John Morgan

“ All the years I had been upon the coast, and near it, I had never seen or heard of any ship, or of shipwrecked mariners, so that I had no hope afforded now of ever again regaining an association with civilized beings. I had seen a race of children grow up into women and men, and many of the old people die away, and by my harmless and peaceable manner amongst them, had acquired great influence in settling their disputes. ”

“ I understood by their signs, and manner, that they wished me to accompany them to the tribe they had left to procure gum, which was in great abundance at the spot where they discovered me. I consented, and after journeying for some time through the scrub, and over plains, we came to the Barwin, which we crossed, and then could plainly see the black heads of a number of natives amongst the reeds: appearing to me like a large flock of crows. About a hundred men came to meet us, but the women remained digging for roots, which they use as food: their huts being situated near an extensive lagoon. ”

“ All was then quiet for about three hours, for they had gone, it seemed, to their respective huts to eat their roots; then there was a great noise amongst them, and a trampling backwards and forward from hut to hut, as if something of importance was going on. I was naturally anxious at this, not knowing how it would all end; at last it came on night, and the boys and girls set to work making a very large fire, probably to roast me—who could tell? ”

“ The perils we had already encountered damped the ardour of my companions, and it was anxiously wished by them that they could rejoin her, so we set about making signals, by lighting fires at night, and hoisting our shirts on trees and poles by day. At length a boat was seen to leave the ship and come in our direction, and although the dread of punishment was naturally great, yet the fear of starvation exceeded it, and they anxiously waited her arrival to deliver themselves up, indulging anticipations of being, after all the sufferings they had undergone, forgiven by the Governor. ”

“ The next piece of intelligence was very alarming,—the men saying they were in search of another tribe, to enable those they had left behind to murder the white people the more easily, and by doing so to get possession of their property.
That night was one of great anxiety to me, for I knew not how, without danger, to apprise the strangers of their perilous situation—as the least appearance of such an intention would, to the natives, have seemed like treachery. ”

“ The women appeared to be most unnaturally ferocious—children being their most valued sacrifice. Their brutality at length became so harrassing, and their assaults so frequent, that it was resolved to set fire to the bush where they had sheltered themselves, and so annihilate them, one and all, by suffocation. ”

“ I also knew that if any transactions had taken place, it must have been because the natives knew nothing of the value of the country, except as hunting grounds, supplying them with the means of present existence. I therefore looked upon the land dealing spoken of, as another hoax of the white man, to possess the inheritance of the uncivilized natives of the forest, whose tread on the vast Australian Continent will very soon be no more heard, and whose crimes and sorrows are fast fading away amongst other recollections of the past. ”

“ In the morning we all went on a hunting excursion in perfect good humour, so that I had nothing to apprehend. It was a kangaroo hunt, and, as this was the first I had been at, I looked on with great interest, for I began to consider myself, by compulsion, a native, and to take a part in all their exercises. ”

“ He afterwards clearly identified the prisoner as the native to whom he had given the coat and trousers; so that after an unavoidable short delay, he was discharged, greatly delighted at being liberated; although, on finding himself once more at liberty, he cried loudly and bitterly, like a child. ”

“ At daybreak I went again onward, looking for any kind of food by which to appease my hunger, and at length came to a place the natives call Maamart, where there is a lake, or large lagoon, surrounded by thickly growing scrub and timber. Whilst searching for the gum already mentioned, I was seen by two native women, who watched me unperceived. At length I threw myself down at the foot of a large tree to rest. On observing me thus prostrate, and helpless, these women went in search of their husbands with the intelligence that they had seen a very tall white man. ”

“ So great is the dread the natives have of these creatures, that on discovering one, they throw themselves flat on their faces, muttering some gibberish, or flee away from the borders of the lake or river, as if pursued by a wild beast. ”

“ At the end of the next day they determined on retracing their steps round the head of the bay, and if possible, rejoining their companions at the encampment. To all their advice, and entreaties to accompany them, I turned a deaf ear, being determined to endure every kind of suffering rather than again surrender my liberty. After some time we separated, going in different directions. When I had parted from my companions, although I had preferred doing so, I was overwhelmed with the various feelings which oppressed me: it would be vain to attempt describing my sensations. ”

