A smile, which might be likened to that of a humorous
tiger, spread over his spacious features, and so the interview ended
without a fight. I was very much disappointed, as I hoped the two
man-slayers were going to eat each other for the public good, and I
was ready to back both of them without fear, favour, or affection.
There is no doubt that the blacks ate human flesh, not as an article
of regular diet, but occasionally, when the fortune of war, or
accident, favoured them with a supply. When Mr. Hugh Murray set out
from Geelong to look for country to the westward, he took with him
several natives belonging to the Barrabool tribe. When they arrived
near Lake Colac they found the banks of the Barongarook Creek covered
with scrub, and on approaching the spot where the bridge now spans
the watercourse, they saw a blackfellow with his lubra and a little
boy, running towards the scrub. The Barrabool blacks gave chase, and
the little boy was caught by one of them before he could find
shelter, and was instantly killed with a club. That night the
picaninny was roasted at the camp fire, and eaten.
And yet these blacks had human feelings and affections. I once saw a
tribe travelling from one part of the district to another in search
of food, as was their custom. One of the men was dying of
consumption, and was too weak to follow the rest.
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