Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Life and Experiences of an Australian Missionary to the Aborigines : a brief history by Reverend E. R. B. Gribble
MLMSS 4503 ADD-ON 1822 / Box 12 / Folder 18 / 13

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Chapter 1

I was born in Geelong, Victoria in the year 1868, my father at that time and until I was about twelve years old being a Wesleyan Methodist Minister. My earliest recollections go back to the my first school days when the elder boys would way lay me after school hours, placing me upon a stump tree stump, would insist upon me preaching a sermon before they would allow me to return home. All this gave me a great distaste for the ministry and for many years I was determined that not become a Minister. In the year 1877 my father the with his family removed to Jerilderie and it was here that an event occurred which still remains deeply impressed upon my memory. This was the sticking up of the whole town by the Kelly gang of bushrangers. At most of the town consisted The town contained of about four hundred people and at one end of the main street stood the police station with the Court House just opposite, about three miles out of the town stood a roadside public house kept by a man named Davidson. Late one Friday night the Police Sergant was called up was aroused by a voice at his door calling

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out that there was a great row at Davidson’s hotel. The Sergeant at once went to the door and was at once ordered to “bail up" and Ned Kelly and his brother Dan and his mates Steve Hart and Ned Byrne walked into the house. They made everything secure and of course made the Sergeant, this the mounted constable prisoners. Saturday morning came and the Sergeant’s Wife was ordered by Ned Kelly to attend to the butcher and baker as usual & was carefully watched that she gave no information as to the gang’s presence. During the day one of the gang accompanied the Sergeant’s wife across to the Court House in order to guard her while she got the place cleaned and ready for the Priest who was due the following day to hold Mass.

On Sunday the Priest came & sent across to the Police Station for the Court House key & the Sergeant’s wife handed it out & being instructed by Ned Kelly said that due to the Sergeant’s ‘indisposition’ they wd. not be able to attend Mass that day. Sunday thus passed over quietly. On Monday

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morning the gang made their preparations for the sticking up of the town & the robbing of the bank. The Sergeant was left in the cell. Ned Kelly donning his uniform and taking the Constable also in uniform with him sauntered down the street, the rest of the gang passing into the town generally as wandering wayfarers. At that time it was no unusual thing for strange constables to pass through the town on their way to the border to keep guard watch that the Kellys should not cross from Victoria into New S. Wales and the police force in Jerilderie had only recently been reduced in number owing to the despatch of the other man to the border.

Just at midday the town would be quiet so Ned Kelly accompanied by the constable passed the full length of the street to the Bank of N.S.W. The building was one of four buildings close together in fact one block of buildings, one being a hotel called the Royal Mail then next came the bank then a drapers shop and a Grocer’s making the fourth. Ned just passed into the bar of the Royal Mail Hotel and beckoned the loungers in.

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As they came, no doubt expecting a cheap drink at the expense of this strange Policeman, they were met by a presented revolver & marched into the bar parlour as prisoners. The rest of the gang had meanwhile been away in the back premises & marched all the Domestics & others into the bar parlour also.

Then came the sticking up of the bank next door. The bank manager had been spending the previous day, Sunday, at a sheep station five miles out and the weather being hot he was just then enjoying a bath; in walked Ned Kelly & ordered him to dress at once & give him the bank’s keys. The bank teller was ordered to assist and while Dan Kelly & he were getting the money in walked our local school master who was also my Father’s Church Secretary, as he entered the bank he noticed a stranger behind the counter who on his entrance stood up & ordered him to jump over & lend a hand, thinking it a joke he declined saying the counter was to high, at once up went the revolver and the Schoolmaster was over like a streak of lightning.

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After the cash had been secured Joe Byrne secured placed it on to a pack horse & at once left the town & was not seen again. The other members of the gang remained. Just after the bank was robbed it appears that the unusual quietness about the hotel attracted the notice of the local printer opposite who was walked across to the Draper’s and asked him if he had noticed anything strange at the Royal Mail. The two looked down the long verandah then went next door to the Storekeeper and getting him to join them they proceeded down to the Hotel. Finding the bar deserted they passed along the passage carefully, as they passed a door leading to the bank it opened and a man presented a revolver ordered them to bail up. The Printer struck with [indecipherable] at once turned & fled & running across to his office bolted through the house telling his wife as he ran that the bank had been robbed & that the Kellys were after him, he continued his flight till far out of the town.

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The bank being safely robbed Ned Kelly then put men in to cut down the telegraph poles to destroy means of communication with the outside world, this he did after a consultation with the post master. I was a boy attending the State School & passing the Post Office on my way back to school after dinner noticed one of the publicans of the town cutting down a telegraph post near the Post Office and I remember wondering why he was doing it. I thought no more of the matter but passed on to School. The School children played about for some time till past 2 o’clock and wondered why the master did not put in an appearance. Presently a man leading some horses to the creek passed & from him we learned that the Kellys were in the town & that our School teacher was a prisoner in their hands. We at once ran up the main street and stood in front of the Blacksmith’s Shop as we saw a fine full bearded Policeman approaching accompanied by the postmaster and his assistant.

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Standing in front of the Blacksmith’s Shop was a hawker’s van, the horses being in the shop getting shod. We youngsters watched this new police man with interest thinking he was after Ned Kelly & his gang & it was not till he ordered the hawker to harness up his horses that we realised that it was Ned himself, he ordered the post master & his assistant to [indecipherable] & had them driven to the Police Station where they were locked up. My father about this time came upon the scene, he was at home about a mile out of the town when the teller from the bank called & told him the news, he having given the bushranger the slip. Father at once set off up to the town and arriving there he heard that a certain young lady was greatly exercised in mind over the fact that Ned Kelly had taken a favourite mare of hers and was then riding it up the street. My father at once promised to see what he could do in the matter & set off

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to find Ned Kelly. He met him coming down the main street and stepping in front of him as he rode leisurely he said he wished to speak with him. Ned at once lifted his revolver and keeping him covered asked what he wanted. My father then told him of the young lady’s distress about the mare and Ned promised to think it over. Leaving him, father at once went in search of the young lady’s father to tell him that he thought it would be all right. On enquiry he was told that the mare he wanted had been taken by Steve Hart, one of the gang, up to the Saddler’s shop so father started in that direction, presently he saw emerging from the Saddler’s Shop the father of the young lady carry a new saddle while beside him walked Steve Hart. Ignoring the bushranger & addressing himself to Mr. Mc— he told him what he had done in regards to his daughter’s mare. As soon as he had finished speaking Steve Hart presented his

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revolver & ordered him to give up his watch. Father at first expostulated and said that the watch was not his but that his own was at the watchmakers & the one he was carrying had been lent by the Jeweller whilst his own was undergoing repairs. He also said “Surely you would not take a parson’s watch" and Steve Hart answered “Yes I would & the devil’s too if he had one so up with it". Discretion being the better part of valour father did as requested but walked back up the street with them and went in search of the leader of the gang once more. Finding him in the bar of one of the hotels he touched him on the shoulder and asked him for an interview outside. On the verandah father told Ned that one of his men had taken his watch. “What" said Ned, “one of my men. Show me him". Father pointed Steve Hart out a short distance away putting the new saddle on a grey horse that had been taken from the Police paddock. Proceeding along the verandah Ned

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asked Steve if he had robbed the parson of his watch. Steve admitted the fact and on his vest could be seen father’s gold mounted hair guard and also a heavy gold Albert shewing him to be possessed now of two watches. Said Ned, “didn’t you get that so and so’s b- bank manager’s watch this morning. What do you want with another, let’s have a look at it". Steve handed up the parson’s watch to his leader who turning it over in his hands said in scorn, “when you stick a man up for a watch stick him up for a good one not a b---y turnip like this".

Ned then made a move as if to hand the watch back to father but changing his mind said to Steve Hart, “here give the watch back to the parson yourself like a man". Steve with scowl did as advised and father having by this time had quite enough of the Kelly’s went across the street & joined the townspeople who were congregated under the verandahs across watching the proceedings. I have always been like all Australians a

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lover of horses and that afternoon with quite a number of other boys I saw an exhibition of horsemanship which I have never forgotten. The gang were selecting the best of the police horses in the Police Paddock and were jumping them over the fence into the street. During the day Ned Kelly kept very steady but Dan Kelly & Steve Hart became rather rowdy and did some quick riding along the street before their final departure about sun - 8 a.m. Many strange men had been noticed in the vicinity of the town and these of course being sympathizers with the gang evidently knew of the gang’s intention to stick up the town, these men disappeared the day after. Towards evening Ned Kelly gave the key of the cell to the Sergeant’s wife with strict injunctions and threats that she was not to release the prisoners till late at night. Poor woman fears for her husband’s safety as well as for her own made it difficult for the townspeople to induce her to open the door early in the evening. The Sergeant did not show up in a favourable light but the young constable pluckily rode off to the nearest place Deniliquin some 60 miles

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the same night although he went off in the same direction as the gang had gone. For many months nothing more was heard of the gang and when they were at length destroyed captured we had left Jerilderie and were living among the Aborigines on the Murrumbidgee River. But the events leading up to our removal from the town I must

But I must leave to another chapter the account of our leaving the town and our journey to our new home.

The most popular game for many months amongst the boys of the Jerilderie State School was bushranging and the most coveted position was that of the leader of the gang, Ned Kelly.

I sometimes played the part of the parson being robbed by Steve Hart.

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Chapter 2

As Minister of the town of
My father was the only resident Minister in the town of Jerilderie and did a great deal of travelling throughout the District. I would sometimes accompany him in order to open the numerous gates on his journies. Enjoyable trips they were to me as a boy although in the summer the heat in the plains of Riverina was something to remember and the mud and in the wet rain season made travelling at times difficult indeed. Some of the finest of the Riverina sheep stations were visited regularly by my father who is still remembered throughout that part of New South Wales.

During the close season a party was formed to go out duck shooting. The parson, schoolmaster and other leading towns people formed the party which proceeded to some lagoons and swamps some fifteen miles out of the town. I myself have very distinct recollections of that affair. I was to ride my

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pony and accompany the party who drove in several traps buggies. When passing through the town I met a school-mate to whom I lent my pony in order that he might run his own pony in and accompany me. He went off and when the buggies were ready to start he had not returned. So I had to crush into my father’s trap and I did not see my pony again till the next day. Arrived at the appointed spot the shooting began and again ill luck attended me, father had shot a duck and was reloading his doubled-barreled muzzle loader and as he was lifting the hammer to put the cap on the hammer slipped, I had just stepped in front of him as the weapon went off. The charge of No. 2 shot entered the ground a few inches from my toes. Father turned white and I suppose I did too but presently father found his voice and gave me particular fits for being such a fool as to get in front. The duck

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that had been shot remained in the centre of the stream and that was all the luck father and I had. In the evening the whole party gathered together at a Selector’s homestead where a fine dinner awaited them, here again my ill luck asserted itself for by accident I made a mistake and put upon my plate of roast duck cayenne pepper with the result that I had a double hot time of it for I began to cry & father hauled me outside and again gave it to me for being such a fool.

During my father’s trips about the district he at last came across several Aboriginal Camps especially on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. Their pitable condition stressed his heart and he cast about for some way of helping them. Hearing that a Mr. David Matthews had a Mission among the blacks on the Murray River called Maloga he visited him and eventually in

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company with Mr. Matthews and his aboriginal men he made a special journey to the Murrumbidgee River to see what could be done. I accompanied him on this his first missionary enterprise. In father’s buggy travelled Mr. Matthews whilst I travelled in his wagonette with the two Aboriginal men.

The journey was full of interest as it was my first experience of Aboriginals and they took great delight in showing me how to catch possums. One named Johnny was a splendid shot and kept us supplied with wild turkey and duck during the trip. Reaching the Murrumbidgee River some camps of blacks were found and these agreed to return with us in Mr. Matthew’s wagonette and go to Maloga until father was ready to form the new station on the Murrumbidgee. After careful inspection along the banks of the river a suitable site was at length

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found. The same night we camped on the site under a pine tree which still stands in front of the present Girls’ Training Home at Warangesda. The next day we started on our return to Jerilderie with quite a large party of aboriginals mostly women and children of all ages. On the third day we entered the town and of course everybody came out to look for it had long been known that my father had “blacks on the brain" as his friends used to say. The look on my dear Mother’s face as we pulled up was one of blank amazement as she had never expected such a large party. After a day’s rest Mr. Matthews went on his way to his own home on the Murray taking all the aboriginals with him. During the year father made preparations for the new Mission and resigned his living. Early in 1880 all was ready for a start, the Aboriginals returned from Maloga accompanied by several able bodied men to assist in building.

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The start of the expedition was witnessed by all the townspeople. All our household effects were drawn were on a large wagon were drawn by a team of horses. Mother and my brothers and sisters were placed in the wagonette recently bought for the purpose. The Aboriginal adults walked, the children being on the wagon. I myself on my pony brought up the rear driving half a dozen angora goats. Johnny the half caste man on another horse tried to drive a cow and calf but they objecting to missionary enterprise took the matter into their own hands as it were and went back and walked no more with us.

The journey was very slow but full of interest. We camped the first night on a creek called “The Turn Back Jimmy" and here we youngsters had a great time watching the Aboriginal cook making “Johnnie Cakes" on the coals. Andrew one

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of the men went off to shoot ducks but did not succeed in bagging any and it was discovered afterwards that in loading the gun he had put shot in one barrel and powder in the other.

At last we arrived at the deserted selector’s homestead where Mother and the children were to stay until such time as there was a dwelling at the new station erected for them. I was taken on by father to assist in the work of building although I was only eleven. On arrival at the site chosen the previous year a start was at once made in the work of the erection of a Mission House. Pine trees abounded on all sides. Some of the men set to work felling the largest pine trees for posts, others went off stripping bark for the roof and in a very few days a deal of work was got through. My work was to knock the back off the timbers with a tomahawk. I was not fond of work by any means but father was and I had to do my share.

On Saturday afternoons we all knocked off

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work and went kangaroo hunting there being hundreds about the plains.

The work progressed and in course of time I was sent away to school in Victoria where I remained a year then returning home I was sent in 1883 to the King’s School, Parramatta. In 1885 my father at the request of the then Bishop of Perth, Western Australia resigned from the mission his position at Warangesda in order to start a similar work among the Aboriginals in Western Australia and in that year I left school and accompanied my mother and the rest of the family to Perth, my father having gone ahead some months previously.

We landed in Fremantle on a very hot day and were not favourable impressed with the place. Father was away up north on the Gascoygne [Gascoyne] River meeting with much opposition from the settlers who objected to the formation of the mission for the Blacks. A few weeks after our arrival

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arrangements were made for my brother Arthur and myself to go to my father’s assistance. Accordingly one Sunday night we went on board a schooner called the “Mary Smith" which was leaving for Cambridge Gulf with cargo, mails and some diggers on their way to the Kimberly Rush.

This was the stormy period of the year and steamers were not running for a few weeks and so this cranky red schooner ventured forth.

We paid £8 each for our passage and had to sleep anywhere as there were only bunks enough for the crew. The vessel carried a mate but he was drunk most of the time we were on board. A start was to be made early on the Wednesday morning but difficulty in getting the anchor up prevented us leaving till the next day. The crew encouraged us by saying that when they were loading the vessel down in the hold they had good views of the harbour and shipping through the cracks in her sides. The sea was rough and the third day out found us a considerable up the coast on our way. We were a motley crowd on board. The crew, diggers, pearlers and two boys. My brother and myself had a very rough time of it as we had not brought any bedding with us expecting to be provided for in that direction on board, but we contrived to coil up among old sails in the men’s quarters forward.

One day I was lying down astern near the wheel and was much interested in watching the sea as we rushed along. I noticed great white patches here and there and as these patches increased in number I went to the man at the wheel and asked him what they were; looking over the side his face turned ashen as he said, “Good God call all hands on deck, we are right on the reef". No sooner had he uttered the words than the vessel struck heavily throwing us

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off our feet. The Captain and others down below rushed up in great consternation and as the vessel struck again a Pearler on board rushed to the wheel and taking control of the vessel brought her round just in time to miss another patch right ahead. The tide must have been high for we went clean over the reef. When in deep water once more the Captain cooly said “Well I thought we had passed that last night". The vessel leaked badly afterwards and as we were very heavily laden even to a large deck cargo of timber our position was not too cheery by any means. The passengers divided into gangs worked at the pumps, my Mother and myself doing our time with the rest. An attempt was made to induce the skipper to run into Champion Bay almost opposite us but he refused, by evening we sighted the southern extremity of Dirk Hartog Island but found it too dark for us to venture through the very narrow entrance between the Island and the mainland. The Captain was on for the journey right round the Island but to this we all demurred thinking the vessel too unsafe and just through the entrance in front of us lay the calm waters of Shark’s Bay. All night we drifted about outside, the vessel rolling and straining horribly, and making it difficult for us to stand at the pumps. I will never forget that night of anxiety. When daylight came we had drifted out of sight of land and it took us all day to beat up again, but about 4 o’clock in the afternoon we found ourselves once more at the entrance but although the sea still ran high the wind began to slacken while our sails flopped idly against the masts. We all stood about the deck some daring to speak as we drifted closer and closer to the awful rocky headland. Presently a breeze caught us as we neared the side of the entrance and just enough to take us through the opening into the calm waters where the anchor was dropped and all anxiety disappeared. We anchored off the coast of the mainland with the coast of Dirk Hartog Island opposite. Several sailing vessels manned by Chinese came off for the mails and I well remember how the cockroaches had made it difficult to pick all the mail bags for this place as they had eaten off the labels. Leaving here next day we soon reach Carnarvon the Port for the Gascoygne situated at the mouth of the Gascoygne River.

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The coast was low sandy and very uninviting indeed. We were met by my father

Carnarvon at that time consisted of a Government Resident’s House, Police Station, two hotels, and two stores and a blacksmith shop. These were besides two or three dwellings. We were met on landing by our father and accompanied him to his camp three miles out at a place on the bank of the river called “Ga-li-li". Here we found an iron house in course of erection and two tents. Father had just returned from a trip inland to inspect the Aboriginal Reserve and to select a site for the future mission. During this trip much opposition was shewn to his mission by the settlers. Soon after our arrival father leaving me in charge went south by steamer to Perth to bring up the rest of the family.

The blacks were numerous and quite a number had attached themselves to our camp which they called “Mission-Mia". I was only about seventeen years of age at the time and had to do all the cooking for the camp. We had however good times and went about the country with the native men on their hunting trips and learnt a deal which has since been very useful to me. One day an old black fellow gave me a fine schnapper for our dinner. I at once put it on to cook and having occassion to ride into the Port for the mail as a steamer had just come in, I left strict injunctions with Arthur to keep a good fire going. I returned at midday and went at once to get the cooked fish, it had been boiling lusterly for three hours and to my dismay it was I found it impossible to dish the fish and in my disgust I kicked the pot over so our dinner that day was a very poor affair. I had school each day with about half a dozen children and very smart they proved to be. My other duties were to take morning and evening prayers and also to kill a sheep once a week and salt the meat. Soon after the family joined us the opposition from the settlers became very violent. The mission was boycotted and supplies could not be obtained from the local stores although one storekeeper did what he could for a time. It had been my father’s intention to have two drays built and to take us all inland about one hundred miles to the Reserve, the camp on the coast

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to serve as a depot. Father every Sunday held service at the Port in an old shed. On Sunday he and I went down for the service and found on the door this notice.

“Old Bishop Parry sent a Parson here
Whose name was J.B. Gribble
Poor silly wretch he damned himself
To save the Lord the trouble.

Finding it impossible to get on with his work in the face of the opposition he journeyed to Perth to seek help; again leaving me in charge of the mission settlement at Ga-li-li, and for nine months till the close of the mission, I worked hard at teaching, gardening and all kinds of work. I was the first to grow vegetables on a large scale in the district and obtained one shilling a pound from the local hotels for vegetables.

We saw a deal of the blacks and were present at many strange and weird ceremonies. One night we learnt that a great corroboree was to take place about three miles off and so Arthur and I accompanied our own blacks to the spot. Everything went very smoothly for about two hours and about three hundred blacks were present. Suddenly and without a moment’s notice some fellow threw a boomerang into the crowd of dancers. This was the signal for a terrific hullabaloo, boomerangs and spears began to fly and the women began to scream and yell. This commotion struck fear into the hearts of us two white boys and we set off home as fast as our feet could carry us.

Next day we heard that one man had been killed and one of our fellows called “Brady" had been severely wounded. They brought him home during the day and I found that he had been speared in the buttock by a jagged spear and that the head of the weapon was still in the wound. We had with us a ex-tracker called “Champion" who was a noted doctor among the blacks. Champion was minus a foot he having lost it through a wound received in a fight in years gone by. Champion for several days attended the wounded man who steadily grew worse under his treatment. One day I sat and watched the doctor at work. He would suck the man’s fingers, toes, ears and even gather the man’s hair into a point a suck it and from time to time he would spit out small pieces of wood which he told me had formed part of the spear head. At last I lost all patience with him and seeing that the man would eventually die unless the wood was extracted I got

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Arthur to help us and then turning the fellow on to his stomach I succeeded after some difficulty in get a cord on to the spear head and then with Champion’s help we hauled it out. That man’s roars could have been heard a mile or so around, it was rough surgery but we saved the man’s life. As things were getting into a bad way I decided to take work and so agreed to work for a German boot maker who had undertaken to make ten thousand bricks for the new Government Residency. I was to receive thirty shillings a week and tucker. My work was to dig the surface clay and wheel it into a hole then I had to mix it up carrying the water in buckets from a clay-pan or “Warralee" close by. The work was heavy as I had to tread the clay out with my feet as well as do the digging and water carrying. The “boss" would sit and smoke his pipe whilst I did all this then as soon as the clay was ready I had to “pug up" that is carry great chunks of the clay to the moulding table for the boss to do the moulding. The old fellow would mould a barrow load and then himself wheel it himself to the bough shed as he was very particular as to the stacking of the soft bricks. The drying shed had been erected before I took the job, it stood on a base level plain. The posts were very thick and I at first thought that they were sunk in the earth. I found however that the ends had been sawn level and the posts were simply standing on the base surface the roofing was very light consisting of bushes only.

One day after we had turned out about eight hundred bricks altogether the old German was busy under the shed stacking wet bricks when a whirlwind came swiftly across the plain and striking the shed brought the whole structure down upon him flattening he and the bricks out. I sat down and laughed, the bossed crawled out from under the bushes and with an oath and very lurid language gave me the sack. It was not my fault. I have never been sacked since.

Soon after this the Mission was abandoned and the family removed to Perth.

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Chapter 3

Being now without employment the Mission on the Gascoygne having be abandoned by the church my father passed through the most trying period in his life. An action for libel against one of the daily papers necessitated his remaining in the State. For many months he waited for the hearing of the case and time after time it was postponed. During this time the family resided at Bayswater a few miles out of Perth.

For a time I ran a day school and although I had plenty of pupils money was very scarce and I could not get enough to keep body and soul together. I then relinquished the school and accepted work with a market gardener at thirty shillings a month and board and lodging. My duties were to care for the horses and with a team of three to cart fire-wood to the steamers on the river. My work was very heavy and the country being sandy I was continually having the horses stuck in the sand. I stuck to this for about six weeks or so. I remember once being sent with the wagonette into the city to deliver vegetables and fruit. I am afraid that I did not care this job, and much preferred carting fire-wood out in the bush to hawking vegetables about the streets of the city. During this time my father and brother were cutting fire-wood on contract at so much a cart. Arthur also worked at the brick yards from time to time. These were hard days, indeed for the whole of the family. The house we lived in was built by father and my brother and myself. On Sundays my father would hold services for the residents round about by whom he was very much loved and respected.

After some time I at last joined with a Jew, a wealthy man from New York who wanted me to accompany him on a prospecting tour inland. I agreed and found a lad to go with us and also supplied one of the two horses required. From the Government we obtained passes for ourselves and equipment as far as Northam. I soon saw that my Jew friend was a marvellously poor bushman and also that he knew nothing of gold otherwise than in the form of sovereigns or jewellery. Having been used to the bush all my life the old chap amused me and very soon he and I became very much the opposite to being fond of each other. The old fellow at last suggested that as my father had stirred up the settlers by his advocacy of the cause of the blacks and as we were travelling amongst the settlers that I should change my name for the trip. This I naturally

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objected to and would never reply to him when he addressed me as plain “Jones".

After spending some four weeks here and there the old fellow began to pine for civilization and so we returned to Northam and entrained back to Perth. Of all the frauds in the history of mining in Australia and there have been many there was no greater one than that prospecting expedition in 1885. The old fellow managed however to cause some excitement and although he gathered no specimens himself he borrowed some I had collected as curios, quartz, flint, etc. and with these at each stoppage of the train he could be seen with a crowd around him describing in glowing terms the possibilities of the districts he had passed through as coming gold fields. Strange to say some few years afterwards gold was discovered in paying quantities almost in the district over which we journeyed. But we saw nothing and moreover knew nothing of mineralogy.

Reaching Perth the old fellow bid us farewell and all we got out of the expedition was his blessing and afterwards I heard that he described the boy and myself as being very lazy. That may be but we did all the work whilst he wore his velveteen coat and put up at the different homesteads or hotels we met with. I have never been prospecting since but was only a few years too early for the discovery of “Southern Cross" the great West Australian Gold mine. Some people have luck but we did not.

Soon after this event my father having lost the libel case against the newspaper left the colony and obtained work in the Diocese of Sydney and the whole family went to join him.

Father had charge of S. Augustine’s parish Bulli as Locum tenens and remained there nearly two years. I at once cast about for employment, my brother Arthur having entered a printing office. For a time I tried my luck at the Insurance Agency business but soon gave it up. One morning I saw in the paper that the school teacher at Warangesda, our old home had died and so I journeyed to Sydney with my father and made application for the position. I was told that I was certain of obtaining the school. While awaiting a formal reply to my application I received a letter from an old friend of my father’s who had a large cattle and sheep station in Queensland on the Paroo river. I at once decided to accept this offer. I obtained some money from my father and prepared for my journey by rail to Bourke.

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and thence by Cobb and Company’s coach to Hungerford.

At the Sydney railway station late one evening I was just about to take my ticket when a young man accosted me and asked if I was going by the mail train to Bourke that night. On my answering in the affirmative he then offered me his ticket at half cost. He had obtained a second class single ticket for Bourke that afternoon but had changed his mind and would not go to Bourke at all. Accompanying him was a young girl and I put two and two together and came to the conclusion that they were sweethearts and have had a lovers’ quarrel, he had in a fit of the blues taken out a ticket for “out back" but at the last moment his girl had come on the scene and had prevailed upon him to stay. I willingly bought the ticket and it was lucky a very fortunate thing that I did go for when I arrived in Bourke I found that I had barely enough to pay the coach fare to Hungerford on the Queensland border.

The Church of England Clergyman in Bourke upon whom I called lent me half a sovereign and I then managed to put together the fare.

That coach journey of three days was one to be remembered. The rains had been very heavy and our great vehicle got bogged time after time. Several times we had to take the horses out and hitch them on behind the coach and haul it out backwards. I was the There was one other passenger besides myself but he gave gave the owner little assistance whilst I had my boots off and pants tucked up would get out in the boggy places and belabour the leaders with a stick. We got stuck in the Warrego, we got stuck in the Cuttaburra just beyond Yantabulla and also in places innumberable on the plains. I did what I seem always seem to be doing through life working “I worked my passage".

We reached Hungerford a queer little Border town consisting at that time two public houses, Police Station and Customs Office and Post Office.

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Here we learnt that the Paroo was in flood and that we would have to cross the river in a small boat in order to board the Queensland Coach on the other side. The journey across in the boat was very risky, the flooded river being very wide and full of channels in each of which the current was very strong.

There are many stories of risk and adventure told of the Paroo in flood, One I remember well. A certain station manager found it necessary to cross the river when in flood, he accordingly stripped and making a bundle of his clothing mounted his horse and started across. On the way in a difficult part it took him all his time to manage and direct the horse and in doing this he lost his bundle which floated away down stream. The manager landed in his birthday suit and waited by the river bank for a considerable time until discovered by travellers who went and obtained some apparel for him.

We however safely crossed the stream and found the Queensland coach awaiting us. Thirty miles on was my destination and the driver of the coach a well known man named Alick Scott informed us that Boorara Creek was in flood and he doubted as to whether we would be able to cross. The station I was bound for being on the opposite bank. We managed to get bogged several times in the thirty miles. One of our team was a mule who would not pull an ounce if the ground was soft. I never saw any animal get such a pounding as that mule got and live, but pull he would not. Arriving opposite the station we found the creek a raging torrent but the driver without a moment’s hesitation rushed his team into it and when we reached the middle the water flowing right through the coach the horses being almost off their feet could not pull and so we got into the water and undoing the horses we all went ashore leaving the vehicle in the stream. I at once walked up to the station a reported my

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arrival. I found the Storekeeper the only person in authority at home and he curtly said “Good day, better go to the kitchen and ask the cook for something to eat".

So in my bare feet and wet through I went in search of the kitchen and cook, the latter was a Chinaman and he soon fixed me up with hot tea and brownie.

I was then shewn a room at what was called the barracks.

The next day the Manager of the Station returned and from him I learned that I was to proceed to the cattle station and work there amongst the cattle, but as it was uncertain as to when the cart would be in for me I was to get to work at once where I was. The floods had broken a dam higher up the creek and also washed away the fences, so several men with myself were sent to the spot to repair the damage. The party consisted of the bullock driver, Paddy, the horse driver, Jimmy, and two handy men.

Arriving at the spot, Paddy gave it as his opinion that the great heap of stones at the foot of the overshot had to be returned to the top and so we set to work and heaved stones for two days. Not being used to such heavy work my fingers at the points became tender and bleeding sore in fact the skin wore off leaving the points all raw.

And the end of the second day just as we had finished heaving the stones up, the manager rode up and after looking at our work demanded who it was that order the stones to be put there. I said Paddy. Well then you fools throw them down again and so we next morning heaved them all back again. I put in a week at work on that dam and rejoiced exceedingly when the cart from the cattle station came for me. At Kilcoura, [also spelt Kilcowera] the cattle station, I was made very comfortable. There was a white cook and the overseer with whom I lived and we got on well together. Soon after my arrival preparations began for a big branding muster. H—the overseer went off on a long ride to a neighbouring station and left me to get in the killing cattle and kill a beast for beef for the muster. Peter one of the black men helped me yard the cattle and then he had to get away to

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muster the horses required for the muster. Peter’s wife Maggie an old a middle- aged black dame, volunteered to assist me. I had often killed and dressed sheep but to kill and dress a bullock was a new thing to me. However we set to work and that old black woman was a marvel. We got the beast killed, skinned and hung up in about two hours it took long but I must say it was well done and next day an old stockman complimented me on the condition of the beef.

Early next morning we the black woman and I set to work to cut up and salt the meat and this took us the best part of the morning. In the afternoon the stockmen began to arrive and all the place became quite busy.

We were to start mustering the next day and so a deal of attention had to be given to saddlery, rations and blankets. I was given the job of greasing green hide hobbles, no light work left we say for the hide had got as stiff as iron since the last muster which had been in the wet.

Very early in the morning we were aroused by the cook an old sinner [?] named Harry whose chief interest in life lay in his attempts to win the big sweep on the Melbourne Cup and in his sampling the whisky at the pub on the run main road about twenty miles off.

After an early breakfast blankets and valises we rolled and strapped up and then we all proceeded to the horse yards. Here amid a big mob of fat and fit neddies I was pointed out my two mounts for this muster. One a great big raw boned fellow called “Hurricane" and a little bay colt called little “Jack". I decided to tackle Hurricane for a start and after a great deal difficulty and by the help of a black boy called Charcoal I succeeded in getting the bridle on a led him away to the saddling post.

This was soon done and while I was with great interest watching the other chaps saddling up and mounting some rusty colts I must confess to feeling a bit “funky" as to what my mount was going to do. An old stockman advised me to get the “rough edge" taken off him by putting the boy Charcoal up and giving him a trot round but I refused being determined to take the rough edge off myself.

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Presently all was ready and the boss gave the word to start. I mounted my huge brute safely and joined the crowd of horsemen. Our rations and blankets were in a cart driven by old Maggie whilst her husband old Peter drove the spare horses.

After going about a hundred yards my horse became very restive and I found that [h]is peculiarity was a very “hard mouth" and that he was given to doing a bolt occasionally.

One of the stockmen having stayed behind came galloping up and this was the signal for my horse to do a “get" which he promptly did. Away we went I hanging to him with all my strength, the others yelling out to keep him clear of the scrub, this I managed to do and got him round in a circle but he would not stop till we reached the gate leading out the paddock. To my great relief he made no attempt to jump it. We were proceeding to the main mustering yards at a place called “Erryleen" about twenty miles away and during that ride my horse made frequent dashes off the road so that by the time we reached camp I was quite at home with him. But I got a terrific buster from him the next day. At Erryleen we made our camp for here the cattle were to be brought that required branding. I was told off that night to cook the damper and boil the beef for next day’s use.

We spread our rugs out under the starry sky and after supper many were the yarns told over our pipes. Snake stories, cattle yarns, driving yarns and ghost stories. One of the stockmen sang a song “Dreaming of home and Mother".

In our camp we had a young Jackeroo from London and poor chap he had a devil of a time of it.

That night before going off to sleep the talk drifted on to snakes and the Jackeroo became quite interested and also a bit scared as the talk went on.

