THE BURBUNG OR INITIATION CEREMONY. 121 
men and women paint themselves in whatever style is customary 
among them, and decorate their hair with feathers. In the tribes 
I am referring to, the painting consisted of stripes and daubs of 
pipeclay on the limbs and upper parts of the bodies, and on the 
face. The boys (eeramooroong ), who are to be initiated are painted 
red all over their bodies. On coming in sight of the main camp 
the men disencumber themselves of their rugs and other effects, 
leaving them in charge of the women. A shout is now given, 
and on this being answered from the camp, all the men form into 
single file and march on in a serpentine line, each man being about 
a yard behind the man in front of him. 
The headman is in the lead holding the lower end of a spear in 
his left hand, the other end of the spear pointing outward from 
his left shoulder. Instead of a single spear he may have several 
ina bundle. On the side of the spear, close to the end which he 
holds in his hand is tied the bullroarer (mudjeegang ), which had 
been sent to him by the messenger. The bullroarer is wrapped 
in a piece of the skin of some small animal, and in order to con- 
ceal it from observation, the man carries a small bush in the same 
hand. In his right hand he carries another small bushy bough, 
which he shakes at every few steps. 
Each of the other men who are following have also spears and 
boughs exactly like the leader, but no bullroarer. The proba- 
tioners, who will be referred to. presently, carry a bough only. 
The messenger who has escorted the tribe is in the procession, a 
Short distance behind the headman. On the left hand side of this 
sinuous cortege, but near the rear, the novices who are to be 
initiated, belonging to this tribe, and their mothers, are marching 
along. Each mother and her novice would march abreast of one 
of their male relatives in this procession. The other women of 
i eens Beas 
1 On the Lower Murrumbidgee, the mudjeegang is attached to the a 
end of the Reshpesiag and has small bushes fastened aroun nd it. 
1 and Bogan River tribes, the mudjeegang is fastened to the ats 
ower ma of the spear, and a burran to the upper end. toa Anthrop. e 
-» Lond., XXV., 305. 
