117

Grosvenor Street,
[Toowong],
8th February. '39

Mr. [Sydney May],

Dear Sir,

Before discussing the various items contained
in your letter of 4th instant, I would like to explain that my
knowledge of aboriginal lore is confined to the four distinct
languages of South East Queensland. the bounds of which I have
roughly described on the map which I here enclose. With
regards to these I am indebted to a considerable number of persons
who had been in close contact with the blacks in the early days
of white settlement in Queensland and also to a number of
aboriginals of the various tribes.

I would point out that there were four distinct tribal, or lingual
divisions in that part of South Queenlsand which I have coloured
on the map aforesaid. These divisions were subdivided into
a number of subdivisions which were more or less nomadic habit
but each of which confined themselves to certain portions of the
territory. Each of these had a distinguishing name as, for
instance, that in the vicinity of Brisbane was the Turrbul,or
Turrabul subdivision of the Yagarabul Tribe. The names of
the great lingual divisions and also of their languages were,
respectively, Wakka, Kabi, Yagarabul and Ygumbir. Curiously,
the words Wakka, Kabi, Yagar and Yugum each means "no".

This denomination of a tribe seems to be common on the middle
east coast of Australia.In the speech of the subdivisions there
was some dialectial differences but none so great as to interfere
with facile lingual intercourse. Naturally, on either side of
a tribal border there was a considerable interweaving (if I may
use the term) of the languages which has led to some confusion in
its results. For instance, some of the [Glass Mountains] are
each known by two names, one in the Kabi language and one in
Yagarabul. These mountains, I may say are near the boundary
(between-)