Emus
Scrub Turkeys
Swans
Ducks
Cockatoos and Parrots
Quail
Root and Other Plant Food
How it was Prepared
Meals
Water
Fire
How obtained
Signs and Signals
Emus – The blacks used their nets to catch emus at times. They knew where these birds came for water, and would set nets accordingly to entangle them, and, if successful, would despatch them with weapons. At other times the natives would lie hidden, and spear the birds as they went by. Emu feathers were much valued; the gins wore them in their hair on occasions. Eggs were found and eaten. An emu was called “ngurrun.”
Scrub turkeys – These were hunted, and their nests were sought. The latter sometimes contained a great number of eggs several birds evidently laid in the same place. The eggs were just laid on the ground, and covered over with a multitude of leaves and small sticks, and left to come out on their own account. They were never sat upon. These nests or heaps were easily discovered, as they were quite big, sometimes two feet high. A scrub turkey was called “war- gun.”
Swans – The Turrbal or Brisbane tribe (not the natives of the Maroochy River) called a black swan “marutchi” (Maroochy). Swans were caught in the moulting season, they could not fly then; the blacks went after them in their canoes. Gins kept the small feathers for ornamenting their hair, and the men always kept the down, carrying it in dillies. This down was used to dress up the body for fights or corrobborees. Bribie Passage and South Passage were favourite resorts of the swan. The natives caught their young and found their eggs.
Ducks (“Ngau-u) – Nets were put across one end of a large lagoon which ducks frequented. The natives hid themselves, and when the ducks came, frightened them up, and then threw two or three boomerangs in among them. The ducks, thinking these were hawks, would shoot down- wards, and get stuck in the net. The aborigines used two kinds of boomerangs. One, when thrown, would return to the sender’s feet, the other did not return. The latter was used in fighting, while the former was chiefly a plaything. It was, however, the one which returned which was used in this way to frighten birds.
In large swamps in summer time, the natives would go into a waterhole, and standing there with the water up to their necks, they held a little bush in front of them which hid their heads. The ducks, thinking this was just an ordinary bush, swam gaily near and nearer as they fed, and were suddenly grabbed by the legs and pulled under. Ducks were very plentiful then, and sometimes several were caught this way. At other times they took fright and were off. The eggs of a duck were much appreciated, and ducklings were often caught.
Birds were generally singed and rubbed free of feathers, then cooked in the usual way on ashes, but sometimes a duck would be rolled in a big ball of mud-feathers and all-then put right under the ashes. When cooked the mud and feathers would all come off together, and the inside, too, would readily come away, leaving the duck nice and clean. No other bird was cooked in this way. Duck’s feathers were kept for the women’s hair, as were all small feathers.
Parrots (“Pillin”), Cockatoos (“Kai-yar”) – Towards sundown, from the low-lands, the parrots flew in flocks up the gorges of the mountains to roost for the night, after their feed of the day. The natives set nets across the trees where they knew they would pass, and as the flocks flew along boomerangs were thrown in among them, and the parrots, thinking, like the ducks, that these were hawks, dived down, and were caught in the nets. Great numbers were captured this way. Parrots were also sneaked upon when sitting on nests, and the young birds were likewise caught and eaten. If any bird’s nest (on the ground or on a tree) were discovered, it was watched for the sake of the bird that came to it. Many different kinds were caught so. Cockatoos were greatly valued for their yellow top-knots, which were called “billa-billa, and were worn by men as described. They built their nests in hollow limbs.
Quail (“Du-wir”) – The natives went out in four or five lots in different directions, and as these birds were frightened up they threw little waddies at them. The different lots worked into each other’s hands. New Farm and Eagle Farm were great places for quail; my father has hunted there for them.
Plants – Animals, birds, and fish were all roasted on hot cinders, and so were certain roots and tubers of plants. The natives got the root of a fern (Blechnum serrulatum) which grew in the swamps in great quantities. It was mostly the gins who dug this up and put it in their dillies to carry to camp; great loads there would be at times, for the root was highly esteemed. It was called “bangwal,” and was first roasted, then scraped and cut up finely with sharp stones on a log, when it was ready to eat. “Bangwal” was generally eaten with fish or flesh, as we use bread, though also eaten separately. In a camp, my father says, one would hear the chop-chop continually all over the place, as this food was prepared. It was very much used.
The root of a fresh water rush (Typha augustifolia) was also eaten. This was something like arrowroot, and was called “yimbun.” The outer skin was taken off, and then the roots were chewed raw until nothing was left but fibre, which was thrown away.
A large leaved plant, which grew on the edge of the scrubs (Alocasia macrorrhiza), was also sought for its roots. It is well known as “cunjevoi,” but the Brisbane blacks called it “bundal.” This plant is poisonous, but the blacks prepared the roots by soaking them a long time, and then they were pounded up and made into cakes, and so roasted on the cinders.
The wild yam (Dioscorea transversa) was found on the edge of the scrubs. This is a small vine, with a root like a sweet potato. The gins would have to dig three feet some- times for this root (” tarm “), which was very nice roasted.
Different kinds of flowering ground orchids were dug up and the tuberous roots eaten, but these were very small.
The cabbage-tree palm (Livistonia Australis) and common palm (Archontophoenix Cunninghamii): Young shoots coming out at the top were just pulled and eaten raw as a vegetable. The cabbage-tree was called “binkar,” and the common palm “pikki.” Of late years the latter name has grown to “pikkibean.”
