 14. There is not a more diffident subject to treat upon than the superstitions of savage nations for in treating of their superstitions wrongfully you may be an obstacle on the one side to their minds being enlightened, and on the other place the people in the estimation of the world in a different light to what they should be. There is not a portion of the Aboriginal character that I feel less confident in remarking upon than their traditionary and superstitious notions, not but that I am aware that they exist and that to a considerable extent, but to know their full import and meaning I feel persuaded that one had need become an Aboriginal native. And yet much has been written by individuals who have had little or no intercourse with them, which has materially bewildered the world touching the Aborigines of Australia as to whether they have not been so low in creation as to have no conception, judging from the vague accounts that have already emanated from different authors, of a deity. DE, an intelligent writer whose heart is warmly engaged in the cause of these poor heathens, remarks, in number two on Aboriginal subjects which appeared in the Gee-Lung Advertiser in 1844, quote, it is doubtful whether there exists among them any notion of the existence of a supreme being which contains the slightest analogy to revealed truth, end quote, and further, quote, that where any idea of a supreme intelligence exists there have usually existed some outward indications thereof as manifested in sacred relics, idols, rites, and ceremonies constituting religion. The entire absence of everything of this sort among the savages of Australia seems therefore corroborative of the utter loss of the knowledge of God, end quote. Equally on the same ground of reasoning may the conclusion be arrived at in this colony a few years since by one travelling from Gippsland to the river Glen-Elg and from the bay to the Murrumbidgee, for what outward indications would he have witnessed among the white people? And had he come from some strange land of a strange tongue, not having any idea from once we came, who or what we or our fathers were, as far as outward indications are concerned, what other impression would the traveller have than that we had altogether lost, if we ever had had any, all idea of an intelligent supreme, and upon the very same grounds adduced by this zealous writer, that there are no, quote, sacred relics, rites, or ceremonies constituting religion, end quote, to be observed among us? We should consider, moreover, that people may have notions of what perhaps their very superstitious laws enjoin perfect silence upon, and much of this mute solemnity is to be observed in the character of the Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia. Mr. Assistant Protector Parker of the Laden has supposedly discovered, quote, in their ceremonies and superstitions the obscure and nearly obliterated relics of the ancient ophiola tree or serpent worship, end quote, and this from the Mindyi. The Mindyi is certainly considered by them as a visible and invisible being. According to their account, he is seen and not seen at one in the same time, but there is no ceremony whatever that I can trace among them that bears any analogy to what he supposes can give me any belief that they have any notion of the, quote, ancient ophiola tree, end quote, so prevalent formerly, and still known in India and Africa. The Mindyi has its residence, and some old prejudices exist among the aged, that a certain family has the power of enchanting or enchanting this being. The smallpox brought forward by Mr. Parker is no more than any other epidemic occasioned by the Mindyi. The being called the Mindyi has no independent power, he is under the control of the creator of all things, and, as they superstitiously believe, the family aforementioned. The term Manola Mindyi, as Mr. Parker has it, dust of the Mindyi, is incorrect. Lollipook Mindyi, which Mr. P. has as a further proof, scales of the Mindyi, is still more ridiculous. Lollipook means the cup which held the pock. The persons of the other deities, or superior beings, spoken of by Mr. Parker, do not tally with accounts received by me. Although I am in possession of much of their mythology, yet I am so dissatisfied with my own belief of the real meaning, that I venture only to give you what I think you may safely commit to the press, worked up in your own superior style. What I give you has been tried over and over again from statements made by old and young of different tribes at various times. I have been so scrupulously doubtful of the accuracy, like Thomas the Apostle, I have done as much as could be done without becoming an aboriginal native to arrive at the truth. Australian Deities The Australian Aborigines believe in two principal deities, that is, Pungil, the maker of the earth, trees, animals, and man. Pungil, they say, had a wife named Boy Boy, but he never saw her face. She, however, bore him two children, one a son named Bin Bil, the other a daughter named Karakaruk. Two Bin Bil has committed the sovereignty of the heavens, and to Karakaruk the incidental occurrences on earth, while great Pungil stocks like a big one gentleman in the clouds on the earth, etc., always carrying a big one sword. The Australian's next deity is Palyan, brother of Pungil. Palyan made all the seas, rivers, creeks, and waters, also all the fish in the ocean, seas, rivers, etc. He governs the waters, was always in the waters, walking, bathing, and going over the seas. Creation of Man Pungil one day cut with his large knife, two pieces of bark, mixed up a lot of clay, and made two black men, one very black and the other not quite black, more like dirty red brick. He was from morning till night making them. It was not bright day then, but the sun was like blood all day. He began to make man at the feet, then made legs, and so on to the head. He then made the other in like manner, and smoothing them both over with his hand from the feet to the head, he put on one's head curly hair, and named him Kukin Buruk. On the other straight hair, and named him Buruk Bourne. After finishing the two men, Pungil looked on them, was pleased, and danced round them. He then lay on each of them, blowing into their nostrils, mouth, and navel, and the two men began to move. He bade them get up, which they did, young men not like Piccininis. He told them their names. He showed his brother Pallion the two men he had made. Creation of Woman The next day Pallion was in a creek, paddling and beating in the water, in which he used to indulge. After some time the water got thick like mud, so that he could scarcely move. He plucked off a small bow from a tree that hung over the creek, and looked through the bow at the water, and said, Name you. He beat harder and harder, and he saw near him come up four hands, then two heads, and so on, till breasts, and two human figures complete appeared. Pallion exclaimed, Like my brother Pungil, me make two bug-rooks. He beat again the waters, and the two Lubras came above the water and fell on the land, but they could not move. He carried one and then the other to his brother Pungil, who breathed into their nostrils, mouth, and navel, and Pungil gave them names, to one Kunawara, and to the other Kuu Rook. They gave each Kulin a Lubra. Pungil put a spar in each Kulin's hand, and Karaka Rook, daughter to Pungil, put in each Lubra's hand a kanan, woman's stick. Pungil, Pallion, and Karaka Rook go out with them some days, showing them how to get their food. The two men were taught to spear kangaroos, emus, etc., and the two Lubras to get gum, roots, bandicoots, grubs, etc. One morning, when they awoke, they, no see Pungil, Pallion, and Karaka Rook. They had gone up above. The blacks say that all this took place, very far, far away, to the northwest, not where, now black fellows all about here sit down, alluding to their belief that man and woman were first created in other countries. All agree, I mean different tribes, in stating that that country was far, far away, beyond what they know to the northwest, overseas. If the point they direct to be correct, it tellies with our position of the western part of Asia. How Man First Came in Possession of Fire They say that, long time after Pungil made man and woman, blacks had no fire, were very cold, and eat all flesh raw. That some Lubras went out to get food. They were with their kanan, digging up Murar, Pissan's eggs. When several snakes of all kinds came up out of the earth where they were digging, that they were terribly frightened, kept beating the snakes but could not kill them. To their relief came down Karaka Rook with a large kanan, and two young men named Tort and Tarar. That Karaka Rook and the Lubras fought the snakes for a long time, when the end of Karaka Rook's stick broke off. From the piece broken off arose smoke. A bird, by their account of the same kind as a crow, only of a great size, as large as an eagle, flew down and ran off with the fire. Tort and Tarar immediately flew up in pursuit of the crow, while Karaka Rook remained with the Lubras. The crow flew to a mountain named Noon New Woon, where it was overtaken by the two flying young men. Tarar returned with the fire safe, having pulled off bark from one tree and another to keep it from being exhausted. Tort no more come back. He was burnt to death on a mountain named Munio, where he had kindled a small fire lest what small quantity he had should be lost, and Punjil, for Tort's good deed, turned him into a large star that always looks like a fire. Karaka Rook showed the Lubras her stick, and, having examined the qualities of it, bade them never to be without fire. Tarar afterwards directed them to where the stick might be found, and showed them how to make fire, disappeared, and was no more seen. Notions of the Flood The blacks say that after they had fire they were all marnumuk, meaning comfortable, and increased to great numbers, and after many, many years black fellows got very bad, wicked, when Punjil and Pollyon big won sulky. Punjil came down with his big one knife and cut the earth all over like black fellow cut up damper, and come up water, and Pollyon drive all big one water from sea on land, then like great guns come up koo reen, storms, and pull up all trees, and come up water everywhere, and very bad black fellows drowned, and that great many not very bad, Punjil take up and make stars of, and that Punjil, when all gone water, send another very good man and woman, named Bear Wool and Bobbinger, and take and cut up one kangaroo and other animals into small pieces, and they become a great number. Karaka Rook and Tarar, directed by Punjil, again descend and make Bear Wool and Bobbinger acquainted with the way to provide themselves with food and fire, but stop only little time, and then leave them. Tradition of the dispersion of mankind The blacks have also a tradition of the dispersion of mankind over all the earth. They say that mankind, after many years, got very many and again very bad, fighting, killing, and eating one another. No work black fellows only beat and make lubras get them tune and end, victuals. Black fellows all sit down only one country. Punjil come down again with his big knife, big one sulky, and cut into pieces all men, women, and children, kangaroo, and all living animals, but they not die. Then come up a great storm, Koo reen, followed by many whirlwinds, pitter-ring, and take up all the pieces and carry them everywhere, far, far away, and drop them in every country. Then black fellows in all countries, no black fellows in all countries till then, and black fellow no more see them Punjil, he too much sulky. Black doctors sometimes dream of them. Tradition of the origin of wind Hurricanes and whirlwinds as well as wind, the blacks have a tradition came from an immense flight of magpies, a larger species than those at present scene. The blacks say that they came in great numbers, like flights of cockatoos, that after they came a rushing wind and a number of large bags like sacks appeared in the air, at first not full. They filled as they passed along as you would blow full a bladder, and when full they busted, made noise like gun, and then came wind, no wind before this. It is singular that this occurred also, far, far away, and came from northwest. Thunder and lightning. Thunder and lightning, they believe to be the voice and fire from the eyes of Binbil when he is sulky with the elements, and will be obeyed, and when he