Batman Purchased Land

The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal

26 September 1835

Mr. Batman arrived yesterday from Port Philip, and reached his home from thence within little more than forty-eight hours. We are informed he has purchased 500,000 acres of land, taking his boundaries from a short distance in the rear of Port Philip.

Almost immediately after landing, Mr. B fell in with a tribe of forty, who at first evinced a disposition to oppose him, but after a short parley, the natives he had with him effected an understanding, and he was received by them with open arms, and every manifestation of good feeling.

The peaceable disposition shown on the part of the holders of the new country enabled Mr. Batman to accomplish the object of his visit effectually and speedily.

A fine athletic fellow, the chief of the tribe, after being made acquainted with Mr. Batman's wish to purchase land, and his means to pay for it, proceeded with him and his party, accompanied by his tribe, to mark it off.

At each corner boundary the chief marked a tree, and taboed it, and at the same time, explained to the tribe the nature of the treaty, and the positive necessity on their part to observe it inviolable.

Mr. Batman was provided with deeds in triplicate, the nature of which he explained to the chief as the fashion upon such an occasion in white man's country, who readily signed them, and received one to preserve.

The payment of the land in part consisted of 100 blankets, tomahawks, knives, flour, &c.; and it was mutually agreed that a certain quantity of food, clothing, and arms, were to be paid each year.

The amount of them is about 200 pound sterling Mr. Batman reached the hill marked out by Mr. Hume, on his expedition with Howell, and from his outer boundary he saw an immense tract of open country.

He describes the whole of the land he noticed, as being well watered and luxuriant in kangaroo grass, and slightly timbered, and level, that (to use Mr. B.'s own expression) a horse might run away with a gig for 20 miles an end, without fear of upsetting from inequality of ground.

Cornwall Chronicle

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