Great Australian Stories

by Graham Seal

  Australia also has traditions of secret or unrecorded colonies in the wilderness. For example, there is a well-documented story of a lost colony descended from Dutch mariners, shipwrecked generations before 1788. On 25 January 1834, an article appeared in the English Leeds Mercury newspaper under the headline, DISCOVERY OF A WHITE COLONY ON THE NORTHERN SHORE OF NEW HOLLAND. When it was reprinted in Australian papers, the unsigned item caused amazement and consternation.

  A Correspondent living near Halifax has favoured us with the following interesting communication:—

  TO THE EDITORS OF THE LEEDS MERCURY.

  GENTLEMEN,—A friend of mine lately arrived from Singapore, via India overland, having been one of a party who landed at Raffles Bay, on the north coast of New Holland, on the 10th of April, 1832, and made a two months’ excursion into the interior, has permitted me to copy the following extract out of his private journal, which I think contains some particulars of a highly interesting nature, and not generally known.

  The exploring party was promoted by a scientific Society at Singapore, aided and patronized by the Local Government, and its object was both commercial and geographical; but it was got up with the greatest secrecy, and remained secret to all except the parties concerned. (For what good purpose it is impossible to conceive.)

  Extract from an unpublished manuscript journal of an exploring party in Northern Australia, by Lieutenant Nixon:

  'May 15th, 1832—On reaching the summit of the hill, no words can express the astonishment, delight, and wonder I felt at the magical change of scenery, after having travelled for so many days over nothing but barren hills and rocks, and sands and parching plains, without seeing a single tribe of aborigines excepting those on the sea coast, and having to dig for water every day.

  Looking to the southwards, I saw below me, at the distance of about three or four miles, a low and level country, laid out as it were in plantations, with straight rows of trees, through which a broad sheet of smooth water extended in nearly a direct line from east to west, as far as the eye could reach to the westward, but apparently sweeping to the southward at its eastern extremity like a river; and near its banks, at one particular spot on the south side, there appeared to be a group of habitations, embosomed in a grove of tall trees like palms. The water I guessed to be about half a mile wide, and although the stream was clearly open for two thirds of the distance from the southern bank, the remainder of it was studded by thousands of little islands stretching along its northern shores: and what fixed me to the spot with indescribable sensations of rapture and admiration was the number of small boats or canoes with one or two persons in each, gliding along the narrow channels between the little islands in every direction, some of which appeared to be fishing or drawing nets. None of them had a sail, but one that was floating down the body of the stream without wind, which seemed to denote that a current ran from east to west. It seemed as if enchantment had brought me into a civilized country, and I could scarcely resolve to leave the spot I stood upon, had it not been for the overpowering rays of a mid day sun, affecting my bowels, as it frequently had done, during all the journey.

