BY R. CLIFFE MACKIE. 115 



They are afraid when an eclipse occurs, and include it with 

 meteors and whirlwinds among the malignant spirits which 

 they propitiate by making a peculiar kind of noise. When 

 a blood relation dies, they note the position of some planet, 

 and when that planet again returns in its annual course 

 they renew their mourning and cry without shedding a tear* 

 They think all the stars, planets, etc., are alive. They had 

 several religious and social ceremonies. The " corrob- 

 boree " was more of a social character, and a great " Borah " 

 was their great religious ceremony. The word " Bora " 

 means a place where religious functions common to the com- 

 . munity niay be carried out. On the Murray River basin 

 and all its tributaries a grand bora Avas held about every 

 10 years. The time and place were arranged according to 

 conditions of weather. No hunting is carried on in that 

 place for at least a year, that there may be game enough to 

 supply the assembled tribes while the bora lasts. As the 

 time draws near, all the tribesmen within a reasonable 

 distance visit the spot and help in the excavation. They 

 use yam-sticks to loosen the soil, and, commencing from the 

 centre of the ring with fiat pieces of wood or tough bark 

 for shovels, they throw the dirt between their legs behind 

 them towards the outer rim of the circle which is to encom- 

 pas the sacred ground. They usually excavate about six 

 inches of the surface soil, which they ultimately form into 

 a mound to represent and define the ring. Within speaking 

 distance is a much smaller circle, where the neophytes 

 must wait till called by the elders. 



The Kamiloroi tongue is used in these functions as 

 being commonly understood by all the Western tribes of 

 whatsoever dialect they be. 



The Neophytes are taught how^ to throw bundles, 

 boomerangs, weet-weets, nulla-nuUas and spears. They 

 are taught weapon-making and rude blacksmithing. They 

 get a secret family name, which, however, eventually leaks 

 out by accident. The indispensable knack of quivering 

 the muscles of the arms and thighs as shown at corrobborees 

 is taught here. 



Weapons were bartered. Marriage disputes were 

 settled and questions of consanguinity. Illegitimates had 

 a tooth knocked out. xA.ll private and public disputes were 

 Argued out. Xo tribe had a chief. Each man's opinion 



