it is used to call a woman to a man, and at the man-making ceremonies (it is the same as the bull-roarer); but Jack tells me in Port Darwin it is used to call the natives together when a fight is on. William soon cut the rough shape out, but the other part, the smoothing it down, was a long process, and was done with a broken piece of glass; then came the markings.
Two days ago Father Nicholas brought me down one of the little Mission girls as a help to me in the house, and since she came I find that when she is in the kitchen William will not go in. I have been told that a gin belonging to one man would not enter a house nor appear to notice anything when another man was by; and even if told to go and fetch anything from the kitchen, would first call out to the man to make him go away before she could do as she was told. Aboriginal etiquette!
A short time ago I inspected the back of a native who had a spear nearly driven through him, and lost for some time the entire use of the lower limbs in consequence, and was not expected to live. However, now he is about again, although when I spoke to him a few days ago he told me the hurt in his back was well, "but it belong plenty sick along a inside, no can sleep, makeum plenty sore."
October 30th, 1899. We have had almost a complete collection of native weapons sent us lately by Father Nicholas, who has also sent us a Bingi skull, minus the lower jaw. The weapons are many of them stained with blood, and were actually taken by the Father from the natives when fighting. There is one of the women's fighting-sticks; that too is covered with blood. It was used in a fight here by a woman named Jenny against another of same name, and to such effect that the brain of one protruded. There is a carrying-stick for the pingyn (wooden cradle) when it is used for water. There are head decorations, charms, a lump of wilgy with hair attached just as cut from the head. He has also sent us two fine turtle-shells, ready
