7

4
the gesture sign by which in these tribes the name
of the great Supernatural Being Daramulun (1) is inducted - which
it is not lawful for the uninitiated to know nor for the initiated
to speak unless in the Kuringal ceremonies, which it is taught to
first instituted and taught to the Murring ancestors.

After this ceremony the evening is spent in festive singing
and dancing (known to us as the corroboree).

When all the contingents have arrived the old men in concert
apart fix upon the day in which the [Kuringal -crossed out] great ceremonie [sic] shall be
[crossed out - commenced] held. These commence by a stamping, winding procession
of all the initiated men headed by the principal Gommera ([sketch which looks like a Z]) which
as before collects all the women and children together on the
open space near to the camp. But now the women are not only crowded
but crouch close together each boy who is to be initiated being beside
his mother, and these are placed in the front of the group.

The men having danced in a long line to and fro in front of the
women now halt in front of them and directed by the principal old
men closely cover them up with rugs. I was much interested in noting

Where an B earthen mound has been made [the women crouch- crossed out]
[in the behind - crossed out] it, each mother is in a camp immediately behind her son, who is in the mound
undergoing the "fire ordeal"; the other women being still further back. The
Wiradjuri follow much the same practice. In Victoria the Wotjoballan of the
Wimmera River roasted their boys in a mound which in that way approach
to the Bunan ceremonies of G'land. see pp.-

That a very old man of the Biduelli tribe which had no initiation
ceremonies was at the gathering. He was friends with all, and was
related by marriage to some of the contingent visitors. But never having been
"made a man" - being one of the uninitiated he was driven crouching among the
women and together with them was covered up by the rugs.
One of the Kurnai - belonging to the Krauatun clan which was
the neighbour of the Twofold Bay Murring - left before the ceremonies commenced,
for he also was uninitiated his clan having no cermonies and not attending the
Kurnai Jerail (3)

The women all this time, even when close covered up all droning
the "tooth song".

At a sign for the old man one of the principal gommeras who was the master of this ceremonie [sic]
each Kabo says his particular charge by the arm and holding him tight
drags him from among the women and hastens away with him followed
by the shouting crowd of men. (4)One old man remains behind to see
that the women behave themselves and do not indulge in any unlawful
female curiosity by following the men.

[in left side margin]
[next to first paragraph] (1) see p.p
[next to second main paragraph] (2) see chapter "Headman +c"
[next to third main paragraph] Foot note
[next to line with (3)] (3) see p. p
[line drawn from (4) to side margin] Two Kabos are
assigned to each novice
and have been almost
from that group which is
in the relations to the novices
group of "sisters husband" and
(future) "wife's brother". Thus
each arm is held by one of the Kabos
who may for [??] being called
"Guardians"

[at bottom of page]
(4) This shouting is to cover the noise made by the departing men and other noises.
the women and children are supposed not to know what has become of them
when the old men in charge uncover them. At the Bunan the departure of
the novices and then guardians along the path for the earthen circle is masked
by the men who continue to run round the inside of the ring making a noise like
p-r-r p-r-r and gradually stealing off one by one. During this the women have been
lying face down on the ground outside the earth mound on the side furthest from the
path leading to the lesser Bunan.