Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/613

IX produced some pieces of a woman's skirt from them. When he found at the Gumbu that the tooth would not come out by jerking it with his own, he proceeded to rub the boy's neck, and again produced a lot of Gumilga, which he said "held the tooth fast." The tooth, when knocked out, was taken care of by one of the medicine-men.

Among the spectacular representations at the Burbung there is one in which the head medicine-man goes away for a time, and then returns dressed up in bunches and tufts of grass, saying that he had been for them to Baiame's camp.

After a great number of pantomimic representations, the secret ceremonies being then completed, the men return to the main camp with the boys. On the way back the latter are severely cautioned against telling anything about the ceremonies to women or persons not initiated, and to enforce this the medicine-men strike the ground with pieces of bark to imitate the bursting of stones heated in the fire, with which the boys are told Daramulun will injure or kill them if they tell any of the secrets.

The two last stations on the way back to the camp are, first, a halt to paint and dress the boys as men; and second, for the men to wash off all the charcoal powder used in the ceremonies.

When they are nearing the camp their approach is heralded by shouts of "Yau!"

Meanwhile the women have formed a new camp at a place fixed on before the ceremonies, and at several miles' distance from the former camp. They prepare there a place called gud'l, that is, a camp or hut of boughs with a fire in front of it. In it the boy's mother and sisters stand, and when his guardians take the novice into this place, these women look at him as if looking at a stranger; then they strike him with boughs, and on this he runs off into the bush, accompanied by his guardians.

After three or four days, these guardians return, bringing the novices with them, who are placed on a long embankment, called Mim-bam-mumbia, made of logs and bark, beyond which are all the women watching them. After sitting on the embankment for about five minutes, the novices are