One great stockman over six feet in his socks got up quietly when all were supposed to be asleep and taking his stock whip down to the well he soaked it in the cold water. Coming back he quietly and unobserved by the Jackeroo threw the lash across his neck and slowly drew it towards him. The yell that came from

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poor Jackeroo as he felt the cold thing creeping across his flesh was one to be remembered. During this muster I had a very nasty fall with my horse “Hurricane". We were yarding a big mob of cows and calves just before sundown after a hard day’s work mustering over very hilly country. A big bull calf old “milkie" broke away and I took after it through the scrub and managed to bring it close to the back of the yard and was going at a great place when the wretched “milkie" suddenly shot across my horse’s legs and down we came. I shot ahead a yard or two on to the gravel and when I got wind and senses back again I could not see the calf “milkie" and my horse was standing near badly cut and scratched on his forehead and forelegs. I quietly remounted a rode to the front of the yard where the head stockman met me with a torrent of lurid language for coming back without the milkie. It was no use trying to explain my mishap. The boss and a black boy at once went off after the milkie I had lost and not being able to get it back to the yard they galloped it down and earmarked it. After we had finished yarding the cattle the boss rejoined us as we were watering our tired horses. Looking at my horse’s cut head and legs he remarked, “By jove Gribble you must have come down a socker all right". My life amongst the cattle was interesting and exciting and I felt quite in my element. Branding was exceptionally heavy work but I did well at it. After getting together about five or six hundred cows and calves we would early in the morning begin drafting and this would be a dusty and hot task. My post during drafting was in the “cheek" pen. The two men in the long narrow yard called the “lane" would let two or three beasts into the cheek pen and it was my duty to get them each into its own yard. The branded cows into the bush yard and the “clean skins" or unbranded cattle into the branding pen. This could very often be a dangerous business as the “cheek pen" was only about twelve or fifteen square. From the cheek pen opened four gates one from the “lane" and then opening into the branding pen, bush yard and pound yard. Any branded male cattle I had to get into the pound yard. At each gate stood a man whose duty it was to open the gate when he saw his chance or when directed by myself. Very often I could have a cow, a clean skin calf and a bullock in the pen at the same

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time and with a long pole I would endeavour to separate them and work each one towards the proper gate. Very often the cattle would turn on me and then I would “break the record" and get up the fence. I knew every top rail in those yards and it would take a smart beast to get me in those days.

After getting all the cattle through the drafting yards we would at once get about branding. The black boy would get the fire going and the brands heated. Outside the branding pen was a draught-horse whose work was to drag the roped beast up to the rails where he would be quickly roped and thrown down. That old horse knew his work well and many a fine pull have I seen him do against a full grown clean skin plunging about on the rope end, but the horse always won the tug.

My duty in the branding pen was to get the rope on to the hind leg as the beast was being hauled up to the rails by the horse. Another man attended to the fore leg rope. The leg ropes being on, the head rope was slackened & the beast would fall on its side and in a few seconds the branding and earmarking would be done and the leg ropes eased and all ready to let the animal up on to its feet. We would sit on the beast and at a given signal spring away. Very often if the "clean skin" happened to be a “milkie" or full grown cow directly the operation was over it would at once seek to gore someone of its tormentors and then we would all madly rush up the rails of the “pen". I once saw a very amusing incident. A buyer had turned up and we were drafting five hundred cows off for him. The buyer a big portly man sat near a solitary post in the yard “bush" yard taking stock of the cows as they rushed past him from the “cheek-pen". Presently a white cow came into the cheek pen and I had considerable trouble with her before I could get her to go through the bush gate. I had to use my pole pretty freely on her so

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much so that she became very excited and angry,. Leaving the yard she suddenly espied the big man seated by the post and with a bellow she turned aside and went for him. The old man got behind the post but it hardly covered him and we had the diverting spectacle of the cow furiously racing round the post in her efforts to “poke" the intruder. The perspiration ran off the old fellow in streams and it was not until one of the stockmen got in front of her with his coat and drew her attention to himself that she left him. The buyer left the yard saying that was the hardest day’s work he had done for over twenty years. One day while driving a big mob of cattle to the yards a big “milkie" broke away and the black boy Charcoal went after it. As we dodged along with the cattle I suddenly saw Charcoal appear on a ridge close by and call for assistance. I at once rode to him and found the “milkie" standing at a little distance. As I rode up Charcoal said, “My horse winded boss, take a turn out of the “milkie". I at once rode towards the animal when he made a mad rush at me and to Charcoal’s delight almost knocked myself and horse over together. We could not get the “milkie" to move away so Charcoal brained it with a rock as we had strict orders to fetch all “milkies" to the yards or run them down. No good stockman likes to see half grown bulls clean skin bulls among his cattle. A “cutting out" camp was always a very exciting time. After mustering along a certain creek we would gather the cattle into a bunch on a clear space and then cut out the cattle we were after. Several of the stockmen would keep the cattle together, others would work in front to receive the cattle that were cut out. The boss on his camp horse would move among the cattle, presently he would touch a beast with his whip and then his horse who did no other kind of work would at once steadily work it to the edge of the mob and then with a rush get it out into the open when the stockmen waiting there would gallop up and take it to the others already cut out a short distance away.

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I was sent just before Christmas with a black fellow named Peter to muster a few head of cattle out of a paddock twelve miles by ten. We were three weeks over that job as the country was very scrubby and the thirty head of cattle very wild. Several times after succeeding in getting them we had to let them go or they would get off from us in the Mulga scrub. The blacks were very much afraid of thunder storms. One day we succeeded in getting hold of the mob again and I determined to keep them going along the fence till we reached the gate. Presently we heard distant thunder and the clouds rolled up. We were going at a very steady gallop, Peter riding along the side of the bullocks whilst I brought up the tail. Presently Peter came to me and urged me to let them go and make for the camp as the thunder would kill us. I refused being determined to keep the cattle if possible. At last after a terrific clap of thunder the rain began. Giving a yell old Peter set spurs to his horse and got off through the Mulga for all he was worth, not even staying for his hat which blew off. As I could not manage the cattle by myself I had to let them rip and so took after Peter but I could not sight him although after every crash of thunder I could hear his yells ahead. I kept on his tracks and when I pulled up in front of my camp Peter was under his blankets whilst his mare was standing by badly staked by Mulga in the fore leg. The next day we got the bullocks again and managed to get them through the gate. After one big muster we had fifteen hundred young steers and bullocks to move across to the bullock paddock about thirty miles of a drive. We made a late start from the drafting yards and camped for the night near a big brush yard built of dead Mulga, into this we put the cattle whilst we made our camp on the bank of a waterhole and under a small tree. In the night we were awakened by a terrific crashing a the thundering a thousand hoofs. Springing up we grasped the fact that the cattle had rushed the yard and were bearing down upon the camp. The black boys and the other white man sprang up the little tree under which we were camped. There being no room in the tree I got into the cart and as the cattle came rushing down I yelled my hardest to get them to turn aside. Fortunately for me they split into two mobs and passed on either side. If they had not the cart would have been smashed into smithereens as well as myself. In the morning we found fifteen dead and drying

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about the yard staked and with legs broken. We pulled a huge chunk of timber out of one poor beast which had penetrated into its paunch. We had three days work in mustering the mob again. Our life amongst the cattle was very full of excitement and event and I often look back with a strange longing to that now far off time. The experience gained during these years has proved invaluable to me as a Missionary Clergyman in the north of Queensland.

Between the cattle musters there was a deal of other work about the run and a deal of cross country riding seeing to the stock and shifting cattle from drying up water holes to other places where water was abundant. Occassionally too we would have a shot at the brumbies or wild horses. I had bought a fine bay gelding and soon after the purchase he had got away into the ranges with a small mob of “brumbies" together with a valuable black station filly. We decided to get them back so mounted upon good goers from among the stock horses four of us one day set out. On a plain we surprised the brumbies feeding, the horses we were after were amongst them, also a mule belonging to Cobb & Co. They soon spotted us and away we went. One of the stockmen succeeded in cutting out the mule for which a reward was offered and, running him on to a fence, galloped him to a standstill. Myself The boss and myself took after the mob and succeeded in cutting out the two were we were after. The brumbies themselves galloping off into the ranges. In the gallop I lost sight of the boss being intent on getting my horse if possible. He suddenly left the mob and getting by himself he was easily captured. The boss had passed me after my horse had left the mob so securing my capture I rode after him and found him beside his dead stock horse. The same fellow “Romeo" a favourite mount of the boss’s had galloped till he fell. The boss poor fellow would not leave him till he was dead and it was affecting to see how tenderly that rough stockman cared for his stricken horse. Placing grass under its head as a pillow. When he would move away Romeo would winny. We had no means of despatching the horse and the boss swore he not leave him to be tortured by the crows already around us in flocks so we stayed till the old fellow died which was not long. That hardened stockman wept over his dead horse.

During one of our horse musters two fine young colts had been lost in a large sheep paddock where they were allowed to remain for some time.

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At last we got orders to get them and so three of us and a black boy went off after them. After a deal of searching as the paddock was twelve miles long by eight miles wide we at length started them. The gallop was long and through dense Mulga scrub. One of the riders was the station drover and mounted on a fine chestnut was leading in the chase. Presently I saw his horse strike a stump and come down heavily upon his rider who lay motionless on the ground. I rode up and dismounting came to the conclusion that he was dead. In my dismay, I at once mounted and galloped off to the head station five miles away where I found the Manager just preparing to leave in his trap, he at once returned to the scene of the accident. We found the poor chap partly conscious but badly shaken and conveyed him to the station. It was some time before he could return to work. Poor G--. A year afterwards he left his wife one morning in good health and spirits and a few miles from his home dropped dead from his horse.

In the year 1898 a severe drought gave us a deal of hard and wearing work.

A thunderstorm having passed across the run to the southward I was ordered to take the blood stallion and a mob of brood mares and young horses out there as there was water and a little grass. Taking a little black boy named “Yarrie" I set out. Reaching Inomaderry Creek we turned the horses out and pitched camp. Each day we would get about keeping the horses together and keeping them from straying too far from the water hole which had been filled by the storm. The loneliness was terrible. One day I rode out leaving Yarrie to do some cooking. When I returned late in the afternoon I found the camp deserted. Yarrie had gone off to the head station thirty miles away the loneliness proving too much for him. That night as I lay smoking my pipe on my rugs opened out on the bare ground I was startled by a great rushing noise up the creek towards a gorge in the ranges. Presently a mob of cattle thundered past. The sky suddenly became blackened and in a flash there burst upon me a tornado, trees were thrown down, my tent erected a few yards from where I was lying was torn off its poles and disappeared. The dust was so thick that I had to lie face to the ground. In my dismay I thought the last day had at last arrived and fully expected to hear each instant the sound of the “last trump". Thirty miles from my nearest neighbour and many hundred miles from my loved ones my feelings were indescribable. As suddenly as

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it came as suddenly it passed and the full clear moon once more shone out.

I fully expected someone to arrive next day to assist me as I knew the boy’s appearance at the station would make them anxious as to my well being. But no one came. That day I rode out as usual and was away all day in search of two mares that had strayed into waterless country. I did not get back till sundown and turned up at my solitary camp hardly able to crawl as I had been without a drink of water all day and the weather was hot indeed. I had just strength enough to crawl to my water bag at the tent door.

That night I was one of the most miserable beings on the face of the earth. At last I fell asleep but was awakened by a strange weird sound coming from the water hole. My camp was on a high bank and a steep path led down to the water. Raising myself upon my elbow I listened intently to the sound, my flesh creeping most horribly. Presently I saw a white object rise slowly above the bank. My heart almost stopped with fear for the sound from the object was most weird. As it rose above the bank I soon saw what it was. A poor old pleura bullock had been down for a drink and having taken on board a huge supply of water into his empty stomach had found it difficult to ascend the steep path. Grunting and foaming he came on to the top. The scare I got had bathed me in perspiration and I determined to ride next morning into the station as I could stand it no longer. I accordingly set out soon after sunrise and had the great joy of meeting meeting several stockmen on their way out to me with orders to muster the stock and return with them to the station. This was welcome news. I walked into the black boy “Yarrie" when I met him again. Soon after this the drought broke and we were sent to muster some two thousand bullocks to move them to another part of the run. The rains were so heavy however that we could not muster so pitched our camp on a sand ridge waiting for the rain to cease. While camped there we were joined by a man who had had been shooting kangaroos and has also been employed by the station to poison dingoes. Frank kept our camp in roars of laughter with his stories and experiences. I well remember two of his yarns, one of which I told some years ago to a man who sent it to the Bulletin. One was of a certain well known drover who after taking a mob of cattle to Bourke had gone on to Sydney to have a good time. Before returning he purchased a fine chestnut mare, saddle and bridle. The mare was a “goer" and he reckoned on winning many races with her at country and station races. On the way out back

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however he had the misfortune to lose her together with the saddle a bridle. After fruitless search for two days he had to go on without her.

Seven years passed away before he had occasion to come that road again. Passing along with another mob of store cattle he struck the camp where he had lost the mare and decided to spend a day or two looking for her. She had been lost seven years. He succeeded in finding her up a gorge in the ranges. He found her and seven other good looking horses. She had had seven foals and each of had a new saddle and bridle on. We laughed and asked Frank what had become of the saddle the mare got away with. “Oh" said he, “you could hardly expect that saddle to stay on seven years it had fallen off of course".

One day Frank suddenly broke in with, “I say you Chaps do you remember the time I was camped on the tank in such and such a paddock". Well a very curious thing happened to me there. One day I saddled my old neddy and rode into the head Station for rations and I bought at the same time a [indecipherable] bucket which I wanted very badly. I got back to my camp at sundown midday and spent the afternoon shooting kangaroos leaving my bucket at my tent door. I sauntered back to the camp just at sundown and to my surprise my bucket had gone. I could find no tracks of humans about and was puzzled as to how it had gone. While sitting near my tent I all at once heard the sound of someone coming carrying a bucket and there so help me bob was an old man roo with my bran[d] new bucket on his arm hopping along to the water. He went down, washed the bucket out and then took a drink. Filling the bucket he started off across the open. I followed him you bet for I had paid a good stiff price for that bucket and besides I wanted it badly. I was curious to know though what the old fellow was going to do with it. Across the plain was a clump of timber, to this he went and then under a tree I saw two poor old does dying of thirst. The old roo went to each a gave her a drink and then took a big swig himself after which he hung the bucket on a branch of the tree." As Frank finished there was a pause until someone said, “What next Frank". “What next you chaps, oh well I said to that old roo, look here old chap you’ve earned that bucket and so you can keep it."

The station I was on had a very large number of sheep and at shearing time forty shearers were employed besides rousabouts and scour men. We cattle men had to go in at shearing time and lend a hand. One shearing I had charge of the store and hard work indeed it was. I was responsible for all stores issued to the messes. Kept the men’s accounts, weighed the wool bales and gave delivery to the teamsters. I worked day and night for six weeks and was glad when shearing was over. Another time I did the droving, bringing in the sheep from

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the musterers to the woolshed and returning the shorn sheep to the paddocks. The drives were very long as some of the paddocks were over twenty miles away. It was hard work indeed for two men to take through a paddock already full of sheep a mob of ten or twelve thousand without getting “boxed". Another year I had charge of the yard work doing all the necessary drafting and keeping the shed full of woolly sheep for the shearers. This was also very laborious work necessitating being up at a very early hour and also working very late. The dust in the yards was very bad in fact so bad that a man told me one day that he swallowed dust all day and spit bricks all night. At last I applied for leave and with fifty pounds in my pocket started for Bourke on horseback taking the train there for Cootamundra on the southern line. Reaching Bathurst on Xmas eve I was told that I should have left the train at Blayney and taken the cross country train. I was taken to the stationmaster who being very busy had no time to attend to me till after the train had left. Realising this I at once made a bolt for it and rushed to the carriage I had travelled in from Bourke. Throwing my valise in through the window as the train moved I jumped through after it and although a policeman made a grab at me I succeeded in getting in thanks to the efforts of a young girl in the carriage who had also travelled from Bourke with me. We reached Sydney early in the morning. I was at once accosted by a man who took me to a very low sort of boarding house, here I had a wash and breakfast but not liking the place I left after paying my score and spent the day carrying my valise about the streets or sitting in the Domain. That night I left the city by train for Cootamundra taking coach, thence to Temora where my father was then Rector. I never went back to the Paroo but took up droving.

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Chapter 4

I spent a few months at the Rectory, Temora, and during my stay at home a great disaster befell the family. The Rectory, a new place, was totally destroyed by fire early one morning. My father happened to be away at the time and my sister and I managed to save the piano and a few other things but the rest of the family belongings perished. This was a great blow to my father. I began once more to cast about for employment and at last took up droving. My first trip was as an employee at thirty five shillings a week and find my own horse. We started overland from Temora to Bourke a journey of several hundred miles to take delivery of fifteen thousand withers and to bring them down to a station near Temora. Our journey overland was interesting and at times difficult. We passed through the towns of Grenfell, Forbes, Parkes, Nymagee, Cobar and Louth on the Darling River. Near the latter town we took delivery of the sheep on Winbar Station. Our return journey lay up the Darling River to through Bourke, thence up the Bogan River through Gongolgon, Nyngan, Parkes, Forbes, Marsden to Temora. The journey all occupied four weeks and the trip back with the sheep took us eighteen weeks.

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After my return I took droving contracts on my own account and took sheep to Goulbourn [Goulburn] for sale and also to other places. After some time a friend joined me in partnership and we undertook a contract of bringing to take delivery of a large mob of sheep in Queensland. We purchased horses and cart and engaged a cook and five shepherds and started overland on our long journey. After a week on the road we received information that the sale in Queensland was off and that we were to alter our course for Winbar Station on the Darling River to take delivery of fifteen thousand sheep there. The heavy rains made travelling difficult and in crossing the plains near Forbes we had great difficulty in getting through. Our draught horse proved a jib and so as he was a fine looking animal we traded him away to a roadside publican for a draught mare and a two good looking horses which proved to be very staunch and took us right through the trip. As the country was very soft for travelling we decided to get through to Cowra on the cross country railway line where we trucked our horses, twelve in number, our cart, men and sheep dogs. Reaching Bourke we spent three

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weeks on the town Common spelling our horses as there was abundance of grass everywhere and the sheep for which we had come so far were not yet shorn. Bourke at that time was in a flourishing condition. Stock and Station Agents being the principal people of the place. I had known Bourke for several years and had brought fat cattle from the Paroo River in my Station days. The year before our visit to Winbar for sheep a great flood which is remembered still created great havoc along the river and in the town of Bourke. All the rivers that fed the Darling North of Bourke come down in flood and for days the townspeople worked at building a dam around the town to keep the waters out. Business people, Bank Clerks and all able to work turned to with a will but the waters in the end prevailed and flooded the streets. I have been in Bourke in a severe drought and also seen it in flood time. The waters stretching across the great plains like an inland sea. One can readily understand how it was that the early inland explorers

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on their return gave out that the centre of Australia was an inland sea. They must have arrived on these plains at the time of a similar flood as visited Bourke in 1890. On my first droving trip up the Darling with sheep while feeding the the flocks along the bank of the river we came upon the ruins of a homestead. The house still stood but the flood waters had been almost to ceiling. In the rooms were the remains of furniture, a piano and everything that went to make a comfortable home all in ruins. It was truly a pitable sight.

We spent three weeks resting our horses which fattened quickly and were soon in good condition. One morning we sent our men out to muster them up to the camp but the horses could not be found and teamsters and others were met also in search of their horses. It appeared that the camel teams had entered the town and the camels being let loose on the Common it was the signal for all the horses in the vicinity to stampede. Men were met everywhere full of cursing and bitterness against the Afghans and their

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camels. Our horses with many others were found miles down the river. The poor mules in their fear had galloped most of the night and being in hobbles had cut their legs badly. It is on record that a teamster laden with wool got bogged on the main road. His horses at last refused to pull. Presently a team of camels came along. The horses as soon as they got a sight of them took the matter into their own heads and with a terrific plunge and pull hauled the waggon out and bolted out bolted up the road, it took the teamster all his time to get them to stop. Camels have their uses.

At last we packed up for our three days journey down the river to Winbar. The day we arrived there the shearers struck work. The strike of the wharf different Unions had been on for some weeks and owing to the Amalgamation of the various Unions the Shearers were called out. This meant great loss to us as the although shearing had been in full swing for some time the sheep we had come for had not been shorn and as we were to take delivery after they had been shorn the delay was vexatious.

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We had anticipated getting an early delivery and getting away on the road before the great move of sheep had commenced. This delay meant that instead of being about the first mob on the road we would be behind great mobs of travelling sheep and thus come short of grass on the stock route. We spent several weeks camped on the Station river and when shearing again started with non-Union men we assisted in mustering the sheep. I was given a fine old Station horse as a mount for the musters and a fine old fellow he was. His name was Trickett and he had won several Steeplechases in Bourke. One day I was asked to try him and so took him at the sheep yard fence. He flew it like a bird and we landed in a small yard but he took the fence back again beautifully although it was almost a standing from the middle of the yard. At last our sheep were shorn and we took delivery and got underweigh. All went well as far as Bourke. Our men were satisfied with us and gave us great satisfaction. Grass was abundant along the river as we were out on the great stock route which began at Bourke. Although when we left Bourke there was abundance of feed on the Common when we returned the ground every-

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where was as bare as the palm of one’s hand. Thousands of cattle and sheep had been on the move and the grass had gone. The day we arrived on the Common all our men with the exception of a boy and the cook struck. They had been got at by the Unions. This was very embarrassing as we had paid their fares out by train and had kept them for weeks in idleness owing to the delay we had experienced. We got hold of some lads quite inexperienced who agreed to join us and with these and very short handed we left Bourke. Our custom was to rise at the first glimmer of dawn, the cook who had the last watch would arouse all hands then. Breakfast would soon be over and consisted of fried chops damper bread, brownie (cake) and tea. While the shepherds were having breakfast the boy would be getting in the horses. Breakfast over we would saddle up and then we would let the sheep off camp in four mobs, two travelling either side of the road. We were bound by law to travel at least six miles a day. As soon as the sheep had left camp we would assist the cook in packing swags, etc., into the cart and about ten o’clock the cart would move off camp. The boy would drive the spare horses. I would One of us would go with the cook to put him on

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the next night’s camp about six miles on. The other would go from mob to mob to see how the sheep were faring and to give instructions as to how fast to travel etc. Arriving at the spot chosen for the night’s camp the horses would be taken to water and put on grass, in a dry season very often they would have to be driven a considerable distance for both grass and water and very often we had to open someone’s fence and quietly put them in on fairly good grass. As soon as the cook reached camp he would set to work at his cooking as the men always expected a nice hot evening meal. They carried their midday lunch with them. We would have lunch with the cook after which the boy would be sent on to report to the next station our approach it being required by law that at least twenty four hours notice be given before entering any run. This often meant a very long ride. I remember me having to ride thirty miles to a head station to give notice although the boundary was only twelve miles away and a boundary rider was stationed there. Some station managers make it very hard for drovers and there is very often bitter feeling

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between drovers and station hands. The drovers anxious for grass for their flocks resort to all sorts of devices to get it whilst the boundary riders have strict orders to keep the drovers as close to the road as possible. Travelling stock are allowed a chain or so on either side of the road. Our midday lunch over, camp is prepared for the sheep. For this purpose the camp is always chosen in a bend of a stream or on a fence, a corner of a fence being also welcomed. If in a bend a row of pegs or stakes carried for the purpose on the cart are driven in and to this is fastened single width calico, this stretches as far as possible across the bend and the cart and cook’s fires fill up the gap in this way with water in the stream a paddock is formed. With a camp like this the men have no watching to do. If the camp is in a straight fence, two wings of calico are run out from the fence and the men sleep at intervals across the front of the sheep but then it is necessary to have regular watches. Dogs are also made use of being tied at the ends of the calico fence to keep the sheep back. Camp being fixed we ride back to the sheep. At As soon as the sun gets hot about ten or eleven o’clock the sheep always begin to camp in the shade of the trees. The rule is to

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let them travel during the cool of the morning and thus get the most of the journey over before the midday camp. About three o’clock they begin to get restless and so if there is plenty of grass a steady move is made towards the night’s camp, which is reached just at sundown. Very often after seeing the cook on to camp we have to ride out on ahead to look out for grass and water for next day’s travelling as well as to pick out a suitable camp. In droving a great deal of riding is done and one becomes acquainted with every inch of the road. The strain is very great especially in a bad season. We were unfortunate in being behind several large mobs of sheep and were hard put to it to get grass for our horses let alone finding grass and water for our large mob of sheep. The day after we passed through the town of Bourke we camped in a lane. Close by was a public house. I made inquiries there as to grass for our large mob of horses. I found a man there who said he would put me on to a good thing. Mounting his horse he rode with me up the lane and shewed me a gate into the a paddock. “Put your horses young feller through there. The other drovers last week all put their horses in there." I thanked him and that night we put our thirty fifteen head in that paddock. Early next morning the boy could not find only one of the horses and we soon found that someone had in the night taken them out and taken them to the pound in Bourke. The wretch who shewed me the gate had been employed to catch drovers using the paddock and he had himself taken the horses to the pound. It cost us four pounds to release them and moreover our poor sheep had to stand the whole day in the lane as we were unable to move off camp. that The fellow who had pounded our horses fortunately for him kept clear of us. But the curses hurled at him by our crowd from the cook downwards were many and deep. As I have said our journey was made with under great difficulties owing to the lateness of our start. Grass was scarce from the time we reached Bourke and

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water as we progressed became also very scarce. Our poor horses began to suffer for want of feed. Very often we would have to take them several miles back on our tracks or on ahead for both grass and water. One day I found a very fine camp on a fence through which was some very fine feed for horses. That evening after dark we quietly cut the fence two top wires and strapping the others down we let our poor famished horses through where they soon filled their empty stomachs.

At another time I put all our horses through at into a paddock in broad daylight and was quite surprised to find the owner of the paddock standing by quietly observing me. All he said was “of all the cheek I ever saw or heard this beats all" but like the good fellow that he was he allowed our horses to remain. I was also very fortunate on another occassion during the same trip. After dark we put all our horses through a fence into paddock in which was abundance of dry grass. Early next morning before it was quite light two of the men and myself went to bring them out. As we were quietly going from one animal to another undoing the hobbles I was suddenly startled by a voice saying, “Well what do you mean by stealing my grass". Looking up I saw a man on horseback who proved to be the owner of the paddock but he also proved to be a good sort for I offered him a sheep as payment which he accepted, he also gave us a supply of milk and butter from his dairy. We had amusing experiences with sheep dogs during this trip. I owned a very fine animal which did the most of the work for some time, becoming very sore footed I had to get some leather boots made for him. This dog was very intelligent and would work till unable to walk any further. Passing through Nyngan I paid a pound note for another which proved a very fine and intelligent worker, but it only stayed with me two days and then returned to the man from whom I had bought it. No doubt that dog was often sold and as often made back to its original owner. That dog was a paying business and if alive now I would not be surprised to hear

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that it had been floated into a company. Several of our men purchased dogs of a sort in Nyngan. Most of them turned out miserable failures and had to be got rid of. One night after supper the dog talk got on to dog yarns. One lad said that his father had a bull pup once that was such a good worker that he used to work blowflies round a window pane. “Oh", said another, “that’s nothing I knew a fellow once that had a collie that could work a hen and fifteen chickens into a quart pot". After the laugh had subsided our old cook came to the fire and sitting down on a log said, “Now look here you fellows you never saw a good sheep dog in your lives. Why when I was shepherding in Riverina twenty five years ago you could see some fine dogs and make no mistake about it. I owned in those days a black and tan slut I called her Flora. One time I had a job helping a fellow take two thousand fat wethers to Goulburn. One day we were found in counting out that we were two sheep short of our right tally. At The boss was in a terrible way about it and could not make out how it was that we had dropped them. Presently I remembered that a week before we had passed through a small patch of fairly thick scrub and I was certain that we had lost them there. It was about forty eight miles back. I told the boss not to worry and I would send the old slut back for them. The boss reckoned the old girl couldn’t do it but chaps I knew she could and would so I told her where to go and off she went. Well to make a long story short we went on over six miles a day for another week and well into the second week after sending the slut back I was we were crossing a big plain, the boss had given up all hopes of seeing the two sheep and reckoned too that I had seen the last of my slut. Well as I was saying we were crossing the plain when I noticed away back on our tracks a peculiar cloud of dust. I drew the attention of the boss to it and we went back to meet it as it came along the dusty road. Now look here you chaps what do you think we found. Well so help me bob you can believe it if you like or not if you like but there was the old slut dragging driving one sheep

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in front of her and dragging the skin of the other behind her. She had found both and needing food had killed one but brought on the skin. By gum you fellows but these were dogs in those days and no mistake." After this yarn we all turned in convinced that all sheep dogs we had known had sadly degenerated.

At Nyngan we laid in a stock of stores as it would be a matter of weeks before we reached Parkes. I also as my clothing was almost done laid in a new supply. A week after leaving Nyngan our cook struck a roadside Pub and I had to go back for him, bundle him into the cart and drive on to camp and that day I had to do the cooking. The next day the cook was somewhat better and I left him to pack up and rode on ahead to see the country for grass, water and a camp. That night I got back to camp late and went to the cart for my swag and valise but alas they could not be found. The cook swore he put them into the cart that morning. Well I caught a horse and tired as I was after a long day’s ride rode back to the previous camp six miles back. Alas on reaching there I could find no sign of my property. I was wrath with the cook and also in dismay at my plight as I was wearing my oldest clothing which was just about done and all my new stock was in my valise. I was doomed to go these weeks in rags and tatters till we reached Parkes. Every day a fresh rent would appear in my pants and each night I would mend it up till at last I was a mass of cotton and had to move carefully. At night when on watch if near water I would wash out my only shirt and dry it by the fire. By the time we reached Parkes I was a sight remarkable sight. Having lost razors as well as clothing. Every time I mounted my horse some part of my clothing would go with a rip.

When we reached Parkes Common my partner who needed boots badly borrowed mine as they were fairly good and went into the town to get a pair. On his return I went in to get my clothes. I must have cut a pretty figure. Going to a drapers I bought a full rigout and asked the draper to let me change on the premises, this he agreed to and shewed me into a room. As I passed a bevy of girls they pulled their dresses aside much to my amusement. Changing my clothes I asked the draper to burn my rags. The transformation was great and I felt a new man in my

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new rigout. Many a drover has had amusing and exasperating experiences with cooks who make a point of pulling up at roadside pubs. I will never forget my predicament. While on the Bogan we lost two hundred sheep through the carelessness of some of our shepherds who went to sleep during midday camp and allowed the sheep to stray off camp. They were not missed till our next count. We always counted out of camp on Sunday morning. This would take about an hour and a half. I generally did the counting standing at an improvised gate made on the camp and calling out as I reached each hundred the word “tally", a man standing by would make a notch on a stick each time I called out. Not knowing exactly where the sheep were lost I went back with one of the men, a young fellow named Jack to locate them. Of course they would be in some Station paddock “boxed" with the Station sheep. Back we went looking through paddock after paddock and finally discovered them on Dandaloo run. We had the paddock mustered and as our own sheep were now about eighty miles ahead for we had been over a week looking for them and drafting them from the Station sheep, we arranged with another drover coming along who was bound for the same locality as we were to take them into his flock. Then we started to overtake our own camp. On the way we had a curious adventure. We stopped for dinner one day at Bulgandramine Public house and afterwards as we sat on the verandah two men rode up, one leading a very fine horse. They wanted to sell the animal for eight pounds. He was worth about twenty pounds of any one’s money and I hesitated as I did not like the looks of the two men. However my man Jack bought the horse and paid for it on the spot. That afternoon Jack rode his new purchase leading the other horses and was delighted with it. It was a very fine animal. That night we camped on the bank of the Bogan, and hobbled our three horses out. Early next morning Jack went for the horses and came back with only two, the new horse was away. We searched about and found his hobbles which had been taken off by someone. We also found tracks of men and horses and came to the conclusion that the horse had been taken by the men who had sold it. Reaching Parkes we put the matter into the hands of the police and a few days after we caught up to our camp we heard that the men had been arrested with the horse in their possession. Poor Jack had to go back as witness and lost not only the horse and his eight pounds but also his job with us. When leaving Jack said he

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was a fool for not letting me purchase the horse that day at Bulgandramine. As for myself I was glad I hesitated although that day that Jack owned the horse I must confess I had some hard feelings against Jack in being so smart.

We had with us as shepherd a young fellow who was rather slow and lazy. He was a terror to sleep and at the midday camp he would stretch himself out under a tree and forget all about his sheep. I generally left my old faithful dog at midday with this man as I could trust the dog more than I could the man. In fact it was through this fellow that we lost the two hundred sheep. I often advised this fellow to take care of sun stroke as he would lie asleep after the shade of the tree had shifted and several times I had to awaken him as he lay asleep in the terrific sun. One day I went back from the cook’s camp to start the sheep on. I found the men in great alarm. The sleepy fellow was ill, one said he had sunstroke, another was certain that he had been bitten by a snake. I found the poor chap in a great funk, he himself was certain that he had been bitten by some venomous reptile or [indecipherable]. He was covered with lumps and looked a pitable object. I was for a time uncertain as to what was the matter but gave him particular fits for being such a fool as to sleep in the sun. All at once it dawned upon me that he had “hives" and when I told the men their merriment was great. After eighteen weeks of travelling we at length reached our destination only to find that the Station owner for whom we were bringing the wethers was in difficulties, he had been unable to sell the sheep already in his paddocks on the completion of shearing and until they were sold he had no room for them. We were directed however to continue our journey to the mountains beyond Tumut where some country near Yarrangobilly had been rented. My partner went on whilst I stayed behind to bring on another seven thousand wethers off the Station. After mustering and getting delivery I set off with a new set of men and caught up to the other mob near Tumut. My flock being fresh I soon caught up to the weary flocks from Bourke. Our journey from Tumut among the mountains was very pleasant, grass and water being abundant. There was no need for long stages and so three or four miles a day was all we now need to travel. At last we delivered our flocks to the man in charge of the rented country and paid off our men by cheque. They at once left for Tumut. My partner, the cook, boy and myself spent Sunday resting. On the Monday we started for Tumut reaching there after two days travel.

