ON THE ORGANISATION OF AUSTRALIAN TRIBES. Se 
classes Krokitch and Gamutch, each having totems with descent in the female line. 
It was also divided into a number of local hordes. The oldest man of the totem and 
the oldest man of the horde were respectively their Headmen. When a quarrel 
arose between the totems, as, for instance, when a man of one totem had been killed 
by violence by a man of another totem, the respective totems met for a set combat, 
and were under their respective Headmen, who could end the fight between the 
offender and the aggrieved when either Headman considered that enough had been 
done. 
If the Headman was not obeyed, that is to say, if the kindred persisted in their 
attack, the totemites of the defendant would forcibly interfere to compel obedience to 
their Headman. ‘Thus in exceptional cases a general fight between the totems was 
occasioned. 
When several of the totems met their old men consulted together, and having 
decided what was to be done, announced their orders to the people generally, and 
were obeyed. At such meetings the oldest of the Headmen present was also its 
Head. ‘These councils were held at a place apart from the general camp, and such a 
place of meeting was called “‘Jun.” ‘To this place the younger men were permitted 
to come, and to sit near, but not to join in the discussions. It was the Headman 
who sent out messengers to summon people to attend corroborees, or for other 
occasions, and it was he who made the message-stick, which, after approval by the 
other old men, was delivered to the messenger to carry with his verbal message.* 
It was the Headman of the invited people who gave them their orders for departure. 
A few more instances, taken from the communications of competent corre- 
spondents, will suffice to show the practice of more distant tribes. 
Mr. Augustus Hooke in a communication, for which I have to thank Dr. John 
Fraser, formerly of Maitland, says of the Gringai tribe in New South Wales :—‘‘The 
tribe is governed by a Chief called ‘ Noorjain,’ who must be an aged man before he is 
thought much of. This office is held by descent, and the members of the ‘ Royal 
Family’ are either Ipai or Kumbo.+ ‘There is a tribal council of the oldest, and, as 
a rule, the most intelligent men of the tribe. I once came upon a group of these old 
fellows sitting in a circle in deep deliberation, and was told by one of them ina 
whisper not to tell the blacks what I had seen.” 
* « Notes on Australian Message Sticks and Messengers,”’ Journal Anthrop. Inst., May, 1889. 
+ I have more than once received statements from correspondents as to one or other class name haying a pre- 
eminence oyer others. My own acquaintance with tribes of the Kamilaroi group has been limited, but a remark made to 
me by one of the old men of the tribe which formerly hunted on the Tumut River, in New South Wales, seems significant. 
This man was Yibai-Malian, that is to say, his class name was the equivalent of the Kamilaroi ‘ Ipai,” and his totem was 
Malian—Eaglehawk. He said that Daramulun, the great supernatural Being of these tribes, is Yibai; and that ‘‘ Malian” 
is also one of hisnames. This seems to point to a pre-eminence in this class, such as Mr. Hooke indicates by “ Royal 
Family.” 
