Early Days of Eyre Peninsula

Port Lincoln Times (SA : 1927 - 1954), Friday 18 September 1936, page 3 EARLY DAYS OF EYRE PENINSULA Tolmer's Enquiry Into Tragedies (BY J. D. SOMERVILLE.) (No., 4.) To a great extent, as the basis of the narrative of the poisoning of natives, the murder of Beevor and Mrs. Easton and the raid on Home's station, I am using the information in Alexander Tolmer's book of rem iniscences, published in 1882. He arrived at Port Lincoln just in time to take charge of the apprehension of the perpetrators, and has given a reasonable record of the trying period. In condensing the account I have for the most part used his own words, even though quotation marks are not shown. In the course of his narrative he states that some of his reports were not made available for use in his book, as they could not be found, so a great deal of what will now be called the ' Big Push,' was written from memory. Like Tolmer, I have been un able to find his reports ; probably they were impounded in the Supreme Court. Where possible, Tolmer's state ments have been checked, so that the truth if possible could be ascertained. Official correspondence has been carefully searched, and where necessary Tolmer's account has been enlarged. The Archivist of the Public Library has produced almost innumerable documents, relating to the period 1848- 1850, and with the permission of the Public Library Board, many extracts from them are given. RECOLLECTIONS OF MR. MYERS The recollections of Mr. Daniel Robert Myers, which were published a few years ago in ' The Port Lincoln Times,' will also be drawn upon for some details. Referring to Price Maurice's holding, which was taken up in subsequent years, he said that previously some of that country had been occupied by various owners, not ably Vaux Pinkerton, Frederick Haigh, and W. R. Mortlock. These pastoral ists had been forced to abandon their holdings on account of prevailing adversity, dingoes, isolation, slow pace of traffic, no mails and last, but not least, the hostile conduct of the blacks.' These reminiscences speak of Vaux Pinkerton, as one person, I am inclined to think this was a typo-graphical error and that E. B. Vaux and William Pinkerton were intended. Mr. Myers stated that Pinkerton, who held land around the Wedge about 1848, claimed to have driven the first mob of sheep around the Gulf, journeying through unknown country to Talia, which he held. Pinkerton also claim ed that his daughter was the third white child to be born in Adelaide. According to Mr. Myers', John Chip Hamp, of Chickerloo, was a son of John Hamp. John Chip's station, which he formed adjoined ' Oaklands,' the station of Mr. Myers, and John Chip Hamp often told his neighbour about the murder and the grave of the murdered man was pointed out to Myers. In view of the prevailing opinion regarding Waterloo Bay, the opinion of Mr. Myers is of interest, as he was an early settler in the district. He said, ' Police and settlers scoured the country on horseback, collecting many of the natives and drove them toward Waterloo Bay, frightening them thoroughly. Nowadays this drive is known throughout South Australia as Water loo Bay massacre. The early settlers being loath to speak of it.' Even Mr. Myers was very far from the truth, as will be seen. Another old settler, in the person of George Standley, who was about 12 years old when his people settled at Wudinna in the early sixties, gave his reminiscences to the 'Eyre's Pen insula Tribune.' Referring to the report that the blacks were driven over the cliffs at Elliston by the whites, who were infuriated because of the murder of Mr. Hamp, a settler nearby, he said, from information gained from a black boy, who was always with him, that there were only a few blacks forced over the cliffs at a spot near Elliston. He said that Geharty was responsible for arresting the men, and that he was accompanied by George Hawson, of Polda, a brother of Frank Hawson, who was killed by the blacks at Port Lincoln. There is just a germ of truth in Standley's statement, if we rearrange the characters, the time and the name of the victim. PLAN OF NARRATIVE These two versions are somewhat out of place, but they give the views of two early settlers, and may bring the mind of the reader to bear on the puzzling subject. * * * * The narrative of the tragedies of 1849 seems to fall into the following sequence : — The poisoning of the natives, north of Port Lincoln about March ; the murder of James Rigby Beevor on May 3 : that of Mrs. Anne Easton on May 7 (there are many ways this woman's name is written, but I will adopt