has silenced all he makes the sun stand before him. Footnote. I should have stated in the Australian deities that Binbil is a god that has a face that encompasses the earth, and has a lubra that always accompanies him. Binbil is the rainbow, and his lubra is the reflection which may be seen occasionally. And footnote. Mind ye. Of all the beings most dreaded by the blacks, the principal is the mind ye. It appears to have no independent power, but by the command of Pungil is sent to destroy or afflict any people for bad deeds, that is to say, when they have done very bad things, or not killed enough wild black fellows for their dead. Its form is that of a snake, but of great size, though it can contract itself into small compass, extend or contract as we would a telescope. The blacks give awful accounts of this being. It can make itself extend miles in length. They say that there are little Mind ye, that Mind ye inhabits a country named Lil'gonar to northwest in this district, and resides on a mountain named Bakur Bunal, and drinks at a creek named Kilkunun. That the ground for a distance round is so hard that no rain can penetrate it, kulu beak. That no wood but mulin grows near it, and that the land is covered with hard, small substances like hail. A family named Muni Broom Broom, the blacks say, have been the only blacks that have ventured to put foot on this awful country where Mind ye resides, and they are the only blacks that can stay the ravages of the Mind ye or send it forth. It differs from a snake by having a large head and two ears. It has three fangs coming from its tongue, and when it hisses out its fury the earth around is covered with white particles like snow, from which the blacks say the disease is inhaled. It often ascends the highest tree in a forest, and, like a ring-tailed opossum, secures its hold and stretches itself over a vast extent of twenty and thirty miles. When Mind ye is in a district the blacks run for their lives, setting the bush on fire as they proceed, and not stopping to bury their dead or attend to any seized. Many drop down dead on the road. When seized, pains seize them in the back with violent retching. When they try to get up they fall down. Those not seized are quite well. The celebrated Mooney Broom Broom, the blacks say, can arrest and stay the Mind ye by a secret move with his hand or finger, such as the nature of the attack of the Mind ye. Any plague is supposed to be brought on by the Mind ye or some of its little ones. I have no doubt that, in generations gone by, there was an awful plague of cholera or black fever, and that the wind at the time, or some other appearance from northwest, has given rise to this strange being. Superstition about Consulting Bears The bear is a privileged animal, and is often consulted in very great undertakings. I was out with a celebrated western port black tracking five other blacks. The tracks had been lost some days at a part of the country where we expected they must pass. We ran down a creek. After going some miles a bear made a noise as we passed. The black stopped and a parley commenced. I stood gazing alternately at the black and the bear. At length my black came to me and said, Me big one, stupid, bear tell me no you go that way. We immediately crossed the creek and took a different track. Strange as it may appear, we had not altered our course above one-and-a-half miles before we came upon the tracks of the five blacks and never lost them after. The bear too must not be skinned. The blacks have a strange tale of the bears having stolen their tarnuk, buckets, and drained a creek of water, and so bewildered the blacks the Caracarook came down, and it was settled by Caracarook on the part of the blacks that they would no more take the skins from the bears' bodies, and on the part of the bears that they would no more in any way molest the blacks in supply of water and vessel. The wombat, or warren, is also a sacred animal and must not be skinned. Many birds are also sacred, some may be eaten by the aged only, others by the doctors only. Superstitious Notions of the Warmum The blacks have superstitious notions of many places, in which no doubt in bygone days some awful calamity had befallen their forefathers. Warmum is a very high mountain northwest of Gippsland, and northeast of Western Port. The blacks have a superstitious notion that whoever looks on this mountain direct will first be struck blind and then dead. No one can look at it and live unless through some medium. The lubras veil their faces when they come within sight, or put bows and twigs before their faces. The men, when prompted by curiosity to behold it, look along a stick as white people would do through a telescope. The blacks say that big one punjil once sit on that mountain. Charmers or Enchanters There are characters among the blacks who are supposed to possess powers according to their various qualifications. When a continuance of rain is desired, the charmer is applied to, who sings, Wanderer, Ngerwin, Barmyar, Wanderer, Tinderbuck, Kudiyar, Ngerwin, Kudiyar, Tinderbuck, Karoline. During the time that this is sung, the charmer sits in his Mia Mia, and with a piece of thin bark about a foot or 18 inches long, continues throwing hot dust from the fire into the air, alternately mumbling and singing the above song. In fact, all their charmings are in mumbling language, not known to the rest of the blacks. We have in the western port tribe a celebrated charmer away of rain, old Babinary. I have known this man to be kept singing for hours. The blacks say, when Babinary was a child, that it had been raining for some days, and, black fellows all sad, their bellies tied up to keep off hunger, that the child Babinary began to sing, and that sun immediately came out, and no more rain, that ever since then he has been able to send rain away. Doctors The blacks have various kinds of doctors, for eyes, bowels, head, etc., and, like white physicians, are noted in proportion to the remarkable cures said to have been wrought. But the highest pitch of the profession is flying. Among the tribes who have visited the settlement there has been but one that has come to my knowledge possessed of this power, whose name is Malcolm of the Mount Macedon tribe. I have known this man to be sent for one hundred miles. The blacks say that he has power to soar above the clouds and to fly like an eagle. He also can, in some cases, recover the marmbula, kidney fat, when it has been stolen. I have a most singular account of one of his aerial journeys, together with the solemnity of the encampment during his two-hours flight, but cannot trace it now. This Malcolm, aboriginal name Ming Durar, is said to have inherited his power from his father, who was famous before him. Marina Kuding, or Strength Lost In the encampment south of the Yara, on the evening of Blank, were Golburn, Mount Macedon, Barabool, Yara, and Western Port Blacks, the Golburn Lubras, quite naked, stole upon seven young men. No sooner had the women their hands on the heads of the young men than the latter appeared helpless. They cut from each young man a lock of his hair. As soon as the hair was cut the young men fainted. The women took the ornaments from the men's heads and decamped. The young men's friends came about them to comfort them, but life apparently could scarcely be kept in them. Their friends sat with them the whole of the night. On the following morning the doctors assembled. A fire was made about a quarter or half a mile from the encampment, and the seven young men were brought, each borne by two friends bearing pieces of lighted bark in their hands, to the spot. The young men were placed round the large fire at some distance, and before each was the bark brought by the friends. The doctors, mumbling and humming, with a piece of glass bottle, commenced scraping off all the hair from the crown of the head to the feet, and then rubbed them from head to feet with wear-up, red ochre. The young men lay speechless during the whole of the time the ceremony was being performed, and every muscle of their faces seemed to be keenly noticed by the doctors. This ceremony lasted from sunrise to three hours afterwards. I understand that these young men would have died had not this ceremony been performed. Strength left them as the lock fell from their heads. Is not this some semblance to Samson's case? Native Encampment Although there may be one-hundred-fifty Mia-Mias, native huts, erected on the formation of a fresh native encampment, no alteration, to my knowledge, has ever taken place touching site or trees to be barked. They know beforehand where the chief's Mia-Mia is to be, and the distance required for his immediate connections, none asking his fellow permission or advice. They commence barking and building. In one-half hour I have seen one of the most beautiful, romantic, and stillest parts of the wilderness become a busy and clamorous town, and the beautiful forest marred for materials for their habitation, and as much bustle as though the spot had been located for generations. Although to a casual observer a native encampment may appear void of arrangement, such is not the case. If the whole or most of a tribe be present, it is divided into small hamlets of about six Mia-Mias each, distant from each other five or six yards, merely sufficient to prevent the fires of one from molesting the other. The hamlets are about twenty yards from each other, or more according to the space of ground on which they are encamped. In each of these hamlets is one married man of consequence, whose duty it is to keep order, subtle differences, etc. It often happens that one hamlet may have an altercation with another, a lubra may have been seduced, or what not. The two hamlets will settle the dispute early on the following morning. The other hamlets know more interfering than if nothing was on the carpet, precisely as in some of our courts and alleys in England when two neighbors quarrel, the others take no more notice than if nothing was the matter. I have often been much annoyed when I have seen one knocking the other about and blood flowing from the head, to see an influential black of the next hamlet, coolly sitting at his Mia-Mia, smoking his pipe, merely looking on. They hold no animosity when the quarrel is settled by the magistrate of the hamlet. The combatants may be seen sitting together, sucking or cleaning each other's wounds, or smoking their pipes and eating together. Fight between Barabool and Buninyang blacks north of Melbourne. When two or more tribes congregate, they are ushered in by the messengers who have been previously dispatched with their diplomas, one of whom, some hours previous to the tribe's approach, will return and state the success or ill-success of his mission. The newcomers will sit down about a half an hour when the principal mails assemble. If their meeting be hostile, which is known for days before, the war cry is heard for a mile or more ere they arrive at the encampment. At length the party arrives. All mails are seated together, their heads and faces dogged with clay. They look beastly and terrific. The one I shall describe took place 5th December, 1844, at half past four. The Barabool blacks, close lined, ten lines with eight and ten in each line, seat themselves west of the Buninyangs. After half an hour, King William, chief of the Barabool tribe, advanced and stated that charges had been made against his blacks of killing two of the Buninyangs and stealing Lubras, that his blacks were not afraid of them and had come down and were ready to have the accusers' spears thrown at them. While speaking another advances and brings charges against the Barabool blacks and bids them to come forward. This rouses the ire of the opposite tribe, when to step forward and rebut or acknowledge the assertions, remarking that they also are ready, in the presence of the other tribes assembled, to stand foremost and receive the spears of their opponents, etc. A general bustle may be seen now in both parties, the parties more particularly accused prepare themselves, or if murder undisputed, perfectly naked, and in mourning from head to foot, squatted on the ground, without spear or any other weapon save a shield to ward off the spears. In this case it is more a judicial proceeding, or the law being carried into effect, and though the tribes are all under arms, it is more to check any disturbance or interruption to the execution of what they consider the sentence. But if it be a