The record-union., 1892-10-28
AUSTRALIAN BUSHMEN.
Arrival Of a Party Of Black Boomerang
IhrOWers.
Queer Specimens of Cannibalistic
Race That is Nearly Extinct-A
Novel Exhibition.

The wild man Of Borneo has not yet
come TO town, but several of his half
brothers and sisters have reached here,
and they are wild enough looking TO suit
the most fastidious admirer of aborigine
flesh and blood
These black visitors consist of a small
band of bushmen from the wilds of
Queensland, known as BLACK Trackers."
They belong to tribe whose members
have been noted for their partiality for
missionary soup and skill in throwing the
boomerang. The boomerang is also a
native production Of the Queensland
wilds, but is known in this country,
where it is sometimes carelessly handled
by newspaper editors and politicians dur
ing the open campaign seasons.
+. y. Cunningham, an old Californian,
who ten years ago brought party Of
bOomerang-thro from Australia and
travelled All over the world with them,
has these blacks under engagement for
exhibition during the Worlds Fair,
and L. Frost is business manager. The
former brought them from Australia a
few weeks ago. and will keep them i'll the
mild climate OF California during the
winter as they could not survive the
cold weather of the East during the
ensuing six months. They are now in
Sacramento, where several exhibitions
VIII he given by them.
The party consists Of six men and two
women, and they were taken to Snow
flake Park yesterday afternoon, where a
preliminary exhibition of boomerang
throwing was given in the presence OF
members Of the press and several other
invited guests.
ba r ~
to room, where they removed their
heavy clothing and donned black tights
and Scant native costume made OF the
SKINS of small animals and quite orna-
mental. Zach carried under one arm a
small bundle OF boomerangs such as are
used in ordinary exhibitions, and which
are smaller and lighter than the weapons
of war.
The boomerang is essentially the Ma
tiOnal weapon of the Australian, and,
though curious missiles are found in
other parts OF the world, there is none
that can compare with the boomerang.
1t is made almost invariably Of hard,
heavy and tough wood, is slightly convex
on the upper surface, and fiat below, be-
ing bent at an angle OF about 40. 1t is
used as a missile, is one OF the strangest
weapons that ever was invented, and can
be thrown TO distance of from 800 to $40
feet, always returning to the thrOwer.
The weapon is grasped by the hand, the
flat side downward; then with quick
and sharp fling the boomerang is hurled,
the hand at the same time being drawn
| back, so as to make the weapon revolve
with extreme rapidity.
The native can do almost anything
with the boomerang. If, for example, he
should see kangaroo i'll such position
that he cannot come within the range of a
spear without showing himself, he will
steal as near as he can without disturbing
the animal, and viii then throw his
boomerang in such a manner that it cir
cles round the tree, and strikes the animal
at which it is aimed.
Although these strange creatures, which
belong to about the lowest order of hu-
manity, when in their wild state-not
even excepting the Digger lndians-have
weird dances and other features that are
introduced in their regular exhibitions,
that OF yesterday was confined to the
throwing of the boomerang. The women
occupied Il bench near the stand, while
the six men marched out to about where
the pitcher stands i'll baseball game and
without ceremony OF any kind went at
their work.
Whizz went something, and looking
upward the spectators saw something
whirGng i'll the air and describing grace
ful circles that embraced the full width of
the block gradually descend until it fell
almost at the feet OF the thrower.
Then another boomerang was sent fly
ing, and another, and another, until sew
eral were i'll the air at one time, all whiZ-
zing and circling in graceful curves, only
to return to the spot whence thrown; and
the throwers were kept pretty busy dodg-
ing them.
The blacks entered into the sport with
great zeal. 1t is remarkable how this
and other practices, which involve great
skill and mechanical ingenuity, could
have risen among a people who are re-
garded as belonging to the lowest race of
the brotherhood. The most singular
feature in throwing the boomerang is the
fact that, although projected with great
forward velocity, the weapon is so con-
structed and thrown as to make COM
plete circuit, acquiring a backward mo-
Inentum, and falling ultimately some
where near the native who threw it.
though it sometimes falls behind him.
The boomerang is thrown with great
| force, creating a whizzing sound as it
leaves the hand. 1t takes an upward mo-
ton, mounting like a swallow on the
wing, and when at its greatest altitude,
sometimes out of sight, it looks like
bird. 1t describes a curve in its course,
returning again with equal, if not greater
speed than in the initial motion, carrying
it back long distance behind the thower.
Continuing IFS circular course it again
moves forward and falling, when not too
much retarded by the wind, near the
starting point. These blacks are also eX-
perts in spear-throwing and other things.
They do not always throw the boom
erang upward, but occasionally send it
skipping over the ground with lightning
speed, still going in a circle, however,
and generally stopping near the thrower.
And these supplemented fellows seem
to delight in the pastime, laughing and
guying one another when poor throws
are made. When they were called off
yesterday they seemed 10th to quit
Tomorrow they will give their first
public exhibition here, ana the manage
ment say that some feats will be per-
formed with the heavier weapons used in
hatt1a