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As we entered the town, the men met us with their cheques which they said they had presented at the bank but they were valueless. The cheques were drawn on the Station. On enquiry we found that the bank had foreclosed on the Station. The owner had had strikes of ill fortune and we stood to lose all we had. After some delay we obtained from the bank the money due to our men but my partner and myself being contractors went to the wall. Our contract had been lodged in the bank and according to the terms of our agreement we were to be paid at the rate of two pound and ten shillings a thousand per week and allowed on the road to draw on the Station up to seventy five per cent of the contract price. The bank offered us sheep to the value of the money due to us, some five hundred pounds or so but as we had no country to run them on and sheep were unsaleable just then we decided not to take the offer. We sold our plant and after paying all our debts, I faced the world with two horses and ten shillings. Soon It had been my intention if all had gone well to have sold out my share in the business and to have taken up church work and to study for the ministry. But now all my plans seemed frustrated. Soon after this calamity I received an offer from the then Bishop of Goulburn, Dr. Thomas, to go as Cathechist [Catechist] to Tumbarumba up in the mountains. His Worship expressed sympathy with me in my disappointment but urged me not to be despair and to take the offer he made me. I hesitated for some time but at last on the advice of my mother I consented and set out for Tumbarbumba. Thus I left a drover’s life and entered upon Church work. Needless to say a very great contrast in occupations but the life I had led as a Stockman and drover had brought me into touch with men and the experience I had gained was to help me greatly in the work which ultimately became my life’s work.

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Chapter V

Taking my two ponies I started for Tumbarumba from the town of Adelong where my mother then resided. My father had a few weeks previously gone to Northern Queensland to start a new Mission to the Aborigines there. He had urged me to join him but my reply was emphatic that I would never go as a missionary among the blacks. I reached Tumbarumba on a Friday and took up my residence in the Rectory which was unfurnished. I obtained a stretcher bed and a few cooking utensils and looked after myself. My salary was to be £60 a year and I had my horses to keep. Having been used to the saddle I found it very congenial while getting about the country. I did a deal of visiting and started services at several centres. This meant long rides each Sunday as I conducted services three times each Sunday at three different places. I liked the work and was shewn much kindness by all with whom I came into contact. I well remember visiting one locality where a clergyman had never been, the people were very poor and scattered. In one family I found nineteen members, the father being a pit-sawyer. With the eldest girl I entered into conversation and told her that I would hold a service in the neighbourhood once a month. “Oh", she said, “that will be nice. We have nothing to do on Sunday and a service will be just the thing to help us pass the time." When the first Sunday came for my first service at this place it rained and I hesitated at undertaking the eight miles ride through the wet but at last decided upon going and I was glad I did for I found quite a nice congregation awaiting me. The service went off nicely and I rode back to the town. But there was a sequel to that service. During the following week I heard that after it there had been a row and that there was a case in the local court of assault and battery. It appears that there was a long standing feud between the large family I have already alluded to and an old man who resided by himself in a lonely gully. He attended my service and on his way he was waylaid by the girl, who thought a service would help them to pass the time away, and her mother and badly handled and knocked about. I never succeeded in making peace between the parties but I did succeed in getting them to attend the services and not to molest each other afterwards. The people in the district were kindness itself and I would often return from a tour of visiting with my pockets crammed with pots of home-made jams and other gifts. Every Monday I was in the habit of visiting a certain old lady who over eighty years of age. The poor old soul would always give me a warm welcome and she dearly loved to have me sit by the fire side and sing Sankey’s hymns to her. I well remember one visit I paid her. As soon as I entered she said, “I have something so nice for you

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today". She then placed on the table the tea pot and taking off the lid she fished from out of the tea two eggs which she had cooked in the teapot with the tea. I ate the eggs and also drank the tea, but I must confess that I did not enjoy that tea for after she had poured out two cups she forgot which cup she had put sugar in as she did not take sugar herself. Taking a spoon she took up some tea and sipping a little dropped the rest back into the cup with the remark, “that’s yours" and handed it to me. That old dame smoked and took the pipe out of her mouth in order to taste the tea.

However I love the work, the place, and the people. Of course I had the usual troubles with choir and also with raising funds in order to pay our way but as that was the only parish work I have done I still look back to those days with pleasure. I was visiting a certain district one day when I met a man driving a team of bullocks. He accosted me and asked if I was Mr. Gribble. On my answering in the affirmative he said, “I want you to call at my place for I am Church of England but my wife is Roman Catholic. but I have had all the kids baptized in my own church but the missus she has had them all baptized by the priest too so you see they belong to both churches so mind you look us up". I did do but as the husband was always away on my visits the missus never seemed to be very pleased whenever I turned up so my visits there were very brief affairs.

One day on returning from visiting my flock I received a telegram from my father in North Queensland. The message was very brief, “Broken down in Cairns hospital leave everything and come".

I received it on a Friday and told my Church officers that I would start on Monday. I conducted my three services on the Sunday and at the evening service in the town the Church Warden presented me with fifteen pounds they had collected for me on the Saturday. I promised to return in about six weeks’ time.

On Monday I left and rode to Adelong to see my mother with whom I spent a night then took coach to the train at Gundagai where I caught the train for Sydney and reached there on Wednesday morning. I found that the steamer Cintra was leaving that afternoon for Cairns in Queensland and accordingly booked my passage. I found however that I had only enough cash to pay for a single steerage ticket.

The voyage up the coast was delightful especially so when we had entered the tropics. We reached Cairns on a Thursday and I was met at the wharf by my father’s assistant Pearson who took out to my father who had left the hospital and was staying at the State Nursery. He was delighted to see me but disappointed when I told him that I only intended

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remaining six weeks. The next day we went over to the Mission camp in the little Mission cutter named the “Hazelhurst".

Yarrabah at this time consisted of a tent, a small shed of saplings and iron roof and used as a dining room and blacksmith’s shop and close by an unfinished two-roomed cottage. The staff of four comprised my father, Pearson, Willie Ambrym, South Sea Islander and Pompo Katchewan, an Aboriginal of North Queensland. I found on arrival that the cooking was very bad and so took that department in hand at once. My father during those days frequently expressed his thankfulness for something like decent food once more. A week or so after my arrival my father being still far from well decided to journey by steamer to Townsville to see a Doctor and also to attend Synod then about to sit.

Before leaving Yarrabah he gave me an idea of his plans for the future of the Mission and also planned out for me a building to serve as a church school School Church and of which of which I was to set about the erection at once. I was still determined not to remain in Mission work but to return to my parish work in the Diocese of Goulburn. This grieved my father very much. The day he left just as he was about to step into the boat that was to carry him out to the steamer he turned to me and again urged me to remain permanently. I then promised to remain until he was able to return, he then left and we met no more. Reaching Townsville he became so ill that the doctors ordered him to Sydney to his family at once. Before he left Townsville for the south a meeting of the Mission Committee was held and it was decided to write to me and ask me to continue in the work. As my father left that meeting the telegraph messenger met him with a message from myself in which I agreed to remain indefinitely. Father left in due course for Sydney and after a year’s suffering he passed to his rest at his residence in Marrickville at the early age of forty five. He indeed laid down his life for the cause of the Australian black fellow. He lies buried in the Waverely [Waverley] Cemetery. He died on June 3rd 1893 just twelve months after his landing at Yarrabah to establish the Mission.

I must now go back a year or so in order to describe the beginnings of the Yarrabah Mission which was at first know as the Bellenden-Ker Mission.

For some years my father had been engaged in Parish work in the Diocese of Goulburn and while Rector of S. Paul’s, Adelong, he received a letter from his old friend the late Baron Von Mueller, then Government Botanist of Victoria. In that letter the Baron drew his attention

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to the Bellenden Ker district near the town of Cairns as a suitable locality for the establishment of a Mission to the Aborigines. Father at once obtained leave of absence from his parish and journeyed north at his own expense in order to investigate. He made a journey inland and also along the coast southwards from Cairns and then applied to the Queensland Government for one of two tracts of country, one being inland and the other on the coast. The land on the coast extending from Cape Grafton southwards to the Russell River was granted by the Queensland Government as a Reserve for a Church of England Mission to the Aborigines. He Returning to his parish at Adelong he at once sought the assistance of his church in this missionary venture. Six months however elapsed before he received any satisfactory reply to his many letters. At last on his threatening to go to Queensland and forming a committee of help there he received a reply to the effect that the new Mission would be recognized as a church Mission by the Australian Board of Missions but that the Rev. J.B. Gribble would have to be responsible for the financial part of the undertaking. This was quite enough for the Missionary and so he resigned his parish and went on a lecturing tour through Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales and raised the sum of about five hundred pounds. He then proceeded to Townsville where a Mission Committee was formed. In Townsville a small boat called the “Hazelhurst" was purchased for the use of the Mission, also a supply of tools and supplies. A young man named Tyson and a South Sea Island[er] had joined him in Brisbane. At last the little party landed on the shores of what is now known as Mission Bay on June 17th 1892. Its blacks were seen everywhere. Work was at once begun clearing the site for the settlement. After three weeks however Tyson gave up and retired. My father then continued the work with the two black boys until he at last collapsed and was taken into the Cairns hospital and from there he requested me to join him. I must confess that I took up the work reluctantly. and From the time I was eleven years of age my life had been connected with the various missionary enterprises of my father. I had seen the privations, sorrows, and troubles and persecutions that had followed the family through many years and I knew that in such a work for such a people little sympathy would be given and naturally I shrank from it. However I became convinced that it was plainly my duty to carry it on and so took it up and at the time of writing have been at the head of the work for seventeen years, years that have been full of adventure, trials, hardships and privations but signally full of God’s blessings.

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Immediately after my father’s departure we set to work on the erection of the School Church. This was to be on high piles, built of sawn timber obtained from Cairns. The dimensions were to be thirty feet long by twelve wide. I had had but little experience as a carpenter and my only help was the South Sea Islander Willie who had had less experience than myself. That little building cost me many an anxious hour. At night it used to be the wind would blow very strong and after every heavy gust, I would hop out of bed and go down and see if the building was shewing any signs of collapse. That building is still standing although it has been enlarged into a dwelling but it was the only building that survived without damage the great cyclone in 1906 when the Mission Settlement was practically laid flat. When the building was complete and ready for use we began to think about scholars for no blacks had up to this been seen about. Willie Ambrym and myself at last determined on a voyage in the “Hazelhurst" to the north and go up the Barron River and try and get into touch with the natives there. We had a fast voyage up the river and anchored our little craft about six miles up the stream, leaving Willie in charge of the vessel I set off by myself to search for blacks. After a long walk through thick tropical vegetation I at last struck the ocean beach and saw a few hundred yards away an old black fellow fishing. He made off into the scrub but I managed to get him to come back and accompany me to our vessel; arriving there I gave him a good feed that being the best way to a black fellow’s heart. After his meal he was to take me to his camp and so I set off with him about three o’clock. The day was excessively hot and I followed that old fellow mile after mile till sundown when in a thick patch of scrub he suddenly took to his heels and left me. So ended my first attempt to get into touch with the people for whose welfare we had come. Making my way down the river I reached the “Hazelhurst" and we returned to Yarrabah in a despondent state owing to our non-success. The day of our return I held a meeting for prayer and then we asked God whose work it was we had come to do to gather the people to us. A few days afterwards while the others were engaged at the work of clearing a patch of scrub for a garden I was on the ridge of the new School Church fixing a part of the roof when I suddenly heard a shout from the back. It came from three old blacks. I scrambled down from my roof and hurried to them giving them a warm welcome. A few presents in the way of tobacco and food soon convinced them of our friendly intentions but they gave us to understand that they were the only blacks in the vicinity. They came in several times and at last I offered to accompany them to their camp but they were not anxious for my company and I suspected that they were not telling the truth.

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However one day we were agreeably surprised to receive a visit from a number of young men and a little boy. These promised to bring in all their people the next day. They were as good as their word for about eighty Aboriginals old and young of both sexes put in an appearance the following day. That was the 12th of December 1892 just six months after the landing of the Mission party. We gathered there together and at once knelt down and asked God’s blessing upon the work of the Mission. That was the first service of any kind held with the Aboriginals but the daily services of the Church have been continued daily from that day up to the present time. We gave them a meal of boiled rice which we cooked in a kerosene tin. That feast was most amusing. I made the blacks sit in a circle and gave into the hands of each a supply of the food. Of course I began with the old women but as I proceeded one old fellow came and expostulated with me and gave me to understand that the men ought to be served first. I went my own way much to his disgust. Then we decided to start school, but this was a very difficult matter indeed as it was a great hardship for these children of nature to sit still for even ten minutes at a time. We were of course very poor at the time and could not afford to feed any blacks having barely sufficient for our own needs. However, we contrived to get them one meal a day. This was given them at midday and as soon as they finished their food I would start them at learning the alphabet. Thus our school had its beginning. In those days we could get very little work done by the blacks and as we were not in a position to make much in the way of payment for work done we missionaries wearily had to do all the work in the way of clearing, gardening, building and fishing ourselves. Our supplies came to us in those days from Townsville and consisted of flour, tea, sugar and tinned meats. Very often we would be completely out of provisions and then we would have to obtain food in the way of fish or an occasional wallaby would be shot. Once we were six weeks without any flour and our diet during that time consisted of boiled sweet potato tops and fish. We had a garden in which we had a patch of sweet potatoes but could obtain no tubers and in course of time we discovered that the blacks at night “bandicooted" the potato patch carefully removing the young tubers and covering up the roots again with the soil. These were hard days. I received that year no remuneration but kept my father’s salary of £200 going to him during his long illness as it was all the family had to depend upon.

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We finished the two roomed cottage and moved into it, glad indeed to get into some degree of comfort. Tent life had become very irksome owing to the heavy rains which were now in full swing day and night. It was astonishing the amount of work we got through in the way clearing the thick scrub land and building; having no horse we had to haul the logs ourselves and this tried us considerably. Snake were very plentiful, hardly a day passing but we killed one or two. We had a dog of a mongrel breed but a very fine snake killer, he spent each day snake hunting and seldom lost it when a snake when he disturbed. In addition to this dog we had a small terrier. One day the bigger dog discovered a huge black snake and at once set about killing it. The reptile made a splendid fight of it. The little terrier rushing down into the fray tried to assist the bigger dog, as quick as lightening the snake struck him and in about twenty minutes the little fellow was dead. We were doing a great amount of clearing and burning off. At night it was my custom to go round the different fires dressed in pyjamas and just throw the burnt log ends together so that they might be consumed. One night as I stood beside a fire I suddenly felt something run up inside the leg of my pyjamas. I at once grasped it from outside on the inside of my thigh. I was certain that it was a reptile of some sort for as a I held it I could with my fore hand feel its tail. Calling for help I contrived to get out of my garments and investigation shewed that I had crushed to death a small harmless lizard. Needless to say I gave up wandering about at night dressed only in pyjamas. I had at this time a hen sitting on some eggs in a heap of timber not far from my little cottage. One night I heard through my open door the noise of the young chicks just hatched. Jumping up I soaked some old biscuits in water and proceeded to the nest to feed the hen. As I knelt down in front of the nest I found the hen considerably agitated and discovered that I was kneeling almost on top of a large snake which was endeavouring to take a chick from under the mother. I dropped the saucer and did a record run back to my room. Sitting writing in my room late one night I noticed something unusual on top of my the books in the lower shelf of my library. I soon made out a huge brown snake quietly coiled up about two feet from me as I sat. He was soon dispatched.

This recalls to memory an adventure that befell one of my assistants. His room was next to my study.

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I was up late one night writing when I heard all at once a scuffle and a thud in the room adjoining. I called out and asked what was wrong and received as reply that nothing was wrong. Presently there was another thud so I went round to investigate and joined my assistant in the centre of his room despatching a large black snake with a steel ram-rod from a rifle. It appears that he was awakened by a noise from a cage of birds which he had placed on his table at the head of his bed. Jumping up he found the snake stretched across the head of his bed above his head top of the bed only a few inches from his head. The reptile had its head in the bird cage and had seized one of the birds and was endeavouring to drag it from out. Strange to say after despatching the snake we found that the bird was uninjured. On another occassion one of the ladies of the Mission having canaries went out one evening to bring them inside for the night. As she lifted the cage down she found it heavier than usual and so replaced it on the nail and getting a chair she looked into the cage and found a snake coiled up. It had swallowed the birds and had found it impossible in consequence to leave the cage. The alligators also proved a nuisance and so we tried to scare them off by shooting but we found it exceedingly difficult to hit them in a vital spot. We also tried poisoning but without any success. We found on one occassion that the brutes had killed one night a fine young bullock that had camped on the sandy beach. One of our horses was also severely mauled one night whilst down for a drink at the creek. I set baits of poisoned meal on sticks about the bay but when morning came a huge alligator was to be seen going from stake to stake like Oliver Twist asking for more. One day we discovered a huge alligator in the little creek close by. Taking Pompo with me we ran down with a rifle and a snider carbine. We both fired together and immediately my dog plunged into the stream, was seized by the alligator who at once made out of the creek to sea. On one occassion we killed a goat and hung a portion of the meat near some bushes about thirty feet from the sea beach. Willie Ambrym and myself concealed ourselves behind the bushes but although we waited a considerably time the alligator did not shew up. Becoming tired of waiting we left the spot and sauntered along the beach. We had gone about eighty yards when looking back I saw a dark object leaving the water and going towards the bait. We at once

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slipped into the scrub and crept back to our ambuscade just in time for the alligator was nearing the meat as it hung on the stake. I fired point blank at the brute just as it reached up for the bait. There was rush to the water and we after it but we were too late to get another shot. However some weeks afterwards the blacks found its carcase in the mangroves. It was about eighteen feet in length. James Noble on one occassion fired at an alligator which at once sank to the bottom and as blood rose to the surface James dived in and brought the body to the surface, it was nine feet in length. The same man later managed to spear an enormous alligator through the soft skin behind the fore leg with an ordinary three pronged fish spear which being very long prevented the animal making its escape up the creek as the shaft of the spear caught against the mangrove. A number of the Mission men tried to capture the brute alive but after spending the best part of a day in the attempt they had to shoot it. This alligator measured considerably over fifteen feet in length. Slowly we gathered the blacks around us and slowly but surely gained their confidence. They had some queer ideas as to our intentions towards them. From the bech-de-mer [also spelt beche-de-mer] fishermen and other whites they had been led to believe that we missionaries intended to take all their children away from them to another country and this idea was long held by them. Several times we were left suddenly without a black about, something had scared them and off they had gone. At last a man named Menmuny and who had great authority amongst the blacks visited us early one morning and wanted to know if he could stay with us and if he came could he leave us at any time. He seemed pleased when I replied in the affirmative in each case. A few days afterwards he came bringing his three wives and several children. Thus it was that King John Menmuny of Yarrabah joined us. Many years have passed and still he is amongst us faithful and helpful. John in the early days at Yarrabah was however a hard case. He was a notable man among the blacks far and wide and a redoubtable warrior and also a cannibal. In 1891 Early in the year 1892 just a few months previous to the starting of the Mission, John was concerned took part in the last act of cannibalism in the Reserve. Belonging to the Goonganji tribe were three old men who lived for the most part alone. They were noted cannibals and held in dread by all. Their custom was to

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pick a quarrel with a well conditioned man and sooner or later they would way-lay him and despatch him. At last they I have as a curio the shin bone of a man whom these wretches killed, cooked and ate. They way-laid him on the beach being wounded the poor fellow ran into the sea where he remained till night, the old men keeping watch on the beach. The night was cold so they lit a fire and invited the poor fellow out saying that they were now friendly and would not further injure him. He came out to the fire when they at once despatched him. The body was taken through the scrub. After the feast a shin bone was placed in the fork of a young tree and in course of time the tree growing enclosed the bone which projected each side of the stem. This I had it cut down and placed in my collection of curios. The daughter of that the man killed on that occassion lives still at Yarrabah. At last the three old men quarrelled with John and Alick Bybee each of whom knew that he was doomed unless they could in some way circumvent their enemies. John arranged a grand corroboree to be held at what is now now as known as Leper Bay. To this corroboree dance he invited the Yetinji and Yerkanji tribes the one from the Mulgrave River and the latter from the Barron. At that time a bech-de-mer Schooner called the “Griffen" entered this part of Cairns in order to pay off her aboriginal crew who all belonged to the Barron tribe. The Captain lent the blacks two whale-boats in order that they could convey to their camps the supplies they had purchased with their wages in Cairns. The invitation to the great corroboree reached their people just as they arrived in the boats so it was decided to go across the Inlet in the whale-boats. The three tribes gathered at the appointed spot and the three old cannibals unsuspectingly also joined us. At a given signal they were surrounded and old John in describing the scene said, “Very soon them three fellers full up spear, all same porcupine. I been stick in first fellow spear alonga one man and he run away. I been find him underneath big rock. I being sorry for that fellow but suppose we no kill him well then he kill me so I been finish him". The boxes of that old man are still under that rock. The bodies

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of the other two were given to the men from the Barron river who at once proceeded to cut them up a placing the flesh on green leaves in the whale-boats returned to their own territory, washing out the boats they then returned them to the Schooner. The daughter of one of those slain on that occassion has often described the scene to me and how she stood by with other children and saw the body of her father cut up and taken away. The natives attached to the mission at this time for the first two years numbered about eighty. They camped near us on the beach. Very frequently they would leave us and make their camps at different places on the Reserve. I got them into the habit of telling me when they intended moving and in course of time this grew into asking for permission to shift camp. Later on it came about that the adults would move away leaving the children with us. Soon after the blacks came in to our settlement I went with Willie Ambrym on a walking tour right through the Reserve. We journeyed first towards C. Grafton and then cut across the Cape to the open ocean. We had King John with us as a guide. Our first stoppage was at the camp of an old man named Woopah, here we found one of his wives with a broken arm, the bones being badly smashed. The old man volunteered the information that he had broken his wife’s arm with by throwing a rock at her. I cut some rough splints and bandaged it up, for which the poor thing was very grateful. We spent three days on our tour and penetrated the scrub right to the south end of the Reserve. Here on a large creek called by the natives Buddabahdoo we found a large party of blacks. By these we were shown the old camp of a white man who had been killed there by the blacks two years previously. The Reserve I found to be consist of many thousands of acres of good scrub land, beautiful running streams and fine open country for stock. We returned to the Mission delighted with the country. Our work at this time consisted of clearing land, gardening, teaching, attending the sick in the camps and two services daily. Our time was fully occupied and when night came would feel utterly worn out but the life was full of interest and variety. One day I found a woman at the camp with a broken leg. Enquiry shewed that she was the sixth wife of an old brute who had in a fit of rage heaved a log at her and broke the leg just above the ankle. I took care of her and in course of time she survived and returned to the camps. She was a poor half witted thing and led a miserable life between her husband and his other wives. Some

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few days after her return to the camp I went down to see them all and found her in great pain and learned that her husband had given her a kick on the leg and had broken again the newly knit bone. I had all my work over again. This man was continually ill treating this wife. One day when just about to sit down to dinner I heard screams of a woman from the camps. Seizing a stock whip I rushed down and found this old fellow belabouring the poor creature with pieces of wood snatched from the fire. I reached for him with the whip and got one strike home when he made off. He never ill used her again near the Mission Settlement. Billy Woopah the old man who murdered the white man Townshend on the reserve in 1890 was also for sometime somewhat of a trouble. He had considerable influence among the blacks and was a noted medicine-maker. He had two wives, one young and the other very old. On one occassion he left the settlement and went south to the Russel [Russell] river taking the younger wife with him and leaving the old woman at the mission. He was away three months and during that time we supplied the old wife with food and tobacco. One day I was startled by a great din and commotion at the blacks camp and going down found the old woman prostrate on the ground and bleeding from a cut on the top of the head. Woopah acknowledged to having given her a gentle reminder with a billet of wood because she had not saved any of the tobacco she had been receiving for her lord and master. I was very angry and ordered the old fellow up to my house, he refused to go and was somewhat cheeky. I at once seized hold of him and lifting him off his feet started off with him. His young wife whose broken arm I had attended to some months before followed us and showered me with sand. However I reached my room and landed him inside where I gave him a good lecture and he expressed sorrow. Meanwhile the old woman was being brought up to have her wound attended to. As Woopah left me he met them bringing his old wife up and the old rascal knowing no doubt that I was watching put his arms around her and shed what I am certain were crocodile tears. The old fellow’s pride however had been hurt. I had carried him like a baby and he at once disappeared a week afterwards. I heard that he was returning with a party of southern blacks from the Russel River and that he had make his camp three miles off. Our native lads obtained leave to visit his camp but came back hurriedly with the news that Woopah was angry and had sent me a message to go and meet him and have it out. After mature consideration I decided that

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I would go and so set off alone just putting a few sticks of tobacco in my pocket. As I emerged from the thick tropical scrub on to the bank of the stream where they had made their camp I came suddenly on some blacks fishing and I noticed a figure make off rapidly towards the low humpies a little distance off. Greeting the men near I asked for old Woopah and with a smile one of the strangers pointed to the humpies and there I found him. My sudden appearance had been too much for him and he had got into his humpy. Going to him I said, “Well Woopah here me, what you want", his reply was very humble, “Me been want little bit bacca boss". Woopah never troubled me again and became quite an ordinary old man in every one’s estimation. I was at this time chief cook and used to make yeast bread which I would set over night. I was much amazed however to frequently find that someone had uncovered the dough and taken a quantity away. At this time too at night we had on several occassions been all alarmed by the reports that the Russel River blacks where [were] hanging about the settlement. We would be in the little school-church at evening service when the blacks in the camp would raise the alarm and out all would rush and with fire sticks and yells chase imaginary Joes. I would at once go to see my dough and always found some gone. I noticed at last that King John’s eldest wife never went to church and also that she always gave the alarm that strange blacks where about and I at once suspected that she was the thief and that there were no wild blacks about. I fancied too that old John was likewise in the know. One evening instead of going to my house when the alarm had been made I went at once to John’s camp and looking round noticed a strange looking mound of ashes in the fire. Turning it over I found my missing dough. I at once called out to John and his wife and shewed them what I had found. He at once became very angry with me and said, “What for you been think’um my wife been take’em", thus giving the whole show away. I was naturally amazed and determined to put a stop to the thieving. John became very excited and actually threatened me with a native sword, a huge wooden weapon. I at once seized one end of the uplifted sword and hung on to it wishing heartily for some assisting. I called out to Willie Ambrym and had hardly got the words out when I heard someone speak excitedly and a gun was fired close to the back of my head. John let go the sword and made a rush at poor Willie who was standing behind me with the gun. He had heard the commotion and had rushed down with his old gun, reaching the scene he called out, “Who kill’em master" and in his excitement had unwittingly touched the trigger. Old John

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Old John coolly said after the excitement had abated, “My word Willie you been close up kill’em boss that time."

John Menmuny when he joined the Mission was a much married man and rejoiced in the possession of three wives, all sisters. The eldest who had four children gave her lord and master somewhat of a hard time being very jealous of her youngest sister. One day a row started at the blacks’ camp and going down at once I found the eldest wife lying on the ground a bleeding from a nasty cut on the temple, close by was an empty kerosene tin. The husband sat beside the fire looking very wrath. On my asking who had hurt the woman, he gruffly replied, “me fella". I at once gave him a good talking to. The old man listened to me for some time very quietly and then rising to his feet said, “look here Misser Gribble that one woman own fault, I been chuck’em kerosene tin and she been get alonga in front, that all". Needless to say I had no answer to the logic of the statement. It was somewhat of an ordeal to conduct a service on a hot day with about a hundred aboriginals gathered together in our little school church, thirty feet long by twelve feet wide. The habits of the people were very disgusting and they particularly amazed me by their habit of spitting about the floor. I at last got them into the habit while the service was going on to go quietly to the windows and spit out. I got quite used to this. One day I journeyed to Cairns and took John Menmuny with me. While at Cairns we attended service at S. John’s Church. John sat well up near the pulpit and his Amens were very loud and distinct. At the Evening Service however John completely upset my peace of mind, he occupied a seat at the end of pew furtherest from the wall where there was an open window. During the Sermon the old fellow got up and politely pushed his way past the other occupants of the seat to the window and put his head out for a second and then returned to his seat. Of course his movements excited amusement. After the service the Rector asked him why it was he moved about during Church. John replied, “I been go alonga window spit of course, no spit alonga floor along house belonga God". He also said that he liked white people’s Church alright but that they went too fast. “When I been say “Our Father" you been say “Amen". John has long occupied a dignified position at Yarrabah and it is a treat to see the old man presiding at the Court which meets once a month. He is very fond of making a speech and is always long winded. On one occassion John had to sentence two small boys to do two hours pack-drill or in other words sentry go on a Saturday afternoon

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for some misdemeanour. John understood the meaning of a pack horse but was puzzled as to what was meant by pack-drill and so after a pause he at last solemnly announced to the boys that they would have to do two hours “pack horse" on Saturday afternoon as punishment for their misconduct. At the public meeting at which John was formally appointed as King of Yarrabah he made a speech as follows – “Now you people I am your King, not a jump-up King like them black fellows that got a brass plate on their neck but a proper fellow King. I have got a lot of people to look after and when you have any trouble with anyone leave it to me for I am King. When your wife growl do not hit her but leave it to me. When anything go wrong leave it to me and I will leave it to Mr. Gribble."

John is now a regular communicant, two of his former wives have married other men and it is indeed a treat to see the old fellow take his proper seat in Church at the daily services, resplendent uniform or to see him as with great dignity he takes his place as president of the Yarrabah Court. A very important duty falls to him at the court and that is the signing of his name to the minutes of the meetings. The signing takes a long time as his fingers are more fit for the holding of spears and boomerangs than a pen.

I remember once during service that as I was speaking about the creation and trying to instill some idea of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man that John interrupted me with the query, “I say what name that first fellow man and woman, black fellow or white fellow?" I made my talk very long that evening and blamed Ham the son of Noah for all the black people. I satisfied my questioner but not myself.

Returning home one day after two days’ absence in Cairns I found that a strange black fellow had in my absence visited the camp and carried off one of the school girls across to the other side of the bay. Taking John with me I set out in the dingy and found this man’s camp at a place called Bolborroo, the little girl Jinny was pleased to see me and at once got into the boat. The man Gomerie ordered her out. At once John confronted and said, “look here Gomerie new way now, I help Missionary and so Jinny go back to Mission". Yes, King John of Yarrabah has proved a most faithful friend in many a trying time. For some time John was my only assistance on the Mission boat and many were the adventures we had together but these must be related in another Chapter.

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However in 1893 I received a communication from the Committee informing me that at their last meeting a resolution had been passed that at the Mission be closed as far as that Committee was concerned and that Mr. Gribble be instructed to make his position known to the Authorities in Sydney. I was also informed that any debts I contracted after a certain date would be on my own responsibility. I at once journeyed to Cairns and sent a telegram to the Secretary of the Executive of the Australian Board of Missions making the position of affairs known. I received in reply, “Can you hold the post on ten pounds a month but feed no blacks." I replied in the affirmative. For two years the Mission was carried on that sum, seventy children were fed, clothed and housed and about sixty adults helped also. Early in 1894 the staff was reinforced by the arrival of Miss Maspero, a deaconess from Sydney who came to bear company with my noble Mother upon whom a great deal of heavy work rested. Many times she had been all alone with blacks only about while I was away up the coast or away inland visiting the different blacks’ camps. Very often I would be away weeks at a time. Miss Maspero’s arrival gave us both great satisfaction. A few months afterwards I received help in my own detachment by the arrival Mr. C.B. Elwin who on his way to his work in Papua after sick leave had been requested to break his journey and join me at Yarrabah for a term. At the time of Elwin’s arrival the settlement consisted of the School Church and Mission House of four small rooms with small bush dwellings about occupied by the black children and others. Elwin and I at once set about the erection of a kitchen and dining room as we were overcrowded and the ladies found the small cooking shed very trying to work in. Our new kitchen was a very primitive affair built of heavy slabs with iron roof and the floor being made with sawn blocks and which was somewhat uneven. But we thought it a very fine building in those days and it did service for many years. As Elwin was with us only temporally two young men were sent to join the staff, Messers W. Reeves and C. Herbert, the former was a stone-mason by trade and came to us from Wagga Wagga in the Diocese of Goulburn in New South Wales, Herbert was a German and a joiner by trade. Soon after their arrival I journeyed to Sydney leaving Elwin in charge till my return. I reached Sydney in due course very early in the morning and was handed a letter from the Primate, then “Bishop" Saumarez Smith asking me to take a cab a go at once to his lordship’s residence at Darlinghurst as his guest. I did go and was most kindly received by the Primate and Miss his sister, Miss Snowdon Smith. I can never forget the kindness of the late Archbishop of Sydney to me in those far back days and his kindly interest in myself and the Mission.

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When I arrived at “Greenknowe" I found the Primate a breakfast. Hearing my ring he came himself to the door and warmly welcomed me. After breakfast, calling me into his study, he said, “now how much money have you? You cannot have much". I shewed him all I had – ninepence. Then handing me a cheque for £10 all ready drawn out, he said “There is a little amount from myself to spend as you like on yourself". I thanked him as well as I could for such kindness I had not expected. All through my work and the many trials and difficulties of many years I have always felt that I had in His Grace the late Archbishop of Sydney a father indeed to whom I could go for advice and sympathy. Soon after my arrival in Sydney a big missionary meeting in association with a week of Self Denial for Missions was to be held at which I was to speak. The Archbishop being anxious that I should acquire myself with credit to the Mission put me through a somewhat trying ordeal. Placing me on the balcony overlooking the lawn he went down and stood on the tennis court and ordered me to make a speech on the Mission. I have always been nervous as a speaker but that has been the most trying time of my life as regards public speaking. He then directed me to spend the day quietly and to make notes for my speech in the evening. However the meeting went off well and I spoke for three quarters of an hour to a crowded hall and pleased the Archbishop.

