278 



I inquired of Weaver why tlie blacks observed these rites, but 

 all he could tell me was that by these ceremonies the youth were 

 made men, and without these operations they would not be con- 

 sidered such. He has since made some enquiries of the blacks 

 camping near Warrina, and these give it as their opinion that it 

 is now considered a safeguard against certain diseases, but 

 formerly was done to raise the individual undergoing these rites 

 from youth to manhood. 



These answers not being satisfactory, I asked him whether it 

 was not done to prevent over-population ? He answered me that 

 all were cut that way, unless brought up by whites, and that the 

 operation did not prevent the impregnation of the female. Ex- 

 pressing my doubts on this, he said that he was quite certain on 

 this point, and that the blacks performed the act of coition in a 

 different manner to the whites. 



Hie mihi enarravit quomodo se ponant. Mulier ut \'idetur, 

 corpus ita ponit ut vir, genibus suppositis, manibus lumbum 

 prehendere possit : unde fit ut genitalia quam proximo con- 

 jungantur ; eo modo fieri potest ut semen in vaginam introire 

 possit. 



" Yerupa" means a slit. Tise organ of the female is therefore 

 sometimes called Ijy that name, although the proper name for the 

 vagina is pintha. 



The names of the sexual organs are 



In tlie Wungarabunna 

 " Kuyanni 

 " Kukatha ) 

 " Andijirigna ] 

 " Diyeri " ' 



The tattoouig of the arms, chest, 



as follows 



Male. 

 Wunthu 

 Wurri 



Female. 

 Pintha 

 Bidll 



Kala 

 Kuni 

 and back. 



Kuna 



Kula 



as a rule, is 



done 

 after the yerupa has been performed ; occasionally, however, be- 

 fore it. It is considered a final ornamentation of manhood by 

 most tribes. 



The ceremonies called Wilyui'u are known by tiiis term 

 amongst the Wungarabunna (Warrina), Kukatha (Port Lincoln), 

 Kayanni (Beltana), Andijirigna (West), and others. 



LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF MARRIAGE. 



Closely related marriages are prohibited. 



Mattari and Karrari are the terms used to distinguish tlie 

 leading strains of blood. How these are determined I could not 

 get explained, except that they mu.st not marry in the same 

 strain, but Mattari must marry Karrari, and vice verm. 



Marriages, besides taking place in the same tribe, may also be 

 contracted between these two strains of blood with other friendly 



