21 August 1831 - Journies of G.A.Robinson

Extract From: N. J. B. Plomley ed. 'Friendly Mission, the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson', Halstead Press for Tasmanian Historical Research Association, Hobart, 1966.

Important note: The material below is 'read only'. The text has been transcribed for reasons of personal interest only. It appears here without footnotes and may contain textual errors. Any reference and or citation must be to/from the 'journals and papers' in its hardcopy form. Friendly Mission (1966) is in the collections of most large public libraries. In addition, its first reprint (2008) has also recently become available.

Robinson's Journal 21 August [Sunday] 1831

Am, heavy rain and hazy weather. Writing journal. My son, the chief, Tom and two other natives went to where the smoke had been seen the previous day. Pm, returned, accompanied by McGeary and Tyrrell, the two white men who had accompanied Clucas, as also the two native women Jock and PUNG. They had been seven days on their journey from George Town and had seen no signs of natives. My people had not attended to my instructions, which was for them to return. However, it happened Well in this instance, as the people were in quest of me, Clucas having been sent for to Hobart Town 257 Received a letter from the commissariat at Hobart Town, and one from Dr Smith at George Town 258 By the newspapers brought me by McGeary I found that sad reverses had fallen to the lot of many persons of whom I had some knowledge. Laing, my former clerk, had been sentenced seven years transportation for embezzlement 259

On the return of the people, the chief MANNALARGENNA and other natives requested permission to hunt and which I allowed. They had not proceeded more than a hundred yards from my encampment ere they discovered signs of natives, the imprint of feet and embers of fire on the ground, as also some bark pulled off a tree with which they had made a torch. On examination it was found they had come to reconnoitre my encampment, and was in the act of so doing when my people advanced upon them on their way to hunt and at whose approach the natives run away. The chief and some other natives followed after them, and one (TUNNERMINNERWAIT) returned to acquaint me with the encounter. I descried him running towards the camp and went to meet him. He beckoned to make haste. When I reached him he was quite out Of breath and in broken articulation told me in English, 'The black fellow run away, the black fellow run away, make haste, gone this way'. This intelligence at first gave me a shock; I imagined he said that the chief had gone away, and asked him if the old man had gone away. He at first said yes. I again asked him and he said 'No, no, black fellow PANER'. Few people can imagine the great and inexpressible anxiety attendant on such undertakings! I now hastened on with him, running along, until he pointed out the footmarks of natives, the fires, &c. This excited pleasurable sensations, and increased to intense anxiety lest I should not succeed in conferring with them.

Here we met KICKERTERPOLLER who was on his return back. This individual evinced much fear. I reprehended him and said he ought to be ashamed of such conduct after what the government had done for him, and that I myself would go, that I was by no means afraid, but that I was sure my white face would alarm them. After this lecture he went reluctantly after them. Jock, one of the women, came running after me. She seemed anxious to get to them and said 'I'll follow them up'. KICKERTERPOLLER informed me that the chief had gone after them. I now returned to my encampment with TUNNERMINNERWAIT, against whose tribe these people were at enmity and would doubtless slay him if unacquainted with the circumstances in which he is connected with me. My mind became much agitated as to the result, and whether the chief's exertions will be successful. God grant that they may. This man since he has been attached to me, has greatly exerted himself and deserves the greatest acknowledgment from the government. Immediately on my return I despatched the two white men to Waterhouse Point to meet Stansfield and await further instructions. The two native women remained with me. Towards evening KICKERTERPOLLER returned alone. I was displeased that he had not gone on. He said the blacks Would spear him. Said the chief and women had gone after them. Said he had been to their huts, which were exceedingly large, and that there was several fires still burning. Said there was plenty of tracks: men, women and plenty of dogs. Some of the other natives told me there was some among them that had been at my house-they knew them by their tracks. I was now all anxiety as to the result of MANNALARGENNA's mission. About two hours after dark a torchlight was seen at a considerable distance through the forest in a northerly direction, and by its motion was advancing towards us. This was recognised as the chief's light on his return back. In a short time he came to the encampment, and I was waiting his approach with anxious mind to see if strangers accompanied him. On his nearing the tents I saw he was accompanied only by the aboriginal females who went with him. He said he had followed them a long way and had kept calling to them; and that they should have stopped out all night and have gone on in the morning but that he was afraid I should be angry, and so he had come back. I told him I wished he had gone on and that I fully expected he would have followed them up until he got to them. It was now proposed that the chief and KICKERTERPOLLER and three of the women should set off at daylight in the morning, and were to continue following on their tracks until they got to them, and that they were not to come back until they succeeded. Tom seemed dejected at this arrangement, fearful they should spear him. He is exceedingly timorous. I told him he should not act cowardly. The chief and the black woman Jock said they should get to them. On those two, with the blessing of God, my whole dependence rests. Little good can be expected from Tom. I gave orders for their breakfast to be got ready before daylight so as to occasion no delay. The chief seemed sanguine of getting to them, and told us that he had dreamed the previous night that the natives had come upon us and had speared us, at which Tom said, 'Ah, there, sir, there, a pretty set of black people you have got not to look out, we might have been speared'-and which might have been the case for all he did. It is very singular that in the course of the night I heard the cracking of sticks as of the approach of some person, and it occurred to me at the time that it was the natives, and which actually was the case. It would seem that the natives had encamped in the neighbourhood about a quarter of a mile from mine on the same evening, and had been watching us from an eminence near to my encampment. Would to God I had discovered them first. My whole party consists of eleven aborigines, myself and son, and one man, a native of Owyhee, as servant. We are quite unarmed and I have no means of defence whatever. My whole trust is in God. Oh God, thy ways are wonderful and thy paths past finding out. Bless my feeble endeavours and crown them with abundant success.

