272 R. H. MATHEWS. 



descend another stage of 5 or 6 feet, and shout again, and 

 the women repeat the clapping. This is continued stage 

 by stage until B reaches the ground and A is a few feet up 

 the trunk of the tree, when the final call is given by both 

 men, accompanied by the beating of the rugs by the women. 



It is supposed that at a man's death, his inside or spirit, 

 called bulubulatij, goes away back to its native place and 

 visits all the haunts and camps occupied by the man during 

 life. Perhaps the man has left some of his weapons at his 

 old camping places, or has hidden away his bullroarer or 

 other secret belongings somewhere in the bush. His bulu- 

 bulatij is supposed to go and see if these belongings are 

 alright. The ceremony of calling from the tree-top is for 

 the purpose of bringing the bulubulatij back to the body 

 before burial. 



While the two men are calling out from the tree, the 

 other old fellows who were left sitting near the corpse are 

 attentively listening, and they generally report that they 

 have heard a rustling sound within the bark covering of 

 the corpse, as if the bulubulatij had returned to the body. 

 Moreover, the men who climb the tree frequently aver 

 that they have heard the bulubulatij in the distance answer- 

 ing their calls. If the deceased had been strangled in his 

 sleep by the sorcery of an unseen enemy, the answering 

 voice would be very hoarse and feeble ; but if no injury had 

 been done to him, the voice of the returning spirit would 

 be clear and distinct. If the man has met his death by foul 

 play on the part of any of the people present, it is supposed 

 that the old men at the butt of the tree will see the bulu- 

 bulatij touching the guilty party as it flies past him. 



The spirit and body of the deceased being now reunited, 

 a grave is dug in some soft ground, such as loamy soil or 

 sand, and the body, with its covering of bark, is placed 

 lying full length on its back, with the head pointing towards 



