Volume II Part 40 (1/2)

CAPTURE OF NATIVES

Soon after I returned to the shi+p at Port Dalrymple, a party of natives was sent on board, with a request that I would allow the Vansittart to take them to Flinders Island; it consisted of an elderly wo men, and a little boy These were the reed the woman who received, as I have related, such cruel treatment from her keeper I should here state, that when she was removed to Flinders Island, none of the natives there could understand her--a fact somewhat hostile to the theory of those who hold that there is little or no variety in the aboriginal languages of Australasia

The party of natives in question were taken by some sealers on the western coast, near Arthur's River, and not far froricultural Company's station at Point Woolnorth, to which place they were first brought A reward of 50 pounds had been offered for their apprehension, on account of some depredations they were said to have from time to time committed A countrywoman of their own, the wife of one of the sealers, was instrumental in their capture Pretence was round; but when they were all afloat, and prostrated by sea-sickness, the sealers made sail for the Coht more valuable than seal-skins

THE LAST MAN

These were supposed to be the last of the aboriginal inhabitants of Tash a report at one ti man had been left behind If this be the case, his position must be truly la to a people against whom the deepest prejudices are entertained, who have been hunted down like wild beasts by the new population, professing a religion which should teach them to act otherwise towards their brethren, no resource must have been left to him but to fly to the loomiest forests and darkest caverns, and to pass the re it, and in ceaseless endeavours to stave off that final consummation which could alone ensure him peace, and safety, and rest Whether or not the report of the existence of this Last Man was true I cannot say; but, certainly, his story, iests numerous reflections, and opens a wide field for conjecture and speculation What was the character of his thoughts, what iation of his life, cut off as he was fro, with no future prospect of the enjoy his race continued, we cannot tell But his fate, at least, must force upon us the questions--have we dealt justly by these wild people? have we nothing to answer for, now that we have driven thele individual, whose existence even is proble to press too hard on any body of e of history which records our colonization of Australia must reach the eyes of posterity

The woman, whose capture I have more than once alluded to, was, doubtless, the wife of one of the young men taken by the sealers, andher probably lightened the hours of his captivity But what a tale of suffering she had to relate! What had she not undergone as the penalty of an attempt to procure food for her family With the narrative of her sorrows fresh in my memory, I could not but syinal Tasmanians that now stood before me

CHARACTERISTICS AND REMOVAL OF NATIVES

These natives differed even more than others I had seen as the wives of sealers, fro quite the negro cast of countenance, and hair precisely of their woolly character These characteristics are nowhere to be found on the continent, natives from every part of which have coreat, that I feel warranted in pronouncing them to be a distinct race Excellent likenesses of Tasmanian natives will be found in Strzelecki's work on New South Wales, where the truth of these re thus been engaged in the removal of the last of the natives to Flinders Island, I feel that it is incuive a short account of the causes which led to it In the first place, history teaches us that whenever civilized e race, the latter alins to decrease, and to approach by radual steps towards extinction Whether this catastrophe is the result of political, moral, or physical causes, the ablest writers have not been able to decide; andto content themselves with the belief that the event is in accordance with some mysterious dispensation of Providence; and the purest philanthropy can only teach us to alleviate their present condition, and to s people Forto believe, that in this conflict of races, there is an absence of moral responsibility on the part of the whites; I must deny that it is in obedience to some all-powerful law, the inevitable operation of which exempts us frooes on

WAR OF EXTERMINATION

There appear tothis national crime to the individuals who perpetrate it; and it is with the deepest sorrow that I aed to confess that nanimity which has often been the prominent feature in their character They have sternly and systematically trampled on the fallen I have before remarked that they started with an erroneous theory, which they found to tally with their interests, and to relieve theines were not men, but brutes, was their avowed opinion; and what cruelties flowed from such a doctrine! It is not my purpose to enter into details; I will only add that the treatment of the poor captive native by her inhu, at one time, in the colony, and would not have received the condemnation of public opinion

The natural consequence of such conduct by the whites, comhtful retaliation on the part of the natives These led to counter-reprisals, every year accueance on either hand, until the memory of the first provocation was lost, and a war of exteran to be carried on

