More Extracts from Dr. Harvey's Diary

A table accompanied the memorial sent to the Governor by the people of Port Lincoln in March, 1842, showing the arms and ammunition held in the district.

This table showed there were six station owners. White Bros, having three stations with 10 men and eight guns ; Hawson one station, four men, two guns, four pistols and four swords ; Biddle one station, five men, four guns ; Dutton one station, four men, four guns ; McEllister, one station, three men, three guns ; Bishop, one station, three men, three guns. In the town it showed there were 19 men, including three police, having 16 guns. The station owners appeared to have plenty of ammunition, but the town folk held very little. In this census the name of George White is not mentioned.

Capt. John Bishop, agent for Mr. Brown wrote to Dr. Harvey on March 7, asking for instructions regarding the property of Mr. Brown, consisting of about 800 sheep and other effects. The sheep were difficult and expensive to keep, owing to the depredations of the blacks. He pointed out that Matthew Smith had made a will, but Bishop did not know where it was. The narration of Dr. Harvey's extract can be resumed. Wednesday, March 9, 1842, at 4 p.m. saw the re-turn of the police from Dutton's station. It will be noticed the doctor always refers to the station as Dutton's, irrespective of what Eyre had previously said about the ownership, and how Driver referred to it very shortly after his arrival at Port Lincoln. The police called in at White's No. 1 station and at Biddle's, with the prisoner Nantes. The hut-keeper at the former station recognised him as the one who had thrown a spear at him, and Middleton identified him as the native who threatened to spear him the previous Sunday.

TRIAL OF NANTES

On March 10 it was arranged for the trial of Nantes to be held two days later. On March 11 Capt. Bishop's man, George Stuart (probably the man who accompanied Driver when searching for Dutton), gave himself up into the custody of Dr. Harvey for having shot a native, on the road about one mile from town. The native, being one of a party of nine, had pointed a spear at him. As soon as he fired they all fled, but he saw one fall. Immediately Dr. Harvey formed a party consisting of himself, Capt. Bishop, the sergeant of police, one constable and Stuart and went to the site of the shooting, but could not find any trace of the fallen man, and came to the conclusion that in his frightened state Stuart had been mistaken in supposing he had killed a native. It may have been possible, said the doctor, that the other natives had taken him away, of which fact they would soon be informed.

Saturday March 12, was a busy day. The trial of Nantes took place, and he was committed to be tried in Adelaide. The Kangaroo, the boat chartered to carry the all-important memorial, had to put back to port, for, through rough weather it had lost the anchor and cable. The Governor Gawler arrived at noon, carrying notification of the appointment of Mr. Chas. J. Driver as Government Resident at Port Lincoln. Rev. Mr. Schurmann brought a charge against a man-named Cox for shooting at a native. The case was deferred until the arrival of Mr. Driver. One wonders if this is the same Cox who accompanied Dutton.

On Sunday, March 13, appears the last relevant entry regarding the native tragedies : "The Hero arrived in the night, bringing the Government Resident, C. Driver, Esqre., and several mails." On March 14 Mr. Driver apparently assumed command and attended the court.

DR. HARVEY'S ACTIVITIES

Presumably Dr. Harvey, having been released from the onerous duties of the chief Government representative at Port Lincoln, does not give us any more extracts from his journal. During this trying time, he had found himself placed in many peculiar situations. Doubtless he had assumed on his own responsibility, the control of the district. He had to hold an inquest on the Sabbath, he had as a mere J.P. tried cases of felony, whereas they had been tried previously by a magistrate. As he considered his action questionable, he sent the depositions of Moorpa and Nantes to the Colonial Secretary instead of direct to the Advocate General. He had only forms, but no books, to guide himself, so he hoped "that no informality or irregularity will be observed in them. I have paid every attention in my power to the cases in order that no omissions should be made." One almost feels sorry for the arrival of Mr. Driver, which necessitated the discontinuance of extracts from the doctor's diary.

The next in sequence of the black tragedy is the raid on Sgt. McEllister's station. In a letter dated March 22, 1842, that police officer wrote to the Government Resident, stating that on the previous day between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, about 30 natives, fully armed, raided his station. They drove away two stone masons and the hut keeper, who fled to Hawson's station for protection. After the departure of the white men, the blacks robbed the hut of bedding and bedclothes, clothing, half a bag of flour, 12 lbs. sugar, two pieces of pork and sundry articles too numerous for Mr. McEllister to enumerate.

EXCHANGE OF NATIVES

The Government Resident (Mr. C. Driver) on March 23, when forwarding that letter to the Colonial Secretary for the information of the Governor, said that verbal complaints of similar outrages had been made to him and his predecessor (Mr. McDonald), all pointing to a strong unfriendly feeling on the part of the aborigines. All the deemed friendly natives had been away from the town for a considerable time, and he continued his report by saying. "The settlers are so harassed and have to retain such large establishments that they are becoming quite disheartened."

The few police at the settlement had been engaged up to March 22 in guarding the native prisoners, on which day they were handed over to the special constable (Capt. Emanuel Underwood), presumably for passage to Adelaide. In the same letter the Government Resident said he was arranging to send some of the friendly natives to Adelaide, and desired that some of the Adelaide-side blacks should be sent to Port Lincoln, for use as trackers and also to impress on the local blacks the advantages of cultivating a friendly intercourse with the whites. An a result of the last request, the Protector of Aborigines, at the direction of the Governor (Capt. G. Grey) sent three natives to Port Lincoln, arriving there on April 17, 1842, and on April 19, they accompanied Lieut. Hugonin on his first expedition against the local natives.

(Another instalment next week.)