296 THE NATIVE BLACKFELLOW 



greatest and most elaborate corroboree plays are given. 

 On these latter occasions the blackfellow has a dislike to 

 the presence of the white man, and it is only such whites 

 as have thoroughly won his confidence that are permitted 

 to be present at a grand corroboree. 



I am not sure whether the corroboree has a religious 

 signification or not, or whether the native has a religion of 

 any kind. He has certain superstitions, but they do not 

 seem to be of a religious nature. He believes in a spirit 

 known by a great many different names in various parts 

 of the continent. This spirit, which hides in dark forests 

 and scrubs, is sometimes represented as being good, some- 

 times bad, or perhaps there are two distinct spirits, one 

 evil the other good. There is great difficulty in ascertain- 

 ing a native's religious beliefs, because he thinks it is evil 

 and will bring bad luck upon him to discuss the matter 

 with a white man. To avoid giving offence he often 

 misleads an inquirer, acknowledging beliefs which are 

 really no part of his religion, if he has one. All I can 

 state with certainty on this subject is that he believes that 

 there is a spirit which has the power to do him great 

 harm, and must be propitiated by careful conduct and the 

 avoidance of offence rather than by material gifts. He 

 believes also in another spirit of the reverse disposition 

 to this evil being, who also must be served by careful 

 avoidance of every thought or action which may pain or 

 grieve it. This, after all, is just the Christian's conception 

 of the Supreme Being. 



In some parts of South Australia it is the custom to 

 deprive the females of the first joint of the little finger of 

 the left hand, which is cut off during the period of infancy. 

 I do not know if this custom, and that of knocking out a 

 front tooth, which is practised by most of the tribes, is a 

 religious rite. I have not been able to satisfactorily 

 ascertain the real significance of these customs. 



Everybody has heard of the marvellous facility with 

 which the Australian black will follow a track. No enemy 

 can avoid him, no creature escape his searching eye. He 

 will track a mouse or a small snake for miles, and doubtless, 



