134 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



of bark at them, which the guardians ward off". The boys are 

 conducted to the rugs and sit down upon them, and the guardians 

 give them a drink out of a coolamin. The guardians and novices 

 then go back to their own camp, and the women return to theirs. 

 Any of the men who were present also go back to their respective 

 camps. 



Final Ceremonies. — On the following morning, the strange 

 tribes who are present make preparations for taking their 

 departure, and in the course of a few days they are all on their 

 way back to their own hunting grounds. The remainder of the 

 initiatory rites are completed by each tribe upon their own boys 

 when they get back to their respective districts. On their way 

 thither, they are not permitted to come near the women or 

 children, but are kept by themselves in the custody of their 

 guardians. As these final ceremonies are the same for each 

 tribe, the details relating to the local mob only will now be 

 stated. 



In about a week's time after the meeting at the Aychowal fire, 

 the boys are brought, all marching abreast, to a place where the 

 men have lit two fires similar to those at the "white ring," but 

 in a different place, and none of the men are painted, except the 

 boys, who are adorned with white and red stripes classing each 

 other, forming squares. Rugs are spread upon the ground, and 

 the boys are brought in and seat themselves upon them. The 

 men then form a ring round the boys and join hands, as at the 

 Aychowal ring. Food is then placed before the boys, and the 

 guardians remain standing by while they eat. When they have 

 had enough they are again smoked, but on this occasion they 

 stand on the ground on the leeward side of the fires, after which 

 they go away to their camp accompanied by the guardians. The 

 ring of men then breaks up. If there is any remaining food, the 

 guardians take it with them to the boys' quarters. When these 

 proceedings are over, the women return to their own camp, 

 which is not far away. The men then put bushes on the fires 

 and jump upon them, the smoke ascending round them as at the 

 former ring. 



From the time the boys started away from the Aychowal ring 

 till their return to the present meeting place, they were obliged 

 to carry a firestick in their hand when travelling from one place 



