4 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

4 November

The day was fine with light westerly winds. It was to be the first day in exile for the clanspeople who had lived on, conducted ceremonies over, managed the resources and cared for their lands for millennia. After breakfast Robinson ordered his boat to be ready to take the clanspeople to warenekomekar but they were hesitant about getting into the boat. The first clanspeople taken into exile were Luccernmicticwockener, Polelerwinelargenna, Tarnabunna, Tranlebunna, Plerpleropaner, and Mannalargenna. Ghonyannenner was also with them.

They were told to put on their trousers and roll them up so they were prevented from absconding. Robinson ordered the people to get in the boat and they did so. He wrote ‘ It was astonishing to me with what readiness my orders was complied with. Here was no force, no violence, no tying of hands. No muskets…I said come and they came, go and they went’ (FM, 1966, 267). Of course he did not add here that he had at every opportunity told them they would be shot if they did not go with him! After navigating through a strong tide and heavy swell they soon arrived on the island without their blankets, dogs and supplies. The clanspeople set off to explore the island and returned loaded with redbill, gull and penguin eggs. Robinson and his coxswain, James Parish, returned with 12 geese.

The island was made up of low sand hills and vegetated with ferns, brush, wild iris, wild parsley and wild geranium. Muttonbird and penguin rookeries cover the ground and tiger snakes are plentiful as are rats. Woorrady was extremely pleased with finding an abundance of penguins and their eggs which the South East people were fond of eating. It was the first time that those from the other nations had eaten these oily seabirds and their eggs. The clanswomen dived for crayfish but soon returned to shore after they saw a shark, which resulted in them being ‘sulky’, according to the men. Luccernmicticwockener was very upset when she discovered her husband Tarnabunnerlargenna was claiming Bullrer as his new wife (FM, 1966, 267-8). Robinson did not record a lot of details during the first week of arriving on the island writing only a few lines each day on the 5, 6, 7 and 8 November. It would seem that the routine of exile was already becoming well established. Robinson was content and self-congratulatory…for the time being at least.

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