22 August

Pleasant weather, with occasional showers of rain. At daylight this morning the chief MANNALARGENNA, Tom and three women went in pursuit of the natives, with strict injunctions not to return until they succeeded in getting to them. Tom expressed his disapproval when I said they must follow them up, and said they should have to go to Launceston as they had gone in that direction. Persuaded he would not do much good but rather harm, I told him that he could stop out one night and if they did not get to them, then he and two of the women could come back; and that the chief and Jock, the other woman, must follow them up until they got to them; and that on his return back I would proceed after MANNALARGENNA, should they not get to them. After despatching these five natives on their very important mission, I prepared to despatch the aborigine Robert to Waterhouse Point for Stansfield and the natives, and to bring supplies; and for Tyrrell and McGeary to return to Forester River and wait further instruction. I wrote a memo containing these instructions, and observed that a large body of natives had been seen and that I fully anticipated success, and that the service required that every man should exert himself and attend strictly to the orders given him. This messenger had to proceed first to Forester River to Platt, and then to Waterhouse Point. After despatching this messenger, myself and son, accompanied by three aborigines, went in search of the native huts and after following the tracks for about a quarter of a mile from my encampment we descried some trees where the blacks had taken off bark to construct their huts, and on passing through a thick copse of tea-tree came suddenly to their habitation, which presented a remarkable scene. The form of this rude dwelling was a segment of a circle, made by placing up bent logs of wood so contrived as to support each other. This concatenation of wood was extended to form one spacious dwelling. Against these logs or framework was placed sheets of bark and green boughs. This domicile is the largest of the kind that I have yet met with in the whole of my travels, and is sufficiently large as to contain from thirty to forty persons. I took its dimensions and found it to be twelve yards in length. All the ground in front of this habitation was thickly strewed with the feathers of the emu, and bones of this stately bird as also other animals such as the kangaroo covered the ground, which the natives had broken to pieces to obtain the marrow to anoint their head and body. In front of this domicile a row of small fires had been kindled, which were burning at the time MANNALARGENNA and the other natives had discovered them. On searching about, found the claw of an emu and some red ochre, but what appeared to me the most extraordinary was finding some pieces of the leaves of the Common Prayer Book, covered with red ochre. On examining these I found them to contain parts of psalms 30, 31, 32, 33 and 96, and on reading the first five verses of the 31st psalm, I found it so peculiarly adapted to me that I could not help exclaiming, 'Marvellous are thy ways, 0 Lord, and thy paths are past finding out'; and on reading the 33rd psalm at the 13th and 14th verses, 'The Lord looked down from heaven and beheld all the children of men' &c, I thought them peculiarly applicable to this forlorn and hapless race of human beings.

No doubt exists in my mind but these are the people who have committed the recent outrages in the vicinity of Launceston and on the east bank of the Tamar, these leaves having been taken in their predatory attack upon the white inhabitants, together with other plunder. I felt a strong emotion on beholding this domicile and was much perturbed that I had lost the opportunity of an immediate conference, but God's will be done. I earnestly hope that the principal chief MANNALARGENNA will succeed in his embassy to them. Ere I left this celebrated spot I collected some feathers of the emu and the claws, which together with the fragments of leaves of the Common Prayer Book I brought away with me as mementoes of the circumstance. My son and the aboriginal women preceded me back to the encampment; and two of the natives went to hunt. I took another direction and ascended an eminence to look out for native fires, but could not descry any and returned to my tent. The two black men returned without any game. Busied myself in writing journal the remainder of the afternoon. The people had now been four days without animal food. The dog was exceeding weak from the want of sustenance, and I was obliged to give up part of our already scanty supply of flour. However, my son and two of the aborigines went out in the evening and succeeded in procuring a kangaroo, which timely supply was well received.

23 August

Strong winds accompanied by showers of rain throughout this day. Busy in writing. The natives out hunting; returned with a boomer kangaroo. Waiting the return of Stansfield, when I purpose, should not MANNALARGENNA nor Tom arrive, to follow after them. The tier of hills at the foot of which I encamped I named the Bedford Hills-they lay about five miles south and by west of the entrance of the river and are on the west side of the Severn River.260 At the foot of these hills, on the same side as I encamped, the aborigines had sojourned at the short distance of a quarter of a mile from the river. Few people perhaps would have forded the river and proceeded into the interior as I did when they was so neat to where they could have procured supplies. An hour's walk would have gained the entrance of the river, where the pack horses was waiting with supplies, but such a measure would have retarded my movements and would have occasioned considerable delay. The natives not returned, nor the people from Waterhouse Point. I could observe that I informed the natives attached to the service that the paper I had found in the wild natives' hut was pieces of the word of God, and some of them who spoke English requested me to read it to them and which I accordingly did, when they paid strict attention. On this subject I had often spoken to them.