disputed case, the parties accused on each side, generally two, three, or four, may be seen stepping forward, capering round and round, with small bunches of leaves round their ankles, as sometimes in a corroboree. Both parties are now on the general move, shaking their weapons at each other, which raises their anger, giving three yells, stamping, and making the most frightful grimaces, and with distorted gestures gathering up dust and throwing towards their opponents, which excites both parties the more. A fire is made, then kicking the fire about, they form themselves again into lines, and their chief leads them, they generally branch out and form a crescent, or extend into a long straight line. They may be seen now on both sides, capering in the strangest attitudes the body can be placed in, some running to and fro with long spears in their hands, with their noses almost touching the ground, others vociferating, lifting up their heels to their bottoms, some advancing even among their opponents, and as actively backing themselves, pointing and grinning their teeth, while others are dancing round and round, like Jim Crow. Those with leaves round their legs are stationary. All the aforesaid moves and grimaces are merely flashes in the pan. The chiefs and other important characters keep on wrangling, pointing with their spears towards one party and another, till the word of command. Then each plaque is at his post, and Wong Wims spears etc., all beside each fighting man, and the real warm work commences with Wong Wims, which are hurled apparently indiscriminately, but not so. You would be apt to doubt, seeing them five minutes after they commenced, to which side some belonged. There appears such confusion, but among them it is otherwise each knows his work. The missiles are, in the first instance, hurled without intermission, directed to those who have the bows on their legs. Some soon hit others, who plant themselves purposely near their friends, which causes a general fight. When the Wong Wims are all exhausted, then spears are used, and should, after all, the parties who should have received punishment escape, those with bows around the ankles, they are pounced upon with bludgeons, and at close combat seldom escape unhurt. If things get too serious, the chiefs of other tribes will interfere, for the blacks never fight but in the presence of two or three other tribes, aware of their own weakness or passions. And with Leonile rushing between the contending parties, bringing the matter to a close, which is, like its commencement, ended in war, war, war, as they call it, or high words. The fighting over, one after another, may be seen moving off, grumbling as he goes. And in half an hour, all is the greatest harmony, and generally there is a corroboree at night. They seldom do much execution in their fights, a few Wong Wim and spear wounds in some not dangerous parts of the body. They are too adroit in warding off from the breast and other mortal parts. Arrangement in encampment when different tribes meet I have often been struck with the exact position each tribe takes in the general encampment, precisely in the position from each other their country lies according to the compass, of which they have a perfect notion. I have found this invariably the case, and latterly could form an idea on the arrival of blacks what part they came from. A particular instance of this I noticed when the greatest number of blacks, up to that time, that had ever visited the settlement, north-east by east from Melbourne about two miles, to witness the judicial proceedings against Polio-Rung and Warador, for killing the Warlim youth at Turedin, western port, Mr. Manton's. There were upwards of 800 blacks by the settlement, no small portion of seven tribes, that is, the Laden, Campus Bay, Golburn, Mount Macedon, Barabool, Yara, and western port. The two undergoing punishment were two of the leading men and greatest warriors in the western port tribe. A bird's eye view would look down upon the encampment thus. Generally speaking, there is not a more peaceable community than the blacks when but one tribe is present. I have been out with them for months, with scarce in altercation, years back, when they were less corrupted, and fewer settlers in the district. I should have stated, on the meeting of tribes, there is generally, in a short time, howling among the women. As the women are married from other tribes, they are permitted to go and sit down with the females. When they hear of one and another of their friends having died, they will anxiously inquire if their murder has been avenged, and if there is no flesh to assuage their grief, they mourn and mar themselves, as described by me in my burial of the dead, which I presume you have, though that was never finished. Ceremony of Tenderum, or Freedom of the Bush There is not perhaps a more pleasing sight in a native encampment than when strange blacks arrive who have never been in the country before. Each comes with fire in hand, always bark, which is supposed to purify the air, the women and children in one direction, and the men and youths in another. They are ushered in, generally, by some of an intermediate tribe, who are friends of both parties, and have been engaged in forming an alliance or friendship between the tribes. The aged are brought forward and introduced. The ceremony of Tenderum is commenced. The tribe visited may be seen lopping boughs from one tree and another, as varied as possible, of each tree with leaves. Each family has a separate seat, raised about eight or ten inches from the ground, on which in the center sits the male, and around him his male children, and the female and her sex of children have another seat. Two fires are made, one for the males and the other for the females. The visitors are attended on the first day by those whose country they are come to visit, and not allowed to do anything for themselves. Water is brought them, which is carefully stirred by the attendant with a reed, and then given them to drink. Males attend males and females females. Victuals are then brought and laid before them, consisting of as great a variety as the bush in the new country affords, if come addable. During this ceremony the greatest silence prevails, both by attendance and attended. You may sometimes perceive an aged man seated, the tear of gratitude stealing down his murky, wrinkled face. At night their mea-mias are made for them, conversation, etc., ensue. The meaning of this is a hardy welcome, as the boughs on which they sit are from various trees, so they are welcome to every tree in the forest. The water stirred with a reed means no weapon shall ever be raised against them. On Saturday the 22nd March, 1845, in an encampment east of Melbourne, near two hundred strangers arrived. The sight was imposing and affecting, especially their attendance upon that old chief Cooler Cooloop, the oldest man I have ever seen among the blacks. He must have been near eighty years. Female Coming of Age Ceremony of Murrum Turukuruk Murrum Turukuruk is the name of the ceremony when a female comes to years of maturity, which is generally about thirteen or fourteen years of age, though age is no criterion but the blood in the womb. When the first discharge of blood ceases, which they say is about three moons, they are of age. There were, at the time I am describing, two large fires of bark made, no wood of any kind save the bark, at about a hundred yards from the encampment, at which was one aged lubra sitting down pensive. Boongeruk, the young woman, daughter of the chief Billa Bellary, was brought forth in the encampment, covered all over from head to foot with kunandure, charcoal powder, except white spots all over her face and body, which gave her a singular appearance. She was attended by her mother and another who led her. Her mother aided her up on a log, where the young woman stood silent and sad as though doing penance. She held a small branch in her hand, every leaf taken off, and on each twig was a piece of bread. About twenty young men went up to her slowly, each threw a little stick at her, merely a twig. The young men then drew near, and each bit off a bit of bread from the twig of the young damsel, and then spat it into the fire, and turned back and approached the second time, stamping and making the earth shake under them as they do in caraberie, and raving and stamping about the fire. The same two lubras, who were her attendants, gathered the twigs thrown at her by the young men, and buried them deep in the earth. This was to prevent her kidneys from wasting and falling into others' hands. The twig held by the damsel was then demanded by the one who had charge of the fires, who gathers up the ashes and covers up the little twig when it is burned. She is then handed down from the log by her mother, who, with the other attendant, takes her to her father's mia mia. A caraberie, if it is a chief's daughter, as was this case, takes place at night, at which the father leads the dance. The young men before alluded to alone caraberie. She is after this of age to have a cool in, not before. The purport of this ceremony is, on the part of the young men, that they will not defile her person without her consent, or suffer others to do so, but will protect her to their utmost until she is lawfully married. Ceremony of Tibboot, or Males Coming of Age This is altogether a beastly concern. The young men have all the hair cut close from their heads, save a narrow streak from the front of the neck to the forehead, which gives them a raw-headed appearance. This is performed by a married man, and one of influence. The hair is first cut with scissors, the head then scraped with glass. The head is then doved over with mud, closely put on like plaster, the streak of hair being raised up, which gives the youth a still more beastly appearance. There are strips of old rags, strings, slips of opossum skin, and old rope, and all the variety of stripes with which a fringed apron girdles his body all round, flapping round his bottom. His face and body doved over with motley dobs of clay, mud, charcoal powder, in fact, every mess. To add to his beastly appearance, he is not allowed to have a blanket to cover him, or anything night or day, and it is generally the winter season selected for this purpose. He goes through the encampment calling out, Tibbo-bo-but. He has a basket under his arm which contains all the filth he can pick up, it not even omitting soil. In this plight, night and day, he is occasionally going through the encampment. He is not molested by any one. He frightens and bedobs all he meets with some of the beastly commodities contained in his basket, but must not touch any who are in their mea-mias or lubras on the way getting water. But in every other case he is at liberty to annoy and frighten all he meets. The children are awfully frightened at him and will fly screaming to their parents. He must, when he is on the move, continually cry out, Tibbo-bo-but, which is the only warning the poor creatures have of escaping him. I have often been struck at the fear created by him, though the encampment knows what it is and think there must be more in the meaning than I am acquainted with. When his days are over, which lasts some time, till appearance of hair begins to show itself, he is washed and the females stripe his face with certain charcoal streaks mingled with wear-up, red ochre, and dance before him. P.S., you have read what I wrote for his honour, Judge Jeffcott. These scraps will give you a better idea of the people. Time will not permit me to give others, and much that I have by me I cannot give you as yet, as I do not understand satisfactorily its purport. You are a married man, or I would not have stated what I have on the female coming of age. It will show you that these people have some respect for laws of nature. In fact, they are more delicate than white people in many respects. There is one black who had a child by his daughter, and he has looked upon as a regular beast. These accounts are quickly put together, but the purport is correct, though you will find grammatical blunders innumerable. William T. End of section 14. Section 15 of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, recording by Chad Horner. Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Letter 15 from Reverend James Claugh Melbourne. Fourth of August, 1853. My dear sir, along with this note, I have much pleasure in forwarding a statement drawn up in answer to your Excellency's letter of the 25th Altimum, and I have to express my regret that I have not been able in all instances to give dates as I could have wished. Your Excellency will also perceive that the account of the occupation of the Dandenong District, before I went to live in it, is given only on the information of others. I may not, therefore, be in every point correct. I remain, my dear sir, very truly yours, James Claugh. J.C. La Trobe Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria. In the beginning of August 1838, the Reverend Mr. Claugh took possession of the cattle run Corin Warrable, which was so named after the mountain that formed its north-eastern boundary, but his home station was in Tear-Hatlin, that part of the run which is adjacent to the junction of the Narwong with the Dandenong. Before that period, the more eligible portion of the country beyond him had been kept up. Mr. John Higghead, he has been informed, was the first settler that crossed the Dandenong with stock, and that he was followed by O'Connor and the Rifis, and that next after him came Mr. Joseph Hoddan, who may be considered the first that settled in the Dandenong, as those who had preceded him had gone about eight or ten miles to the east of it. He transferred his right to the Dandenong run to Captain Luzdale, who had Mr. Alfred Langhorn, for his overseer at the time Mr. Claugh settled in Tear-Hatlin. Their head station was at the bridge over the creek, where the present township of Dandenong is situated. They had one outstation, Ye Moring, and both of these were transferred to Dr. McCrae in 1839. Shortly afterwards, Ye Moring was transferred by him to the fosters, and by them to Johnston and Wilson, and by them to Mr. Parr, by whom it is still held. The Dandenong station was retained by Dr. McCrae for several years, and then became the property of its present occupant, Mr. R C Walker. The run, which belongs at present to Mr. Charles Wedge, and which is generally known by the name of the water holes, was a part of country originally occupied by Mr. Hoddan, and has been since then in the possession of various owners. Along with Dandenong on the east side, towards the mountain, and adjacent to Ye Moring, was the Corrin Warrable run, which was occupied 12 years by Mr. Claugh and transferred by him to Mr. Bailby, its present owner. In 1840, he formed an outstation close to the base of Corrin Warrable, and one of three revolts which fall into a swamp, and which, on issuing from it, at its southwest extremity, compose the Narwong Creek. These on the side next to the mountain always continue to run however hot or long the dry season may be, but in general, for two or three months after the first of January, the Narwong ceases to run the water from the mountain being evaporated and lost in the swamp, where it has no channel, and is spread out over a large surface among long grass and rushes. In dry summers, the Dandenong, along its whole course, also ceases to run for one, two, or three months, and like many other creeks in Australia, it spreads out. Air it reaches to sea into a swamp, where a great portion of its water is lost and evaporated in the way that has just been described. Throughout the period of Mr. Claugh's residence in Tirhachian, his family was very frequently visited by the Aborigines belonging to the Yara Yara and western port tribes. They often encamped near his house. They were uniformly treated with kindness and in return they always conducted themselves peaceably and honestly. While encamped on the Melbourne side of the Dandenong till a bridge was made for crossing the cattle and dry, his party was visited by a number of blacks, but the day after he crossed about half a mile from his tents, an old man was found alone beside a crab hole in which was a little water, but he was without food and shelter. He had been left there by his tribe because he had fallen from a tree, and was so lame that he was incapable of accompanying them on a hunting excursion to Cornwallable. He was removed to the tents, for he could not walk and was taken care of till his people returned, but as they did not do so in less than a week, it was difficult to conceive how he could have survived so long had he not been removed to the tents and fed. For the kindness shown him, he was very grateful. He appeared to be the oldest member of his tribe, but lived many years after that time and often referred to the occurrence which first brought him to Mr Claus, acquaintance, but never did so without the most evident satisfaction and thankfulness. Not very long after Ter Hattian station was formed, Jack Weatherly, who was one of the finest looking and most intelligent of the natives, was applied to by Mrs Claw in Melbourne to carry some biscuits to her son, as she was apprehensive that his provisions must have been expanded and as owing to the state of the country after a heavy fall of rain, it seemed to be the best if not the only way she could send him a supply. He readily agreed to carry four dozen of biscuits to the station, a distance of 17 miles on the very easy terms that he should have six to himself. With evidently great delight he stowed away his own in his dress, took up the bag containing the rest and the note which was to be delivered along with it and walked away, apparently quite proud that he was trusted. However a few miles before he reached Ter Hattian he fell in with a hunting party and being one of the most athletic and expert of his tribe he could not resist the temptation to join in the chase, but before he did so he handed over the note and biscuits. Two young men were strict injunctions to take them on and deliver them immediately and accordingly they were so delivered contrary to the generally expressed opinion at the time whetherly was dispatched for it was well known that the Aborigines were particularly partial to bread and biscuits and it was therefore inferred that the temptation to appropriate those which he had in charge would prove too strong for his moral courage to resist. This trifling incident is a pleasing illustration of the trustworthiness of two of their Aborigines and reflects favourably on the whole tribe where it is not unreasonable to suppose that there were others belonging to it who if they had been employed in the same way would have acted in a similar manner. As to their honesty no instance to the country was ever detected by Ter Hattian. Potatoes and melons were two articles of which they were very fond and were produced at the station and quite accessible but never was a single instance known of any of them being stolen by the Aborigines. They would not even go to a potato field that had been dug to look for potatoes without first asking and obtaining leave. The principal annoyance resulting from their so much frequenting the run was occasioned by old Murray's dogs that sabble chieftain who never could be ingest to adopt any part of white fellow's dress always travelled with a large pack and as necessity compelled him to train them to the principle of self-reliance for a livelihood they were very ready to hunt the cattle and if possible make some little calf their victim. At the time the Ter Hattian station was formed some of the natives expressed a determination to be vengeance on one of the servant men as soon as they saw him there they recognized him as one whose conduct towards some of their women before he came into Mr Claude's service had given them great offence he confessed that he had been to blame and asked for his discharge which was immediately given him and he was safely returned to Melbourne. It is probable that had they had an opportunity they would have murdered him but in doing so they would have done more than has been done by many Europeans though in a more refined way like other sabbages they are naturally revengeful but it is to be feared that on too many occasions their atrocities have not been committed without grievous provocation. The next settler on the dandanong was Mr Thomas Napier who now resides in the parish of Duta Gala his run which he took up about October 1839 lay along the western side of the creek and extended to the Ter Hattian bridge to Scotsbridge both about a year afterwards he sold it to Mr Scott who died in Melbourne before he went to live there but it was occupied by Mrs Scott and family for two or three years when they formed a small station on the other side of the creek and sold the other to a family of the name of Drew. It was afterward subdivided and occupied by a number of small settlers who were principally employed in taking timber from that neighborhood to Melbourne and other places for the purposes of building and the enclosing of purchased land. Two brothers of the name of Rook who were in the first instance sawyers on Mrs Scott's original run formed the station which the elder brother took holds near the sources of the dandanong. The aboriginal station of Nere Nere Warren was formed by Mr Assistant Professor Thomas and is so well known that it is unnecessary for me to give you any account of it. The first settlers below the dandanong bridge and beyond the run belonging to Monsieur's Lonsdale and Langhorn were Mr Solomon and Major Fraser. The former had a station above the swamp through which the dandanong passes and the latter had his below bed on the bay of Port Phillip about six miles in a north easterly direction from Turhatchian on the south side of the principal stream which descends from the mountain of Corhan Warhol and which mainly contributes to form the Nerewong creek below the swamp is the sheep station of Monbole which was first occupied by Monsieur's Care and Dobi. It is small and scrubby and has passed through many hands since its formation. On the southeast of Monbole is a small cattle station of Will Will Rock originally formed and still possessed by Mr Ferdcue and his family. About the month of January 1850 during one night and a part of the succeeding day an unusual noise somewhat resembling that of a bush fire at a distance was heard at Turhatchian and at night station about three miles off situated near the gap in the ranges behind Nere, Nere Warren. At the former place it was heard by Mrs Claw and others living there. She rose in the nighttime and looked out to see if any of the huts wasn't fire and during the day she went repeatedly into the Fernanda in front of the house to listen and as the noise seemed to come from the rises on the west side of the creek she sent two persons as far as the bridge with a view to ascertain what it was. On their return they said they could not tell but that when they were at the bridge the noise seemed to be at the house. The overseer happened to come and she spoke of it to him but he said that he had not noticed any unusual sound neither did he then perceive any. He was in a hurry and went off immediately but happening to go to an outstation at the mountain gap he was asked by the two men there both of whom had resided in the colony only a short time and were therefore perhaps more liable to be easily alarmed whether the fire was coming that way. He said he did not know of any fire. They told him that they had not slept during the night but they had heard a noise as of a great fire at a distance and were afraid it was coming in that direction and that they could still discern it. He was thus forcibly reminded of what he had just before heard and of going a little way to arise he listened and acknowledged that he could distinctly hear a noise similar to that which had been described but could not tell what occasioned it. As heard by Mrs. Claw the noise was not always the same but rose and fell and after dying away for a little would begin again and gradually increase. To some it seemed to be in the air but the prevailing impression on her mind at the time and that to which she still inclined is that it was subterranean. It will perhaps be considered corroborative of this opinion that on two previous occasions an earthquake had been distinctly heard and felt there. The first was experienced in February or March 1843. It occurred at midnight when the moon was full, the sky cloudless and the wind still. To me and others who heard it at Chirachian the sound was as if a light conveyance making a sharp rattling noise passed rapidly between the house and the kitchen these buildings being about eight yards apart the tremor though distinctly filled was not great but at the outstation near the base of the mountain both the shock and the noise