248 K. H. MATHEWS. 



The boys are conducted several miles into the bush, and on 

 arriving at the place which has been agreed upon as the camping 

 ground, a bough yard is made for them. At night, by the light 

 of the camp fires the men go through various pantomimic perform- 

 ances, imitating the animals which are the totems of those present 

 and certain obscene gesticulations which are usually practised on 

 these occasions. Different burlesques take place every evening, 

 and also sometimes during the day. 



The period spent by the boys in the bush is about two or three 

 weeks, being regulated by the weather and other considerations. 

 An important ordeal through which the novices must pass is the 

 extraction of an upper incisor tooth. The boy to be operated 

 upon sits on his guardian's knee held by two men. The tooth- 

 extractor shoves the gum back with his finger nail, and the tooth 

 is punched out with a wooden chisel. The tooth is carefully 

 rolled up in opossum fur or bird's down, and is preserved by the 

 boy's relatives. 



One day the men strip pieces of bark resembling a cricket bat 

 in size and shape, and sit in a row beating the ground and singing. 

 The novices are brought and placed standing in front of these men 

 and are told to observe them carefully. Two or more wizards or 

 doctors now appear behind the men who are beating the ground, 

 each with a coolamin containing human blood. They advance 

 and the men and boys lap up the blood by means of small pieces 

 of soft bark dipped into it, which they suck. 



Another day two men stand out in an open space swinging each 

 a bullroarer, at the end of a string eight or ten feet in length. 

 When the graduates have paid particular attention for some 

 minutes, the men come up and rub the instruments on the penis 

 of each boy present, as well as on his navel, under his arms, on 

 his chest, and other parts of the body. Armed warriors now rush 

 up to each of the novices in a threatening attitude, and caution 

 them against revealing what they have been taught during their 

 sojourn in the bush. 



