then, led by a new leader, to whom the previous leader had given his staff from behind, stood up about 50 paces outside the circle they had described.

( 207 ) From here, two of their number gradually brought in so many men from the spectators that there were thirty of them, the last two stationed a short distance away from them, one towards the east, the other towards the west.

After the glass had been beaten into shape for trimming (they now use old bottles and the like instead of the rock crystal they had previously used) and brought to the Turlos*, who were still sitting in the same place, the whole crowd formed a line again, the beards, and those who did not have such a long beard, took a piece of the kangaroo skin between their teeth and began to stamp and growl with grim gestures to such an extent that they heard that would have been frightening.

Two Englishmen, who were just in front of the slowly advancing units, actually left. The impression of this procession is impossible to describe, but if you consider what kind of noise there must be when 30 tree-strong natives stamp on the ground with all their might and in an instant and the roughest sounds come out of their throats with all their fury, then you will hardly suspect me of exaggeration if I call it horrible and are not surprised that the boys, who were uncovered during a short pause ( 208 ) and were lined up, trembling and trembling in fear as the angry mob slowly came at them.

Arriving close in front of those to be circumcised, the person in front stuck his staff into the ground and then lay down on his knees, as did the one next behind, and those who had no room on the staff lay down on top of their predecessors until the whole team was crowded together in a round lump 6 - 8 feet in diameter and almost as high. The boys were now laid on their backs on this altar and were cut with their glasses by the Turlos, to the constant humming, or rather grunting, of the men lying beneath them.

After the action was completed, the men once again lined up at a short distance with the same gestures, then the leader threw his staff over the boys, which they all cheered, and everything was over, except that after a while a brand of fire was given to the Turlos and whispered something in their ears.

The young men were then led by two men to a special place where they would stay until they healed. –

Since the children were not allowed to go over the edge of the river bank because of the ceremony described above, there could be no school today.

( 209 ) Mr. Fiedler and Fritz Kavel were with me, the former borrowed another £26 from me, so that with the previous £37 I now have to demand £63 sterling from him.