124 B. H. MATHEWS. 



come. The neophytes and their guardians remained in their own 

 quarters until the tribes finally dispersed, and during this time 

 the former were not allowed to speak to the women or children. 

 This seclusion was enforced lest the young men, while the excite- 

 ment of the Bora was fresh upon them, might divulge any of the 

 mysteries in which they had been instructed. 



This concluded the whole of the rites in connection with this 

 Bora, and the tribes shortly afterwards dispersed and returned 

 to their own districts. According to what could be gathered from 

 the blacks, these novices will be under the surveillance of their 

 guardians for about a couple of months longer before they will be 

 allowed to associate with the women of the tribe. 



The rites conducted on the Bora ground itself commenced about 

 the 12th of February and continued till about the 10th of March. 

 But from the time of the arrival of the first mob of blacks at the 

 general encampment till the commencement of the ceremonies 

 upwards of two months elapsed, owing to the non-arrival of some 

 of the tribes who had long distances to travel. 



The number of youths who had never been to a Bora before 

 and attended this one for the purpose of initiation, was about 

 twenty, three of whom were half-castes. They were not permitted 

 to see any of the symbolical figures described in previous pages, or 

 to have their significance explained to them. In order to obtain 

 this knowledge they must attend another Bora, when they will be 

 shown all that may be on or around the Bora ground where they 

 may assemble. Until then, also, they are forbidden to eat certain 

 of the choicest kinds of food ; amongst the animals which they 

 are forbidden to eat may be enumerated the cod fish, the porcupine, 

 the yellow iguana, the black iguana, &c* The ages of these 

 twenty recruits ran from about twelve to twenty years, but three 

 or four of them, whom circumstances had prevented from attending 

 previous Boras, were between twenty-five and thirty years of age. 

 Besides these, there were about twenty-three young men who had 



# These animals are probably totems. 