A large bean (Canavalia Obtusifolia) (” Yugam”) which grew in the scrub on vines was pulled before it was ripe while soft, and the beans taken from the pods and soaked in water These were then pounded up and made into cakes, and roasted. If not prepared so they were poisonous. The natives declared that the soaking and roasting took all badness away. For soaking beans, roots, or nuts, netted billies were used. This prevented them getting lost, and yet allowed the water to get at them. After white people came the blacks soaked corn in the same way to soften it.
The Moreton Bay chesnut (Castanospermum Australe), or “mai,” was also poisonous. The nuts were cracked and soaked, then pounded, and made into cakes, and roasted. The blacks called the white man’s bread “mai” after this, when they first got into the habit of using it.
The nut of the zamia (Cycas media) was another poisonous form of food used. It was cracked, then soaked, and after- wards roasted.
Several nuts and different kinds of berries were just eaten raw. The “bon-yi” I have already spoken of.
The fruit of the geebung (Persoonia), or “dulandella,” as the Brisbane tribe called it, was eaten raw, and greatly relished. The natives got dillies full of these in the right season. They swallowed the pulp and the stone, which they squeezed from the skin with their fingers. It is a small green fruit..
Two kinds of wild fig were also just eaten raw. The larger kind was “ngoa-nga,” and the smaller “nyuta.”
A white, green-spotted berry, which grew on a small green bush (Myrtus tenuifolia) on sandy islands was very sweet. The natives called it “midyim.” Another berry (“dubbul “) grew on sandy beaches. Wild strawberries and raspberries were also found.
Dog-wood or “denna” (Jacksonia scoparia) gum was much eaten, and different kinds of blossoms were sucked for the honey.
The Pandanus, or bread fruit (“winnam “), was chewed at the end and sucked.
Meals – The aborigines had no stated times for meals -they ate whenever they had food, and were hungry. Generally, however, there was a feast in the evening after the day’s hunting. In the morning all would start out in different directions for the day, and if travelling, they arranged where to meet for the night, or supposing they were stationary, they all turned up at the same place again. About the middle of the day, while hunting thus, they might rest at some creek or waterhole to cook food, and very likely have a swim. Very happy they were, always laughing and joking, and extra merry after a good meal, when they danced and sang. Father says it was a great sight seeing them come into camp in the evening, a little before sunset. They would come in from all directions, laden with all sorts of things-kangaroos, ‘possums, snakes, honey, eggs, birds, fish, crabs, different kinds of roots and fruit, etc. They started cooking these, and as the sun bid his farewell there arose that weird cry for the dead already mentioned. The gins would have wood all ready gathered for the fire, and also a supply of water.
Water – When water (“tabbil “) was scarce, to get some the blacks dug small wells in swamps. This water would be muddy, and to clear it a lot of fern leaves were put in the hole this they said made the sediment sink to the bottom. Also, in carrying water in a “pikki” from place to place, fern leaves or grass were always put in with it; as well as clearing the water they said this prevented it spilling. To obtain water the blacks also tapped the tea-tree; they got a little that way, but it had an unpleasant taste.
Fire – The natives obtained fire (“darlo “) by friction. To do so, they used the dead (stick-like) flower stems of the grass tree in this way: One thick stick was taken, and the surface split off on one side, this was then placed on the ground with the flat side uppermost, and in the centre of the stick a tiny hole was made. All round this hole, on the ground, were placed pieces of dry grass and leaves, also rotten powdered sapwood. Now another stick was got, somewhat thinner than the other, and the native sat down on a log beside the first, and placing the point of the second into the hole, he held the first with both feet firmly to the ground, while with his hands he rolled the second round and round very rapidly, pressing it down all the time in the hole. This continual rubbing and rolling gradually wore through the hole, and in the end the friction caused sparks, which falling on the dry leaves and sapwood, were carefully blown into a blaze.
My father has tried to obtain fire in this way, but never managed it, being unable to roll the stick properly. It was only on rare occasions that the natives needed to do this, for they took care always to carry lighted firesticks with them wherever they went. These were principally of ironbark, as that wood kept lighted longest. Walking along, these sticks were held in front carefully from the wind, and a fire was set going wherever a halt was called. Even crossing to an island in a canoe, the natives did not forget their fire- sticks. Two or three were always kept burning on some clay at one end of the canoe.
Signs etc – When travelling from one place to another the blacks, if they wished to let their friends know of their approach, would set bushfires going. For the same purpose, as they passed along, they pulled up a brunch of grass, and twisting it round another bunch would bend the whole in the direction in which they went, thus giving their friends the idea in which way to follow. In the scrub a twig would be broken or bent here and there. However, after the advent of the whites, they were careful not to make distinct tracks, for fear of being followed by the police. In travelling from one place to another they generally took the same track, and this was always the shortest way-they never journeyed in a roundabout fashion.
When a young man and woman ran away together, so that their tracks might not be followed, they would walk along the beach into the sea, then travelling in the water for some little distance, they at length walked out back- wards, so leaving a misleading track behind them.
Often the natives would signal across the water with their hands from one point to another-for instance, they were in the habit of doing this from Kangaroo Point to North Brisbane. Signs they called “mirrimbul,” and they could understand one another thus. They were in the habit of signalling from the two points of Moreton and Stradbroke Islands in those early times South Passage was very much narrower than it is now. Father remembers it so, and says the natives used to cross there in their canoes. The old natives said that long ago there was no passage at all, but the two islands were one, and this is possible, even probable.