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Bunyip Sighting: Darling River, 1926

DougalLongfoot

Abominable Snowman
Joined
Jul 26, 2005
Messages
624
THE DAY ETHEL EDWARDS SAW THE NGATJI AT YANCANNIA


One time when I was about six years old, we came across to Yancannia and camped by the creek. It was night time when we got there.The next morning me and my sister Ada were called to light the fire and get water from the creek. We went down with billies and stayed a while catching crabs.


I stood up and looked across at the other bank, and there's this Ngatji lying there looking at us. He was so plain, we could see him so clear, and he just lay there looking at us. We always knew he was there, but that was the first time I ever saw him.They're around, but people don't see them that often.


They say he's a water snake. He'd have been seven foot long, more than two metres, easy. He's got four stumpy legs like a bogeye (shingle-back lizard), but smooth skin and no scales. He's got little ears like a camel. I was scared of his ears and mouth, his mouth was so big. There's an old blackfellas' story that he'd swallow you up. We were brought up to be scared of him, because they reckon the suction, if he opened his mouth, would suck you right in.


Well, as soon as we saw him, my sister Ada fell over her billy of water! She took off and ran up the bank to Mum, screaming 'He's there! He's there!' I just stood there looking at him. I still had my billycan and a yabby. Mum came running – she thought he'd got me. She said, 'Get up to the camp! Don't stay there!'


Mum had seen him before. He was seen by a lot of people, like old Grandfather Quayle and men at the huts. Some whitefellas saw him too – they called him the bunyip.


Later on, Grandfather took us up in the boat and showed us where his hole was, where there's danger. He showed us where the fear was and he said to keep away.


Some people don't believe me when I tell them about seeing the Ngatji. They reckon it's only a yarn, but it's fair dinkum. Once you've seen him, you'll never forget it. I can see him now, just as plan as I seen him that day. I've never forgotten.
 
??? ... I take it this is a transcription of a story or article.

What's the source?
 
??? ... I take it this is a transcription of a story or article.

What's the source?
Sorry, is from the local newsletter "Wilcannia News" in their History Spot section. Ethel Edwards was a local Baarkindji woman and the story was recounted in 1989. The newsletter doesn't have a website so I can't post a link. Am I able to share the pdf here somehow?
 
Sorry, is from the local newsletter "Wilcannia News" in their History Spot section. Ethel Edwards was a local Baarkindji woman and the story was recounted in 1989. The newsletter doesn't have a website so I can't post a link. Am I able to share the pdf here somehow?
Thanks for the clarification ...

Yes ... If you have the transcript in PDF format and wish to share it you can upload the PDF file as an attachment. Alternatively, it would still be appreciated if you were to post the bibliographic details (newsletter name, date, whatever ... ) so anyone wishing to follow up on the story would have some tangible clues (or be able to provide a credible citation).
 
Okay, the system wouldn't let me upload the whole newsletter. I have left the two pages of Ethel Edwards recounts. I have also left the last page which has the details of the people who publish the newsletter.
 

Attachments

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Okay, the system wouldn't let me upload the whole newsletter. I have left the two pages of Ethel Edwards recounts. I have also left the last page which has the details of the people who publish the newsletter.
Thanks for investing the effort to post the documentation. :twothumbs:
 
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