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The wirreenuns are masters of their Mullee Mullees, sending them where they please, to do what they are ordered, always provided they do not meet a greater than themselves. All sorts of complications arise through the substitution of mad or evil spirits for the rightful Doowee.
These various incantations are a large part of the wirreenun's education; not least valuable amongst them is the chant sung over the tracks of snakes, which renders the bites of those snakes innocuous. The wirreenuns sometimes hold meetings which they allow non-professionals to attend.
Soon a great whirring is heard, telling that Gayandi, the Boorah spirit, is near. Yudtha Dulleebah, one of the oldest black men in the district, said at this stage once two boys did look up. The wirreenuns saw them, though the boys did not know it and went on looking.
Others besides wirreenuns see spirits sometimes, but rarely, though wirreenuns are said to have the power to conjure them up in a form visible to ordinary eyes. Babies are said to see spirits when they are smiling or crowing as if to themselves; it's to some spirit visible to them but to no one else.
Birrahmulgerhyerh are blacks with devils in them, who, armed with bags full of poison-sticks, or bones called gooweera are invisible to all but wirreenuns or wizards. Others are warned of their coming by hearing the rattle of the gooweeras knocking together.
Besides Boorahs are minor corroboree meetings where marriages are arranged; meetings where the illegality of marriages is gone into, and, if necessary, exchanges effected or arranged; meetings where the wirreenuns of the Boogahroo produce the bags of hair, etc., and vendettas are sworn; meetings of Boodther, or giving, where each person receives and gives presents.
The whistling voice came from a third direction, though all the time I could see Bootha's lips moving. Guadgee answered all she was asked. She said Adelaide was made ill because she had offended the spirits by bathing in the creek under the shade of a Minggah, or spirit-tree, a place tabooed to all but wirreenuns, or such as hold communion with spirits.
The wirreenuns would see that the septum of a child's nose was pierced at the right time, and their tribal marks cut on them. The nose was pierced at midwinter when ice was about, with which to numb the place to be pierced; ice was held to the septum, then prod through it went a bone needle. An old gin who worked about the station had a pierced nose, and often wore a mouyerh, or bone, through it.
He may learn that an enemy has captured the sick person's Doowee, or dream spirit only wirreenuns' dream spirits are Mullee Mullee, the others are Doowee then he makes it his business to get that Doowee back. These dream spirits are rather troublesome possessions while their human habitations sleep they can leave them and wander at will.
If this faith-healing does not succeed, a stronger wizard than he must have bewitched the patient; he will consult the spirits. To that end he goes to his Minggah, a tree or stone more often a tree, only the very greatest wirreenuns have stones, which are called Goomah where his own and any spirits friendly towards him may dwell.
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