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THE ABORIGINES OF NEW SOUTH WALES. - 919 
_(@) Then come the washing and the purification, which I have 
already explained, but after that they join hands all 
round, dance round the fire, and then jump inte it and 
through it. 
To illustrate this I give a few quotations from Napier’s 
“Folk Lore.” “On May Day the Druids used to light 
large fires on the summits of the highest hills, into which 
they drove four-footed beasts, using certain ceremonies to 
expiate for the sins of the people. .The Pagan ceremony 
of lighting these fires in honor of the Asiatic God Belus 
gave its name to the entire month of May.” “ Until 
of Pales, in April, the same forms of purification and 
dedication were observed. ‘The Medes and Persians were 
day retain the old customs, for they make their cattle pass 
ellow is going to the river for water at a spo 
his superstitious fears have given a bad name, he takes a 
Used by the Chaldean sorcerers has these words: — 
“May the god Fire, the hero, dispel their enchantments 
I oe °r Spells for the injury of others. 
tn a considered at some length the institution 2a 
suse it is the most important of all the ae eon, 
. of its celebra- 
ibes are homoge- 
some 
