14 INITIATION TO RIGHTS OF MANHOOD. 



style with an individual tribe,— at the same time 

 something- like uniformity was noticed among' the 

 Katchialaig-as, nearly all of whom had, in addition 

 to the homed breast mark, two or three long' trans- 

 verse scars on the chest, which the other tribes did 

 not possess. In the remaining' people the variety 

 of marking was such that it appeared fair to con- 

 sider it as being' regnlated more by individual 

 caprice than by any fixed custom. Many had a 

 simple two-horned mark on each breast, and we 

 sometimes saw among' them a clumsy imitation of 

 the elaborate shoulder mark of the islanders. 



The custom of underg'oing' a certain mysterious 

 ceremony prior to being" admitted to the privileges 

 of manhood, supposed to be an institution peculiar 

 to the Australians, is found among- the Kowraregas, 

 but whether it extends throughout Torres Strait is 

 uncertain. This initiation is not at Cape York and 

 Muralug accompanied by the performance either 

 of circumcision or the knocking out of a tooth, as in 

 many parts of Australia. The boys, usually three 

 or four in number, are chased about in the bush 

 during the day by some of the men decked out with 

 feathers and other ornaments, and at night retire to 

 the men's camp, for, during the whole time of their 

 novitiate — or about a month — they must on no 

 account be seen by a woman; in fact, as Gi'om 

 informed me, a woman coming upon these kerrieh 

 — as they are called — no matter how accidentally, 

 would be immediately put to death. When all is 



