CHAPTER XVI. FUNERAL CEREMONIES, SUPERSTITIONS, AND REMARKABLE CUSTOMS. DEATH AND BURIAL OF A NATIVE NEAR PERTH-BURIAL OF A NATIVE IN THE LESCHENAULT DISTRICT-CUSTOM OF LACERATING THEMSELVES, AND WATCHING AMONG THE GRAVES THE BOYL-YAS OR NATIVE SORCERERS-KAIBER'S ACCOUNT OF THEM-THEIR OPINION OF THE NIGHT-MARE -VENERATION FOR CRYSTAL STONES - CIRCUMCISION OTHER CUSTOMS. Friday, June 14, 1839.-YEN-NA came to me this afternoon to tell me that Mul-li-go was now so ill, there was but little chance of his living for many hours longer, and further to request that I would accompany him to see the sufferer. Nearly two months had elapsed since Mulligo had severely injured his spine by a fall from a tree; and immediately after the occurrence of this accident, he had completely lost the use of his lower extremities, and had day by day declined until he was now reduced to a perfect skeleton. I was, therefore, but little surprised at the intelligence which Yenna brought me; and as I was anxious to see the ceremonies that would accompany his last moments, I at once started for the native encampment. Mulligo was a Ngotak, and had two wives, Kok-00-bung and Mugar-wit, both of the Balla-roke family, and neither of them deficient either in youth, or in such personal charms, as find favour in the eyes of the natives. I anticipated, therefore, that from some quarter or the other objections would be raised to allowing Miago, the uterine brother of Mulligo, (and therefore also a Ngotak,) to carry off unmolested two such attractive young widows. According to native custom, however, they of right, upon their husband's death, became the wives of Miago. This On approaching the point where Mulligo was lying, distant about a mile from Perth, I found that my anticipations were correct. I fell in with the encampment of the friends of a native named Ben-ny-yowl-ee, of the Tdon-dar-up family. native had signified his intention of asserting his claims to the possession of one of these young women, and even some of Miago's friends were disposed to favour him. Ben-ny-yowl-ee was absent at the Canning River, with a party of natives, for the purpose of procuring spears, and thus preparing himself for coming events. His friends, however, had constructed their huts within a few hundred yards of those of Mulligo's relatives, so that in the event of the arrival of the Murray-men, who they were apprehensive would make an attempt to carry off Mulligo's wives, they might be able to assist Miago in his endeavours to prevent such an outrage, whilst at the same time their proximity to his party enabled them to see that no foul play took place. DYING SCENE IN HIS TENT. 319 As I passed them, they endeavoured to impress upon my mind that one wife was enough for Miago, and that if he surrendered the other to Ben-nyyowl-ee, they would assist him against the Murraymen. I, however, resolved not to interfere in the business, and thus telling them, I bent my steps to the other encampment. On my arrival, I found poor Mulligo sinking fast; his two wives and his mother were watching by his side. He just recognised me, and faintly and slowly said,-men-dyke boola nganya,' (I am very ill.) The native women near him were much alarmed because he could not swallow, and to support him were slowly dropping water into his ear. His last moment was evidently near at hand, and after having felt his pulse, and paid him a few little attentions, which always gratify them much, I turned away to examine the dispositions of the encampment. I found that Miago's hut was close to Mulligo's, and he himself was present, ready to assert his right to the wives of his dying brother, should any one appear to dispute his claims; he was evidently well supported, for the Na-gar-nook family mustered strong around his hut, and the two halfbrothers of one of the ladies in dispute were members of it. We-yup, the half-brother of the other native girl was also present, and therefore evidently favoured Miago's cause. They were all in anxious expectation of the return of Moor-roon-go, who had gone off with a party for the purpose of cutting spears, with which the friends of his stepson (Miago) might be able to act either offensively or defensively, as circumstances should require. As I conceived that there was every possibility of Mulligo's having sufficient strength left to linger through the night, and as the evening was fast closing in, after a little casual conversation with the natives, I returned home. June 15.-Soon after day-break I reached the entrance of Mulligo's hut he was alive, but his respiration was scarcely visible. His head rested on his mother's knees, and her withered breasts now rested on his lips, as she leant crying over him; other women were seated round, their heads all verging to a common centre, over the wasted frame of the dying man; they were crying bitterly, and scratching their cheeks, foreheads, and noses with their nails, until the blood trickled slowly from the wounds. The men in the front of the huts were busied in finishing off their spears, ready for the coming fight. I stood for some time watching the mournful scene, but other native females soon began to arrive; they came up in small parties, generally by threes, marching slowly forward with their wan-nas (a long stick they use for digging up roots) in their hands; the eldest female walked first, and when they approached within about thirty or forty yards of the hut in which the dying man lay, they raised the most piteous cries, and hurrying their pace, moved rapidly towards the point where the other women were THEIR SONGS AND CEREMONIES. 321 seated, recalling the custom alluded to by Jeremiah, (ix. 17, 18) "Call for the wailing women that they may come, and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters." As they came up to the bark hut, many of them struck it violently with their wannas, producing by the blow a dull hollow sound; they then seated themselves in the circle, scratching their faces, and joining in mournful chants, of which the one already given at page 308 was that most frequently uttered, and which, as I sat by the young men's fire, they slowly repeated to me. The female relatives standing in the relation of mothers to Mulligo, sang— Mam-mul, Mam-mul, My son, my son. Those in the relation of sister, sang Kar-dang, kar-dang. And the next part was sung indifferently by both of them Garro, Nad-joo, Nung-a-broo. Again, I shall Not see in future. Then one of the women, having worked herself to a pitch of frenzy, would now and then start up, and standing in front of the hut, whilst she waved her wan-na violently in the air, would chant |