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[Page 22]
observations
in the third song the Blacks are on some of their excursions when they sud----ly see a White Man V.Words their surprise is great and they all exclaim what is that. They in another Song on seeing a Man hiding fancy him a fork of a Pen Knife on the hand in the above song the man was evidently preparing to encamp - They are wider-atly timid I have a Variety of imaginary beings to whom they address themselves very much more is contained in the few words they repeat so often than I can properly explain altho I can in some degree understand them, the ideas are so wild I find it impossible to convey their full meaning
I never heard a Song contain more than ½ a dozen words - as to their war Songs they are nothing more than a Volley of abuse
[Transcriber Note: I have transcribed almost all of this diary of Mrs David Wilson, apart from page 13. On the advice of senior transcriber, Peter Mayo, I have used columns to portray the translation between Aboriginal and English words.
Peter Craswell]