Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/554

528 swung it a little distance from the council-place, and at its roaring sound the men sprang up and ran in a long line, following Umbara, the tribal bard, who held a boomerang in his hand, the others holding boughs.

They ran towards the camp, in a long sinuous line, following the actions of their leader, rhythmically striking the ground on alternate sides, and shouting "Wah!" Once or twice in their course the leader and his men stopped and raised their boughs and boomerangs silently to the sky. When they reached the camp the long line wound through it, stamping in time, waving boughs and shouting "Wah!" They visited each hut, from which the women and children hastened to join the others who had assembled just outside the camp, encircled by the men, while the women sang the "tooth"-song to the time beaten on rolled-up rugs. The men now ranged themselves at the east side of the women, and shouted alternately the name of one of the local groups, the most distant one being first used.

This having been done, the men closed rapidly and closely round the women and children so as to crowd them together; and, having done so, shouted "Wah!" and raised their boomerangs and boughs to the sky. This is the gesture signifying "the great master" (Biamban), whose true but secret name of Daramulun it is not lawful to utter, excepting at the ceremonies, on the initiation ground.

In the evening the friendly welcome of the dancing corrobboree was held. The only notable variation in this from the corrobborees which I had seen elsewhere was that of a dance by the women of the Braidwood contingent, the wives of Katungal (sea-coasters). These women danced together in the usual corrobboree style, but wearing short fringe-like skirts, which represented the "women's aprons" of the olden time. Their faces were whitened with pipe-clay, and they wore large head-dresses made of swans' feathers.

On the following morning a general council of the men was held at the Wirri-wirri-than to decide the procedure. Some of the Gommeras were desirous of forming the Bunan, which had been left pending my arrival, but to this I objected that, as my time was now so short, I could not wait to the