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Archaeology of the Chinese fishing industry in colonial Victoria Alister M Bowen Studies in Australasian Historical Archaeology Volume 3 Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology AUSTRALASIAN SOCIETY FOR HISTORICAL ARCHA EOLOGY EDITORIAL BOARD Dr Eleanor Conlin Casella, Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester, United Kingdom Dr Mary Casey, Director, Casey & Lowe Pty Ltd, Sydney, NSW Dr Sarah Colley, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney, NSW Emeritus Professor Graham Connah, Australian National University, ACT Dr Martin Gibbs, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney, NSW Dr Michael Given, Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom Dr Grace Karskens, Associate Professor, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Dr Tracy Ireland, Assistant Professor, University of Canberra, ACT Dr Susan Lawrence, Associate Professor, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Dr Jane Lydon, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Monash Univer- sity, Melbourne, Victoria Professor Tim Murray, Dean, Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Dr Charles Orser, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Illinois State University and Curator of Historical Archaeology, New York State Museum, USA Dr Caroline Phillips, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Auckland, New Zealand Dr Jon Prangnell, Senior Lecturer, University of Queensland, Queensland Dr Neville Ritchie, Waikato Conservancy, Department of Conservation, Hamilton, New Zealand Dr Ian WG Smith, Associate Professor, University of Otago, New Zealand Dr Iain Stuart, Principal, JCIS Consultants, Sydney, NSW. MONOGRAPH EDITORS Dr Martin Gibbs Dr Peter Davies. iv ABOUT THE SERIES The Studies in Australasian Historical Archaeology series is designed to make the results of high-quality research in historical archaeology available to ar- chaeologists, other researchers, students and the public. A particular aim of the series is to ensure that the data from these studies are also made available, ei- ther within the volumes or in associated websites, to facilitate opportunities for inter-site comparison and critical evaluation of analytical methods and interpre- tations. Future releases in the series will include edited and revised versions of Australasian higher-degree theses, major consultancy projects and academic re- search and commissioned studies on other topics of interest. v CONTENTS ABOUT THE SERIES v LIST OF TABLES x LIST OF FIGURES xii CONVERSIONS xvi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xvii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Background 1 Aims and questions 6 Significance 7 Data sources 8 Previous research 10 History 11 Historical archaeology 13 Social archaeology 15 Methodological and theoretical background 16 World-systems and postcolonial theories 17 The theory 18 Class 20 Monograph outline 21 CHAPTER 2 HISTORY OF COMMERCIAL FISHING IN AUSTRALIA 24 Australian Aboriginal fishing 25 Aboriginal fishing technology 25 Adoption and adaptation 26 The European fishing industry 27 Fishing methods 27 vi CONTENTS Importance 30 Australia 31 Victoria’s commercial fishing history 35 Eastern Victoria 36 Coastal South Gippsland 38 The Kurnai people 38 European discovery of Gippsland 42 Early settlers and cattle 43 Port Albert 44 Commercial fishing 46 The Chinese at Port Albert 48 Historical documentation 52 CHAPTER 3 THE CHINESE IN CHINA AND VICTORIA 56 The Chinese fishing in China 56 China’s social situation and aspects of culture 63 Social situation 63 Aspects of culture in China and abroad 66 Merchant involvement 71 Chinese social organisation in Victoria 73 Occupational change 80 CHAPTER 4 THE CHINESE IN VICTORIA’S FISHING INDUSTRY 83 Location 84 New South Wales 84 Northern Territory 86 South Australia 87 Tasmania 88 Victoria 90 Internal structure 100 Chinese fishing and fish curing 105 Chinese fish-curing methods 110 Economics 115 Market locations 120 United States of America 124 Overview of Chinese fish-curing operations 125 CHAPTER 5 EXCAVATION AT CHINAMAN’S POINT 129 Site Selection 129 Site description 131 vii CONTENTS Methodology 136 Excavation 138 Gutter system 138 Excavation area 1 139 Excavation area 2 142 Excavation area 3 143 Excavation area 4 147 Jetty remains 150 Results 151 CHAPTER 6 ARTEFACT ANALYSIS 155 Artefact collectors 155 Analysis methodology 156 Architectural/Structural 161 Fasteners 161 Materials 166 Domestic 169 Cooking 169 Food 173 Discussion 182 Food storage 183 Furnishings 194 Liquid storage 195 Tableware 216 Industrial 224 Fishing 224 Recording 230 Slag 232 Tools 233 Personal 237 Buttons 237 Recreational 239 Opium smoking 239 Unidentified 252 Conclusion 253 CHAPTER 7 OCCUPATION DATES AND SITE INTERPRETATION 254 Occupation dates 254 viii CONTENTS Dating method 255 Historical setting 255 Chinese ceramics 256 Datable artefacts 257 Nails 257 Clothing buttons 258 Window glass 259 Bottle glass 259 European ceramics 262 Discussion 263 Site interpretation 264 Broader overseas Chinese community 264 Site workings 265 Number of occupants 269 Site activities 270 CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION 