The hook and line are used by the Daly and Alligator River tribes of the Northern Territory. Two types of hook are employed. One is cut out of a pelvic bone or shoulder blade of the kangaroo, or out of the pearl shell. It is of a strongly bent sickle-shape, pointed at one end and containing a notch at the other, to which a line can be securely tied.
The other hook consists of two pieces of bone of unequal length. The shorter and thinner piece, about two inches in length, is pointed at one end and tied at an angle to the bigger piece, which is about four inches long. The joint at the angle is strengthened with wild bees’ wax.
A fishing line, made of vegetable fibre twine, is looped once around the hook, and made secure by tying with another piece of string, the union being covered with bees’ wax. The line is held either in the hand or is attached to a long rod. The hook is baited with grubs. It is by this means that the Barramundi is caught in large numbers in most of the northern rivers.
PLATE XVII
Female wood-carriers, Aluridja tribe.
“The women ... are required to collect sufficient to keep the fire going, during the day for cooking purposes and during the night for warming and lighting purposes.”
A turtle hunt is conducted in King Sound after the following style: The game is sighted, floating upon the surface of the sea, either from the mainland or from a craft. Instantly a gesticulative appeal is made to all to keep quiet. “Hai! Kurdemilla!” (Look out, a turtle!) “Sh! Sh! Sh!” comes the voice of the person who has made the discovery, and others repeat it in an undertone. Everybody who has noticed the turtle bends his body to escape detection, and beckons to all others to do likewise. A number of the men then creep to the water’s edge and cautiously board a craft (i.e. if the observation was not made from a craft), in which they carefully paddle towards the prey. As the boat draws near, the keen eyes of the hunters endeavour to satisfy their curiosity upon the point as to whether the object ahead is just one turtle resting upon the surface in the warmth of a tropical sun, or whether, indeed, there might be a pair, coupled in the water. The female turtle is much preferred by the natives on account of the possible nutritious contents of the ovaries, whose appearance is much like that of a cluster of yellowish dates. When within reasonable distance of the prey, two men glide inaudibly over the side of the craft and disappear from view. Upon a signal, two or three others jump into the water, apparently disregardless of splash and noise, and swim towards the now startled game, which lifts its long neck and looks in the direction of the disturbance. Having perceived the imminent danger, the turtle at once endeavours to escape from the peril by ducking under water. But, at the same moment, it finds its head clasped by one of the men below to be thrust back above the surface of the water. One of the swimmers has now reached the turtle, whose shell he promptly seizes by the collar-like rim at the back of the neck, and pulls it backwards at the same time as the head is being thrust upwards from beneath the water. The turtle works its paddles in a frantic endeavour to escape, but, being held in the sloping position mentioned, the more its exerts itself, the more persistently it remains upon the surface, because its paddles are driving it there. If it be a large turtle, the man who is pulling from behind lifts his body on to the shell, upon which he sits astride. His weight tends to further ensure the inclined position of the turtle, which involuntarily acts as his carrier. The prey is then speedily dispatched by a blow over the head with a tomahawk or waddy. There is no doubt the much-criticized De Rougemont must have witnessed such a scene as here described, and embodied the inspiration in his narration.
During the season that turtles come ashore, moonlight parties are arranged which overtake the amphibians as they are clumsily working their way over the sandy beach. The creatures are overturned and either slain immediately or are left in their helpless position over night to be killed in the morning.