ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 331 



into the charge of the man who is to act as his guardian 

 and sponsor throughout the remainder of the proceedings. 

 The guardian must not belong to the novice's own people, 

 but is selected from one of the visiting tribes into which 

 the lad could lawfully marry later on. 



The whole party now starts away and proceeds to a 

 secluded locality previously agreed upon, perhaps some 

 miles distant, where a camp is formed and the graduates 

 are placed lying down on a layer of green leaves upon the 

 ground, and are covered over with cloaks or grass — their 

 guardians remaining with them. A fence of boughs is 

 erected around where the boys are lying, to protect them 

 from the wind. This yard resembles a horse-shoe in shape, 

 with the open end to leeward, and all the men make their 

 own camps in close proximity. Between the quarters of 

 the novices and those of the men a space is cleared of all 

 sticks and grass, and one or more fires lighted beside it. In 

 the evening, after the youths have partaken of their allow- 

 ance of food, they are placed sitting in a row near this 

 prepared spot, and the men go through various semidramatic 

 performances, consisting of imitating the characteristic 

 movements and calls of different animals, and indulging in 

 many obscene gesticulations which are usually practised 

 on similar occasions, described by me in treating of the 

 inaugural rites of other tribes. 



At the close of the evening's functions, all hands lie 

 down to rest. During the night the boys are not allowed 

 to sleep soundly. The guardians keep continual watch, 

 relieving each other in turn. Just as a lad drops off to 

 sleep he is roused up again. Next morning the men go out 

 in quest of game, but the guardians remain with the boys 

 all day and prevent them from going to sleep. That even- 

 ing shortly after dark, a number of young men, under the 

 direction of the elders, provide themselves with large green 



