A note on Structure
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- 5 th of April, 1816
30th of March, 1816‘At the beginning of the week an attack was made by a body of natives upon the farm of Lewis, at the Nepean, whose wife and man servant they cruelly murdered. The head of the unfortunate woman was sever'd from the body, and the man was dreadfully mangled with a tomahawk. The furious wretches afterwards plundered the house, and wantonly speared a number of pigs, the property of Lewis. A number of the natives, supposed 80 or 90 at the least, a few days since made their appearance at Lane Cove, and committed depredations on several farms. As these hordes are known to belong, mostly, if not all, to the more retired tribes, it is difficult to propose a remedy to their mischievous and truly horrible incursions; for while they attack in sufficient number to over power any force that a single settler can bring against them, they have the advantage of security by the distance of their accustomed places of resort, whether they may retire without the possibility of being pursued. -The necessity of settlers and others travelling in company as much as circumstances will permit has become generally obvious, and affords an effectual protection against the attacks of bush-rangers, as well as the natives, who are known never to attack a force capable of resisting or punishing their temerity. As soon as the maize is off the farms it is likely the present hordes of offenders will retire, but not before, as this is the only grain they can make use of, and it affords so strong a temptation to them that the plunder of the corn fields has in every instance furnished a prelude to their barbarities.’145 In explaining the violence of 1816 The Gazette focused on the horror of the killings and related them to the ripening corn crops. No mention was made of the affects of drought or the expansion of the frontier. However, Lieutenant Archibald Bell’s response on 27th November 1819 to Commissioner Bigge provided an entirely different reason for violence on the Hawkesbury. His response confirms my contention that many Aboriginal people and settlers on the Hawkesbury were finding ways to get on with each other and that Mrs Lewis and her assigned convict brought their deaths upon themselves, not in this case for breaking traditional law but for breaking a commercial transaction. ‘Have you or the Settlers around you [at Windsor] experienced any interruptions from the natives [Aborigines] of late? About 3 years since they were troublesome, the aggression was on the part of the Settlers. Some work had been done by the natives for some of the settlers under a promise of remuneration, which was refused when applied for with very rough usage; This caused retaliation on the part of the natives who killed a white woman near the Grose River.’146 5th of April, 1816Charles Throsby’s letter of the 5th of April 1816, to D’arcy Wentworth, the chief magistrate, Throsby expressed his concerns at the planned military offensive. While not directly relevant to the Hawkesbury, it throws light on the causes of previous conflict and informs our understanding of relations between Aboriginal people and settlers. Throsby expressed his concern that Governor Macquarie was contemplating action against Aboriginal people who were innocent of the accusations being made against them. In his letter he mentioned the fear that Warby and Jackson inspired in Boodbury and others. Read in isolation it suggests that Warby had threatened Boodbury, but when placed in the context of Warby’s later refusal to assist Captain Wallis it suggests that Warby did not threaten Boodbury but warned him of what was coming. It was not a letter that endeared Throsby to the Governor. On the 1st of December 1817 in a despatch to Lord Bathurst Macquarie identified Doctor Throsby as being “discontented”. ‘Glenfield Farm April 5th 1816 Dear Wentworth Having been informed this morning that His Excellency the Governor is about taking some steps to punish the natives, I feel it necessary in consequence of my former information and having been at your farm with your son when we heard some of the most absurd assertions and obstinate threats of vengeance against several of the natives, whom 1 have every reason to suppose are perfectly innocent of any of the murders that have recently taken place; those I allude to are Bitugally; Duel; Yettooming; and some others, natives of the place where Mr. Oxley's stock are, for I am convinced had they been inclined to have committed such crimes they would most certainly have murdered some of that Gentleman's men, not that I mean to assert they were not assisting in the murders of the men on Mr Broughton's farm last year147, but when the cause is considered it cannot be so much wondered that savage ferocity should seek revenge for the barbarity practised by our own countrymen on the persons of the wife and two children of the former and a child of the latter, which perhaps is not sufficiently known, that the people not content at shooting at them in the most treacherous manner in the dark, but actually cut the woman's arm off and stripped the scalp of her head over her eyes, and on going up to them and finding one of the children only wounded one of the fellows deliberately beat the infant's brains out with the butt end of his musket, the whole of the bodies then left in that state by the (brave) party unburied! as an example for the savages to view the following morning, therefore under these circumstances I hope I may be pardoned asserting that I do not wonder at the savages then seeking revenge in retaliation. The whole of these men I have seen since that time, have been in the woods with some of them and have had much conversation with them, and as far as I can judge by the manners and dispositions of then natives I firmly believe they are now perfectly friendly towards the white people. With respect to Gogee and his family, with Nighgingall and his family, they have within my own knowledge been in this Neighbourhood and to and fro about the house for the last three months. Boodbury, Young Bundle, with their families and several others are now here ‑ the whole of whom I also have heard threatened. 