were very considerable. The two men sleeping in the hut were instantly roused and ran out to ascertain what was the matter but neither saying nor hearing anything unusual they conjectured what had happened and as the shock was experienced in the same manner at Rooks station about five miles off it would appear that it was submerged along the base of the mountain. The second shock was felt in 1847 at the same season of the year. It occurred at four o'clock in the afternoon and was experienced at the same time in Melbourne and other adjacent places. Those in the house of Chirachian when they felt it moving ran out in alarm not doubting for a moment what it was and a party that were out riding in the direction of the mountain heard it and were struck with the noise as an extraordinary one but instead of ascribing it to an earthquake they thought it was caused by horses galloping in the bush. Although the sound which has been described is not likely to have been produced by the action of wind on the forest as to where they're at the time is said to have been calm and settled and although Mrs. Claw was then and still is of opinion that it was subterranean yet perhaps it is possible that it was occasioned by currents of air in the atmosphere but so elevated as not to disturb any objects on the face of the country at least not in that immediate neighbourhood it had often been observed that the wind blew very partially in that locality narrow belts of the forest scarcely a quarter of a mile broad and several miles long might be seen on the run strewed with fallen branches and uprooted trees showing that a hurricane had swept along that tract whilst the forest on both sides remained uninjured and it was no uncommon thing for one to witness the top of trees bending and tossed about in wind in wild commotion though not broken down although only a narrow strip and to hear the sound thereby occasioned as then on the surface of the earth and within very circumscribed limits so at some elevation above very partial and very powerful currents of air may sweep along and if they sometimes fly with increased and sometimes with diminished speed as in a hurricane or typhoon the swelling and subsiding of the noise which was heard might be thereby occasioned no doubt it is difficult if not impossible to conceive how currents of wind in the atmosphere alone could make a noise as in order to produce it something opposing or retarding the current of air seems to be absolutely required end of section 15 recording by chad orner section 16 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org recording by nima letters from victorian pioneers letter number 16 from j.m. clough jr. pine plains on the 23rd of august 1847 the application for this run was accepted and registered in favor of j. clough jr. by the commissioners of the wamiara district owing to the scarcity of water between it and like kind marsh the distance being 50 miles no stock was put upon it until the month of may 1848 as the scarcity continued the sheep were removed in november the same year in april 1849 the rite of station was sold to andrew russell esquire merchant melbourne for 15 pound it has been used as a winter out station by him the wamiara river however has at last forced its way through the desert and along a former channel into this attractive country and inundated it to such an extent that it is doubtful whether it was not more valuable in its former state than now the water obtained there in 1848 was from a well 20 feet deep it was sunk chiefly through the old red sandstone formation and the spring of water fallen in with underneath it appeared to be a very strong one the pastureage on the beds of the present lakes and on the slopes of their banks was of the best description consisting much of salsalaceous herbage some of the lake kin marsh tribe having been taken to assist in driving the stock hither and in finding water for us on the journey it obtained for us a friendly reception from the aborigines of this isolated track for months afterwards it existed until the overseer one night about eleven o'clock fired at what he supposed to be a wild dog rushing the sheep in the yard but which unfortunately turned out to be a black fellow the aim was fatal the ball the pistol going through his head this tract of country was frequented by both the murray and womara river blacks the murray is distant 60 miles i'm given to understand that this run which contains or did contain 60 square miles of good pasture land was sold about a month ago for 1500 pound this was solely for the right of station j m clow end of letter 16 section 17 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox dot award recording by nima letters from victorian pioneers letter number 17 from j m clow about 30 miles to the westward of lake hint marsh lies the large sandy desert through which the boundary line between the victorian and south australian territories runs the most north westerly track of pastoral country in the womara district at that point and forming a bay on the edge of this desert was first occupied under pastoral lease by me in the month of may 1847 it is of the finest description of sheep country very openly timbered but scantily watered it is dotted with swamps of no great depth but the bottom being of tenacious clay they except in the droughty seasons now contain sufficient water for the wants of the stock since they have been when dry well trodden by the sheep grazing on them i found the sole aboriginal occupants of that isolated track to be one man of great muscular strength and proportions his three women and two children the custom of each head of a family being by inheritance or conquest the acknowledged proprietor of a certain tract of the territory of the tribe to whose chief he owned allegiance over which the others were understood to hunt by sufferance from him i found to prevail amongst the womara and lake hint marsh tribes what i took up as a run was his portion of it although this native whom i shall call geordi his english name as i forget his aboriginal name was apparently on the best of terms with his tribe yet they hinted that it was his prowess not right that maintained him in possession of such a large tract of their territory and more than his share of the women when there were so many without one whereby hangs a tale of the deep treachery which they exercised a few months after my arrival to dispossess him of both and all was so well planned that he did not seem to have the least apprehension of any impending danger one evening some 15 or 20 men of the tribe arrived at my station from the direction of teteara with her they stated they had been to procure the rods of a water plant with which they form the heads of their spears bundles of which they had with them in their crude state and they were on their return to the lake they appeared to be very much fatigued with their day's journey very soon encamped about 300 yards from our huts having first prevailed on jordy who was encamped within 50 yards of us to join them at their encampment which he did without reluctance as they showed him a good deal of deference more from the position of lord which is prowess had acquired for him then as vassal to their chieftain who was amongst the number when i saw them lounging around their fires that night they counterfeited their intentions so completely by laughing and joking with each other that i was quite unprepared for the tragedy of bloodshed which i witnessed on the following morning the first shades of daylight were just dawning when the shrieks of the women rang through the forest on reaching the outside of the hut i heard that peculiar sound which the men utter when engaged in fighting when in the act of throwing any of their rude instruments of warfare as the hour was the one usually chosen by a hostile tribe to make their onslaught of revenge i concluded that they had been attacked by the tatiara blacks who had perhaps followed them up quickly to square a debt of blood with them by the time that i addressed sufficiently to go and see the fight always hushed except the low wailing lamentations of some women assure indication that their laya corpse being yet too dark to see in one tableau their camp and surrounding forest i made for the wailing when reaching the group which consisted of two of geordie's wives and two or three men were winding a blanket around a corpse which was lying about halfway between their camp in my hut the men preserved a determined silence to all my inquiries and it was from the women that i ascertained the corpse was their late husband and that he had been murdered by some of the men who had been encamped with him he had been attacked by nine or eleven men at once who springing from their fires poured their spears into him as he lay awake at his he jumped from his lair they said and made for our huts snapping the spears which were in his body close by the flesh as i found to be the case on walking from the corpse to their camp where the remnants land either side of his track he'd got about halfway before he received the mortal wounds from two jagged mallie spears which now lay alongside of the corpse and were covered with blood from point to tip from their having been drawn through his body to get them out as the two spear wounds did not cause instantaneous death they rushed in with their waddies and gave the finishing stroke to the deed of blood by the time that the day had dawned the murderers had decamped and were then many miles on their way to the lake impatient to recite to the council of war which had deputed them to the task the successful termination of the stratagem those who remained maintained that they had neither previous knowledge of what was to take place that morning nor participation in the murder and the testimony of the women cooperated the statement that they took no part in it in the small open plain where the corpse lay we entered it my men dug a grave and having secured the top well of stones to prevent the wild dogs disinterring it crowned its summit with a murdered man's spears and other instruments of war which remain there till some sacrilegious white hand removed them the three women and the orphan children left immediately afterwards the men told me that it was the custom of their tribe for the women after the death of a husband to secrete themselves in the bush for a week or two and then after a certain time a week or two they become the wives of the first man who finds them my informant I saw afterwards in possession of one of them the aborigines in this tract of country subsist chiefly on a variety of routes which are very abundant possums small kangaroos called kama which frequent the edge of the malli scrub an occasional emu the fruit or flower of the stunted honeysuckle very prevalent in the desert and mana in the autumn when the hot weather prevails birds are easily caught by them in the following manner they conceal themselves in an arbor of boughs close to the small remnants of surface water or at wells and snare the birds by laying a gin attached to the end of a rod where the birds must or are most likely to stand when they come to drink having secured their victim they draw the rod in by having the same snare attached to the end of the rod they can set it again without leaving the arbor or frightening other birds away by showing themselves while at the station I made several excursions into the large desert with a view of discovering new tracks for pastoral country we first went in a westerly direction after proceeding about 15 miles into it from the side next my run we came to a steep ridge of sand hills about 200 or 300 feet above the adjacent desert the surface of them was composed of nothing but loose drift sand and they were covered with a few stunted bushes when on the summit they appeared to be a chain of hills running from where we ascended them northerly as far as the eye could reach to the westward we saw nothing but an unbroken expanse for the next 12 or 15 miles of the same jury wilderness that lay around us some months afterwards when 70 miles further north on the course of the warm era we again struck a westerly course and encountered the same chain of hills still possessing the same features and bearing in the same direction interspersed but very distant from each other on this desert are oasis is of a few acres where the eucalyptus and other trees grow with a fair sprinkling of grass as the soil of them is very clayy it was only on them