Page:Aboriginesofvictoria01.djvu/139

Rh then tells me that he was called 'Burrumbulk' (the teal), who he says was a 'Barbuck' (mother's brother), also killed long ago by Brar-jer-acks. (This looks like a confusion of the same persons. He is not very clear about it.) When he was made a 'young man,' he was called Toolabar by his 'Barbuck,' Bungil Laen-buke. The former Toolabar was also a 'Barbuck' of Billy Toolabar, or, rather, a 'Brebba Barbuck,' i.e., probably his mother's cousin, or the wife of his father's sister's husband. It was this wise. Billy had been out from the camp for some time, and the elders had said among themselves, 'It is time that Burrumbulk' (his then name) 'had a name.' Bungil Laen-buke called him 'Toolabar.' When he returned some one called out (I think Bungil Laen-buke), 'Here, Toolabar!' Burrumbulk took no notice of it. He was called again. At last he said, 'What are you calling Toolabar?' 'Oh, that is your name.' 'My name! All right.' Thus he was named. He was caught, as a young lad (I don't know if before or after the naming 'Toolabar'), by the Macleods of Buchan, and thus got his name 'Billy Macleod.' He has been also nick-named 'Tarn-jill,' the Jabberer—incessant talker. He may, as he gets older, be called some other name. I told him to-day he should be called 'Bungil Eune,' or 'Bungil Yangoura,' i.e., Mr. Stringybark, as his occupation each winter is stripping bark. He said, 'By-and-by might get name.' The prefix to the names of 'Bungil,' Billy says, may be translated 'Mr.'; at any rate he can give no other meaning. It is only borne by the old men. There are no ceremonies about giving names. At present the customs are much relaxed. This autumn, at hop-picking, a number of blacks were here, and one gin had a baby. All hands had a word in the name which was given it when a week old. But it was to be a whitefellow name, Edward. The following are some of the names:—

Among the above the names will mostly explain themselves. The first one, Bungil Bar-le-jaru, 'Mr. Platypus,' used to spear many of those creatures. Bungil Laen-buke frequented Lake Bunga. Bungil Dow-ung-un, because he made his canoes from the elbows of trees; and Bungil Bottle, 'Mr. Bottle,' in derision of the bearer's drunken habits. Old Mr. Burgess, who looked after the