118 W. J. ENBIGHT. 



arrived women by dancing around them. All the men then strip 

 the leaves off the branches they carry and scatter them over the 

 ground. This portion of the ritual appears to be meaningless 

 now, but it may perhaps have formerly symbolised the stripping 

 of the youth of his old character preparatory to confering on him 

 the toga virilis. 



The day for commencing the initiation having arrived, the men 

 who are to act as the stewards go to the goonambung and assume 

 the symbols of office in the shape of a smearing of grease and 

 charred bark of the apple-tree (goondary). 1 The boys are prepared 

 by their female relations, who cover them all over with a mixture 

 of red ochre and grease, and they are also adorned with a belt 

 from which is suspended two tails. 



The youths when their preparations have been completed pro- 

 ceed to the boolbung in company with the women and children. 

 The latter, however, do not enter the ring but take their places 

 outside, close to the youths belonging to their respective tribes ; 

 the youths standing inside the ring at the points nearest their 

 respective burris. 



The women and children who have been previously made to lie 

 down with their faces to the ground are then covered with rugs 

 and bushes, and the proponents for initiation with their heads 

 enveloped in rugs are taken some distance along the goolga out of 

 sight of the women, and then made to lie down with the rugs still 

 covering them. Whilst in this position, the awful sound of the 

 goonanduckyer, the voice of Goolumbra further impresses them 

 with the solemnity of the occasion and serious nature of the step 

 they are taking, and renders their minds better fitted to receive 

 the lessons of the keepara. 



The youths having been taken out of sight as just stated, the 



women and children are permitted to rise, and are conducted to 



another camp, the site of which has previously been selected at a 



winggerah held prior to the commencement of the proceedings. 



l Not the fruit tree, but the so-called apple-tree of Australia (Angophora) 

 Eds. 



