An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk IslandHunter, John
History
An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island
Hunter, John
New South Wales -- History -- Sources
All the human race, which we have seen here, appear to live
chiefly on what the sea affords, and consequently we find the
sea-coast more fully inhabited than the interior, or that part of
the country which we have had an opportunity of visiting more
remote from the sea. The men fish with a spear, or fish-gig, in
the use of which, it is apparent they are very dextrous. The
fish-gig is in length something more than the war lance, but they
can, according to the depth of water, increase its length, by a
variety of joints; some have one, some two, three, or four
prongs, pointed and barbed with a fish, or other animal's bone.
We have sometimes, in fine weather, seen a man lying across a
canoe, with his face in the water, and his fish-gig immersed,
ready for darting: in this manner he lies motionless, and by his
face being a little under the surface, he can see the fish
distinctly; but were his eyes above, the tremulous motion of the
surface, occasioned by every light air of wind, would prevent his
sight: in this manner they strike at the fish with so much
certainty, that they seldom miss their aim.
The women are chiefly employed in the canoes, with lines and
hooks; the lines appear to be manufactured from the bark of
various trees which we found here, of a tough stringy nature, and
which, after being beaten between two stones for some time,
becomes very much like, and of the same colour as a quantity of
oakum, made from old rope: this they spin and twist into two
strands: in fact, I never saw a line with more than two. Their
hooks are commonly made from the inside, or mother of pearl, of
different shells; the talons of birds, such as those of hawks,
they sometimes make this use of; but the former are considered as
best.
In this necessary employment of fishing, we frequently saw a
woman with two or three children in a miserable boat, the highest
part of which was not six inches above the surface of the water,
washing almost in the edge of a surf, which would frighten an old
seaman to come near, in a good and manageable vessel. The
youngest child, if very small, lies across the mother's lap, from
whence, although she is fully employed in fishing, it cannot
fall; for the boat being very shallow, she sits in the bottom,
with her knees up to her breast, and between her knees and body,
the child lies perfectly secure. The men also dive for
shell-fish, which they take off from the rocks under water; we
frequently saw them leap from a rock into the surf or broken
water, and remain a surprizing time under: when they rise to the
surface, whatever they have gathered they throw on shore, where a
person attends to receive it, and has a fire ready kindled for
cooking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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