1898.] MATHEWS — INITIATION IX AUSTRALIAN TRIBES. 63 



to their ears. By this time the irghindaly have reached the camp, 

 and form into a line parallel with and facing the row of men and 

 novices. They jump and shake their boughs, and then, throwing 

 the latter on the ground, they retire a few yards. The kooringal 

 now step forward and pick up the boughs and strip the leaves off 

 them, shouting wah ! wah ! while doing so. The irghindaly then 

 consult with the headmen, and arrange the time for the return of 

 the novices to the ahrowanga, after which they go back to the 

 camp from which they have come, and inform the women when the 

 boys may be expected. The mission of the i?'ghi?tdaly is analogous 

 to that of the beegay of the Kamilaroi, described by me elsewhere, 

 namely, to liberate the novices from the rigorous custody of the 

 kooringal. 



That evening at the karpan, by the light of the camp fires, some 

 of the usual totemic representations are enacted by the kooringal, 

 after which some of the old men chant Dharroogan' s song. About 

 sunrise next morning the novices are placed standing in a row 

 beside the camp, with their eyes cast upon the ground. All the 

 men then run about pretending to throw pieces of stick at a squirrel 

 in a tree, and while they are doing so two men step into an open 

 space and swing the yooloodury. The blankets are then lifted off 

 the heads of the novices, who are requested to take particular notice 

 of this ceremony. Some armed warriors now rush up to each of 

 the novices in a menacing attitude, and caution them against 

 revealing what they have been taught during their sojourn in the 

 bush. At the conclusion of these proceedings, everything is packed 

 up and a start made toward the women's camp. 



After proceeding some miles the party come to a halt at a water- 

 hole or running stream. Here a fire is lit, and they partake of such 

 game as may have been caught during the morning. By and by 

 all the kooringal gather on the bank of the water-hole or creek, and 

 one after another goes into the water, washing off the black coloring 

 matter, after which they come out, and paint their bodies all over 

 with pipe clay. During this time the novices are sitting on the 

 bank of the water-hole — or near the fire if the day is cold — and do 

 not participate in the washing and painting ceremony. This water- 

 hole is one which is always used for the same purpose at every 

 burhmig which takes place in this part of the tribal territory, and is 

 never used for bathing on any other occasion. The journey forward 

 is then resumed, and one of the men goes on ahead to report that the 

 bush contingent will shortly arrive. 



