Volltext Seite (XML)
44 “ My natives joined the tribe ; and, after remaining with them, as I judged, a sufficient length of time to conciliate them and explain my friendly disposition, I advanced alone and joined them, and was intro duced to them by my natives, two of whom spoke nearly the same language, so as to be perfectly intelligible to them. “ The two interpreters explained to them by my directions that I had come in a vessel from the other shore to settle amongst them, and to be upon friendly terms ; that I was, although a white, a countryman of theirs, and would protect them, and I wished them to return with me to their huts, where I had left some presents for them. “ After the strongest assurances on my part of my sincerity and friendly disposition, and that no harm should be done to them, they then proceeded to the huts, where I gave them a pair of blankets each, tomahawks, knives, scissors, looking glasses, and I affixed round the neck of each woman and child a necklace.” Batman describes every woman as having a child at her back, ex cepting one, “who was quite young and very good looking.” He rather inquisitively peeped into the reticules of these folks at home ; in one, among bones, nets, stone axes, grubs and roots, was an old iron hoop ; in another, strange to say, part of a cart wheel spoke. In the journal he tells us that he gave them 6 lbs. of sugar and some apples, “which they seemed quite pleased with.” A pretty little notice comes next; “ The young woman, whom I have spoken of before, gave me a very handsome basket of her own make.” Quite as be coming a present from the laughing belle of the forest, as embroidered braces from her fairer sister of the boudoir. Of the children we have this record : “ They where very good looking, and of a healthy appear ance.” Alas! were are now the happy little ones of our tribes? Instead of 24 to 20 women, there are not 2 to 20. On the first of June Batman took another survey from Station Peak, and named the hills after his friends Cotterell, Conolly and Solomon ; the last is doubtless our Mount Blackwood. This day’s work was 30 miles tour. The day after, the “Rebecca” anchored in Hobson’s Bay, at the mouth of the Yarra, where Mr. Batman found no good channel. On the third he left the vessel and went 26 miles up the river, now called Saltwater. No fresh water was obtained till Gumm made a hole beside the stream. Thursday saw them forsake the river for an inspection of Mounts Wedge and Sams. Three emus gave them a run
