"It was first seen about two years ago in the large pool at Mr. Munday's farm, at the Black Brush, by Mr. Munday himself. He states that it was like a seal, with round head and two flippers, and plunged into the river. It was afterwards seen by the Messrs. Tonks further up the river; it was then seen by the Cox family near their house; and by several others afterwards in the large lagoon under the rocks opposite my house, and by Mrs. Chaplin on the bank of the river, close to the cows in the meadow. When approached, it bounded into the river. She describes it as having a round head and flippers; that it was about four feet long, of a dark-grey color, and made a noise like 'hu,' 'hu.' I have myself seen the water thrown up, but could not account for it. Others have seen the same—Mr. Gunn and the Messrs. McLaren. It was afterwards seen farther up the Jordan by Mr. Collis's shepherd, who states that it was lying by a log, and when disturbed it went into the river. It has not been seen lately; my impression is that it has made its way np the Jordan, perhaps as far as Lake Tiberias. At night was the time it was heard to make a noise. It very much alarmed one of Mr. Cox's sons when watering his horses at the Jordan. He thought it was one of the cattle which had fallen in the river; he has seen nothing of it since. Should I hear anything further, I will communicate with you.
Your obedient servant,
Edward Chaplin.
Morton Allport, Esq.
"P.S.— Tuesday morning, 10th September.—Mr. Fane Cox was at my house this morning, and informs me that going home a few nights since, when passing by the rocks opposite the lagoon by my land, some large animal went down the rocks into the river, making a loud noise and throwing up the water. He waited some time, thinking it would make its appearance again; it did not, and he could not tell anything about its description. He thought it was a beast of some kind; it made, he says, a loud gurgling noise, like that a horse would make.—E. C."
These statements show that the natives have grounds for the alarm they exhibit when necessity compels them to camp near deep water-holes or lagoons at night, and for the stories they tell respecting the Bun-yip. It is scarcely creditable to us that we have not correctly ascertained the facts; but surely, sooner or later, the minds of naturalists will be set at rest as regards the creature which has given rise to so much speculation.
The natives of the Melbourne district say that Myndie is a great snake—very long, very thick in the body, and very powerful. He is under the dominion of Pund-jel. When Pund-jel commands him, Myndie will destroy black people—young or old. He can do nothing of himself. Pund-jel must first order him. He is known to all tribes, and all tribes are known to him; and when any tribe is very wicked, or when any tribe fails to overtake and kill
