122 R. H. MATHEWS. 
the tribe, together with the children and perhaps some of the 
infirm old men, would remain at the place where the men had left 
their superfluous effects. 
As soon as the men of the local tribe hear the shout of the 
strangers approaching, they proceed to the ring, accompanied by 
the men belonging to all the contingents who have previously 
arrived at the Burbung camp.' They all sit down near the ring, 
on the side opposite to that from which the new tribe are coming, 
and commence beating their boomerangs together. 
When the men of the new mob reach the Burbung ring, they 
run in single file once round the outside of it, and then enter it 
through the opening in the embankment, and march round inside 
until all the men are within the circle. The novices, painted red 
all over, with their mothers halt a short distance from it, and do 
not enter with the men, but go back and join the other women of 
their own tribe. 
All, or nearly all, the tribes who arrive, will have with them @ 
greater or less number of young men who were inaugurated into — 
the rank of manhood at the three consecutive burbungs which 
took place previous to the present one. On the arrival of a con- 
tingent, these probationers are mixed among the wavy line of 
men, each of them walking behind the man who was his guardian 
on the occasion of his initiation. Each probationer has a large 
bush, which he holds with folded arms, against the front of his 
body. These young fellows enter the ring with the other men, 
and at once proceed to the centre, where they stand in a group- 
The men then form a cordon round them, and call out the names 
of several of the chief localities in their own ngooranbang oF 
country. After this the men walk out of the circle and throw 
down their boughs beside theembankment. The neophytes follow 
them, still carrying their boughs in the way described. 
1“The Burbung of the New England Tribes.’’—Proc. Roy. Soc. Vic- 
toria, rx., N.S., 123. *‘ The Bora or Initiation Ceremonies of the Kawil- 
aroi Tribes.”—Journ. Anthrop. Inst., xxv., 321 
