Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-05-26
A Singular weapon.
THE NATIVES OF AUSTRALIA, AND THE UsE
THEY MAZE OF THE '.BOOMERANG.'

THE NATIVES OF AUSTRALIA, AND THE USE
THEY MAZE OF THE BOOMERANG"
A traveller tells us something of that
singular weapon used by the natives of
Australia, the boomerang. He saw them
used by the natives. They ranged from
two feet to thirty weight inches in length,
and were of various shapes, all curved Il
little, and looking, rs he describes theu,
something like a wooden new moon.
They are made of dark, heavy wood,
and weigh from one to three pounds. In
thickness they vary from half an inch to
an inch, and taper to point at each
end. sf ..
One of the natives picked up the piece
of wood, poised il an instant, and threw
it, giving it rotary motion. For the
first hundred feet or more it went
straight ahead with deep, humming
sound. Then it tackled to the left, and
rose slightly, still rotating rapidly. 1t
kept this latter course for a hundred
feet more, perhaps, but soon yeered to
the left again, describing broader
curve, and a moment later fell to the
earth six or eight feet in front of the
thrOwer, having described nearly cir
Gle in the air. r t
Another native then took the same
boomerang and east it, holding it with
the same grip. 1t took the same course,
but made broader curves; and as it
came round, the black caught it hand
sOmely in his right hand.
Another native next threw it, and
lodged it on the ground about twenty
feet behind him, after it had described a
circle of two hundred yards or upwards.
After him they all tried it, and but one
of them failed to bring the weapon back
TO the spot where they stood.
CarnbOO, a native, then selected from
the heap of bOOmerangs another one,
and cast it with a sort of jerk. 1t flew
very swiftly for forty or fifty yards,
whirling like a top. Then it darted into
the air, mounting fully a hundred feet,
and came over our heads, where it
seemed to hang stationary for moment,
then settled slowly, still whirling, till
he caught it. Two others of the blacks
then did the same thing.
Meanwhile l had with NV knife
shaved a little of the wood from the
convex side of the bOOmerangs. This
one l now offered to one of them to
throw. He took it, without noticing
what had done, poised it, but stopped
short, and with a cOntemptuOus glance
at my improvement threw it down, ex
claiming:
"Bd,e budgery," (no good.)
The others then looked at il curiOusly,
but it was bale budgery also to them.
Not one could be induced to throw it.
Myers asked them why they did not
use it, but they could give no definite
answer. 1t was plain that they did not
like the way it poised, when held in the
hand; yet could not distinguish any
difference whatever between this and
the other weapons.
Burleigh then walked to distance of
two hundred feet or more from the blacks
and bid CarnbOo throw to him. The
native looked at him moment rather
curiOusly, then cOmprehending what
was wanted, he selected one of the
heaviest of the missiles, and turning
half round, threw it with great force in
direction almost opposite from that
where Burleigh stood.
The weapon sped smartly for sixty or
seventy feet, then tackled in an instant,
and flew directly at Burleigh, and had
he not most expeditiOusly ducked, he
would have received a hard thump, If
nothing worse. 1t struck the ground
twenty or thirty PAGES beyond. This
feat brought out a broad grin, and some
thing like a chuckle, from the whole of
them. CarnbOO even intimated that ne
would like to try another east, but b ir-
leigh eA pressed t,,.on iiiiiy s::.:.ee4. &c.. ed.
Mr.. Addition (anOther of our party,
however, offered to ''take a shot," but