The Burhung of the Darkinaiuj Tribes. • 11 



picks up one of the dilly bags and pulling the leaves out scatters 

 them in the air. Then they each lift the other bags of leaves 

 and scatter them in the same manner, after which they sit down 

 and commence eating the food. The mothers then come forward 

 and sit down beside their sons, and sing a kind of lamentation, 

 because from this time onward the boys will not be permitted to 

 stop at their mother's camp, but must remain with the men. At 

 the conclusion of their repast the novices are taken into a camp 

 provided for them near that of the single men, and the mothers 

 return to their own quarters. 



The ceremonies being now at an end, all tlie strange tribes get 

 ready for their departure to their x-especti^e countries, and in the 

 course of a few days most of them are on their way homewards. 

 Each tribe take care of their own novices, who are still kept 

 under the control of their guardians after their return to their 

 own country. They now go out hunting with the men during 

 the day, and are brought a little nearer the camp every night, 

 until they are at last brought right into the single men's quarters. 

 The novices are now called Narramang, and rank as men of the 

 tribe. They must, however, abstain from eating certain animals 

 and other kinds of food which have been enumerated to them by 

 the chief men of their tribe. 



Owing to the novices having to keep their heads bent down, 

 and being otherwise prevented from seeing many parts of the 

 ceremonies it becomes necessary that tliey should attend at least 

 one more Burbung before they can become thoroughly acquainted 

 with the different parts of the ceremonial. At the next 

 gathering of the tribes for initiation purposes, the neophytes who 

 have passed through the ordeal described in this article will be 

 allowed to assist in preparing the sacred ground, and be present 

 at the arrival of the tribes, and also to attend all the private 

 meetings of the men. They will likewise be permitted to join 

 the Kooringal, and see everything that is done at the secret camps 

 in the bush and at the watyoor. 



On the north the Darkinung are bounded by the Wattung and 

 other tribes scattered over the country on the other side of the 

 Hunter River ; on the west they are joined by the great 

 Wiradjuri community, and tlieir limits on the south are identical 

 with the boundary of the people occupying the south-east coastal 



