They carry the same kind of
spears, and the womera, or throwing stick, as are used by those in New
South Wales. In the summer months they frequent the sea-coast, where
their skill in spearing fish is described as quite wonderful. In
winter they mostly adhere to the woods on the higher grounds, where
the kangaroos, the opossum tribe, and the land tortoises are
plentiful. These, with birds and roots, constitute their sustenance.
They have neither boat nor raft, nor did the party fall in with any
thing resembling a hut. They made use of the word "kangaroo" and other
terms in use at Port Jackson. The party saw only the three kinds of
animals above-mentioned, and heard the barking of the native dog; no
other reptiles but iguanas and lizards and a single snake presented
themselves.
Of birds, the list is somewhat more extensive. The emu is frequent on
the plains, and that once supposed "_rara avis_," the elegant black
swan, was seen in the greatest abundance on the river to which it has
lent its name, and particularly on Melville lake. Equally abundant
were numerous species of the goose and duck family.
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