FIERCE BATTLE BETWEEN ABORIGINALS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 92, 17 April 1872, Page 2

FIERCE BATTLE BETWEEN ABORIGINALS.

There hn3 been another disturbance amongst the natives. Early on the 10th almost all the Larrnkeynha came into our camp in a frantic state, asking every one to lend them spears, as v largo number of the neighboring tribe, the Woolnahs, were about to attack their camp. This they did during the morning, but tbe Larrakeyahs having been well supplied with spears, rather astonished them, for, after exchanging two or three showers of spears, and having two of their party wounded, they cleared off to Doctor's Gully for a time. In the cool of the evening we were informed they were having it out on a sandy beach about a quarter of a mile distant. I proceeded with several others to see the fight, and it was certainly one of the most romantic scenes I ever beheld. We stood on the cliff just above the sable warriors, and not more than ninety or a hundred feet away, the descent being very abrupt, but with some large trees covered with creepers growing between highwater mark aud where we stood. There was fortuuately, a break in the, foliage between us and " the natives, which enabled us to see all that took place, their dusky forms showing out distinctly on the white sand. When we first arrived they were engaged in a wordy war, abusing and defying each other, and making the most unearthly noise imaginable. In a few minutes they had worked themselves up to a fighting point, and spears were flying from both sides. How they managed to avoid them Heaven only knows; but it was an extraordinary For remainder of news see fourth page.

sight to see sixty or seventy men jumping from side to side, leaping in the air, and throwing their spears at tbe same time; we could also now and again hear the dull thud of tha metpardinga -or cluK The! lubras, with their piccaninnies on their backs, kept behind each party, picking; up the spears and banding them to their lords and masters. When any of thetn chanced to be hit they all set up a most unearthly yell, and kept on urgiog the meu on to fresh exertions. Some of them came up the cliffs and asked us to come down and fight for them, aud drive the Woolnahs back to their own country. On telling them that tbe whites had no intention of interfering in their quarrels, they perfectly understood us, but still urged us to come and speak to the Woolnahs that we knew. This we did, and strauge to say they were talking to us and to each other, as though nothing had been further from their heads than fightiug. We found that three or four had been wounded, and one was said to be mortally, a spear having entered his chest. It being nearly dark, we started back to camp, and had hardly got on tbe top of the cliff before they were at it again. The next morning all hands were put under arms for the purpose of driviug the Woolnahs away, as among them was the young fellow Binnook, who had been flogged some time back for spearing one of the horses, and was told that if he came back again he would be shot. They were still engaged in a warm discussion when we came in sight of the camp, and it was some time before they would believe us in earnest. But when they saw some of us descending the cliff, tbey made off into the jungles about the place, and though we searched for some time, we could find none of them, nor have any shown up since. — Port Darwiu correspondent of South Australian Advertiser.