Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/106

101 the bloody-minded bukeen to enter the camp unseen and successfully carry away the treasured kidney fat of their brother wherewith to lubricate himself, thereby adding the strength that was his victim's to his own vile person, besides depriving the tribe of one of its valuable members. Sometimes a bukeen wortongie (savage blackfellow) is found dead within a short distance of the camp, with no visible sign as to how he came by his end; therefore as a matter of course Konikatnie gets the credit of having slain him with one of his not-to-be-encountered glances. Great rejoicings ensue accordingly, accompanied by the usual quantum of tongue clucking when the aboriginal mind is in high glee. Besides that, many laudatory ejaculations are passed on the water spirit for his vigilant protection. In these cases the bangal present at the time takes very good care to confirm their belief in every possible manner, although more than likely it was he himself who had assassinated the wily bukeen. It is probable that whilst prowling about (as it is the custom of these medicine men to do) the bangal had opportunely caught sight of the stealthy bukeen lying perdue, awaiting an opportunity in all probability for the achievement of no very good purpose, becoming the victim, however, instead of the aggressor, as the discovering bangal crept from bush to bush, or wriggled himself like some hideous overgrown snake through the waving grass until within pouncing distance, when, with the fatal velocity of the reptile which we have used in illustration, he darted upon the fated bukeen, and had him strangled almost before he had time to struggle.