Shortly after I was ordained deacon by the Primate in S. Andrew’s Cathedral on S. Thomas’ Day 1894. Early in January 1895 I returned to Yarrabah. Soon after my return Elwin went on to his post in New Guinea. During my absence he had worked well and unselfishly and I was sorry indeed to part with him. He had had difficulties with some members of the staff which were at times being amusing although very annoying. One who was a somewhat consequential individual set himself against authority and when I returned I found this individual in a very trying condition of mind. He informed me on one occassion that God had given him brains and he meant to use them and if he was to do so much carpentering work, he would have no time to mission and it was in vain that I pointed out to him that he had been engaged as owing to the fact of his being a carpenter and joiner and also that all work done on such a place was missionary work and I also pointed out how invaluable he could be in training some of our young lads as carpenters and builders. This man proved a thorn in my flesh for several months and eventually set himself in open defiance to my authority and even attempted to incite [?] enmity between the people and myself. He was a splendid musician and if anything went wrong with the singing during service he would turn round a glare at the congregation or bang the notes all his might. At last he would not attend any service whatever. About this time we were erecting

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enlarging the Mission House by the addition of two rooms, this man of course being the builder. One day he had occassion to saw off a projecting piece of timber and with this object in view placed his ladder against the piece to be sawn off and set to work quite oblivious to the fact that he was sawing himself down. Presently there was a crash and down came man and ladder. I am afraid that as soon as I saw that he was not seriously hurt I laughed, at any rate he gave me a raling as if it was my fault. Things went from bad to worse until at last I lost all patience with him and at dinner one day after he had grossly insulted one of the ladies present I seized him by the neck and the seat of his pants and dropped him over the verandah on to the ground. He at once threatened vengeance and wrote a letter of one hundred and fifty pages foolscap to the Primate complaining of my treatment of him. I wired to Sydney for his recall and in due course he left us after being on the place six months.

About this time too my lady assistant, the deaconess also left. My staff soon consisted of my mother, and Mr. W. Reeves and Willie Ambrym. One cannot mention Reeves without a feeling of deep love and respect. A self-educated man who had had a hard life from childhood, he had worked himself up by his own efforts to a respectable position. For seven years he had been Superintendent of S. John’s Sunday School, Wagga Wagga in the Diocese of Goulburn. From there he volunteered for work at Yarrabah. He was a good musician and a born mechanic and withal a more humble minded man it would be hard to find. For eleven years he stuck to his post and proved through those trying years a friend in the truest sense of the word and a valued and efficient helper. To this day his earnest addresses are remembered by many at Yarrabah. He had always been a delicate man and it was said when he first joined the Mission that he would not live six months in the tropics. In course of time he married my second sister. At the end of about eleven years work, I insisted upon his taking a holiday and so he with his wife and baby girl went to Sydney obtaining three months leave of absence. At the end of two months however he insisted upon returning to Yarrabah in order to enable me to proceed on my first overland missionary journey to the Mitchell River in 1905. He took charge during my absence and but alas consumption had its grip upon him and at the time of the great cyclone in 1906 he passed to his reward. For months he had lain ill devotedly cared for by his wife and in the midst of friends. During the night that fearful night of storm and destruction he lay in his little home while all the men on the settlement spent their united efforts in keeping a roof over him while all the other buildings were blown down. Early in the morning in the quiet that follows a storm he passed peacefully away. His memory is still treasured and his loss is still felt by us all.

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In April 1895 my marriage took place and a few months afterwards Mr. Elwin returned from New Guinea to my assistance in the work at Yarrabah. He did good work for a year and then entered Moore College, Sydney in order to study for Holy Orders. I missed him very much and regretted his departure as he was a splendid worker in every department. The friendship formed there still exists stronger than ever and although years have passed since he left us yet his interest is still keen in the work at Yarrabah. One could fill several Chapters with an account of the men and men who from time to time have joined the Mission staff. Many come and finding the work hard and uncongenial soon retire. They had not counted the cost. At a distance perhaps such a work has something romantic about it. But there is very little of romance and a great deal of hard work, privations, difficulties, misunderstandings, and disappointments and worries but thank there are also many blessings, the work is God and He provides many compensations to the faithful and earnest worker. It is astonishing how soon palms begin to look like other trees and how soon black faces begin to pall but if the heart is light and everything is met in a brave spirit and with a deep trust in God the work and all its many problems and difficulties becomes the joy of one’s life.

One lady who had offered for missionary work was so disappointed on arrival that she resigned one hour after arrival. Her objections to the place were many – the house in which she was horrified at the idea of sleeping in the same building as the black children at the children’s home. Of course she was not expected to live in the same room with them. After seventeen years I can look back however and with thankfulness for and deep appreciation of the efforts of very many who came to our assistance. I have already mentioned a few but one cannot forget the Rev. E.S. Chase who on two occassions came to give a year’s work and who is today one of the staunchest friends of the Australian black fellow and who for a short time was in charge of the new Mission on the Mitchell River. Then there was Mr. L.C. Ferris now a clergyman in Victoria who in his young days gave several years to work at Yarrabah. Then Mrs. Reeves, Miss Monaghan, Miss Colyer, Mr. J. Elwebber who all gave their time and ability to the cause of the Aboriginal of Australia.

I must not forget a word of tribute to my wife who worked nobly and well till her health failed. My mother also who for nearly thirty years has done much and endured much and is still in active work at Yarrabah. She is verily the “Mother of the Mission". Then there is Mr. B.S. Cole who has worked nobly for five years and is still at his post. Mr. and Mrs. Gosper who have been connected with the Mission for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Jones

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and the Rev. G.W. Morrison, M.A., new members of the staff and all nobly working in the Master’s cause. Nor must I forget Dr. Bernard who gave the last year of his life without earthly rewards to the work and who now is buried in the Yarrabah Cemetery beside Mr. Reeves in the midst of a number of those for whom they worked and whom they loved.

Space too must be left to record the work of the late Nurse Thompson who, invalided from New Guinea, spent five months of self denying and earnest work. Of her it may truly be said that in a short time she accomplished much and her work still bears fruit. When I first took up the work from my father he said “as the years go by many will join you as workers and but few will remain but do not be disheartened for here and there will be found those who will give themselves wholly to the work." So much for the noble band of whites who from time to time have come to the assistance of those bearing the heat and burden of the day and have nobly fulfilled their duties, but one must not pass over those other valued helpers who from time to time have arisen from amongst our people and have by their work and example done much to make Yarrabah what it is under God today. Most of these are still living and working but I must place on record Ruamey, one whose memory is cherished and loved still. In S. Albains [Albans] Church, Yarrabah, there is to be seen a memorial tablet inscribed with these works,

“Sacred to the memory
of Sister Lizzie
The first Matron of the Yarrabah hospital
who died on

“Thy work shall be rewarded"

And who was Sister Lizzie? Only a poor half-caste aboriginal and yet she laid down her life for another in the faithful discharge of her duty. Lizzie joined the Mission from Brisbane in the year 1900. Poor girl, she had had a sad life but had found in Christ comfort and joyousness. Soon after she arrived at Yarrabah, we admitted to our hospital a poor aboriginal girl of about thirteen years of age dying from a nameless disease. Only a mere child and yet doomed to a most loathsome and agonizing desease. When I was asked to admit her from a far inland town, I at first hesitated knowing the risk we ran but then what would Christ himself have done? Did not the Mission exist for such poor forsaken and suffering ones. So we took her. It was a shocking case. Poor Jinny all that could be done was done for her and she found herself among friends, true friends at last. Soon after her admittance to the hospital, a volunteer

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to nurse her was called for and Lizzie at once undertook the case and nobly did she do her duty. In course of time Jinny died after having been taught by my mother and Lizzie. But the latter had nursed the case only too devotedly and well and she contracted desease which sealed upon her lungs and soon, very soon, she was in rapid consumption. All through her illness however she never complained, not uttered one word of regret at having down her duty to a suffering sister. Poor girl the day before she died she had been feeling bright and had some of the girls around her to whom she distributed her little belongings. At last it proved too much for her, bursting into tears she said, “but I would so much like to live for I am only young yet". The next day being Sunday she asked to be placed on the verandah so that she could hear the singing during service in the Church. At that service her favourite hymn was, “The King of love my Shepherd is". Before leaving her for the service I had a prayer with her and also at her request read one of her daily text books, the passage for that day, “Thy work shall be rewarded". During service I was sent for and was only just in time to commend her spirit to God. Surely her work shall be rewarded.

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Chapter 8

During the years early years of the Mission a deal of itinerating work was done among the blacks along the coast and also inland. This visitation of the tribes did a deal of good and as the years progress many whose friendship we then secured eventually threw in their lot with us and settled at Yarrabah. The visits along the coast were made in the Mission cutter and the journeys inland were made mostly on foot. Many were the shocking cases of desease met with and the confidence of the natives was soon gained by the means of the simple remedies we carried. But oh the awfulness of what we saw. Girls nay mere children suffering from venereal desease in all forms and rotting slowly away. Men, women and children falling victims to the drink white man’s grog and vice and the Chinaman’s opium. This latter has accounted for and is accounting for the disappearance of the Aboriginals. The Chinese entice the blacks about their plantations with this opium. The refuse opium that is the scrapings of opium pipes and opium ash is all saved by the Chinese and made into small balls and given to the blacks, this is dissolved in water and drunk. I have witnessed mothers giving this vile poison to their infants. The blacks soon have developed a strong craving for this opium and will stop at nothing to obtain it. Every sixpence they earn goes in the purchase of it. Many have been rescued from this evils of the opium habit by the Mission and many a sad case has come under our notice. We admitted to the Mission several lads from the Mulgrave river all of whom were addicted to opium. They remained with us for several months and then became restless and their cravings for the drug very strong. In a weak moment I allowed once a lad of about fourteen to leave the station to go and visit his own tribe. However he promised faithfully to return in a few days. As he did not return I went in search of him and found that he had died the day previous. He had gone into Cairns and by working had earned a shilling which another aboriginal had induced him to spend in the purchase of opium charcoal which they prepared and consumed. Early next morning the poor lad was found in a dying condition. Once I was in Cairns on business and passing up the main street was accosted by the keeper of a small shop and asked to

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go through into the back yard. There I found a black fellow named Jerry in a dying condition. It appears that he had gone into the backyard of a big business place and had poured water into a brandy cask and after swilling one of the barrels had then poured the liquid into other casks which stood about, this mixture he then drank. He at once became ill and a few moments after my arrival he died. I at once went back to my boat and with my boys help carried the body to our vessel and taking it across the inlet delivered it to the relatives at the blacks’ camps. They at once set about drying the body over a smoke slow fire, a most disgusting business which occupied several days and the stench in the vicinity of that camp was horrible and yet the women engaged in those operations would go into the town each morning and work at the houses returning at night to go on with the work of drying and embalming that body. I remember witnessing on one occasion in 1893 the operation of embalming or drying the bodies of two children. The bodies were first of all buried for two days near the camp then exhumed, the outer skin was peeled off and the bodies placed on a platform over a slow fire. Then while the fires were the juices exuding from them were caught in vessels and rubbed upon the heads of several adults and to the accompaniment of dancing and singing. After the bodies had been well dried they were tied up in strips of lawyer-cane and painted with red ochre and, placed in dilly bags, were carried about with the tribe. The skull bones were worn round the mother’s necks. For several months the bodies were kept carefully and during that time those upon whose heads the fat had been rubbed were not allowed to wash or cut their hair. The final ceremonies were very weird. The tribe gathered at Yarrabah on the site where our store now stands. Those with the long hair sat beside a fire while the rest danced and sang. The two bodies being frequently passed from one to the other during the dancing. I watched the performance for several hours. At sunrise the ceremony terminated. At daylight a girl sprinkled all the principal actors with clean water and as the sun rose above the horizon the bodies were placed on the fire and a man standing beside each of those whose heads had been anointed with the human fat at once with glass cut off the long hair which was carefully placed in a dilly bag. Then as the bodies were consumed all gave way to expressions of deepest sorrow. Women wailing and men sitting apart silently weeping. The hair was sent to other tribes who sent back gifts of spears and dilly bags. A curious custom obtained in these C. Grafton tribes. On the birth of a child a portion of the cord was carefully saved and worked into a neckchief

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of human hair. This was sent from tribe to tribe and would be returned by each tribe accompanied by a gift of spears or dilly bags to the father of the child. Sad indeed has been the history of the disappearance of the aboriginals from parts of Australia but in no part are they doomed to quicker or more rapid extinction than in Northern Australia where the Chinaman’s opium is mowing them down in thousands each year. Of course attempts have been made to cope with this evil by Acts of Parliament but the evil is still in existence. A friend of mine once noticed that a Chinaman was in the habit of making regular visits once a week to a certain locality on the Cairns Railway. He always carried a basket containing a few graindallas [granadillas]. After a time his suspicions were aroused as he could not account for the man’s regular visits with about a shilling’s worth of fruit and so he overhauled the basket and found in each of the six graindillas, a small piece cut out and inside the fruit a ball of opium charcoal. At the end of the week he had been in the habit of visiting the camps near the railway and selling the fruit each containing opium to the blacks at sixpence each. Many of the women sent to us by the Police or the Chief Protector of Aboriginals had been taken from Chinese opium dens and these were extremely difficult to deal with but if we could get them to remain with us at least six months we always succeeded in getting them to overcome the craving for the drug. Some of our very best women at Yarrabah today have been rescued from this vice and all its attendant evils. However opium has not been the only evil we have had to combat. Often have we been asked by Europeans to admit to the Mission black Aboriginal girls in their employ about to become mothers and the desire would be expressed for their return after the birth of the child. We always refused to admit such but on the one condition that they should remain permanently with us. Many of these poor creatures were but children, in fact we have had several not more than thirteen or fourteen years of age. We received a letter from a place far inland asking us to receive an aboriginal girl. In due course she arrived and at once became very ill and was for weeks in our hospital. It appears that she gave birth to a child on a Wednesday and on Thursday travelled by coach and train to Cairns thence by boat to Yarrabah, poor girl hers was a sad and cruel case. Never will I forget that poor girl’s suffering nor yet her anxiety to avoid trusting others. May God grant that we have never and occasion to admit a similiar case to our institution.

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I have already alluded to the case of one poor girl who died most miserably from venereal desease. Her case recalls another in 1893. I heard when in Cairns for stores that an aboriginal girl had been discharged from the hospital and that she was suffering from a shocking desease and was incurable. I at once made enquiries and found her occupying an old disused fowl house. From the Cairns Hospital Committee I obtained a tent and the promise of medicine as she required it and took her over to Yarrabah in our little vessel. That journey in a very small open boat with the girl in such a shocking condition can never be forgotten. For several months the ladies of the Mission cared for her and taught her all that was possible to teach her of the love of Jesus and a short time before her death she was baptized. It was indeed a happy release when death came. She had been taken from the blacks when quite an infant and had been well fed and well clothed and well trained as a servant but her soul’s welfare had been ignored. In course of time there being no opportunity of a suitable marriage as she reached maturity she fell into evil habits and becoming deseased was sent to the Cairns Hospital from whence she was discharged incurable. She was now alone in the world without a solitary friend now that she was no longer useful. Thank God there was such a place for such poor creatures. Yarrabah has indeed proved a home in every sense of the word to many of these unfortunate aboriginal girls. One of our girls can remember seeing her parents and tribes’ people shot down when she was quite a child. She herself being spared by station people and taken into their home. Many blood curdling stories have we known and I will just mention one or two. Richard Yimbrengria, now a respected member of the Yarrabah Community and a licensed lay reader was, when a lad, taken from his country by the Captain of a bech-de-mer vessel on board of which he was for six years. On one occassion he offended the Captain in some way. The Captain had been a rope fastened to him by the neck. Dick was then thrown overboard and towed behind the vessel as sailed through the water. After a time he was taken on board in an exhausted condition. A schooner passed our bay one day in 1893 and disappeared round C. Grafton. Next morning I was surprised to find that during the night the Captain of the schooner had come back in a small boat and had taken from the blacks’ camp quite close to where I was asleep in my house, an aboriginal boy name “Pea-soup". He was surprised asleep in his humpy, handcuffed and taken off. Some years before the establishment of the Mission as some blacks were fishing on the rocks in the bay, a party of native police under a white officer suddenly appeared on the beach. All the blacks but one man succeeded in escaping up

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the mountain. The one man sought safety by swimming out to a rock in the water and getting behind it. The police then called him ashore promising him safety but as he left the rock he was shot dead and his body drifted out to sea. The daughter of that man was till her death one of our most respected women at Yarrabah and was the wife of Andrew Obah one of our South Sea Island teachers. Some years ago while in conversation with a pioneer of the Cairns district he asked me if the blacks ever told me any tales of their earlier experiences with the whites and I told him the above story. To my surprise he said, “I think I can fill in some of that story". Years ago it appears that the blacks up the Cairns Inlet were very troublesome to the timber fellers, robbing their camps during their absence at work. At last the timber getters complained to the police and a detachment went over to the locality to punish the offenders. They arrived at this man’s homestead and asked if there were any blacks about. The man informed them that there were a few up along the coast but that they could not be the offenders as they never ventured from their own district. However the party went in that direction and returned in the evening and reported that they had found some blacks and had taught them a lesson. The very next day however, the timber getters complained of further robberies and investigation shewed that a party of blacks from another locality and another tribe had crossed the inlet in canoes, committed the thefts and recrossed. In this case the innocent suffered for the guilty and that has often been the case in the history of the dealings between whites and blacks in Australia. I give the following story just as I heard it from the lips of a pioneer in the north of Queensland. He was sitting on a jetty awaiting a boat, as he waited an aboriginal man strolled up and entered into conversation. My informant asked him the name of his master, he replied and added, “my word he good fellow boss alonga my all [possibly Myall] black fellow, he make ‘em bush black fellow sit up alright. One day we been hunt ‘em cattle and we been see one black fellow boss sing out, stop but that black fellow he been clear out. We been gallop after him and bye and bye he been get inside log and leg belonga that fella been stick out. Boss get off horse and pull ‘em leg but he no come, bye and bye boss he big fella sulky and he take ‘em out knife and cut ‘em up leg and make ‘em come out."

Being in Cairns one day, and having Andrew one of our men with me I sent him to visit a camp of blacks near the town. When he arrived there he found the camp in a state of excitement. A Greek

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bech-de-mer fisherman was there trying vainly to induce some of the men to sleep on his vessel. At last losing his temper he threatened to bring the police to make them go. Andrew on this said that he could not make the men go and also that the police would not attempt to compel them to do so. This so exasperated the Greek that he drew a large sheath knife and struck at Andrew. Fortunately Andrew saw the movement and sprang aside but the knife passed through his shirt and made a slight cut through the skin across the front of his stomach, it was a very narrow escape. I reported the matter and the man was eventually fined 21/-.

The visitor to Yarrabah today would find it hard to believe that in our early days we had often witnessed fights among the blacks near where our Church now stands. I remember on one occassion after a fight seeing the beach strewn with broken shields and spears, on that occassion several were wounded. As a rule very little pain is done in a black fellow’s fight but on this occassion feeling ran very high and blood flowed. At that time I had on the Mission staff a lady who was very anxious to display her surgical knowledge and to use her surgical needles etc. Hearing of the fight and the wounds she hurried down and insisted upon stitching up the cuts. The men submitted patiently and after she had gone they generally took out the stitches and daubed clay into their wounds much to the disgust of our amateur lady doctor when she heard of it. On another occassion there was a great row on the beach, women yelling and men shouting and banging their shields. The same lady rushed down and getting between the contending parties attempted to make peace. Presently one old man walked up to her quietly and quietly taking her by the arm said, “look here sister you better clear out quick, nobody want spear you but suppose you no go, you spear all right".

In the camps in those days there was a deal of superstition and at night the old men were up to all sorts of sorcery and witchcraft. They had all the people in a state of fear each night and would insist upon the men handing them their daily portions of tobacco which they had received from us for working. The poor fellows in their anxiety to propitiate the evil spirits or “devil-devil" would do so. I of course would speak against these practices much to the annoyance of the old men, one of whom said, “what for Mr. Gribble talk like that, he been tell ‘em all about God but he no been show God. We black fellows, we show ‘em devil-devil all right."

I replied that I was certain there was a devil and I also could show anybody the devil in his works and went on to speak of fighting, thieving, wife-

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beating, opium drinking, etc., but I could also show God in His works and in all that made for good. One old fellow was a noted rain-maker and I well remember one very heavy wet season seeing this man sitting in our little school Church shivering with cold. I was casting about for a suitable subject to speak about when a thought struck me, and so I asked the congregation who made the rain, all replied “Billy Post Office" that being the English name by which the old man was known. Turning to Billy I said, “plenty fellow rain, Billy, you been make ‘em", he replied in the affirmative. “Are you cold Billy?" “My word" he replied, “too much rain all together". “Well," I said “what for you no stop ‘em, you been make ‘em well then stop ‘em, suppose now too much!" All listened attentively to the conversation. “Well", I said, “you funny fellow all right, you make ‘em rain but no can stop it. I make ‘em this fellow house, well I can pull it down, you make rain, you cold, you say too much rain but you no stop it. Well I think it you big fellow fool all right." At this there was a roar of laughter and from that time all faith in “Billy Post Office" as a rain maker disappeared. He claimed to make it but although he suffered from it he had no power to end it. The people were convinced by the logic of it. I suppose one could call it “(Ab)-original logic". One of my assistants, a young German was very enthusiastic but entirely lacking in that great essential for a missionary – tact. His zeal was apt to run away with him. One evening I was sitting in my study hard at work when in he rushed and in a dramatic fashion called upon me to rise and do my duty as a Christian Minister. Turning round I said quietly, “What’s up now". He then informed me that the blacks at the camps were then very busy at all sorts of sorcery and witchcraft raising the devil and kindred evil spirits, etc, etc., and that it was clearly my duty to go to the scene and put an end to it once for all. I refused and said that I respected all the old beliefs of the blacks although they were all mistaken and that I was confident that in a year or so with God’s help they would all disappear as we progressed in mission works. This aroused him to fury and he threatened to report me to my board for neglect of duty. I told him to do so and I fully believe he did. Years have passed since then and I say it with all humility and with a reverent recognition of God’s Almighty God’s the power of Almighty God that there is no such thing as superstition amongst our Yarrabah folk today. The old devil doctor “Billy" was for many years a regular attendant at church daily and died a baptized Christian, loved and respected by all.

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The oldest aboriginal on the Reserve in the early days of the mission was the old mother of King John. A very conservative dame she was. It was a difficult matter to get her to wear clothing and she had a great objection to the mission and considered that we would make the young people “too much like white fella". This poor old soul was frequently seeing visions and dreaming dreams and frequently held converse with the dead from whom she, from time to time, received new songs for the use of the tribe. John was very fond of his mother and held her in some dread having great belief in her powers. She died during my absence from the mission in 1894 and her death was really a blessing to the mission. Wailing was kept up for her for many months each night so that for some time after her death we still felt her presence amongst us. When I returned from Sydney John met me on the beach and with tears in his eyes the poor fellow told me of her death.

I have already alluded to another of the old people of those days, “Mariani" who from being the great devil doctor of the tribe became a regular Church attendant and our dearest aboriginal friend. When I left in 1894 for Sydney this old man was standing by very disconsolately when he suddenly approached and throwing his arms about my neck gave me a hearty “kiss" on each cheek.

We have this old fellow’s children and grandchildren still with us. He left seventy-five descendants, a large number for an aboriginal.

Two years before the founding of the mission a portion of what is now the Reserve being very fine rich in timber and the land being very good had been taken up in selections by a party of Cairns residents. Two men were sent down to occupy the country and to form a settlement. The place being very lovely and also very unhealthy, one of the men very soon decided to leave. The other tho’ ill with fever at the time determined to stay on alone. When told that the blacks were dangerous and that it was unsafe to stay he lightly treated the matter and said that no blacks dared come near his camp for whenever he spotted one he had a pot at him with his rifle. Weeks elapsed and anxiety as to his safety caused the Authorities to send to the spot the pilot service men. Well, they journeyed down the coast by boat and landing at the creek now known to us as Buddabahdoo, they found the man’s body. He had been killed by a blow from behind and had

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evidently at the time been removing his camp to a place nearer the beach, as the body was found just as it had fallen some distance from his camp and beside was a grindstone which he had been carrying at the time.

The black who actually did the deed was old Woopah. It appears that the white man was in the habit of shooting at every black that passed along the beach and so they removed the obstacle from their path. Woopah had also been concerned in the death of another white man years before. We never succeeded in unraveling the mystery surrounding this man. He was an old man and had appeared among the blacks and lived with them near C. Grafton. The blacks described him as being a very old man with a white beard and that he was always collecting insects and butterflies. One day he and Woopah and another black were out in the scrub when the white man requested Woopah to climb a palm to look for insects on the top of it. Woopah refused and made the man angry. A few minutes afterwards Woopah suddenly knocked him down by a blow on the head with his woomera. The body was cooked and eaten not far from the where our Church of S. Albans now stands. I have already alluded to Woopah in a former Chapter, he died at Yarrabah in 1904 leaving two wives and several children grown up. After my trip through the Reserve at the end of 1892 I was much impressed with the suitability of the country for cattle and was anxious to see a few head on it. I learnt shortly In 1893 I learnt that over the ranges towards Cairns there was a deserted homestead belonging to a firm of store-keepers in Cairns. I also learnt that they had still on that land a few head of cattle. Being in Cairns one day I entered into conversation with the head of this firm and told him of our good grass lands. He told me that his country was very poor and that I could if I liked take his cattle over to our Reserve and in return for looking after them we could milk as many as we wished. He also said that we would find some horses on his land and that we could them over also. On my return home we set about the building of a stock-yard and also found a practicable track over the ranges to the selection where the cattle were running. Taking two boys, Pompo and George Christian, we set out taking with us three bridles and one saddle. The journey over the range was very rough. Reaching the selection we managed after great difficulty to get five horses into the yard. And catching the quietest we yarded the cattle, some forty in number and started along the beach to the spot from whence we were to make the climb of the ranges. The distance along the beach

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was about four miles and over very stoney & rough country and several dangerous creeks had to be crossed. Pompo could ride a little but George had never had anything to do with a horse before. The cattle gave us a deal of trouble and we lost several. George rode along on an old mare at the back whilst Pompo & I kept the mob in the right direction. I suddenly heard yells from the rear and going back found George in great difficulty, a large limb of a tree stretch across the track, a horseman by bending his head could pass under but George instead of doing so had clasped it in his arms and the mare passing on had dragged him off.

We had no food with us and our climb up those tremendous rocky ranges was a task never to be forgotten, but we succeeding in getting nearly forty head over to the mission much to the surprise and astonishment of the owner of the cattle when I reported progress a few days later. He said he never thought that it could be done and had really not meant his offer of the cattle. However we had them over on our land and we drew up an agreement whereby we milked as many as we wished and in return the cattle had good grass and water and were looked after.

The owner seemed very surprised at our taking the cattle over the ranges successfully but he little knew that the missionary had been a stockman and drover for years.

The advent of the cattle proved beneficial to us as we soon had a few milking and this made a great difference to our bill of fare. I was of course the milkman and after a time succeeded in teaching Willie how to milk. One day however Willie being ill was unable to carry out his duties and so I asked Pompo to go and milk. He thought he could manage it and went at once to the yard. He returned however very soon with a very small quantity of milk in the bucket. My mother met him and noticing the small quantity of milk asked how it was. Pompo with a jerk of his thumb over his shoulder replied that the rest was up in the yard. well “What is it doing there?" asked mother. “Oh", said Pompo, “it is in the white cow, Mrs. Gribble. I knew you wanted milk tomorrow and so left it in the white till tomorrow". Poor Pompo could not milk and did not want to give himself away. Willie took a keen interest in the cattle. One evening he came into my little study and gravely suggested that we should set aside a portion of land to be used as a cemetery for dead cattle. I asked why and he then informed me that a calf had died. I then told him

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to bury it wherever he liked. I thought no more of the matter till a few days later when I suddenly untied a board nailed to a gum tree, going up to it I read the following inscription in white paint,

“Cows some of three"
May 1894

Willie had buried the calf at the foot of the tree and had decided up the locality as a cows’ cemetery.

As the years went by villages were formed at different spots about the Reserve and we also acquired an Island called Fitzroy Island by Captain Cook. On this Island a village was formed and for a time Willie was in charge and did some wonderfully good work. He built a nice little church out of coral and lime which he called S. Matthias. Sometime after the formation of the Island settlement Willie expressed a wish to have some cattle there, and so we took over on our Mission launch a young bull and a heifer. Reaching the Island we found it necessary to swim them ashore, the bull became ill soon after landing and eventually died. Willie in making his usual monthly report mentioned the fact of the animal’s death and then said, “Cow she widow now, please send another bull" and signed himself Willie Tamale, your right-hand, Sir." The dear fellow has been a splendid worker for seventeen years, having landed at Yarrabah in June 1892 with the founder. He is splendid in pioneer work and as an agriculturist Willie has been invaluable. He is also a preacher and his sermons have been noted for their simplicity and earnestness and also for those very comical illustrations used. One Sunday evening he had been preaching for a considerable time, all were getting very tired, at last one lad yawned. Willie saw the yawn and stopped and looking at the culprit said, “You fellow getting tired, well look here if you no careful I will begin all over again because I can remember it all." We all behaved ourselves, the threat being so terrible. One sermon I well remember he took for his subject “Heaven and Hell" and as he described the joys and blessedness of Heaven the dear fellow’s black face shone with earnestness. Suddenly however he stopped and looking at my mother and myself, the only white people present, he said

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solemnly and with great emphasis “and I tell you straight there will be no white fellow in heaven". I felt my mother sit up straight and I wonder too as to where in Willie’s theology we whites were to be placed. But he soon made his meaning clear by explaining that in Heaven God’s place, there was only one family because “One Father" and that it would not then be you “only a black fellow" or you “only a white fellow" but all would be one in God. In 1897 at the time of Queen Victoria’s record reign celebrations I was invited to take part in the festivities in Cairns and to take in a party of our lads. Willie had been spending a week itinerating among the blacks camps on the Mulgrave river. When we landed in Cairns from our boat we found Willie awaiting us and I told him to stay in Cairns over the Sunday and take part in the rejoicings on the Monday, he agreed to this. At this time the Roman Catholics were holding a Mission in their Church, two priests of the Passionists brotherhood being the preachers. On Sunday morning Willie attended with us service at S. John’s Church but in the evening he could not be found and I wondered where he had got to. On Tuesday we returned home and the same evening Willie asked permission to be allowed to address the people at the Evensong and tell them of his recent travels. Willie got into the pulpit and after recounting his experiences among the camps in the Mulgrave described how he met us in Cairns and decided to stay and attend the white people’s church. I will now give the story as nearly as possible in his own words. “Well I been to our own church in the morning but you know I want to find out which is the best church. One time in Brisbane I go with a friend to a church they call Scotch Church and it was all right – only when Minister begin to preach they turn out the gas and that made me fright and I close up, run out but my friend he hold me. You know our Church English Church now, I want to see Irish Church and I go to Irish church in Cairns last Sunday night by myself and that priest my word he the one for those people, he start very thick and by and by he get very thin." (I might explain that Willie never spoke of high or low in singing, if a hymn is started too low he will stop and say “that too thick, more thin please".) One big bell ring outside and one little bell ring inside and I see devils (images) all bout, and they make

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plenty smoke (incense) and they all speak French" (latin).

Well when I been come out I think well now which are best church, English Church, Scotch Church or Irish Church, which we you people think it best? Well I tell you English Church of course because our Lord Jesus Christ was Englishman. In the vestry afterwards Willie looked very sheepish when I pointed out to him his mistake and that our Lord was a Jew.

Willie on one occassion was speaking to a large congregation on sin and its punishment and in describing hell said, “My word hell bad place all right, it is most awful, it more worse that than our pig stye". In the early days of our work pigeon English was used by us all and a beastly gibberish it was. As time passed I determined that it should cease and good English used but and strange to say the people seemed to find it easier to avoid than the staff who had got so accustomed to its use that they found it extremely difficult to avoid addressing every black they met in pigeon English. In using pigeon English very many laughable mistakes occurred in teaching hymns etc. We used at first the simplest hymns possible and found that we required in Sankey’s hymn book. The hymn “shall we gather at the river" being one of the first taught. I found however that the children had got hold of the second verse wrongly and instead singing “we will walk and worship ever" had it “we will work and wash up for ever". In the Lord’s prayer too we found that the lads had learnt the petition “and lead us not into temptation" as “lead us not into the plantation". Several had been punished from time to time in pilfering from the plantation. One man joined the Mission from the north, his name was Whale boat at that time and only means of communication with Cairns was a whale-boat named the “W.M. Couper" after the late dean of Sydney. One day the man “Whale boat" came to me and said, “Look there Dadda no good that name belonga me when you been tell ‘em crew boy get ‘em whale boat ready they all been laugh alonga me, more better you been “capsize" me and give it another fellow name". He meant baptise. A young man named Peter had been prepared for baptism but at the last moment hesitated to receive the Sacrament of Baptism giving as his reason that he could not be good and he was sure to make mistakes. I had a long earnest talk with him and at last sent for Willie to come and have a talk with him over it. Willie came and listened to Peter’s objections quietly.

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When he had finished he drew a chair up to the plain deal table and with a pencil drew a line “now Peter", said he, “that line is a road and there is a boggy muddy place just here and another just there, now a dray been come along and come to bad piece of road, it goes off the road to get round that bad place but it come on the road again. Now that all same baptism. You start on good road Christian life but sometime that road very hard, the devil make you get off sometime, tell you must not stay off, you must get back on to good soon as you can". Peter was convinced by Willie’s simple logic and was baptized. The blacks as a rule have very quick and violent tempers. George Christian, one of our first lads to be baptized had great struggles to overcome his temper. One day as I sat at my table writing, George rushed in hot and breathless and in answer to my inquiry as to what was the matter said, “No speak to me yet Dadda, I very hot (angry), directly me all right". Someone had annoyed him and feeling his temper over-mastering him he had sought me. After a few minutes he told me the trouble and asked me to kneel down and pray for him & the one who had offended him.

Only Australian Aboriginals but the Spirit of God hath wrought changes in many for with God things that to men seem impossible are possible with Him.

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Chapter 6

The first boat owned by the Mission was a small open cutter called the “Hazelhurst" after a great friend of my father’s youth. This vessel was purchased by my father in Townsville and was sailed all the way up the coast to Yarrabah by his assistant, Tyson and Willie Ambrym. The members of the Mission party knew nothing whatever of boating and it is wonderful indeed that no accidents happened to members of the Mission in those early days.

