his feet-fingers use.)

SUPERSTITIONS.

The hoary old priest of the Spitting-tribe was intense on tricks of this
kind, assisted by his people, and while he was thus plotting or effecting
mischief he chanted that extraor