210 THE ABORIGINES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. __ ; 
Ancilia in Rome) handed down from past ages in the Yaw tribe | 
ed as almost equal to Daramilun himself—accompanied — 
the tooth. 
These, then, are the ceremonies of the Bora ; Ai before 
ceeding, I wish to draw attention to the fact that the pag : 
negroes of Upper Guinea had seventy years passe e before ethno- 
graphy became a science—certain religious mysteries singularly 
like those of our Bora, and I suppose they have them still. These, 
like He Bora, are ceremonies of esp and Be only bring a 
power ‘of the initiated can control. As this eeu is fee 
but four or five times in a eentury, and occupies a period of five 
years, only a small portion of the male ee ae can rai 
qualification nece for power in the State. The king issues 
when he pleases, an order for the holding of this al The 
preparations are committed to the care of the old men, known to 
be best acquainted with the mysteries. These choose sul ble 
places in the woods, and make ready there every PP! A 
can produce surprise, awe, and chilling fear on th inds of " 
novices. All women, children, and strangers are W ren from 
spot, and the novice bolidved dint Re reveals any of the secrets 
of the grove, the spirits, knowing his faithlessness_ and prs 
will in one Way or other bring destruction upon aie 
try three er four miles eonnd is sacred and inviolable, and th 
evil spirits will carry off those who intrude. «nitiation 
The essential idea prominent in this negro ceremony of t Has | 
is that of a death and of a new birth,—a sa aeeriar 
the SPIN AS before he proceeds to the gro ves, gi oo, aie : 
his whole aspect is that of a new man, for he now per 
bea & 9 made of the bark of at e. he is adorned 
p e e bark of a tree, ra cola of 
as a Ige of his new rank he wea 
a frenzied kind. While this course of edu 
king eh apie visits the groves and examin 
When their training is sufficiently scvasond, they 
