108 R. H. MATHEWS. 



him, was released from further duty. The same course was 

 followed on the arrival of each messenger with his contingent at 

 the main camp. These arrivals generally took place about night- 

 fall, and appeared to have been so arranged. When all the con- 

 tingents had arrived, the head-men fixed the day on which the 

 great ceremony should commence. 



The Camp. — The general encampment consisted of three sections; 

 the blacks who had come from Mogil Mogil, Collarendabri and 

 Walgett occupied one section ; those from Kunopia, Mungindi 

 and Welltown another ; those from the Moonie and St. George 

 forming a third section. The blacks who thus went into sections 

 by themselves all belonged to the same tribe, therefore the whole 

 concourse assembled in this camp represented three distinct tribes 

 all belonging to the same community ; and each tribe occupied 

 that side of the main camp which faced the direction of their own 

 tauri, or country.* The blacks from Welltown and St. George 

 had the farthest to travel to reach the Bora-ground — the distance 

 being over one hundred miles. The Narran and Namoi tribes had 

 been invited, but did not attend. The aborigines from the Moonie, 

 St. George and Welltown belonged to Queensland. The blacks 

 of all ages assembled to witness this Bora numbered about two 

 hundred and three persons, comprising ninety-six men, fifty-eight 

 women, and forty-nine children. This includes half-castes — the 

 same privileges being accorded to them as to natives of full blood. 

 The Aborigines Protection Board, on being informed that the Bora 

 was to be held, authorised the issue of rations to the aged blacks 

 and children ; and on one occasion a special issue of a hundred 

 half-rations was made to the able bodied natives. 



The Bora Ground. — While the messengers were away mustering 

 the tribes who had been invited to participate in the ceremonies, 

 some of the head-men, assisted by young fellows who had been to 

 at least one Bora, were employed preparing the ground, which 

 was about half-a-mile westerly from the general encampment, and 



* Jour. Boy. Soc.,N.S.W., xxiii., p. 37. 



