2 November 1830 - TPIC

Commentary by Patsy Cameron.
Reference: (FM) Plomley, N.J.B. (ed.) Friendly Mission: the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson (1966)

Daily Project Commentaries

2 November

The morning was fine and after hearing what the clanspeople believed to be a gunshot in the distance, Robinson quickly seized the opportunity to further reinforce their fear, and feigned alarm stating that the soldiers were coming to shoot them. There was no hesitation by the clanspeople and they all agreed to follow Robinson. The troupe of guides, clanspeople and their dogs set off at a quick pace with Plerpleropaner again leading them across the flatlands—hunting grounds kept burnt over many centuries. They passed over the Big Boggy Creek and Little Boggy Creek (John Tucker, Pers. Comm. 23 October, 2009) following directions northwards across the plain. Robinson noted that about noon he was alerted by one of the clanspeople that Luccernmicticwockener and Polelerwinelargenna were seen following them and they soon rejoined the troupe (FM, 1966, 264). They saw warekalenner a long way off and used this peak as a landmark.

Robinson and some of the clanspeople reached the hill some time before the rest and they climbed to the apex from where the view all around was ‘fine’. They could see the river where Robinson’s tent was standing and Kickerterpoller could see the boat and the long sandy beach. From the top of warekalenner the clanspeople sent signals to their family on the islands and the women on the islands replied using smokes. (Robinson remarked that this peak is a ‘celebrated’ place of the clanspeople and is kept burnt. It is a landmark from which colonial ships and whaleboats could be seen passing the coast. The others soon passed by on the plains and cooeed out as they walked by. Robinson reached the basecamp before nightfall but one woman and two men remained ‘out’ much to Robinson’s dissatisfaction (Mannalargenna is probably one of the men). The night was dark and it rained heavily. Robinson slept little again this night!

The troupe arrived at the basecamp on the cost opposite Swan Island by late afternoon. After a day waiting for gale force winds and rain to abate on 4 November Robinson, his guides and the clanspeople from Bark Hut were picked up by boat and taken to Swan Island. The first clanspeople taken into exile were Luccernmicticwockener, Polelerwinelargenna, Tarnabunna, Tranlebunna, Plerpleropaner, and Mannalargenna. Ghonyannenner was also with them. Robinson wrote a few lines in his journals over the next three days which suggests that he was kept busy preparing shelters and familiarising himself with Swan Island.

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