CEREMONY ON MULLIGO’S DEATH.

As they came up to the bark hut many of them struck it violently with their wan-nas, 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 above 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,
Meela,
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 forth dire imprecations against certain boyl-yas, or magicians, or rather wizards, who she believed to be the cause of the death of poor Mulligo.  Whilst thus chanting she faced and addressed her words to the men who were grouped around their huts, and it was strange to see the various effects produced on their minds by these harangues working in their savage countenances:  one while they sat in mournful silence; again they grasped firmly and quivered their spears; and by-and-bye a general “Ee-Ee” (pronounced in their throat with the lips closed) burst forth as sign of approbation at some affecting part of the speech.

Time wore on.  Each withered beldame by turns addressed the party, whilst the poor wretch, the tranquillity of whose dying moments was interrupted by these scenes, gradually sank.  At last the vital spark departed, and that moment an old woman started up, mad with grief and rage, tore the hut in which he had lain to atoms, saying, “this is now no good;"* and then poured forth a wild strain of imprecations against the before-mentioned boyl-yas.

(Footnote.  Burckhardt remarked a similar custom among the Bedouin Arabs.  He says:  If the deceased have not left any male heir, or that the whole property is transferred to another family, or if his heir is a minor, and goes to live with his uncle or some other relative, the tent posts are torn up immediately after the man has expired, and the tent is demolished.  Travels in Arabia page 58.)

As she proceeded the men became more and more excited, and at last Moondee, the most violent of them, started forward and was on the point of spearing one of Mulligo’s wives; none of the men attempted to interfere with him; but, as I anticipated, the women seized him, and held him, so as to prevent him from executing his purpose.  This conduct on his part at first appeared to me to arise from passion alone, but the reason of it was soon explained.

SUPPOSED CAUSE OF HIS DECEASE.