Transcription

262
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES .
 
a Boomering [boomerang] towards a group of the naked blacks. They will instantly scatter, and assemble together again the moment the dreaded instrument is seen to have finished its eccentric Course.  It is thrown in every possible way to damage the enemy, sometimes directly at them, striking the ground first, as described; sometimes it is thrown so as to skim horizontally along close to the ground, or high in the air to take its chance at a venture, but in all instances the Boomering [boomerang] is held with the points towards the object when hurled from the thrower, and happy are they considered who escapes from its destructive range - It rips up the individual when it strikes as though done with a knife.
The Aborigines of New South Wales had formerly an instrument of warfare called Yir-ra, in reality a very simple wooden sword, at first when I saw one I mistook it for a Boomering, the shape in the blade being much like that weapon, There was, however, this difference, the Boomering is alike at both ends, the wooden sword has a handle at one end with a bend contrary to the blade, there is a very good representation of such a sword in the uplifted arm of Fig.37. Egyptian Boomering Page 135 of 'Nineveh 7 & its Palaces'  by Joseph Bonomi, H.R.S.L. together with a similar one Fig. 38. Bomering [Boomerang] in Nimrods hand;  so also figure 42 is not the Australian Boomering, but the Australian wooden sword. The difference of shape appears to be only an accidental circumstance arising from the natural growth of the tree whence the wooden sword was taken. Just as the curve of all scymetrical [symmetrical?]  though made of the best Damascus steel, are not alike; so, likewise, the
curve of the Australian Boomering in regurd [regard] to its curved shape.

Current Status: 
Ready for review