Letter from Bulmer 20 April 1880

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Transcription - Page 1

Lake Tyers
April 20th 1880

My Dear Mr Howitt

I have made enquiry of
Billy McDougall and Jenny
Cooper
on the various queries
proposed by you with the
following results.
The Blacks sometimes exchanged
wives at Corroborie time. He
tells me this was done when
there was a great gathering of
Blacks. But they also resorted
to the exchange of wives to
avert some fancied calamity
as for instance. There was
once a great display of the
Aurora Australis or perhaps
some great shower of Meteors
in the heavens, they thought

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Document Details

Date 20 Apr 1880
Letter From Bulmer, Reverend John
Letter To Howitt, Alfred William
Author
Country Australia
Colony/State
Holding Institution Museums Victoria
Collection Name Alfred W. Howitt Collection
Registration Number XM 82
Medium Letter
Region Gippsland
Locality Lake Tyers
Summary "The letter discusses the region around the junction of the Darling and Murray Rivers. Content also relates to the Gippsland District. Discusses social organisation and marriage laws and customs. Reply to A.W. Howitt's questionnaire and questions relating to language. Also mentions ""Wallace's Australasia"" when speaking of languages."
Physical Description Letter, handwritten in ink. Signed and dated. Three folded sheets, eleven pages. Vertical, red-pencil line through text on three pages. Condition: fair; small tears along central folds; slightly tattered upper edges.