Ferdinand von Mueller

1

Letter not found. For the text given here, see Australasian , 4 May 1867, p. 551. See also M to the Editor of the Australasian , 24 April 1867, and Hunt (1866), instalment of 14 November 1866.

Staunton Springs, near Beverly,

Western Australia,

29th March, 1867.

My Dear Sir, —

You will doubtless feel much interested in the following information, communicated to me by Mr. George Monger during a tour through this colony. On my early return to Victoria I hope to have the pleasure of placing before you further intelligence on the same subject.

On the 9th of July, 1866, an exploration party, consisting of —

Mr. Hunt,

2

Charles Cooke Hunt.

leader,

Mr. F. Rowe,

3

i.e. F. M. Roe.

second in command,

Mr. G. Monger, a volunteer,

Mr. G. Brackell,

4

Not further identified.

cook,

Three aboriginals, with twenty-two horses, left York, W. Australia, for the purpose of exploring the country to the east and north-east. They arrived at Hampden Plains, lat. 31°, long. 122°, on the 9th August. Here Rowe, Monger, and a native (aboriginal) proceeded northwards, the rest of the party to the south. When about fifty miles to the north of Hampden Plains, Messrs. Rowe and Monger captured some natives, and with the aid of their own native learnt the following:—

That five or six years previously two white men and three horses came from a N.E. direction, and camped on the banks of a very large dry lake, called by the blacks 'Nittlebin,' described as situated thirteen day's journey (supposed to be between 300 and 400 miles) further to the north-east. Here they were overtaken by a large body of blacks who had been tracking them for some days. The horses were first seen by the natives, who tried to spear them, but were prevented by the return to camp of the two white men. One of them fired up in the air, the next fired and killed two blacks, upon which the rest made off, but returned after dark, speared one of the men as he was engaged making a damper, and next his companion. At daybreak they killed the horses and ate them, and also the bodies of the two blacks that were shot. The white men's bodies they did not mutilate through fear, but buried them after stripping them, in a small hollow scraped in the sand, and covered them with bushes. The white men had 'big and little' guns with them, saddlery, no blue blankets such as Rowe and Monger had, but things of the same shape made of kangaroo-skins. Remains of these various things are now in possession of the murderers.

The natives who gave this information offered to conduct the party to the scene of the murders. One in particular showed great confidence in the party — following them about like a dog when he found they treated him with kindness only. This man expressed quite a desire to get a horse, and be their guide to the spot; and told R. and M. that if they returned in the wet season, he would come to them and bring his uncle, who possessed great influence with the Nittlebin blacks, to guide them to the graves of the white men.

A gun fired in his country, he said, would be sure to bring him at any time to their camp.

This information was conveyed to Messrs. Rowe and Monger through the medium of their attendant native, named 'Winditch,' who seemed to converse fluently with the captured natives.

Further information, relating to the nature of the country, habits, and ferocity of the natives, was also given.

Mr. George Monger, my informant, seemed an intelligent observer of passing events, country, &c., and expressed his thorough conviction in the reliability of the statements made by the blacks, who spoke of the event without the least show of hesitation, but with the fluency of a well-grounded knowledge.

A similar report to the above was, I was informed, gathered from the natives by an exploring party conducted by the Messrs. Dempster, in 1860 or 1861, which party did not reach so far north as Messrs. Rowe and Monger.

Mr. Charles Smith, of Roesdale, Beverly, informed me that in the year 1861, or 1862, his son when out searching for country about 100 miles to the E. by N. from York, was requested by the natives, whose language he spoke fluently, to go and see the skeletons of some 'horned sheep' (bullocks?), distant about 100 miles further to the N.W. He was unable to go.

Dr. Ferd. Mueller, F.R.S., &c.,

Melbourne.