The “Hazelhurst" though very small was a fine sea boat and very fast. The blacks who first attached themselves to the Mission could not pronounce the word “Hazelhurst" and so used to call the little vessel the “Lazy house". This vessel was driven ashore in a cyclone in the year 1894 and became a total wreck. Through the kindness of Archdeacon White of Armidale a larger vessel was obtained and named the J.B. Gribble after the founder of the Mission and much good work was done with this vessel for six years. Frequent trips were made up the coast as far as Port Douglas and much good work done among the blacks there. Services were also held monthly at Port Douglas amongst the whites. On one voyage we reached Port Douglas before a southerly gale in the remarkably quick time of six hours from Yarrabah, the distance being fifty miles or more. On one occassion we took three days to beat back against heavy seas and head winds. On one of these voyages we had an unpleasant experience. Having been up all night as we neared Port Douglas I gave orders to anchor as soon as we got into the bay but on no account was the vessel to be taken up the Inlet without my orders. I then turned into my bunk. When I awoke I found the cabin with a foot of water on the floor. I was of course alarmed and rushing up found the vessel stuck on the reef near the entrance to the Inlet. Thinking to please me John had decided to try and take the vessel in without disturbing my slumbers with the result that he ran her while tacking against the wind in the narrow entrance right on the rocks which were only a foot or two below the surface. We had to leave the vessel there in Port Douglas for repairs as she had received a nasty hole in her bottom. I journeyed back to Cairns by steamer. For some time I undertook to give services on Sunday at S. John’s Church, Cairns as there was no clergyman there. My custom was to sail into Cairns on Saturday night and return to Yarrabah on Sunday night after Evensong. One Sunday it was blowing great guns from the south east and the cutter was anchored off a lee shore. I emphatically cautioned John not to attempt to lift the anchor himself but to seek me if things went wrong. After service while in the

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vestry disrobing, John came to the door with a very worried expression upon his face and informed me that the cutter was ashore. Thinking she was drifting, he had hauled in the anchor and had attempted to tow the vessel with the dinghy further out into the stream. Of course by the time he had the anchor placed in the small dinghy the cutter had gone on to the rocky bank in shore. I hurried down and found the vessel safe from harm but high and dry as the falling tide had left her. It was not until Wednesday that we succeeded in getting her afloat again. We were but poor seamen in those days. When coming into Port our custom was to come in in full sail and let go the anchor, of course we were continually bumping into the wharves and I often wished that I knew how it ought to have been done. One day we had come in as usual and after the sails had been stowed I was down below getting ready to go ashore when I heard two white men talking close by on the wharf. Said one, “hello the Mission boat is in, how did she come in". “Oh", said the other, “Just as usual, all sail up and anchor down". This set me thinking and I decided that one sail ought to come down before the anchor was dropped and so on the next trip to Cairns I gave orders for the mainsail to be lowered. A strong wind was blowing at the time and to my dismay the vessel having only the jib up quickly rushed ashore and stuck in the mud. I thus learned that we had lowered the wrong sail. But on our next voyage we lowered the jib sail first. In course of time we became first class sailors and also knew every inch of the coast about Cairns and its neighbourhood and also knew every sand bank in the Inlet for we had stuck on almost every one at different times. Many a time we left Cairns for Yarrabah and out at sea meet with head winds and high seas, other boats would put back to Cairns but we were such poor sailors that we could not in our early days take in sail or venture to turn the vessel before the wind. Once outside we had to keep on. It was indeed a kind Providence that preserved us through the dangers of those times. One memorable day I was in Cairns in the “J.B. Gribble", John being my sailing master leaving for home, we had quite a number of blacks from the town on board. The tide was running out and as we cast off from the wharf the vessel went off with the tide downstream right straight for the next wharf. Fearing damage I seized a pole on the deck and stood by to ease the shock as we struck the wharf as we neared the wharf. I stood on the edge of the vessel and pushed with pole to turn the vessel away. Just at that moment the wind filled the sails and the vessel got under way. I lost my balance and went head first into the stream, fortunately I can swim. There was a great commotion on board and also on the jetty close by. John brought

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the vessel to and I swam for her, as I approach old John promptly hooked me with the boat hook much to my disgust, however I soon climbed on board none the worse for my adventure. Many a time have I left John on board and gone up the town to see friends and getting back late have had great difficulty in getting my Captain to wake up and come ashore for me. Often I have stood on the beach throwing stones and yelling at the vessel, once I did not succeed in arousing John and so had to spend the night on the wharf. But I had my revenge on one occassion. John had frequently annoyed me by disappearing just at the time I wished to make a start for home and I warned him that some time he would be left as I would not wait. One night John asked leave to go and see some friends at the town blacks’ camp and he promised to return before morning. When morning came he had not put in an appearance and after waiting some time I decided to start. George Christian one of our aboriginal lads was with me and so we got the anchor up and set sail. As we passed down the inlet we suddenly caught sight of a figure rushing practically along the beach waving his arms frantically, it was our skipper. I at once leapped up and sent George ashore in the dinghy. The old fellow was in a great way. It appears that he had come back during the night but had been unable to awaken us and so had gone to sleep on the wharf. When he awakened in the morning the first thing he saw was the cutter in full sail going down the stream. I felt that old scores had been settled.

One Sunday night when going on board after conducting service at S. Johns, Cairns, I found the tide so high that the cutter as she lay alongside the wharf was quite above it and I had to step up to get on board from the wharf. During the night I was awakened by the sound of running water in the cabin and found water coming in and the vessel at a most dangerous angle. Awakening the crew we got out and found that as the tide fell the vessel being on the upstream side of the wharf had settled in partly on top of it and had keeled over as the rushing tide fell. It took us a considerable time to dislodge her from her peculiar position. Many were the hair-breadth escapes in those days. Many visitors to Yarrabah have had what they considered exciting adventures in the Mission boats but no one but the Missionaries of the early days of Yarrabah have had really dangerous and thrilling experiences. Many a time have we been beating about at sea on a dark stormy night in a frail and unseaworthy craft never expecting to put foot upon land again, cold and hungry and ill too with fever. Looking back one wonders it could ever be possible to go through what we did.

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The voyage to Cairns and back to Yarrabah is very often a risky undertaken especially during the months of January, February and March, and very often we found it impossible to get into our Bay against the wind and sea. Soon after we lost our first cutter, the “Hazelhurst", I purchased with my own means and out of my slender salary of £4 a month a whale boat called the “Hope". This vessel was very unsafe and very often we would be unable to venture down the Cape into the open sea before reaching the Mission Bay. We would then land our supplies on the beach at Leper Bay and go overland for the pack horse. The ranges are very high around Yarrabah and the old horse could only carry up about fifty pounds of supplies at a time. The “Hope" was very unsafe and we had many narrow squeaks in her. At last I hired a large vessel from Burns Philp and Co. called the “Nancy Lee". This vessel we could not anchor in our bay owing to her deep draught and so had to anchor her under the lee of Rocky Island distant about two miles from the Mission. One day the wind blowing quite a gale the vessel was in danger of dragging her anchor and so I sent John and George across the bay to her in the “Hope". They flew before the wind with all sail out but safely reached the “Nancy Lee". Sometime after I noticed through my glass that they had left the vessel and in the “Hope" were trying to beat up by the Island in order to land there and spend the day. I soon saw that they were in danger as the vessel could make no headway against the gale and heavy seas. All at Yarrabah gathered on the beach in great excitement. As they drifted out to sea before the wind presently the boat disappeared. We had ashore a small flat bottomed dinghy capable of holding three. Taking two boys with me I set out for the “Nancy Lee" in order to take her in search of the “Hope", it took us two hours to pull to the Island at great risk of capsize. As we neared the “Nancy Lee" we saw George climb up on her deck and assist John from the water. Getting alongside I anxiously enquired if they were all right. I found the old man in a state of collapse. They had been two hours or more in the water and George had nobly stood by John who was not well at the time and assisted him in reaching the anchored vessel. The whale boat had capsized and gone down. I myself returning from Cairns a few years afterwards in our then only vessel, a big flat bottom punt laden with stores was capsized as we entered the heavy seas at the entrance of our bay and had to swim ashore. All our supplies, sugar, flour, tea and rice being ruined and lost. Early one morning on rising I went out to see if the “J.B. Gribble" was safe at her moorings and found that in the night she had sprung a leak and founded, only the masts were visible above water. [indecipherable] as it may seem we succeeded in floating her but a week or so afterwards she sank again and broke up. It was sometime before we had her

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replaced and all our communication with the outside world for some time was by means of a flat bottomed and very unsafe punt. This in time was superseded by a very fine whale boat built in Sydney and called the “W.M. Cowper" after that firm friend of the Mission the late Dean of Sydney. But although a very fine boat she proved totally inadequate to the requirements of the Mission and so after three years we rejoiced in the arrival of a motor launch of about eight tons fitted with a four and a half horse power Victor engine, and although we have had many a rough experience in her yet the old hardships of the early days have passed never I hope to return. Many have gone through on the Mission launch what they have considered tough and trying experiences but they have been child’s play to the experiences of those who have been the pioneers of the Mission.

Now the Mission boasts of a fleet of three large vessels including the launch “Yarrabah", the Ketch “Matubu", cutter “Hephzibah". The two latter are engaged in the Bech-de-mer fishing on the Great Barrier Reef and are manned entirely by black crews. In the year 1907 we purchased the cutter “Hephzibah", one of our lads named Bob who had had experience in Bech-de-mer fishing was placed in command and in one season of about four months he secured enough fish to pay the cost of the vessel. With a crew of six he would be absent on the Barrier Reef for several weeks. Bech-de-mer is really a sea slug of which there are several varieties of different value in the market. Deep sea black is the best variety and is worth up to £160 a ton. There is the red variety teat and prickly or “cola cola", the latter being the most plentiful and worth up to £97 a ton. There are a number of other varieties but not worth the gathering while the better qualities are abundant. The Chinese are the great consumers of Bech-de-mer which is made into a very strengthening soup. Our boys have proved expert divers in this industry. The method of operations is to moor the vessel off the coral reef and then diving begins. The boys wear only glasses to protect the eyes and enable them to see the slug on the sea bottom. Very often they will strike a good patch which will keep them occupied for a few days. The diver goes down in from water up to four or five fathoms and brings up perhaps two slugs at a time. On board the vessel is a smoke house with shelves formed of wire netting. The smoke from the Cook’s galley passes through these trays. The bech-de-mer is first of all boiled in a large cauldron for two or three hours and then opened and placed in the smoke house where they remain a day or two. The [They] become very hard, something like old leather, after being dried in the sun they are then fit for market. Our boys take

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splendidly to this water work and have done a great deal towards the support of the Mission and the purchase of the vessels. Our largest vessel the “Matubu" came into our hands under peculiar circumstances. One day in October 1908 a vessel called the “Katapunan" put into our bay. She was owned by a Japanese Captain and Japanese mate, the crew being composed of Lapuans and Torres Strait Islanders. The mate came ashore and asked my permission to obtain water for the vessel, I consented. Soon after he left me I heard from one of our lads that a native of New Guinea on board had been done to death by the Japanese mate. I at once went round to the creek where they were engaged in getting water and asked the mate about the matter. “Oh," said he, “our boy die by himself", meaning that the death had been from natural causes. A young Papuan at once said, “No that my brother been killed by that Japanese" pointing to the mate. The mate then admitted that he had taken the boy who could not dive down in three fathoms of water holding him by the arm and “when I been finish drown him I been let him up". On enquiry I found that the death had occurred out on the Barrier Reef and the boy had been taken to the Palm Islands just north of Townsville and buried. The vessel then started north for Thursday Island but running short of water had pulled into our bay. The crew had told some of our people of the affair and thus it reached me. I decided at once to report the matter to the police in Cairns and set off in the launch and fetched the police out who at once ordered the Ketch into Cairns and arrested the Captain and mate. The crew as witnesses were detained and after the committal of the prisoners to the Supreme Court to be held in Townsville they all came to Yarrabah awaiting the trial. The vessel was laid up in Cairns. It was there that owing to the kindness of a friend intimately connected with the Mission we managed to purchase her at a very reasonable price and a fine vessel she has proved to be. We changed her name to the “Matubu" that being the name of the young Papuan murdered on board. The evidence at the police court trial shewed that the poor fellow, only about sixteen years of age, had been unable to drive and so had been employed on deck cooking, etc. The voyage had been a very successful one and they were on their way back to Thursday Island after a trip away of three months. One day the Captain ordered Matubu overboard to try and dive, he was ordered to go to the bottom and bring up sand as a sign that he had reached the bottom. Failing he endeavoured to climb on board when the Captain ordered the mate to throw him back into the water, this the mate did but the lad

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again climbed back on board, then the mate seizing him by the arm jumped overboard with him and took him to the bottom three times, then as the boy was in a state of collapse bundled him into a small boat and ordered him to bale it out, this he was unable to do and was vomiting blood. Finally he was allowed on board and went to his bunk and suffered acutely all night and died early next morning. The Captain wished to dispose of the body out at sea but the crew rebelled and insisted upon burial at the Palm Islands some considerable distance off. There he was buried. As I was a witness on the case it was decided that as I had to attend the Supreme Court in Townsville I should take the Yarrabah Brass Band and family down the coast in the “Matubu" and so thirty three of us embarked and had a very pleasant voyage down. We put into the Johnstone river and gave entertainments at Geraldton [now Innisfail] and Goondi and spent in Geraldton a Sunday, my boys and girls taking the principle parts in the service at the Parish Church.

It took us five days to reach Townsville from the Johnstone owing to head winds. As we passed the Palm Islands the brother of the murdered boy gazed wistfully at the spot where his brother lay buried. At the Court although it was proved that foul murder had been committed, it could not be proved that it had happened in Queensland waters and so the man was released to come up for judgement when called upon. On our return up the coast after several weeks spent in touring to the towns in cities of Townsville and Charters Towers and giving concerts, we landed on the Palm Islands and held a service at the grave of Matubu. We also had placed on the grave a memorial slab giving his name and the date of his death. I forgot to mention that a party of police were sent down with the Government Medical Officer to exhume the body when it was proved that the boy had met his death through rupture of the lungs caused by being held under water.

The “Matubu" has proved a valuable addition to the Mission fleet and is captained by Douglass Pitt a native of Darnley Island in Torres Strait. In 1909 having a good supply of fish on board as a result of several months’ work, it was decided that the vessel should go to Cooktown to dispose of it. They fished along the reef on the journey up and reached Cooktown in safety. Landing Douglas and George who was acting as Chaplain on board went in search of the Rector but he was away. Fortunately that very day the Bishop of Carpentaria had landed and to him they went and asked his lordship’s assistance in securing buyers. The fish was sold to the Chinese

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buyer the Bishop seeing that all was fair and square as regards weight and price received, George at once wired the amount received £72 through to the bank in Cairns. Then they found that they had run short of supplies for the homeward journey and so decided to give a concert in the town hall to raise funds. To use George’s words in his account of the trip, “We paid a pound for the hall and 7/6 to a gentleman to go round the town with a bell and we gave a concert and charged 1/6 to go in. We got four pounds and eight shillings and would have got more only some boys climbed in". The crew of fifteen gave some Samoan dances and singing and George spoke about Yarrabah. They then paid their debts and obtaining supplies returned to Yarrabah. In this Chapter I have dealt with boating experiences only.

The launch like all motor launches gave a deal of trouble and I was the unfortunate engineer for two years and trying I found it. I remember one stormy day the engine broke down out at sea. We managed to anchor and there we lay for five days during which time I took that engine to pieces twice and at last solved the problem as to the cause of her refusal to work. There was a heavy sea running the whole time, my black crew owing to the smell of oil and benzene became very sick and I myself had frequently to go on deck to discharge portion of my inner man overboard.

On another occasion we were taking back to Cairns a party of visitors, just outside the bay the engine stopped and I set to work to survey defects in the mechanism. One of the passengers was very anxious to get to Cairns and presently he put his head down the companionway and said, “Will a piece of string do, Mr. Gribble, I have a bit". History must be silent as to what I sentenced “the man with the piece of string".

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Aborigs. I have known.

Chapter 9
Aboriginals I have known.

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Topsy

Her earliest recollection was of herself and a number of black children being at play on the banks of the Mitchell River not far from the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Suddenly they were startled by the firing of rifles and a party of white horsemen suddenly appeared. Topsy was unable to escape and was captured and placed on a pack horse and taken away. Some weeks afterwards she was given to a kind gentleman who pitied the poor miserable child and who took her to his home where with his children she grew up and became useful in the house. When about seventeen years of age she met with an accident which necessitated her entrance to the hospital. On leaving the hospital her kind friends decided to send her to Yarrabah. There she soon made friends, attended school and in course of time became the wife of George Christian, having been baptized and confirmed previously.

Three children, all girls, were born to them, each one being named after the girls in the home in which she had been brought up. Soon after the birth of her third child Topsy became seriously

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ill, and after much suffering, patiently borne, she passed away.

How wonderfully does God work. A few years after her death a party of Missionaries from Yarrabah journeyed across the Peninsular on horseback and established in Topsy’s own country the Mission now called Trubanaman.

May

The wife of Clement, the aboriginal lay-reader at Reeve’s Creek Settlement, Yarrabah, can remember seeing her tribe shot down, she herself being spared and taken by her captor and given by him to his wife with whom she grew up till about fourteen years of age. May’s great fault was a bad temper and she could become quite violent at times. Her mistress, finding she could not manage her, passed her on to another mistress and so May passed from one house to another till at last arrangements were made for her to go to Yarrabah. There although at times her temper would get the better, yet slowly a great change came over her. In course of time she was baptised & confirmed and finally married. Can anyone wonder that she was violent

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& miserly miserable in that household, the head of which she had seen shooting down her own kith & kin.

Dick Darkness

In the year 1899 a little black boy named Dick Darkness arrived at Yarrabah. He was a queer little chap and his history was also queer. He was born in Queensland but what part he could not tell. He was taken away from Queensland by a travelling circus but was finally abandoned and left to wander about the streets of Melbourne after much hardship and privation. Dick was at last found and a kind gentleman much interested in the Aborigines had him sent by steamer back to Queensland and to Yarrabah. Needless to say the queer little fellow soon made friends and was delighted to find himself amongst his people of his own colour once more. How well I remember Dick sitting in his place in Church – he always sat in the same seat and would listen to the addresses with the utmost attention. He was after a time baptised, it was soon after his baptism that it became apparent that that dread desease consumption had laid hold on him. How well I remember

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his last illness patiently borne and borne too with wonderful cheerfulness. Not long before his death I had him removed from the room to a tent away from the House and here I would visit him several times a day and he would always welcome me with that huge smile which was, I might say with truth, a real part of him.

The day he died he seemed to know the end was near for he asked that the boys might be allowed to come and bid him good-bye. They came, over fifty in number, and one after the other they stood beside his bed and held for a brief space Dick’s thin hand, many wept and all felt too deeply to speak. After they had gone he fell asleep while I sat on beside him, after a while he suddenly awoke and looking straight into my face with emphasis and pleasure in his voice he said, “Dadda you here yet". Those were Dick’s last words. I saw the end was near and bending down I whispered in his ear the one word “Jesus", he heard. In a few minutes quietly and calmly he fell asleep indeed. Dick Darkness he had been called but he had passed from Darkness to the Eternal Light of God.

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To be contd.

Aboriginals I have known.
by E.R.G.

[Page 107]

Abors. I have met
by Rev. E.R. Gribble

Moreton, the Ex black-trooper

E.R.G.

[Page 108]

Moreton

Moreton was a full-blooded aboriginal and was born near C. York. At a very early age he was taken from the blacks and as he grew up became a black trooper in the native Police force, and many a tale of bloodshed he has recounted to me of those days. He continued in the Police for many years and ultimately became almost blind. It was then that I was asked to admit him to Yarrabah in order that he might have a home for the remainder of his days. Like all native ex-troopers he was a bit of a nuisance and trouble for some time but at last a great change took place in him and although he still had his failings he became quite a different man. In course of time he was baptized and confirmed and eventually married one of the Mission girls.

After three years it became evident that that scourge of the Aboriginals, consumption, had him in its grip.

Although Moreton had become a changed man in many ways and more tractable yet he never struck us as being very intelligent

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and I often wondered as to how far the teaching he daily received had been understood. At last he was confined to his bed and it was then that we saw the wonderful way in which God works. He insisted upon daily prayers at his bedside and many an hour in the evenings I spent at his hut talking to him of God and Heaven. I would always light his fill his pipe and get a coal from the fire for him to light up, and then we would talk of many things – his past life, the wild blacks, his own people and of God. One evening on my entering his little house he asked me to call the members of the staff, they came and holding each of them by the hand he thanked them for their many acts of kindness. It was a touching scene, Moreton, cool, calm and collected telling them plainly that that was his last night on earth, thanking them for their kindnesses and bidding them farewell. After they had gone I remained for some time. After prayer with him he asked me to fill his pipe saying, “This my last smoke I think but I no die tonight. Tomorrow I think I go, thank you Dadda for everything". I left him and

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saw him no more alive. Next morning I was sent for and arrived to find that Moreton the ex-trooper had gone to God. I have stood beside many an aboriginal death bed at Yarrabah and without exception I have been struck with the calm resignation, the firm belief and the joyous anticipation of them all and how often have I asked them to pray for me and Yarrabah there in Paradise where all are equal, where there is neither “bond nor free", black nor white, but all are one in Christ Jesus.

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Alban
By E.R.G.

Alban was not his name when he was sent to us at Yarrabah, his name was then Jackie. He came with his mother and quite a number of poor dirty and sickly people from Townsville. Alban’s mother was dying of consumption and she only lived a few weeks after coming to us. A day or two before she died she told me that she had asked to be sent to Yarrabah with the others as she knew she could not live long and so wanted to have her boy in a good home before she died. On the day she died she expressed her gratitude to us all and said that it gave her great happiness to know that her boy would be cared for.

Alban was a dear little fellow, small for his age and with a very curly head. He was by no means strong. We soon discovered that he was passionately fond of music and singing and in course of time he became a member of our choir and later a member of the brass band then being formed by Mr. Reeves. Alban became a very clever cornet player, nothing would keep him from his practices and when our band went on tour through the inland districts of Cairns Alban was our leading

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player and attracted general attraction by his proficiency. But alas we soon had to forbid him playing and this grieved him terribly and many a time he would beg with tears in his eyes to be allowed to play a little and we would not refuse him. At last he became so ill that he entered the Mission hospital and there he remained many months but thro’ all his long illness he never complained and was always the same bright cheery little black laddie whom all loved. His bible and prayer book were always beside him. How well I remember on one occassion he begged to be allowed to play his cornet just once more, poor boy when permission was given his joy was unbounded but he could only play but very little and then sadly he put away his cornet saying that he would never be able to play again. While Alban was ill my dear fellow-worker for over eleven years, William Reeves, and Alban’s great friend and who had been failing for some years, passed away. Alban felt his death very much but they were not separated long. One day Alban sent for me. “Quick send for Dadda" he said suddenly. I went up to the hospital as soon as I got the message

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and as I entered the room his face brightened and with a smile he welcomed me, in a few minutes with his hand in mine he seemed to go off in a quiet sleep. Presently he opened wide his eyes and with a look of surprise and pleasure he said in quite a loud voice “Hello Mr. Reeves".

Those were his last words for almost at once he passed away.

We buried him beside his mother in the Yarrabah cemetery but his memory is with us still for by both black and white Alban the little Band-boy was loved very deeply. “Lift up Thy Prayer for the remnant that is left."

[The following sentences crossed through.]
Kindly send back if you do not use it & if you do send back copies of it as I want to use these again in a book. I think I will come down to you if I can get cash to do some history writing. What do you think of it?

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Abors. I have met
by Rev. E.R. Gribble

Sister Lizzie
1st Matron of the Yarrabah Hospital.

Rev. E.S. Chase
S. Andrew’s
Panton Hill
Victoria

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Sister Lizzie Moore

We never knew much of her early days nor did I ever learn where she was born but it was somewhere in the south of Queensland. Lizzie was a half caste and was for many years in domestic service and unfortunately made undesirable acquaintances among white servant girls and at last fell into serious trouble.

Lizzie’s case was brought to my notice by the present Bishop of Queens a friend, she was at this time an inmate of a home for fallen girls. I at once visited Lizzie as she expressed a wish to begin a new life at Yarrabah where she thought she could be useful in helping to benefit her dark sisters. In course of time I succeeded in getting her and her baby girl to Yarrabah where she at once became a most valuable worker. At first she held the position of Sub-Matron at the Girls’ Home and then passed to the hospital where as “Sister" Lizzie she had sole charge and nobly she did her work. At that time we were passing thro’ a very trying time, our hospital was full. A large number of new people, old & young, had been admitted to the Mission and these were all in a pitable condition, dirty and deseased, several were consumptive and almost all

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were earth-eaters and were in an emaciated condition. Our work was hard and continuous but Sister Lizzie was our great help and comfort. She would day after day attend to her duties at the hospital, teach her class and in every way possible assist in the work. Many a poor sufferer learnt to love Sister Lizzie. At last she was called to nurse two consumptive cases and alas she contracted herself that dread desease, but she did not falter and did all she could as long as she was allowed to be about. How well I remember Lizzie’s last days. I had sent her for a change out to our only village at that time, a place about two miles from Yarrabah. One very stormy & wet night I was rung up on the telephone for we had at that time a telephone wire to the village from my study at Yarrabah, Lizzie was dying. I at once went thro’ the thick tropical scrub thro’ wind, rain and mud and at last entered the little room in which Lizzie lay, how pleased she was to see me and yet how anxious about my welfare. I attended her and found there was no cause for immediate alarm and after prayer with her I went back thro’ the night. A few days after she expressed a wish to return to Yarrabah & I brought her back to the

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Mission House. For several weeks longer she lingered, sometimes she would venture out into the sun for a short time. The A day or two before she died she had ventured out to the kitchen where a number of the senior girls were ironing clothes, she chatted for some time with them and divided between them her many little treasures of ribbons, beads, etc. Poor girl at last bursting into tears she said, “Oh I would tho’ like to live a little longer now that I can do so much, it is so hard" and going to her room I was sent for to comfort her. The same evening she sent for her little daughter and kissed her for the last time and requested said that she did not want her to be brought again. Lizzie had been engaged for some time to James Noble and she expressed a wish to see him, he was accordingly sent for. The next day was Sunday and Lizzie had been moved on to the verandah from whence she could hear the singing of the people in church. I stayed with her as I saw the end to be near. James also sat beside her. She listened intently to the singing for she was very fond of singing and a very earnest attendant at Church. Presently she said quietly, “Dadda I am going, I

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think". I knelt beside her and prayed for her. I then opened her little daily text book which she always had by her and read the text for the day, it was “Thy work shall be rewarded", these were the last words she heard on earth, with one hand held by James and her other hand in mine, our “Sister Lizzie" passed thro’ the gates. In the hospital at Yarrabah is a little memorial card framed and hung on the wall, to Sister “In Memory of Sister Lizzie, the first Matron of this Hospital".

While in S. Alban’s Church there hangs a memorial tablet to her memory and with the words of “Thy work shall be rewarded". Only a half caste but loved by all who had known her on earth. She laid down her life in the discharge of her duties for it was owing to her close attention to the sick that she contracted the desease which carried her to an untimely grave. She is still remembered & loved.

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[The following four lines have been crossed through.]
From Darkness to Light
or
The Light of God in the
Lives of Australian Blacks.

Clement

By Rev. E.S. Chase

I was walking along the coast of Trinity Bay on the Yarrabah Mission Reserve north of Cape Grafton. It was Sunday afternoon and we were to have our open air Sunday School on the beach. The men & boys in groups followed by the girls & married women were a bright & happy company.

I touched two young men on the shoulder as we came in sight of our sand cathedral & said to each, “you will give a short address this afternoon" & both gave a cheery willing consent.

The first to speak was Philip, after illustrating the love of God by the present life of the people present he said, “I remember – first time I saw – man who will speak after me this afternoon – Clement – “He mock then". “I was sent along

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with another fellow to take a service at Camp near Cairns by Mr. Gribble. Clement he stand outside lot of people – when we pray – he put his hands together like this (& he closed his palms) – he mock us. Now he speak and tell you of God he loves."

Clement then followed with a direct & manly Christian message to his people that went direct to many hearts at least. I know it did to the heart of one who never before had heard an impromptu address by an earnest young Aboriginal lad.

Clement is married now and in charge of one of the out stations of Yarrabah.

I have known him personally for 5 years now and his consistent life and diligent work gives ready witness to the work of the Holy spirit in his heart.

If any doubt ever existed in the mind of the Missionary that this his was but another of the hearts posessed with the Spirit of God it would have vanished as in company with the Head of the Mission I visited the Settlement where Clement was

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in charge. The cultivation was in excellent order. Morning & Evening Service was daily said in the little temporary Chapel but now at noon the men & women were not to be seen as we inspected the banana plantation, the maize, the sweet potatoes & the newly built huts.

We heard the sound of a voice & unheard ourselves left our horses at a little distance & approached the little knot of workers who were then gathered by Clement for a short midday prayer meeting.

How as we silently knelt on the outskirts of that little band, & heard Clement talk in simple language to the Master he loved, & served, our hearts were refreshed, and strengthened, & we knew then that God has hid much from the wise & prudent, but has revealed Himself to babes in the Christian Faith, brought out of darkness into His marvelous Light.

Clement was one pitch dark night over a mile from shore in a

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light canoe with a white man who had taken him with him to try and reach the to where the Mission launch lay at anchor & both were thrown into the water. They had to reach the shore as best they could and many hearts were thankful that night that the life of this faithful lad was spared.

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Aboriginals I have known.

Little Jinny

A mere girl of about thirteen years of age and dying from a nameless Desease. How many bright aboriginal girls have come to an untimely and miserable death through the white man’s vices? In the year 1898 I was asked by the then Chief Protector of Aboriginals if I would admit to Yarrabah an aboriginal girl from an inland town of N. Queensland. She was deseased and her life was near its close as nothing could possibly be done for her. To admit her was a serious step and yet the Mission existed for all Aboriginals who needed a home and certainly Jinny needed a home and care and attention. In course of time she arrived, poor miserable ill-clad and evil smelling but she was received gladly and all possible attention was given the poor girl. I used to instruct her daily about God and His Son and she listened attentively. It had been found necessary to isolate her immediately on her arrival at the Mission and a tent was erected for her. As time went on she found it impossible to move about and was confined permanently to her tent. It was a most trying case to attend to and my mother

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attended her closely during the last part of her illness. At last I decided to baptize her and on a Sunday after speaking to the people in Church of Jinny and her sad condition and of God’s love for her and told them of Jenny’s desire for Holy Baptism. After service we all proceeded to the sick girl’s tent, the people in number about 200 two hundred stood a short distance away as from the nature of the desease it was most unpleasant to go near and there in that tent Jinny was baptized, was there ever such a solemn and tragic scene? That night the soul of little Jinny passed from its poor stricken and deseased earthly tenement, and as I stood beside the grave next day again I promised God to spend my life in benefiting as far as lay in my power these poor despised Australians.

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Aboriginals I have met.

Little Jinny

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John Menmunie
King of Yarrabah

by E.R.G.

In 1891 the late Rev. J.B. Gribble visited Cairns and chose the present site of the Yarrabah Mission. On that visit occassion he visited a camp of blacks near Cairns and became acquainted with John who was in that camp with his three wives (all sisters). They never met again, but just a year afterwards John and his three wives and several children were the first to join the Mission which had been in existence six months without any aboriginals coming near it. John has ever since resided on the Mission, has given up two of his wifes (who have married other men), he has been baptised, & confirmed and is a regular communicant and has through seventeen years proved himself a tower of strength to the Missionaries in many ways. To look at the old man as he sits in his place in Church each day one cannot believe that the same old gentleman had been a noted cannibal and yet he had yet but he has been. Now let me tell the story of the last, very last, cannibal orgie in which our dear old

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King took a leading part. Early in the year 1892 and just three months before the late Rev. J.B. Gribble returned to form the Mission, this event took place. At that time there lived in the country three old black fellows whose names I have forgotten. They belonged to the Googanji tribe, the same tribe as our John. These three men were noted cannibals and were held in dread by their own folk. Their custom was to pick a quarrel with a well-conditioned man and sooner or later the poor fellow would be waylaid & despatched. Many were the horrible stories told me of these three men, stories told me by the daughter of one of them. At last they picked a quarrel with John and Alick Bybie, a young lad. They both knew that unless they could circumvent these old men they were doomed. John had great weight among the blacks outside his own tribe, and he at once arranged for a great corroboree on the beach near False Cape, and invitations were sent to the Yetinji tribe, and the Yerkanji tribe to attend. They all promised to do so. At that time a schooner engaged in the Bech-de-mer fishing on the Barrier

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Reef had put into Cairns Inlet to pay off her aboriginal crew. These men belonged to the Yerkanji or Barron River tribe. On being paid off by their Captain they purchased in Cairns all sorts of things in the way of flour, tobacco, clothing, etc., & obtained from the Captain the loan of two whale boats in which to take to their people their purchases. Just as they got to their own country with the boats the invitation to attend the big corroboree reached the tribe. All the men then proceeded across the Inlet to the place appointed. The three tribes gathered and amongst them the three old men who suspected nothing. After the noise of welcome had subsided and all were chatting about the camp fires, John gave a prearranged signal and at once all the men surrounded the three old cannibals and, to use John’s own words in describing the scene to me, “very soon poor fellow they been all same porcupine full up spear – I been put own spear first time alonga one fella". One old man attempted to escape and wounded as he was he crawled under a rock. John pursued him and, as he said to use his own words again, “I very sorry for him alonga that fella, but me

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no kill him he kill me, so I been spear him em altogether". And under that rock to this day lies the bones of that old cannibal. The bodies of the other two were given to the Barron blacks who cut up the bodies and placed the flesh on green boughs in the bottom of the whale boats and returned to their homes camps up the Barron river, some of that flesh was carried right up to Kuranda, which is now a well-known tourist resort. The boats were cleaned & returned to the Captain of the schooner.

