172 Proceedings of ilte Royal Sociefi/ of Victoria. 



thirty-five before he submits to this second operation which is 

 called "ariltha erlitha atnartinja." 



The boy carries the Churinga about with him until he has 

 completely recovered. When this is announced by the man in 

 charge of him the men. all assemble out in the bush and the 

 Oknia and Okilia, after consultation, appoint a man to act as 

 what is called " Irkoa-artha." It is his duty to remove all the 

 decorations from the body of tlie Ertwa-kurka, after which has 

 been done the youth is told to lie down on his face while the 

 men sing a chant which is supposed to promote the growth of his 

 hair, and he is told that he must not speak to the " Irkoa-artha " 

 until some time has elapsed, and not then before he has made a 

 present of food, which is called Chauarilya, to the individual in 

 question. 



When this has been done the men and the Ertwa-kurka 

 assemble at some little distance fiom the main camp and begin 

 to sing in loud tones — 



" Chuk-ur-rokerai yaa li ciiaakaa-a 

 Yaama kank waa-a 

 Inkwurkna inkwurkna atnai 

 Inkwurkna inkwurkna atnai." 



The lubras hearing the singing assemble near the main camp and 

 begin to dance as they did at the Apulia. The song of the men 

 ceases as soon as they approach the lubras, and at a distance of 

 about fifty yards they halt, shouting " tirra, tirra, tirra," a sound 

 which resembles that of whirling bulli-oaiers, and which is 

 taken up by the lubras. The young Ertwa-kurka, who is now 

 completely undecorated, steps out from the men, runs close up 

 to the dancing women and suddenly wheels round and runs off 

 into the bush where he is followed by a number of men who 

 camp with him for the night, during which, without the 

 performance of any special ceremony, singing is kept up. 

 Before day-break tlie Ertwa-kurka is dressed up by Okilia and 

 Umbirna with all the ornaments such as forehead band, arm 

 strings, tufts of alpita tail tips, etc., such as are worn by a 

 native beau. He is als-o provided with a shield and spear- 

 thrower, and at daylight the party starts for the main camp, 

 the young man walking in the centre by the side of his " Irkoa- 



