ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 311 



body, whilst the men hold the boughs close together over- 

 head, trying to ward off as much as possible of the falling 

 coals and ashes. The men and the boys shake their 

 shoulders, and jump, for the purpose of dislodging any of 

 the fiery shower which may descend upon their bodies. 

 This fire throwing ordeal continues until all the ashes and 

 embers have been distributed. 1 



The heads of the novices are then covered with rugs and 

 they are marched away by their guardians till they get 

 quite out of sight of the guanga. They arrive at a place 

 where a line of holes about the size and shape of a human 

 foot and a few inches deep, has been dug in the soil, with 

 a layer of leaves strewn upon the bottom. Two holes are 

 dug for each novice who is to be operated upon. 2 The boys 

 are now turned rapidly round and round until they become 

 giddy, after which they are placed standing with their feet 

 in the holes. Bach guardian then comes behind the boy he 

 has in charge, and kneeling down, puts his head between 

 his legs, so that the boy sits on his shoulders. Another 

 man stands along side, and places bis hands over the boy's 

 eyes, so that he may not see or recognise the man who 

 takes out his tooth. A small piece of tough stick is placed 

 across the lad's mouth to prevent his shutting it. Daring 

 these proceedings a muddyigang is sounding in close 

 proximity. The tooth extractor must be selected from 

 among the men of one of the strange tribes. He pretends 

 to accept the office reluctantly, whereupon an old chief 

 pats him on the back with the open hand, and encourages 

 him to undertake the important task. A fresh " dentist " 

 must be appointed for each novice in the same manner. 



1 Compare with, my account of the Bunan, in which, on the morning 1 of 

 taking the novices away, they are exposed in front of a fierce fire, until 

 dazed and stupified by the heat. — " The Bunan Ceremony," American 

 Anthropologist, Vol. ix., (1896), pp 335, 336. Proc. Geog. Soc, Brisbane, 

 Vol. xv., p. 68. 



2 Sometimes only one pair of holes were dug, and the novices were 

 placed in them in succession while the tooth was extracted. 



