Robert Brough Smyth

“ We set a watch every night. We began to feel the pangs of hunger, but were afraid to shoot any game for fear of directing the blacks; so, having caught a native bear, we killed him for food. Next night we halted; it was a beautiful night, and there was a beautiful fall of water on the spot. It was Meade's watch, though we all watched alike. I went to wash my shirt in the creek; I was busy there when I fancied I heard a crackle—perhaps it was a kangaroo; again I fancied I saw a star or two, or a spark; then another. 'Here's the blacks,' called out all hands ”

“ In short, they recognise the features of a foot-mark just as we do those of the countenance; and as they are clearly defined, or obliterated, as the minute blades of grass are crashed down, or erecting themselves again, can they tell how long since the person passed. ”

“ A social classification, carried out by means of family names, and embracing every human being of the race, is known to exist all over the tributaries of the Darling, including the Balonne and the Maranoa, and over the Wide Bay district of Queensland. ”

“ The notched trees—nicks they make in the trees in order to ascend them—are very conspicuous guideposts. Occasionally you come upon a foot-mark in a miry place, or a dry and sandy one; and it is amazing how the blacks will infer the size, age, and sex of the persons who imprinted it. ”

“ The same class-names are in use among tribes speaking different dialects, and the system is known to be established even beyond the extent over which the same names are used. Among the Kamilaroi, Wolaroi, Wiradhurri, Wailwun, and Pickumbul tribes, the class-names are, for men, Ippai, Murri, Kubbi, and Kumbo; for women, their sisters, Ippāthā, Mātka, Kubbothā, and Būta (or Būdha) . Besides these, they have other class-names, derived from animals, which also come by inheritance. ”

“ I.—Baiame.
"Baiame" (pronounced like the three words "By-a-me," and in the Wellington district south of the Namoi "By-a-my") is the name by which tribes scattered over a great portion of the north-west and west of New South Wales designate the Supreme Being. The blacks there who are acquainted with English, if asked what "Baiame" is, reply, "Carbon-massa" i.e., the Great Master; and to further enquiry as to what they and their fathers know of Baiame, they reply that He made earth, and water, and sky, animals and men; that He makes the rain come down, and the grass grow ”

“ Suddenly my companion exclaimed—'My heavens, what a lot of blacks!' I looked down the precipice—the mist had cleared off—and sure enough there was the sable company in vehement agitation. They saw the two white men against the sky, on the rocks above them, and they were for off. I hastened down to our camp, summoned the party, and off we set.
"We set off direct for the mountains, and after two days we came to some ashes, which were quite warm. Towards evening we heard the sound of the chopping of branches (preparing their gunyahs) and children playing. ”

“ Every man of us. Horses won't do to track the blacks; they take too much looking after; they occasion too much noise in trampling on dry leaves and rotten sticks; besides, when the natives are pursued, they resort to precipices and ravines where horses could not go twenty yards. ”

“ Murri (Murry) is the name of the race—meaning Australian Aboriginal. Murri (Murree) is the most important of the four classes.
Rules of Descent.
1. The mother's second name descends to all her children. Thus all the children of Budha nurai are "nurai" (black snake) ; her sons are Ippai nurai; her daughters, Ippatha nurai.
2. The sons of Matha are Kubbi; her daughters, Kubbotha. (Matha murriira's sons are Kubbi murriira (paddy melon) ; her daughters, Kubbotha murriira. ”