There died recently at Yarrabah a young married woman named Stella. She was a daughter of one of these slain cannibals, and in the early days of the Mission, when she was quite a child, she often described to me how she had stood by & watched the Barron blacks cutting up the body of her father before they left for their own camps.

All visitors of to Yarrabah are attracted by the kindly manner of the old King of Yarrabah, the one time cannibal but now a good earnest Christian.

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Many are the stories one could tell of John Menmunie. Of course he was not always the quiet earnest Christian he is today, and was the notable warrior of the tribe. Several times he and myself had very energetic arguments, and on one occassion John went so far as to threaten me with a native sword – a huge wooden weapon used by the blacks along the coast of North Queensland. Having three wives, and all being sisters, John’s life in those days was not blessed by domestic peace. Hardly a day would pass but there would be some matrimonial dispute. One day I heard terrific screams and shouts from the camp and going down found the eldest wive lying on the ground bleeding from a large cut on the head. Close beside her was an empty kerosene tin. On enquiry I found that old John had knocked her down with the tin. Of course I lectured him severely. He listened to me, and when I had done he said, “that one woman been own fault, I been chuck ‘em tin, she been get alonga in front, that’s all". I had nothing more to say. John’s logic was too much for me.

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John is respected and loved by us all, both black and white, and to see him in his place in Church or presiding at the monthly meetings of the Aboriginal court, with his quiet dignity, one cannot but feel that although only an aboriginal he is yet every inch a King, “What hath God wrought!"

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Missions

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Chapter 10

It cannot be claimed that much has ever been attempted by the Church on behalf of the Australian Aborigine. It has always been considered that the work was not worth the doing. However it has time and again been proved that whenever a child race so to speak has come into contact with European habits and vices the work of elevating and Christianing that race becomes much more difficult than would otherwise have been the case. In my own experience I can safely affirm that it is much easier to deal with an Australian native in his primitive condition than with the so called civilized hanger-on of European settlements. Even among earnest Christians it has been considered that the Australian Aboriginal is incapable of been benefited by Christian effort to any considerable extent. But things that to men seem impossible are possible with God. It has been proved conclusively that the Aborigine of Australia is capable of reaching a fairly bright stage of development and is capable that is if given suitable environment and conditions of life when one bears in mind that we ourselves have reached our present standard after centuries of steady progress in the arts of civilization and that these blacks have not the advantage of a gradual progression but have so to speak jump over centuries from the stone age to the present, it is then that we realise the disadvantage under which we have to deal with them, but he has undoubtedly proved that he is possessed of a degree of intelligence by no means low. At the present time there is working as a draughtsman with a prominent firm in Sydney a full blooded aboriginal of New South Wales. Some years ago in a report by a Royal Commission on Education in the State of Victoria it was pointed out that the school obtaining the highest percentage of marks for that year in the State of Victoria was an aboriginal school.

Working at the present time a Missionary of the Church of England on the Roper River, Northern Territory is a full blooded Aboriginal named James Noble, a native of the Normanton district in North Queensland. James holds a license from the Bishop of North Queensland as a lay reader and was elected as one of my representatives to the Synod of North Queensland in 1907. At Synod he aroused great interest by his gentlemanly bearing and the fine sensible speech he made. In the year 1908 he accompanied myself to Brisbane and at a Public Missionary gathering in one of the City Halls gave a splendid

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speech to a crowded audience. On the occassion of his visit to Brisbane he at one of the City Churches intoned sang the prayers, read the lessons and preached. In the same year he volunteered to go as a Missionary to his countrymen on the Roper River, he is accompanied by his wife Angelina. Associated with James Noble is another Aboriginal, also from Yarrabah who in the Diocesan Sunday School examinations in the Diocese of North Queensland was one of the only two who passed first class with honours and secured the Bishop’s prize. In fact he and a young lady in Charters Towers tied in the examination, the Bishop’s prize being divided between them. Seven full blooded Aboriginals had the Bishop’s licence as lay readers and all these men were adults and married before they learnt the alphabet and learnt to read. At Yarrabah there are two boys and two girls who act as organists in the Church services in turn and one has even undertaken to teach others music. One of these organists, a girl who is in charge of the Dispensary at the Mission hospital. In the Yarrabah workshops may be seen an Aboriginal in charge of the motor engine and who does all the mechanical work required. The engineer on the Mission launch is also an aboriginal and he has been in charge of the vessel and its machines for six years. One of the most trusted and able lads at Yarrabah is one who six years ago had been convicted of petty larceny at a mining settlement. The Mission offered him a home and instead of being sent to goal he came to us. At the present time he occupies many important positions of trust and usefulness. He is drummer in the Brass band, is the Mission dentist extracting and filling teeth and acts as Sacristan and server at the Church. The Mission boasts of an eight page newspaper printed monthly. The printers are four Aboriginal lads, two half casts and two full blooded and not only do they print the paper but also do all the job printing for the establishment. The great aim of the Mission has been to place as much trust as possible in the most able of the people and many important positions are open to them in connection with the work of the Mission. [In margin] (Apr. 21, 1st Ch.) Men of science declare that these people are incapable of much but with the above facts before us and after many years of life amongst them and with a thorough insight into their native habits and racial characteristics we say that the work of elevating them as a race is well worth the doing and if carried on under with practical common sense much under God can be done with them and for them.

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The history of the Australian Aboriginal is a sad one. If the history of this race since the occupation of Australia by the white could only be written a black page indeed it would be in the annals of the British Empire. After a little over a hundred years they have been almost wiped off the face of the earth. By our bullets, our drink, our vices and our deseases. There is no doubt that our clothing has also helped in their disappearance. Even the Government blanket issued each year has not been an unmixed blessing to them. The story of the native of Tasmania has been told often. How they and the sealers waged a deadly war and how the whites in the end conquered and the remnants of the tribes were deported to some island in Bass Strait. The Tasmania native is now a thing of the past. In Victoria where formerly there were many thousands there are now only some four hundred and fifty left. In New South Wales where there must have been some hundreds of thousands there is now a remnant numbering between six and seven thousand and more than half that number are half castes and quadroons. In Queensland mostly in the north in C. York Peninsula and around the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria there are, it is estimated, somewhere about twenty five thousand. But the largest numbers today are to be found in the Northern Territory and the north west of the great state of Western Australia. A sad fact thing in connection with them still in existence is the fact that today there are just four thousand being reached by Christian effort. It has lately been estimated that we still have in the Commonwealth of Australia somewhere about eighty thousand still left.

And what is the condition of this remnant that is left. I will quote from the reports of an eye witness in the Northern Territory.

He says, “The poor blacks. There is nothing about them to inspire romance, but pity them we must. It is impossible not to moralise and wonder whether we as a people can be said to have done justice to the natives of Australia from whom we have taken the means of living by occupying their hunting lands. We have deprived them of their birth right and given them nothing in return."

“A shocking state of affairs exists in the Northern Territory."

“Of the children a large proportion are half caste and of these the condition is even more pitiable than that of the blacks for endowed with higher intelligence they still have no means of rising from their barbarous state and soon lose the

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desire to do so. One cannot help but feel a great pity for them, especially the females. Their fate is a fearful one. Some are nearly white and yet they live in these whirley abodes with the full black, until a certain age, when they will become the prize of depraved white men or Chinese."

Again, “During the wet season they will migrate from their hunting grounds on the rivers, and go into the small mining settlements infested with lazy and deseased Chinamen. They take their young female children with them and these are bartered for opium, square gin, tobacco, or provisions."

Again, “I have lived in Canton and Amoy but I never saw such degrading sights as I have witnessed in this part of Australia. In most countries they hang men who commit such deeds. Not a hundred yards from where I camped an old Chinaman and two Malays had their dwellings. Each lived with an aboriginal child none of whom were over twelve years of age.

Again, “To the stranger from a clean country, the life lived not only by the Asiatic, but by the white-man also, is staggering."

“Desease of a loathsome nature is now so prevalent that it makes one shudder to think how this pure race has been contaminated by these Asiatics. I have seen some frightful cases of desease and the hospital records will bear out these statements, although hundreds of cases never receive any medical attention at all."

“There are no schools or Mission Stations."

I need quote no more but the above will serve to shew the condition of these people whom we have dispossessed and for whose benefit we have attempted so little.

I have already alluded to the objection raised by many to Christian effort among this people that they are too degraded and consequently nothing can be achieved. There are also several other objections one is constantly meeting with. We are told that they are “dying out" and that in the course of a very few years they will have completely disappeared. True alas they are dying out but that is no reason why we should not make some determined effort to prevent it if possible. And if it is impossible to prevent it then it is plainly our duty to soothe the pillow of a dying race. But it has been proved that they need not if necessity be allowed to die out for given suitable conditions of life and environment they can be preserved from utter extinction.

During the first ten years or so of our work at Yarrabah the death rate was considerably above the births and this was owing to the fact that the women

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who came to us in those days came from prostitution and from Chinese dens of infamy and with these the birth rate was practically nil. But during the last six or seven years the very opposite has been the case owing to the fact that the young people of the Mission have been growing up and marrying and being healthy and sound the birth rate has so increased that in the year 1908 the births numbered fifteen over the death rate. The proportion is even greater at the present time. True alas the Aboriginal apart from the Mission Reserves is doomed to rapid extinction. Again there are many who affirm that no matter how an aboriginal of Australia may be taught educated he is sure to drift back to the primitive ways of his race. Instances are cited of Aboriginals who have been well brought up and educated but have gone back to old ways and habits. If we look into this carefully we will soon see that if isolate we take an Aboriginal and teach a train him his is an isolated case, he stands alone apart from his race amongst us white who despite his education still treat him as an inferior animal. He is so to speak alone in a crowd. What more naturally I ask that in his utter loneliness he seeks companionship from the only quarter open to him amongst his own kith and kin. But there are others who while admitting that the black may be uplifted and benefited yet he will never be able to stand alone. Withdraw the Missionary say these people and the Aboriginals will soon drift back. Now this is not a fair test. Let me say we have had thousands of years of the blessings of civilization and generations of education and yet what would become of us if all that goes to represent law and order were withdrawn? We ourselves cannot stand alone. Let me use a homely illustration. If fifty white men congregate on a [indecipherable] show what is the first thing that a paternal government does? A policeman is sent to mind them. Others again say that the care of the Australian should be the duty of the Government and not the Church. Now this true up to a certain point. But there must be Christian effort in order that any depraved and degraded race may uplifted. A purely secular effort can never be successful in the truest sense of the word.

We have not a single instance of such an effort producing successful results in Australia, although much has been attempted by secular effort.

In dealing with the results obtained at Yarrabah we must not overlook the good that has resulted from the efforts of noble men and women in the various States, by Bishop Salvado at the Roman Catholic Mission of New Norcia in W. Australia, by the Rev. F.

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Hagnauer and Mr. Daniel Matthews in Victoria, of Bishop Hale in Australia or by my own father in New South Wales and also by those noble Missionaries in North Queensland at the Presbyterian Missions at Mapoon and Wiepa and at the German Lutheran Mission at Cape Bedford near Cooktown. The blacks of Australia have had but few friends in the truest sense of the word but they have been a noble band of brave men and women working against long odds and amidst much bitter opposition and great hardship but God’s blessing has rested upon their labours on behalf of these poor despised children of the Australian bush.

We cannot be ignorant of the fact that there is resting upon us Australians a reproach in the eyes of the world for the way in which we have neglected and ill-treated this dispossessed race. But there is yet opportunity for the saving of the “remnant that is left". The work at Yarrabah has been carried out on distinctly definite lines. The aims of the Mission are the elevation and evangelisation of the Aborigines by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by teaching them habits of industry and this is done by gathering them into communities, surrounding them with Christian influences, protecting them from evils too often associated with European service and getting them to take an interest in themselves as a people and by cultivating self-respect. The fundamental idea of the station is that it shall prove a permanent home for the blacks and with this idea everything necessary in a community has been established. They have their own court of justice, cricket, football and rifle clubs and they live and work on the understanding that this is their own home where they can be taught to conduct themselves better and to attain to a higher stage of life than is possible under present conditions outside of it.

For the first two years of the work of the Mission all the help forthcoming from the Church was £10 a month, this was increased in 1895 to £17 a month. The Government of Queensland gave no financial assistance for the first six years and during that period the Church of England throughout Australia contributed the sum of £1545 and £1045 of that amount was raised in the diocese of Sydney. In those years Yarrabah was the only institution of the kind carried on entirely by the Church of England in Australia. Those were the days of small things. Today after years of

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hardship, difficulties and privations known only to God and to those who encountered them, Yarrabah stands as the largest institution of the kind in Australia and moreover it has proved beyond a doubt that the Australian Aborigine is capable of being benefited by Christian effort.

In looking back over the past years in thankfulness for the wonderful blessings upon our very poor and feeble efforts on behalf of these poor despised creatures of the Great God we in wonder say, “What hath God wrought"!!

There are many who imagine that the natives on these Christian Missions are kept in idleness, that they are taught to read and write, sing and pray but that industry, that “duty of life" is overlooked. No greater mistake could possibly be made. During the whole of the work of the Mission no skilled labour has ever been imported for the work of the Mission. The work of building, fitting of machinery, farming, printing, etc., has been done entirely by the members of the Mission staff and the natives who give assistance. After the cyclone of 1906 the whole of the work of the restoration and enlargement of S. Alban’s Church, Yarrabah, was done by two of the Aboriginal lads both in their teens at the time. Another fact will prove show how the people have been taught to rely upon their own efforts. In the year 1908 the Church of England in Australia contributed £610 towards the support of the Mission, for the same year the Government subsidy amounted to £571, including the grant for the Schools while for the same period the natives themselves by their own efforts raised the sum of £567 towards their own support. The Brass Band raised £202 of this amount while on tour through North Queensland.

It is the hope and aim of all to make the Mission self-supporting, but help is needed in the shape of a capital sum for the development of the Mission resources. With the Church awakened to a sense of her duty to this long neglected race, the raising of such a sum should not be a great difficulty and moreover with Yarrabah self-supporting the work of the Church amongst the Aborigines in other parts of Australia will be strengthened.

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The Fraser Island Mission

Chap. 11

In the year 1908 the Queensland Government handed over to the Church of England an Aboriginal Settlement on Fraser Island. This settlement had been in existence for some five years. About 150 blacks had been gathered there from all parts but the work had not been a success principally owing to the difficult and incorrigible element that had been collected there and also from the close proximity of undesirable whites. When the Diocese of Brisbane undertook the work I was asked to give what assistance I could. The Church Authorities sent Messrs. Kitchin and Irwin to take charge of the place and they reached the Island two weeks before I arrived to assist them in beginning their work. Journeying by steamer to Brisbane I thence took train at once to Maryborough and found awaiting me a small cutter from the settlement manned by an aboriginal crew. We left Pialba for Fraser Island the Mission which was called Bogimbah at 2 p.m. but did not land at the station till after midnight owing to there being hardly any wind.

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Fraser Island or Great Sandy Island is about one hundred miles long and about twelve miles wide. It consists almost entirely of sand, the great hills, one might almost call them mountains being all white sand. The Island is well watered by beautiful running streams and has also several rather pretty lakes. Timber of a very valuable description is also very plentiful and wild flowers are abundant. Yet the Island is useless for agriculture. Many a [indecipherable] [man ?] has tried to do something on Fraser Island but all have eventually given up. Horses do well on the Island and for years one man had quite a number running there. Cattle do fairly well on one or two parts. On my arrival I found Messrs. Kitchin and Irwin in great delight at my arrival. Being quite ignorant of the blacks & their ways they felt quite at a loss as to begin their work. I found the settlement consisted of a small three roomed cottage, and a store and a lock-up while about a quarter of a mile away the blacks had their camps for the most part built of bark and slabs, many of the places being

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wretched in the extreme. Mr. Kitchin told me also that there had been some startling rumours in the settlement to the effect that a certain section of the blacks had formed a plot to murder the Missionaries and several men had come to them and offered to take them across the bay to the mainland but Kitchin refused to leave his post, as it turned out the plot was merely an attempt to scare the new Missionaries. On Sunday morning we arranged to have a service at the camps. In cassocks and surplices we proceeded to the place and the people quietly gathered as this was quite a new thing on the Island. After singing and prayer I spoke for some considerable time and explained the change that had taken place and what we hoped to be able to do for them. I then alluded to the rumour plot in ordered to scare the Missionaries off the Island and said that we were not to be scared from our duty. They were told that next day all would be expected to do some work. Close by stood four or five men in black tracker’s uniforms

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who under the old regime had had things pretty well their own way. They seemed very discontented with the new order of things. I inspected the camps and found things very wretched and in many cases filthy, a number also were suffering from venereal deseases. Of course it must be borne in mind that the population had been gathered from the outskirts of towns, from prostitution and all manner of vice. We set about at once caring for those in need of attention. On the Monday we gathered the men together and started work. I told them at the outset that I did not want to be called “boss", if they did so I would not answer to it. During the day one man rather a wag in his way called out “I say boss" but I took no notice. Suddenly remembering my injunction he said, “Oh, I beg pardon father then". I then replied. Our first work was cleaning up the camps, and felling pine trees and cutting them up into palings in order to better improve their homes. One man informed me that the blacks should not work like that, the Government ought to

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give them all they needed without work because the whites had taken their country. This gave me an opportunity which I made use of and I explained that it was God who had really taken their country from them as they were not using it and it was so good that use had to be made of it and that if they wished to retain any of it then they would have to work to shew they were worthy of any portion being left to them. They were a very difficult lot to deal with, nothing had been attempt amongst them in the way of religious teaching or school and the children were in a very neglected condition. Then too the conditions under which we Missionaries had to live were hard in the extreme. The sand of the Island was full of fleas and these made life almost unendurable and when night came the mosquitoes and sand flies were beyond any description. Many of the blacks had very bad records and many had been in the hands of the police for various offences. They were also great gamblers and many were addicted to opium

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smoking. The opium pipes they made from old stone ink bottles by boring a hole through the side and inserting a reed. I determined to put a check on gambling but found it very hard work. Collecting all the dirty, greasy and grimy packs of cards that I could, I arranged that the most noted card players should come to me in the evenings and that I would have a game with them. This I thought would be the best way to check the awful amount of gambling that went on. Men would gamble their clothing away and even their wives had been gambled for. I well remember how one morning a man came to me and asked for a new shirt, coat and trousers. I refused pointing out that he was already well clothed. “Oh" said he, “I been lose these last night and the fellow that won them lent me them to wear till I got some more". Needless to say I gave him no more. In spite of all my efforts they would gamble if not with cards then with marbles. On the Island was an amusing character named Peggy Smart.

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Peggy claimed to be a Roman Catholic. We fitted up one end of the store as a chapel using planks placed upon empty oil drums for seats. I made also a small altar and started the daily services of the Church. Peggy would enter and devoutedly cross herself before the altar and during my address would come out and prostrate herself before me, it was somewhat embarrassing especially as she got into the habit of doing it every evening during evensong. Peggy was a character and most amusing at times. One evening she came to me and said she wanted me to divorce her from her husband Jack Smart. She told me that she wanted another man named “Redman", a most awful looking fellow while her husband was a fine jolly chap. I told her that I could not grant her a divorce so she said, “Well look here Mr. Gribble, we never can ‘gree, we never did ‘gree and we never will ‘gree so there". A few nights afterwards I was making my rounds of the camps and noticed a party of men and women seated around an out-spread blanket. I knew they were gambling and that as I approached the cards had been placed out of sight. However I said nothing and started

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for my quarters. I had got about half way to the cottage when I saw in the moonlight the figure of a woman running across ahead of me and a man after her. I called out and the two came to me, it was Peggy and her husband Jack. I thought at first that Jack was trying to overtake his wife and beat her but I was wrong. It appears that Peggy was still keen on a divorce and so had arranged that her husband and her new fancy Redman should play a game of Euchre and whoever won was to take her. It was this party that I had noticed seated around the out-spread blanket. All went well with the game until Jack the husband began to win and seeing that Redman was certain to lose Peggy had started up to inform me of the fact that Jack, a confirmed gambler, was gambling again and Jack was trying to overtake her and get his story in first. I got quite enough of Peggy during my short stay on Fraser Island. I only spent a few weeks on the Island on this occassion and when I left my dear dear friend & fellow-worker, the late W. Reeves, took charge of the work for nine months.

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It was a most difficult undertaking owing to the number of incorrigibles that had been sent to the Island. It was difficult too to get a suitable man as Superintendent and during the five years that the Church carried on the work there were no less than six Superintendents in that time. My mother undertook the duties of Matron and nobly stayed at her post although the conditions of life were peculiarly trying. A girls’ home was built also a school-house. I made visit after visit to the place from Yarrabah although I could not spare the time and it meant my being absent from my own work for two months each visit. Several times I was sent for hurriedly to go and get things right but through the want of a capable man at the head of the place it was to a heart-breaking task each time I went. During my stay things would go along well but directly I left there would at once be disorder and insubordination. I remember on one occassion I was sent for to get things a bit straight and found that there were several things needing adjustment. One evening

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at Church time I was reproving the men for their lazy ways and other things when one man in a very cheeky and disrespectful manner said that I had no right to interfere with old ways or as he put it old fashion. His tone was so insolent that I at once in my surplice went to him and asked him what he meant by this insolence, he at once apologised and then I said, as for old fashion, “I quite agree but if we have it in one thing I would insist on having it in everything and so", I said, “when you come for tobacco tomorrow I will say, “old fashion" so go without, “if you come for clothing", I will say, “old fashion now so go without", we will have “old fashion" in everything. This amused them and I heard no more of “old fashion". The curse of the place was opium which they got from the many sailing boats about. They would with mirrors attract the attention of the boats and signal where they would meet the people on board. Of course rows and quarrels were very frequent. On one occassion a woman rushed to my mother for protection from her husband. The husband

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a big burly chap rushed into the room after her but my mother met him with the “bald headed end" of the broom and he hastily beat a retreat. That man always held my mother in great respect. Attempts were made to do something with fishing nets but although fish were very plentiful, very little fish would be brought up. It turned out however that large quantities of fish would be caught but the rascals would secrete it all in the bush till nightfall only bringing in a small quantity. A very sad affair happened some little time before one of my visits. The sailing boat with five men on board were sent across to the Island opposite where there was a light house and from there communication could be had with the mainland by telephone. The boat was sent over with a message, on the way the vessel capsized and from the light house the poor fellows could be seen clinging to the upturned boat and one after the other were taken by sharks which abound there in large numbers. One of those on board was Barney a noted black tracker and who had been employed in Victoria in pursuit

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of the Kelly gang. After about four years in 1904 it was decided to close the Mission and I agreed to take most of the people to Yarrabah and we were to be allowed to take the buildings also. The work of removal was difficult in the extreme. My brother Arthur was at this time in charge of the settlement. Leaving Yarrabah on July 16 Jan. 15 & taking with me two young boys James Noble and Phillip Meringhee, I journeyed to Fraser Island and began preparations for the move. We first of all pulled down the principal buildings, this took some time as the different parts had to be marked as it was intended to re-erect them at Yarrabah. After demolishing the buildings we had to camp for weeks in tents on the beach awaiting the arrival of the transport, a brigantine of about 200 tons named the “Rio Logue". The time was winter and it was extremely cold and the long wait was trying indeed to the ladies of the Mission. Moreover the people grew very restless and altogether we had such a time that I for one hope never to experience again. At last the vessel arrived but had to anchor a considerable distance out at sea. We had to

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carry on our shoulders the timber and roofing iron from the settlement to a huge punt and then handle it all again from the punt to the vessel. At last after many days hard work handling one hundred and eighty tons of building material no less than three times we got it all aboard and then we all embarked. Beside the vessel’s crew there were eighty-nine blacks and the Mission staff including myself of four, all told about one hundred souls on board. The voyage was slow and tedious and a fortnight was spent in reaching Yarrabah. Three days were spent in unloading the timber in rough weather on to the beach at C. Grafton that being the nearest we could get to Yarrabah and which was four miles off. The new arrivals were given a warm welcome and although several of the adults from time to time gave considerable trouble they all finally settled down and became contented and happy in their new surroundings. The move was a wise one in every way and proved beneficial to the people and more especially

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to the fine little children in number about thirty. One of these is now working as a Missionary among his countrymen on the Roper River in the Northern Territory and it was he whom a few years ago in the Diocesan Sunday Schools examination in the Diocese of North Queensland succeeded in winning the Bishop’s Prize and with a young white girl, both of whom were the only two in the Diocese that year to pass first class with honours. The attempt on Fraser Island shewed conclusively that the work is hardly worth attempting if the blacks are still to be in contact with Europeans, and the removal to Yarrabah with its better environments proved also that there is hope for the very worst, as many who were taken from Fraser Island had in years gone by been incorrigible and difficult to deal with but at Yarrabah amid new surroundings became law-abiding and industrious members of that community. Needless to say however that very old friend Peggy Smart did not accompany the others to their new home. The old Mission settlement

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has been abandoned and is once more a wilderness and but few blacks remain on the Island which at one time carried a numerous population of war-like blacks. During the existence of the Mission many deaths took place and one [indecipherable] to think that they had the blessing of Christian teaching and sympathy as they crossed the “great divide". All honour to those men and women who from time to worked there amid so much discomfort and dreary surroundings and against tremendous difficulties and trials. Only those who worked at Bogimbah can know what it meant. Before I close this short account of that Mission let me mention the names of Messrs. Kitchen, Irwin, Reeves, Anderson, Thomas, Webber & Kent, Mrs. J.B. Gribble, Mrs. Reeves, Mrs. Webber, and Captain Mrs. Kent, all of whom worked nobly and well for the cause of the Australian Aboriginal.

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First Journey to the Mitchell River

Chap. 12

In the year 1901 in the month of May I left Yarrabah to join the native police patrol which was about to leave the Laura a place sixty miles inland from Cooktown in the Gulf of Carpentaria coast. I had been asked by the Bishop of Carpentaria to obtain the permission of the Home Secretary, the Hon. J.G. Foxton, to join the patrol in order to inspect the country about the mouth of the Mitchell River with a view to the establishment of an aboriginal Mission there. The Bishop was to accompany Dr. Roth, the Chief Protector of Aboriginals, on board the Government boat, the “Melbidir". I journeyed by steamer to Cooktown and from there to the Laura by train. The Laura was only a small place at the terminus of the railway and consisted of two stores, public house, Railway Station and native police depot. Reaching there I was hospitably entertained by the Sub-Inspector Garraway and spent two days in preparing for the journey. I hired two horses and was kindly lent a small pony by the Railway Stationmaster. Early one morning we left the Laura, the

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party consisting of the Sub-Inspector and three native troopers and myself and twelve horses. Our first destination was to a native police camp on the Palmer River named Frome. It took us three days to reach Frome. The country passed over was very typical of the Australian bush. The Palmer river is a fine stream which joins the Mitchell River. We passed close to the one time celebrated Palmer Gold-fields and passed many Chinese gold fossickers. I was told many stories of the gold digging days. On the road from Cooktown to the diggings is a romantic spot called “Hell’s Gates", a great gap in the range, many Chinese lost their lives at the hands of the blacks when passing through this pass. Frome, the Native Police Camp, is situated on the south bank of the Palmer River and consisted of the quarters of the Acting Sergeant & his wife, a store, stables and workshop and the dwellings of the native troopers and their wives. As we reached the settlement the troopers at the camp hastily drew up in line and saluted the Sub-Inspector. Here we spent

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two days in preparation for our journey down the river to the west coast. I found in the camp two little Myall black boys who had just been brought into the camp from the west by the Acting Sergeant who had been down the river on patrol. Neither of these lads could speak English, their names were Rio and Dinaroo. There was also an aboriginal male prisoner in the camp. When we left Frome our party was increased by two more native troopers and the Acting Sergeant. Our course lay down the Palmer for some distance where we left it as our destination lay due west. We travelled about thirity miles a day and were due somewhere near the mouth of the Mitchell river by a certain date. The “Melbidir" from Thursday Island was to await our arrival off the coast. The time of the year was hot but fairly cool and on the whole the travelling was good. We generally managed to strike a lagoon for each night’s camp. The police travelled well equipped, the Sub-Inspector having with him a folding stretcher bed and many little comforts. My own outfit was very meagre

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but my droving days had taught me how to travel with a minimum of impediments. We travelled by compass and carried maps. From the time we left Frome till our return we saw no European the whole of the trip. The officers and myself would ride along followed by the pack-horses driven by the black troopers. At midday we would make a halt for lunch and change horses for the afternoon journey. At last on Trinity Sunday we found ourselves on the banks of a large river four days after leaving the banks of the Palmer. We had expected to strike the Mitchell but the river before us we were certain was not that river. After making our camp we examined our maps and at last came to the conclusion that we had travelled too much to the north and had struck the Alice River. All around were fresh signs of many blacks. The country seemed full of them although we had not as yet set eyes on any. Next day we struck away to the southward and eventually found ourselves on the north bank of the Mitchell which we crossed and found ourselves in country much subjected to flood for we saw numerous signs

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of flood waters far above our heads in the trees. In this country we at times found it extremely hard to make our way, the black boys of our party having to use tomahawks to cut through the dense undergrowth. One morning we suddenly came upon a camp just deserted on the sandy bed of a dry creek, the fires were still burning and I counted sixty fires so that the party recently camped there must have been a very large one. Each morning as we advanced left our night’s camp the blacks on all sides would send up smoke signals and through the day we would be making our way over burnt country or through grass fires. The grass in places being so high as to be quite over the horses’ backs and in several places we had to set alight to the grass as we journeyed. Along the edge of the fires as they advanced were thousands of hawks darting down upon the lizards, bandicoots and other animals seeking to escape the flames. We saw several hawks overtaken by the flames and fall to be consumed by the fire. Although on all sides were signs of a large black population for several days we saw none. One day after our midday halt we had just

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emerged from some scrub on to a large plain and at once we saw bounding across the plain as hard as he could go a black fellow. The Acting Sergant and a native trooper at once galloped after him and soon overtaking him he stood and threw down his weapons. While this was taking place the rest of our party rode slowly along. As soon as the black fellow stopped and threw down his weapons we heard a shout behind us and looking back to our surprise there came three blacks towards us from the direction we had come. Pulling up we awaited their approach. My pony not being used accustomed like the police horses to wild blacks gave a snort and bolted across the plain and to make matters worse the bridle came off but fortunately for me after going some distance she suddenly swung round to look back at the blacks and I took advantage of the halt to jump off, glad indeed to be on the ground. The blacks could speak no English and after vainly trying to get from them how far off the sea coast was we let them go and rode on. Towards sundown on our westerly course we came to the banks of a fine large tidal stream

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very wide and deep and full of crocodiles. We followed the stream back in an easterly direction looking for a ford and on the bank we came suddenly upon a camping place of blacks. The people had run off on our approach and could not be seen. In this camp were the result of the day’s chase, a turkey, bandicoots and a fine big wallaby as well as lizards and also in dilly bags lily roots and yams. Looking about one of our native troopers discovered the blacks in hiding over the deep bank and we induced them to approach us. They were a fine race of men strongly built and healthy. Many where [were] covered with scars across chest and back. One man in particular being noticeable from the number of markings all over his body and the blackness of his skin. One woman we noticed over six feet in height. After some time we managed to get them to understand that we wanted to find a fording place and they guided us upstream to a suitable spot. With great difficulty we managed to get our horses across the stream and through the very soft sand to the other side. The scene was a lively one and the blacks

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thoroughly enjoyed watching our efforts to cross but we [were] quite afraid of our horses and kept at a respectful distance. On reaching the opposite bank the blacks took us to a fresh water lagoon where we decided to camp for the night. While fixing camp more blacks arrived of both sexes and the scene was one to be remembered. The women were put to carry us firewood and as soon as our tea was ready we ordered them all away. Not being able to talk to them I yet tried to make friends with them and they took particular notice of my gold cross attached to my watch chain. They seemed to know who the police were but were evidently puzzled as to my connection with the police. After tea we retired to our tents and I was busy writing up my journal by the light of a candle stuck in the ground when the native corporal entered the Garraway’s tent which stood near mine and asked for the loan of the shot gun as there were ducks upon the lagoon. Obtaining the weapon he went off but in a few minutes rushed back excitedly and calling upon us to blow out the candles, informed us that the blacks were creeping all

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round the camp. Leaving the tents we crept out in the open near the end of the lagoon and at full length on our stomachs we endured torture from myriads of mosquitoes as we breathlessly listened to the stealthy approach of the band of savages. At last I asked the Sub-Inspector in a whisper what he intended doing and he said that as soon as a spear was thrown they would fire in the direction whence it came. It was moonlight. I thought it better to fire a shot into the water at once rather than wait as I could not see the force wisdom of awaiting a spear which might penetrate someone. At last the Garraway acted on my suggestion and fired his revolver into the lagoon and at once there was a stampede through the timber of our black friends. We kept a strict watch all night but they did not again approach us. In the morning they did not put in an appearance which was a very suspicious sign. When we left camp that morning I suddenly missed an article I had left behind and rode back, as I turned I saw a dingo (dog) I had noticed with the blacks the evening before, pulling up I called to the Sub-Inspector and we rode back together only to see a number of

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our friends of the day before running across the plain. We went on our westerly course and at midday camped beside a waterhole for lunch. While we were eating one of our party noticed a black fellow watching us from a climb of trees and who at once disappeared on being observed. That afternoon the signal smoke fires of the blacks were being sent up all along our journey. Towards evening we struck another large tidal stream and went up it for some miles in search of a ford. Crossing at last we made our camp just at dark. No fires were made and no tents put up for we knew that we were in the midst of numerous foes. The horses were hobbled very short and the bells were not put on. After making camp we heard distinctly the cooee of the blacks back on our tracks. Strict watch was kept and the night passed safely. Next day we continued our journey westwards only to hit upon another large river which we followed up for several hours in search of a crossing. That night we pitched our camp in a thick clump of trees and being in need of sleep we determined to erect our tents and mosquitoe curtains. We felt safe from spears in such a thick scrub. The night

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passed safely. The next day we hoped to reach the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria owing to our many delays occassioned by the streams encountered. We were now four days overdue and were very anxious to reach the party on the “Melbidir". That day we saw signs which convinced me that the coast beach was not far off but the Sergeant was confident that we were still many miles off it. I at last dismounted from my horse and climbed a tree & saw what I felt was the ocean but as we had been mistaking great plains for the sea so many times I felt a bit uncertain. Riding up alongside Garraway I said I was sure the sea was near, just then a dull murmur reached our ears. We all made a halt and then with a wild cheer we all as one man spurred our horses and with yells and shouts broke through the undergrowth on to the beach. With a rush of horsemen and pack horses we came on to the sandy beach and there away to the south was a sail fast disappearing on the horizon. We were just too late, the “Melbidir" had gone. We made fires to attract attention and I rode at a gallop along the hard sand

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towards a point of mangrove round which the vessel was disappearing but I was was stopped in my course by a large stream now known as Trubanaman Creek. Needless to say we were much disappointed but hoped that the vessel was only cruising along the coast and would return. We spent a whole week camped on the beach but the vessel did not return. We explored the country which we found very suitable for the establishment of a Mission but could not get into touch with the blacks. At last we turned our faces homewards, our food supplies were almost done and several hundred miles lay between us and the place from which we had set out. On the first day of our return journey when passing a small lagoon I was riding some distance in the rear of the party when I notice the smoke from a small fire near the water, calling to the rest of the party we rode round the water and found three black women, one old mother and her two fine well-made daughters. They were gathering lily roots. We gave them some little presents and rode on. We camped for lunch beside a small lagoon at which we had evidently surprised some blacks for we found

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several beautiful made netted dilly bags full of lily roots which had evidently been dropped in alarm as the owners ran off. I took two of the bags and tied on to one of the others two sticks of tobacco as payment for them. The native troopers had a good laugh at me for paying for them when I could have taken them for nothing. But I had to bear in mind that I was to return the following year to make friends with these blacks and help to establish the Mission amongst them. As we drew near the end of our journey our food ran short and we had several days with little to eat, one horse had to be left behind as we were travelling fast. One of my mounts developed a frightful sore back from a bad pack saddle so that I had to double the work on the others. When we camped we would all go out foraging for food and our collection at times would be very amusing, snakes, bandicoots, fish, turtle. The snakes the boys devoured with great gusto, we gave them a wide berth. At last we reached Frome and after two days rest and feeding. The Sub-Inspector with his own boys and myself here bid goodbye to the Acting Sergeant and returned to the Police Depot at

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the Laura. I brought back with me one of the two little “Myall" boys “Dinaroo" to take to Yarrabah in order that I might be able to return him to his people the following year on my next expedition to the Mitchell River country. At the Laura I spent a couple of days waiting for the train which only ran once a week in those days. I bought Dinaroo some clothing, the first he had worn and it was amusing to see him go out into the sun and admire his shadow, for some days he could not walk straight so eager was he to observe his shadow now that he was clothed. Returning to Yarrabah by steamer I found that much anxiety had been felt as to my safety as the Bishop on arrival at Normanton had wires to the effect that our party had not been seen although the vessel had waited five days at the appointed place. On my report the six hundred square miles of country near the Mitchell River was gazzeted as a Reserve for a Church of England Mission and steps were at once taken by the Australian Board of Missions to start the new Mission.

