152 Professor A. C. Eaddon [May 23, 



place where the boys were assembled, and, holding long sticks, per- 

 formed certain movements. Slowly the dread apparition advanced ; 

 the chief zogole came first, wearing a huge mask with human features 

 and a beard of jaw-bones ; the second zogole steadied this mask with 

 a rope ; the third zogole wore a long mask, shaped like a shark. Then 

 for the first time the names of these masks were revealed to the lads 

 — BoMAi and Malu. These were the sacred names which it was not 

 lawful to communicate to the outsider, death to both being the 

 penalty. Their collective name of Agiid was, however, known 

 to all. 



I can only allude to the customary food-ofPering presented to the 

 zogole, and the course of instruction instilled into the youths, one 

 item of which was the narration of the legend of Malu, and must 

 pass on to the recognition ceremony. This function took place in 

 the afternoon on the sand beach outside the village of Las. A great 

 concourse of people was assembled — men, women, and children — the 

 newly initiated lads occupying the front row. 



First four men of the dog-clan played about in pairs. (I may 

 here parenthetically remark that it took me a fortnight's work to 

 glean what little information I have respecting these two ceremonies. 

 On one occasion I iuduced a number of men to rehearse some of the 

 dances for me on the actual spot where they were originally per- 

 formed, in order that I might gain a clear comprehension of them. 

 One of my photographic " studies " I now throw on the screen.) The 

 dog-men were followed by pigeon-men, who danced and beat their 

 chests; later, whirling along the strand, came a body of dancers, 

 circling from left to right as they advanced, an outer ring with 

 sticks, an inner ring brandishing stone clubs, and possibly some 

 drum-jDlayers in the centre. Lastly, the three zogole appeared, com- 

 pletely covered wdth white feathers, and each carrying five wands. 

 Although seen by the women, their identity was supposed to be 

 unknown. 



This was the final function, and was followed by the ever- 

 recurring feast. Thenceforth the lads took standing as men. 



Strangely enough, at neither Tud nor Mer could I discover 

 that the bull-roarer was employed at these ceremonies. The wide- 

 spread use and sacred character of this simple instrument has been 

 emphasised by Mr. Lang in one of his charming essays. Knowing 

 its universal distribution in Australia, I was not surprised to find 

 that in Muralug, or Prince of Wales' Island, which lies close to Cape 

 York, its use was associated with the initiation of the lads. It was 

 only by speaking in a low voice to the chief of the island and his son 

 Georgie, whose photograph you have already seen, and by assuming 

 more knowledge than I actually possessed, that I could induce them 

 to admit of its being employed. Cautiously looking round to see 

 that no one \vns near, its name, icanes, was whisj^ered to me. After 

 much persuasion, a model of one was made for me, on the express 

 understanding that I should not show it to any woman on the island ; 