Easton as right) ; and Geharty's search, his return to Port Lincoln on the 15th., where he found Inspector Tolmer, who had arrived the day previously, primarily to select sites for two police stations. Tolmer on arrival heard of the pois oning cases as well as the murders. He enquired into the poisonings first and toward the end of the month re ceived the news of the raid on Horne's station. Geharty was despatched immediately, and Tolmer followed with in a few days and the ' Big Push,' consisting of three expeditions, result ed in the arrest of most of the murderers. The subject will be dealt with as follows :— Firstly, the poisoning case ; secondly, the murder of Beevor ; and the initial search ; thirdly, the murder of Mrs. Easton and the continued search ; fourthly, the raid on Horne's station ; fifthly, the ' Big Push' by Tolmer, including the arrest, conviction and sentences imposed, after that the agitation for reprieving of those sentenced to death, and the execution of some. Then will be given a brief account of the alleged ' Waterloo Bay massacre' myth, and the final analysis of the real facts as portrayed in official correspondence and how apparently the mythical tale has been built up. * * * * The Commissioner of Police report ed that Tennant's station had been raided again, the natives attempting the life of one of Tennant's shepherds, and robbing the hut. TOLMER'S ARRIVAL Owing to the great unrest on the Peninsula, through raids, attempted spearings and so on, the Government instructed Inspector Tolmer to go to Port Lincoln in the ' Yatala.' He left Port Adelaide on May 12, 1849, to select sites for additional police stations, that had been mooted for a year, and to superintend the erection of those two outstations and properly distribute the augmented police force. The proposal was for three men to be stationed near Lake Newland, three men at Franklin Harbor and a sergeant-major, two European constables and one native constable at Port Lin coln. The inspector took over the additional police and horses, and anticipating to be on the Peninsula for some time, took his wife and children as well. Through ill health, the Government Resident arrived in Adelaide on May 12, and doubtless brought the first news of the murder of J. R. Beevor. The Commissioner of Police stated that he received word on May 12 of the murders. Probably before the word came, Tolmer was away, for he suggests that he did not learn of the sad occurrences until he arrived at Port Lincoln on the 14th., when he was faced with conflicting duties, the location of the new stations, arresting the murderers of Beevor and Easton and investigating the poison case. Which had to give way ? The report of the poisoning case was that some native bodies had been seen not far from the Port Lincoln mine, supposed to have been wilfully poisoned. Much credit is due to Tol mer for investigating this atrocious act first, instead of setting out after the native murderers up the coast. I imagine, even in 1849 Tolmer's spirit was the same as in 1842, when he wanted the fun of chasing the fleeing natives. Geharty had returned from the north- west on the 15th, and possibly the local police party and horses were not in a fit state to go out immediately, and so influenced Tolmer in taking the poisoning case first. However, I give him credit for acting on what he considered his imperative duty, disregarding his personal feel ing. POISONED NATIVES FOUND Mr. Schumann, one-time deputy Protector of Aborigines, procured two natives, who stated that the deceased were two lads (10 to 13 years of age) Karakunderi and Yurdlari ; a husband and wife, Puyulta and Ngumania ; and an infant, Pirrapa. It was stated that a native boy Illerie had stolen flour from one of stations of Mr. Wil liam Mortlock, of Yallana. and a num ber of natives had partaken of the stolen flour, become very sick and all had recovered except the five men tioned. The natives were under the impression that the hutkeeper, Pat rick Dwyer, had purposely put the poison in the flour to kill them for so frequently robbing his hut. From the appearance of the bodies it was estimated that death had occurred four or five weeks before the search. Dr. Lawson and Mr. Schurmann ac companied Tolmer in the search. The native guide led the party across some scrubby ranges, on the top of one of the hills, close to a dray track, the bodies of two boys were found, the youths apparently having died while on the march. Near one was found a piece of sacking, which appeared to have been used for mixing flour.

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