Tlte Burhung of the DarkinuiKj Tribes. 5 



according to their success in tlie field. Most of the men are 

 back in the camp a few hours l^efore sundown, and go through 

 certain daily preliminary performances. The men of the local 

 tribe gather up out of their camp and proceed to the large ring, 

 carrying a small bough in one hand. The men of the other tribes 

 follow them, and when all the men are in the ring they call out 

 the names of remarkable places in their several districts. During 

 this time the women are beating their hands on their rugs and 

 singing. The men then come out of the I'ing and tlirow away their 

 boughs and march away along the pathway to tlie farther ring, 

 looking at all the imagery on the ground and on the trees. There 

 are generally some of the "doctors," or "wizards,'' present, and 

 these go into the ring and stand beside the stumps, Ininging pieces 

 of string {Inrraiintn), quartz crystals (;;^^^^;j'^^-)^ and other substances 

 out of their mouths, from their navel, and from between their 

 legs. All the men then return along the path to the public ring^ 

 in which they jump al:)Out and call out the names of remarkable 

 places as before, after which they walk away to their camps. 

 The bullroarer is sounded in the vicinity of the main encampment 

 every day at dawn and at dusk, and during almost every fine 

 evening a corroboree is danced by one of the tribes present. 



Taking atvay the Novices. — When all the tribes who are 

 expected have arrived, the old men meet adjacent to the camp, 

 and fix the day on which the business of the meeting — the 

 initiation cerem.onies — shall commence. Shortly after nightfall, 

 they proceed to the sacred ground and light pieces of dry bark 

 at the fire burning there, and then come marching back towards 

 the camp shouting and waving their firebrands in the air. They 

 enter the public ring and dance round, the women beating time 

 for them, after which they throw away the firesticks and call out 

 the names of water-holes, etc., and then go away to their camps. 



Early next morning the novices are brought into tins ring and 

 placed sitting down on the bank, their motliers and the other 

 women being outside. One of the head men then enters the 

 ring and sticks a spear into the ground near one side. He throws 

 the spear out of his hand, and he may have to throw it two or 

 three times before it sticks firiidy into the ground. He now 

 catches the spear in his right hand, and another man catches 

 hold of his left, a third man catches the left hand of the second 



