18 T'he \Ve.tern Au.trallan Historical Society North-West History 11 NORTH-WEST HISTORY an exploring expedition fitted out for examination of the inland country around Nicol Bay, a little north of By lIIr. A. R. RICHARDSON Exmouth Gulf. [R_ berore the Society, M.8lrch 3D, 1928]

A SURVEY F. T. Gregory's Expedition It is no doubt unfortunate, more especially from an This when equipped and manned, started away in historical point of view, that no connected and compre­ the little schooner Dolphin, under leadership of Surveyor hensive history of the early settlement of the northern F. T. Gregory, with several good bushmen, such as Melak, areas of Western , from, say, the , Shakespear e Hall, Edmund Brockman, district to as far north as Wyndham, has been written, , Pemberton Walcott, John McCourt and nor the chief incidents connected with the exploration -- Jones. and settlement of this extensive area of territory record­ ed by those who took part in the enterprises connected No doubt the majority of these gentlemen and youths with such se ttlement. were real bushmen and with resourcefulness able to meet and grapple with any emergencies, difficulties or dan­ The location and growth of these settlements was gers. in a way scattered and spasmodic. Settlement from the Geraldton end was thrown out from the earlier settle­ In due course they landed their party, horses, equip­ ments around York, Northam, and Toodyay by the Bur­ ment and stores in Nicol Bay in the month of May, 1861, geses, Moores, Morriseys, Crowthers, Padburys, not far from the mouth of the Maitland River-Gregory Churches, Wittenooms, Von Bibras and many other fa­ naming this river after Maitland Brown. They then fol­ milies. Then reaching further north and also making lowed up the Maitland River till its upper branches a jump over some 700 miles of unoccupied territory was merged into the Fortescue, which they followed through due to early exploration ventures of the brothers Aug­ very difficult hilly country till they reached some of its ustus and Frank T. Gregory in 1861, and even before upper reaches of water, consisting of deep pools, and that. This brought into notice and history the large also struck that marvellous stream of running water pastoral areas of Nicol Bay, De Grey, Ashburton (On­ which they called the Millstream, now so well-known as slow), Broome (Roebuck Bay), and other adjoining forming part of the Millstream station. They localities, and this is the district which. owing to per­ then sought to strike into and through the Hamersley sonal connection with the pioneer settlement. I know Range in the direction of Mt. Augustus on the most about. River, and located. I believe, by the Gregorys' brother As mentioned with fuller details in my book, "Early Augustus on a previous exploring trip. But after ter­ Memories of the Great Nor'-West" reports by individual rible difficulties in the Hamersley Ranges and after travellers calling in at some of the ports or shelter­ crossing the Ashburton River named by Gregory, they (thoug~ ~ithout struck south-westerly, encountering a rather long stretch spots dotted along the coast any resi­ of spinifex, hilly and rather waterless country. They dent inhabitants other than the aboriginals) stated that penetrated some 60 or 80 miles into this and just sighted promising looking country for pastoral settlement lay Mt. Augustus when Greg-ory decided to turn back on his along the coast between Shark Bay and King's Sound, tracks until again reaching the . which now known as Derby, and more particularly in the vicin­ r~aching ,e~.rs. he then followed up. striking some considerable stretches ity of Nicol Bay. These reports the of of goood grassy plains. Thence crossing the watershed some of the residents around m the early sixties, di.viding the waters.of the upper Fortescue and Delney some of whom were not satisfied with their prospects Rivers and attemptmg to penetrate inland beyond the as sheep farmers in the older districts of York, Northa.m, upper sources of the Delney and Oakover Rivers he Williams, etc., they urged the Government to organise again struck rather barren and waterless country,'and The \Vestern Australian Hilltorical Society North-West History 21 while he and Maitland Brown attempted a hurried ex­ .toval areas J~bout 160 miles farther east) which Greg­ p~oration of the surrounding country, towardsMt. Me­ £lfyhads.peClallyspoken of and emphasised as some of Pherson, they nearly perished for want of water and .the best country he had seen. Mr. Charles Nairn was were precious glad to get back to their depot camp. left inicharge of the stock, it being the intention and From here they. followed on down the Delney and Oak­ plan of the campaign to follow the first shipment with over Rivers. crossing and traversing many miles of good a. second load. These sheep and livestock and plant pastoral. country, now the scene and