Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/552

526 the boys. The head Gommera, however, only looks on, having given his instructions to the others early in the morning, at the council-place, so that each one knows what he has to do.

The fire is built up only twelve or fourteen paces from the boys, and they are kept before it for ten or twelve minutes, or even longer, if they can bear the heat. Even if the wind blows it towards them, they must not move of themselves, for it is the duty of the Kabos to look out for such an event, and to move them farther off, before any harm can happen to them.

Behind each boy, that is to say, outside the mound, crouches his mother, or failing her, his mother's sister, or the sister of his father (Mimung), closely covered with boughs. When the head Gommera thinks that the boys have been roasted enough, the bull-roarer is sounded at a little distance away and behind the women, and at this signal the Kabos make the boys run across the Bunan and along the path, where they He down, and are closely covered with opossum rugs or blankets.

After a little time the boys are allowed to sit up, but still covered so that they cannot see what is going on. Meanwhile the men have brought their bundles, and then remove the boughs from the women, who are sent away to some place several miles' distant, where they make a new camp and await the return of the men the next day. In order to ensure discretion on their part, and that none of them shall spy out the proceedings at the secret ceremonies, an old man is left behind in charge of them, who sees that they do their part in readiness for the return of the men.

The men having joined the boys with their bundles, they all move along the path, and at each stage the medicine-men go through their magical performances. The Kabos explain everything to their boys, and also tell them about Daramulun, warning them never to mention these things to women or children.

These matters are more fully described in speaking of the other variety of the Kuringal, the Kadja-wallung ceremonies.