ABORIGINES' SIGNALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18827, 30 September 1924, Page 9

ABORIGINES' SIGNALS.

HOW NEWS IS SPREAD.

SMOKE ; AND STICK MESSAGES.

[FROM OUR '-■■•; OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

SYDNEY. Sept. 25.

There are indications that the ; wild native tribe in' the Northern Territory that is believed to be holding two wn.te women captive,/: have been warned by other tribes of the approach of the rebel expedition. ' * • ' This directs attention to' the extraordinary ability of the Australian blacks /to paw messages throughout wide areas, even between tribes: who do not understand each other's language. The two outstanding mediums in this-regard are smoke signals and message-sticks. Smoke signals have puzzled many explorers, for. with them blacks are able to send " word .... of the white men's coming far ahead Dense clouds, pale columns, interrupted smoke, breaks, and so on-each of those factors appears to have its own significance fitted brought about is something outsmc- > the stances. One scnu-civihsed native c\ Sained it lhi»way: "You do urn one Eg mean one thing- Next time you At. urn oho ■'thing, mean another thing. -which, being, interpreted, gogrto -in, dicate that if a party was exacted ; : the smoke ; would mean ; that ; party's advent This simple explanation is scarcely sufSient" to account, for. the. transmitting of detailed messages, but, in the northern case, probably ,;'. nothing more r would be needed Pto fright v the i guilty tribe than a mere ■ waiting signal. ; , • f Message-stick , news is : a remarkable Bludv over : which many anthropologists EpSa/ Not the least astonishing Sure of this "art" is. the : considerinformation that .a/native can convey, through one small, curiously-carved tick.. tK not likely, however, that this method wai adopted 5 in.the northern case, for rSsaSSicks-take time; to prepare, and The blacks undoubtedly would move with much promptitude than tho rescuing party appear to have done-