The White Woman Liam Davison 1994

Dustjacket synopsis:
It should have finished when they found her bones shoved inside that hollow tree. "The remains of the captive white woman, butchered on the shores of Lake King at the hands of savages," the paper said. "Death descending as a blessing upon this poor woman, who has undergone a trial more harrowing and terrible than death's worst moments."

"This is the story of a search for the lost white woman in the wilds of Gippsland, Victoria in 1846 - a quest in defence of virtue and 'civilised' values. It is also a story of fear, history, myth and power of the imagination."

First Paragraph

You come here asking about your father. Did I know him? Can I tell what he was like? Do I remember the things we did? The answer's yes, and yes, and yes again. Every time, it's yes, though you might wish you hadn't asked. We travelled together. We shared the same cramped tent at nights, breathed in each other's breath, drew warmth from each other's bodies. Yes, I remember the things he said. But these were fearful times. You have to understand. There were things which couldn't be uttered, dark things that swelled beneath our talk but never broke. You ask about him as though there's nothing I can't reveal. You think it's finished? Consider what might be at stake. You think that all I have to do is speak and the story will unfold. It's not that simple.

From the UQP paperback edition, 1989.

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Last modified: January 12, 2006.