these people have but two attempts at
prayers, one at the grave and one at the inner Boorah ring, I think
perhaps we are wrong. These two seem the only ones directly addressed
to Byamee. But perhaps it is his indirect aid which is otherwise
invoked. Daily set prayers seem to them a foolishness and an insult,
rather than otherwise, to Byamee. He knows; why weary him by
repetition, disturbing the rest he enjoys after his earth labours? But
a prayer need not necessarily be addressed to the highest god. I think
if we really understood and appreciated the mental attitude of the
blacks, we should find more in their so-called incantations of the
nature of invocations. When a man invokes aid on the eve of a battle,
or in his hour of danger and need; when a woman croons over her baby an
incantation to keep him honest and true, and that he shall be spared in
danger, surely these croonings are of the nature of prayers born of the
same elementary frame of mind as our more elaborate litany. I fancy
inherent devotional impulses are common to all races irrespective of
country or colour.

When the prayer was over the old men chanted Byamee's song, which only
the fully initiated may sing, and which an old black fellow chanted for
us as the greatest thing he could do.

There seemed very little in this song, for no, one can translate it,
the meaning having been lost in the 'dark backward,' if it was ever
known to the Euahlayi.

'Byamee guadoun.
Byamee guadoun.
Byamee guadoun.
Mungerh wirree.
Mungerh wirree.
Mungerh wirree.
Birree gunyah, birrie gunyah.
Dilbay gooran mulah bungarn.
Oodoo doo gilah.
Googoo wurra wurra.
Bulloo than nulgah delah boombee nulgah.
Delah boombee. Nulgah delah boombee boombee.
Buddereebah . . . . . . Eumoolan.
Dooar wullah doo. Boombee nulgah delah.'

The old fellow said wherever Byamee had travelled this song was known,
but no one now knew the meaning of the whole, not even the oldest
wirreenuns.

Another stone was given to a Boorahbayyi when he first heard this song.

The wirreenuns, they say, swallow their stones to keep them safe.

At each Boorah a taboo is taken off food. After a third Boorah a man
could eat fish, after a fourth honey, after a fifth what he liked. He
was then, too, shown and taught the meanings of the tribal
message-sticks, and the big Boorah one of Byamee. As few men now have
ever been to five Boorahs, few know anything about these last. At each
B