Bultje was an aboriginal Australian who encountered Thomas Mitchell's inland explorations in the mid-19th century.[1] Inhabiting lands near the Bogan River, he made himself known to Mitchell and escorted the European parties through the area on two separate occasions 10 years apart.
Second expedition, 1845
editBultje, accompanied by one or two men, intercepted the explorers at Goobang Creek on the 19th of December, and presented them with a gift of honey. Over the next four days, he guided them directly past the head of Brotherba Gully to Currandong, then NNW down the Currandong ponds to the Bogan River. They crossed the Bogan at Templar's Ganànaguy station. Bultje put the explorers on the track from Ganànaguy to the next waterholes at Gilmore's station on 23 December, receiving the negotiated payment of a "tomahawk, pipe, and two figs of tobacco".
Mitchell observed the negative impacts introduced cattle had made on the springs near Goobang Creek, and how the local natives had laid cut trees over parts in an attempt to protect them from the cattle's hooves.[a] He does not detail the relationship between Bultje and the other locals.
Notes
edit- ^ "We had encamped near those very springs mentioned as seen on my former journey, but instead of being limpid and surrounded by verdant grass, as they had been then, they were now trodden by cattle into muddy holes, where the poor natives had been endeavouring to protect a small portion from the cattle's feet, and keep it pure, by laying over it trees they had cut down for the purpose. The change produced in the aspect of this formerly happy secluded valley, by the intrusion of cattle and the white man, was by no means favourable, and I could easily conceive how I, had I been an aboriginal native, should have felt and regretted that change."[1]: 19 Dec