Journal Page 26

£35 to 50 & with rations have been given.
The Aborigines have rendered very valuable
assistance to the Squatters in Shepherding,
Stockkeeping, Bullock driving, Messengers &c
2000 sheep at one station had been herded by
two Natives, and at others similar service
had been rendered: Indeed I may state that
but for the Natives many of the Squatters
would scarcely have been able to keep their
flocks together. I had wished to have furnished
Returns of All the Labour done for Settlers
by the Aborigines but it was not possible, it
would have been Satisfactory and a Valuable
document for reference, suffice to Say it must
have been Considerable. This information might
have been obtained to a certain extent by
the Crown Land Commissioners who from
their position with Squatters have greater
facilities than others for obtaining it.

Some time Since, the Western Port
Natives from motives of revenge volunteered
to go in Search of the White Woman supposed
by the Inhabitants of Melbourne to be living

[Annotation: right margin beside last paragraph]

Employment of
the Western Port
Natives in Gipp’s Land

[Annotation: bottom]

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Journal Page 27

among the Aboriginal Tribes of Gipps Land
The Country was perambulated in conjunction
with an armed party of Whites and the
Western Port Natives returned after a
Considerable absence, with a number of
Women, some boys, and a few Male adults
Aborigines of Gipps; The feuds between the
Gipps Land and Boomerong or Western Port
Tribes are now done away and the Gipps
Land Natives invited to Melbourne, so that
instead of the Western Port Natives becoming
extinct, their numbers have been greatly
Augmented.

Medical
Influenza has been exceedingly prevalent
throughout the District especially towards
the close of the year; out of 12,000
the population of Melbourne two thirds
at least it was supposed had been attacked
Few Families escaped: The Aborigines
however were the greatest Sufferers especially
in the Interior.

[Annotation: bottom]

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