ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 245 



way thither they gather green grass and leafy twigs which 

 they fasten under their brow-bands and in their hair, to 

 show that they have been successful. When approaching 

 the secret camping place they mutter mu-u-u ! and their 

 comrades answer them in the same way. On arriving in 

 sight they commence singing the following song : — 



Wurrigangaia ngurabun bunnungga 



Wurrigangaia gungoara muggu. 



On reaching the camp, the men there spread out and form 

 a semicircle into which the messengers walk. Bach man 

 composing the semicircle lias a spear in his hand, which he 

 holds in a nearly vertical position. An old man now asks 

 the spies if the enemies' camp has been found, and on 

 receiving an affirmative reply, all the men bring down the 

 points of their spears upon the ground, with the exclama- 

 tion wirrh ! wirrh ! This is illustrative of the manner in 

 which they mean to punish the offender. The old man 

 further enquires as regards the approximate number of 

 people in that camp, and when the answer is given the 

 spears are again brought down to the accompaniment of 

 wirrh ! wirrh ! as before. Queries are next made as to 

 the quarter of the camp their special enemy occupies — is 

 it easily got at — who camps near him, whereabouts is the 

 chief man camped, and so on, each reply being received 

 with the same exclamation and gestures. 



If the actual slayer is not in the camp visited by the 

 spies, they endeavour to locate the sleeping place of one 

 of his brothers, or his father, or other near relative who 

 may be available, and such person is selected as the victim. 



The spies then remove the twigs and grass out of their 

 hair and put them into the hole in the ground already 

 referred to. They also discharge into this hole as much 

 excrementitious matter as they wish to be relieved of, 

 covering it up with the earth which had been scooped out. 



