— 284 — 



having 'danced in a long chain back and fro before the women, halt in front of 

 them, and, directed, by the principal old man, closely cover them up with rugs. 

 The women all this time are droning out the „tooth song w . At a sign from the 

 old man who is the master of the ceremonies, each kabo seizes his particular 

 Charge by the arm, and holding him tight drags him forth and hastens away 

 with him, followed by the shouting crowd of men. Some old man is left behind 

 to see that the women behave themselves, and do not indulge in any unlawful 

 female curiosity by following the men. 



"When at a distance from the camp the boys are rubbed with red ochre 

 and fat, and each one is covered closely with a mg or blanket so that nothing 

 but his face is visible. 



The ceremonial procession now commences, and each kabo is deeply 

 engaged in giving his boy a preliminary instruction as to his duties. These may 

 be summed up as follows: 



(1) He is ou no account to stare about him, but to walk with his eyes 

 fixed on the ground, excepting when told by his guardian to look at anything. 



(2) He is not to laugh, nor to show the slightest sign of being conscious 

 of that which he sees, or hears, or that which is done to him. 



(3 N , He is, however, to pay the greatest attention to all that he is told, 

 and he is, moreover, told that for disobedience of these commands he may be 

 Struck down instantly, if not killed, by the magic powers of the old men. 



It is the duty of the guardian to watch over his Charge, to care for him 

 in every way, to give him food and drink, when these are allowed to the novice, 

 and above all to fully explain the ceremonies; to teach him the name and attri- 

 butes of Daramulun, and in every way to be to him a „guide, philosopher, 

 and friend. 1 ' 



The proceedings may be divided into three parts; the procession, the in- 

 campment, the return; and I shall for convenience deal with the ceremonies in 

 that order. Before proceeding with my description I must, however, make some 

 general Statements which apply to the whole, from beginning to end. So soon 

 as the initiated men with the novices are out of sight of the camp, or at the 

 greater ceremonies have left the Bunan circle — the women being left behind — 

 it becomes lawful to openly speak of those things which elsewhere are not spoken 

 of at all, or only in a hushed tone. Even, in some respects, the language is altered [wie 

 in den Quimbe] for many words are now used for which at other times, and in other 

 places, quite different ones are used. The principle underlying this is, that all 

 things belonging to these ceremonies are so intimately connected with Daramulun 

 that they may not be elsewhere spoken of without risk of displeasing him, and 

 the words which, imply these ceremonies, or anything connected with them, are 

 therefore forbidden. For instance, the name of Daramulun may now be freely 



