d outside the leaf-smoke, clicking boomerangs as they did so.

For some time this went on, then the men took the boys back into the
scrub.

In about four moons' time another leaf-smoke was made ready, and the
Boorahbayyi were again brought out and smoked. This time while chanting
a song the old women brought a big net and put it right over the boys.
Then they stepped back and danced round to the clicking of boomerangs
by the men. The boys were again taken away.

But after this they were allowed to camp nearer the general camp,
though they held no intercourse with the people of it. I have often met
these Boorah boys in the bush, and on sighting me they have fled as if
I were a devil in petticoats.

In about another moon's time, the boys were painted principally white,
a waywah put on them, a yunbean--a piece of beefwood gum with two
kangaroo teeth stuck in it, and a hole through it--was tied to their
front lock of hair. A number of these yunbean were tied to forehead
bands, which they wore too. Armlets of opossum's hair string were put
on their arms, and feathers stuck in them. Feathers were also stuck
upright in the forehead bands.

Some of the old men added to their own decorations by putting on
wongins, from which were hanging those most precious possessions to
inland blacks--seaside shells. Some had fresh beads of gum fastened on
to their hair, hanging round their heads in dozens.

The women, too, had coiffured themselves with fresh gum beads; the
mothers of the Boorahbayyi were painted, too, in corroboree style. They
had made a smoke fire, but the logs instead of being put on it, were
placed at a little distance; on these the painted boys sat, the smoke
enveloping them.

After they had been seated there some time, their mothers came up
behind them, and put their hands on their sons' shoulders. Then they
rubbed all the paint off the boys' bodies; the boys never once looking
at them. When the paint was all off, the women sang and danced, until
the men in charge took the boys away again.

After this, supervision was relaxed except at night. During the
day-time the boys might wander at will, so as they kept clear of the
general camp. They might not receive food from nor speak to a woman for
twelve months, as if they were monks of Byamee in training.

At his second Boorah a young man was allowed to see the sacred fire
ceremony, throwing in of weapons, walking on burning coals, and the
rest. He saw the huge ear