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The most scrupulous
examination of their fire places discovered nothing, except a few bones
of the opossum, a squirrel, and here and there those of a small kangaroo.
No remains of fish were even seen.
The mode of taking the opossum seemed to be similar to that practised in
New South Wales*, except that it is probable they use a rope in ascending
the tree; for once, at the foot of a notched tree, about eight feet of a
two inch rope made of grass was found with a knot in it, near which it
appeared to have broken.
[* Vide Vol I Appendix II.]
A canoe was never met with, and concurring circumstances showed
that this convenience was unknown here; nor was any tree ever observed
to be barked in the manner requisite for this purpose; though birds
bred upon little islands to which access might be had in the smallest
canoe. Those made of solid timber seemed to be wholly out of the
question. The roughness of the notches left by the stone hatchet upon
the bark of the trees bore no very favourable testimony to its
excellence.


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