that we found surface water to drink the whole eastern extent of it is a loose white sand covered chiefly with a very prickly grass which grows in large tufts and is so stiff in the blade that it causes the horse's legs to bleed as they travel over it also with stunted mally and a very diminutive species of the honeysuckle tree the flowers of which the natives crush in steepen water in order to obtain what is to them a sweet and nourishing drink the imbu and the loan are the only birds of size on it the former frequents the open desert the latter the mally thickets a remarkable feature of the small portion of country i observe to be that it blew a strong fresh breeze both day and night below which it seldom moderated but occasionally increased to a tornado one swept along with devastating fury in the month of december the same year it passed over an outstation snapping even trees of two and three feet diameter and two about five or six feet from the ground and lopping off the boughs of those it did not carry down the tent in which the men were living was carried off into the swamp about half a mile and few of the panikins and plates were found again it seemed to be confined to about half a mile in width owing to the constant current of air i never saw any dues while there as most of the womara district was settled the year before i went there i cannot give a correct statement of the deportment of the aborigine to the squatters when the latter first took possession of the territory with regard to geordi's behavior on the occasion of my taking up the run he attempted a day or two after our arrival to disarm one of the hutkeepers while in the hut with him but failed and luckily the man had presence of mind not to shoot him we saw no more of him for two or three weeks when he came back he seemed ashamed of having violated the confidence we had reposed in him rutta keeled his attempt on the huckkeeper and apparently had made up his mind to have his little territory invaded by the sheep at sharing time i found him and the other blacks very useful placing all the flocks in their charge as i was obliged from a scarcity of sharers and that out of the way place to employ all the shepherds in sharing the sheep i never found them to have appropriated any to their own use i sold this run which i called bail rook from the desert on which it lay to mr george irkart in the following december it has subsequently passed from his hands to mr brouton the present holder its registered extent is 50 square miles it is bounded by the runs of major fire brace formerly grants mason and little end of section 17 section 18 from letters from victorian pioneers this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox.org recording by beth thomas melvin victoria letters from victorian pioneers letter 18 from captain foster fions arrived by order of general sir richard burke at gelong in 1847 where according to the general's directions i was to take an absconded felon on my staff this man had been a resident near gelong for 33 years and was therefore well acquainted with all the natives in that locality my orders from the general being to assemble as many of the natives as possible for the purposes of knowing their numbers in this part due notice was given and we succeeded in making a large muster of 275 of all classes men women and children the general sent bales of blankets slop clothing dresses for the females shoes and a large quantity of flour and tea and two dozen of tomahawks not issued but thrown into the murray ball river these articles were all divided among the natives unfortunately a few blankets were deficient whereupon the native men unprovided set up a yell and became almost frantic a state of things which instantaneously became general and the assembly demanded more and more every minute fearing bad results from my visitors from their general demeanor and manner and becoming somewhat apprehensive i ordered my two constables to load and my 10 convicts to fall in close to my hut the natives saw this preparation and i kept some distance from them with my double barrel gun accompanied by mr patrick mckiever district constable also armed it had the effect of making the natives retire the interpreter buckley telling them to do so i was exceedingly happy at the result not having the slightest trust in buckley and i may now add my conviction is that the natives assembled wishing an opportunity to murder every person in the place after this escape i never permitted more than a few to approach the place when they were kindly treated and provided with some salt pork which was not such a delicacy as mutton but fresh meat was not to be had and sheep were extremely dear and scarce a few days followed i saw a native in a rage take a child giving it many blows and eventually catching it by the leg and battering its head against a gum tree this was on the opposite range of the river on my arrival at the spot which took some considerable time on account of the river winding so much when i reached the tree i found evident marks that the child had been killed and taken from the place but there was not one native to be seen a station at the lee was attacked two men in charge defended a few hundred sheep driving them before them to another station i saw some four natives that had been shot dead i investigated the affray and gave much credit to the men for their good conduct Bun and Yong only 50 miles from Geelong was thought a great discovery some few of the settlers removed to that locality where many disturbances took place shepherds were murdered and sheep stolen on numerous occasions i have had to visit the place on complaint of the settlers and also that i might have it in my power to gain information as to the reported depredations of the natives i felt convinced of these depredations and generally found the origin of theft and murder was from an over intimacy on both sides the women ruling depraved and bad so much of this existed that there was hardly a shepherd without disease large families of natives husband wife boys and girls were eaten up with venereal disease the disorder was an introduction from van demensland and i'm of the opinion that two-thirds of the natives of port philip have died from this infection during 1837 and eight and nine as the country began to be occupied i had many journeys to stations of from 40 to 50 miles collack and bun and yong being the most distant in all my investigations i found where life was lost that blame was attributable to both sides to the jealousy of the native and over intimacy of the hutkeeper or shepherd who was one day feeding the natives and the day following beating and driving them from the place in 1840 i was made commissioner of crown lands i had 18 troopers these men were soldiers who were sentenced by court martial when serving in america for desertion to transportation to new south wales i never met with a more orderly or steady set of men they had their horses always in good order and were ready and willing to perform their duty no pay was allowed by the government and their only remuneration was the common ration for the seven years i held the office of commissioner of crown lands i had only one man who left me he deserted to adelaide every man i had could have followed him and that too well mounted i'm glad to say to their credit not a man followed his example in 1839 the squatters in portland bay district were very limited in number not exceeding a dozen in 1840 very few joined them and the revenue and licenses did not exceed 150 pounds in 1842 the district began to become of some notice and a vast number of most respectable establishments appeared in 1843 and 1844 the district was rapidly filling and during 1845 and 1846 there were 400 licenses granted in a country almost without a european in it in 1839 and nearly as large as england mr gizman was the commissioner of crown lands for port philip which was divided when i was appointed i may remark on the portland bay district knowing it for years and having ridden over at some 34 000 miles that a finer or a more beautiful country cannot be there are parts sandy and barren but generally the ground is useful many parts possessing great advantages for pastoral purposes and many bits of ground being fitted for immediate agricultural purposes i may safely say without an outlay for grubbing a tree so different from new south wales where everyone cleared is attended with a serious expense the district is exceedingly well provided with water many of the waterholes are everlasting and there are besides reaches of rivers and many fine and valuable springs in 1839 by order of sir george kipps i left along to proceed to portland bay i was allowed three mounted police and seven horses mr smith of the survey department had orders to attend me the distance is about 220 miles at that time the squatting stations were chiefly about the towns we proceeded bringing provisions on a pack horse we experienced great difficulties and obstructions in many instances we had to return for miles the country being impossible and seek another route we were two days endeavoring to cross the stony range and had to return to mount eels without water we found ourselves surrounded by i suppose 150 natives following us with their spears yelling and brandishing their waddies on leaving the range we halted at a tea tree scrub where we found water we were cooking some panikins of tea when we heard the native kooey in every direction this subsided i suspected that the natives were close to us i walked down the creek with my gun first ordering the men to stand to their horses i returned and told smith that the creek i thought was full of natives we took some tea mounted and rode about 50 yards when a formidable number at least 150 natives jumped from the brushwood in the creek making after us for some miles we escaped them and met others but none would approach us no inducement could persuade them we chased one to endeavor to make him find water for us near mount rouse he ran fast and got to a tree climbing it like a monkey and letting fly behind on some of the party as he ascended to his utmost satisfaction we were 18 days before we reached portland after leaving port fairy on our left we met many obstructions on the flat grounds and large swamps in that part of the country which is intersected so much by two small rivers that with difficulty after some days of consultation as to what we should do as our stores were all expended whether to push on or return we came to a determination to endeavor to gain the high ground which we fortunately did on that evening after spending a truly miserable night with nothing to eat plenty of rain and a good fire we were glad at daylight to proceed again when to our great joy we saw a vessel at anchor in the bay we descended towards the beach when our hearts failed us we were pulled up by a large river in front of us another consultation took place when one of the policemen said let us go on to the sea in the former instance smith thought to keep up the river was our only plan which we did smith swam across with the sabre in his mouth and got on the sandhills once he could see the river which close to the sea became a large lagoon on returning he explained it was useless to follow down therefore the party kept up following the river and rounding some large lagoons in the second instance we took the advice of an old policeman we reached the beach where a hard sand answered as a good road had we in the first instance travelled down to the beach we could have crossed in like manner for the river in this neighborhood has an entrance into the sea we reached portland in a few hours receiving a hearty welcome from mr's henty who kept a wailing establishment and were the only residents in the place i had his excellency's order to make some investigations and after a rest of three days our party proceeded towards the glenelg to a station held by mr's henty and the mr's winter on the wander river after finishing my business in two days we purchased some provisions to carry with us on our return home after crossing the one and river we made a new route almost east and met with no kind of obstruction and were only one day without water we reached along on the fifth day after leaving the glenelg i may remarked during this journey we did not meet with any natives the country was desolate and uninhabited and was covered with rich kangaroo grass three and four feet high at that time i considered the country