If Bennelong’s passing was commemorated with disdain by elements of the European population the opposite was true of the Eora. What was not reported in the Sydney press was the ritual revenge combat staged not long after Bennelong’s death. Details of this event appeared twelve months later in Edinburgh’s Caledonian Mercury in letter written on 17 April 1813 written by ‘a free merchant of India’, a passenger on the schooner Henrietta. According to the writer the battle involved two-hundred men. Such an event does not suggest that Bennelong died unmourned.[1] Boorong was also interred with Bennelong but the date of her death has not been determined.
[1] Lately, in the vicinity of the town [Sydney], a battle took place, where about 200 were engaged, I believe in consequence of the death of the celebrated Bennelong, who visited England some years ago, and was taken great notice of. The spears flew very thick, and about thirty men were wounded. (‘free merchant of India’ in ‘’New South Wales’’, Caledonian Mercury, 26 May 1814.)