Howitt to Fison 20/9/1878

Transcription - Page 3

call a "Monograph of the Kurni" as a naturalist
might write a "Monograph of the Echini". Now that
I have told you what I propose to do I shall go through your
letter and note somethings which struck me.

First of all I fear much that I shall have to send you
the complete manuscript as I doubt if I shall feel
satisfied unless you see it all. The greater part of the
work is yours - you have borne all the brunt of the
investigation - the most difficult part has fallen
to you and to you belong. The right of final revision and
of veto. Apropos of this I hope you will permit
me only the right of veto in one respect, [thit - crossed out] in your
preface - I am quite content that you should say I
have helped you. If you and I and Morgan
all make polite sparks to each other it might be
said that we had formed a "mutual admiration
society". I am going at once to write to my correspondents
sending a list of questions on various points. They may
answer or not but every answer if it contains any
information will fit in my "monograph"". My plan of
work is to make a connected statement and to introduce
the evidence in support of my statement in the form
1st of references to actual occurrences +c among the
Kurni 2nd to shew their occurrence elsewhere
by references either to my own personal knowledge
of other tribes or to the information of my case findings.

My correspondent Mr Doyle tells me that
marriage is among the Kamilaroi still in the group I
quote you his work separately with other matters. I
also quote to you separately what a Maneroo blackfellow
tells me of his class system. But I cannot yet
learn more about the Biduelli. My two informants
told me positively that the boys were Mercung and girls
Yackembracks You will see from what I have said
that the Kurni have only two classes.