Notes on Kurnai 150 pages
Transcription - Page 71
Tara + Kutwut
McAlpine
[M - crossed out] These people used to go to Welshpool every
year in a body where they had canoes always
concealed in case it were necessary to take
refuge on Wilsons promontory from their enemies.
Their annual journey was to collect Mutton birds
and their eggs at Rabbit Island.
Annual visit to Rabbit Island
They crossed from Welshpool to the Western End of
Snake Island about three hundred yards
- then coasted round the Island and
crossed from it to Mt Singapore about
a mile and a half of sea. They then
followed round Mt Singapore along
a wild coast to opposite Rabbit Island
to whereby they crossed in their canoes.
When on Wilsons Promontory they were
perfectly secure from the attack of their
enemies who had no canoes to cross
with and who could not get away without
bringing them from the hills or from the
Agnes River.
Elopement
It was to Snake island that elopements
were made. Most were by young women
and young men. The latter being always from
some other part of the country - and the Tara and
Kutwut young men went away and brought
wives back with them. It was usually known
who were going to run off with girls. The
young men [??] to tell McAlpine - "so and
so is come here to run off with a girl."
The Yeujin was used for McAlpine remembers
hearing songs sung and that he saw the
girls going about holding their hands
over their ears - but in such a manner
that hearing was not quite stopped.
Asking why this was done - they said
"The young men want us to run off
but we do not want to go."
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