1 have yesterday, the day before, and this morning, had much conversation with them, particularly as to the substance of the information I before gave you, who all, both collectively, and separately, confirm that statement, (which was given me by a native who is not with them) as fully and clearly as I can possibly understand them and further add they have come here for protection and that all the friendly natives have quitted those now collected on, and about the flat on the other side of the river from your farm, who are composed of the tribes I before mentioned, and if I understand them right are determined to be troublesome, from their information as well as what I have heard from various of the white people, I am of the opinion, under the circumstance of a party having run from them, that they would attack any party if not in appearance too formidable that might cross the river after them, provided they were not dressed as soldiers where they might be provided as they deserve, without the danger of injuring any friendly native for I am assured all those have left them, yet the spot they have chosen is situated, as to afford so many retreats into the rocks, &c that any party ought to act with caution, those natives who have been brought up amongst the white people being extremely cunning. 1 am well aware that the fears and aversions of the ignorant part of white people will lead them to accuse the whole, indiscriminately. therefore it is to be hoped, steps will as much [as] possible be taken to prevent any friendly native being injured, lest the lives of some of our stockmen or others in remote unprotected situations may fall a sacrifice in retaliation. Warby and Bush Jackson whom you know well was here the other day in search of Gogee, and I understand from Mr. Moore went afterwards to him stating they had been looking after him &c and had been at our place a quarter of an hour sooner they would have been enabled to have got him &c&c. The fact is he and several others was in my boat having gone down The river the day before with your son, fishing and which I told them, they was here again yesterday and took Boodbury and several others with them out of my yard. Boodburry and the others returned shortly afterwards, apparently under a considerable impression of fear, which I have as much as possible endeavoured to dissipate as has also Mr. Moore by a communication through me, I have no doubt they will remain in this neighbourhood some time, and will I am confident give every information in their power whenever required. I remain Dear Wentworth To D. Wentworth Yours Truly &c&c Chas. Throsby Sydney’148 While Macquarie’s journal provided additional light on the orders he issued to the military on 9th April 1816, it also left some issues clouded. Macquarie’s insistence that Aboriginal people “manifested a strong and sanguinary hostile spirit” for “the last three years” was not consistent with previous entries or the historical record. Likewise his assurance that Aboriginal people had been treated with “the greatest kindness and forbearance by Government” was disingenuous and paternalistic. His use of the word “chastise” was also paternalistic and implied that Aboriginal people were childlike. Certainly this journal entry signified a change in attitude upon Macquarie’s part. It should also be placed in the context of his ill health at the time. Macquarie planned a conventional military operation against Aboriginal people on the Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers. He planned a co-ordinated combination of forces; with European and Aboriginal guides; which should have successfully surrounded and crushed a conventional enemy. Captain Schaw of the 46th Regiment was instructed to “apprehend and inflict exemplary punishment on such of the guilty natives” as he was able to take alive along the Nepean, Grose and Hawkesbury Rivers. Whether “exemplary punishment” was ever a legal term is unclear. However, the intent for it to be the ultimate deterrent is implicit. Macquarie gave Captain Schaw a list of hostile natives. They were Murrah, who speared Macarthur’s overseer, Wallah, Yellaman, Dewall, Bellagalle – Bidjeegurry, Daniel,149 Goggie and Mary–Mary who came from Mulgoa. It is likely that most of the others came from further upstream. Charles Throsby was adamant that Dewall was not hostile. Dewall had acted as a guide for Hamilton Hume. The Hume’s and Kennedy’s were related by marriage. Dewall surrendered on Kennedy’s farm. The mother and two children killed in 1814 were buried on Kennedy’s farm. Goggie was almost certainly not hostile, being more afraid of the Mountain tribes than the settlers. Macquarie also arranged for a number of European and Aboriginal guides to support Captains Schaw and Wallis. Bidgee Bidgee and Harry were native guides ordered to accompany Schaw from Sydney. Harry may have been the Aboriginal boy brought up by John Macarthur. William Possum and Creek Jemmy, also known as Nurragingy, were to join Schaw at Windsor, suggesting they were locals. Creek Jemmy came from South Creek. The European guides were John Warby, John Jackson, William Parson, Thomas Simpson, Joseph McLoughlin, Thomas Nobles and Henry McKudding. Tyson, Bundell, Colebee and Tindall were Aboriginal guides. In his written instructions Macquarie ordered Captain Schaw to imprison all Aboriginal people that he may encounter as a means to maintain secrecy as well as minimising the loss of innocent lives. Aboriginal people who resisted or attempted to escape were to be fired upon compelling their surrender. The bodies of Aboriginal men who were killed were to be hung from a tree – which to a modern reader suggests that the element of surprise would be lost thereby. While Macquarie ordered Schaw to save “the Women and Children if possible”, his orders on this point were weaker than Governor Phillip’s orders of 13th December 1790 for a similar expedition whereby “Every possible attention is to be paid not to injure any women or children.” In his journal Macquarie clarified that the prisoners were to be hostages until the guilty ones surrendered. In 1805 Samuel Marsden had employed the same strategy to break resistance. It is unclear whether “by clearing the Country of them entirely, and driving them across the mountains” he meant all Aboriginal people or only the hostiles. Schaw was ordered to march to Windsor and consult with the magistrates. He was ordered to scour the Kurry Jong Brush and the banks of the Grose River. He was then to march south to the Bringelly district where he would join Captain Wallis’s and Lieutenant Dawe’s units. Hopefully, on his return he would bring twelve Aboriginal boys and girls to be enrolled in the Native Institution. Directory: docs docs -> Application for acem docs -> Observational Assessment of Teaching Practices Teaching Assessment Initiative Proposal Submitted to The Teachers for a New Era project docs -> Traditional British values docs -> From Warfighters to Crimefighters: The Origins of Domestic Police Militarization docs -> Borzoi Club of America Register of Merit Program I. What is a Register Of Merit docs -> Protecting the rights of the child in the context of migration docs -> United Nations E/C. 12/Esp/5 docs -> 9th May 1950 the schuman declaration docs -> Getting To Outcomes® in Services for Homeless Veterans 10 Steps for Achieving Accountability Download 3.05 Mb. 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