Author: Buckley, William
Title: Reminiscenses of James Buckley who lived for thirty years among the Wallawarro or Watourong tribes at Geelong Port Phillip, communicated by him to George Langhorne, manuscript
Date: [1837]
Accession Number: MS13483
Transcript Number: pp0019-007-0
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as I was able to converse with them respecting
themselves & their connection with the different Tribes.
The subject of Religion I was careful not to introduce
as I was afraid that they would kill me if I
meddled with their customs or superstitions - I have
frequently entertained them when sitting round the
camp fires with accounts of the English People
Houses Ships - great Guns &c. - to which accounts
they would listen with great attention - and express
[illegible word] much astonishment - The affection of the Tribe
for me always remained the same if I hinted
at the probability of some day or other rejoining my
own countrymen they manifested grief and shed tears.
As I always kept up at night the best fire and had
the best Miam Miam in the camp - the blacks notwithstanding
cold being often too lazy to attend to their fires) the
children would often prefer to sleep with me and I was
a great favourite among them. On one occasion feeling
uncomfortable from the dirty state in which I was it
was soon after I had joined them - I repaired
to the Lagoon before mentioned to wash myself - thinking
I had run away from them as I had not mentioned
my intention they were presently engaged in searching
for me - an Old Man named Bow_____t on discovering
me among the reeds took me out by the hand and
immediately burst into tears - they appeared overjoyed
at having found me and ever afraid lest I should
again leave them - When engaged in their fights which
were very frequent when first I came among them
I was always obliged to accompany them but
never compelled to take a part they would arm