ATTEMPTED CAPTURE OF NATIVES

It was not until exasperation, on either side, rose to its highest, that measures were taken to prevent the coines The firstthe result of the passionate counsels of the great body of colonists, ere s under evils entailed upon them by their own violent conduct As is natural in all these cases, they looked only to the necessity of protecting their property and their lives; and did not take into account the massacres, the cruelties of every description, which had been at one tieneral voice The casuistry of the human heart, in most instances, concealed the true state of the case, and nation which so down and capture of the aborigines, as a duty which they owed to themselves and their families Government, with the best intentions, lent them every assistance in its power The whole colony rose to a man; and military operations on a most extensive scale were undertaken Cordons were established, marches and countermarches performed, complicated manoeuvres planned and executed, and every ainst a different enemy must have been rewarded with complete success But in this instance, the ieneralshi+p and the tactics that were displayed; and an expedition attended with ireatest enthusiasle native

REMOVAL OF ABORIGINES TO FLINDERS ISLAND

It was now evident that means of another character must be tried, and the plan which Mr Robinson had laid before Government for the capture of the natives in theperson, accordingly, went alone and unattended areat privations, ran much risk, but finally, partly by his eloquence, partly by stratage in the tribes one by one, and to transport them quietly to the islands in the eastern entrance of Bass Strait Mr Bate, Tamar, who took theh during the whole passage they sat on the vessel's bulwark, shaking little bags of huer to which they felt exposed

They were first taken to Swan Island, but that not being found convenient, they were landed on the west side of Flinders Island, under the superintendence of Mr Robinson This place, also, was discovered to be ill-adapted for a perain took place to Vansittart or Gun-carriage Island, at the eastern extremity of Franklin Channel, where a number of sealers had been resident for some years; as, however, they could not show any title to the land they cultivated, except that of original occupancy--a title which I think should be respected, as it is the only true basis of the right of property--they were obliged to vacate, leaving their huts and crops to be laid waste In the course of a feeeks, when considerable mischief had been effected, this position, likewise, was abandoned, and a location made once more on the west side of Flinders, about sixteen miles to the northward of Franklin Inlet

SETTLEMENT

The Home Government directed that in this their place of banishines, and a liberal scale of necessaries provided The officers of the establishinally consisted of the superintendent, medical officer, catechist and storekeeper; but when the buildings, etc for the settlement, were completed, the convicts ithdrahich diminished the number so much, that it was deemed practicable to reduce the staff of officers, and the whole duties of the four departments above alluded to devolved on one person, under the naeon-Superintendent The combination of so lect of some portion or another, possibly of the most material The Sabbath afternoon is the only tiious instruction of the natives This is to be regretted, as we have a it, in the lasting effects produced by Mr

Clarke, who sometime since filled the office of storekeeper; and for whoreat veneration, and to exhibit that respect which is due to a parent On our visit in 1842 we heard all the natives of both sexes, old and young, sing several hyht them by this excellent person A few co of the words they uttered; and all, no doubt, ranted them

Walter and Mary Ann, a married couple, who had recently returned fro in the family of the former superintendent, Mr Robinson, were so civilized, and proficient in all the plain parts of education, that they possessed great influence over their countrymen, who, incited by the contemplation of their superiority, were apparently desirous of acquiring knowledge The barracks in which the natives dwell fors; but Walter and his wife have a separate cottage, with a piece of land attached Mary Ann is a very tolerable needlewo the others; soed by the prizes that are awarded to industry, already assist intheir own dresses

MORTALITY AMONG NATIVES

The men, to who, etc, are, however, generally indolent They still retain a taste for their original wild habits, taking to the bush, occasionally, for several days together; and in order to enjoy all the freedo off their European clothing This practice has been expressly prohibited, as froe habits, and the abandon to which they had become accustomed, severe illness resulted To this may in part be attributable the rapidthem, and which leads us to suppose that at no distant period their utter extinction inally taken to Flinders Island, more than one hundred and fifty had perished in 1842, to replace which loss, an addition of only fourteen by births, besides seven brought in the Vansittart, had been made It seems, in truth, impossible that a race transported froe all their habits and modes of life, kept under restraint, however ed to repress all the powerful instincts which lead them to desire a renewal of their wild and unfettered life, toralled by thein secret for the perilous charms of the wilderness, for their hunts, and their corrobberies, for the hills and mountains and streams of their native land--it is ione such a change, who cherish such rerets, should increase and multiply and replenish the face of the land

TREATMENT OF NATIVES