Chapter V Tribal Governments

Transcription - Page 55

[crossed out - 30] 28

all the camps as was usual [crossed out - fa] looked
towards the morning sun.

When the meeting took place, the women were left in
the camps and the men went a little way off. The
Bunworung man stood out in front of his people armed with a
shield. Facing him were the Kindred of the dead Mey met man
some nine or ten in number, who threw so many spears and
boomerangs at him that one could not count them. At
last a reed spear went through his side. Just then (it
was early in the morning) [crossed out - 3 words] a Headman from
the Būthera Ballŭk (7) tribe who had heard what was to take
place and had followed the Mey met down from the Goulburn River,

[Left margin note]
(1)

came up and running in between the Echuca & Western port
men shouted "Enough! Enough!" - and turning to the
former he said "You should now go back to your own
country. " This stopped the spear throwing. They had had
blood and all were now again friends and a great corroboree
was [crossed out - then] held at which all were present. (1)

[Line across page]

[Left margin note underlined]
p 64

(1) Buckley says at p 64, in speaking of an elopement
and the ordeal which [crossed out - sub] followed it "at length the young
man xx advanced toward us xx and challenged our men to fight
an offer which was accepted practically - by a boomerang being thrown at him,
and which grazed his leg. A spear was then thrown, but he warded it
off cleverly with his shield. He made no return to this xx until one
of our men advanced very near to him, with only a shield and a waddie
and then the two went to work in good earnest, xx until the
first had his shield split, so that he had nothing to defend
himself with but his waddie. His opponent took advantage of this
and struck him a tremendous blow on [crossed out - the] one side of the
head, and knocked him down; but he was instantly on his legs again,
the blood however flowing very freely over his back and shoulders.
His friends then cried out enough and threatened general hostilities
if another this blow was struck; and this having the desired effect,
they all, soon after, separated quietly.