rrobori is to be performed, and the men
screw themselves up to the acting point, as our actors do by other means
than these poor creatures possess. On the present occasion there was not
time for excitement; our's was as it were a family corrobori, or private
theatricals, in which we were let into the secrets of what takes place
behind the scenes. A party of the Darling natives had lately visited the
Murray, and had taught our friends their corrobori, in which, however,
they were not perfect; and there was consequently a want of that
excitement which is exhibited when they have their lesson at their
fingers' ends, and are free to give impulse to those feelings, which are
the heart and soul of a corrobori.

We had some difficulty in persuading our friends to exhibit, and we owed
success rather to Mr. Eyre's influence than any anxiety on the part of
the natives themselves. However, at last we persuaded the men to go and
paint themselves, whilst the women prepared the ground. It was pitch
dark, and ranging themselves in a line near a large tree, they each lit a
small fire, and had a supply of dry leaves to give effect to the acting.
On their commencing their chanting, the men came forward, emerging from
the darkness into the obscure light shed by the yet uncherished fires,
like spectres. After some performance, at a given signal, a handful of
dry leaves was thrown on each fire, which instantly blazing up lighted
the whole scene, and shewed the dusky figures of the performers painted
and agitated with admirable effect, but the fires gradually lowering, all
were soon again left in obscurity.

But, as I have observed, for some reason or other the thing was not
carried on with spirit, and we soon retired from it; nevertheless, it is
a ceremony well worth seeing, and which in truth requires some little
nerve to witness for the first time.

We had now arrived at Camboli's haunt, and were introduced by him to his
wife and children, of whom he seemed very proud; but a more ugly partner,
or more ugly brats, a poor Benedict could not have been blessed with.
Whether it was that he wished to remain behind, for he had not been very
active on the road, or taken that interest in our proceedings which
Nadbuck had done; or that our praises of his wife and pickaninnies had
had any effect I know not, but he would not leave his family, and so
remained with them when we left on the following morning. The
neighbourhood of our camp was, however