186 Manners and Customs of the Australian Natives, 



syllable of the word itself. Whetlier these changes affect 

 the meaning of the word Ave cannot say, as they are made 

 use of in connection with proper names only. The 

 natives by no means despise any suggestion from the whites 

 in reference to any new name, but yet in the choice of any 

 one proposed they are very particular that it should l)e quite 

 new and well-suited. 



Everything being properly prepared, several of the men 

 open a vein in their lower arm, and make the lads, after 

 having lifted them again, swallow the first drops of this 

 blood; they then make them kneel down and support them- 

 selves on their hands, and their backs, thus getting into an 

 horizontal position, are covered over with a thick coating of 

 the blood, and when this has sufficiently congealed, one of 

 the men with his thumb marks out the spots where the in- 

 cisions are to be made. One is made in the centre of the 

 neck, and a row of them at distances of one-third of an inch, 

 and running -from each shoulder doAvn to the hips. These 

 incisions — about an inch long, and in course of time forming 

 a kind of swelling — are called ^"^Manka,"^ and are always con- 

 sidered with great respect, being never alluded to in the pre- 

 sence of the women or children. The other incisions, 

 however, which at an early age are made on the breast and 

 the arms, are merely for ornament, and have no sacred mean- 

 ing. The more or less decided character of these swellings 

 affords a certain indication of the probable age of a native. 

 During the vigorous age of manhood they are strong and well 

 defined, but get gradually reduced with the advance of age, 

 until, when very old, they can be traced like scars only. 



Although each incision made with the blunt rough quartz 

 has to be repeated several times, in order to make them suf- 

 ficiently deep, and afterwards the flesh has to be drawn 

 asunder carefully, the sufferers, notwithstanding the dreadful 

 pain of such an operation, do not utter a groan, or move a 

 muscle even, in consequence. Mr. Schurmann, however, 

 has seen some of their friends so moved by compassion for 

 their sufferings as to shed tears, and make some attempts — 

 although unsuccessfully, of course — at putting a stop to this 

 cruel process. During the operation as many men as can 

 approach press round the lads, rapidly repeating in a sub- 

 dued tone the following formula: — 



, Kannaka kanya, marra marra, 

 Karndo kanya, luarra marra, 

 Pilberri kanya, marra marra. 



