134 R. H. MATHEWS. 
will be desirable at this stage to describe how the women and 
children are released from their imprisonment at the Burbung, 
and the removal of the camp to a new site, which may be distin- 
guished as the “ Thurrawonga Camp.” 
As soon as the novices and guardians are out of sight of the 
Burbung, the covering is taken off the women, who, on getting 
to their feet and seeing the boys gone and their things strewn 
about on the ground, chant a kind of lamentation, especially the 
mothers and sisters of the novices.!. About this time they hear 
the shouting and other noises made by the men around the boys 
near the goombo. All the mothers then go to a log, or stem of & 
fallen tree, lying on the ground somewhere near the Burbung, 
half of them standing on one side and half on the other side of the 
log. The mothers standing on the one side then throw their 
yamsticks horizontally and end on, across the log, to the mothers 
on the other side ; the latter return the yamsticks over the log 
in the same way. Bunches of green leaves are tied to one end 
of these yamsticks to make them ornamental, and the mothers 
sing during the performance. This throwing of the yamsticks to 
and fro across the log is continued until the shouting of the men 
near the goombo ceases, and is done for the avowed purpose of 
inducing the evil spirit to show clemency to their sons. 
All the women and children, and a few of the old men who 
have been left in charge of them, then gather up their effects and 
start towards the locality which has been settled upon for the 
erection of the new camp. On arrival there the people of each 
tribe take up their quarters on the side facing their respective 
districts—the camp of the local tribe forming the initial point. 
It not unfrequently happens that one of the tribes who are 
expected to attend the ceremonies are unable, from some cause, t0 
reach the burbung ground before the camp is broken up, but 
arrive a day or two afterwards. In order that this late mob may 
know where to go, a messenger is sent to meet them and escort 
ee 
1 Journ. Anthrop. Inst., xxv., 330. 
