80

Nyleta,
Grosvenor Street,
Toowong S.W.1.
April 9th, 1940.

Mr. Sidney May_,
Hon. Secretary,
Place Names Committee,
University of Queensland.

Dear Sir,

My delay in answering your letter (undated) re. the
meaning of the name of the island Bungunba is owing to the fact
that, having no personal thereof I have been making inquiries,
but, I regret, without effect. I might, however, suggest a
way for further inquiry. In the Brisbane River language
bungum is the name of a basket or bag. At Dunwich, on
Stradbroke Island, I have seen some interesting aboriginal
work of this kind, woven from a shrub or reed of the swamps
near by; and, as work of this kind was usually named after the
material used, it might be of some interest to find the name
of the material and whether it was plentiful on the island in
question. Perhaps the superintendent of the Aboriginal
Station at Miora, near Dunwich, could obtain the name from
some of the descendants of the original natives,--Goenpul--
of Stradbroke Island.

Yours faithfully,
FJWatson