  On reaching the bottom of the hill in my return to our party at the tents, I was just turning round a low rock, when I came suddenly upon a human being whose face was so fair and dress so white, that I was for a moment staggered with terror, and thought that I was looking upon an apparition. I had naturally expected to meet an Indian as black or brown as the rest of the natives, and not a white man in these unexplored regions. Still quaking with doubts about the integrity of my eyes, I proceeded on, and saw the apparition advancing upon me with the most perfect indifference: in another minute he was quite near, and I now perceived that he had not yet seen me, for he was walking slowly and pensively with his eyes fixed on the ground, and he appeared to be a young man of a handsome and interesting countenance. We were got within four paces of each other when he heaved a deep and tremulous sigh, raised his eyes, and in an instant uttered a loud exclamation and fell insensible on the ground. My fears had now given place to sympathy, and I hastened to assist the unknown, who, I felt convinced, had been struck with the idea of seeing a supernatural being. It was a considerable time before he recovered and was assured of my mortality; and from a few expressions in old Dutch, which he uttered, I was luckily enabled to hold some conversation with him; for I had been at school in Holland in my youth and not quite forgotten the language. Badly as he spoke Dutch, yet I gathered from him a few particulars of a most extraordinary nature; namely, that he belonged to a small community, all as white as himself, he said about three hundred; that they lived in houses enclosed all together within a great wall to defend them from black men; that their fathers came there about one hundred and seventy years ago, as they said, from a distant land across the great sea; and that their ship broke, and eighty men and ten of their sisters (female passengers?) with many things were saved on shore. I prevailed on him to accompany me to my party, who I knew would be glad to be introduced to his friends before we set out on our return to our ship at Port Raffles, from which place we were now distant nearly five hundred miles, and our time was limited to a fixed period so as to enable the ship to carry us back to Singapore before the change of the monsoon. The young man’s dress consisted of a round jacket and large breeches, both made of skins, divested of the hair and bleached as white as linen; and on his head he wore a tall white skin cap with a brim covered over with white down or the small feathers of the white cocatoo [sic]. The latitude of this mountain was eighteen degrees thirty minutes fourteen seconds south; and longitude one hundred and thirty-two degrees twenty-five minutes thirty seconds east. It was christened Mount Singapore, after the name and in honour of the settlement to which the expedition belonged.

  A subsequent part of the journal states further, ‘that on our party visiting the white village, the joy of the simple inhabitants was quite extravagant. The descendant of an officer is looked up to as chief, and with him (whose name is Van Baerle), the party remained eight days. Their traditional history is, that their fathers were compelled by famine, after the loss of their great vessel, to travel towards the rising sun, carrying with them as much of the stores as they could, during which many died; and by the wise advice of their ten sisters they crossed a ridge of land, and meeting with a rivulet on the other side, followed its course and were led to the spot they now inhabit, where they have continued ever since. They have no animals of the domestic kind, either cows, sheep, pigs or any thing else; their plantations consist only of maize and yams, and these with fresh and dried fish constitute their principal food, which is changed occasionally for Kangaroo and other game; but it appears that they frequently experience a scarcity and shortness of provisions, most probably owing to ignorance and mismanagement; and had little or nothing to offer us now except skins. They are nominal Christians: their marriages are performed without any ceremony: all the elders sit in council to manage their affairs; all the young, from ten up to a certain age, are considered a standing militia, and are armed with long pikes; they have no books or paper, nor any schools; they retain a certain observance of the Sabbath by refraining from their daily labours, and perform a short superstitious ceremony on that day all together; and they may be considered almost a new race of beings.’

  While the story seems to have passed out of the colonial newspapers, it never quite faded away in folk tradition. Recent researchers have been unable to identify a likely Lieutenant Nixon, nor have any other verifiable facts about the claimed expedition or lost colony been found. The man who sent the report to the Leeds Mercury was Thomas J. Maslen, an Australia enthusiast who, like many others at that time, had never actually visited the place. This did not stop him publishing a book on the subject, titled The Friend of Australia, in 1827. The book included a map that, in accord with one of the persistent nineteenth-century delusions about Australia, showed an inland sea at the continent’s centre. Much of the book, like the story
of the lost colony, must be considered another one of the fables about the great south land.

  The battle that was a massacre

  Australia’s colonial history produced many stories of violence between indigenous people and settlers. Controversial and elusive though the details may be, it is undeniable that there were numerous confrontations, sometimes followed by massacres. Such events are known, or believed, to have taken place at Myall Creek, New South Wales, in 1838, at Mundrabilla Run, on the Nullarbor Plain, in the 1870s, and in dozens of other places on the edge of the frontier. As late as 1928, a massacre of Walpiri people took place at Coniston, 300 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs. Many of these events are remembered in stories told among both black and white people. Not surprisingly, these accounts often reflect very different points of view. On the settler side, they emphasise the fear that pervaded isolated outposts, and just retribution for Aboriginal misdeeds. On the indigenous side they reflect anger over settlers’ violence and their invasion of traditional lands.

