However much this might have made me suspect the old lady's veracity it had no such effect upon the natives, and being now firmly convinced that the Guildford boyl-yas were the guilty parties, they announced their intention of starting in a few days for the purpose of putting Weenat to death.
CONTEST FOR MULLIGO'S WIDOWS.
June 17.
Miago ought, according to custom, to have allowed three full days to elapse before his brother's widows entered his hut, but as Bennyyowlee appeared resolved not to renounce his intention of claiming the hand of one of the ladies Miago's friends thought it more prudent to bring matters to a speedy issue, lest, in the interim, his rival might carry of Mugawit, the young lady he was desirous of possessing.

On Monday evening therefore when I went to the native encampment I found that the first forms of the marriage ceremony had taken place, which were as follows: Miago ordered the two widows of his brother to prepare his hut, that as soon as the sun had set he might sleep there.

Bennyyowlee, who, with his friends and supporters were encamped within a few yards of the other party, went up to Mugawit and ordered her to follow him to his Mya, or bark hut; this she declined doing, and he immediately speared her in the thigh.

Miago now, as in duty bound, threw a quartz-headed spear at Bennyyowlee, which, if the latter had not most dexterously avoided, must have proved fatal.

A general disturbance would have taken place had not I and several other Europeans come up at the same moment and pacified Miago, whilst Bennyyowlee took advantage of this temporary calm to evacuate the field, followed by insulting shouts of laughter from Miago's friends.
A circumstance strongly illustrating the peculiar family customs of this people occurred this evening.