Fruitless Search for Native Murderers

Lance-Corporal Geharty reported to Inspector Gordon that he had been out in every direction and could not get sight of a single native; none had been seen since July 19, (1848), the day of the last affray at Pinkerton's. Messrs.

Peter and Nation had been out as far as the Gawler Ranges without finding the track of a native. Geh-arty said it would be useless to try then to catch the natives, so many horsemen having been backwards and forwards ; even the Government Resident's party consisted of 10 mounted men, to form a jury. As he was forestalled by the local justices, the whole party, including the police, returned to Port Lincoln.

The inspector's version of the latest affray at Pinkerton's was that on July 19 the natives were at the outstation, and a shirt was stolen from a half-witted fellow named Porter. On being asked for its return, the natives called to him and beckoned him towards the tea tree scrub. He went, preceded by one native, with two following behind him. They were armed with a large crooked weapon in use by the natives here. A European female seeing the position, called out to Porter that the natives would murder him. Fortunately the shepherd returned at the opportune time and insisted on Porter's return. The natives shook their spears at the woman.

PURSUIT OF NATIVES

Porter went to the head station and reported to Stewart, the overseer, who with a man named Wood went on horseback to the outstation. Leaving the horses there, they proceeded on foot after the natives, and, overtaking them, demanded the return, of the shirt. The natives called to them to come on. Considering this was a friendly gesture they did so, but the natives begun to flourish their spears. One of the natives threw a spear at Wood, who, at Stewart's urgent demand fired at the native. The native's spear found Wood's chest, and the gunshot the native's stomach. However, the native threw another spear and the overseer fired; then the native turned and ran back toward his companions, and fell. The white men's ammunition having been expended, they had to retreat, the natives remaining in possession of the top of a sand-hill. The station hands made no investigation as to the fate of the wounded native, but five days later, one of Nation's men went to the outstation and with Wood viewed the battle scene. They found the body on the top of the sandhill, which point he apparently managed to reach after the departure of the whites, and there died. The wild dogs had not, up to that time, touched the body. According to the Protector of Aborigines, the stolen shirt was not recovered.

Under date October 19, Geharty advised Inspector Gordon, who had returned to Adelaide on October 12, 1848, that the police had returned from patrol work and reported that the natives were getting troublesome at Mortlock's western station. It appears that on Saturday, October 7, the overseer Smith, alias McGrath, was alone at one of the outstation's huts. About 10 a.m. he heard his dogs barking, and going out side to investigate received a spear wound in his shoulder. Getting possession of his gun, he faced his assailants, eight or nine armed natives, who fled and escaped among the sandhills. The police had searched for them without success, so Geharty decided that he with P. C. Keech would continue the quest.

TWO BLACKS ARRESTED

On his (Geharty's) return, he reported having arrested two natives, one concerned in the attempted spearing of the overseer at Mortlock's station on October 7, and the other in connection with the June affray at the same place. He had to report P.C. Dann and Guy for slackness in carrying out their duties, and returning to town leaving the district without any police protection. It is noteworthy that in that report he tells how the barque Himalaya, sailing from Adelaide to Swansea with 540 tons of copper, had put into Port Lincoln in a leaky state and with pumps choked up.

One of the natives (Ngurkalta) arrested in connection with the spearing of Goldsmith on June 16, 1848, was committed for trial, and Charles Goldsmith was bound over to appear as witness. Geharty refers to a native "Mrgulta" (Ngurkalta ?) as having been committed, and said that he was the greatest annoyance the north-west settlers had. The other native arrested by Geharty as concerned in the October 7 affray was released, not sufficient evidence being forthcoming. Inspector Gordon, on his return to Adelaide on October 12, 1848, reported that not a native who could by any possibility be connected with the murder of Hamp had been seen on the whole north-west coast and their usual hunting grounds were deserted. The police patrol, accompanied by a very intelligent native acquainted with the district, could not even see "a smoke." Apparently the natives had gone to distant fields, so Gordon feared that the natives would succeed in evading the ends of justice.

Again the Commissioner of Police reiterated his opinion that these depredations were mainly due to the Europeans themselves, and the Protector of Aborigines again brought under the notice of the Governor the Government Resident's remarks about sheep being left to wander, while the men were playing cards. Inspector Gordon in that same report stated that Nation's station had been free from outrages. He was one of the first settlers, in the north-west, and for a considerable time without neighbors. He insisted on his employes treating the natives at all times with civility and kindness ; never permitting them to remain about his stations, in consequence he was never molested, while on adjoining stations the men were in a state of constant alarm.

The normal strength of the police at this time was four white constables, one native constable and four horses, In December, 1848, the men engaged in breaking up the whaler Arachne had an affray with the natives. Some natives had been assisting the white men. Three axes took their fancy, and the axes and the natives disappeared at the same time. One of the natives returned, and one of the whites seized him and in doing so was wounded by a spear. The captain of the Jane Flaxman, who reported the affair, after seeing the men, went to Venus Bay and walked to Pinkerton's, where he left word. As the men at the Arachne were expecting to be taken away to Tasmania, no legal action was taken by them or the police.

QUIET THREE MONTHS

Capt. Duke, of the Jane Flaxman, advised the Government Resident that he had undertaken charge of an aged native woman, whom he had brought. away with her own consent from Flinders Island, where she had lived with sealers for an indefinite period. She had no recollection of the home of her youth, and did not speak the dialect of the district. Geharty, on December 31, 1848, was able to report for the quarter ended that day, that with the exception of the spearing at Mortlock's and the Arachne affair at Trial Bay, nothing had occurred. All the north-west settlers — Messrs. Pinkerton, Nation, Mortlock, Vaux, Lodwick and Peter — had been free from attacks, except as narrated, while the northern settlers had been entirely free.

The Commissioner of Police, in his quarterly report for March 31, 1849, recorded the death of Inspector Gordon on February 21, 1849, and said of him: — "A very zealous, trustworthy, and — when his health permitted — very active officer." After reviewing the affrays with natives and subsequent trials, he said : " To what extent the aborigines can justly be punished by laws, to which they are no parties and which were enacted to protect the lives and properties of persons whose habits and customs are totally distant from their own, appears a subject worthy of much consideration."

NATIVE SHOT BY WHITE

On March 14, 1849, Mokilti, a native of the Parnkalla or East Coast tribe, was shot by J. T. Symes, a sheep farmer. The native was known as being a bold and daring individual, and, according to the Government Resident "his death appears to have been characteristic." Quite what is the meaning of this cryptic phrase cannot be elucidated. The Government Resident again points out the temptation that was put in the way of the natives, who were hungry and naked. The Protector of Aborigines, commenting on this case said the natives had been in the habit of entering and stealing provisions from the hut, so Symes lay in wait. A native entered and proceeded to help himself to a sheep that had been killed only that morning. Symes seized the native, but immediately saw another native at the door, in the act of throwing a spear at him. The first native was released, whereon some talk ensued between him and the natives outside, wherewith, the deceased seized an axe, so in self defence Symes fired a pistol shot at the native, who ran out of the hut and dropped down. At the inquest the verdict was " that the deceased came to his death by a pistol ball fired at him by John Turner Symes in self-defence." For all practical purposes, the search for Hamp's murderers was abandoned in the middle of October, 1848, and only resumed in the big push by Tolmer in June, 1849, as will be narrated later.

(Another instalment next week.)