  Events on the Murray River, Western Australia, in late 1834 remain the subject of intense local controversy: direct descendants of participants in the battle—or massacre—still live near the town of Pinjarra, where it took place. One of the earliest sources for what happened that day is the diary of a local settler, George Fletcher Moore, writing just a few days after the chilling events he describes.

  THURSDAY—A strange rumour has reached us here that the party who went to the Murray River have fallen in with the natives there, and killed 35 of them. Captain Ellis being slightly wounded, and another soldier grazed by a spear. This is important if true . . .

  Saturday, Nov. 1—Went to Perth yesterday, and got from the Governor an account of the battle of Pinjarra. They came upon the offending tribe in a position which I dare say the natives thought was most favourable for their manoeuvres, but which turned into a complete trap for them. In the first onset, three out of five of the small party which went to reconnoitre were unhorsed, two being wounded. The Governor himself came up with a reinforcement just in time to prevent the natives rushing in upon and slaughtering that party. The natives then fled to cross a ford, but were met and driven back by a party which had been detached for the purpose. They tried to cross at another ford, but were met there also, when they took to the river, lying hid under the overhanging banks, and seeking opportunities of casting their spears, but they were soon placed between two fires and punished severely. The women and children were protected, and it is consolatory to know that none suffered but the daring fighting men of the very tribe that had been most hostile. The destruction of European lives and property committed by that tribe was such that they considered themselves quite our masters, and had become so emboldened that either that part of the settlement must have been abandoned or a severe example made of them. It was a painful but urgent necessity, and likely to be the most humane policy [in] the end. The Governor narrowly escaped a spear. Captain Ellis was struck in the temple and unhorsed. Being stunned by the blow he fell.

  Tuesday night—Poor Captain Ellis has died in consequence of the injury he received at the time of the conflict with the natives; but it is supposed that it was from the concussion of the brain by the fall from his horse, rather than by the wound from the spear (which was very trifling), that he died. The natives here are uneasy, thinking that we mean to take more lives in revenge.

  Appended is a more detailed report of the encounter with the natives in the Pinjarra District, to which I briefly referred the other day. I was not one of that party.

  The party consisted of His Excellency Sir Jas. Stirling, Mr. Roe, Cap. Meares and his son (Seymour), Mr Peel, Capt. Ellis, Mr Norcott with five of his mounted police (one sick), Mr Surveyor Smythe, a soldier to lead a pack horse, Mr Peel’s servant, two corporals and eight privates of H.M.’s 21st Regiment (to leave at Pinjarra)—in all, 25 persons. On the night of October 27, the party bivouacked at a place called by the natives ‘Jimjam’, about ten or eleven miles in the direct line E.N.E. from the mouth of the Murray, where is abundance of most luxurious feed for cattle, at a broad and deep reach of the river flowing to the N.W., and at this time perfectly fresh. After an early breakfast, the whole encampment was in motion at ten minutes before six the next morning. Steered South Eastward for Pinjarra—another place of resort for the natives of the district, and situated a little below the first ford across the river, where it was intended to establish a town on a site reserved for the purpose, and to leave half of the party including the military, for the protection of Mr Peel and such other settlers as that gentleman might induce to resort thither.

  Crossing the ford, where the river had an average depth of 2½ feet, and was running about 1½ miles an hour to the north, an Easterly course was taken for the purpose of looking at the adjoining country, but the party had not proceeded more than a quarter of a mile over the undulating surface of the richest description, covered with nutritious food for cattle, when the voices of many natives were heard on the left. This being a neighbourhood much frequented by the native tribe of Kalyute, which had long been indulging in almost unchecked commission of numerous outrages and atrocious murders on the white people resident in the district, and which had hitherto succeeded in eluding the pursuit of the parties that had been searching for them since their treacherous murder of Private Nesbitt of the 21st Regiment, and the spearing of Mr Barron only a few weeks ago—the moment was considered propitiously favourable for punishing the perpetrators of such and other diabolical acts of a similar nature, should this prove to be the offending tribe. For the purposes of ascertaining that point, His Excellency rode forward 200 or 300 yards with Messrs. Peel and Norcott, who were acquainted both with the persons of the natives and their language, and commenced calling out and talking to them for the purpose of bringing on an interview. Their own noise was, however, so loud and clamorous, that all other sounds appeared lost on them, or as mere echoes.