locality of scores were successfully travelled (after rains) overland to the of good sheep stations. They finally reached the large low~r De Grey where the was first es­ grassy plains characteristic of the Lower Delney River tablIshed.. Shortly after, other venturesome spirits be­ and the summer drawing nigh, the weather hot, and ga'fi. to 'think out plans for following this bold lead of old water, except in the watercourses, becoming scarce, they Mt.PadburY,and John Wellard next chartered the same hurried on as fast as their now jaded horses would per­ 'ship; .the Tien Tsin, and put on board a shipment of mit. keeping a westerly course never very many miles a~)Out500 ewes, horses, and some cattle and outfit. He from the sea and salt marshes. and-crossing the rivers himse lf went with .them in person, taking Mr. Shakes­ Strellcv. Turner. Yule, Sherlock, Eastern Harding, and pea:e. Hall, John McCourt and a party to work the ex­ mafl1 Harding, finally reaching their original camps-on p,~dltlon: . These were also landed at Butcher's Inlet in the lower Maitland River, Gregory reports in his valu­ lien TS1n Harbour in 1863-4: able old journal that though much of the country had been hilly and spinifexy. yet there were large areas of . La~er.on other parties followed-John Withnell grassy plains and stretches of useful edible bush coun­ With his wife and two young children and Mrs. With­ trv and softer kinds of spinifex, all well adapted for the nell's sister, lYIiss F. H~ncock, with a ~hipload of stock, est;thlishment of sheep and cattle runs and intersected horses, etc., mthebrtg Kestrel attempted to land in with creeks and rivers, some with fairly deep pools, but Port.Hedla~d to he near the De Grey country, but after no doubt many of which would possibly dry during the landl1lg' their stock they found no fresh water obtain­ long hot summers and spasmodic droughts'. . able and had to r e-ernbark them; losing nearly half of the 700 sheep and most of their horses. They sailed The Effect of Exploration back.to Cossack (then known as TienTsin harbour) and Bu~cher's It was then the written and spoken accounts .of Inlet, where they landed them and established t~eIr F. 1'. Gregory's exploring journey and travels excited homestead at Eramuckadoo Pool on the Harding the pioneer spirit of Irishmen in .and River, now the site of Roebourne town. reaching as far as Victoria. One of the first to be moved ~ ia a practical manner and to put his impressions. into . i\:nothe.r party and company (Mount, Orkerrv and Smjth) arrived from Melbourne in the Aurifera- with action was the late ML Walter Padbury, and that sturdy about a couple of thousand ewes in the month of De­ old pioneer, with his practical tempen which had little cember, landin.g their stock and plant under the burning respect for mere.ctheories, after thinking out his plans heatof a tropical December and losing a good many in and 'working out the..cost of risks, got to work and c~nsequerfce. Theirdestination was also the De Grey chartered a little ship, the Tien .T'sin.cof. 254 tons (most River, where they had taken up (that is, secured by of the ships trading to W;A, in those days, ranged -Irom :lease from the Government) some 300,000 acres of Coun­ 20to 200 tons. with an occasional 300 tanner). Having fitted up the Tien Tsin for stock carrying and loaded het try. the\working partners of the company being Mr. Lamhertand Mr. Frank Mount. and their working man­ Up with about 600 sheep, some horses and outfit, away a~er. they sailed for Nicol Bay, discovering But~her's {idal Mr. McKay, a hard-headed experienced Scotchman. inlet, up which their boats could creep until -theycould "Vh.en ou.r own party and- company, consistifig of land their: stock, which they did. with .the.Jntentionof Mes,srs. Edwin Anderson, manager; McKenzie Grant, later on-travelling them, overland .to the ,D~ Greypa.sc sub-manager; my elder brother, J Eliott Richardson', The West"rn AustraUan. Historical Society North-\Ve",t Hi.tory John Edgar and the writer, a boy. of barely 18, ar.rived stock and party some thirty miles E.S.E. and establish­ on April 2, 1865, we found the parties already mentl<:llled ed the well-known Pyramid Station. and two or three other parties hailing from Swan RIver, During the following four or five months other par­ as it was then known (that is, the country around Nor­ ties and companies arrived in vessels, amongst them a tham, York and Toodyay), viz., Messrs. Thos. Middle­ rather large and important company known then as Me­ ton, Saml. Viveash and Wilkerson, Thos. Lockyer and Denison Plains Company from Melbourne. Mr. C. E. son, who, with their stock, sheep, etc., had not moved Broadhurst, the manager (with his wife and family), away from the . several members of the company, viz., H. Hicks, Simp­ Our own party and company above mentioned was son, McIntosh, Robt. and Charles Fraser, James Stew­ made up in Portland, Victoria, some tidings of Mr. Greg­ art, Roderick McKay and H. W. Venn, Donald M. Pat­ ory's 1~61 exploring expedition and his report of good erson, Smith, A. McEdwards, and many others; also a pastoral country having reached us through letters from smaller party from Portland with cargo of livestock own­ Mr. Padbury to Edwin Anderson's father who had re­ eel by J. Norman McLeod (father of the late Donald Me­ cently visited Western Australia on some land business. Leod). Other parties followed on later, but those enu­ Our company chartered a barque named Maria R?ss and merated are some of the earliest settlers. Later on loading her up with over 1,6OU ewes, horses, equipment, overland parties with herds of sheep and other stock and plant sailed out of Portland on March 5, 1865, call­ arrived overland from Geraldton and York and Beverley ing in at for the latest news. We reached districts-Fishers, Hancocks, and Edward T. Hooley, Tien Tsin Harbour on April 2, 1865, and found the barque who had the honour of taking over the first flock of Tien Tsin anchored near Jarman Island, near Butcher's sheep overlanded from Geraldton district, David Fraser's Inlet with Captain Jarman as captain and Mr. Butcher party being another. (afte'rwards harbour-master at ~lbany) as first officer. The overland journey, some 800 miles, was at that She was just returning, after having taken a Government time not just a picnic. Natives were aggressive more party and Mr. R. F. Sholl as Resident Magistrate to es­ or less and a few attacks by them resulted in either tablish a settlement at Camden Harbour, where a large deaths or wounding and the wide strip of country be­ company and party from Melb<;lUrn~ were .eng.aged in tween Geraldton and the Ashburton and Roebourne was trying to establish a. 10 the district, It absolutely untravelled by the white man, and water ex­ completely failed, however, and the remnant thereof cept in the good seasons, was an uncertain quantity. was a few months later transported to Cossack and Roe­ bourne where Mr. R. F. Sholl was then located as Resi­ The Difficulties dent Magistrate. Amongst the members 9£ that un­ In rightly assessing the difficulties practical and successful company were the late Alex McRae,. E. :r. economic facing those earliest settlers it must be borne Hooley, Hyndaugh, Tom C. Murray, of Colac, Victoria, in mind that the destination of the various parties and and many others whose names I forget. . pioneers then braving the problems of far distant pas­ Our own party had next to think out and execute toral settlement and responding to the call of the wild plans for the unloading and landing of our .sheep, horses, (and that call has a fascination for the British spirit of plant, etc., which involved careful handling and some adventure) was a far distant one and isolated and cut risk, as our ship would not venture to anchor nearer than off from any base of communications reasonably acces­ between 2 and 3 miles from the foreshore. We finally sible, .as the intervening 700 to 800 miles was an ab­ succeeded in landing them on the beach, some little dis­ solutely unknown and uninhabited country. tance to the west of where Cossack was afterwards lo­ A somewhat anomalous condition of things was in­ cated. We stayed to rest the stock some few weeks volved in the problem; that is, the attraction that called around Eramuckadoo Pool, close around which Roe­ that body of early pioneers into being was centred in the bourne now stands. From thence we travelled Our reports written and published in Mr. F. T. Gregory's .4 The We5t"rn, Anlltralhlll Historical Society North-W"5t History journal of his explorations around Nicol Bay, Ashbur­ aspect pondered that wages and production costs were ton, Fortescue and De Grey Rivers, and so it thus hap­ not on the high level they are at present; for if they penedthat this special locality formed the goal of those had been with the low prices then prevailing-(6d. early adventurers, who appear to have had no eyes for to 9d. per pound, and sheep cutting not more than Sibs. the hundreds of.rniles of pastoral country that the over­ average) great areas of country must have remained land parties passed over with their stock en route to their permanently as nature formed them, an unproductive EI Dorado.. We have hundreds of times asked our­ waste, as their development and improvement would' be selves "Why?" For when memory retraces those mi­ an economic impossibility; for hundreds of these sta­ gratory journeys we realise that the country passed tions were anything from 50 to 250 miles (some 3(0) over and rejected or discounted has since become known from any port of shipment or railhead, which distances as the rather vast and more or less fertile region known had to be traversed not with motor cars, but by horse as the . Gascoyne, Ashburton and Murchison pastoral or camel or