Notes by Howitt on Kulin from Barak

Transcription - Page 39

26
Blood feud 2

The Echuca men had sent word to the Yarra
men that they were coming down so that [they - crossed out] all had plenty of time in the winter to meet. The meeting
was [between - crossed out] near the Merri creek on the Melbourne
side. The Yarra men used to stop about Melbourne
till they were tired of it and then go up the Yarra,
and when they were tired of the Yarra go back
to Melbourne. The people present at the
meeting were [the E - crossed out] from Echuca who however had
no head man with them – he having remained
behind; the Western Port men with their
headman; the Mt Macedon and Geelong
men under their Headman Capt. Turnbull,
the Werribee people under their head man
Benbow, and ourselves with our Headman
(Ngŭrŭng-eit) Billibellary who was my “Mameik”. We were all
there to look on. Each lot camped
at the side [from which - crossed out] of the meeting
ground and not far off - in the direction
from what it had come. All the camps
as usual with us looked towards the morning
sun.

The Echuca men were on the ground nearest
to their country - the Westernport men facing
them nearest to theirs. The Yarra people were
on the Kew side and facing them the
Geelong lot and Benbow and his men,
were at the corner between them and the
Westernport men. Benbow was the
ngurungeit of Sandridge people but he
came with the Werribee lot.
[The Westernport man - crossed out] The women were
left at the camps not far off.
The Westernport man stood out in front
of his [people - crossed out] friends armed with a shield.

[written in left side margin]
The message was
sent by the Echuca
people to the
Kilmore blacks
who told the
Melbourne blacks
who sent word to
the Westernport blacks.