Page:Dawson - Australian aborigines (1900).djvu/98

 necklaces, and anklets of green leaves. The wives of chiefs are distinguished by two red stripes across the cheeks. Both men and women are ornamented by cicatrices — which are made when they come of age — on the chest, back, and upper parts of the arms, but never on the neck or face. These cicatrices are of a darker hue than the skin, and vary in length from half an inch to an inch. They are arranged in lines and figures according to the taste or the custom of the tribe. The operator cuts through the skin with a flint knife, and rubs the wounds with green grass. This irritates the flesh and causes it to rise above the skin. By repeated rubbings, the flesh rises permanently, and the wounds are allowed to heal. About the same age, nearly every person has the cartilage of the nose pierced to admit some ornament. The hole is made with the pointed bone of the hind leg of the kangaroo, which is pushed through and left for a week. A short tube, made of the large wing bone of the swan, is then introduced to keep the hole open, and is turned round occasionally while the nose is kept moist by holding the face over a vapour bath, produced by pouring water over hot stones. When the wound is quite healed, the ring is removed. On occasions of ceremony, a reed about eighteen inches long is pushed through the opening and worn as an ornament. Before the korroboræ commences — which is immediately after sunset — large quantities of dry bark, branches, and leaves are collected, and the young people are ordered to light the fire and attend to it. The men and well-grown boys retire to prepare themselves for the dance. They paint their bodies and limbs with white stripes, in such a manner as to give them the appearance of human skeletons; and they tie round their ancles a number of leafy twigs, which touch the ground, and make a rustling noise as they move. Each dancer wears the reed ornament in his nose. When they stand in a row these reeds have the appearance of a continuous line. The women do not join in the dance, but sit in a half-circle behind the fire, and sing, accompanying their song with the sound of beating on opossum rugs, as described under the head of music. Some of the men stand beside the fire, beating time with the music sticks. After the music has begun, one of the dancers emerges from the darkness into the open ground, so as just to be seen; and, with a stamp, sets himself with arms extended, and legs wide apart and quivering, his feet shuffling in time to the music, and the twigs round his ankles rustling at each movement. He