These witches are usually maintained at the expense of the tribe.

The office, however, does not necessarily descend from mother to daughter, it being only women credited with supernatural powers who can claim the position.
After the great _corroboree_ the people would squat on the ground, the old men and warriors in front, the women behind, and the children behind them.

The whole congregation was arranged in the form of a crescent, in the centre of which a large fire would be set burning.

Some of the warriors would then start chanting, and their monotonous sing-song would presently be taken up by the rest of the gathering, to the accompaniment of much swaying of heads and beating of hands and thighs.

The young warriors then went out into the open and commenced to dance.
I may as well describe in detail the first of these extraordinary festivals which I witnessed.