beautiful particularly in passing mount sturgeon and the long range of conical hills for many miles towards what is now called mount william we passed terranallam hill now called mount elephant since the journey i have again visited all these parts on the hill mount sturgeon a large stone sits in a cradle one or two of my policemen moved the stone it is nearly round terranallam has a large crater like every other hill in this part also basins some of them have great depth and two or three miles in circumference three great beauties of the kind are close to tim boon the country between tim boon and the hopkins river would remind any person lately from home of a nobleman's park with the expectation of coming soon to a magnificent house many a dreary ride i have had over this magnificent splendid country lying waste and idle with an odd flock of sheep here and there and fine fat phyllox with a hundred of square miles to roam over this land for agricultural purposes none can surpass and it would maintain thousands and thousands of people by common industry with a yearly surplus of grain enough to feed the entire population of victoria to this 17th day of august 1853 it lies as formerly for years in the hands of a few squatters at the nominal yearly rental of a squatting license which is nothing like the value of the ground the country for many miles about colac nothing can surpass in its fine rich soil the lake is in circumference about i suppose 14 miles a few years ago it became almost dry on visiting it it was my opinion that it would in a few years become a large swamp of late years it has regained its waters so much so in may 1852 that its banks were overflowed the water rushing over the plains into the barwin and lee and causing the wonderful flood on the 20th of may 1852 at gelong the barwin river rose about 12 feet higher than the highest flood experience since my arrival in 1837 destroying a vast deal of property and carrying the bridge away on barwin river gelong and also several others the squatting population consists of such various classes of persons that it is impossible to speak of it as a body many of the squatters are gentlemen worthy and excellent men of undoubted character and well connected at home mount emu is a beautiful country a noble pack of hounds was kept up by gentlemen squatters who met every season hunting twice or thrice a week and meeting at each other's houses where good cheer and good and happy society were ever to be met i have sat down with 30 gentlemen at mr. goldsmith's to an excellent dinner given by that gentleman there was an ample provision of all that was good set before his guests who won an all had hearty and joyful faces talking of tomorrow and the day's sport before them we retired to rest on our shakedowns on the florid 11 o'clock at daybreak the master of the hounds a squatter sounded his bugle shortly after his second for breakfast and in half an hour his third bugle when a fine pack of dogs led loose from the kennel appeared full of life and glee led away by the well-known master of the hounds compton ferris followed by 30 well-mounted gentlemen squatters the game was not far distant in half an hour we came upon the scent of a native dog he had a long start the pack took up the scent and followed breast high the ground was rather moist some horsemen were thrown out but there were 20 in at the death after passing over 16 miles of ground without one check the wild dog is noble sport and as to the day i speak of i doubt even if less to sheer ever turned out a better pack or a better set of sportsmen in a field during a season on the following day i had the pleasure of again meeting the same party and on many occasions after this i may now remark in a country like this where dissipation prevails among this class of gentlemen squatters in no instance did any man exceed or forget that he was a gentleman another class of squatters is a kind of shop boys a plain man can barely approach them they have wonderful sources of wealth and comfort with dirty huts and no comfort but with plenty of pipe smoking grumbling and discontent for seasons a hut would be just the same on one side of the door you will see an aged tobacco plant there is no garden no vegetables but bones rotten sheepskins and filth in plenty inside the door there was often a large hole in the mud floor worn by the heels of persons going in and if not aware of this tend to one that you had a chance of upsetting the table tinned dishes and greasy mutton chops as to beds this gentry are not particular i lay on one for hours in great torment tired and wishing for sleep i envied five or six who were snoring close about me sleep i could not from something hard and long under my loins i took my knife cut the sacking when i pulled out the leg of a sheep with a long piece of the hide as crisp as toast here is a country yielding all that man can require for only a little labor it abounds in a class who care for nothing except self-interest for years they have the same hut not so much as a drop of milk for breakfast hyacinth skin mutton chops swimming in fat and damper damper and fat chops for dinner hyacinth skin and the same for supper no deviation even in lint another class consists of old shepherds i have known this class to grow rich the master poor and in time the worthy would become the licensed squatter i have known many of them to become wealthy and some who did not forget themselves but most were out of their places and it would have been better for the community had they remained shepherds rather than become masters litigation is a favorite rule and almost anything can be gained by an overwhelming evidence i stated that on my arrival i musted 275 natives so many years have passed over that at the present day august 22nd 1853 i feel assured that not more than 20 aborigines are living about too long some were children when i came and within the laps of these few years have become aged and decrepit the life of the aborigines cannot be of long duration and i'm of opinion longevity is unknown ballet yang was held up to be more respected than any native in this place he was remarkable for his good conduct decency in good order he was very polite constantly sending presents of oysters and bustards he was a particular friend of mine by some means he became possessed of an old musket on which i on many occasions told him to be careful or he would shoot himself urging that it would be better for him to use his spear and boomerang he laughed saying the gun was better this remarkably fine old man went to the whereby river to shoot bustards as he was one morning leaving his mere on pulling the gun the lock went off and the contents of the charge went through his body he died in a few minutes leaving some three wives and four young boys one of the boys is still living in gelong or the neighborhood he cannot be more than 19 or 20 years of age but for a stranger to look at him he must consider him an old man woolmudgeon was always with his relative old ballet yang until the latter died when he lived with mr fischer for some years he was taken care of and well provided for on the establishment his father having been killed and his old friend ballet and gone so that he remained almost an inmate as he grew rapidly he became a man in a few years his habits changed he withdrew himself for weeks on returning he would only laugh at all questions put to him saying the bush better than house plenty of grubs good as mutton of clothes he always had a good supply but when he left in the morning well dressed if he returned in the afternoon he was always naked he placed no value on anything the latter days of this youth he was about 20 years of age was spent in drunkenness and riot he was nearly six feet high a powerful and strong man but disease and filth gave him the appearance of age he died near gelong from inflammation bonjon another of all ballet yang's tribe lived with me for some four years he was a stout lad very civil and useful he always attended me in the bush and was often with me for a space of three or four months going from one station to another and during that time never seeing one of his tribe i was passing colak and remained at mr murray's for the night the colak tribe had a camp near at hand some seven men accompanied by a couple of women came to us covered with white paint a death warning the women's faces torn and bleeding the men carrying spears languiles and waddies one spoke to mr murray mr murray immediately told me their intention that is to kill my boy bonjon pointing to the men i told the boy who in a cool way replied i know it i am ready for them letting out a volley of abuse at the party taking his pistol and cocking it come on marriage egg he cried to the doctor who came for the purpose of extracting bonjon's kidney fat he defied all for safety i made my boy stay inside the house all night the natives remained lurking about for an opportunity to murder him this animosity was caused by the death of a colak native which happened at a corroboree near gelong it was therefore needful that a gelong native should die on the following morning a numerous collection presented themselves demanding bonjon with the promise not to kill him but merely to extract the kidney fat i asked him if he would be satisfied to undergo the operation me give said he if you wish it showing his pistol's clean new flints and his sabre as bright and sharp as a razor all he required from me was liberty to have a quarrel on the ground we mounted and left about two miles from colak we met some natives on their way to colak from the mission station approaching us and seeing bonjon they were quite taken aback and ran from us immediately in fact the party were on their way to partake of bonjon's kidney fat and femoral bits the boy was very brave in fact he had no fear he begged me to let him only kill the one with the big knife stating that he would not fire and pointing out one who had a fine lubra saying if you let me kill him i'll get his wife i had on many occasions tried the courage of this savage boy near port ferry in 1843 a shepherd was most barbarously murdered by natives which attracted the attention of the police i was out for many days with the party of 17 mounted border police the weather was cold and wet and we suffered in many ways we were on horseback from daylight tonight examining all the creeks and stony lands between port ferry and numerala we spent 10 days in this way and not a black did we fall in with we were compelled to give up owing to want to provisions and sickness on the following morning accompanied by bonjon we set out to seek a passage for our drae in order to get away we went about seven miles and meeting with great obstacles returned in another direction finding a far better country when we came within two miles of our camp on turning at tea tree cops we met a most powerful native and on asking questions he related to bonjon that the clothes he had on belonged to the dead man at mr richie's it was a wet day bonjon said this is the fellow we have been looking for again asking him if he had been at mr richie's and inquiring about the man in the clothes we were confirmed we threw our cloaks off the native dashed his spear through and through bonjon's bonjon pulled out his pistol snapped it and missed fire pulled out his sabre and dashed after him when horse and all fell among the rocks and stones in a deep gully we'd all in our power to apprehend this savage but we could not he had four spears langiel and shield with one blow he dashed the sharp end of the langiel through my horse's nose as we came up with him the tribe threw many spears at us making off the man was left to us jumping on a large mound of rocks and loose stones he held out come on white bastards at the same time throwing his last spear at bonjon he was not to be seen in a second this native went into portfery some days after showing his shield with the sabre cuts on it some months after this at gelong bonjon became quite changed he no longer had a wish to follow me or wear his dress away with his tribe constantly he came to me occasionally he still had a strong grudge against the colak tribe he came to me one day saying one colak fellow down here with a gin and that he would kill him i desired him not he was as good as his word he loaded a carbine followed the unhappy black with his gun and shot him dead bonjon and the gin who was now occupying his time and attention came back and ate drank and were merry hearing