FATAL AFFRAY WITH THE NATIVES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA September 4th, 1841

The Adelaide Register September 25th 1841

FATAL AFFRAY WITH THE NATIVES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA 

Report of Mr. Moorhouse Protector of Aborigines to His Excellency the Governor Grey
Lake Bonney, 190 miles from Adelaide, September 4th, 1841

Sir, — I have the honour to inform His Excellency the Governor, that the expedition, consisting of twenty-nine Europeans and three Aborigines, sent from Adelaide on the 31st July, to meet Mr. Robinson and others, on their route from Sydney, is now on its return, having been effectual in rendering all the assistance that was necessary, to whom it was designed.

River Murray Overlander encounters 1839 to 1841

On the 27th, as we were only five miles from the Lake, I had the party assembled, to repeat my instructions. Each individual was distinctly told that no firing could be allowed, until the sub-inspector of police gave the com mand. I advised them, in case of attack from the natives, to use every exertion to protect the drays and livestock. Leaving the drays and non-essential personnel encamped near Lake Bonney at nine o'clock we marched. The relief party consisted of myself, three aboriginal interpreters, Sub Inspector Shaw, his sergeant, ten police troopers, and six of the volunteers.

Sub inspector Shaw’s ten troopers at north terrace barracks

In about an hour and a half we saw what appeared to be a laager of wagons and livestock on the Sydney side of the Rufus River crossing heretofore known as Langhorne’s ferry. Sporadic gunfire was coming from the far or northern side of the laager and I could distinctly hear much yelling and other shouting.

Cognisant of your instructions to find a non-violent way to ensure passage of the overlander groups through the riverine area I urged my mount forward. However, my three aboriginal interpreters showed no interest in accompanying me and hung back skulking near a hillock. Mr Shaw urged his men forward and shook out into three firing lines several paces apart facing what was now clearly a second native party on the western bank. The natives were advancing rapidly upon our position and it was evident that they intended us harm if we were to have come inside spear range.

I quickly consulted with Mr Shaw and we concluded that the rapid advance of the natives (numbering possibly 150 warriors with as many again on the Eastern side of the river) coupled with the obviously violent engagement of Mr Robinsons party gave sufficient cause to evoke your desire to hand command to Mr Shaw and to allow him to make such decisions as would be fitting to ensure that safety of the party.

I summarily handed over formal command to Mr Shaw and retired to find my aboriginal interpreters. I asked them the result of their questioning of the local people. They answered that the Lake people would not listen to their advice; they knew the Europeans had tomahawks, blankets, and food, and they were determined to take them, let the consequences be what they might. I felt justified in my decision to hand command to Mr Shaw.

Mr Shaw quickly ordered his firing lines to ready themselves and proceeded to begin a steady fire into the advancing native groups. In the face of this fire two of the native parties broke into a run and advanced against Mr Shaw’s lines; one volunteer being struck down and injured during the affray. However well-coordinated firing from the rest of the line knocked most of the natives to the ground where they were either despatched by the police or fled back along the riverbank. As it had proven impossible to open communications with the natives prior to the engagement I hurriedly went forward and brought into custody one of the natives who had previously been knock to the ground during the assault.

With the native attack on the western side of the river halted, we turned our attention to relieving Mr Robinson and his party.

One of the drays had entered the river crossing but it was clear that several parties of natives had gotten in amongst the remaining livestock and dealt some of Mr Robinsons party some fearsome blows. We saw several of the shepherd and station hands engaged in desperate struggles in and around the drays. Responding to calls from Mr Robinson Mr Shaw sent one group of troopers across the ferry and they proceeded to drive off the blacks. The remaining natives fled northwards along the riverbank followed by parting shots from the parties involved.

It was clear that Mr Robinsons party had suffered several men dead or severely incapacitated and several more wounded but still able to continue with their duties. We assisted Mr Robinson to bring the remainder of the livestock and his drays across the ferry which took most of the rest of the day and proceeded to give succour to those wounded as was possible under the circumstances.

The next day the reorganised party set out for the encampment near Lake Bonney where I departed for Adelaide, leaving Mr Shaw to provide protection for the remainder of the journey.

Dr Moorhouse
Protector Of Aborigines
Province of South Australia

Mr Robinsons information constitutes the second part of this report:

In company, with Mr. Warrener, Mr Levi and Mr. Barker, I left Gundagy, upon the Murrumbidgee, on the 1st July, with 6000 ewes, 15 horses, 500 head of cattle three drays, and 26 in the party.

