The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-04-28
Magic of the Boomerang.


men of Australia, people of very low in
telligence make their boomerangs do all
these things, and many more so wonderful
that they must be seen to be appreciated.
About $50 people saw these things done
on Sunday, says the New York Sun of the
9th inst, on Manhattan Field, New York,
where four bushmen from the extreme
north of Queensland, who form part Of
Barnum q Baileys circus, gave an exhibit
ton of boomerang throwing. The savages
are short, sturdy looking men, and three of
them possess bushy black whiskers. The
fourth, young boy, is called Tom, which
isn't his name. Another is called Dillaroo,
which is his name
The bushmen appeared on the field car
rying six boomerangs apiece which they
themselves had made. The implements
were of hard wood, slightly curved, about
three feet long, and painted pink. A care
full examination of the surface Of one of
them showed that it was planned or ground
into series of very gentle undulations.
1t was somewhat pointed at each end, and
weighed about three ounces. After Frank
Frost, the man who brought the bushmen
to this country, had explained that they
We're out of practice, not having thrown
their boomerangs for some months, and
that the spectators would do well to keep
at a respectful distance at first, a warning
which was carefully needed, one of the
sayages selected a stick, waved it back and
forth gently, and then threw it with an
effortless swing toward the north. The
stick went perhaps thirty yards straight
ahead, then turned over, swerved to the
right, and came sweeping back in grace
full curve to the bushman's feet. Another
man followed with a longer throw. Then
one of the wonderful sticks went flying far
into the air, turning and twisting, diving
forward and coming down in spiral course
like wounded pigeon.
Give us a ground throw, Tom" Frost
called 10 the Youngest Of the men.
Tom selected boomerang, took short
run forward, and with the impetus of the
run and a force to which he gave the
strength of his arm, back, and leg muscles,
hurled it forward parallel to the ground at
height of yard. For twenty-five yards
il sped on, with an indescribable whirring
aud whisiling then it struck the ground,
and gasp of surprise went up from the
spectators, for instead of stopping there it
rose into the air and went whirring up,
higher, higher, far up above the tops of
the biz grand stands. As a hawk hovers
over its prey the inanimate wood lowered;
then it started down in wide curve to the
ground.
Tom tried again. This time the weapon
struck the ground, jumped as if it were
clearing an obstruction, struck again and
forthwith set out for cloudland. Suddenly
it changed its mind, went sloping off at an
angle, and presently huttered to the place
where it had started, stopping to hover at
a height of few feet, as if to pick out a
soft spot for alighting. TWAS like magic.
In the middle of the exhibition pigeon
came lazily winging over the field and
tarried to watch the strange birds that
flew in circles and returned to the place
whence they started.
"Try one at the pigeon, called one of
the spectators to Dillaroo.
The bushman nodded and hurled his
boomerang, not at the bird, but at the
speaker. 1t rose over the heads of the
crowd, circled around until it got under |
the pigeon, then made bee line upward
for that astonished bird. The pigeon did |
not wait to meet the strange bird, ltstart-
ed southward, and if the manner of its de-
parture may be taken as an indication, it
is probably flying yet. The spectators had
walked out on the field, and presently
boomerang fell at the feet of Tody Hamil-
ton, Barnum 4 Baileys press agent. Tody
picked it up.
eDo you know" said he, 81 think |
could throw this thing. 1t looks easy
As he spoke he swung it carelessly
ronnd his head and the crowd moved back
in terror. There were men there who had /
seen strange adventures, bat they turned |
pale. Frank Frost crawed behind his
neighbor with shaking knees.
"Don't do it, Tody.'
i'Point it the other way, it might be
loaded GIVE us chance for our lives,
pleaded the spectators. But Mr.. Hamil-
ton was resolved. He compressed his lips,
glanced hastily about, and propelled his
boomerang toward that part of the horizon
that looked safest The boomerang went
in that direction for just three feet. Then
il turned sharp corner and made slant
for the savage of the unpronounceable
name, and there was murder in its motion.
A chorus of warning yells from the crowd
told the bushman, whose back was turned,
that something was the matter. He didn't
wait to investigate, but dropped, just in
time for fraction of second later the
whirling weapon cut wide swath in the
atmosphere just where his head had been,
and fell some fifty feet further on. The
savage arose and cast a reproachful glance
at Mr.. Hamilton, but that gentleman was
busy looking at his watch. The bushmen
kept an eye on him thereafter, and when,
later on, he picked up another boomerang
they fairly fell over each other in their