Search for Dutton Continues

James C. Hawker, who kept a diary of the journey of the party which left Adelaide to search for C. C. Dutton, published his "Early Experiences" in the "Register" and "Observer". These articles were subsequently issued in pamphlet form in 1899.

He gives the composition of the volunteer section, the same as quoted by Tolmer, adding that James Baker had an interest in the cattle and that "Billy" was lent them by Mr. Charles Bonney. The Governor, he said, considered that their party was too small, and ordered Inspector Tolmer and four troopers to accompany them. The official correspondence does not agree with this statement.

They left the station on September 17, 1842, and on the first night out, one of the pack horses broke its tether rope, and got away. According to Hawker, Tolmer would not keep a direct course, and in addition he left the party and went away kangarooing. On the 22nd "we notified him that as it was a matter of taking assistance to Mr. Dutton as rapidly as possible, if he was still alive . . ... it was our intention to push on without him, and he turned back." With only one pack horse it was impossible to carry all the provisions, and as Tolmer "refused positively to lend one," a quantity of provisions had to cached. Hawker states that Tolmer was severely censured by the Governor on his return and Mr. Eyre was instructed to start with some police to follow them up. This does not agree with the Governor's reply to Tolmer's reports; whether anything happened after the volunteers returned I have not been able to trace.

Eyre's depot, at Mount Arden, 122 miles from Bungaree, was reached on the 24th. There they found part of Eyre's tarpaulin tent, quite rotten. It had been discarded two years previously. Their scale of rations was very meagre, especially in the meat line, being 2 oz. of bacon per day. Three days were spent at the depot to spell the horses.

On September 28 a forward movement was made, and during that day, Charles Hawker killed two kangaroos at one shot. That night's camp, after travelling 25 miles, was alongside a little muddy pool, the water of which the horses would not drink, but the men were compelled to do so. Baxter's Range was reached next day, after 35 miles travelling, but very little water was procured. A tree was barked and "Volunteers in search of C. Dutton, September 30, 1842," was written thereon (another writer said September 29, but it is safer to accept Hawker's reference.)

PARTY WITHOUT WATER

They left there on the 30th, and worked on a calculated course, through gum scrub for 18 miles, where a dry camp was formed. October 1 found the party in a precarious state. "It was a matter of life or death to the whole party, men and horses," so James Hawker and the black boy set out to locate Refuge Rocks, indicated by Eyre's plan. Fortunately they were found only about one mile ahead. Water was taken back to their companions, who were about to kill a horse. Eyre's spring was dry, but some water was found in a rock hole. They remained at the rocks for two days. Hawker said native fires were plentiful, so a strict watch was kept and weapons ready for instant use. Six natives came to them, evidently to reconnoitre. They spoke a few English words. James Hawker and Billy went along their tracks and found 16 barbed spears, which they brought back into camp. The natives thereupon slunk away.

On the fourth, the party went about 15 miles inland to see if they could intercept Dutton's tracks, but there was no trace, neither was there any water. Returning to the rocks, they found a large native camp there, with fires alight. A healthy yell as they approaching the rocks caused the blacks to scatter. At night a watch was set and during the night a black fellow was heard among the horses. A shot was fired, the native having a lucky escape.

In another part of his " Early Experiences," Hawker gives a somewhat different account of their stay at Refuge Rocks. He voices the regret of the party that they knew nothing about the cutter "Resource" being sent to aid them. She would probably have been in the vicinity of Lowly Point when they were at Refuge Rocks. (By the way, Tolmer on his homeward journey saw the cutter sailing up the Gulf). Had they known, they could have made for the beach, and with the aid of the boat probably would have solved the problem.

There is some mystery about the boat. John Baker was very definite before he went north, of his intention to hire the boat if not too expensive. E. J. Eyre must have been aware of its despatch, or intended despatch, for he had a copy of John Baker's letter of September 10, wherein he stated his intention of hiring the boat. Did John Baker forget to mention it at Bungaree? Surely he would have told his brother as they wended their way to Bungaree! This is one part of the search that did not function properly; the function of the boat and land party was the one thing necessary to accomplish the object of the search.

NATIVES POSSESS IMPLEMENTS

The party was convinced that the natives in that district knew something about Dutton, because of some implements they had. By sign language no information could be gleaned where they were procured. It will be remembered that Eyre's camp two years previously had been raided a little north of this place. This might account for the things in possession of the blacks. Hawker states in this account that he and Billy were on watch, when Billy espied a figure coming towards the horses. Billy whispered, "shoot him," but Hawker, fearful of creating a stampede with the horses, would not permit it. A lusty yell and a frantic rush was all that was required to send the native back to his party.

On October 5, 14 miles were made, and on the 6th, starting at 6 a.m., and after travelling 23 miles, they came to a "perfect oasis" in that fearful country. This was the first occasion since the 28th that the horses could drink water without the use of Peter's macintosh as a trough.

On the 7th they travelled 28 miles, and had a waterless camp. A little damper, eight days old, was all they had to eat. The little water in the keg was unfit to drink through the decomposition of insects and beetles.

The Bluff (Mount Hill) was reached on the 8th, with plenty of feed and water. After a pause of three hours, they followed Eyre's tracks for 12 miles, when they camped.

On October 9 a traverse was made to the beach, cutting Dutton's track on the way. They camped on the beach, and enjoyed their first wash since leaving Eyre's depot.

