New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-31

srAVoiof tells US something OF the STU
gular weapon used by the natives of Aus
BY the natives. They ranged from two feet
to thirty eight inches in length, and were of
various shapes, all curved a little, and look
ing, as he describes them, like q wooden
new moon. They were made of q dark,
heavy wood, and weighed from one to three
pounds. In thickness they vary from half
an inch, and taper to point at each end.
One of the natives picked up the piece of
wood, and, poising it an instant, threw il,
giving it . rotary motion. For the first 100
feet or more it went straight ahead. Then
it tackled to the left and rose slightly, still
rotating rapidly 1t kept this Latter course
for 100 feet more, perhaps, but soon veered
to the left again, describing q broader
curve, and nome mt later fell to the earth
six or eight feet in front of the thrower,
having described nearly circle in the air.
Another native then took the same boom
erang and cast 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 handsomely 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 upward. After him they
all tried it, and buI 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 sort of jerk. 1t few very
quickly for forty OF fifty yards, whirliDg
| like top. Then it darted into the air.
mounting fully 100 feet, and came over our
heads, where it seemed to hang stationary
for moment, then settle slowly, still whirl-
ing, till he caught it. Two others of the
blacks then did the same thing.
Moopxuhi1a hoA NIT by;f aobo
little of the wood from the convex side of
one of the bOOmerangs. This is now
offered to one of them to throw. He took
it without noticing what had done, poised
it. but stopped sholt, and with q cor tempt
uous glance at my improvement threw it
down and exclaimed:
"Bale budgelyw fnO good).
The others then looked at it cautiously,
but it was bale budgery also to them. No
one could be induced to throw it.
Myers asked them why they die not use
it, but they could not give q definite an
swer. 1t was plain that they did not like
the way 1t 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 200
feet or more from the blacks. and bid earn
boo throw to him. The native looked at
hun moment rather curiOusly, then, com
pretending what was wanted, he selected
one of the heaviest of the missiles. and
turning half round, threw it with great
force in q direction almost opposite from
that where Burleigh stood.
The weapon sped smartly for sixty or
seventy feet, then tackled in an int tant and
flew directly at Burleigh, and, had he not
most expeditiously ducked, he wonld have
received hard thump, if nothing worse.
1t struck the ground twenty or Thirty PAGES
beyond. This feat brought out broad
grin and something like chuckle from the
whole of them Carnboo even Intimated
that he would like to try another cast, but
Burleigh expressed himself fully satisfied.
Mr.. Smith, however, offered to "take a
shot," but not at too short a range. We
were standing in front of one of the store
houses. Canboo placed Smith in front of
the door and stood with his back to him,
with Smiths hand on his shoulder.
None of us knew what sort of .maneuvre
he had in mind, not even Myers. Standing
in his position, the black threw the boom
erang straight ahead. immediately it
curved in the air. Then it disappeared
around the corner of the building, and, be-
fore he had time to guess what was meant,
it came round the other end (hsving passed
completely around the storehOuse) and gave
him a sounding slap on the back, which
made his eyes snap.