And so childish and suspicious are they, that they sometimes even cut off the feet of a dead man to prevent his running about and frightening them at inconvenient moments.

I used to play upon their fears, going out into the bush after dark, and pretending to commune with the evil spirits.

The voice of these latter was produced by means of reed whistles.

Once I made myself a huge, hideous mask out of a kangaroo skin, with holes slit in it for the nose, mouth, and eyes.

I would don this strange garb in the evenings, and prowl about the vicinity of the camp, holding blazing torches behind the mask, and emitting strange noises--sometimes howling like a wolf and at others shouting aloud in my natural voice.