Howitt to Fison 12 July 1880

Transcription - Page 3

of the wild Irish.

If we can then show that among the
Australians the Female capture
came under the class rules and
thus Lubbock's idea that a "warrior who
captured a beautiful girl would see the
customs as defiance and keep her
to himself; for the tribe had no rights over
her and the tribe therefore suffered no
wrong" (I quote from memory) - I say that
if he [can show -crossed out] shall then give him a
nut to crack that will cause [??] to
apply to the dentist if he tries.
I am arranging to get works of reference
from the Melbourne Library and
I hope to get them from [?Gumer?] the
[??] who has a large Australian
collection. I shall carefully analyse
the evidence. Whether I can do
this in time for our present work
I cannot say - but at any rate
it will be ready for after use,
if Messrs Lubbock + McLennan
want any more.
I have come accross the address
of two men whom I knew as
boys who are now in Queensland.