Page:Life and Adventures of William Buckley.djvu/14

Rh have had the laborious task of connecting circumstances together (so as to make them intelligible) from rough notes and memoranda, made at various times, and by conversations, noting the points down in the shape of questions and answers, as I went on.

I trust this fact will be fairly considered by the critic, who may feel disposed—at his pleasure—to find fault with the style of this history, written and published, as it has been, under circumstances of peculiar difficulty. As to the matter of which it is composed, I have only to say, that I believe it to be faithfull: not only because he who is the subject of it, has assured me of its truthfulness, but from my own personal acquaintance for several, years with the habits of the Aboriginal inhabitants of the Australian Continent, and previously with those of other countries, in every quarter of the world.

This circumstance, I believe, first induced him to solicit me to edit a history of his life, but it is several years since that application: both of us having during the interval been otherwise occupied. At length, he having been discharged from government employ, and pensioned off on the large salary of twelve pounds per annum; and myself having retired from the very lucrative occupation of a colonial newspaper editor, I undertook the task, for our mutual benefit.

Fortunately, we found a generously disposed friend in William Robertson, Esquire, to whom this work is respectfully inscribed in token of our gratitude: that gentleman having kindly undertaken to act as Trustee