66 Procccdnigs of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



The shoes themselves in this district are known by the name 

 of " Urtathurta," and the occasion on which they wei'e used is 

 spoken of as " Kurdaitcha luma " (Kiirdaitcha — a bad or evil 

 spirit, and luma, to walk). 



The wearing of the Urtathurta and going Kiirdaitcha luma 

 appears to have been the medium for a form of vendetta, though 

 it was quite distinct from the " Adninga " or war party which 

 was always despatched to avenge the death of a native supposed 

 to have been killed by spells or to recover a lubra who had been 

 stolen. 



When any native threatened the life of a member of a diflerent 

 tribe, the threatened man could await his enemy's attack or take 

 the initiative himself. If he decided upon the latter course 

 the medicine man was consulted and a " Kiirdaitcha luma '"' 

 arranged. In either case the attacking native was called 

 Kurdaitcha. A medicine man always accompanied the latter, 

 and both were similarly attired. 



The head-dress worn consisted of a bunch of feathers in front 

 and a bundle of green leaves behind. As a disguise the face was 

 blackened with charcoal, the whiskei'S tied back behind the neck, 

 and a broad white stripe of powdered gypsum was drawn from 

 the top of the forehead down tiie nose to the bottom of the chin, 

 while a similar stripe extended across the chest from shoulder to 

 shoulder. 



A girdle made from the hair cut from the head of a blackfellow 

 after death was worn round the waist. This special form of hair 

 gii'dle is supposed to serve the double purpose of increasing the 

 strength of the w-earer, his courage, and the accuracy of his aim 

 - — it embodied, in fact, all the warlike attributes of the dead 

 warrior — and at the same time it produced inaccuracy of aim in 

 the enemy. 



Ordinary hair-string was worn round the legs for the purpose, 

 as the blacks say, of protecting them against snake-bite. 



Both medicine man and Kiirdaitcha carried a sacred stone, the 

 possession of which is supposed to be even more efficacious than 

 that of the hair girdle. 



In addition, the medicine man carried in his girdle u live lizard. 



On leaving his camp the Kiirdaitcha walked in front, followed 

 at a short distance l)y the medicine man, both armed witli spears, 



