ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 243 



The whole ceremony is enacted for the purpose of making 

 the people of the hostile tribe powerless to screen the 

 predestined victim. This is why as many men as possible 

 join in marking the tree, . muttering incantations during 

 the continuance of the proceedings. Some of the old 

 sorcerers rub the marks with a quartz crystal or bullroarer 

 to render the operation all the more efficacious and irresist- 

 ible. Other men jump around, putting their beard into 

 their mouth and biting it savagely. 



At the conclusion of the tree-marking ceremony, pre- 

 parations are made for the resumption of the journey. Pour 

 men are sent on ahead of the main contingent to reconnoitre, 

 and if all is well, to select the site of the night's camp. 

 Having decided upon the best spot, two of them start back 

 to meet and inform their comrades, who in the meantime 

 are coming on. The other two travel forward several miles 

 from the selected camp, to examine the country and see 

 that no strangers are located anywhere in the vicinity. 

 Having satisfied themselves upon this point, they return 

 to the camping place and rejoin the party. On the follow- 

 ing morning, another tree is marked, and the scouts are 

 again sent ahead. The proceedings are substantially the 

 same for every day, unless delayed by rainy weather. 



In this way the armed warriors journey on by easy stages 

 into the enemies' territory, and endeavour to discover what 

 part of their hunting grounds they are then occupying. 

 When this information has been obtained by cautious track- 

 ing, listening and watching, a temporary bambilli is made 

 in an unfrequented place, where there is sufficient timber 

 to hide them from view, and here the avengers remain very 

 quietly. This bambilli is as close to their enemies' camp 

 as they consider prudent — the distance being less in hilly 

 or scrubby country than in places which are open and level, 

 or are badly watered. Two or more strong, active men, 



