When they land, they are attacked by Aborigines and many of them including Austin, are killed. They spend a long time in the boats and the characters of the passengers are revealed, particularly Austin, who shows a strong instinct for survival. The ship hits a reef and the passengers are forced to escape in lifeboats. We get the background of their lives and marriage. Sidney Nolan painted a series of historically inaccurate pictures about the event and it is these paintings, rather than the “true” story that White uses as the basis of his novel.Įllen Roxburgh and her invalid husband Austin set out on a ship for England, after a visit to Austin’s brother, Garnet in Van Diemen’s Land, with whom she had a brief fling. The original story concerns Eliza Fraser, who was shipwrecked and captured by aborigines but eventually returned to Sydney. This is another of White’s narratives based on a true story. Home » Australia » Patrick White » A Fringe of Leaves Patrick White: A Fringe of Leaves
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