Page:Life and Adventures of William Buckley.djvu/93

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LIFE OF BUCKLEY.

speared him dead; having done which, they cut the most of the flesh off his body, carrying it away on their spears to mark their triumph. The next day and night there was a continued uproar of dancing and singing, to notify their joy at these horrible events; during which, the mangled remains of the man were roasted between heated stones—and they eat part of them, and no mistake; for I saw them join in the horrible repast, and was requested to do so likewise, which of course I refused to do, evincing the greatest disgust at their proceedings.

Having been rescued from death by starvation, it is only natural that I should, from a feeling of gratitude, desire to save the natives from so great a reproach; but the truth must prevail, and that many of the natives inhabiting this part of the continent of New Holland are cannibals, under particular circumstances, cannot be doubted.

During their savage and brutal repast, I was told it was their intention to serve every one of the murderer's tribe in the same manner.

After this affair, we continued wandering about in a similar way, from place to place, joining one tribe, then leaving it for another, and so on, nothing particular occurring. At length we pitched our huts upon the borders of a lake or lagoon, with a long name, it being called Koodgingmurrah, the name they give to a root growing thereabouts. At that place another tribe joined us, and in a very few days another skirmish took place, and, as usual, it was all about the women. In this