14 INITIATION TO RIGHTS OF MANHOOD. 



style with an individual tribe,— at the same time 

 something* like uniformity was noticed among- the 

 Katchialaig-aS; nearly all of whom had, in addition 

 to the horned breast mark, two or three long" trans- 

 verse scars on the chest, Avhich the other tribes did 

 not possess. In the remaining- people the variety 

 of marking was such that it appeared fair to con- 

 sider it as being- reg'ulated more by individual 

 caprice than by any fixed custom. Many had a 

 simple tAVo-horned mark on each breast, and we 

 sometimes saw amono* them a clumsy imitation of 

 the elaborate shoulder mark of the islanders. 



The custom of underg-oing' a certain mysterious 

 ceremony prior to being* admitted to the privileg'es 

 of manhood, supposed to be an institution peculiar 

 to the Australians, is found among* the Kowrareg-as, 

 but whether it extends throug*hout Torres Strait is 

 uncertain. This initiation is not at Cape York and 

 Muralug' accompanied by the performance either 

 of circumcision or the knocking* out of a tooth, as in 

 many parts of Australia. The boys, usually three 

 or four in number, are chased about in the bush 

 during* the day by some of the men decked out with 

 feathers and other ornaments, and at nig*ht retire to 

 the men's camp, for, during* the whole time of their 

 novitiate — or about a month — they must on no 

 account be seen by a woman ; in fact, as Gi'om 

 informed me, a woman coming* upon these Jiernele 

 — as they are called — no matter how accidentally, 

 would be immediately put to death. When all is 



