HORN EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
179 
wliile the Cliautchwa’s iiioveineiits appear to accord with the singing. When he 
re-enters the nalyilta^ the young men all prostrate themselves again, and this 
position they always occupy when the Chantchwa is present. More singing follows 
in which the rain-maker joins ; at intervals during the night he goes up and down 
tlie trench and quivers as described. The singing continues all night and at day¬ 
break the Chantchwa executes a final quiver, lasting for longer than usual, in 
which he fairly exhausts himself. On his then declaring the ceremony at an end 
the young men rush out screaming in imitation of the spur-winged plover {Lobiva- 
nellus lobatus). The cry is heard in the main camp and taken up, with weird 
eliect, by the men and women there. An old woman of the Kumarra or Purula 
class has covered a lai-ge space with gum leaves just within sight of the canqj, and 
after the Chantchwa has been relieved of his head-dress he and his assistants 
march to the spot. There they lie down on the leaves for a short time and then 
proceed to the camp, where food and water awaits them. Sometimes the whole 
performance lasts for forty-eight hours, during which period the men must fast. 
After this ceremony a rain-dance takes place, in which all the men join, the 
women, as usual in corrobborees, providing a musical accompaniment. 
The Al-lail-linga groups of the Arunta-Ilpma subdivision of the Arunta tribe 
are great rain makers. They inhabit the eastern portion of the Arunta-Ilpma 
country or that around Paddy’s Hole, about fifty miles eastward of Alice Springs. 
This is known as the rain country, “ Kwatcha Kartwia.” 
Sacped Stones.—Churiha.* 
The sacred stones {churina) of the tribe are flat stones of various sizes of soft 
material such as micaceous rock, and generally engraved in various ways, the 
predominating characters being concentric circles. These stones are greatly valued 
by the natives, and it is difficult to procure specimens. They are handed down 
from generation to generation, and the women are never allowed to see them. 
AVhen not in use they are hidden away in secret spots known only to the chief 
men of the tribe to which no woman, under penalty of death, is allowed access. 
Each churina is believed to possess wonderful charms—it strengthens the man who 
is armed with it, and it possesses the virtue of making its possessor invisible to any 
enemy. As has been stated the Kurdaitcha is armed with one of these magic 
stones which he carries hidden in his arm-pit. In battle they are carried by the 
chief and older men. The humming-stick {irula) also belongs to the churina 
* See also notes by Mr. Gillen on Certain Churina described at p. Sl. 
21a 
