Notes by Howitt on Omeo 'tribe' and letter from Bulmer

Transcription - Page 22

20
Answers to Questions
mrarts
dreams

The Blacks have a decided belief that
the soul can leave the body during life
and go to various places. I have the
evidence of old Mrs Tuleba. Her daughter
Emma McDougall tells me that she
often says, she goes when she is asleep
to a place where she sees a gate, which
is the place of entry for the Departed, but she
meets those who tell her that she must
return to earth + wait till she is dead. This may
be a little mixed with what she is taught
of a future state. Still the fact remains
that the old woman has an idea
that her soul (Yambo) can leave the
body + go to a distant place as this
has not been taught her.

I know a case among the Murray
Blacks where an old man named
Mr Jamieson dreamt that his soul
went away to a distant place on the
other side the [sic] Murray. He made
a Corroborie [sic] about it which had
this beginning
Thopie nappu
Karo Kara
Murlu Rentie (Murray)
which being translated would mean
I rode to another country on the
other side of the Murray. This man
may have been a Birrarak but
I do not know however I feel

[written in left side margin]

Gippsland

Murray