The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina. Peter Beveridge

camp either ​pleasant or healthful. These savages, however, bear with the offensive effluvium without the slightest murmur, deeming it doubtless the correct thing to do, more especially as it was a custom which had been handed down to them by their progenitors from ages long since forgotten.

      When very old women die, or wittols of long standing (of whom there are generally a few in each tribe), a shallow hole is merely scraped in the most convenient spot, both with regard to proximity and softness of soil, wherein the body is thrown without any preparation or ceremony, and covered slightly up, is so left, and forgotten; unless, indeed, the shallow grave chances to be scraped out by the dogs—which frequently happens—and the poor remains of humanity are voraciously devoured by the ghoul like brutes. Instead of the natives viewing such desecrations with horror, they actually make merry thereon, and bandy obscene facetiæ with each other on the subject, deeming such occasions fit in every way for the display of their vile and prurient wit.

      1 ↑ They are of precisely the same character as the "kitchen midden" of prehistoric man, found on the Banish coast, and in some portions of the American Continent.

      2 ↑ Lyoores—Women.

      3 ↑ Kulky—any piece of wood, great or small, thick or thin.

      4 ↑ Dillines—Edible berries of a yellow or red colour, as large as cranberries, having a stone in the heart; they grow on green, prickly bushes, and attain the height of three feet. It is a species of salvola. The natives are extremely fond of these berries, and to this fondness may be attributed the fact of their prevalence on the cooking mounds.