ABORIGINAL TKIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 303 



may be betrothed to several young men. If the man to 

 whom she is betrothed dies before he is old enough to claim 

 her, then she becomes the wife of one of the others. When 

 the parties to the alliance attain puberty, it is necessary 

 that the old men shall again meet and settle the point as 

 to who shall marry whom, because nothing can be done 

 without their ratification. 



It must be remembered that until a youth has graduated 

 in all the inaugural ceremonies of his tribe, and has been 

 admitted to the rights and privileges of aboriginal manhood, 

 he cannot claim his promised wife, or be present at any of 

 the councils or deliberations of the men. 



Moreover, when a man goes to claim his allotted wife, 

 he is required to stand out with his shield, while a certain 

 number of spears are cast at him by the girl's brother. If 

 he be dexterous enough to ward off the missiles without 

 receiving a wound, and so prove himself a warrior, he can 

 take his promised spouse, but if not, he must go away with 

 his people a bachelor as he came. This is not such a seri- 

 ous ordeal as it appears at first sight. If the claimant does 

 not prove himself worthy of the girl, then it follows that 

 her brother cannot obtain the sister of the young man 

 whom he has wounded. It generally happens, therefore, 

 that when the brother is throwing the spears referred to, 

 he takes good care that they shall fall wide of the mark. 

 There are occasions, however, where the brother has some 

 other girl in view, or has a "down " upon the suitor, and 

 in such case does his best to injure him. This custom has 

 probably given rise to the stockmen's yarns about " mar- 

 riage by capture." 



It has been said above that the woman and her totem 

 are absorbed by the tribe into which she marries, but this 

 must be received with some qualification. An old proverb 

 says, that " blood is thicker than water," and there is no 