donkey teams, and every hundredweight of districts, now depasturing hundreds of thousands (or provisions and fencing and building material had to be millions) of sheep, cattle, horses, etc. dragged many weary miles from some shipping port. Also. he it remembered. a fairly high freight for the However it was not many years longer before pas­ sea carriage had already been paid; and the same haul­ toral settlement began to [ocate itself and spread over ing expenses also paid on their wool and fat sheep. All these immense areas of sheep and cattle country. The these considerations accounted for many financial fail­ time set in in the seventies and eighties when the ures; and the encouragement or reward that the sue­ Browns, Butchers,' Brockrnans, Gooches, Campbells, R. cessful ones received from governmental or legislative E. Bush and many others began with earnest and per­ liberality to a considerable measure consisted of an in­ severing efforts to develop the Gascoyne areas, while the crease of land rentals and a large addition to taxation Wittenooms, Lee Steeres, Cruickshanks, Laceys, O'­ of all kinds. Besides these burdens very ominous warn­ Grady, DarlotBros., Burges, Little-Howards, Harls, ing and political threats would reach the ears of Perks, Judge Davis, and many other pioneer settlers the settlers that the area of their holdings and lease­ were hard at work converting millions of acres of wilder­ holds might at any time be reduced to say, one-third of ness on both the lower and upper Murchison into a their present area. habitable and wool-producing country, civilising and making useful the blackfellows, and for some of the No doubt after the gold discoveries on the Mur­ earlier years living themselves nearly as hard as the chison country took place in the 'nineties, settlement, blackfellows. when helped by railway conveniences, more rapidly de­ veloped and governments soon realised that more heed During the developing period of these early strug­ and attention had to be paid to the public voice, and de­ gles with adverse forces of nature, it must not be thought mands for facilities, when voiced by some hundreds of that those early settlers received much help or spoon­ impatient demonstrative diggers, than when only pleaded feeding from governments or from the public purse. for by a few score of somewhat impotent and long­ They worked and fought and battled chiefly at their suffering pastoralists. However, the ensuing- railways own charges.· Many of those sheep stations were were a timely help to the sheep men in affording them moulded and shaped out of the mulga-fenced and sub­ transit for both wool and fat sheep-and they were divided and wells of water laboriously sunk from, say, thankful for it. 20 to 100 feet in depth, including a proportion of blanks where water was unobtainable, or salt-but all had to While these difficulties of settlement were being be paid for, chiefly on loans from financial institutions, battled with and overcome on our pastoral territory as ready-made capital in those times was rather an ~n­ south of the , similar and even greater known quantity, and rates of interest were. not too h~~ difficulties of settlement were being tackled and faced eral. It also should be pointed out and Its econorme by enterprising and venturesome settlers around Broome 28 The "'estern A ustrulian mstod.al Society North-West, History 27 and on the Fitzroy-Kimberley and right on to Wyndham, where the Duracks,McLartys, the Rose brothers, Me­ THE DISASTER TO THE CLARKSON BROTHERS, Donald, P. Hutton, G. Paterson, and many others were facing similar problems with the rather ugly one of 1874 more hostile and mischievous natives. Added to these H)' Mr. J. l<~. HAMMOND drawbacks also the considerable difficulties and heavy [Read before the ~ociety. March 30, 1928] expense of sea transit to metropolitan markets on their fat cattle and sheep, and also an even more severe The party was organised by the late Henry James climate, though certainly regular rains are enjoyed. Clarkson, who went to the North-West in the year 1872. After some little time at the North-West, Mr. Clarkson Pearling was commissioned by Grant Henderson and Harper, to Probably even a rather sketchy outline of the his­ go to t.he South-West for the purpose of buying stock tory of the earliest days of the Great Nor'-West such for their North-West stations. as this paper furnishes would be omitting some im­ portant features if entirely leaving out all reference to . In order to gain some knowledge of the route, he the pearl-shell industry and discoveries. decided to go overland, which he did in company with It was, I think, about the year 1865-66, only about the late John Hancock. This journey was considered a couple of years after the settlement around Roebourne a brave undertaking in those days, as the natives were and Cossack was beginning its life history, that