Curr says that among the Bangerang the father had absolute authority over his children.[668] In another place he says that the father had to decide in case of infanticide and in every more important occasion of the child's life.[669] But we read: "Parents were much attached to their children and rarely punished or corrected them." Not only did they not control them (although occasionally a child was beaten in a fit of anger),[670] but "they were habitually indulged in every way; and as a consequence, in case of the boys at least, grew up as self-willed, thorough little tyrants as can well be imagined."[671] [668] _Recollections_, p. 278. [669] Curr, _A.R._, i. p. 76. [670] A similar statement is given by Spencer and Gillen, _Nat. Tr._, p. 51. [671] _Recollections_, p. 252. In his general book on Australia the same author gives us some more information on family life. The father makes small weapons as toys for his sons. The children are seldom chastised and they are very independent. The real training of the boys begins when they leave their parents' camp and undergo the series of initiations.[672] These statements point also unmistakably to feelings of attachment and love, which are, as we tried to prove above, the very essence of family ties. The father seems to care as much as the mother for his children's education, and he is very kind and lenient to them. [672] _A.R._, i. p. 71. As a crude and pathetic example of maternal love there is the case reported by Angas, of a mother carrying for ten years the corpse of her dead child.[673] Similar cases are reported by Howitt about the Kurnai.[674] [673] _Loc. cit._, p. 75. [674] _Kam. and Kurn._, p. 244. We find many statements referring to this subject in the compilation of Br. Smyth. I mention them only shortly, as the author was never directly acquainted with the aboriginal life, and we value him only when he quotes some little-known authorities, or gives actual facts gathered for him by his correspondents. He speaks of the heavy task of a woman having to carry her babe, besides all the other work and trouble of a journey.[675] The father occasionally nurses the baby too and is very fond of it.[676] The child is suckled for three years; it is carried in an opossum rug during infancy and attended to solely by its mother.[677] A description of the way in which an opossum rug is dried is given.[678] In another passage the same author speaks again of the general kindness, affection and indulgence of parents to children, as of a well-known fact. He adds besides that the parents were very judicious in the treatment of their children.[679] [675] _Loc. cit._, i. p. 47. [676] _Ibid._ [677] Mr. John Green (superintendent of a station, see vol. i. p. vi.), quoted by Br. Smyth, i. p. 78.