26
33. Very little reliable information is to hand as to the methods and procedure adopted in cases of one tribe fighting with another collectively; indeed, the progress of settlement, and opening up of the country has rendered warfare of such a comparatively rare institution nowadays [? another] as to has limited it to districts, eg. portions of the Gulf Coast Line, not ordinarily accessible to European observers.What was observed in the Boulia district has already been recorded. * On
the Bloomfield River (R. Hislop) there was one individual not necessarily the oldest, who took the lead, and planned out the mode of attack; this leader wore the cockatoo top-Knot feather-tuft head-ornament, giving him it at some distance gave an appearance of a which rendered him sufficiently conspicuous. At the field of battle, the older women would either try to prevent blood-shed or else with 'dancing' egg the combatants on to greater fury, their conduct defending upon local circumstances, cause of quarrel, etc. Prisoners were not taken, but the final victors would seize the opportunity of capturing any women of whom they might be in want.
34. With regard to individual fighting, the following two notices may not be out of place:-
At Miriam Vale (C.E.Roe, in 1892) the men would often, when at close quarters during the wrestle, try to seize each other by the testicle, the successful one increasing the pull by pressing his free hand on his adversary's shoulder : outsiders would then interfere. They used to fight very hard in the old days but one
* Roth Ethnol. Studies, Sect.238, last par
agraph.
(etc., 1897-