...a countryman of theirs...
Australian historian Manning Clark wrote about John Batman and the treaty incident in his mammoth six-volume historical treatise, 'History of Australia':
Through his interpreters Batman explained to the chiefs that he had come to settle amongst them on friendly terms, adding that although he was a white man he was 'a countryman of theirs' and would protect them.
That day he gave the men blankets, tomahawks, knives, scissors, and looking-glasses and hung around the necks of each woman and child a necklace. They appeared highly gratified and excited.
The next day he explained to the chiefs that the object of his visit was to purchase a tract of their country, since he intended to settle amongst them with his wife, his seven daughters, his sheep and his cattle. He proposed, he said, to employ the people of their tribe, clothe and feed them, and pay them an annual tribute in necessaries as a compensation for the enjoyment of the land.
The chiefs seemed fully to comprehend his proposals, and much delighted with the prospect of having him live amongst them.
On the following day, 6 June, after the deed of purchase was read out and carefully explained to the chiefs, the three brothers Jaga Jaga, Jaga Jaga and Jaga Jaga, and the other chiefs, Cooloolock, Bugarie, Yanyan, Moowhip and Mommarmalar, of the Dutigallar tribe in the district of Iransnoo and Geelong granted to John Batman 100,000 acres in which he could place sheep and cattle in exchange for twenty pairs of scissors, fifty handkerchiefs, twelve red shirts, four flannel jackets, four suits of clothes, fifty pounds of flour, and a yearly rent or tribute of fifty pairs of blankets, fifty knives, fifty tomahawks, fifty pairs of scissors, fifty looking glasses, twenty suits of clothing and two tons of flour.
By similar deed of purchase he took possession of 500,000 acres in the vicinity of the Yarra Yarra. In return for a few knives, tomahawks, scissors and looking-glasses, and enough grog to put them in a mood to say 'yes' to anything and laugh about it, a few aborigines had made John Batman and the other members of the [Geelong and Dutigalla] association amongst the largest landed proprietors in the world.
Through his interpreters Batman explained to the chiefs that he had come to settle amongst them on friendly terms, adding that although he was a white man he was 'a countryman of theirs' and would protect them.
That day he gave the men blankets, tomahawks, knives, scissors, and looking-glasses and hung around the necks of each woman and child a necklace. They appeared highly gratified and excited.
The next day he explained to the chiefs that the object of his visit was to purchase a tract of their country, since he intended to settle amongst them with his wife, his seven daughters, his sheep and his cattle. He proposed, he said, to employ the people of their tribe, clothe and feed them, and pay them an annual tribute in necessaries as a compensation for the enjoyment of the land.
The chiefs seemed fully to comprehend his proposals, and much delighted with the prospect of having him live amongst them.
On the following day, 6 June, after the deed of purchase was read out and carefully explained to the chiefs, the three brothers Jaga Jaga, Jaga Jaga and Jaga Jaga, and the other chiefs, Cooloolock, Bugarie, Yanyan, Moowhip and Mommarmalar, of the Dutigallar tribe in the district of Iransnoo and Geelong granted to John Batman 100,000 acres in which he could place sheep and cattle in exchange for twenty pairs of scissors, fifty handkerchiefs, twelve red shirts, four flannel jackets, four suits of clothes, fifty pounds of flour, and a yearly rent or tribute of fifty pairs of blankets, fifty knives, fifty tomahawks, fifty pairs of scissors, fifty looking glasses, twenty suits of clothing and two tons of flour.
By similar deed of purchase he took possession of 500,000 acres in the vicinity of the Yarra Yarra. In return for a few knives, tomahawks, scissors and looking-glasses, and enough grog to put them in a mood to say 'yes' to anything and laugh about it, a few aborigines had made John Batman and the other members of the [Geelong and Dutigalla] association amongst the largest landed proprietors in the world.
Keywords: Batman, John, Clark, Manning, coexistence, land ownership, Port Phillip Association, trade, treaties, 1835
Clark, Manning 1973, 'The beginning of an Australian Civilisation, 1824-51: History of Australia', volume 3, Melbourne University Press, pp 88-9.
Author: Rowse, Tim and Graham, Trevor
Source: Clark, Manning
Author: Rowse, Tim and Graham, Trevor
Source: Clark, Manning