246 R. H. MATHEWS. 



All the men around then turn their backs to the hole and 

 commence scratching backwards with their hands and feet 

 like fowls. They scrape all the loose rubbish off the surface 

 of the ground and continue backing towards the centre till 

 a small heap is raised over the excavation. Next, all the 

 men lie down with their heads toward this heap — as many 

 as possible having their heads resting upon it — and pretend 

 to sleep. This feigned repose is believed to have the same 

 exhilarating effect upon them as that produced by a cor- 

 roboree in ordinary circumstances. After a while, an old 

 man breaks the silence and enquires sorrowfully, "Where 

 are all my grandchildren?" This is an exaggerated way 

 of referring to the death they are about to avenge. It is 

 also symbolical of the sorrow of the doomed man's friends, 

 when his death shall have been reported to them. All the 

 sleepers answer, "i-i-i-wah!" in a very mournful tone. 

 All hands now get up, and jump around the tree and the 

 heap of rubbish, holding their noses between the thumb and 

 fingers, muttering 'miinyfmga irrimbulbul.' Each man 

 then goes away a few paces and provides himself with a 

 couple of sticks about three feet long, oue in each hand, to 

 make believe he is very sick and unable to walk without 

 such support. These men turn their faces toward the 

 enemies' camp and at every step they bring their walking 

 sticks to the ground, exclaiming 'nyeli! yukka! yukka! 

 These proceedings are supposed to work a spell upon the 

 adversary and render him powerless to defend himself. 



The members of the party then lie down and rest till near 

 daylight next morning, when they all start quietly away 

 to fulfil their mission, being conducted by the men who 

 acted as spies. These two men have their heads ornamented 

 with grass and boughs as before, with a murur placed on 

 top, projecting over the forehead. A vine is bent through 

 the brow baud and hair to keep the appendages firmly in 



