ABOEIGINAL BOKA. 101 



bodies of a number of blackfellows lying flat on their faces on the 

 ground. Following this there was a spectacular display of native 

 weapons, after which the ceremony of knocking out the front 

 tooth commenced. The first boy to be operated upon was seated 

 on the shoulders of one of the men, who sat on the grass. The 

 boy's gum was lanced with one of the bones produced by the 

 coradgies. A wooden peg was then placed against the tooth and 

 hit by a stone, which forced out the tooth. After this a girdle 

 was tied round his waist, in which was stuck a wooden sword ; a 

 ligature was put round his head, in which was placed slips of grass 

 tree, which being white, had a curious and pleasing affect. The 

 same operation was performed on each of the boys, after which 

 the assemblage dispersed. 



The next authentic account of the Bora is that contained in 

 Mr. J. Henderson's work, Observations on the Colonies of New 

 South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, published in 1832, pp. 

 145-148. This Bora was held near Wellington in this Colony, 

 sixty or seventy years ago, and I will give the account of it in 

 Mr. Henderson's own words : — " The portion of the valley selected 

 for performing this sacred rite was beautifully situated in a 

 secluded part of the forest, near the banks of the river Macquarie. 

 A long straight avenue of trees extended for about a mile, and 

 these were carved on each side with various devices, most of which 

 were intended to represent serpents in all their different attitudes. 

 On the upper extremity of this, the earth had been heaped up so 

 as to resemble the gigantic figure of a human being extended on 

 his breast, while through the whole length of this sylvan temple, 

 a variety of other characters were observed rudely imprinted on 

 the turf. The devices represented snakes, opossums, emus, 

 kangaroos, the cockchafer, &c. The evil spirit seemed to be 

 described under the form of an eagle ; an imitation of his eyrie 

 formed a conspicuous object at the upper end of the grove. At 

 the lower extremity of the avenue, a narrow pathway turned off 

 to the left, and soon terminated in a circle, which was enclosed 

 by a wall composed merely of loose earth. 



