The life and adventures of William Buckley : thirty-two years a wanderer amongst the Aborigines of the unexplored country round Port Phillip

Abstract

In 1803, William Buckley was trans ported to Australia, and soon after landing, escaped with a number of fellow convicts into the unexplored area of what is now Melbourne. Buckley survived and spent the ensuing thirty-two years living with the aborigines of the area, and when discovered in 1835 had become entirely assimilated into aborigine culture. This book gives an account of his experi ences, as well as a nearly unique description of aborigine culture before European contact. Also included is James Morrill's Sketch of a Residence Among the Aborigines of Northern Queensland for Seventeen Years; like Buckley, Morrill spent many years living as an aborigine, and described his experiences in a pamphlet which is reprinted in this volume. These accounts should be of interest not only to students of ethnography, but also to the general reader. Show more