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2nd Overland Journey to the gulf of Carpentaria.

Chap. 13

On my return to Yarrabah with the people from Fraser Island in the year 1904 preparations were at once made for another expedition overland to the mouth of the Mitchell River on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Thirty head of horses were obtained, also saddles and gear as our party was to be fairly large and we would have to carry rations for four months on pack horses. In a fortnight after my return all was ready for a start. The party consisted of besides myself the Rev. F. Palgrave who had just come Canada, Mr. H. Wriede, my brother-in-law, Mr. A. Richardson, James Noble and his wife Angelina, Ernest, a Yarrabah boy and Bendigo and Grady, two blacks to whose country we were bound. We had also little Dinaroo with us to take back to his people. To Cairns we journeyed by the Mission launch and it was a very exciting scene as we left the Yarrabah jetty. From Cairns we journeyed by rail to a place called Biboohra where we pitched our camp on the bank of the Barron River and awaited the arrival of the horses which were to be delivered to us there. While waiting we sorted out our stores and personal luggage and formed them into loads,

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hobbles and gear was were got ready for the long journey. At last after a wait of three days the horses arrived and were put into the railway yards. Then began the work of catching & packing, this took no less than six hours as many were unbroken and had to be lassooed. One mare ridden by Grady started to buck and carried him right through the railway fence and landed him with his saddle between the rails. At three o’clock in the afternoon we at last got under way. We had eighteen miles to go before night to an old deserted homestead called Northedge. About a mile on the road one of the pack horses laden with flour started to buck and rushing through the mob of pack horses started several others to play up also, but these were soon steadied, but the other managed to get rid of her load of flour and galloped off. The stockman who had given us delivery of the horses was still with us as I had stipulated that he should remain three days with us, and he and his boy started after the runaway whilst we went on. Just before sundown another of the

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pack horse started bucking and continued to get rid of her load which consisted mainly of baking powder in tins, as the packs left the saddle she gave them a kick and we saw with grief a cloud beautiful and white go off in the wind. Our baking powder. At 9 p.m. in utter darkness we reached at last the old homestead or rather we suddenly found ourselves in the horse yard there, it being too dark to see where we were going. The work of unpacking and hobbling our big lot of horses took some time and utterly tired out we sank to rest hardly able even to eat. The next day the stockman turned up having been unable to recover the runaway.

For the first week we made no midday halt owing to the young horses being so hard to catch and pack. Every morning during that week we had to make a yard in which to catch them, but at last after a few days travelling from early morning till late in the afternoon we began to settle down and things became much easier. We were now on what is called the Little Mitchell which we hoped to be able to follow all the way for several hundred miles

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but found that it was impossible owing to the rough nature of the country. Our plan of travelling was simple. Rising at daylight the boys would at once go after the horses. Angelina, James’ wife would get breakfast which consisted damper, tin meat, jam and tea. The white men of the party would get all the packs ready and have breakfast. As soon as the horses arrived they would at once be caught and packed then as soon as all was ready for the start and every horse packed a psalm would be read after which came prayers and before eight o’clock we would be well on our way. As the sun got warm about 11.30 we would halt for lunch and having the horses out to feed would rest till 2 p.m. when another start would be made and the journey continued till 5 p.m. After an evening meal would come evensong then all would seek rest under the open sky for altho’ we carried tents we seldom erected them. We all had mosquito nets under which we slept. The journey was for the most part by compass and map and we passed over extremely rough country. Two days after leaving Biboohra we called at a cattle

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station belonging to a Mr. Baker. Sending the party on with the packhorses, Palgrave, Wriede and myself called at the homestead and received a hearty welcome and were regaled with tea and cake. On leaving I had mounted my horse when suddenly Palgrave’s horse galloped past me bucking for all it was worth. Palgrave was hanging across its back and as he passed I called out to him to hang on when suddenly he came to the earth very heavily. Jumping off I ran to him as he tried to rise and found him to be only stunned. For days he was quite dazed from the effects of the fall. He had been getting on somewhat carelessly and had startled the horse hence the mishap. Poor Palgrave had several falls later on the journey. Travelling west after about eight days we found ourselves at the new copper mine called the O.K. The mine had only just been opened up. I rode up to the only bush pub in the place to ask directions and found a man there who as I had was not in clerical attire was very anxious to give me the information I needed and with many an

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oath expressed his readiness to accompany us down as far as the junction of the Palmer River with the Mitchell. He was dumb founded when I asked him whether he was ready to join a party in which there were two clergymen. Months afterwards I met the same man by name Mick Madigan and he then told me that he never got such a surprise in his life when he discovered that he had been talking to a parson without knowing it. After leaving the O.K. we got into very mountainous country and our horses being heavily laden we made but slow progress over that rough rocky country. Frequently we would have to make a halt and explore the country for a way out. At last to our great relief we got through and found ourselves in open and level country with plenty of grass and water. During the whole of our journey we managed to find good camping places with plenty of good water and grass. We called at a cattle station named Gamboola where we found ourselves once more on the banks of the Mitchell. Our journey down the river was without incident till we reached the junction of the Mitchell and the Palmer. We were travelling

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between the two rivers and as we were going down the bank at the junction I noticed a small hole under my horse and called out in warning to the others behind. Just behind me came Palgrave and his horse put its foot into the hole and came down sending my good friend and brother over its head, but without any injury. We decided to make our camp on fine green grass on the north side of the junction and had to climb up the bank to the top. The pack horses scrambled up then the horsemen. When it came to Palgrave’s turn as his horse made the jump up he sat back and the horse with its fore feet in the ledge above was unable to spring as Palgrave was a very heavy man. Result, the horse sat on its haunches and the rider toppled over backwards much to the amusement of himself and all the party. At last we found ourselves in the wild blacks’ country, signs of recent camps being seen on all sides. One morning whilst riding ahead of the party with Bendigo he noticed a human foot print and said he gave it as his opinion that a black fellow had just passed along. Soon after I decided to camp for lunch beside a deep water hole in the creek along

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which we were travelling. After lunch I warned the members of the party against wandering far from the camp as without a doubt the blacks were about us. At 3 o’clock awaking from a nap I found that young Richardson and the black boy Ernest had gone off hunting. I was much annoyed at the disregard shewn to my warning. Presently however they returned bringing all the horses with the exception of two. Giving them a talking to for their disobedience I pointed out the danger they ran. Leaving the party to get packed up, I set out by myself for the other horses. I had not proceeded far before I saw horse tracks leading into the scrub on to the bank of the creek. I followed long the edge the creek expecting soon to come on the missing horses somewhere in the shade. All at once in the deep shade I caught sight of what I took to be the front legs of a horse. I pulled up and to my dismay found myself looking into the face of a tall naked black. We gazed into each other’s eyes for several seconds without moving. I do not know which looked the most scared. At last I found my tongue and said, “Who you"? The black at once re-echoed my words. I then said," me Mr. Gribble", the black replied much to my relief, “that b—good job" and stopped. I then recognised in him the black whom I had seen as a prisoner the year before at the native

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Police Camp on the Frome. He had escaped from custody and gone back to his tribe again after spending some time on a cattle station. I never remember ever being pleased before at hearing a man swear but I was pleased that time. I told him my camp was near and he said, “all right you been go first". I declined and so he walked in front of me towards our camp. As we drew near, little Dinaroo was catching a horse as [and] as he saw us approaching he gave a yell and bounded to the rest of the party crying out, “Dadda been come with wild black fellow". The party in surprise came to meet us. My new friend and Bendigo at once recognising each other greeted one another in truly aboriginal fashion and wept on each other’s neck. Then the new-comer told Bendigo that he had been behind a tree watching Richardson & Ernest hunting an iguana and wondered who they could be. When young Richardson heard this he turned quite pale as he realized the danger he had run. That afternoon the strange black stalked along in front of us guiding us to the his camp which we reached just at sundown. The place was wild and romantic in the extreme. About one hundred and fifty blacks gathered round us and assisted in fixing our camp for the night, the women being much interested

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in James Noble’s wife. After tea we were entertained with a corroboree and the fun waxed fast and furious till late. At last I suggested sleep and the dancing ceased. A deputation of the wild blacks came to our boys Grady and Bendigo. They chattered and gesticulated for some time so I called out and asked what they wanted. Then Bendigo informed me that his people wanted me to shew them where I would like them to camp. We were the intruders and thought it good indeed of these wild savages to seek to please us. I pointed out a spot about one hundred yards off and there they camped. The next day we packed up amid a crowd of respectful and deeply interested natives. Our journey that day was most interesting. As we journeyed the number of blacks increased till we had about two hundred with us. As we went into camp for our midday halt, James managed to shoot a wallaby and a number of ducks. The country abounded in game of all kinds. James on one occassion succeeded in bagging thirteen ducks in one shot. Our native friends made a good meal out of the wallaby and other food they had secured as they came along. In the afternoon we reached a deserted cattle station called “Bosworth". This place was abandoned

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after two years owing to the large numbers of blacks and their [indecipherable] hostility. Another station to the north had also been abandoned owing to the blacks, this place was called Kalabah. The Bishop of Carpentaria had expressed the hope that Bosworth would be a suitable place for the new Mission but as soon as I saw the place I at once decided as to its that it was by no means a good site. We pitched our camp a few miles past the old cattle station and had quite a large concourse of naked savages as interested spectators in all our movements. We made the hearts of many glad glad by little presents of tobacco. We decided to stay here for a few days and while the rest of the party were busy washing clothes and overhauling the packs, I with Bendigo rode southwards to Rutland Plains Station for our letters, the road ride was a long one and we stayed all night at the homestead. The squatter’s wife was very kind and to my surprise I found that she knew my father and was intimately acquainted with friends of my own. Brave little woman away there in the wild bush, the nearest white woman being nearly two hundred miles away. How lonely it must often have been for her when her husband & the stockmen were away for days at a time

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mustering cattle. I found several letters for our party. The mail is brought once a month on horseback from Normanton. While at the homestead I heard that there was a rumour among the station blacks that the bush blacks were going to kill Mr. Gribble and his party. The information had been brought to the station by a party of blacks from the southwards. Returning to our camp on the Reserve I found that the blacks had increased in numbers. The day following my return I set out with Grady to explore the Reserve to the northwards. We visited lagoons without number beautiful sheets of clear fresh water. Much of the country shewed signs of flood waters and was very flat. We found at last a site which was fairly good on a lagoon called by the blacks “Yeremundo". The next day we struck camp and journeyed westwards until we came to a very fine stretch of water, here we decided to camp for a day or two and explore the country a bit. This lagoon we called “Palgrave’s Lagoon" after my friend and colleague. While camped here we had the misfortune to lose one of our pack horses which got into a swamp while in hobbles and becoming bogged was drowned. We removed from Palgrave’s lagoon to “Yeremundo" where we

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remained several weeks. We were anxious to get back to the East coast before the wet season set in as it would be impossible for us to travel if the rains caught us while en route homewards. We made it known to the blacks that we would return next year in twelve moons. We also erected with the assistance of many natives a log hut with a thatch roof in order to convince them of our intention to return permanently. Every night the natives would entertain us with their dances and native songs and every day I had dozens of sick to attend to. Ulcers and festering sores and a broken leg needed daily attention. The natives goodwill was gained and the way opened up for the work of the Mission. Our camp was a merry one and we had quite a large number of pets, young cockatoos, possums, and two young dingo pups. The blacks were very much interested in our services morning and evening. Our prayers went up daily on their behalf that in God’s own time their eyes might be opened and they would be brought to know God and His Son and worship Him also.

On the Sunday before we left Yeremundo the baptism of Grady and Bendigo took place. They had long been under instruction at Fraser Island and at Yarrabah

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and now in the midst of their own tribes they were admitted into the Church Family of God. At a narrow part of the lagoon the ceremony took place. The wild blacks over two hundred in number stood on the bank of the lagoon opposite to where our camp stood. We Christians, seven in number, four whites and three blacks, standing near the water. I entered the stream and the two candidates came from their tribe to me in the middle of the water where I baptized them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Bendigo took the name Peter and Grady the name John, the first two baptized on the new Mission. At Yeremundo too the first celebrations of the Sacrament took place. Hearing from the natives that near the coast there was a better locality than Yeremundo, I decided to go there before facing homewards. The blacks accompanied us and as we travelled we marked the trees so that the place might be found the next year from Yeremundo even if the blacks failed to appear and guide us. The journey across took us two days and was full of incident. Coming out of a dense scrub on the first day we caught sight of a wild dog with five half grown pups. With a yell the whole tribe of blacks rushed after them.

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The dogs took refuge in a thicket, several natives went in and scared the animals out to the men on the watch. The old dog escaped but all the five pups we killed and carried along for the evening meal. Soon after this excitement, a number of native companions or Barolgas [Brolgas] ran along in front of us. One of the young native lads threw his spear at one of the birds as it ran along preparing for flight. To my astonishment although the distance seemed to be far to great for a spear thrower yet the weapon went clean through the bird for about two feet. It was an object lesson in spear throwing. The first evening we camped on a small swamp with plenty of good grass for the horses. The mosquitoes were however rather bad. Our black friends made their camp a short distance away and were soon very busy cooking the young dogs and other game products of the chase they had secured during the day. The blacks were all well-conditioned for the country was teeming with food of all kinds. While the men hunted for wallabies, wild turkeys, oppossums and bandicoots and snakes the women gathered water lily roots from the swamps and in the season collected the wild rice and the reeds of the water lily and then at night for hours cooking, eating and laughing and talking would be the order. Then would come a corroboree or dance which they would

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keep up till towards morning. No food would be left for breakfast but soon after sunrise all would again disperse about the country till evening.

They would camp at one spot till it became unpleasant when they would shift to another place. The night after we left Yeremundo we were all startled by a great roar rush of wind and the passing across the sky of a huge black cloud which although it was a bright moonlight night made the night evening caused a darkness which could almost be felt but it soon passed and we watched the great black cloud stretched across the sky disappear to the southwards. The next day we reached Trubanaman as it is called by the natives. I at once saw that it was a much better site than Yeremundo and decided that the Mission should be established there. With a tomahawk I marked an iron-wood tree with a large Latin cross to mark it site. That afternoon it being excessively hot we all indulged ourselves with a swim in the clear cool waters of the Lagoon. I was much amused at the natives idea for obtaining a cool drink. The stems of the water lily are hollow and very long. Obtaining a stem the natives would wade out into the water and suck up through the it the cold water from the bottom.

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On dressing I forgot my gold mounted hair guard on which I had a gold cross and a small silver compass and it was not until we had continued our journey some hours that I missed it. We made our camp and Grady and I rode back but could not find it. We however told the blacks of the loss and they promised to look for it. On my return the following year the remains of the hair guard and the compass were brought to me. The water rats had gnawed the guard & the cross was lost. Those blacks for a whole year kept wrapped up in bark the remains of my lost treasures. On our return journey we kept more to the south and called at several cattle stations. At one we heard of the death of a black stockman. The natives connected with the station told us he had been shot by the white man in charge of the run but we had no means of knowing the truth of the statement. We were glad to get away eastwards and were very anxious to get back to Yarrabah before the rains set in. Our horses were in good condition, the rest on the Reserve making them fresh and fit for the return across the Peninsular. On our way back we passed through a deserted mining town called Limestone right in the mountains. The road

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leading into the place being exceedingly rough. One wondered how teams and waggons with heavy loading ever managed to get there, and along the road we saw remains of broken cart wheels and other portions of drays and waggons shewing smashes had been very frequent. The cost of carriage must have been very high. On all sides were evidences of the miners’ work. The remains of buildings and streets were still in evidence. The site of hotels and shanties being discernible recognisable by the huge piles of broken bottles. This settlement had sprung up around the Anglo Saxon gold mine and for some years was a very busy and flourishing place. At last through mismanagement the mine did not pay and the work was abandoned. We passed over what had been the cemetery and read the names and inscriptions upon the marble tombstones, many of which had toppled over and the fences had been all burnt by bush fires. It was a pathetic scene. After a fortnight’s travelling we at last drew near to our home. Reaching Biboohra we put on the train Mr. Palgrave Angelina young Richardson, Angelina and little Dinaroo who had elected to return with us instead of staying with his tribe. They would reach Yarrabah

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the next day while it would take us at least five or six days. At last we climbed the heavy ranges that beyond which lay Yarrabah and as we came out on the beach at the foot of the mountains, we were soon seen from the station and crowds came to welcome us home after an absence of four months. In my next chapter I must tell of our next overland journey accompanied by the Bishop of Carpentaria. Glad indeed were we to reach home and comfort and more. My dear friend and fellow traveller the Rev. F. Palgrave spent a few days with us and then left for Canada where he has been for some years working hard and unselfishly for his Master. He will never forget that pioneer missionary journey among the wild blacks of the Mitchell River.

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3rd Missionary Expedition to the Mitchell River.

Chap. 14

On May 2nd 1905 I left Yarrabah I again to journey across from Yarrabah to the west coast. This time the Mission was to be established. The party consisted of Messrs. Millar, Field, Williams, who were to be stationed on the new Mission, the Bishop of Carpentaria and myself. The black boys, James Noble, Ernest, John Grady and Peter Bendigo also formed part of the expedition. Williams and our stores and equipment were conveyed by the Mission launch to a point on the opposite side of the mountains to Yarrabah. Two days after leaving Yarrabah we reached Cairns where we got our riding horses shod. The journey from Cairns to Kuranda was very trying to the European members of the party, some of whom had ever done much riding. We reached an old camp at Biboohra from which we had set out the previous year. Here we halted for two days in order to allow our new chum bushmen a chance to recruit before we left civilization. The Bishop we expected to find awaiting our arrival at a cattle station about thirty miles distant. While at Biboohra which consisted only of a public house, store, and railway station and deserted meat works, taking Field with me I

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rode to the town of Mareeba five miles along the railway in order to make a few purchases. My companion had been a sailor all his life and quite unused to horses. As we rode along he got a long way in the rear and as I had to keep waiting for him our progress was slow in the extreme. I at last lent him one of my spurs thinking he would make better progress having it. He put it on and to my amusement away went the pony past me and I noticed that the rider had the spur jammed to the horse’s side which kept it going. However he pulled up eventually with the remark that the steering gear was all right (meaning the reins) but that the engines puzzled him, there was no half speed, it was either dead slow or full speed ahead. At Baker’s Station we picked up the Bishop and as he was to hold service at the O.K. Copper Mine we did four days quick travelling and reached a good camp three miles out of the settlement on Saturday afternoon. The Bishop went on and was put up at the residence of the Mine Manager. The O.K. had grown and into quite a fair sized

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settlement since our visit the previous year. Service was held in a room at the mine buildings, the Bishop preached whilst I read the service. We were most hospitably entertained by the Mine Manager and his good lady. Our boys were much interested in the camels which were used for the conveyance of stores and the copper ore. Ernest said they had islands on their backs alluding to the humps. On our journey we also visited Mount Mulgrave and Gamboola Cattle Stations, also Dunbar. At the latter place we found the Chinese cook in charge and with him six or seven Aboriginal women. The Manager and the other men being away mustering. We found that after our return eastwards the previous year an expedition had been formed by the some whites and that they had visited the reserve and taken from the blacks several of their women and a little half cast boy we had seen there, he was the only half caste among the blacks that we noticed. The Chinese cook told us that the bush blacks were about and had been around the homestead the previous night and that the mother of the half

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caste child boy was with them trying to obtain her child. It appears that in the night they had succeeded in getting hold of the child and were running off with it but the cook fired his rifle at them when the younster [youngster] was dropped and the blacks made their escape. In this case the whites were the aggressors in taking off the native women and the child from their people. In this way no doubt many a grim tragedy has had its beginning in Australian pioneering. The blacks have been in the first instance the injured and wronged, what more naturally that they should seek revenge for the wrongs they have endured. To this can be traced cattle spearing as one black said to me once, “White fellow turn in dry time, black fellow turn rain time", meaning that the whites annoyed them in their camps in the dry time of the year but when the country was soft and boggy and riding far impossible then the blacks had their revenge in spearing the cattle which could get at easily on the soft ground. Before leaving this station I rode [wrote] a note to the Manager thanking him for the hospitality shewn us by his cook and mentioning the child, hoped that he

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would see that it was handed over to the Mission now that it was to be established. He never replied but I met him afterwards when on my return and agreed that the child should go to the Mission. At last we arrived at Yeremundo just twelve months after we had left it. No blacks were about but we found the place all cleaned up and the long grass cleared away, the blacks had been at the hut only a few days before, evidently they were expecting us. The day after our arrival the Bishop and myself rode to Rutland Plains for letters and were away two days. On our return as we drew near the camp we were met by a crowd of excited natives who gave us a great welcome, they had turned up while we were away. We at once determined to go on to Trubanaman and for two days followed the blazed track made on our former visit. Reaching the Trubanaman lagoon the Bishop expressed his pleasure with the site and at once we made our permanent camp. Tents were pitched, horse yard built and a garden started. A dining shed was put up for a dining room and a rough

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place erected to serve as a Chapel. Daily services were started and the Trubanaman Mission became an actual fact. Crowds of natives gathered and made their camps not far off. The sick were attended to daily. Some cases of desease were shocking in the extreme and we had quite a number to be attended to twice a day. We also held services at the camp when Grady and Bendigo would interpret the addresses given by the Bishop and myself. Spears, shields, dilly bags, etc. were received in exchange for tobacco and work done. The country all round was thoroughly explored and a track placed across for nearly thirty miles to Rutland Plains Cattle Station. All this time we were daily expecting the arrival of a sailing boat from Thursday Island with supplies. Every day journeys were made to the coast five miles off to see if the vessel had arrived. Our supplies ran out and things looked very black indeed. From Rutland Plains provisions in small quantities were obtained and a camp was formed near the south mouth of the Mitchell River to watch for the boat. The Bishop and myself spent many a lonely hour on that cheerless coast

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anxiously scanning the coast to the north in the hope of seeing a sail. Several weeks passed and one day from my post of observation up a tree I saw a sail emerge from one of the many mouths of the Mitchell and disappear to the north. At last the Government vessel from Thursday Island turned up. We had seen nothing of our vessel. The Bishop and Field went back in the “Melbidir" after we had obtained supplies. The missing vessel was found at the Presbyterian Mission at Mapoon right up the coast. The man in charge had gone down the coast and had entered the main mouth of the Mitchell instead the south mouth and had gone a considerable distance up the stream and saw numerous blacks but no Missionaries and as he was short of water determined to return north. Field took charge of the vessel and came down the coast. In the meantime we had been hard at work at the new settlement. The party consisting of Messrs. Millar, Williams, James Noble, Ernest Bangee, Grady, Bendigo and myself. Several hundred blacks camped near us and services were held among them and the sick and deseased attended to. Late one night we were surprised by the arrival of Field from the coast. He had spent

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hours trying to find the camp and had become hopelessly bushed when darkness closed in. He wandered about in the darkness until he heard the singing of the blacks at their corroboree and so was guided to us. Poor fellow he was very weary and hungry but insisted upon returning to his vessel which we had left in Trubanaman Creek. I accompanied him back some distance till he came to a place he thought he recognised and he said he was then only a few hundred yards from the boat. Next day I pressed all the blacks, about two hundred, into our service and taking the pack horses we went down to the tidal stream where Field had arranged to meet us. Arriving at the spot with our pack horses and crowd of savages no boat had arrived and there we waited till afternoon when she hove in sight. Our black friends while waiting had caught large numbers of flying foxes and had been feasting and singing. It was amusing to watch the parties of blacks swimming across the stream from the mangroves laden with flying foxes in scores. Poor Field had had a bad time of it. He had made a mistake as to the position of the cutter and not being able to find her had at last lain down thoroughly exhausted in the long grass near the bank of the stream. He was awakened by some one

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talking close by and to his astonishment saw close to him the mast of his vessel above the bank. He had been within a few yards of his ship all night. The boat had to be pulled up stream against the current by the sweeps and in consequence progress was very slow and by the time they reached us it had become dark and nothing could be done till morning. We all camped out after hobbling out the horses. Early next morning we set to work unloading the cargo so that the vessel could drop down to the sea. We managed to get some letters written to be taken by Field to Thursday Island. As soon as the vessel had left we set about getting the supplies up to the camp three miles off. The blacks, men and women, were dispatched first and a striking scene it was as they trooped off with their packages on their heads in long files across the plain. The horses gave us some trouble for they had been doing no work for some weeks and had grown fat and rowdy on the beautiful green grass. As soon as we had succeeded in getting the loads on we made a start but alas only got along a mile or so when one young mare set to bucking and got rid of her load, then one after the other half a dozen followed suit and made off. It was an exciting time, thrown all over the plain bars of soap, tins of jam, tins of meat and treacle and smashed bottles of pickles and

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horsemen doing their best to get the horses together again. One mare made off to the south and I took after her passing as I galloped tins of provisions scattered along the ground. It was two hours before I succeeded in getting the runaway back. It was nearly dark before we succeeded in getting all the horses together and collected the stores. That was a hard day’s work for we had been at it from daylight and it was late at night when we reached the Mission Camp and turned the horses out. I had a very narrow escape. The mare I was riding came down heavily in fact she turned a complete somersault, fortunately I shot clear out of the saddle a bit to one side so that the mare as she came down struck the ground a few feet behind me. The mare’s nose and forehead was badly cut and the seat of the saddle injured. At last the time came for my return across the Peninsular to Yarrabah and to leave Messrs. Williams and Millar with Bendigo and Grady to carry on the work. Accordingly James Noble and Ernest and I with thirteen horses bid farewell to our friends and turned our faces homewards. We could not take a great deal

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in the way of supplies with us as the new Mission had received only a small supply by the boat which had to last them for some considerable time. However I determined to keep well to the south and touch at several cattle stations and so obtain necessary supplies. A curious incident happened to us three days after leaving Trubanaman. We hoped to reach Dunbar station the following day and intended to camp for the night on a large lagoon not far ahead of us. As we neared the water a flock of pelicans approached us on their way to the coast behind us. One large pelican was flying much lower than the others and as they came just overhead the lower bird seemed to fall through the air as though shot but recovering quickly joined the flock and passed on, but hurtling through the air came a fish about three pounds in weight and which struck the ground just in front of our pack-horses, it was alive and we had it for supper that evening. Next day we reached the cattle station and obtained supplies. Our return journey was pleasant as we had but few pack horses and the task of loading & unloading twice a day was but a light business compared to our journey down to the coast.

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A week before we reached home a peculiar adventure befell us. We had been travelling over hilly country from the O.K. copper mine and were late in reaching our camp for the night which was on the mouth of a creek called the “Big Watson". It was just dusk as we made our camp and turned our horses out. After supper as usual we had prayers and while on our knees I heard something moving among the bushes which I thought was a dingo. Rising from our knees I told the two boys to see that all the saddlery was brought close to the fire as I was afraid the dingoes might gnaw the leather. As I spoke I stopped short in amazement for I counted three beside myself in the camp, there in front of me in the dim firelight stood the figure of a man. We looked at each other for a few seconds. When I said loudly “good night", the stranger replied as he came forward into the light, “goodnight, those are good horses of yours". “Yes", I said, the man then said, “You are not police". My answer was a laugh as I said, “You never saw police having evening prayers in their camps I know. We are Missionaries on our way back to the east coast."

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The poor fellow was pitable object, no hat, his only clothing being a shirt, a pair of trousers minus a leg and a pair of heavy boots, in one hand he carried a treacle tin made into a billycan with a piece of thin wire for a handle, in the other hand an old bag. He next asked if we had any food remarking that he had not tasted any for four days and wanted to know if a man could go five days without anything to eat. I told him that I did not know as I had never tried it. I also told him that we would feed him up, he seemed deeply grateful and said earnestly, “thanks you are the boy for me". Eat, that man did eat. I got quite alarmed for our supplies as we were not too well supplied. In answer To my question as to where he came from he refused to answer but after he had eaten he told us a deal of his life in New Zealand where he was born. Late at night we prevailed up him He told us that he had tried to catch fish and had made a fishing line by unravelling the bag and had made a hook from a piece of the wire in his billy can.

Late at night I prevailed upon him to go to rest and we supplied him a blanket and saddle cloths for a bed. I do not know how long we had been

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asleep, but we were all suddenly awakened by our visitor giving an unearthly shriek and springing to his feet. We all did the same and I confess that I got a thorough scare. I asked him what was the matter but he did not give an answer. We prevailed upon him at last to lie down again but he did not sleep any more that night. In the morning he refused to go along with us although I offered him a mount. I provided him with fishing lines and hooks, some clothing and food and left him. He was evidently an escaped prisoner and had made his way up from central Queensland. One could not but help pity the poor fellow all alone in that wild mountainous country, his condition being much more wretched than blacks we had met in our journeys. After a few days we reached home and were met as we climbed the ranges into Yarrabah by scores of men and boys, all glad to see us back once more.

Thus ended the third of my missionary journeys across the Peninsular to the Gulf of Carpentaria. God had blessed our poor endeavours and as a result a new Mission

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had been successfully established. May God abundantly bless the work of those noble missionaries now working among the blacks on the Mitchell River.

In connection with this Mission the following names must be mentioned. The Rev. E. Selwyn Chase, Messrs Millar, Williams, Field, Matthews and Perelle, also Miss Matthews and Miss Pick two noble women who joined the staff in 1909. The present Superintendent is Mr. Matthews who for some years has done good and faithful work. The Mission has also had several black workers notably Bendigo and his wife Lizzie and a South Sea Islander Bob Ling. There is a great work to be done there but funds are needed. The Reserve consists of six hundred square miles of good cattle country well grassed and watered. It has been estimated that there are some three thousand blacks within reach of this Mission which is in the Diocese of Carpentaria.

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Chap. 16

Mission (Aboriginal) Stories
by Rev. E.R.B. Gribble

Matubu

Who was Matubu? A little Papuan boy and here is the story of his sad death.

