ABORIGINAL BORA. 119 



There were amongst the assemblage a number of young men 

 who had been to one Bora before, and attended this one for further 

 instruction ; these are called tuggabillas, and had no guardians, 

 but walked unrestrained with the old men all over the Bora ground, 

 and everything on it was fully explained to them, so that when 

 they become old men they may be able to produce similar figures 

 and explain their meaning to the young men of the tribe, so that 

 their customs and traditions, rites and ceremonies, may be handed 

 down from one generation to another. 



After the wommarois had been lying down as before stated, for 

 about two hours, the tuggabillas were brought and placed standing 

 round the outside of the ring. Two old men* then entered it, and 

 showed them Bora dances, after which the old men each ascended 

 one of the saplings before referred to, and sitting on the roots 

 sang traditional Bora songs in a low monotonous chant. These 

 performances continued for about an hour, when the old men 

 retired, and two of the most accomplished of the tuggabillas took 

 their places within the circle. The wommarois were now allowed 

 to rise, and were placed in a standing position around the outside 

 of the ring, while receiving from the two tuggabillas similar 

 instruction to that imparted by the old men. When this was 

 concluded the wommarois resumed their former prone position 

 around the circle. The tuggabillas then withdrew, and went over 

 the Bora ground again with the old men. 



About one o'clock in the afternoon, the head-men and guardians 

 called the novitiates out of the circle, and took them away about 

 six miles to a place called Mungaroo. This was the last scene 

 enacted at the Bora ground, which was now finally abandoned. 

 The journey to Murtgaroo from the Bora ground was performed at 

 a leisurely walk, during which the catechumens were not allowed 

 to gaze about them, nor to show any levity of manner. As they 

 walked along their guardians were explaining to them the signifi- 



* These old men have sometimes been described as " wizards/' and 

 their performances have been called " magical dances." 



