THE LAST TASMANIAN NATIVE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 485, 1 April 1869, Page 2

THE LAST TASMANIAN NATIVE.

The last of the aboriginal natives of Tasmania, Billy Lanny, better known as " King Billy," died a fortnight ago at Hobart Town. Lanny has for some years followed whaling, and arrived about a fortnight ago in the bark Eunnymede, after a cruise of some months' duration. On Friday week he complained of illness. On Friday last he was seized with choleraic diarrhoea, and took to his bed. Lanny got up about two o'clock next day, and was dressing for the purpose of being conveyed to the hospital, when he expired. He has since his last return from whaling led a very intemperate life, showed a great partiality for rum, and his constitution thus enfeebled, was unable to conquer the disease. " Billy Lanny," says the Mercury, " was born at the Coal River about the year 1829, and was partly educated at the Queen's Asylum. When resident at the Oyster Cove Station, be was, with other blacks, frequently taken out by the whalers, and thus acquired a partiality for a \ sea-faring life. He and his compeers '• were invaluable in early days to the ; whaling masters, as their great power | of vision made them excellent mast- ! headsmen, and they were athletic and ; active on boat service. On the death | of his sable brethren, ' King Billy,' aa j he was frequently called, did not re- ! main long at the station, but shipped I regularly as a whaler. He went [ several voyages in the Aladdin, and j was very popular amongst the seamen, as a good-natured, jolly fellow, and an amusing companion. He was not particularly proud of his ancestry, and when his portrait was taken by Mr Woolley, in 1866, for the International Exhibition, he objected to the photograph, as being' too black for him.' He was, however, a purebred Tasmanian aboriginal, and as black as a sloe. He was on the regatta ground in January, IS6B, when his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh patronised that festival, and, attired in a blue suit, with a gold-lace band round his cap, he was presented to the Prince, who received him with kindly consideration.