2 Proceedings of the Royal Societij of Victoria. 



ground, and the several tribes who subsequently arrive pitch their 

 respective cani2Ds around the former, following the invariable rule 

 of each mob camping on the side facing their own country. 



In a convenient place, in close proximity to the main encamp- 

 ment, a circular space, called the gooradoo/an, was cleared, and 

 the surface soil scraped off in making it level was used to form 

 an embankment around it. A narrow pathway, formed by 

 clearing the ground and scraping the surface smooth, led from 

 this circle to another of somewhat smaller dimensions, bounded 

 by a similar raised earthen wall. The distance between these 

 two circles depended on the character of the ground • if the space 

 between them was scrubby, or some high ground intervened, the 

 distance might not be greater than a quarter-of-a-mile, but if the 

 countiy was open and Hat, the distance from one circle to the 

 other might be half-a-mile or more. The track entered both 

 these circles through an opening, about three feet wide, left in 

 the embankment for the purpose. 



Inside the farther ring were a few posts, about four feet high, 

 prepared in the following manner. Some straight saplings, about 

 three or four inches in diameter, were cut in lengths of about 

 five feet, and the bark taken off them. Holes were then dug iu 

 the floor of the ring, about a foot deep, into which the posts were 

 inserted, and i-ammed to make them firm. Sometimes there were 

 only two of these stumps, on other occasions three, and on others 

 four ; their number being regulated by the number of "doctors," 

 or clever men, who were expected to perform feats of bringing 

 substances out of their bodies while standing in the ring. At 

 the base of each post a white stone {jigooyar^ was laid on the 

 ground, and a string (hirraiiutn) was stretched from the top of 

 each post to the top of the one next it. Several blackfellows 

 gathered round a coolajiiin, and the head man made a small cut 

 in the arms of each ; they then held their hand over the coolamin 

 into which the blood flowed from the wounds. The blood thus 

 collected was rubbed on the stumps erected inside the ring, and 

 the coolamin containing the remainder of the blood was disposed 

 of in the way stated in the next paragraph. 



A short distance from the circle was a colossal representation of 

 Dhurramoolun, lying prone on his back, formed of the loose earth 

 heaped up in high relief, and having a quartz crystal {ngooyar) 



