178 
HORN EXPEDITION-ANTHROPOLOGY. 
they cook and eat, but no water is drunk. Having breakfasted, they again paint 
themselves ; broad white bands of down {undatia)* adorn tlie belly, arms, legs and 
forehead ; red and white ochre are also used. When their toilette is completed, 
they return, marching in silence and in Indian file, to a spot not far distant from 
the main camp, where a special wurley {imlyiltci) has been constructed to receive 
them ; this once entered, no man must leave on any pretext until the ceremony is 
over. Gum leaves (Eucalyptus) {pilpi7-pd) are carefully strewn over the floor by 
old men of the Kumarra and Purula, who have remained in camp for the purpose. 
The party arrives at the nalyilta about sundown, the young men entering first and 
taking up a position at the back of the wmrley, where they lie face downwards. 
Meanwhile the rain-maker—Chantchwa—is being prepared by the older men ; 
his face and head are entirely covered with hair-girdles (ilippa) ; by means of 
blood drawn from theglans penis, patches of bird’s-down are made to adhere to the 
hair and to the whole body, so that the man thus disguised pre.sents a never-to-be- 
forgotten spectacle. When fully dressed he takes u^^ a position close to the mouth 
of the nalyilta^ from which extends a shallow trench {liuUarinupa) twenty or thirty 
yards long, and the older men, who sit around him, now begin and continue singing 
for some time ;— 
Illunga ilartwina unalla 
Illunga kau-wu Itingalla 
Partinyi yert artnuri elt artnuri 
Yerra alt nartnura alia 
Partinya yarraa alt nartnurai 
Yerra alia partinya atnartnurai 
Yokaa wau wai. 
This finished, the Chantchwa emerges from the iiaylilta and proceeds slowly twice 
up and down the trench while his legs and body are made to quiver in a most 
extraordinary manner—every nerve and fibre ajipears to be agitated. The young 
men now, for the first time, arise from their recumbent position and join the older 
men, singing— 
Purlaarau kurlaa 
Rumpaa arri 
Umpaakiinla carla 
Rumpaa arrie 
Paakur tai 
* Probably of the E.asle-hawk {Aquila audetx). 
