28 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



Just before sunrise the decoration of the Ilpongwurra was 

 complete, and in single tile they passed across the river out from 

 the Engwurra ground on to tiie women's camp, and halted about 

 fifty yards from the fires, behind which the women stood moving 

 their hands up and down as if to invite the men on. 



Then each old man led his apmurra men up to the fires, on 

 whicli they were placed in a kneeling position by the women. The 

 Bultharra and Panunga women put the Kumari'a and Purula 

 men on and vice versa. In a short time it was all over, and 

 turning back, the Ilpongwurra, now transformed into Erliara,' or 

 fully initiated natives, returned to the Engwurra ground. 



All that remained now to complete the ceremony was for the 

 ban of silence between the men who were apmurra to each other 

 to be done away with. The younger ones had still to remain out 

 in the bush until they brought in an offering of food to their 

 apmurra. When this was done, and it usually took place after 

 an interval of time varying from one to four weeks, the older 

 man pex'formed some sacred ceremony, at the close of which 

 the mouths of all those present were touched with some sacred 

 object which had been used in the ceremony, and in this way 

 the ban of silence was removed. 



