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[Page 10] 10
- Fishing -
The making of fishing lines
and
Fish pens
Fishing lines were made from the inner bark
of the Kurrajong tree - The bark when stripped
was allowed to soak in water until the outer
portion could be easily scraped away leaving
a white flax like material very tough & strong.
The women twisted the stuff to the required
thickness and length by rolling it on the front
part of their thighs on a part prepared for the
work by the application of hot ashes which
destroyed the skin and left a smooth hardened
patch - The lines when finished were extremely
strong and durable - This material was also
very useful in the manufacture of fishing
spears for fastening the bone tips to the
prongs and in other ways -
The mooling or fish spear consisted of three
parts - the (?) prongs of ironbark - The main
shaft of the spear of the gigantic lily and
an addition to the latter of the flower stem
of the grass tree - The weight and strength
were regulated to the purpose for which
the spear was intended - The heaviest was