Early in the year 1908 “Matubu" and his older brother “Parmie" shipped on board a Bech-de-mer lugger named the “Kalapunan" at Thursday Island, the crew consisted of a Japanese Captain and mate who had leased the vessel from its European owners and several Aboriginals and Torres Straits Islanders. They sailed down the North Queensland coast along the Great Barrier Reef as far south as Bowen. The season proved a very successful one and several tons of bech-de-mer were obtained. Bech-de-mer is a sea slug and is obtained on the Great Barrier Reef at low tide and also by diving. It is a very strange animal and is quite unable to get away from those who seek it. The vessels are all fitted up with appliances for curing it and it is sold principally

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to China where it is made into soup. There are several varieties, some much more valuable than others. One variety reaches at times the price of £200 a ton. There is the deep sea black variety, teat fish, grey fish, rainbow, and prickly. The rainbow variety is of no value. The prickly when alive is very much like a large soft German sausage. The vessels engaged in the fishing are fitted up with boilers and a smoke house for curing the fish. Early each morning during the season the crew leaves the lugger in several small boats and diving begins. The boys wear goggles to protect their eyes from the salt water and to enable them to see below water. Dropping overboard the boy goes down in several fathoms of water and seizes perhaps two or three of the huge slugs and up he comes, throws the fish into the boat and goes down again. When they strike what is called a “good patch" the boat is soon filled and returns to the lugger. The fish is then put into the boilers and as a

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a large quantity of salt water exudes form the fish they are so to speak boiled in their own juice. After boiling a few hours they are taken out and cut open down the back and little ‘spreaders’ of wood inserted to keep them open. They are then placed on wire netting trays which are arranged in tiers over the cook’s galley fire where they are left to smoke for several days. They get quite black and small in size and look just like the sole of an old boot. After being cured they are put into sacks and are ready for the market. The “Katapunan" after a very successful time near Bowen started northwards on her return journey fishing along the Reef as they went. Matubu could not dive and the Japanese Captain and mate time and again endeavoured to force him to do so but he never could. One day whilst at anchor on the Barrier Reef not far from the Palm Islands which are north of Townsville, the mate ordered Matubu to dive overboard and bring up sand from the bottom to shew

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that he had reached it. He tried but failed. The Captain in anger ordered the mate to throw him overboard. The mate did so and also jumped overboard and taking the poor boy by the arm took him down by force, this he did several times and then allowed him in an exhausted condition to climb back on board. He at once went below and vomited blood all night and then early next morning died. His brother Parmie sat up with him all night and was with him to the end. The Captain and mate wished to dispose of the body at sea but this Parmie objected to and insisted by going with the body to the Palm Islands. On one of these beautiful Islands the poor body was buried by the black boys and then their voyage northwards was resumed. As the “Katapunan" drew near Cape Grafton where the Yarrabah Mission is situated they ran short of fresh water and so it was decided to anchor off the Mission and get permission to obtain water. The mate and several of the crew

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including Parmie went ashore and asked me for water permission which I at once gave. After they had left for the point where the water was obtainable one of the Mission boys came to me and informed me that a Papuan boy belonging to the lugger had told him that his brother had been murdered by the Japanese mate a few days before. I at once set off to the Point and seeing the mate I asked whether a boy had died on board his vessel, he at once replied yes but he “been die himself" meaning that the boy had died from natural causes. One of the crew standing by at once said, “No fear you bin drown him". The mate said, “I been take him down along water, I hold him by arm and when I been finish I let him up." I at once decided to inform the police in Cairns and went off in the Mission launch and brought the police out. The vessel was ordered into Cairns and the result was the arrest of the Captain and mate and their committal for murder. The crew were all sent

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over to Yarrabah for the Mission to care for until the trial which was to take place at Townsville. The body was exhumed and investigation shewed that the poor boy had been held under water and this had caused death. The “Katapunan" was laid up in Cairns and as Yarrabah needed a vessel of the sort to be used in the bech-de-mer fishing she was bought and renamed the “Matubu". In my next I will give an account of our journey to Townsville to attend the trial and our visit to Matubu’s grave on Palm Island. Both Parmie and Matubu were Christian boys and belonged to the London Missionary Society’s Mission in Papua.

To be continued.

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Matubu
Continued.

The trial of the Japanese Captain and mate was to take place at the Supreme Court, Townsville in September and as I was a witness and the crew of the lugger were also to give evidence, I decided to voyage to Townsville in the vessel and also to take advantage of this opportunity and bring the Mission and its work before people in Townsville and other centres.

We formed accordingly a concert company including the Yarrabah Brass band, three of our best gymnasts from the gymnasium classes, our best singers from amongst the senior girls and the choir. On a fine day we made the start from Yarrabah amid great excitement. The lugger had been re-named the “Matubu" and Douglas Pitt appointed the Captain. and off we set

The voyage down the coast took us over a week as we made a stop at the Johnstone river where we gave a concert to a crowded audience and took twenty-six pounds. The whole journey was made against strong South Easterly winds and heavy seas but our little vessel behaved splendidly and Douglas

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proved a capable navigator. There were thirty-eight of us on board and a “jollier company never sailed" in spite of the fact that many suffered from sea sickness at the start. When passing among the beautiful Palm Islands a little north of Townsville, Parmie kept on deck watching the Island upon which his poor brother had been buried. As we sailed along with the Island on the Port side poor Parmie sat on there fo/castle with the big tears streaming down his face. I promised him that on the way back we would call at the Island and hold a service. This cheered him somewhat a great deal. We entered the harbour at Townsville at just before midnight having spent a few hours on Magnetic Island in order to give our company the opportunity to stretch their limbs after several days cramped up on the little vessel board. In Townsville we gave two concerts all both largely attended. We also journeyed by rail to Charters Towers and Ravenswood. We also visited Ingham and the Herbert River district on the way back.

The trial took place whilst we were in Townsville and the Captain and mate were found guilty but released to come up for judgement when called upon. The murder

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had taken place on the sea outside the three mile limit so that they both escaped the punishment due for their crime. On our journey back we made a halt at the Island and spent a Sunday ashore. We held a service at the house of a white resident on the Island and also held a service at “Mutubu’s" grave. We also had erected a wooden tablet at the head of the grave bearing the words, “In memory of “Matubu" a tribute from Yarrabah". Soon after we returned to Yarrabah, Parmie and the rest of the crew went on by steamer to Thursday Island where they were paid the money due to them and we have not heard anything of them since. But Yarrabah still possesses the good ship “Matubu" and Douglas Pitt is still her Captain. This is the second vessel that Yarrabah has possessed on board of which a black boy had been done to death. The other being a cutter called the “J.B. Gribble" but at one time she had been called the “Alina" that being the name of a black boy who had been shot dead on the deck by a drunken white man.

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Chap. 17th

Wreck of the S.S. Aramac

On Jan. 16 1904 I left Yarrabah for Fraser Island having been sent for by the Authorities of that Mission in Brisbane. I reached Fraser Island in due course and glad indeed I was to see my dear Mother and Sister. The former having had charge of the Girls’ Home for a number of years and nobly amid much discomfort and anxiety had stuck to her post. I spent two months on the Island and during my visit it was decided to close the Mission and transport the people and buildings to Yarrabah. My brother Arthur was now in charge of the place. After

Bidding farewell to the people and workers I left the station on March 9th accompanied by Mr. B.S. Cole, Horace a half caste boy and Jinny a black woman from Yarrabah who had been some time an inmate of the Asylum for Insane near Brisbane. Reaching Brisbane by rail we took passage by the Aramac which left Brisbane on Saturday, March the 11th. Stormy conditions had existed

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along the northern coast for some time and I knew we were in for a rough voyage. Cole and myself had a lower deck cabin. Horace and Jinny travelled steerage. Cole being a bad sailor soon went to his bunk. Sunday night proved very rough and early next morning after having a bath I went on deck and found myself to be the only passenger out. It was about 7 a.m. The weather was very thick and hazy and the seas mountains high. On the bridge I could see the third mate on duty and on the forcastle were two stokers firemen just off duty. I noticed suddenly not far on the Port side a long line of dirty water and presently as a huge wave receded the point of a rock. At the same time distant the two firemen also noticed it and called out to the officer on the bridge. The next instant the vessel struck heavily twice. The engines were at once put full speed astern and the vessel floated out into deep water and continued her course northwards. We had struck right on the point of what is known as “The Spit" which extends for about twenty-one miles.

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in a North Easterly direction from the Northern extremity of Fraser Island where there is situated a light-house on what is called “Sandy Cape". I at once went below to my cabin and asked Cole if he felt the shock. “Yes", he said “but she can go to the bottom for all I care". I advised him to get up and dress and at once labelled all my luggage carefully. I had with me a number of brass instruments for our band at Yarrabah and was anxious to save them if possible. Whilst we were busy a steward came to the cabin door and said told us that the Captain desired the passengers not to be alarmed and that breakfast would be as usual. I went to breakfast but very few came and there was a strange hush over all the vessel. After breakfast going on deck I found all the passengers congregated there and all in a state of quiet excitement. It could plainly be seen that the vessel had sustained serious injury but the Captain continued his course till midday. On deck

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there was much anxiety but no panic when the vessel suddenly stopped and the Captain gave orders for all passengers to take to the boats. Life belts were brought up and I with others assisted several ladies in putting them on. One dear old soul anxiously asked me if I thought they we were all to be drowned. I assured her that there was no need for alarm and that no lives would be lost and that land although not in sight could not be far off. A boat on the starboard was the first got ready and women and children were placed in her. I went forward to see the Chief Stewardess about the black girl Jinny and got her safely into the first boat with the Stewardess. This boat I saw leave the vessel with the Chief Officer in charge. I had taken off my boots which Cole took charge off but not finding Cole after seeing the girl safe into the boat I looked about for a place for myself and Horace the half caste boy.

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On the Port side a boat was being rapidly filled with men and Horace and myself with a Methodist Minister stood by in the hope of securing seats. Seeing little or no prospect of doing so, I went down aft to where some sailors were lowering a small boat and asked them if there would be room in it for me but received in reply the information that they were preparing the boat for the Captain in case he wanted it. I then returned to where I had left my friends but found they had all embarked and left the ship. I was now the only passenger left on board and the Captain seeing me asked if I had failed in securing a place and said he thought I would find room in the Chief Mate’s boat which had again come alongside but that I would have to drop some distance. I at once shinned down a rope and dropped into the boat as she rose on the crest of a huge wave. In the boat I found twenty-six women

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and children besides boat’s crew and three male passengers. The boat was very full of water and one of the Stewards and I did some baling and also got the women off the bottom of the boat out of the water and passed them down aft to better positions. We then put out the sweeps, four of us pulling. All this time the boats were all drifting rapidly away from the Steamer before wind and sea. At last the Chief Mate decided to upsail and make for land, and after considerable difficulty owing to the crowded state of the boat this we succeeded in doing. One of the other boats followed our example and kept us in sight. The gale increased in violence all that afternoon and it seemed impossible for our small overladen boat to live. A Steward named Storm and myself stood on the gunwale holding to the rigging, there being no room to sit and several, both he and I, bid farewell never expecting the surmount the mountainous seas that rushed down upon us. Just before

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sundown we sighted the “Hummocks" and the mate shaped a course for the mouth of the Burnett River. As we drew into the river we had a very narrow escape for our mast suddenly snapped off short. Seizing an axe from the bottom of the boat I at once cut the rigging and the sail and mast which floated off. We pulled into safety at the Pilot Station jetty. The night was inky dark and stormy. On landing we got the women and children safely into the Pilot Station. The mate at once with his crew started out to guide the other boat into the river and found that they had land above the mouth of the river. Left on the beach cold, wet and hungry with another passenger I passed a wretched time not knowing where we were. Presently we were discovered by the Pilot man on watch and he took us up the beach to his own residence where we were fed and warmed. About 1 a.m. [indecipherable] cabs came down from Bundaberg and we were all

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driven to town and glad indeed to get to bed and rest after our shipwreck.

Next day the local Clergyman came and took me to the Rectory and I will ever remember the kindness of Canon and Mrs. Hay. I waited in Bundaberg for the rest of my party. The black girl landed from the steamer in the same as myself. Cole landed up the coast at Baffle Creek and when they landed he imagined he was on Fraser Island and assured the passengers that the Mission Station was just round the point they could see ahead. The poor folk walked a considerable distance before it dawned upon them that they were on the mainland. On Tuesday I was joined by Cole. Horace was in the sixth boat and was at sea drifting northwards till Thursday when they were picked up by the S.S. Barcoo. I at to journey to Brisbane by rail to meet Horace. Poor lad how overjoyed he was to see me standing on the jetty as the Barcoo came alongside.

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In due course we all arrived at Yarrabah none the worse for our adventure. It seems most remarkable that although so many boat loads of people left the steamer out at seas in the teeth of a gale and one boat drifted for five days before being picked up no lives were lost. On the Monday after the mishap another steamer of the same company found the Aramac with the Captain and several of his crew on board and took her in tow. After a tremendous struggle they reached Wide Bay and after anchoring a diver was sent down to investigate the extent of the injury and found two huge holes, one nearly fifteen feet long. The Captain whom I met some months afterwards assured me that three inches more and nothing could have saved the ship. The watertight compartments proved her salvation. We all recovered our baggage a few months afterwards. Thus ended my second experience of ship wreck.

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Chap. 18

Some Marriage Stories

During my eighteen years as Head of the Yarrabah Mission I was often applied to by white men and others for wives from among the Mission girls. Many were the letters I received on this subject. The following are two of the most amusing.

Dear Sir

My neighbour Sedin, native of Java, has asked me to write to the Mission to ask you if you could aid him in getting a long-haired mate, China, Japan, or white half caste in the order named about 18 years old. He would pay £5 or so for the lady’s training up to date. Sedin looks about 40 and has 7 acres of cotton, corn and Bananas & a number of fowls with a ten year lease from Dr. Thomatis in the south western corner of block 213 next to Smithfield township reserve. The lease is 2 years old now. He don’t smoke opium or gamble with Chinaman, has one eye & is reckoned to be pretty saving. Being by himself he complains is lonely & ties him with the fowls & prevents him going shooting as much as he would like. His ideas

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on the care & management of wives I can’t say. His disposition seems good.

Yours etc.
Sedin X his signature.

That letter was bad enough but the following was worse still.

Reverent Sir

Peace be with you from Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ blessed in the name of the Lord. After much prayerful consideration and, as I am sure by the guidance of His Holy Spirit, I venture to enquire of you, whether you have a young woman in your settlement, half caste or quadroon fit to become the wife of a humble follower of Christ. I have a homestead three miles from tramway with a garden of bananas and various fruit trees together with sundry produce fit for food but I am fifteen miles away from the nearest settler. Mr. – had offered to intervene in my favour as to getting a half caste wife, but my mind was not quite made up. I am in good health. I have been an eunuch for the

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Kingdom of heaven’s sake these twenty-nine years (29) being converted to a living faith, and although with sorrow I must confess to back sliding yet I have never fallen away, nor ceased to pray, God is my witness. Nor have I ever parted with my bible or read it less often than once a week on the Sabbath day whenever I was on land or sea. What I wish is this, will it be convenient for you to allow me to see you at Yarrabah Mission Station itself and how can I reach it? I was sorry to have missed your visit to G—some months back as nobody told me anything until I came to town shortly after about my certificate. I was fifty years the 12th of January last and strong and vigorous as yet but cannot manage any longer without getting married if so it please God for I do not forget to ask God to teach me to think that I must die that I may be wise. If I fail (what God forbid) in getting a wife I know there is none other course left open to me, but to sell out for what the place

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will fetch, but even then I shall be sure of acting in accordance with the will of God for He will not leave his child nor forsake it. Mr. – has some plants for me by March or April, if therefore you can find it in yourself to extend an invitation to me by that time or a week or two before I can comply with it so that when I am getting the plants (D.V.). In conclusion I may readily assure you that a faithful wife from your settlement will be a most powerful advertisement and we would but work to contribute to your work as the work of God.

Yours respectfully as a brother in the Lord Jesus,
etc.

Needless to say the Mission did not supply wives to the above applicants. On one occassion a young Italian visited the Station during my absence and announced that he had come to pick a wife from among the girls of the Mission. He was told to interview myself. I was at the time in the Cairns hospital. He came

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and told me that he had chosen Rosie who since then has married Andrew Obah. I asked him why he did not marry a white girl and his reply was that whenever he had asked a white girl her first question was, “How much money have you"? He wanted someone who would not trouble him about money. In 1894 I was much amused by a letter from a settler on one of the northern rivers. He had six Malays in his employ and as he was anxious to keep them he thought it would be a good thing to obtain wives for them from the Mission. It would he argued be a good way to civilize the black girls and I could marry them according to the rites of the Church of England and he would pay the fee in each case. What a nice cheque I missed.

At the Mission we often had amusing incidents in connection with marriage. Dick Yimbingni was a widower for the

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second time having recently lost his second wife at child-birth. I told him that I expect he would marry again soon and advised him to choose a good girl, one who would be a help to him in his work. A few days after I saw some excitement on the football ground. There was Topsy the sub-Matron of the Girls’ Home, a very fine girl and the most handsome girl on the Mission and very capable, walking rapidly towards Dick with a letter crumpled up in her hand, reaching him she threw the paper in his face and walked away. I went to the scene and picked up the letter which ran,

Dear Topsy

Dadda has told me that when I get married to pick a good girl. You are a good girl, will you marry me.

Dick.

I sent for the girl and she sobbing told me that she did not want either Dick

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or his letters. I told her that she ought to be pleased to learn that Dick thought she was a good girl and if she did not want him all she had to do was to write and tell him so nicely. She went away and came back presently with the following note,

Dear Dick,

I am sorry I made a show of you this morning. There girls better than I am. No thank you.

Topsy.

It was not leap year but Rosie proposed to Andrew. He had lost his wife Minnie some time before when one day as he stood at the store waiting for his rations Rosie came for some article needed at the Girls Home of which she was at the time sub-Matron. Seeing Andrew she went to him and said, “I will marry you Andrew if you will have me". Andrew’s reply was characteristic, “I will

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go and ask Mr. Gribble about." As I sat at my study table he came and said, “That girl Rosie want to marry me". I then asked him what he thought of it and told him he could not make a better choice. In course of time they were married and she has made him a splendid wife.

When Cora arrived at Yarrabah there was a deal of excitement for we had never seen such a black girl before. She was richly dressed and was quite the lady in her silk dress, shoes and stockings and stylish hat. Phillip Meringhu lost his heart at once and was always admiring her from a distance. Cora at last complained that one of the boys frightened her, he was alwas [always] looking at her. In course of time however she got over her fear and they became engaged to be married. Cora having being been brought up amongst white folks had white people’s ideas and ways and she insisted upon Phillip coming to the

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Mission House to see her every evening. Phillip three evenings when getting of it, he came to me and said, “Look here Dadda that girl want too much. I can’t come talk to girl every night because I want to play with boys some time". I sympathised with him and the arrangement was made that he should come and see Cora on certain evenings only and this worked admirably and in course of time they were married.

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Chap. 19

Divisions of Tribes

The tribe inhabiting the country forming the Yarrabah Mission Reserve called themselves Goonganji and spoke a dialect called “Goongi". The blacks on the Russel river were called the Majanji and spoke Maji. On the Mulgrave river the tribe there bore the name Yetinji and spoke Yeti, other tribes near by were the Melroji who spoke Melroi, the Narkalinji who spoke Nakali. The largest tribe of these was the Yetinji.

The Goonganji tribe on Cape Grafton was divided into three classes, or families the Gooragooloo, Goora-bunna and the Goora-menya. Each of these was again divided into sections each having its own totem. The word “Goora" means good, “bunna" is water so that “Goora-bunna" means good water and the totems of the section divisions in this class were taken from animal life good for food to be found in the sea or rivers and creeks. “Goora-menya" means good meat and the

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divisions in the Goora-menya class had the nam as items different land animals.

In the Goora-bunna class the eel, turtle, mullet etc. would be the totems of the different sections. While in the Goora-menya class the kangaroo, cassowary, carpet snake, etc. would be the totems. Marriage was not allowed between people of the same class for all in that same class were called brothers and sisters. The children always took the belonged to the father’s class. In other tribes it is often found that they belong to the mother’s class and not that of the father.

On the Mitchell River near the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria the tribes always have the word Ko-Ko as a prefix to the name of the tribe. On the Reserve there are to be found the Ko-Ko Mando, Ko-Ko Mynduno, Ko-Ko Widji and Ko-Ko Widi. The word Ko-Ko meaning camp or country. So that the Ko-Ko Mynduno would mean the place or camp of the Mynduno people.

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Burial rites

I have witnessed many burial rites in New South Wales and in West Australia but the rites practised on Cape Grafton by the Goonganji tribe were totally different to any I had every seen before. The rites I am about to describe took place at Yarrabah on the spot upon which the Mission store now stands and they were the last rites of the sort ever performed by that tribe. It was in 1893. Two children in one family had died, two little girls. The bodies were at once buried for two days and on the morning of the third day they were exhumed and placed upon staging under which was placed a fire. In this way the bodies were gradually dried. They were then tied up in ti-tree bark, bound with lawyer-cane. During the drying process the juices from the bodies were carefully collected and the heads of two men and two women all relatives of the deceased children were plentiful smeared with it. The dried bodies were carried about from camp to camp by the parents for several

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months. The skull bones being worn round the neck of the mother. About six months after the death of the children the tribe gathered for the final ceremonies and I sat up all that night watching it all. They began just as the sun set. A fire was made in the centre of the camp. Around it sat the two men and two women upon whose heads the juices from the bodies had been smeared. They had not been allowed to wash their heads or cut their hair ever since the initial rites at the time of the death of the children. As one man put it, they were “debbil-debbil" and held in great awe. All that night they danced and sang. The women did all the dancing whilst the men sang. As they danced the mummified bodies were passed from one to another and dangled about. Just at daylight the dancing which had become very slow suddenly increased in vigor and plenty of wood was placed on the fire. A young girl went off for water with which she sprinkled all those present. Just as the sun rose one of the old men with his spear

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ran out and called aloud four times. that It was explained to me afterwards that he was telling their fore fathers and that the children were coming to them. The bodies were now placed upon the fire and burnt. The hair of the “cudja" or “debbil-debil" people was then cut off quickly and put into dilly-bags and covered up. Then as the smoke of the burning bodies ascended the people dispersed and and sitting about in two and threes wept quickly. I left them absorbed in their grief. That was the last time those rites were performed on the Mission Reserve.

[Page 235]

Legends
Man and animals

Man were was made first and then animals. At first the animals had no fear of man and man did not harm animals in any way. But at last man wanted different food to wild fruits and yams and he started to kill the animals and that is why all animals are wild and hard to catch.

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Legends
The Great Barrier Reef

According to the blacks about C. Grafton the Great Barrier reef was at one time the coast of Queensland. Goonyah the first man with his two wives was out fishing and in some way offended the great spirit “Balore". Some say he caught and ate a certain fish which was forbidden to him. Balore in anger caused to sea to rise and drown Goonyah but with his wives he fled to the hills. But the waters rose rapidly and they had to climb to the high peak to be seen behind the Murray Prior Range called by the blacks Wambilari. The wives became weary and lagged behind. Goonyah stopped on a great rock and waited for them and the print of one of his feet are is to be seen there today. Reaching the peak Goonyah who carried a fire-stick made a fire and he and the women heated a large number of stones which they rolled down the mountain into the rising waters, in this way the caused the flood to subside. The waters never returned to the original limits hence the Barrier reef shews just where the coast was before the flood.

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Legends
Origin of Fire

Goonyah the first man discovered how to make many things that were useful such as spears, boomerangs, dilly bags, fishing lines and so on. But he could not make fire although he tried for a long time. At last in despair one day he gave up trying when a little black bird alighted at his feet having come from the sky. Upon its back it had a live coal which Goonyah took and with it made a fire and every the ever people have carried fire sticks and been able to make fires. The bird called Goonyah’s bird has a red spot on its back near the tail ever since.

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Legends
Sun and Moon

The blacks believe that there is through the earth a sort of tunnel and the sun and moon pass down into this hole in the West and passing through re-appear in the East.

Spirits

There are good and evil spirits. When a good man dies he becomes a good spirit, or he is born again into the world or his spirit passes into fire or even into the rocks. Bad people become evil spirits. Some of these evil spirits go into the wind and cause cyclones and disaster. Storms of wind are caused by some people a long way south who annoy some evil spirits who live in a great hole in the earth. When these people in south want to cause people in the north harm, they stir up the evil spirits in the hole with a long cane and they rush out in storms and cyclones.

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Chap. 20

Words and meanings of the Goonganji tribe

Weapons, etc.

Boor-goo Mil-la – Womera or throwing stick
Kal-la – spear
Binda-binda – 4 pronged spear
Bal-koo – stone tomahawk
Pe-koon – shield
Wang al – boomerang
Kan-ta – Yam stick
Jo-an – wooden sword
Mo-ka-ro – fishing net
Boon-doo – dilly bag (pointed)
Bal-ka-ra – dilly bag (round)
Toor-Koor – nut
Po-im-ba – camp
Weedul-dura – shell knife
Mo-ra – stone mill
Moogi – top mill stone
Walba – bottom mill stone
Gee-jul – bone needle
Ma-goo – fire-stick
Boo-da – bark blanket

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Relationships

Molther – Moo-cham
Father – Bim-bi
Brother – Moo-to
Younger brother – Mar-Kir
Youngest brother – Kar-nang-ga-ri
Sister – Jan-Kool
Mother’s brother – Ja-ra-ka
Brother in law – Jung-Kool
Sister in law – War-Kal
Father’s sister – Tyoo-tyoom
Husband – Moon-Kar
Wife – War-Kal
Father’s brother – Mo-lang
Mother’s sister – Kuln-ga
Father’s brother father – Kam-mim
Mother’s mother – Kom-bo
Mother’s father – Nga-chim
Father’s mother – Pap-pim
Son’s son – Tyoom-ba-ra
Son – Yuln-gi
Brother’s son – Yuln-gi
Daughter – Boon-ya

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Sister’s son – Yar-pul
Man’s Mother in law – Poo-yor
Man’s Father in law – Par-pim
Woman’s son-in-law – Poo-yor
Woman’s Mother-in-law – Kom-bo
Woman’s Daughter in law – Tyoom-ba-ra
Woman’s Father-in-law – Ko-Yoo-Kan
Man’s son-in-law – Toong-Kar
Man’s brother – Moo-To

[Page 242]

The Body and Parts

Toon-goo – head
Ji-bi- hair
Kool-moon – brain
Mon-jo – fore-head
Woo-jal – eyebrow
Ji-li – eye
Ta-gur – nose
Ko-I – nostril
Wa-re – lip
Nyoom-bool – beard
Nga-pi – tongue
Jan-Koon – chin
Wa-roo – cheek
O-Kal – neck
Pin-na – ear
Pinta – shoulder
Wi-wi – heart
Mon-do – kidney
Kar-yi – liver
Gi-ril – arm
Man-ti – hand
Ngam-mo – thumb
Boon-dar-Kan – 1st finger
Ja-war – 2nd & 3rd finger
Ngir-rin – 4th finger
Boon-go – Knee
Bal-la – leg (shin)
Jar-ra – thigh
No-Kal – ankle
Jinna – foot
Joo-Ka – heel
Ka-tam – fingernail
Ta-ta-Kal – bone
Kon-war – blood
Kar-tya – corpse
Nyul-la-pa-ra – white man

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Animals

Wild Dog – Ko-ta-Ka
Porcupine – Yar-Koon-yang
Opossum – Mar-pi
Kangaroo – Kan-goo-la
Wallaby – Ki-yi
Snake (all kinds) – Jam-ma
Carpet Snake – Woong-ol
Black Snake – Koon-do-ik
Iguana – Karn-jan
Small lizard – Wor-ri
Large lizard – Koo-roo-papa
Crocodile – Kan-ya-ra
Frog – Koon-dang
Fish (all kinds) – Min-ya
Mullet – Poo-no-lo
Shark – Ki-a-ra
Stingaree – Woo-ta
Turtle – Nar-woy
Birds (all kinds) – Jar-ra
Emu – Kin-da-ja
Hawk – Jing-Kar
Cockatoo – Wang-Ko-li
Duck – Boo-roo-go
Pigeon – Kool-Kal
Pelican – Bang-al-low-ur
Crane – Ban-bo-lo
Turkey – Jar-ro-Ka
Laughing Jackass – Go-roong-gar
Spider – Ka-ra
Fly – Pa-ra-pa-ra
Mosquito – Ngo-Koon
Ant – Wo-lo
Bee – Wo-lo-Po-Ka

[Page 244]

Words
Verbs and Adjectives

Wood

Good – Goora, Koo-rin
Bad – chun-gun
Big – We-Ke
Little – Ka-til
Many - Nga-pi
Few – Bi-Ki
Yes – Yo-i
No – Ngot-yoo
To Bring – Ka-tang-an
To Cry - Ba-tung Ba-ting
To Die – Wol-lang
To Climb – Mar-Ka-jing
To Sleep – Wo-nung
To Dream – Be-ja-ra
To Eat – Bo-Kang
To Fall – Wari-dung
To Fight – Boon-jang
To Give – Wi-win
To Go – Ka-lin
To Hate – Ngo-tcho-ni-yo
To Have – Mi-e-ying-o
To Hear – Pin-nang-a
To Kill – Boon-jung
To Laugh – Mang-gang
To lie down – [indecipherable]
To rise – Po-rang
To Speak – Koo-ro-nung
To Swim – Yoong-ar-ring
To Think – Ngool-lo-Kar-tu-jing
To Walk – Yar-tchi-go
To be Angry – Kol-la
Glad – Wil-Kang
Crooked – Wi-ri
Straight – Yoo-choon
Weak – Mar-ta
Strong – Boo-yul
Sick – Moo-toong-oom
Empty – Mi-ing-gal
Full – Jal-jar
Hungry – Tal-la-ya

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Words

Free – Tan-do
leaf – Bin-na
Tree-butt – Nga-par
root – Wor-ra
bark – Ko-Ka
Grass – Kool-Ka
Ground – Jap-po
Hill – Boon-da
Creek – Un-ja-ra
river – Un-ja-ra
Fresh water – Bun-na
Salt water – Jil-i-ga
rain – Kar-pan
Sea – Kil-Ka
Wind – Ya-wi
Sky – Jin-Kal
Cloud – Ngool-bun
Moon – Kin-tan
Star – Kar-Wi
Sun - Bar-Ka Boong-an
Sunrise – Bar-Ka bi-yer-dang or Boong-an bi-yel-da
Sunset – Boongan billa
Thunder – Ja-wa-ra
Lightning – Koo-ro-ma-ra
Fire – Boor-ra
Hot – Woom-bool
Cold – Ping-Kan-yi
Day – Same as Sun
Morning – Po-Kar-mo-Ko
Midday – Ko-na-mon-ja-roo
Afternoon – Woondi-wondi
Evening – Woondi
Night – Po-Kar
Midnight – Ko-na-mon-ja-roo
Darkness – Wor-ro-Ko-no

Points of the Compass
North – Koong-ka-ra
South – Nang-Ka-ra
East – Nar-Ka
West – Go-war

Canoe
Canoe – Ba-ji
Paddle – Mil-Ka-ra
Floater – Boon-ul
Front – Nubil
Back – Koombo
String – Nah-ra
Inside – Goon-gool
Pegs – Kunda
Sticks – Tuln-jil

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Outrigger side – Kul-jul
Clear side – Kurungul
Hull – Yah-ga

Doctor – Mil-pa
Message stick – Tan-do
Corroboree – War-ma
Bora – Kar-nang-ur
Fight – Poonja-poonja-Yin-nang
Burial – Mor-Ko-je-ran
Marriage – Po-teng or Wa-gol-po-til
Coition – Wo-nang (sleep) po-Kar (night)
Parturition – Pa-rang-Kal
Pregnancy – Koo-Chal
Shadow – Mor-ro

[Page 247]

Numerals

One – Koom-man
Two – Jam-bool
Three – Tar-Kool
Four – Mor-goon-ap-pe
Five – Malla
Six – Moor-ro
Seven – Mo-Ko
Eight – Tar-Kool moochi
Nine – Mor-goon-ap-pe moochi
Ten – Malla moochi
Eleven – Jimia Kooman, moochi
Eighteen – Jimia Nga pee moochi
Ninteen – Jimia Bando
Twenty – Bando

[Page 248]

Words

Colours

White – Par-tal
Red – Wo-par
Yellow – Mar-Ka
Blue – Koon-do-lo
Black – Po-Kal
Brown – Po-Kal
Green – Po-Kal

Go up – Mur-Kil
Fishing line – Com-i
Fishing rod – Churp – i
Road – Gar-boy
Come down – Wul-un-gan
Go and see – Wi-wal-dun
This Way – Do-gal-dun
Heavy – Mer-ga
Light – Ka-gul
Far away – Cud-jee
Little way – Gnumbo
Near – Bid-e
Bring it here – Do-ga-lin
Small – Kud-del
Long time – Gnoom-bun
Strong – Wur-do

Pronouns
Me – Ghar-u
Mine – Nud-jin
Your – Nune-do
Yours – Nu-a-nin
Ours, we, us – Nune-jin
Him, he – Une-june
That way – Une-ga-roy
This way – In—gu-roy
Which way – Won-ja-roy
This time, now – Wo-nung-ulla
What – Won-ja

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Ko-Ko Wanjana Tribe
Mitchell River

Head - Uleulah Ul-eul-ah
Nose – Il-na-ra
Hand – Ah-ra
Foot – A-mul-ah
Ear – Eed-na
Man – Ub-mah
Boy – Dum-mund
Girl – Bul-ah Bul-ah
Water – Og-nah
Fire – Ee-ma
Rain – O-be-ra
Sun – En-ding-ah
Moon – O-tur-ra-gah
Star – En-doy-ah
Grass – Oo-goo-nah
Wind – Roo-por-rah
Ground – Ah-goora
Tree – Ah-gah
Spear – Ah-ra-gah
Come here – O-na-a-gun
Walk – Ah-ling
Run – Ah-ra-go-ring

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Koko Gwinnie Tribe
Mitchell River

Head – Chuk-unda
Thigh – Jir-re-jah
Knee – Bunga-jee-jah
Shin – Doo-rah
Man – Buck-um-bola
Woman – Buck-ah-jal-o
Boy – Go-im-gah-ro
Girl – Bo-ah-gad-in
Fire – Bee-rah
Grass – Bo-gwan-ah
Ground – Pah-dah
Water – Yung-i
Star – Bah-dal-ya
Small – Rick-ah-veer
Water Lilly Seed – Mor-bah-ra-ah-dah\
Water Lilly Stalk – Bor-rah-jah-rah
Go away – Pee-tee
Come Quick – Murra Murra
Finished – Wee-dee
Come – Un-dah-bak dee
Hand – Mah-rah
Foot – Too-mo-lah

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Stand – Ah-ra-ning
No – Ji-ah
Yes – Oo-nah
Who are you? – Ah-noong-ah
North – Oo-ah
South – Ah-gah
West – Bah-rah
East – Oon-gi-rah

[Transcribed by Judy Gimbert for the State Library of New South Wales]