Military Search for Natives Continued

Under date May 20, 1842, at Port Lincoln, Lieut. Hugonin gives a report to the Government Resident of his doings subsequent to his report of April 24. He stated that on the morning of April 25, he started, accompanied by Mr. Hawson, three policemen and 10 of his men, all on foot, each person carrying a week's provisions. He also had an Adelaide native for tracking and a Port Lincoln native as a guide. We are placed in the awkward predicament of having the Lieut. in Port Lincoln on April 25, according to the Government Resident, while he himself said he was accompanying the troops on the same day.

On arriving at the coast about 12 miles from this camp, they discovered a party of natives concealing themselves and making a long circuit, the soldiers came upon the natives without any warning. One of the natives prepared to throw his spear at one of the soldiers, and was instantly shot. One wonders whether this is the shooting referred to by Mr. E. J. Eyre. Hugonin's report states: —

"The party of natives consisted of five men besides women and children. On searching their wallets we found various articles belonging to the late Mr. Brown and Mr. Biddle. I intended to have taken them prisoners, but as Mr. Schurmann, who accompanied me that day, stated that one of them had been a guide, when the late Mr. Biddle's property was found and had doubtlessly picked up the things there, I did not take them. Shortly after another party approached us, about 12 men besides women and children.

For the next three days we marched over a large extent of country, finding everywhere, fresh tracks of natives, but our guide deserted us, and not knowing where to find water we were obliged to return to our encampment."

It will be noticed that Hugonin does not make such a remarkable story of the disappearance of the guide as did McLean.

RETURN TO PORT LINCOLN

The soldier party returned to Port Lincoln on May 6, and was then informed by Harker, the owner of the cutter Kangaroo, that he had seen the day before, about 100 natives in Port Lincoln proper. He also volunteered the use of his vessel. McLean made out that the Government Resident had sent out word to Hugonin about these natives, but the lieutenant's letter does not give any indication of his having received any word until he returned to Port Lincoln. Owing to the unfortunate shooting it is proposed to give Hugonin's full report of this expedition, which is contained in the same letter as quoted above.

"I according sailed next day (May 7, a Saturday) with my men, accompanied by Mr. Hawson and Mr. Bishop, and about sunset we discovered smoke on the coast. I landed my party about a mile away, and made a circuit through the bush, a dense ti-tree scrub, arriving at the fire, we found only two old men and some women and children. I sent my men to surround the rest of the natives and shortly heard two shots fired on shore. Running up, I found that two of my men had come upon a party of natives, who had endeavoured to take their firelocks from them. They shot two. Several shots were fired at the rest. I am inclined to think two more were wounded. The darkness and dense scrub prevented search. We found several European articles in their wallets, such as knives, scissors. etc, and burnt a good number of their spears."

In the previous article, it was stated that the criminal book of the Port Lincoln Court had an entry for May 9, saying that Lieut. Hugonin and detachment had returned from Pillaworta, with several native prisoners (one old man, two women and three children). With the lieutenant's letter in front of me, I now find that instead of Pillaworta, it should have been Port Lincoln Proper.

RETREAT FROM PILLAWORTA

It will be noticed that Lieut. Hugonin says nothing about bringing in these native prisoners. It is quite evident he brought in one man (one escaping). The women and children he found in the camp. As stated in the previous article, as no charge could be preferred against them they were released. In the same report the lieutenant gives his version of the retreat of his men from Pillaworta as follows :

"I have further the honor to report, that while at your station, with you, the day before yesterday (i.e. May 18) my men there report that four natives had approached the station at night. Between 12 and 1 o'clock the party, consisting of three men, came in, the natives to the number, they report, of about 200, attacked them. They fired nine rounds of which two only took effect, as they saw two fall. Several spears were thrown at my men. Finding themselves surrounded, they were obliged to retreat, and, on looking back, saw natives rush into the huts and plunder them. Of course it is my intention to lose no time in the pursuit of these fellows who appear to be bolder than ever in their outrages."

Nathaniel Hailes, in the absence of the Government Resident, forwarded May 23 this letter of Hugonin to Adelaide, and stated that on May 20, the Resident and party had gone in pursuit of the party of natives which had raided Pillaworta, immediately after the departure of the Government Resident the day before. Lieut. Hugonin's letter is difficult to understand and the data does not correspond with Hailes's letter we are about to deal with, nor with Driver's letter written in Adelaide, but is evident that Hailes had some advice about the punitive party, possibly either oral or written, when word was sent in for Mr. Schurmann to proceed to Pillaworta.

