bound inlets of Western Port, and by their bellowings at night frightened the natives; but there is reason to believe that the seals known to them and to the whites were not the same as Toor-roo-dun.
In deep water-holes of rivers and in swamps settlers have seen occasionally a creature much resembling the Bun-yip, as it is described by some of the Aborigines. The Advocate of 13th April 1872, quoting the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, says:—"A few days ago a Mr. A, driving sheep, camped near Mr. W's station at the Midgeon Lagoon, and saw a very fast-swimming beast hastening towards his party. It came within thirty yards, and then stopped when it saw them. It was half as long again as a retriever-dog. The hair all over its body was jet-black, and shining, and very long, say five inches. Mr. A says he could not detect any tail. There was too much hair to see its eyes. Its ears were well developed. They had a splendid view of it, for it leisurely surveyed them for half an hour without showing alarm, about thirty yards off, and then turned quietly round and swam away."
In a subsequent issue of the same paper the subject is again referred to:—" The Wagga Wagga Express states that 'the Bun-yip' has again been seen twice within the last three months in the waters of Cowal Lake, in March last [1873], by a party of surveyors, whose account can be relied upon, who were out in a boat, and saw the animal about 150 yards off. They describe it to have a head something resembling a human being—or, in their own words, 'like an old man blackfellow, with long dark-colored hair.' When seen, it appeared to be going in a straight direction, rising out of the water so that they could see its shoulders, and then diving as if in the chase of fish, and rising again at intervals of about six or eight yards, and diving again. They tried to get closer to it, but could not for the pace it was going; consequently, could give no description of it lower than the shoulders. They say the animal did not appear to be afraid of them; but most likely it must have been so intent upon its occupation that it never noticed them. Again, a blackfellow and a white man, who were out in a canoe, say they saw it about a fortnight since. They agree in giving the same description of the head and hair as that given by the surveyors. The animal was swimming straight towards them, and, when it saw them, dived and disappeared."
Lake Cowal lies about 200 miles west of Botany Bay. It is rather a swamp or a lagoon than a lake, and is fed by the Manna and Yeo Yeo Creeks. It is about eighteen miles in length and six miles in breadth. It expands and contracts its water-surface with the varying seasons.
These statements by themselves might not be accounted of much value; but others have seen an animal of the same kind. Major Couchman, the Chief Mining Surveyor in the Mining Department, says that he and Mr. Lavender saw an animal resembling a water-dog swimming in the reservoir at Malmsbury. It was large, and of a very dark color. He watched the animal for some time, when it dived and disappeared. He saw it again when it was nearer, and then knew that it was not a dog. Its head resembled that of a seal. Both Mr. Lavender and he watched it for some time, and its form and the period during which it remained under water after it had dived satisfied them that it was not
