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Basedow, however, expressed doubt as to the existence of such a "knack" by Aboriginal women as was noted in these reports to be a conclusion of their sexual intercourse with white men: I remember discussing this point some years ago with my friend the late F. J. Gillen, who declared that he had never heard of the custom, and was inclined to doubt that it existed, at any rate so far as the tribes he was familiar with were concerned. I have not recorded it from any part of Australia; and indeed, in view of what has already been said about the aboriginal's idea of conception, one would not expect to fi d so cute a knack in vogue among these simple people. Experienced prostitutes in other parts of the world are said to have developed this method to some degree of perfection.50 The reference to the "cute . .. knack" of "experienced prostitutes in other parts of the world" here is telling, suggesting that the anthropologist in pursuit of sexual knowledge was more than a scientific (disinterested) ob- server. And indeed, Basedow himself participated in most of the practices about which he had scruples.
