Notes by Howitt on Kulin from Barak

Transcription - Page 72

49
Bad country (3)

Loh-an who was once a Blackfellow
lived long ago at the Yarra flats where he caught
eel and baked them in an oven. This oven is
there and the Kūlin called it “márine-thŭng”
– the word “marine” signifying something specially
fine, beautiful or admirable; as “márine-Kūllin”
a well made handsome blackfellow, [“ marine - crossed out]
– As he was watching his oven - lying on the
ground - the wind carried some swans feathers
and let them fall on him. He said to himself
“there are swans where that came from – and
travelled in that direction” – he came to the
Inlets – + Yalluk in Western port and finding so
many swans there he remained. After a
time he followed the swans to - “Wa-mŭng”
- Wilson’s Promontory where he has remained
ever since watching over the [Kŭrnai who - crossed out]
Black fellows who live in the “Márine-Bek”.

The Nose boring

The perforation of the septum of the nose, called
Ilbi-jerri – is performed on the children
when they are 10-12 years old. The old men
perform the operation for the boys - the old women
for the girls. In the winter time the parents
say to the children “you must get ready your
bone – make it nice and sharp so that
the hole can be made in your nose”. After
the bone has been pushed through the nose and left
there, the child scrapes a small hole in the
ground, places in it a stone heated in the fire
covers it up and pours water on it; then it
covers its head with a possum rug and [hol - crossed out]
hold its nose over the steam until the
peg is loose and will turn round. Every
night and morning it does this till the
place is healed.

[written in the left side margin]
From [Yarra Flats - crossed out] Castellas up to Baw Baw
the river is called
“Marŭp-berarn”
Downwards including
Hobsons bay – it was
called “Kŭrnaji-berang”

Blackfellows oven = mánep