Nexus - 0901 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

it caught sight of him and instantly disappeared, but although the time could not have exceeded a few moments, he saw sufficient to enable him to describe it to me, and which nearly agrees with what | have been told by the Aborigines." duplicate or likeness of the bunyip. Most serious bunyip researchers have come to the conclusion that there were indeed two species of bunyip inhabiting the south- eastern portion of the continent ranging from South Australia up into southeastern Queensland. Different witnesses only rarely reported the long-necked species, whereas there were many sight- ings of the short-necked species which was described as pig-like, dog-like, seal-like and otter-like. The latter species was also regu- larly reported in Tasmania. These sightings may well have been of seals that had made their way up into rivers and lakes, for the descriptions are always of a seal-like character: glossy black fur, dog- or seal-like head and flippers. In 1863, Charles Headlam and his son Anthony, while rowing on Great Lake in Tasmania, had a close encounter with the animal:'* "...my oar nearly came in contact with a large-looking beast about the size of a fully developed sheep dog...it appeared to have two small flappers, or wings, which it made good use of..." A SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BUNYIP ings of the short-necked species which was described pig-like, On 19 December 1853, the Melbourne Argus published an dog-like, seal-like and otter-like. The latter species was also regu- article entitled "The Bunyip of South Australia", which stated:'* larly reported in Tasmania. These sightings may well have been "A gentleman writing from Rocky River, near Mount of seals that had made their way up into rivers and lakes, for the Remarkable, under date of 15th instant, says: ‘About four descriptions are always of a seal-like character: glossy black fur, nights ago | was camped close to a large and exceedingly dog- or seal-like head and flippers. deep waterhole here... | was startled by hearing a curious In 1863, Charles Headlam and his son Anthony, while rowing noise in the water. | jumped up and looked towards the on Great Lake in Tasmania, had a close encounter with the place from which the noise seemed to proceed, and as the animal:'* moon was very bright | was enabled to perceive a large "...my oar nearly came in contact with a large-looking blackish substance advancing towards the bank and beast about the size of a fully developed sheep dog...it which, as it approached, raised itself out of the water. | appeared to have two small flappers, or wings, which it crept towards it, and perceived that it had a large head and made good use of..." a neck something like that of a horse, with thick bristly hair. | suppose it must have seen me for it proceeded Francis McPartland also observed these animals in Great Lake down the river, keeping a few in 1868 and described three or four of yards from the bank towards them, dark in colour with round heads which it made again nearly ; H like a bulldog and 90 to 120 centime- abreast of my horse, which no Different witnesses only rarely tres in length, swimming around in sooner saw it than it made a reported the long-necked pairs with their heads and occasionally rush, breaking the tether rope species whereas there were their shoulders above the surface of the and bolting. The noise occa- , 4 water.'° sioned by the horse running many sightings of the short- Back on the mainland in New South away caused my strange visitor necked species which was Wales, the Wagga Wagga Advertiser of to disappear immediately, in . Pe . April 1872 reported the observations of consequence of which | had not described as pig-like, dog-like, a dog-like ‘bunyip known to the an opportunity of examining it seal-like and otter-like. Aboriginal people as the waa-wee and more minutely. From what | seen many times in Midgeon Lagoon, saw of it, however, | should 26 kilometres north of Narrandera: think its entire length would be "The animal was about half as from fifteen to eighteen feet [4.5 to 5.5 metres]." long again as an ordinary retriever dog, the hair all over its body black and shining, its coat was very long—the hair SIGHTINGS OF SEALS AND SEAL-LIKE BUNYIPS spreading out on the surface of the water for about five This next article on the bunyip appeared in the Moreton Bay inches, and floating loosely as the creature rose and fell by Free Press of 15 April 1857, describing the observations of Mr its own motion. | could not detect any tail, and the hair Stocqueler, a naturalist who was exploring the Murray and about its head was too long and glossy to admit to my see- Goulburn rivers in NSW in early 1857 in a canvas boat:" ing its eyes; the ears were well marked." “NAr Ctanauialar infarmoe sic that tha hunwin ie 9 laran frach Different witnesses only rarely reported the long-necked species, whereas there were many sightings of the short- necked species which was described as pig-like, dog-like, seal-like and otter-like. SIGHTINGS OF SEALS AND SEAL-LIKE BUNYIPS This next article on the bunyip appeared in the Moreton Bay Free Press of 15 April 1857, describing the observations of Mr Stocqueler, a naturalist who was exploring the Murray and Goulburn rivers in NSW in early 1857 in a canvas boat:"* "Mr Stocqueler informs us that the bunyip is a large fresh- water seal, having two small paddles or fins attached to the shoulders, a long swan-like neck, a head like a dog, and a curious bag hanging under the jaw, resembling the pouch of a pelican. The animal is covered with hair like a platypus, and the colour is glossy black. Mr Stocqueler saw no less than six of the curious animals at different times; his boat was within thirty feet [9 m] of one, near McGuire's Point, on the Goulburn, and [he] fired at the bunyip, but did not succeed in capturing him. The small- est appeared to be about five feet [1.5 m] in length, and the largest exceeded fifteen feet [4.5 m]. The head of the largest was the size of a bullock's head and three feet out of the water." One of the few descriptions of the seal-like bunyip observed out of the water was by Captain Sam Southwell, near Canberra in the late 1800s, who noted that its rear end had fins or flippers, as retold by John Gale, founder of the Queanbeyan Age newspaper:'* "He was riding along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, somewhere above Cusack's Crossing, when he saw a strange animal of proportions akin to those of a three- month-old calf, basking on a sandbank on the water's edge. The clatter of his horse's hoofs on the stony ground beneath its feet disturbed the creature, which at once wriggled, rather than walked, into the deep water and disappeared. The rider, dismounting from his steed, descended afoot to the place where this strange animal had been basking, and examined closely its trail. This had the appearance of fins or flippers, and not of feet, visible to the water's very edge." He went on to state that he had observed them travelling at a speed of seven knots against the current and had drawn pictures of them, which he showed to local Aboriginal people who described the drawings as the "bunyip's brother"—perhaps meaning a Pioneer and veteran cattleman T. Hall observed one of these animals at the junction of Swan Creek and Gap Creek on the 62 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2001 — JANUARY 2002