missiles with accurate aim into the ranks of the boys, who
did not dare to look at their assailants. A Boorah boy must give no
evidence of curiosity; the NIL ADMIRARI attitude then begun clings to a
black man through life. The women of the tribe express voluble
surprise, but a black man never except by the dilation of his eyes.

Every night after this a corroboree was held. The fully initiated of
each tribe, as they arrived, help in the preparation of the inner
sacred ground, while the younger men collected game and other food.

The old men cut out of the ground along the narrow path leading to the
Bunbul, and round it, huge earthen animals, their various totems, such
as crocodiles, kangaroos, emus and others, all of a colossal size.
These they plastered over with mud and painted in different colours and
designs. On the right of the Bunbul they made an earthen figure of
Byamee--this figure was reclining holding in each hand a Boondee. On
the other side was the huge figure of a woman--this represented
Birrahgnooloo, the favourite wife of Byamee; she held two spears. There
was a third figure not so large as the other two but like them, apart
from the figures near the path and the Bunbul; this was Baillahburrah,
according to some, Dillalee according to others, the supernatural son
of Byamee--or as some say, brother--not born of woman, having lived
before the human race existed, before Byamee travelled as Creator and
culture hero through Australia.

Of the Gayandi, the Boorah spirit, sometimes called
Wallahgooroonboooan, there was no figure, because he was always present
at Boorahs, though invisible. His voice only gave evidence of his
presence.

The wirreenuns said it was he who had placed in the forks of trees
round the big ring heaps of dry wood, which they said, when the
ceremonies began, he would light, making a dazzling illumination of the
scene.

In the middle of the Boorah ring was placed a mudgee, a painted stick
or spear, with a bunch of hawk's feathers on the top. Every night was
heard at intervals the Gayandi, and immediately the younger women and
children stopped their ears, while the old women shrieked their
BRUMBOORAH.

As each fresh batch of blacks arrived the volume of sound was
increased, for the old men with their Gayandi would go into the scrub
and whirl them. These bull roarers sound curiously uncanny--I did not
wonder the uninitiated accepted the spirit theory as to their origin.

The bush of