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: pp0019-008-0
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me with a spear and place me aside in
some bush or other concealment but if discovered
by the opposing party I was never disturbed or
attacked - the wars [being] between the Waworong
and Watourongs have been numerous and bloody
I have accompanied the latter in their night expedns
against the former when falling suddenly upon
their camp they have destroyed without mercy
men women & children I have sometimes succeeded
in parting them when about to fight - I became
as expert as any of them in spearing the Kangaroo
and taking fish - and with regard to the latter
was generally more successful [than any of them]
when fishing alone and successful - my practise
was to light a fire as a signal to the Blacks in
the neighbourhood to come and partake of my
spoils which they never failed to do - Besides
the Kangaroo, Opossum, Bandicoot & Sugar Squirrel
they seek with great eagerness for the Hedgehog
or porcupine which forms a delicious article of
food - in order to obtain it from its hiding place
they put in to the hole a young child with its [hands]
legs foremost who feels how and where the animal is situated
and reports accordingly in what part he is to be obtained by
digging into the earth as the holes run under and parrellel
with the surfice for some distance - their method of dressing
it when obtained is this. They enclose it entire in a piece
of Bark and thus roast it - then taking off the skin
again apply the body to the fire - thus dressed it is considered
a great treat - I have noticed at least four different Tribes
who speak as many different dialects - the family or portion