HUNGRY ABO.

Ate Human Flesh

 

The hungry abo. ate human flesh as readily as he now does rabbit.

 

John Forrest on his first expedition, which took him 25 miles beyond what is now Laverton (W. A.), found ample evidence of cannibalism among the tribes all over what later became the North Coolgardie goldfields.

 

In her book telling of life last century in a Westralian parsonage, Mrs. Millett gives the story, told by her male house-servant, of how an abo. father, during prolonged winter rains which made all hunting a failure, killed a sister to provide food for the others of the family.

 

Records of the W.A. Supreme Court tell of the trial at Geraldton on October 10, 1873, of Yarradee and Mullagelly, accused of the murder of four-year-old Edward Dunn, snatched almost from his father's door, then carried off into the forest, killed and eaten; the picked bones being thrown into the Megrew Well, from which they were recovered.

 

The two adult diners - two boys also partook of the feast - were hanged.

 

On a Murchison (W.A.) sheep station Molly Maguire, who held the position of wash lady, was the one gin whom nothing could tempt to go "walkabout."

 

Well-nurtured on white-feller tucker, Molly tipped the steelyards at 15 stone; she had no illusions as to what would happen to her well-padded carcass.