Search for Native Murderers Cont.

On November 20, 1842, the police party (to the number of eight) searching for the natives concerned in the outrages at Brown's and Biddle's stations left Pillaworta on a course west north-west. Moullia, the prisoner-guide considered the natives were in hiding, knowing of the approach of Major O'Halloran and party. After 20 miles they arrived at several salt lakes, and saw two "smokes" ahead. A rapid spurt was made, but on reaching the native camp, the birds had flown.

This was the second failure, but the major said, "One source of consolation I have, that this party has come across and greatly alarmed the whole of the Battara tribe and visited all their usual haunts by which much good may have been done in alarming the tribe and in giving confidence to the settlers."

It was on this day that Major O'Halloran wrote about the Coffin's Bay tribe, which was referred to in the Hawson murder section. The police party was then 55 miles from Port Lincoln, and in another letter, the major said they were at Lake Malata, where no white man had previously been. The Commissioner of Police (Major O'Halloran) wrote to the Colonial Secretary the day before he left Port Lincoln, his report following much on the same lines as the above, which has been quoted from his diary. On the report being submitted to the Governor, he directed the Colonial Secretary to write to "convey to you (the Commissioner of Police) his Excellency's complete approval of the course adopted by you on this occasion. Although not successful in capturing any of the murderers, his Excellency entertains no doubt that very happy results will be produced by the judicious line of conduct adopted by you."

SOLDIERS RIDICULED

Alexander Tolmer in his account of the despatch of the soldiers said the idea was ridiculed because of the utter impossibility of foot soldiers, encumbered with heavy muskets, cartouche boxes, and so on, to outstrip and catch such nimble savages as the natives in that district were in those days, irrespective of the dense scrubby nature of the country they had to contend with, and the results as anticipated proved almost fruitless.

Later on he recounts how Major O'Halloran and himself were sent across with their horses. In his reminiscences he does not give much additional information, but the following quotation coming from a one-time Commissioner of Police is very startling. He said: "I was at the time still suffering severely from the effects of the fall from my horse near Mount Arden, but I concealed, the fact from the major, in the hopes of having a brush with the blacks and some exciting fun."

According to Tolmer, the result of the commissioner's expedition was very unsatisfactory. Not one of the natives concerned was seen, let alone caught. However, his injury compelled him to return to Adelaide before the major considered the work of the expedition was completed. Writing of the expedition Tolmer said it consisted of the Major, himself, five constables, Mr. Driver (the Government Resident), Mr. Schurmann (the missionary protector) and Messrs. Hawson and McEllister. It was said that Mr. Schurmann did not desire to go, but on hearing from Major O'Halloran, how he was to treat the natives, he consented. Tolmer records that the major said : "If he (Schurmann) had declined, I should have used my powers and compelled him to proceed as interpreter."

"PROTECTOR AFRAID."

The major was not prepossessed in Schurmann's favor, for in his opinion a protector who was frightened of the natives was useless. Schurmann during these troublous times had shifted from Happy Valley into the main township. A protector should be able to act as mediator between the two races, and lead and direct them to exercise peaceful habits. Such an ideal man " would do more to keep up peaceful relations between the White and colored races than sections of military forces," was the opinion of the major.

We can now get back to ex-policeman McLean's reminiscences, and possibly the reader may be able to disentangle the mixed skein, which I am unable to do. He said that the Victoria, the boat on which the soldiers and he went to Port Lincoln, arrived at Boston Bay about 11 p.m. on a Saturday, after a very rough passage of eight days (actually a passage of four days — the boat left on April 14 and arrived on April 17). On the second day a party consisting of Mr. Driver, Lieut. Hugonin, Messrs. Sam and Fred White, Capt. H. C. Hawson, Tom Hawson, Medithan (a mason), McEllister, Swaffer and McLean, with Constable Innes driving his own cart carrying rations and tents — in addition there was Lacy, the lieutenant's batman and Big Jack, a native guide — proceeded by way of Mount Gawler to Biddle's station, and thence to Pillaworta the same night. The next day they went up through the downs, where natives were met with, who said the murderers had fled to the interior across Marble Range (?)

GUIDE DISAPPEARS

Taking one of these natives as a guide, the party started again with the soldiers, and formed a camp at the Fountain, whence several excursions were made. The native guide mysteriously disappeared ; one moment he was there, the next he was not, and although there was neither bush, stump nor rock to hide him, a diligent search was unavailing.

After scouring the country for some days, a letter came from Mr. Driver, reporting that a large number of natives were camped on the peninsula south of Port Lincoln. Camp was broken up and a return made to Port Lincoln. The party was reconstituted as follows: — The lieutenant, Sgt. Holder, 10 soldiers, McLean and Captains Bishop and Hawson sailed up past McLean said they went in "Old Hawker's cutter." I think this is an error, probably it should have been "Harker," as he subsequently spells it. I notice Harkers name appearing in court cases at Port Lincoln. The soldiers were landed before arriving at the camp site, while Captains Bishop and Hawson sailed up past the camp. The natives rushed out and hailed the boatmen, scarcely the action of a guilty mob. The soldiers in the meantime had surrounded the camp and secured two old men and two young women, the rest escaping. Even one of these men managed to escape from the lieutenant's own hands. McLean leaves us in the dark what happened to these three prisoners, beyond that they were put on the cutter.

SOLDIERS ATTACKED

Three soldiers had been left in charge of Pillaworta station, and these gave the Port Lincoln residents a surprise one morning, by walking into the township, one without his boots, and the other two bare headed. "Having been attacked by the natives, they ran for it like good soldiers," using the lieutenant's orderly's own words.

Just then C. C. Dutton returned from Adelaide, prepared to evacuate Pillaworta. A riding party went out to the station, while the soldiers on foot followed with Dutton. When the first party arrived at the station, it was found plundered of everything. Sacks of wheat formed portion of the loot, and also left a good trail for the police party to follow. Out on the downs two boys were caught, after some trouble, as "they fought like cats with both teeth and nails." However the prisoners pointed to where the camp was situated. The horses, splashing through an intervening lake, gave warning, and the natives fled, but the lieutenant caught one. An inspection of the camp revealed that it was well stocked with plunder from Pillaworta — wheat, tea, and sugar — and a clothes bag marked with Mrs. Tubbs's name, and in which they found many articles belonging to the different persons who had been murdered, was also recovered. This, according to McLean, proved that the prisoner taken was connected with the murders. A return ride of 40 miles brought them again to Pillaworta, and the following day Port Lincoln was reached. This practically ends McLean's account. He returned to Adelaide and accompanied Tolmer and Eyre in the search for Dutton.