AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1808, 25 December 1862, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Cannibalism by Blacks on the Dubdekim " Downs.— The -".flf. 5, CoitHer tells the follow, ing horrible story, A gentleman just arrived from the North, informs us that very recently, Mr Cunningham, the owner of a station ojr the Durdekin Downs, while out looking for some working bullocks, cairie suddenly upon a camp ' - of blacks, where, to his horror, he found a human bodyjiint roasted and* v parUally f eaten, the cannibals being' engaged in gnawing the flesh from the leg bones. This our informant stales wus the third body that Mr Cunriiugbara has found roasted ou his run. Mr-' Major* of the ManningJßiver, has also seen the ■ roasted body of a blackfellow being devoured "by bis companions rand the same gentleman? lately fell io with. a black, gin, on his run', who had in her billy the lower portion of the leg o£ a man. * About thesanie time of these horrible discoveries a white tnan, evidently iusane, passed by; the above station, quite unarmed^ and totally, with* out provisions, who said he was bound - to' the Gulf of Carpentaria. Erery ; persuasions was used to induce the unfortunate ■ roani to/idesist from his insane resolve, and he was inforuied of tbe^blopdthivsty character of the blacksio the neighbourhood, but all to ■. no ; ptrrpose-- i - : gp oa he would. . Certainly, in such; cases magistrates would beyustified in. employingifotce whefi p6P> - : z suasion failed. .We: havexigivefa^cthe 1 above ' stories justias we received - theiri-from *tfur ?in« -, formant, in whose veracity we. have every ireaspn to place full reliance* ; i/f.^irsui^i ■imj^S-/ ? : "1 v - 'Btrnfete 5 and Wi^.^^^M^k^3o ''cttrjf. sayVr.^-The. £yi)l^aj^£o4^^^^-ftAnL\ ; applied to the i Snt!ibl f^ei^fwlh^^^ likely'ttf ; 6e ! fftant«dfttf 'fflfaffiwffllffii&s ¥ Burke afld Wills' fudetol/fbx?wnPlSl^?|fi