In consequence of the reports of the fate of Mr. lnman's. and Mr. Langhorne's parties, we were well armed. In proceeding down the Murrumbidgee, we saw blacks the whole way, but kept them off the camp, and never allowed one of them to come near. The Darling was in full stream, and there were three cattle lost in crossing. On approaching the Rufus, I had remained some way behind, looking for the strayed cattle, and saw thirty or forty natives, armed, proceeding across the track towards the Lake. The blacks, on seeing me crossed the Murray.

However, on the 26th when the party was in sight of the Rufus River but strung out along the trail, I observed several more parties of blacks in the distance.

It was approaching dusk and the drovers were behind the main drays along with most of the armed party and the remaining livestock. As the leading dray came within sight (maybe half to three quarters of a mile) of the river we observed at about the distance of one hundred yards, blacks possibly numbering as many as 300. I suspected their movements were hostile as there was considerable shouting and gesturing of weapons. However, at this stage there was no throwing of spears. I recognised however that many of the warriors were armed with throwing spears and I felt that if we were to go too far forward, we would be in danger of our lives.

I accordingly ordered all the property to be collected into as limited a space as possible. I called out for men to guard the cattle and sheep, and for the remainder to come forward to clear the blacks from the line of march. I had at my disposal three mounted hands, three unarmed waggoneers, and three drovers, plus myself and Mr Levi. I did however feel that the weight of shot possessed by the party would be sufficient.

Whilst I was doing this, the natives had formed themselves into a semi-circular line, each flank not being more than thirty yards from the leading dray. Several groups surged forward flinging spears at the horses and the lead waggoneer. With the trail blocked the men struggled to form into a firing line and responses were sporadic. A more disciplined surge from the natives knocked Freddy Simons from his horse and he was severely injured in the fall. The lead waggoneer also suffered several spear wounds and one of the horses broke its tether and bolted back along the river flat. As I came up, I saw that Barry Kennedy had been struck and was not moving near the second wagon; I surmised that he was dead.

I formed the Europeans into a single line, and recommenced firing, and continued until each man had fired eight rounds each. By this time, the natives not having approached sufficiently near to spear the sheep and had lost several of their number wounded. Darkness was falling rapidly, and I could not see the extent of the damage from our firing.

The natives drew off and, after several minutes we rapidly hauled the party to the ferry and the river’s edge where we laagered the drays for the night.

Early the next morn I and one of the drovers went north along the river seeking a suitable crossing point. The waters at the ferry seemed deep and unsettled. We went as far as Lake Victoria but the water all along the eastern side was still quite high and unsuitable for crossing.

Greatly to our surprise, we discovered two large parties of blacks advancing each bearing his instruments of war and making fearsome noises from the head of the river down each embankment toward us. At this stage I was not cognizant of the existence of the relief party from Adelaide, so I assumed that the group on the western bank was designed to deny us the crossing of the river.

We hastened to our party and had only barely time to communicate what we had seen before the native bands surged over the small chalk embankments to our north and through the spinifex and sage bush. The drays were still pulled up, in a laager; but they had been readied for movement, so the laager was incomplete, and a gap had been left at the rear to allow egress of the livestock.

Moving rapidly several bands surged up to the base of and then over the two drays on the northern side. Messers Carmicheal and Sergion were driven from the flat bed and down onto the ground between the drays and the assembled livestock. I and Mr Levi held post at the front of the drays and fired upon the advancing horde as best we could.

A third group burst through the tree line and contacted young Freddy Gammerson leading the first group of cattle toward the ford. Mr Jones on the first dray had already entered the deep water and was proceeding across. He later confessed to being fearful for his life as he saw the blacks crowd around behind his wagon.

Despite our fire the blacks were too numerous, and a fourth group streamed around the open rear of the laager and fell upon Henry Higgins the drover with the second mob of sheep. He was clubbed to the ground but was able to push the natives back as the crowded around him, pushing and striking him with their spears.

Several warriors bounded from the drays and assaulted Henry and his companion Stephen O’Henry who was also roughly dealt with. Rushing to his aid Mr Levi pushed back one wave of attackers but was overwhelmed and went down under a sea of blows and slashes.

I was too preoccupied firing and encouraging the men to notice the fracas on the western bank. While surrounded by blacks and firing desperately with my pistol as the musket was taking too long to load, I heard the encouraging shouts of European voices across the way. The blacks began breaking off and fleeing toward the northern banks of the river followed by what I now know to be police under the command of Sub Inspector Shaw. I saw several natives fall and many more were seen leaping into the river and attempting to hide amongst the reeds.

Gradually order was restored, and we were assisted by the Adelaide party to cross the river and proceed on our way. We buried the two slain stockmen and now they rest where the wattles, their sweet fragrance shed, and tall gum trees shadow, the stockman’s last bed.


Robinson
Overlander