100 R. H. MATHEWS. 



years ago. I do this because the books containing the narratives 

 to which I will refer are now out of print, and can be found only 

 in few libraries. 1 have introduced them here for the purpose of 

 reference and comparison, and to give them publicity in our 

 Journal for the benefit of all who may wish to study the subject. 



The earliest description of the Bora with which I am acquainted 

 is that given by Lieut. -Col. Collins, in his Account of the English 

 Colony of N. S. Wales, published in 1804, pp. 365-374.— This 

 Bora, at which fifteen youths were initiated, was held at the head 

 of Farm Cove, Sydney, in February 1795, nearly one hundred 

 years ago. The Bora-ground was oval in form, and measured 

 twenty-seven feet in length by eighteen feet in width, and was 

 cleared of grass and timber. In the evening the novices were 

 placed sitting down, with their legs crossed under them, at one 

 end of this ground, in which position they were to remain all 

 ni^ht. Two coradgies* then threw themselves prostrate on the 

 ground, and rolled about in apparent agony. After a time each 

 of them pretended to bring up a bone out of his mouth. It being 

 by this time quite dark, Mr. Collins left the place for the night. 

 On his return the following morning, the boys were placed at the 

 head of the circle, while the operators, some twenty in number, 

 paraded round it on their hands and feet, imitating dogs. Then 

 two men appeared, one carrying on his shoulders a kangaroo, the 

 other carrying a load of brush wood. After this, the boys were 

 left sitting in their place in the circle for ^about an hour, during 

 which time the actors went into a valley near the place, and fitted 

 themselves with long tails made of grass, which they fastened to 

 the hinder part of their girdles, and came jumping back to the 

 Bora ground imitating a mob of kangaroos. They then threw off 

 their grass tails, and each of them caught up one of the boys, and 

 carried him on his shoulders to the last scene of this extraordinary 

 exhibition, which was a short distance off. Here the boys were 

 let down from the shoulders of the men, and after some further 

 very secret preliminaries, the boys were led over the prostrate 

 * The native name for wizard. 



