244 R. H. MATHEWS. 



in that portion of the Barkunjee territory lying approximately 

 south of a line drawn across the Darling River below Menindie. 



The preliminaries connected with inviting the neighbouring 

 tribes to assemble at an appointed meeting place is practically 

 the same as that adopted by the natives in other districts, and 

 need not therefore be further referred to at present. 



On the morning of the day settled upon for the principal cere- 

 mony, all the people are astir at daylight. The boys to be operated 

 upon are gathered out of the camp, and are painted all over with 

 red ochre, — their heads being decorated with the down of birds. 

 When all is ready, the guardians take charge of the novices, and 

 a number of men armed with spears surround them in a compact 

 circle, and all of them march away ; the men making a great 

 noise, but the boys remaining silent, with their heads bowed 

 towards ther breasts. 



The mothers of the boys, and other women present, make a 

 pretence of resistance by throwing pieces of sticks over the heads 

 of the men, but do not attempt to follow them. The men and 

 graduates then proceed to a place previously agreed upon, perhaps 

 some miles distant, where a camp is formed, and the novices placed 

 lying down on a layer of leaves upon the ground, and are covered 

 over with cloaks or blankets, — their guardians remaining with 

 them. All the other men make their camp in close proximity. 

 Between the quarters of the boys and the mens' camp, a space is 

 cleared of all sticks and grass, with a fire lit close by it. In the 

 evening, after the novices have partaken of their allowance of 

 food, they are placed sitting in a row near this cleared spot, and 

 various pantomimic displays, representing the totems of the men 

 and boys, as well as hunting and other scenes, are performed by 

 the men by the light of the camp fires, similar in character to the 

 proceedings described by me in treating of the inaugural rites of 

 other tribes. 



A week or more may be spent at these camping places in the 

 bush. During the afternoon of one or more of the days of this 