On the 10th they followed Dutton's tracks for 22 miles, when dense scrub was encountered, without water, so they had to return and make for Dutton's station. Another diarist said, "On the 9th and the morning of the 10th we followed Dutton's tracks from the Downs to the sea coast. The track had recently been ridden over by five persons in the same direction. There were also very recent tracks of cattle returning. This with the want of water induced us to return."

On arrival at Port Lincoln it was ascertained that Mr. Driver and party had been out. Returning to James Hawker's account, it is not clear where they camped on the night of the 10th, but they had to travel 25 miles to reach the station next day. Port Lincoln was reached on October 12, after a journey of "434 miles from Bungaree."

Bull, purporting to be quoting from Hawker's diary, which if correct must have been added to a long time after the journey, said, "Although we found no trace of him (Dutton) it was afterwards ascertained through some of the natives that he and his party were killed by a murderous tribe, and such of his cattle as were not used by them were dispersed and scattered through this wild and scrubby country. It is sad to relate that the bodies of the slaughtered men have never been found."

PARTY'S ARRIVAL

It was a ragged, unkempt, motley party that arrived at Port Lincoln, but they were cordially welcomed, more especially as it had been reported to Mr. Driver by some blacks that they had been murdered. The diarist quoted before wrote, "As it appears to be impossible at this season of the year, to get to the spot, in which Mr. Dutton or his remains must be, on horseback, we made preparations for a contingent to search in a whale boat."

"'After recruiting at Port Lincoln for some time the idea was carried into effect, and landings made at intervals. A boat was procured and on the 18th October, Charles Hawker, J. Baker, C. Schurmann, N. Hailes, T. Hawson and a sealer who knew something of the coast, started up the Gulf. They were absent several days, and landed at various places, but were unable to discover the dray, which was one of the objects of the search, for had they discovered it, some clue might have been obtained as to the fate of the lost ones.

Hailes, in his usually picturesque style, gives a description of the boat journey which lasted three weeks. The weather was generally squally, and tempestuous, with heavy storms of rain. Hailes' list of members differs from Hawker's. He leaves it open as to who was the owner of the boat. It may have been T. Hawson or the sealer, but whichever one it was, the other is not shown on Hailes's list. He also quotes Charles George Hawker as going. This surely must be an error; there was no Charles George in the family, there was a George Charles and a Charles Lloyd, and it would probably be the latter who formed one of the party. It is from the Charles George Hawker that the date of Hawker's manuscript script papers in the Archives, can be ascertained. Hailes said he had a copy of that gentleman's diary of the trip, unfortunately it got burnt and he was promised another, but when he wanted the promise carried out, the diarist was dead.

Prior to Hailes's death in 1878, Charles Lloyd Hawker died in 1860 and his brother, Rev. William Henry Hawker, died in 1874. Therefore it is evident that Hailes's manuscripts for his "Recollections" were written after 1860. The slight difference in Hailes's writing of 1842 and in his manuscripts of after 1860 - possibly 1876-78 - is remarkable. Hailes in his version states that the heavy rain enabled the party to conserve its supply of water. The boat was run ashore every night for safety, there being a risk that the natives, by whom they were surrounded every night, might cut the boat adrift.

FISHERMAN'S PARADISE

The first day Tumby Island was reached, a distance of 25 miles from Port Lincoln, the second day the party travelled 15 miles, and on the third day, with a contrary wind blowing, no progress was made. Excursions were made inland for 11 miles in the morning and two miles along the shore in the afternoon. When returning they saw a tribe of painted and armed warriors, tracking the white men's footsteps made in the morning, towards the boat on the shore. The whites won the race and had the boat launched and were prepared to receive the natives, who, the moment they saw the armed men, fled. A day was spent in Franklin Harbor, where some time was passed fishing. The harbor must have been a fisherman's paradise in those days, for fish were in "prodigous numbers, of all sizes and fifty different species." Snapper was selected for fishing, and as fast as a line was thrown over, the bait was taken. Hailes states that hitherto on every journey inland Dutton's tracks were seen.

On the seventeenth day, about 130 miles from Port Lincoln, in the neighborhood of Middleback mountain, numerous fires were seen. On the few preceding days signal fires had been noticed from time to time. Why is not apparent, but the party concluded that they were not far from the point ultimately reached by Dutton. That night the natives were on the alert — so much so that a watch was kept all night and the boat was left afloat.

The following day several attempts were made on the boat. While the boatman was repelling these onslaughts, the rest of the party were walking inland. No natives were seen, although they must have been about. On the return journey a mob of about 30 blacks was sighted. The natives fled, leaving their provisions and spears. Baker wanted to burn the spears, but Hailes counselled otherwise. An old native was taken prisoner, but a young man exchanged positions, the old one being given his freedom. Nothing was gleaned from either of them, and during the night the young fellow managed to escape, much to Hailes's disgust, as it was during his watch that the breakaway occurred.

At this period Hailes wrote, "As we had not crossed his tracks during this last journey, it was obvious that the dray might be found between that point and the one last occupied by us. We longed to solve the problem, but to do so was impracticable." Their provisions were exhausted and the water almost so. The result of this search was that at one point the dray had passed, and at another it had not. The return was made and Port Lincoln was reached on the twenty-second day after their departure.

(Another instalment next week.)