108

Grosvenar St.
[Toowong],
May 5th 1939

Dear M^r [May],

I am sorry that I happened to be away
when you called at the [Dayboro?] Depot. When you
telephoned, the girl came downstairs to tell me but
I was out at the time and arrived back about
5 minutes after you left. I received your letter
yesterday evening. Also the list of place names.

Many of the place names are familiar but I am
afraid I can give the meanings of only a few
of the native names. I know several in the
vicinity of [Maryborough] which you have not
mentioned and can give them if you wish.

Without any direct info aboriginal authority
it is not easy to translate many names owing
to them being misspelled & mispronounced.

So far as the present generation of blacks are
concerned I have found them to be thoroughly
unreliable in translations. Unfortunately, the
blacks of the time of early settlement are practically
now all dead, and many of the translation
by present day white men are fanciful & silly.

However, I can give you a few meanings
and a [litle?] of history, but I shall have to

[left margin]
look up a number of notes & records so that
I may be a few days before I can send anything,
good wishes Yoursfaithfully
[FJWatson]