^i7'2 UICCORDS OF TIIK AU.STliALIAN MUSEUM. 



children, the mourner will watcli nii;lit after iiiyht at the lijrave 

 to try and find out the guilty party. At any rate, wlien once 

 what is considered to be sufficient proof is fortliconiing as to the 

 identity of the murderer, lie is followed about for many a long 

 day, so that he should forget all about it and not liave his suspic- 

 ions aroused until a suitable opportunity occurs foi- either spearing 

 or choking him, especially when no one else is present. But 

 should the alleged culprit get some private information that lie is 

 " wanted " on the charge, so to speak, he may prove too cunning 

 and wide-awake to be caught. Under such circumstances he will 

 be waited for some evening while in camp, perhaps engaged on a 

 corrobboree, etc., when he will be struck with a spear from some- 

 where under cover of the darkness, or tlie shelter of the trees. 

 On examining the spear wliich has struck him, his mates will see 

 that it is mud-painted, and by this sign will recognise why he has 

 been put out of the way. If by any chance the alleged murderer 

 should eventually escape vengeance, the life of his mother, brother, 

 or sister will be forfeited, and only when such penalty has been 

 l)aid does the victim's corpse cease its peregrinations to be j)erm- 

 anently buried deep down in the ground. 



5. The following account of the disposal of the dead at Cape 

 Bedford was written for me(1902)inherownlanguage'-' by Muluir* 

 one of the black women at the local Hope Valley Mission, and 

 thanks to the superintendents, the Revs. Schwarz and Poland, I 

 am enabled to supply its free translation.'-^ 



Gurabudo bama-ngai duyu meielil. Bama liieiii, bama 

 Again men deatli tell. Man (when) died, man 



warka-ngamu ungga-dir-budongo gura gauwal budongo 

 altogether a crying-with-very and scream \ cry 



bar-ngal. Ngamu, kanal, dirnggur, benior, 



cry. Mother, elder-sister, 3'ounger-sister, fathers' sister, 



gammi, babbi, ungga warka iiatcheltchil. (Jura 



mother's mother, father's mother, cry many cry. And 



niangal danangan-ngun kambul wudye-go kundandal ; yirmbi, 

 hand their-with belly violently strike ; lips, 



numbul, kambogo galmba. Gura bobo-we walli dakan 



cheeks, head too. And ground-on here-and-there down 



'^ Koko-yiiiiidir, the graiumiir and strufturcof which is di'iai!cil in J»n]l. -. 



'•** Name signifying a Quandong. 



'■^'' Tlie description given is very complete, except that dealing witli Mie inquest 

 wliich she, on account of her sex, Avas not allowed to see. This portion, 

 however, of tlie burial service is given in more detail in connection with 

 the Eloomfield River Natives who are only about fm-ty miles distant. 



