The Native Corroboree

THE NATIVE CORROBOREE.—It has been gene-
rally supposed that this fantastic ceremony is
connected, with the religious superstition of the
aborigines, but as the late affair was merely at
the request of three or four white men, we
incline to the opinion that it is simply a dra-
matic performance, for which the natives have
a remarkable talent. Whether for good or for
evil, they appear, like others of the genus homo,
greatly under the influence of the softer sex ;
and whether to the absence of this charm, or
to the fact of the ceremony not being spon-
taneous, it is certain, that as a mere exhibition,
the Corroboree of last Monday was remarkably
dull. It has already been noticed that, of their
own accord, they appeared partially clothed.
There were three tribes, numbering together,
probably, 150. Of these, the Rufus, or Lake
Victoria tribe were nearly strangers to Adelaide,
and it says much for their faith in the white
men, that although a report was current that
they were to be shot when collected together,
they simply took the precaution of leaving their
wives at their own wurleys, a distance of a
mile. The Park Land had an unusully ani-
mated appearance, beneath the splendour of a
summer full moon.