ring, where the branches were also in some
instances lopped, and the trunks carved and painted to represent
figures of men, amongst whom were supposed to be the sons of Byamee's
wives. Two of these sons had been made young men at the first Boorah
Byamee instituted in this district, the ground of which is pointed out
to this day.

In the middle of the Bunbul a large heap of wood was placed ready for
the Yungawee, or sacred fire.

When the preliminary preparations were over, the camps were moved to
just outside the Boorah, or big Boorah ring. By that time the other
tribes began to arrive. First came from each tribe the boys to be
initiated and the Munthdeeguns, or men in charge of them. The men were
painted, and had leafy twigs tied round their wrists and ankles, as had
the boys also, and all carried in their hands small branches of green.
Those especially in charge of boys held, too, a painted spear with a
waywah on top of it.

As they approached the place of gathering the head man, with the
painted spear, began calling out all the names of the places along the
creeks from whence he came; at the name of each big watercourse they
all cried together

'Wah! Wah! wah!'

They were met at some distance from the camp by the men who had
summoned them, and who had made a round brush yard where they were to
meet them. Here the older women were singing Boorah songs. Some held
their breasts as a sign they had sons among the initiates; others put
their hands on their shoulders, which showed they had brothers going to
be made young men. All the women had leafy twigs tied round their
wrists and ankles as the men had. The newcomers and the men who met
them walked round the yard at a measured beat, lifting one leg and
throwing up one arm each time the cry of 'Wah! wah! wah!' was given,
for here too the enumeration of geographical names went on.

When the Boorah song was over, the men marched out of the yard; closely
behind them the two oldest men with the tufted spears; the Boorah boys
closely after them. The women followed, carrying bunches of leafy twigs
with which they pelted the boys until they reached the camp.

Matah and I had been watching the whole performance, and followed in
the wake of the women.

The whole scene impressed us as picturesque--the painted figures of the
men and boys, with the peculiarly native stealthy tread, threading
their way through the grey Coolabah trees; the decorated women throwing
their leafy