24 August

Pleasant weather throughout, with strong westerly winds. Natives out hunting; returned with a boomer kangaroo. Self visited the native hut. Saw some cuts of a tomahawk on some trees and found some scrapings of spears.
Pm, Stansfield returned together with the aborigine Robert, with supplies containing 70 lb flour, 9 lb sugar, 4 pieces of pork (16 lb), and some tea from Mr Kneale for my own use. Said Tyrrell was staying with WOORRADY at Waterhouse Point, and that McGeary was at Forester River, that my boat was still at the Mistake River and that no natives had arrived from Gun Carriage. It is the most disgraceful conduct that can be imagined of those in care of the establishment, and to this shameful neglect must be attributed my not having long since been in communication with the hostile tribes. Informed that Abyssinia Jack and two other sealers was at the Mistake waiting for a wind to cross the straits with supplies from Launceston, and that on their return they would go in quest of the natives. Their huts and fires were at Waterhouse Point and they had been sojourning there regaling themselves on crawfish. From those indications they must have been there about the time I was at the Mistake waiting the arrival of the natives from Gun Carriage: their fires had been seen by a vessel passing at the time.

Stansfield informed me that on the east side of the Montagu River himself and the two aborigines WOORRADY and TRUGGERNANNA had discovered on a small hill about a quarter of a mile from the entrance of the river a hole dug in the ground. On examination they found that a tea chest was buried there, and by removing part of the wood found human bones. This is a mysterious circumstance. Also informed that near to the Tomahawk River they found the skeletons of two male aborigines, laying not more than two hundred yards from each other. Surridge, the coxswain of my boat, informed me that they had found the bones of two native men at the Eddystone that had been shot by Tucker and Sydney and others.261 Another man informed me that he had found the skeleton of a native near a lagoon at Waterhouse Point; and about Cape Portland and at every boat harbour along the whole line of coast the bones of the murdered aborigines are strewed over the face of the earth and bleaching in the sun. These blanch relics and the blood of the murdered victims call aloud for vengeance upon the miscreant whites who have been guilty of these dire tragedies. Several skulls have been found perforated with musket balls.
The general opinion of those aborigines with me is that Black Tom is speared by the native tribe and that they had taken away the women; and what appeared to confirm them in this opinion was the shadow of the earth on the face of the moon, that luminary not having yet arrived at the full. This they said was Black Tom: that the natives had killed him and that he had gone up into the moon. They evinced considerable fear. The messenger that arrived from Waterhouse Point said that when WOORRADY and his wife heard that I was near to the natives, they exclaimed that Mr Robinson would be killed, that when they went back they would find that the natives had speared me &c. WOORRADY appeared much alarmed. All the natives with me appear to be afraid of these natives. It is strange certainly that Tom and two of the women have not returned, since I told Tom he was to stop out only one night and then return, and that the chief and lock, the other woman, could come back after. 0 God, crown this undertaking with good, I beseech thee. In the course of conversation with the woman remaining I found her of the same opinion as WOORRADY, i.e. that Tom was killed. Said they was a savage people and no like white man; that they hate him. This is a matter of no surprise, since the white man has entailed upon them every misfortune that has befallen this hapless race.

This messenger informed me that McGeary and Tyrrell, the two men who left my encampment, had been two days and a half in going to the river, about four hours walk. The aborigine Robert, who left on the following day, was on his return from Tomahawk River when they met Tyrrell, who said they had been lost; and McGeary had just reached Platt when they got there. Tom not returned.

25 August

Strong wind with rain during the whole of this day. Despatched Stansfield to Platt for supplies and with letters for Mr Kneale, Dr Smith and Stirling; and with orders to return with all despatch with supplies-when I purposed proceeding in quest of my party of aborigines. Natives out hunting; returned with one kangaroo. The chief and Tom and the three women not returned. Heavy rain during the night.

26 August

Pleasant weather throughout this day. Busy writing journal. At 10 am my party of natives returned, unable to overtake the natives. They had followed them for a considerable distance in the direction of Launceston, and having lost their tracks returned to acquaint me accordingly. They had found other native huts and kangaroo put up in trees, and had also seen three emus. They are of opinion that the natives walk at night and that there are three parties of them. The chief and other natives are deserving of every encouragement: it is now five days since they left me, and they could have absconded if they thought fit to do so, but the circumstance proves that they are faithful and can he trusted. Sent the natives out to hunt. I was much disappointed to see my party return alone: I had expected the strangers would have been with them. However, I was glad they had returned inviolate.

Pm, Stansfield returned from Platt with 30 lb flour and three pieces of pork (12 lb). Said that McGeary was discontented at my not giving him charge of a party. Natives returned from hunting with a boomer kangaroo.

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