William Buckley’s Extraordinary Survival in The Australian Wilderness
In 1803, Buckley fled captivity near modern-day Melbourne and vanished into the bush, and was presumed dead. His story offers a remarkable glimpse into both the challenges of exile and the richness of Indigenous Australian culture. He was raised by his maternal grandfather who sent him to school and arranged his apprenticeship to a bricklayer. When Buckley turned 19, he joined the Cheshire Militia and later the 4th Regiment. After his return to England, Buckley was charged with theft of a bale of cloth....