observ­ at their worst, Mr. Clarkson realised that the task of ers began to notice the natives wearing ornaments. neck­ getting stock over land that season was a big one, as lets, etc" of mother-of-pearl shell. It was also known both feed and water seemed very scarce the whole of to marincrs and visiting boats with Malay crews that the trip. When he left Perth for the South-West I at low tides the pearl shell and beche-de-mer had for joined Mr. Clarkson, who was my half-brother. After . some years been collected on the coasts. and so resident searching the South-Wes.t thoroughly, to get the type sailors and adventurous youths took up the idea of em­ of stock and number required, he started to buy cattle at ploying some of the natives to gather pearl-shell at low Alb.any and Kendenup and several other places till we water on the shores. This plan meeting with some suc­ arrived at the . By this time about cess, they went a step further and procured boats of 500 head of stock had been purchased. At some point from 5 to 15 tons and selected crews of natives during near Augusta, the stock was rushed into the river and the summer months to gather shells. Soon there de­ made to swi~ across. I shall never forget seeing so veloped a paying industry, especially when some ship­ many heads Just above the water. After leaving Aug­ ments to London realised from £100 to £150 per ton. usta. the was reached, where a long The next step in advance was when they found the na­ stay was made at the residence of the late Mr. A. P. tives made splendid divers; and at low tides by anchor­ Bussell. A large number of stock was purchased in ing on the shell banks these native divers brought shell that district. up from a depth of 6 to 7 fathoms or more and the sea­ son's catch for one boat often amounted to £300 to £600 While staying at the late Mr. Bussell's, I was asked -----or even higher figures-and became an established in­ to make the journey of 56 miles to for medi­ dustry. c~1 aid for Mrs. Bussell, on a little pony under 14 hands A further development of the industrv came in high, selected by the Bussell girls as the most capable with the advent of Japanese, also Malayan professional out of scores of horses which they owned. The journey divers. using the diving-dress and machinery and a was commenced at 3.45 p.m., and the return home at much larger class of boats and luggers and forming a 7.15 a.m. Almost from the time of leaving tiH I re­ kind of Japanese and Malay coloured settlement at turned was complete darkness. One could well im­ Broome. agine the delight of those Bussell girls when they saw North-1Vest History 29 28 The Western Au..traUan Historic'" Society that their little pony had done what they asked. of it, Trials of the Journey covering the journey of 112 miles in so short a time. The final start was made for the De Grey River After some days of mustering, a start was made for and before we had reached 30 miles along the Green­ Busselton, where another large number was bought. ough River we found ourselves in a bad plight. The total on leaving this district was about 800 cattle and 70 horses all for stud purposes. After leaving The stock had split up into mobs and had gone in Busselton some trouble was experienced in getting the all directions, numbers of them turning back. It took herd along without picking up stock or leaving any on the days of mustering to recover our number before we way. This kind of thing gave us anxiety until we left could continue our journey. This trouble was brought about through the hostility of the last lot of cattle which Perth behind. we purchased on the Irwin. On leaving Perth the total was 970 cattle and 113 horses. Many had been purchased from the late Mr. Our next trial was crossing a large sheep station S. Pearce, and the late Edward Higham and the late Mr. between the and the Murchison own­ H. Hall. A final start was made for Geraldton involv­ ed by the late M. Morrissey, of Mt. Erin. Water was ing nearly 300 miles of a drive with half the time in only obtainable from wells; therefore the task of water­ water and rain and wet rugs to sleep on. Food was ing such a herd of cattle can well be imagined. wild game and Johnny cakes, twice a day. The jour- Finally we found this job beyond us and had to ney took one month to complete, as far as the Upper make a desperate struggle for the Murchison River some Irwin, where the stock was made up to 1153 head of 2? miles further on. Fortunately a small clay pan was cattle and 173 horses. A halt was then made to re­ discovered by the leaders in the herd which gave two organise for the final start for the North-West. or three. hundred a drink. After this great number had been satisfied it made them good leaders for the bal­ The Party ance of the journey of some 11 miles. The party consisted of 17 members :-The late Henry James Clarkson (leader), William Wilberforce