of the murder i had bonjon apprehended he was quite indignant asking me if i had forgotten the tribe at colak that wanted his kidney fat bonjon was tried before judge willis a most disreputable old rip who i think was in concert with the devil for though the evidence was clear bonjon was most honorably acquitted and handed over to another booby of fame old robinson a native protector to be educated and told not to break the commandments bonjon was killed shortly after this in a scurry with some natives at a corrobory over the body of the colak native an inquest was held i took will mudgeon to see the remains on showing him the head the back part of the skull being carried away he wept bitterly and threw himself on the ground roaring and screaming for many days he appeared in sad distress and long and many a time he spoke of the deed to me always repeating the words poor black fellow these natives are all dead now and as far as i can learn only one remains of poor old belly young's friends from long experience particularly in portland bay district i am convinced that the number of aborigines in 1837 in this district could not exceed 3000 and i feel thoroughly convinced that the race will be extinct in 20 years or less in the district i met a native his breast arms and body muscular and in fine proportions his legs were like fins and not larger than those of an infant this poor cripple followed his tribe traveling many miles during the day he sat in a piece of bark tied around his loins emus and kangaroos on our arrival were plentiful in all parts of the district also bustards in large flocks from 10 to 30 or 40 or perhaps more the bustards are now scarce and only met with in distant places the kangaroo and emu are nearly extinct in the district the country is almost void of game quails in years gone by were plentiful but i think are fast disappearing snipe we have in the season but not in the same abundance as in other countries we have also the painted snipe the same bird that is met with in all parts of india black ducks large and a delicacy also various small ducks and wood ducks etc the bronze wing pigeon a fine game bird fully equal to an english partridge black swans useless and ugly snakes of many descriptions and some exceedingly bold more so than i have known them in india the longest snake i have met did not exceed six feet for an idler or a sportsman this country affords nothing and for a military officer it is the most damnable quarter in the world there is nothing in the shape of sport except in the season a few snipe and quail then it ends until the next september at the approach of the snipe season when you seek your foresight or joe manton to brush it up for the sport it is more than probable you will seek in vain for some good and trusty servant has made it his own borrowing as it is termed these implements is common but ones taken by this class of gentry from your house they are never regained of all the impositions inflicted on mankind and in in the district is the most dreadful abomination it appears to me the licensee considers only one duty that is to persecute and victimize the traveler the law makes provision for decency but the landlord disregards it after a license is granted his sole object is money not to make it honestly by a return of common comfort his bill is the object and pay it you must though 500 percent is overcharged what could any man have in any part of england staying at a hotel for a night if he expended two pounds i should think such an outlay among the middle classes would be unknown but in victoria the two pounds would not afford you a nobler you have to put up with the cursors of an ill-looking ruffian the landlord who heartily wishes that you never again trouble him as he is not over fond of gentleman beggars the landlord is generally to be seen playing coits in the front of the hut with a pipe in his mouth cursing and swearing and surrounded by half a dozen idle drunken men the stablekeeper always sticking close to his master to swear by him right or wrong for a nobler these games amuse some travelers for a fight is generally the result and in almost all instances as one passes through the country the landlord sports a black eye or two the interior of the hut is generally built of wooden weatherboards the floor is boarded and a fine rattling breeze rushes in at all parts your company is not very refined all smoking spitting singing loudly and rioting cursing and damning the governors and formally crowned lands commissioners horse races for saddles and bridles and cockfights are got up you are told of fine bulk drivers and that tim was the fellow to sheer sheep with flat contradictions now and again which nearly lead to a bout but often to the destruction of the landlord's all in the shape of a half dozen wine glasses and his large assortment of tin panikins in short one of these licensed huts may be turned inside out during a row and be nothing the worst for it on the following morning a fortune is realized soon in one of these district hotels and when made the landlord sells his goodwill of the place always to a very good man in short the best man in the world who once installed is found to be a deeper vagabond than the former these huts though built on government land a private property transferred from one to another many pay for the goodwill 800 pounds the house not being in value worth 30 pounds a thousand pounds is commonly paid down and i have known 1500 pounds paid in cash for a heart of this kind the stable as it is called is a place tossed up of all manner of things it has a kind of a roof with slab sides of the rudest material and is often dangerous in passing from old spike nails and broken bottles dung and filth are there a foot or too deep at the head of the stall is an old gin case fixed as a manger for oat and hay if you neglect your poor horse not a bite of straw will he get and if you order some oats to feed him the hostler is generally nimble in getting and giving he on this occasion is more than civil as a prophet falls to him the corn being generally found by him and the more profit the better for him this worthy has his measure and fills it to the brim at the bottom he has his thumb hole whereby he deposits the best part back for himself a man who has a horse almost has to fight for his grub paying dear for it at the present time the expenses for a night for one horse and a bush in will cost the owner 20 shillings a licensed man keeping a bush in can charge as he thinks fit but his great game formally before the goldfields was the shepherd or hut keeper on his way to town with his check for perhaps a year or two years wages this unfortunate man was generally overwhelmed with kindness made drunk and kept so for three four or five days on regaining his senses he naturally seeks his hard earnings which are not to be found he applies to the landlord who tells him that he is in debt that the 60 pounds is expended on asking how repeats the host do you forget the shout you stood the shout for all hands you own my debt now five pounds and i shall keep your gun and pack until i am paid says the landlord pushing the unhappy fellow from his door perhaps without a rag to his back for a new colony only 18 years inhabited i consider that there is more vice than is to be found in any part of the world on my arrival in melbourne in 1837 captain londstale fourth ko regiment was a police magistrate having a guard of soldiers some 40 men the captain had a very small wooden hut the military won nearly as bad the few houses about are unworthy of notice accepting the police office this was a square building or nearly so the walls were sods and the roof was covered with sods without windows or a door from this rude state of things and a lapse of 16 years the town of melbourne has become a large a populous and almost an overgrown city with a population of 80 000 and the surrounding country for miles covered with houses in the annals of history nothing equals the rapid progress of this wonderful place the great mistake my good and worthy friend sir richard berke made is in not placing melbourne where gelong is in 1853 oton hay sold at 35 pounds a tonne oats sold at one pound one shilling a bushel potatoes sold at 30 pounds a tonne or one pound 15 shillings per bag beef sold at seven pence a pound mutton sold at eight pence a pound turkeys sold at two guineas or three on some days firewood cost from four to five pounds a load cart horses sold 120 to 150 pounds saddle horses 50 to 80 pounds goats sold at two pounds eggs sold for five shillings a dozen cabbages sold at two shillings six pence each a servant cost 60 pounds yearly in 1848 12 fine legs of mutton sold at five shillings beef prime at one and a half pence per pound mutton less oton hay at three pounds per tonne oats at two shillings six pence per bushel potatoes at four shillings per hundred turkeys at three shillings six pence each fowls were to be had for nothing eggs at six pence per dozen good horses sold from 10 pounds to 30 pounds goats at two shillings cabbages at six for a shilling firewood at seven shillings a load a servant in house cost 18 pounds yearly as did along with many advantages over melbourne it is exceedingly backward the trade of this place compared with melbourne is a mere nothing our merchants are few but good honest sterling men but suffering as they do great discontent prevails our ships and our letters generally go first to melbourne the only obstacle to our shipping is the bar for years and years application has been made by the inhabitants to the government for assistance in clearing it away not one shilling has been expended accepting by the inhabitants who have paid surveyors expenses time after time their work hangs in an office and the bar remains untouched and is very likely to remain so for long and many a day if this bar was removed and shipping came up to the town gelong must become a place of vast importance it has a fine harbour and great advantages over melbourne that most excellent governor general so richard berke made a choice and placed melbourne where it stands he also visited gelong he was delighted with the place in the country he remained 14 days and having confirmed the site of melbourne i suppose he did not wish to alter it this is to be lamented for if melbourne had been placed where gelong stands it would become as beautiful a city as is in the world the locality is pleasing cheerful beautiful and helpful with a fine rising situation the scenery ground and magnificent melbourne does not possess one of these advantages lying low with bad approaches on every side gelong increases but slowly a few years ago the census gave a population of 7 000 but at the present time there must be a population of 25 000 which daily increases from all parts of the world notwithstanding the mix of people the place is exceedingly orderly we have four small steamboats between this and melbourne daily making fortunes for their owners large vessels lie at point henry four miles across the bay but small vessels under 300 tons come to the jetty in discharge the chief trade of the town until the times changed so much on account of the gold mania was wool tallow and hides wool was a considerable item in the shipments from 25 000 to 30 000 bales were embarked yearly at point henry in large ships from 700 to 2 000 tons but from the effects of the gold mines i'm of opinion that a great decrease will take place in the shipments of this article you are aware of all the goldfields the ruin of the colony i shall never forget mr wentworth the watch house is not fitted for a gentleman and his bow to his honor the superintendent who was sitting in the corner of the slab hut on a stool with three legs his honor's graceful recognition of the salute his honor rising with dignity when the stool upset making a noise to the disgust of mr pat mckiever chief constable of little peddlington the death of the black horse the vet doctor the ccl in giving copious glisters and bleeding his honor sighing the vet privately telling him there is no hope the burial in paddock with a case of bricks to the memory of the departed i remember well the doctor coming to the hut when we were at dinner here comes that infernal rip doctor enters host rises to greet him how are you doctor sit down and partake of something we are so glad to see you with a hearty shake of the hand this paper is not signed but has evidently been written by captain foster firen's editor end of letter 18