FL661532

20,
or strict laws or means to compel [word crossed out] those
who may dissent on a question in dispute.
Revenge for an injury, or satisfaction
for an insult are however not always settled
by open war or by a duel. This is frequently
^clandestinely, by surprise &
accomplished ^ [words crossed out] stratagems &
^assasination is indeed too common
[words crossed out]
And such an act
[word crossed out] may be followed by a retaliation carried
sometimes the second generation follow it [indcipherable]
a tribe against tribe for years. [words crossed out]
I will here relate an instance which occurred within the country
[word crossed out] 10 years [word crossed out]
Owing to an old grudge a most harmless
Black was killed clandestinely
belonging to the Mudgee or Gundanang tribe near
Maclaren or Cobrah. This act was perported to
have been perpetrated by a Black from the Castle-
reigh tribe in consequence of an old grudge between
the tribes. Now the Castlereigh or Lower Macquarie
tribes were allies. It mattered not to have the
actual perpetrator, if but one or more of the tribe
to which he belonged could be slain or of a tribe
allied with them. Thus some of the Mudgee
tribe after a few months or nearly a year went acros to
Wellington, and watched them for a time
till they could [word crossed out] entrap some of the Lower Macquarie
Blacks. One morning they observed two or
three Blacks, against whom they have laid in