“ With this small sum, for which I feel grateful, under all the circumstances of my case, and the industry of my wife and daughter, we contrive to live humbly and honestly; but I do entertain a hope, that something will be done for me by the local authorities of Port Phillip—now the great and wealthy colony of Victoria—when, by the means of this narrative of my life, my sufferings, services, and wants, are better, and more generally known. ”

“ Some of them acted as Musicians, beating their skin rugs with sticks, which they stretched across their knees, whilst they were squatted on the ground. They then set up a dance, the men remaining as spectators, encouraging them with cheers, and all sorts of noises. This diversion finished, as usual, with a regular fight, beating each other about with their clubs most unmercifully. ”

“ At length one of them came up and asked me some questions which I could not understand; but when he offered me bread—calling it by its name—a cloud appeared to pass from over my brain, and I soon, repeated that, and other English words after him, Somehow or other I soon made myself understood to them as not being a native-born, and so the white men took me to their tents, and clothed me, giving me biscuit, tea, and meat; and they were, indeed, all very kind in every way. ”

“ My narrative is now at its close; let its details of dangers and privations serve as a moral to the young and reckless,—to all who, passing unheeded the admonitions of parents, guardians, and friends, rush heedlessly on the future, with all its trials and consequences, occasioning many bitter pangs to those who would instil into their minds motives of action, founded on religion and propriety. ”

“ Having come to another halt, the better way perhaps will be, for me here to state, that the tribes are divided into families; or rather, I should say, composed of them—each tribe comprising from twenty to sixty of them. They acknowledge no particular Chief as being superior to the rest; but, he who is most skilful and useful to the general community, is looked upon with the greatest esteem, and is considered to be entitled to more wives than any of the others. ”

“ Again, there is another point to be borne in mind, that is, the vindictive character of the natives, which leads them, in many instances, to give evidence founded upon revenge and falsehood. This is all very bad, but that it is true cannot be doubted.
I had almost forgotten to say, that in my wanderings about, I met with the Pallidurgbarrans, a tribe notorious for their cannibal practices; not only eating human flesh greedily after a fight, but on all occasions when it was possible. ”

“ If again, a family increases too rapidly, for instance, if a woman has a child within twelve months of a previous one, they hold a consultation amongst the tribe she belongs to, as to whether it shall live or not; but if the father insists upon the life of the child being spared, they do not persist in its destruction, and especially if it is a female. At their confinements they receive no assistance whatever, but so soon as the child comes into the world, they wrap it up in a piece of skin rug ”

“ On their approach, our men retreated into the lake, and smeared their bodies all over with clay, preparatory to a fight. The women ran with their children into the bush, and hid themselves, and being a living dead man, as they supposed, I was told to accompany them. On the hostile tribe coming near, I saw they were all men, no women being amongst them. They were smeared all over with red and white clay, and were by far the most hideous looking savages I had seen. In a very short time the fight began, by a shower of spears from the contending parties. ”

“ The women kept their rugs rolled tight up, after which, they stretched them between the knees, each forming a sort of drum. These they beat with their hands, as if keeping time with one of the men who was seated in front of them, singing. Presently the men came up in a kind of close column, they also beating time with their sticks, by knocking them one against the other, making altogether a frightful noise. ”

“ The quarrel being over, and all quiet, the men went to the lake fishing, leaving the women to their usual occupation, and the poor girl by herself in one of the huts. The man she had eloped with knowing all this, went to her, and carried her off; so that when the tribe returned they discovered the flight of the fugitives, on whom they vowed vengeance. All went on as usual for a few days more, and then we shifted again, and for some time kept moving about, killing squirrels and opossums—the skins of both being very much estimated. ”

“ In fact, every hair of the head appears to be deranged, or out of temper with its owner; and well it may be, for it gets frightfully cut and hacked about, sometimes by shells, and flints, and such like; besides being made the abode of certain living tormentors, which it would be unparliamentary to mention, or describe more particularly. They are not at all nice about their food; all kinds of beasts, and fish, and fowl, reptile, and creeping thing—although when alive poisonous—being acceptable. It is quantity, not quality with them. ”