Chapter XX: Section 1: Australia

Mr. Edward G. Porter (_a_), in “The Aborigines of Australia,” says: “Their rock carvings are only outline sketches of men, fish, animals, etc., sometimes seen on the top of large flat rocks. Two localities are mentioned, one on Sydney common and another on a rock between Brisbane water and Hawkesbury river.”

Much more detailed information is given by Thomas Worsnop, viz:

At Chasm island, which lies 1-1/2 miles from “Groote Eylandt,”
in the steep sides of the chasms, were deep holes or caverns
undermining the cliffs, upon the walls of which are found rude
drawings, made with charcoal and something like red paint, upon the
white ground of the rock. These drawings represented porpoises,
turtle, kangaroos, and a human hand, and Mr. Westall found the
representations of a kangaroo with a file of thirty-two persons
following after it.

In the MacDonnell ranges, 6 miles from Alice springs, in a large
cave, there were paintings made by the aborigines, well defined
parallel lines, intersected with footprints of the emu, kangaroo
rat, and birds, with the outlines of iguana, hands of men, well
sketched and almost perfect.

The parallel lines were of deep red and yellow colors, with
brown and white borders; the footprints of light red, light
yellow, and black; the outlines of the animals and hands were of
red, yellow, white, black, wonderfully (considering it was done
by savages) displayed and blended. All the paintings were in good
preservation and evidently touched up occasionally, as they looked
quite fresh.

I can only conjecture that these paintings were left as a
record, a life-long charm, against the total destruction of the
above animals. The paintings were seen by Mr. S. Gason, of Beltana,
in the year 1873.

Very interesting groups of native drawings are to be seen in the
caves of the Emily gorge in the MacDonnell ranges. Many of these
drawings represent life-size objects.

The same author, page 20, describes the petroglyph copied in Fig. 130 as follows:

Mr. Arthur John Giles in the year 1873 discovered, at the
junction of Sullivan’s creek with the Finke river, carvings on
rocks. The sketch represents a smooth-faced rock, portion of a rock
cliff about 45 feet high, composed of hard metamorphic slate. The
lower portion of the sculptured face has been worn and broken away,
forming a sort of cave. From the level of the creek to the lower
edge of the sculptured rock is about 15 feet. The perpendicular
lines are cut out, forming semicircular grooves about 1-1/2 inches
in diameter, cut in to a depth of nearly half an inch; all remaining
figures are also carved into the solid rock to a depth of one-fourth
of an inch.

The same author, page 14, gives the following description of some pictures discovered between 1831 and 1840 by Capt. Stokes on Depuch island, one of the Forestier group in Dampier archipelago, on the western coast of Australia:

Depuch island would seem to be their favorite resort, and
we found several of their huts still standing. The natives are
doubtless attracted to the place partly by the reservoirs of water
they find among the rocks after rain; partly that they may enjoy
the pleasure of delineating the various objects that attract their
attention on the smooth surface of the rocks. This they do by
removing the hard red outer coating and baring to view the natural
color of the greenstone, according to the outline they have traced.
Much ability is displayed in many of these representations, the
subject of which could be discovered at a glance. The number of
specimens are immense, so that the natives must have been in the
habit of amusing themselves in this innocent manner for a long
period of time.

These savages of Australia, who have adorned the rocks of Depuch
island with their drawings, have in one thing proved themselves
superior to the Egyptian and the Etruscan, whose works have elicited
so much admiration and afforded food to so many speculations,
namely, there is not in them to be observed the slightest trace of
indecency.

Fig. 131 shows a number of the characters drawn on these rocks. They are supposed to represent objects as follows:

_a_, a goose or duck; _b_, a beetle; _c_, a fish, with a
quarter moon over, considered to have some reference to fishing by
moonlight; _d_, a native, armed with spear and wommera or throwing
stick, probably relating his adventures, which is usually done by
song and accompanied with great action and flourishing of weapons,
particularly when boasting of his powers; _e_, a duck and a gull;
_f_, a native in a hut, with portion of the matting with which
they cover their habitations; _g_, shark and pilot fish; _h_, a
corroboreeo or native dance; _i_, a native dog; _j_, a crab; _k_, a
kangaroo; _l_, appears to be a bird of prey, having seized upon a
kangaroo rat.

The same author, page 5, describes another locality as follows:

In New South Wales, in the neighborhood of Botany bay and port
Jackson, the figures of animals, of shields and weapons, and even
of men, have been found carved upon the rocks, roughly, indeed,
but sufficiently well to ascertain very fully what was the object
intended. Fish were often represented, and in one place the form
of a large lizard was sketched out with tolerable accuracy. On top
of one of the hills the figure of a man, in the attitude usually
assumed by them when they begin to dance, was executed in a still
superior style.

The figure last mentioned was probably the god Daramūlŭn, see Howitt, Australian Customs of Initiation (_a_).

A special account of the aboriginal rock carvings at the head of Bantry bay is furnished by R. Etheridge, jr. (_a_), as follows, the illustration referred to being presented here as Fig. 132:

Of the numerous traces of aboriginal rock carvings to be seen
on the shores of Port Jackson, none probably equal in extent or
completeness of detail those on the heights at the head and on the
eastern side of Bantry bay, Middle harbor, Australia.

The table of sandstone over which the carvings are scattered
measures 2 chains in one direction by 3 in the contrary, and has a
gentle slope of 7 degrees to the southwest. The high road as now
laid out passes over a portion of them. * * *

The figures are represented in their present state in outline
by a continuous indentation or groove from 1 to 1-1/2 inches broad
by half an inch to 1 inch in depth. Some are single subjects
scattered promiscuously over the surface; others form small groups,
illustrating compound subjects, but all appear to have been executed
about one and the same time. * * *

An advance on the other sculptures existing at this place seems
to be made in the originals of the designs _a_ and _b_, from the
fact that an attempt was apparently made to represent a compound
idea in the form of a single combat between two warriors. The
figures are quite contiguous to one another. The individual marked
_a_ seems to be holding in his right hand a body similar to that
represented as _c_, and the position in which it is held would lend
color to the belief in its shield-like nature. In the opposite hand
are a bundle of rods which have been suggested to be spears, and
this explanation for the want of a better may be accepted. On the
other hand, we are confronted with the fact that these weapons of
offense and defense are held in the wrong hands, unless the holder
be regarded as sinistral; otherwise it must be conceived that the
warrior’s back is presented to the observer, which is contrary to
the other evidence existing in the carving. The opponent, marked as
_b_, with legs astride and arms outstretched much in the position of
an aboriginal when throwing the boomerang, is equally definitive. I
conceive it quite possible that the position of the boomerang close
to the right hand conveys the idea that this man has just thrown the
missile at the subject of _a_, allowing, of course, for the want of
a knowledge of perspective on the part of the aboriginal artist. * *
*

In several other figures the head is a mere rounded outline, but
in _b_ it is presented with a rather bird-like appearance. Another
peculiarity is the great angularity given to the kneecap: this is
visible both in _a_ and _b_. It is further exemplified in the elbow
of the left arms of both _a_ and _b_.