The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-10-22
DEADLY DUEL With
THE BOOMERANG
Story of an Encounter Between
the Aborigines of Aus
traiia.

Twas visiting at Port Augusta when
the chief justice came to hat town to
hold the assizes, writes a co~rrespon-
dent OF the London Field. Port Augusta
is almost on the border of the desert.
In the immediate ne~ighborhood there
was growing in profusion the salt
brush. which supports h life OF the
sheep during drought, and the tempt
ing sprickly Jack" a weed, good to look
pointed spur works havoc among the
~iieeces. Close by we say a prosper
Gus ostrich farm and Il number of cam
els with their Afghan drivers, about to
start on a journey still further north.
The strange impression of this juxta-
position OF old and new was deepened
by the nature OF the principal case for
trial. IL was o. charge against Jimmy
Wonyiita OF the murder of Billy Lee,
both aborigines. The story Of the crime
was not complicated. A quarrel seemed
to have arisen through the refusal Of
the deceased, though OF mature years,
to submit 30 initiatory rites which tech
Eieally made him a young man." The
Witnesses We're careful TO speak Of him
always as q boy" though 1t was testi-
fed that he had a few gray hairs. v
The actual conflict between the two
men was conducted with much of the
punctiiio of a duel. Each of them was
armed With what is commonly called
the double boomerang" strictly speak
Ing, Ii should rather be called q dub
In boomerang form. 1t Is a large and
somewhat heavy weapon and not in
tended asa missile at all. but used
TO iniiict 4 blow which must be deliv-
cred only against the head. The In
yiolablc etiquet OF such encounters, de-
mands that each combatant In turn
shall bend his head to the attack, not
a n arf1 ~ fWags * IN rann ~ a. aanktI H. l--
steadily suffered his own chastisement.
Blow thus soleInnly alternates with
blow, until the man with the stronger
arm aud harder head Is left the VIC
tor. In this ordeal Billy Lee succumbed.
The witnesses in this trial were Of
course mainly aborigines themselves.
for the crime was committed in one
of their camps. Their demeanor was
extremely nervous. Again and again
they had to be eXhorted to hold up
their heads II to speak clearly. One
OF them. a strong maj with dents upon
his head suggesting a long experience
OF boomerang duels. tainted in the
course OF giving his evidence. and an
other collapsed as soon as he had left
the box. Later witnesses were there
fore allowed to sit, and were frequently
refreshed by a glass of water. which
they would empty Mt a single gulp.
Their evidence was given In pidgin
English. interpreted by a police In
spector. WI was protector Of the
aborigines for that district.
The counsel ror the defense had the
advantage OF having lived for some
time among the blacks when a boy.
and could consequently make himself
easily Understood by them. You
yaDba long me now" was his intima-
~ that they were now to speak to
klm instehd or 10 his learned brother.
"Ycu tell ms straight, no tell lies" was
sufficient to emphasize the Importance
of truthful VI Several peculiari-
ties IN linguistic usage am out during
tka examination The witnesses used