James Morrill Adopted By Aboriginals

In 1846, English sailor James Morrill was shipwrecked off northeastern Australia when the vessel Peruvian ran aground, and he eventually reached the mainland near Cape Cleveland. A local Aboriginal clan took him in, gave him food and protection, and accepted him as an equal member of their community. Morrill lived with them for 17 years, adopted their way of life, and learned eight of their local dialects. Years later he returned to British society and wrote a memoir describing his long residence among Aboriginal people in what is now North Queensland.

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