New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-05
BOOMERANGS.
THE RETURNING KIND DOES NOT COME
BACK TO THE THROWER's HAND.
From Pearson's Magazine.

II'i!i carson AlaGlZne.
Hoomerangs are Of two kinds: returning,
Marnd"uiium Nuukun" the native lingo,
ana npn-Itturulng. "IpOtgundy Wunkun." The
hrst rs called invariably the Australian BOOM
eIaLE' p"caus' u originated among the natives
OF Australia. ami Is used almost exclusively by
them at the present day. Travellers assert that
a native viii leave his home in the morning,
armed only with couple OF returning boom
eranss and VIII come back at night carrying a
large number Of birds killed with these strange
weapons. ! have no concern here with the
boomerang that comes not back. This differs
little from an ordinary club and is OF no special
interest II IS. however. preferred 20 the other
by the Australian aboriginal OF to-day "Marnd-
Wullun no good for fight" he will say. If he no
hit I'm man, might come back. and hit you or
friend beside yOu'-truy undesirable quality
IN the weapon OF offence In further reference.
however. TO the boomerang" it will be under
stood that the returning kind is meant In
case some OF my readers may care to try little
boomerang throwing on their own account. 1
give few hints to the manufacture OF these
implements. The tyrO would do well to make
them himself they are dear to buy and
many are broken before proficiency is attained.
BESIDES. the making Of them Is a valuable lesson
IN their peculiarities.
The boomerang is formed Of a bent stick.
side rounded the other fiat The Australians
make il from boughs OF the Acacia pendula or
from some tree OF similar growth giving to the
green wood the desired curvature in the fire. 1t
rs necessary to chuOSe very hard. strong and
heavy wood. and the best plan is to cut a piece
from a natural bend root OF tree. and to let
tho curve Of the boomerang follow the grain Of
the wood one hardly eyer two boom
erangS OF the same shape. for they vary from
slight curve To nearly right angle They differ
also m length from - inches 10 b. feet. and IN
bread b from two inches to three inches. They
should he about thr"c-eighths of an inch thick.
tapering toward the ends which may be either
round or pointed while the edge must be sharp
ened all round. one side must be convex. the
other nat the sharpness nf the edge along the
conycXity Of ih" curve varying in different
boomeraugs. When thrown tho boomerang
generally returns ~ an ellipse 10 within a few
PAGES Of ia" thruwer. II the boomerang strikes
IFS mark 10 falls 10 ne ground IN throwing. it
must h" grasped NJ one end. stretched back he
hind The shoulder and then brought rapidly for
ward above the head. the inside Of The curve
facing th~ direction IN which 10 IL thrown. 1t
may e.th"r be- hurled upward into the air. or
DOWN. ard. 50 MS 90 strike the ground at some
distslnc" from The thrOWer In the first case il
flies with 4 rotary motion. ~ its shape would
indicate. and. after asco ndnC % "A great height.
t suddenly returns n an elptiCai orbit TO a
spot near IT'S starting point When thrown
downward go IN" ground II rebounds IN a
straight line. pursuinr richoch"t motion until
u strikes the object ar which 1t is cat
To throw thu Australian boomerang in such
way as io max" sur" OF lbs doing exactly what
one "ants IS "a" ~ n" rcst difficult fcats In
tho world Alfred " Hewitt. who has seen the
nat s-s of Victoria practising with the boom
oranE. mentioned that h~ questioned some
blacks a. to whether they thought it was posi-
bile % throw u 50 to insure its returning to
ihe hand Of the throwrr Seven said no" and
characterized the statement as jet bOlan." T. e..
falls hood th- eighth said h" once made a
boomerang that when thrown on calm day
with great care would gyrate round and round
until 1t descended 70 thu ground not far from
him moving as slowly AS a leaf falling from
tree and that Do once ran forward and nearly
caught o. H. said also no kurni iblack feI-
fON1 can catch a Wuukuu when he flying he
would cu' his hand open" Tn" throwing Of
Doomeranss has always been carried on in the
open ur and 300 Australian native has eyer at
f.r g 3D. ffaf q