Clark­ On reaching the Murchison at a place called Bal­ son, Jesse E. Hammond, half brother (in charge of lennew, we found a pool of good water, something over half a mile in length and a fair amount of good feedinsr stores and armoury), John E. Hammond, half-brother, tim~ John Knapton, of Busselton, William Bryne, of Bussel­ country, so it was desired to remain there for some ton, Thomas Scott, of Busselton, Edward Brady, of Aug­ to rest the stock, as some of them had travelled over usta, Valentine Hester, of the Blackwood, Eugene Loch, 700 miles. Travelling seemed slow with the likelihood Felix Loch, J. B. Loch (brothers), of Lochville, D. Poole, of flour running short. It was decided to send the of the Irwin, W. Pearse, Greenough, and three South­ waggon down to Colalie for another two tons-a distance West natives. of 60 miles. From this point we were travelling by a chart drawn by the late E .. T. Hooley. According to Equipment for the journey consisted of 23 riding his chart we had a drive of 60 miles to the next water­ saddles, 9 pack saddles and harness, 19 shot guns, 21 re­ ing place. volvers, 21 boxes of cartridges, 150lbs. shot, 42 carmis­ ters gun powder, 21 boxes gun caps, 1 waggon and 6 Mr. Clarkson decided to take this part of the jour­ heavy draught horses, 1 dray and 2 heavy draught ney in two lots, as our travelling was very slow. We horses, 3 tons of flour, 7 bags of sugar, 3 bags of rice, 2 could only cover about 10 miles a day because our rid­ boxes tea, 3 boxes dried fruits, 1 box soap, 11 dozen .ing .horses could not stand the work. In fact, by this brandy, a quantity of patent medicines, a number of time both men and beasts were brought to a standstill axes, picks, ropes, etc., and a large case of boots and from exhaustion. This happened at midnight, when the clothing. . leader of the party said prayers for us. Early-next 'SO The \V ...t ern Australian HI..toricBI 80elety 31 morning we were awakened by Mr. Clarkson, and there certain, we were in safety and all hands had meals to­ were no cattle to be seen. It was on a salt bush' flat: gether for the first time since the start was made at Al­ In a northerly direction, one of our natives said-he bany some 15 months previously. A few days later could see some cattle. It must have been quite a mile preparations were made for the Xmas dinner. On Xmas away. However, we managed to .cross to the place. and Eve we shot two turkeys and 24 wild duck. Some three found the stock standing in water in the bed of th~ n:ver. dozen mallee hen eggs had been found, and numbers of The water here was very bad, but it saved their Iryes wild pigeons shot. Our menu was wild turkey, wild and ours, too. The cattle had smelt this water during duck and pigeons, batter pudding, boiled rice and fruit. the night and made off to it. We knew ourselves the.re All hands enjoyed the dinner and we spent a very happy was fresh water nearby, because of the presenc.e o~ wI~d day. game, and of course we got better water by. digging m the sand. That evening we followed the nv~r up and The Tragedy got quite good water for ourse~ves and ~uch Improved for the stock. The next day It was decided to follow In the evening a programme was drawn up for the the river instead of taking a short cut across the bend next advance. It was decided by Mr. Clarkson, our of the river shown on the chart, which proved a great ever-cautious leader, that the country be explored be­ gain to us in the end. Melinidde, marked on the cha~t forehand. So the late H. ]. and W. W. Clarkson went as "large clay pan," was reached after two days. This ahead, taking a native of that country with them to was a grand sight full of rain water. show the watering places. Things were fairly satis­ factory till they arrived at Hooley's well some 40 miles The next trouble was to get horses strong enough away, when the native took them in an easterly direc­ to go back to Ballenew, to brin,g up the other stock. tion about another 40 miles without leading my half­ After giving the horses four days rest a start was made, brothers to any water. At night this native stole away w~ leaving Felix Loch and me to look after the ,number and left them, with one of their horses played out for ~4 had this far. Mr. Loch and I were left ,With day.s the want of water. supply of flour, tea, sugar. Instead of being reh~ved 111 this time we were there 30 days, when we decided to It appeared that the Clarkson brothers tried to reach leave our post and go back to meet the p~~ty. Our the main camp on the other horse, but W. W. Clarkson horses were well rested and in good con~ltlon. We became exhausted at a point some 25 miles east of started off and, after travelling about 25 miles, w~ met Hooley's well, and could not travel, so his brother had them. 