Narrative Of The Overland Expedition Of The Messrs. Jardine, From Rockhampton To Cape York, Northern Queensland By Frank Jardine And Alexander Jardine
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They And The "Gudang" Seem To Hold Most
Communication With The Islanders Of 'Torres' Straits, The
Intermixture Of The Races Being Evident.
"Kororega" words are used
by both these tribes, and the bow and arrow are sometimes seen among
them, having been procured from the island.
The "Yadaigan" tribe
inhabit the south side of Newcastle Bay and the Kennedy River; the
"Undooyamo," the north side. These two tribes are more numerous than
the two first-mentioned, and appear to be of a more independant race
than the others, and gave us much trouble on our first settlement, by
continual thefts and otherwise. The tract of country which they
inhabit is nearly covered with the densest scrub and with swamp, into
which they took refuge with their booty as soon as any depredation
was committed, so as to render it next to impossible for us to pursue
them. These four tribes together do not number in all more than 250
to 300 men.
18. All these people are much addicted to smoking. Tobacco is used
by them in preference when it can be got. Before its introduction,
or when it was not procurable from Europeans, the leaves of a large
spreading tree, a species of 'Eugenia', was, and is still used.
These leaves must possess some strong deleterious or narcotic
property. I was for some time puzzled to assign a cause for so many
of the natives being scarred by burns. Nearly every one shows some
marks of burning, and some of them are crippled and disfigured by
fire in a frightful manner.
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