Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-22
BOOMERANGS.
Returning Kind Does Not Come Back
to Thrower's Hand.
From Parsons Magazine.

from PearsOn's Magazine.
Boomerangs are Of two kinds: returning,
"Marndmullun wunkun" in the native
lingo, and non-returning, "Tootgundy wun-
kun" The first Is called invariably the
Australian boomerang, because 1t ,origi-
mated among the natives of Australia, and
Is used almost exclusively by them at the
present day. Travellers assert that a ma
tive will leave his home in the morning,
armed only with a couple of returning
boomerangs, and will come back at night
carrying a large number of birds killed
with these strange weapons. l have no
concern here with the boomerang that
comes not back. This differs little from
an ordinary club. and is Of no special in
terest. 1t is, however. preferred to the
other by the Australian aboriginal OF to-
day. "Marndwullun no good for fight" he
will say, IF he no hit i'm man, might
come back, and hit you or friend beside
you"-truly an undesirable quality in the
weapon of offense! In further reference,
however, to the boomerang" it will be
understood that the returning kind is
meant. In case some of my readers may
care to try little boomerang throwing
ON their own account, give few hints as
to the manufacture of these Implements
himself, as they are dear to buy, and many
are broken before proficiency Is attained
Besides. the making of them Is a valua BILE
lesson In their peculiaritieS.
The boomerang is formed of bent stick
one side rounded the other fiat. The Aus
tralians make 1t from boughs of the acacia
pendula, or from some tree of similar
growth, giving to the green wood the de-
sired curvature in the fire. 1t Is necessary
to choose very hard, strong and heavy
wood, and the best plan is to cut a piece
from natural bend or root of tree, and
to let the curve of the boomerang follow
no nf fhn
sees two boomerangs of the same shape
for they vary from a slight curve to nearly
a right angle. They differ also in length
from fifteen inches to three and a half feet,
and In breadth from two inches to three
inches. They should be about three
eighths of inch thick. tapering toward
the ends, which may be either round or
pointed, while the edge must be sharpened
all around One side must be convex the
other fiat, the sharpness Of the edge along
the convexity of the curve varying in diff
ferent boomerangs. When thrown the
boomerang travels forward for some dis
ellfpse to within a few PAGES of the throw
er. If the boomerang strikes It's mark 1t
falls to the ground. In throwing, 1t must
be grasped at one end, stretched back be-
hind the shoulder, and then brought rapidly
forward above the head, the inside of the
curve facing the direction in which 1t is
thrown. 1t may either be hurled upward
into the air, or downward. SO as to strike
thrower. In the first case 1t dies with q
rotary motion. as its shape would indicate,
and, after ascending to a great height,
1t suddenly returns in an elliptical orbit to
spot near Its starting point When
thrown downward to the ground It re-
bounds in a straight line. pursuing a rich
ochet motion until 1t strikes the object at
which 1t Is cast.
To throw the Australian boomerang in
such a way as to make sure of its doing
exactly what one wants Is one Of the most
difficult feats in the world. Alfred w.
Hewitt. who has seen the natives of Vic
toria practicing with the boomerang, men
toned that he questioned some blacks as
to whether they thought 1t was possible to
throw 1t so as to insure its returning to
the hand OF the thrower. Seven said no"
and characterized the statement as .1et
bollan," !. e., a falsehood; the eighth said
ne once made a boomerang that when
thrown on a calm day with great care
would gyrate round and round until 1t de-
scended to the ground not far from him.
moving as slowly as leaf falling from a
tree; and that he once ran forward and
nearly caught 1t. He said also mo kurnt
Qblack fellow can catch a wunkun when
ne f1ying-he would cut his hand OPEN
The throwing of boomerangs has always
been carried on in the open air, and no
Australian native has ever ATTEMPTED to
use them In q building