82 AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES. 



necklaces, and anklets of ffreen leaves. The wives of chiefs are distinguished 

 by two red stripes across the cheeks. 



Both men and women are ornamented by cicatrices — which are made when 

 they come of age — on the chest, back, and upper parts of the arms, but never on 

 the neck or face. These cicatrices are of a darker hue than the skin, and vary 

 in length from half an inch to an inch. They are arranged in lines and figures 

 according to the taste or the custom of the tribe. The operator cuts through the 

 skin with a flint knife, and rubs the wounds with green grass. This irritates 

 the flesh and causes it to rise above the skin. By repeated rubbings, the flesh 

 rises permanently, and the wounds are allowed to heal. About the same age, 

 nearly every person has the cartilage of the nose pierced to admit some 

 ornament. The hole is made with the pointed bone of the hind leg of the 

 kangaroo, which is pushed through and left for a week. A short tube, made of 

 the large wing bone of the swan, is then introduced to keep the hole open, and 

 is turned round occasionally while the nose is kept moist by holding the face 

 over a vapour bath, produced by pouring water over hot stones. When the 

 wound is quite healed, the ring is removed. On occasions of ceremony, a reed 

 about eighteen inches long is pushed through the opening and worn as an 

 ornament. 



Before the korroborss commences — which is immediately after sunset — large 

 quantities of dry bark, branches, and leaves are collected, and the young people 

 are ordered to light the fire and attend to it. The men and well-grown boys 

 retire to prepare themselves for the dance. They paint their bodies and limbs 

 with white stripes, in such a manner as to give them the appeai'ance of human 

 skeletons; and they tie round their ancles a number of leafy twigs, which touch 

 the ground, and make a rustling noise as they move. Each dancer wears the 

 reed ornament in his nose. When they stand in a row these reeds have the 

 appearance of a continuous line. 



The women do not join in the dance, but sit in a half-circle behind the fire, 

 and sing, accompanj'ing their song with the sound of beating on opossum rugs, as 

 described under the head of music. Some of the men stand beside the fire, 

 beating time with the music sticks. 



After the music has begun, one of the dancers emerges from the darkness 

 into the open ground, so as just to be seen ; and, with a stamp, sets himself with 

 arms extended, and legs wide apart and quivering, his feet shufllling in time to 

 the music, and the twigs round his ankles rustling at each movement. He 



