106 E. H. MATHEWS. 



the numerous difficult points submitted to him. From the infor- 

 mation thus obtained I have been able to prepare a full account 

 of this Bora from its commencement to its cJose. 



Mustering the Tribes. — About two years ago a Bora was heldi 

 at Kunopia on the Boomi River, and after its conclusion two of 

 the head-men of the aboriginal tribes of that part of the country 

 who are known amongst the Europeans as "Billy Whiteman" 

 and " Moogan Billy " arranged with the head-man of the tribes 

 about Gundabloui, who is known as "Jack Bagot," that a Bora 

 should be held in the last named district, for the purpose of 

 initiating a number of young men who could not attend the 

 Kunopia Bora, and also to finally admit some of those who had 

 been there initiated. The Kunopia head-men gave Jack Bagot three 

 boomerangs,* according to custom, as tokens of their concurrence, 

 and in due course he visited all the neighbouring tribes for the 

 purpose of consulting the several head-men about making the neces- 

 sary arrangements in regard to the best time and place for holding 

 the Bora. These preliminary duties occupied him for a considerable 

 time, and on his return to Gundabloui a few months before last 

 Christmas, he despatched messengersf to all the places he had 

 recently visited, to inform the blacks that a Bora would be held 

 at Gundabloui, and requiring them to assemble there at a certain 

 time. Some of the messengers were men who had been initiated, 

 and who went on their mission alone ; but two of the messengers 

 were half-castes who had never been at a Bora, and in their case 

 each was accompanied by an old man until the first camp was 

 reached, when the old man returned to the camp he had left. 

 From there the messenger was similarly escorted by an old man 

 to the next camp, when he also returned to his own tribe. In 

 this manner these half-castes were conducted from camp to camp 



* Anthr. Journ., vn., p. 252. 



f I endeavoured to ascertain whether these messengers were of the 

 same totem as Jack Bagot, the principal head-man who summoned the 

 Bora, and also if the head-men of the tribes to whom they were sent were 

 likewise of the same totem, but was unable to obtain satisfactory par- 

 ticulars. 



