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MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOMERING [BOOMERANG]

BY THE REV'D L. E. THRELKELD

The aboriginal name of the instrument about to be described is Tur-rur-ma, Sir Thomas
Mitchell the Surveyor General of the Colony, has very ingeniously adapted the form of this native
instrument to the propeller for a steam Vessel. The Boomering is seldom more than
three feet from point to point in its crescent form. It has two curves, one like
the moon it its first quarter, the other on the surface, just as the concave shell
of an oyster would appear if cut into the shape of a half moon. It is this
peculiar formation that causes the remarkable, circular motion, whilst revolving
upon its own centre, returning the Boomering to the thrower, after it has made
its circular flight through the air. But there is a secret in the art of throwing,
not generally known, if it be required to return to near the spot where the
thrower stands, namely; - he must face the wind and throw the instrument
directly against it slantingly upwards through the air. The Boomering revolves
rapidly upon its own axis, and thus forms a resisting power to the air, similar
to the concave oyster shell when thrown by boys on the surface of the water
to make what are termed by juvinile [juvenile] philosophers, ducks & drakes, and exactly, upon
the same principle, the air like the water, resists the Convex form which the
instrument assumes in its rapid revolving rotary motion, and the wind blowing
towards the thrower, the stronger the better returns the Boomering in its course to the
point whence it was thrown.

As to any scientific Knowledge in the Aborigines or their
forefathers, respecting projectiles, or the theory of the Centripetal or Centrifugal
forces in the formation of the Turrurma or Boomering the blacks had no more
knowledge of such powers than our boys have when they make ducks & drakes
with oyster shells on a pond of water. The instrument is only used in the
manner described, by way of amusement; when thrown for the purpose of
destruction, whether at man or beast, it is sent forward so as to strike one
of its points upon the ground at some distance from the thrower, and the object
intended to be hit, when the Boomering, rebounds, apparently with accelerated velocity
and strikes with astonishing force the victim, inflicting a most serious wound with
the sharp edge of the weapon at the flat points. A bombshell thrown amongst
a company of soldiers cannot create a greater consternation than the flight of