SORCERERS. 
359 
cipal men of their tribe, who was then in Adelaide 
gaol, charged with assaulting a shepherd ; and he 
urged me by all means to hurry off to town as quickly 
as I could, to procure the man’s release, so that 
if possible the evil might be averted. No explana- 
tion gave him the least satisfaction, he was in such a 
state of apprehension and excitement, and he finally 
marched off with the little boy, saying, that although 
by no means safe even with him, yet he would be 
in less danger than if left with me. 
All natives of Australia believe in sorcery and 
witchcraft on the part of certain of their own tribe, 
or of others. To enable them to become sorcerers, 
certain rites must be undergone, which vary among 
the different tribes. Around Adelaide they have at 
one period to eat the flesh of young children, and 
at another that of an old man, but it does not ap- 
pear that they partake more than once in their life 
of each kind. When initiated, these men possess 
extensive powers, they can cure or cause diseases, 
can produce or dissipate rain, # wind, hail, thunder, 
.&c. They have many sacred implements or relics, 
which are for the most part carefully kept concealed 
from the eyes of all, but especially from the women, 
such as, pieces of rock crystal, said to have been ex- 
tracted by them from individuals who were suffering 
under the withering influence of some hostile sorce- 
* Also an American superstition. — Vide Catlin, vol. i. p. 134. 
“ Sorcerers or rain makers, for both offices are generally as- 
sumed by one individual.” — Moffat’s South Africa, p. 305. 