KILLING OF NATIVE

Whichever way it was, he was able to report to the Colonial Secretary that "The party now in the bush, consisting of the Government Resident, Lieutenant Hugonin, thirteen soldiers, four police constables, the Messrs. White, Mr. Hawson, Mr. Button and other settlers succeeded on the afternoon of the 20th in capturing a native boy from whom information was obtained of the locality then occupied by the guilty tribe." The location described was about 10 miles from Pillaworta, and almost inaccessible on foot, so the horsemen alone went there, guided by the boy. A group of three natives was surprised, believed to have been participators in the late murders. Of these one was killed in consequence of having thrown a spear which struck Sergeant McEllister ; one was made prisoner and one escaped. Articles belonging to Mr Biddle were found in possession of these men. Another group of natives favored by the "peculiarities of the country effected their escape." Hailes informed the Colonial Secretary to whom he forwarded the report "that Mr. Schurmann left town for Pillaworta on the 22nd. inst." This no doubt is the trip referred to in Schurmann's letter to the Protector of Aborigines, on May 26, which was quoted in the previous series of articles, when he complained about the inhuman treatment meted out to a dead native.

On the return to Port Lincoln, under date May 25, Lieut. Hugonin sent a report to Mr. Driver, the Government Resident, covering the expedition which started out on May 20. He stated that he sent his men out to "your station," and started himself on horseback with the policemen and two or three settlers, in all nine mounted men. On May 21 they discovered two or three natives, and after a gallop caught a boy. The rest escaped by a deep gully. The boy led them towards the seacoast, where they came upon several natives at their fires. One, by the name of "Nurka" was captured, another fought desperately, throwing a spear at the sergeant of police, and seizing the bridle. The sergeant thereupon "jobbed at him with another till he was killed." The sergeant escaped unwounded ; the rest (numbers unknown) escaped in the thick scrub.

STOLEN PROPERTY FOUND

On investigating the surroundings of the fires they found a large quantity of European property, some belonging to the late Mr. Brown ; a large number of knives and other articles belonging to the late Mr. Biddle and a quantity of things "taken from your station on the 19th," wrote the lieutenant to Mr. Driver "such as ironpots, axes, saws, wheat, etc., and a greatcoat belonging to one of the soldiers which had been left in one of the huts at Pillaworta when the soldiers beat a hasty retreat."

Preparations were made to start again on May 22, with the prisoner as guide, in search of the murderers, but as the mounted party was reduced by one half, and the weather unpropitious the lieutenant gave up all further attempts, and returned to Port Lincoln. Lieut. Hugonin came to the conclusion that the natives they were desirous of apprehending were out of reach, having retired to a distant and difficult part of the country. The unsettled weather prevented expeditions for days and nights together without cover of any kind, therefore he decided to remain with his men in Port Lincoln, feeling satisfied that he could do nothing further in the scrub.

It will be noticed even in these two official reports, one by Hailes and the other by Hugonin, that there is considerable difference. Mr. Driver, on May 26, advised the Colonial Secretary, that the Governor Gawler, about to leave, would convey the prisoner Nurka to Adelaide. He also said he was returning two of the Adelaide natives, the third alone be-ing of use. He also sent the boy captured on May 21, "believing that it will be advantageous to him to be removed from the ill disposed tribe to which he belongs."

On the same day Mr. Driver sent to the Colonial Secretary a list of claims made against Mr. Biddle's estate and an inventory of effects. Among the claims was one from Charles Tubbs for £78 16/-, 12 ewes and 16 lambs, for sundry articles, also from John Barrett for £50. Apparently Tubbs and Barrett did not draw their wages, but left them with Mr. Biddle for safe keeping.

MR. DRIVER'S REPORT

It would appear that Mr. Driver went to Adelaide by the same boat, and on arrival found that the correspondence that should have accompanied him, had not been sent, so he was compelled to write another report in Adelaide, which is dated June 1, 1842. He relates how on the night of Thursday, May 19, "the three soldiers who were quartered at my station of Pillerwerta, about 30 miles from Port Lincoln, marched into the settlement." The report of the assault on the station is very much the same as described above. On the Friday, he said the mounted party of nine went by one route, while the 10 or 12 soldiers went by another. On May 21, after capturing the native boy and placing him on horseback, he had led them to the coast opposite Tumby Island, where a mob of between 40 and 50 natives was camped. The killing of one and the escape of all the others except one, who was taken prisoner, has been told. They returned to Pillerwerter and on the next day (Sunday) Mr. Driver wrote to Mr. Schurmann to come up, which he did. Some of the settlers present asserted that the man who was killed was Millie alias Yarraman, the most notorious and daring individual among those who were the immediate murderers of Messrs. Brown and Biddle and a leader in most of the outrages that preceded the murders. Mr. Schurmann stated he was not the person.

On Tuesday the party returned to Port Lincoln with their prisoner, leaving four soldiers at the station to protect some parties who remained there searching for cattle. In the same letter and in reply to a query from the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Driver stated his belief was that for some time no friendly intercourse could exist between the whites and blacks. The aggressions of the latter were allowed too long without sufficient check. The settlers must for the present at least, confine their operations to the immediate vicinity of the town. Further, he wrote, "The stations of Messrs. White, Biddle and myself had all cultivation to the extent of ten or twelve acres each, these stations are now abandoned and the labour bestowed upon them thrown away."

(Another Instalment Next Week.)