idea of numbers beyond three, and of
course have no regular computation of time, this can only be ascribed to
chance, particularly as the season could not have much share in their
choice, February being one of the hot months.

On the 25th of January 1795 we found that the natives were assembling in
numbers for the purpose of performing this ceremony. Several youths well
known among us, never having submitted to the operation, were now to be
made men. Pe-mul-wy, a wood native, and many strangers, came in; but the
principals in the operation not being arrived from Cam-mer-ray, the
intermediate nights were to be passed in dancing. Among them we observed
one man painted white to the middle, his beard and eye-brows excepted,
and all together a frightful object. Others were distinguished by large
white circles round the eyes, which rendered them as terrific as can well
be imagined. It was not until the 2nd of February that the party was
complete. In the evening of that day the people from Cam-mer-ray arrived,
among whom were those who were to perform the operation, all of whom
appeared to have been impatiently expected by the other natives. They
were painted after the manner of the country, were mostly provided with
shields, and all armed with clubs, spears, and throwing sticks. The place
selected for this extraordinary exhibition was at the head of Farm Cove,
where a space had been for some days prepared by clearing it of grass,
stumps, etc.; it was of an oval figure, the dimensions of it 27 feet by
18, and was named Yoo-lahng.

When we arrived at the spot, we found the party from the north shore
armed, and standing at one end of it; at the other we saw a party
consisting of the boys who were to be given up for the purpose of losing
each a tooth, and their several friends who accompanied them.

They then began the ceremony. The armed party advanced from their end of
the Yoo-lahng with a song or rather a shout peculiar to this occasion,
clattering their shields and spears, and raising a dust with their feet
that nearly obscured the objects around them. On reaching the farther end
of the Yoo-lahng, where the children were placed, one of the party
stepped from the crowd, and seizing his victim returned with him to his
party, who received him with a shout louder than usual, placing him in
the midst, where he seemed defended by a grove of spears from any
attempts that his friends might make to rescue him. In this manner the
wh