275 Hypothetical re-creation 278 Bibliography 281 ix LIST OF TABLES CHAPTER 4: THE CHINESE IN VICTORIA’S FISHING INDUSTRY Table 4.1 The beginning, boom and end period for Chinese fish-curing establish- ments in Australia. Table 4.2 A percentage estimate of the total quantities of fish sold in Victoria and New South Wales combined by European and Chinese fish dealers during the late 1860s. CHAPTER 5: EXCAVATION AT CHINAMAN’S POINT Table 5.1 Main artefact categories by number and weight from gutter system. Table 5.2 Main artefact categories by number and weight from excavation area 1. Table 5.3 Main artefact categories by number and weight from excavation area 3. Table 5.4 Main artefact categories by number and weight from excavation area 4. CHAPTER 6: ARTEFACT ANALYSIS Table 6.1 Breakdown of artefact material types, numbers and weight. Table 6.2 Chinaman’s Point site artefact densities. Table 6.3 Breakdown of retained and discarded metals. Table 6.4 Minimum number of metal fasteners. Table 6.5 Window-glass type and amounts. Table 6.6 Number, weight and location of recovered animal bones. Table 6.7 Faunal distribution across the site. Table 6.8 Type, number of sherds, MNI and location for Chinese stoneware vessels. x LIST OF TABLES Table 6.9 Colour, number of shards, number of base types, MNI and MNI percentages for glass containers. Table 6.10 Colour, form, MNI and MNI percentages for cylindrical, square and polygonal glass containers. Table 6.11 Chinaman’s Point bottle glass distribution. Table 6.12 Minimum number of European compared to Chinese alcohol bot- tles. Table 6.13 Green aqua bottle glass attributes. Table 6.14 Amber bottle glass attributes. Table 6.15 Aqua-blue/light blue bottle glass attributes. Table 6.16 Clear bottle glass attributes. Table 6.17 Chinese liquor-bottle and spouted-jar fragment quantities. Table 6.18 Type, number of sherds and MNI for Chinese tz’u ceramics. Table 6.19 Chinese celadon bowl rim diameters and quantities. Table 6.20 Chinese bowl fragments displaying either the double happiness or three friends pattern. Table 6.21 Type, number of sherds and MNI for European ceramics. Table 6.22 Type and number of recovered buttons. Table 6.23 Representation of opium-smoking equipment. CHAPTER 7: OCCUPATION DATES AND SITE INTERPRETATION Table 7.1 Colour, number of shards and MNI for glass bottles. Table 7.2 Breakdown of datable glass bottle shards. Table 7.3 Breakdown of datable European ceramics and their percentage of the total ceramic collection. Table 7.4 Theoretical model for the activities conducted, equipment required and the archaeological evidence recoverable from commercial fishing sites. xi LIST OF FIGURES CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Figure 1.1 Map showing east coast of Victoria. Figure 1.2 Map of Port Albert region. CHAPTER 2: HISTORY OF COMMERCIAL FISHING IN AUSTRALIA Figure 2.1 Gill-net designs. Figure 2.2 An early form of European drag net. Figure 2.3 Two methods of seine netting. Figure 2.4 A drift net being set. Figure 2.5 Australian colonial fishing vessels and crew. Figure 2.6 A nut-cracker hand winch. Figure 2.7 A mangle hand winch. Figure 2.8 ‘The old fish track’ route. Figure 2.9 The waterways of south Gippsland. Figure 2.10 Indigenous Kurnai women fishing. Figure 2.11 Indigenous Kurnai people with European-style clothing, bark ca- noes and European fishing nets. Figure 2.12 Indigenous Kurnai people with European fishing nets, bark ca- noes and a European-style boat. Figure 2.13 An early-style Australian oyster dredge. CHAPTER 3: THE CHINESE IN CHINA AND VICTORIA Figure 3.1 Map of Canton (Guangdong). Figure 3.2 A fish cut into strips. Figure 3.3 The British bombing of Canton during the first Opium War from 1839 to 1842. xii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.4 An 1866 wood engraving of Lowe Kong Meng. Figure 3.5 Wood engraving of Chinese immigrants. CHAPTER 4: THE CHINESE IN VICTORIA’S FISHING INDUSTRY Figure 4.1 Known Chinese fish-curing establishments in New South Wales. Figure 4.2 The Moo Tai Mue Chinese fishermen’s temple. Figure 4.3 The only known Chinese fish-curing establishment in South Aus- tralia. Figure 4.4 Known Chinese fish-curing establishments in Tasmania. Figure 4.5 Two wood engravings of Chinese fishermen. Figure 4.6 Chinese fishermen at Long Chinaman’s Beach, Wilson’s Promon- tory. Figure 4.7 Map of South Gippsland waterways showing Fahey’s Point. Figure 4.8 Plan drawing of site at Fahey’s Point. Figure 4.9 Shaving Point, Metung. Figure 4.10 Location of known and inferred Chinese fish-curing establish- ments in Victoria. Figure 4.11 Known regions of Chinese fish-curing activity in Australia. Figure 4.12 B Robert’s engraving Chinese fishing by moonlight c. 1873. Figure 4.13 The Australian schnapper (Chrysophrys guttulatus). Figure 4.14 Common Australian squid (Sepioteuthis australis). Figure 4.15 Australian abalone (Haliotis naevosa). Figure 4.16 An 1886 wood engraving by D Syme, titled Chinese fisherman’s hut: holiday tour round Port Phillip. Figure 4.17 Two Chinese hawkers in Australia and picture by H Livingstone 1886, titled Chinese carrying shoulder baskets, the Rocks Sydney.

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