COX^TITANCE BY PErXCIPAL CHIEFS TO BATMAN OF lOO.f 

 ACEES BETWEEN GEELONG AND QUEENSCLIFF. 



The lithograph opposite to this page is a facsimile of a parchment conveyance 

 of certain land near Geelong to John Batman from eight chiefs, who affixed their 

 marks, or signatures, to the deed, and at the same time symbolized the transfer 

 of the land by taking up some of the soil and handing it to Batman. The 

 original document is in the custody of Messrs. Taylor, Buckland and Gates, who 

 have kindly given their permission to its publication. The heading is not in the 

 original document. 



Another conveyance of 500,000 acres between Geelong and the Yarra was 

 made to Batman. A copy of this conveyance is to be found in the Record Office, 

 in the Van Diemen's Land Correspondence, and has been published by Dr. Lang, 

 by Mr. Bonwick, by Mr. Arden, and by Mr. Labelliere, in their several accounts 

 of the early settlement of Victoria. 



Both of the transactions represented by these documents were disallowed by 

 the Colonial Secretary, in London. 



The marks made by the chiefs on the parchment were their genuine and 

 usual signatures, which they were in the habit of carving on the bark of trees 

 and on their message sticks. The reader will be interested in these traces of 

 civilization among a people who have hitherto been considered the least civilized 

 of all nations. 



