Corrobboree.

The corrobboree or native dance is not, as some suppose, solely a religious performance; it really is a sort of play, though much of their religious teaching has resulted in setting many prayers to their so-called music. These performances embrace a variety of subjects. The movements of many animals are imitated; those dances which represent the movements of the emu and kangaroo being particularly good and amusing. These blacks are most observant, and being great mimics, many of the sayings and doings of the white people are introduced. Thus, men travelling with their bundles, otherwise "swagmen," settlers preparing dinner, making, a damper, police taking a drunken man, &c., are represented; whilst in the midst of some songs English expressions may be detected, such as "Pussy cat—mew"; "Bit bread, Jack Donovan"; "One nobbier, please"; and others. Any peculiarity in a person, either in manner or speech, is remarked and made a note of.

These corrobborees take place on level ground, generally at night-time. Largo heaps of dried boughs and leaves are lit so as to throw a bright light on the dancers, who are arranged in one or more lines at a suitable distance, their bodies ornamented by designs in pipelay. They are fond of tracing a line along each rib and down the legs, rings round the knees and eyes, but the patterns vary much, according to the dance and taste of the dancer. They hold in their hands either a spear, boomerang, or waddy, according page 43 to the dance. In front, and facing them stands a man called the "fiddler," who acts as conductor or leader. He keeps the most admirable time by beating his boomerang with a piece of stick. In some of the dances the women are allowed to join, otherwise they sit around, having opossum rugs rolled up into bundles, which they beat; they also keep admirable time with the song. One favourite way of dancing is this: They stand erect, holding in front of them with both hands their spears or waddies, much in the same manner as soldiers do when they present arms; they then spring straight from the ground, extending their knees sideways, drawing up their legs so that the soles of their feet nearly meet; they all come to the ground together with a heavy thud; this has a most remarkable effect. This dance is very severe and fatiguing, but it is varied by brandishing their weapons and going through other performances. They commence and cease dancing simultaneously—no one man likes to give in before any of his companions.