  No answer being returned, Captain Ellis, in charge of the mounted police, with Mr. Norcott, his assistant, and the remaining available men of his party, amounting to three in number, were dispatched across the ford again to the left bank, where the natives were posted, to bring on the interview required. The instant the police were observed approaching at about 200 yards distance, the natives, to the number of about 70, started on their feet, the men seized their numerous and recently made spears, and showed a formidable front, but, finding their visitors still approached, they seemed unable to stand a charge, and sullenly retreated, gradually quickening their pace until the word ‘forward’ from the leader of the gallant little party brought the horsemen in about half a minute dashing into the midst of them, the same moment having discovered the well-known features of some of the most atrocious offenders of the obnoxious tribe. One of these, celebrated for his audacity and outrage, was the first to be recognized at the distance of five or six yards from Mr. Norcott, who knew him well and immediately called out, ‘These are the fellows we want, for here’s the old rascal Noonar,’ on which the savage turned round and cried with peculiar ferocity and emphasis, ‘Yes, Noonar me,’ and was in the act of hurling his spear at Norcott, in token of requital for the recognition, when the latter shot him dead.

  The identity of the tribe being now clearly established, and the natives turning to assail their pursuers, the firing continued, and was returned by the former with spears as they retreated to the river. The first shot, and the loud shouts and yells of the natives, were sufficient signal to the party who had halted a quarter of a mile above, who immediately followed Sir James Stirling, at full speed and arrived opposite Captain Ellis’ party just as some of the natives had crossed and others were in the river. It was just the critical moment for them. Five or six rushed up the right bank, but were utterly confounded at meeting a second party of assailants, who immediately drove back those who escaped the firing. Being thus exposed to a cross fire, and having no time to rally their forces, they adopted the a
lternative of taking to the river and secreting themselves amongst the roots and branches and holes on the banks, or by immersing themselves with the face only uncovered and ready with a spear under water, to take advantage of any one who appeared within reach. Those who were sufficiently hardy or desperate to expose themselves on the offensive, or to attempt breaking through the assailants, were soon cleared off, and the remainder were gradually picked out of the concealments by the cross fire from both banks, until between 25 and 30 were left dead on the field and in the river. The others had either escaped up and down the river, or had secreted themselves too closely to be discovered except in the persons of eight women and some children, who emerged from their hiding places (where, in fact, the creatures were not concealed), on being assured of their personal safety, and were detained prisoners until the determination of the fray. It is, however, very probable that more men were killed in the river, and floated down with the stream.

  Notwithstanding the care which was taken not to injure the women during the skirmish, it cannot appear surprising that one and several children were killed, and one woman amongst the prisoners had received a ball through the thigh. On finding the women were spared, and understanding the orders repeatedly issued to that effect, many of the men cried out they were of their sex; but evidence to the contrary was too strong to admit the plea. As it appeared by this time that sufficient punishment had been inflicted on this warlike and sanguinary tribe by the destruction of about half its population, and amongst whom were recognised, on personal examination, fifteen very old and desperate offenders, the bugle sounded to cease firing, and the divided party reassembled at the ford, where the baggage had been left in charge of four soldiers, who were also to maintain the post. Here Captain Ellis had arrived, badly wounded in the right temple, by a spear at three or four yards distance, which knocked him off his horse, and P. Heffron, a constable of the police, had received a bad spear wound above the right elbow. No surgical aid being at hand, it was not without some little difficulty the spear was extracted, and it then proved to be barbed at the distance of five inches from the point.