188 Manners and Customs of the Australian Natives, 



front jaw^ and on retui'ning to tlie camp carefully consigns 

 tliem to his mother ; the youth then again retii'es into the 

 forestj and remains absent two nights and one day, during 

 which his mother^ having selected a young gum tree^ inserts 

 the teeth in the hark in the front of two of the topmost 

 branches. This tree is made known only to certain persons 

 of the tribe, and is strictly kept from the knowledge of the 

 youth himself. In case the person to whom the tree is thus 

 dedicated dies, the foot of it is stripped of its bark, and it is 

 killed by the application of fire, thus becoming a monument 

 of the deceased. Hence, we need no longer be surprised at 

 so frequently finding groups of dead trees in healthy and ver- 

 dant forests, and surrounded by luxuriant vegetation." 



A similar custom Dr. Livingstone found in the Babimpe 

 tribe in Africa, they knocking out both upper and lower front- 

 ing teeth as a distinction. 



As stated above, the women and childi'en are not allowed 

 to attend any of these ceremonies. Their camps even on 

 these occasions are then so placed that their view is fully 

 obstructed by bush or hills. If, however, any woman's orchild's 

 business — to fetch water or wood, for instance — should lead 

 them within sight of the place of these ceremonies, they are 

 required to cover their heads Avith their rug, and to move on 

 in a stooping position. Any improper curiosity, according to 

 ancient custom, is liable to be punished with death. 



As a proof of the significance they attach to these strange 

 rites and customs, it may be instanced that it is considered 

 insulting if one of a higher degree taunts his adversary with 

 the lower degree he still occupies; thus — ^^Warrara purro," 

 meaning a warrara only (still in the first degree), and 

 '^Pardnapa purro" (a pardnapa only), or still in the second 

 degree, are used as offensive terms. 



The Adews of the natives in reference to supernatural beings 

 or influences are very peculiar and remarkable. They have 

 as clear a conception of the unsubstantialitj^ and immortality 

 of the soul as might be expected of them. In order to ex- 

 press the former quality, they represent the soul as being so 

 small that it might pass through a chink; and in reference to 

 the latter, they state that after the death of the body the soul 

 retires to an island as so small an atom as to be able to dis- 

 pense with further nourishment of any kind. Some represent 

 that island as being in the east, others in the west ; there- 

 fore, either not agreeing as to the exact locality, or believing 

 in the existence of several such islands Avhereto the departed 



