The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-11-09
The Boomerang and ITS Mysteri-
Ous PeCuIIarities.
from the Chicago Tribune.l

l.
A traveller tells us something of the
singular weapon used by the natives OF
the boomerang. He saw
them used by the natives They ranged
from two feet to thirty eight inches in
length, and were of various shapes, all
curved little, and looking, as he de-
scribes them, ike wooden new moon.
They were made of 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 patiyes picked up the
piece Of wood, and, poising it an in
stant, threw it, giving it rotary mo-
tion For the first one hundred 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 hundred feet more, perhaps,
but soon veered to the left again, de-
scribing a broad curve, and a moment
ater fell to the earth six or eight feet In
front of the thrower, having described
nearly circle in the air. d
Another native then took the same
boomerang and cast it, holding it with
the same grip It. took the same course,
but made broades curves, and ut 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
circle of two hundred yards or upward
After him they all tried it, and but ont
of them failed to bring the weapon bacl
to the spot where they stood.
Carnboo. native, then selected from
the heap of boomerangs another one
and cast it with sort of jerk. 1t fev
very quickly for forty or fifty yards
whirling like top Then it darted int
the air, mounting fully one hundred fee
and came over our heads, where
r seemed to hang stationary for me
| ment, then settle slowly, still whirline
till he caught it. two others of tb
: blacks then did the same thing
Z Meanwhile had with my knife sha'
t ed little of the wood from the conve
f side of one of the boomerangs; ThI
: is now offered to- one of them TO throw
He took it without noticing what | ha
q done, poised it,.but stopped short, an
t with contemptuous glance at my in
}. provement threw it down and exclain
, ed -
:. "Bale budgerv" (ro good).
The others then looked at it caution
ly, but it was bale budgery also
;. them. No one could be induced
: throw it.
,. ,, Myers asked them why they did n
~ use il, but they could not give defni
:, answer. 1t was plain that they did n
,, like the way it poised, when held in Il
= hand, yet l could not distinguish al
difference whatever between this al
W the other weapons.
ss Burlcigh then walked TO distance
W two hundred feet or more from t
ie blacks, and bid Carnboo throw to hi
s The native looked at him nome
'n rather curiouslv, then, comprehend
u what was waeted, he selected one of t
heaviest Of the missiles, and, turni
half round, threw it with great force
ne a direction almost opposite from ii
is where Burleigh stood.
= The weapon sped smartly for si1
o or seventy feet, then tackled in an
u; slant and flew directly at Burleigh, al
st. had he not most expeditiously duck
y; he would have received hard thun
ne if nothing worse II struck the grou
an twenty or thirty PAGES beyond. T
feat brought out broad grin and sol
de thing like a chuckle from the whole
n them. Carnboo even intimated that
he would like to try another cast, but b
ad leigh expressed himself fully satisi'
.ar Mr. Smith, however, offered to TAX
RS shot, but not at 100 short a range.
TO- were standing in front of one OF
= store-hcuses Carnboo placed Smith
IN frort of the door and stood with
ill., back to him, with Smiths hand on
ill shoulder. None of US knew what 8
of maneuver he had in mind, not eN
tel Myers. Standing in his position,s
nd black threw the boomerang strai
or. ahead. Immediately it curved in
he air. Then it disappeared around
of corner of the building, and bef
we he had time to guess what was mean
ar came round the other end (having pa
IN ed completely around the tore-hou
vas and gave him sounding slap on
md back, which made his eyes snap.