Field notebook

Transcription - Page 98

The boys were then placed
in front of their Krauan
and the mother behind them.
In the distance was heard
the reverberatory sound
of heavy blows struck answered
by shouts of Huh! The men
appeared in a long winding
row striking [their - crossed out] the strip of
bark which each one held in
each hand on the ground.
The movement was a sinuous
one as to the line of men. Old Lamby
running in a winding course towards
the boys – at each step he
struck a resounding blow on the ground – first
on the right side then on the left.
The others did the same shouting huh! Then
at about the fifth stride all

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hollered & struck the ground several
times with a long Huh!

The boys + Krauan at this time
were standing wavering from side
to side the boys keeping their
eyes down and only seeing
glimpses of the strange procession
as his head being at one side
brought them into view.
The men were dressed as in the
sketch. After passing twice
in front of the Tūtanaring
the procession halted – the
men sank on their knees
in a semi-circle in front of
the boys and struck the ground
by hand shouting Huh!
All then returned to the camp.