'Felix Loch and I had then been 12 days Without to leave him, and try to reach the well which was now the staff of life. This state of affairs did ~lOt ma.ke about 20 miles distant. The unfortunate man had only much difference, as at the best of times we lived prm­ travelled three miles from his brother when his horse cipally on Johnny cake and wild game. ~o.rtu.nate1y knocked up. H. J. Clarkson thought that the only we always had plenty of wild game. .Meh11lddle was thing left to do was to walk to the well. He filled his again reached two days later. We decided to rest the water bags and reached within a couple of miles, where stock here as long as the water would last. he left the horse. Some natives had evidently seen him and hid themselves till he had passed on. Soon he sat mad~. Ten days later another start was. Good con- down to rest under the shade of a bush and dropped off ditions prevailed till we reached the Junction of the east to sleep. It was quite certain that he did this walk at branch of the Murchison. Here the water supply was night. While asleep the natives pounced on him and in abundance, but the feed was not so good. This point pinned him to the ground and killed him. Although he was reached on the 18th December, 1874. We were all had his revolver fully loaded he did not have a chance happy and content as the conditions seemed so much to use it. Tdon't think he could have saved his brother's brighter. Although the next water supply was very un- life had he been spared this fearful end, and I firmly The Western Australian HistorknJ. Sodety believe William Clarkson to have perished from ex­ haustion and thirst soon after his brother left him. ,BIRTHS,MAIiBIAGES,'A.ND, DEATHS It was six days after the Clarkson brothers left the RECORDS OF WESTERN .. AUSTRAI:..IA . . '., .' . .'. . '. , party before a search was made for them. This delay WITH REFERENCE' TO' OTHER' STATES . was through Henry Clarkson having said: "If we are not back in four days, you can make' sure that we have By P. E. C. d"MOUNCEY found plenty of water and are looking for a good camp­ [ReR'] before the Society, May 25,.,1.9211] ing place for us all for a month or so." This remark In writing this paper in support of the consolidat­ dispelled the suspicion that there was anything wrong. ing of the records of births, baptisms, marriages and deaths 111 Western Australia up to February U~41 and The search party consisted of the late W. Bryan, after, but more particularly up to 1841, the date of John E. Hammond, and J. Knapton, taking with them as the first act of Registration of such passed in this State, much water as they could carryon horses. After three I.have made a lengthy research starting with the early days they were compelled to return to camp, not being histoty of Australia and bringing in all the' States and able to find any water for the horses. The next day ~ew Zealand as regards the registration of births, mar­ the same men made another attempt on fresh horses and nagesand deaths, as no legislation could be enacted un­ succeeded in finding the spot where Henry Clarkson had til the country was properly annexed and settled; tied his horse to a tree with a little note pinned on the tree. The words were: "Isabelle has knocked up. I To make my subject more complete, it was, neces­ sary for me to refer to. the early history of this contin­ will walk to the well and return again if I can. Henry." ent and to the acts of Registration of New South Wales This showed clearly that something serious had hap­ as willbe seend~ringthe reading of the paper. I have pened, and a further search located where the horse had referred to the different events in the order of the dates been taken some little distance and killed. The saddle in which they occurred irrespective of the State in which was broken up and parts missing. The search party they did occur.. ,' by this time were showing signs of exhaustion and re­ turned to the main camp. There being atpresent no official records of births maniages, baptisms and deaths, prior to 1841 in' thi~ It was decided now to report back to Geraldton. State and therefore no official information obtainable The late J. E. Hammond and J. Knapton taking the re­ ?I them from 182? to 1841, ,I have prepared this paper port. A fresh party was made up in Geraldton con­ In support of havmg the eXIsting church and other re­ sisting of the late E. W. and R. E. Clarkson, brothers of co:ds of births, baptisms, marriages and deaths if any in the two missing men. the late Inspector Lawrence and thI~ State up ~o 1841 and later, consolidated and preserv­ the late Mr. John Rowland, of Dongarra, with Ham­ ed III the Registrar General's office for official use and mond and Knapton, sworn in as special constables. It public search and information, and from an hist6rical took nearly three weeks before this party reached. the point of view, by Act of Parliament, thus having those main camp and the spot where the note was pinned on records as complete as possible. ' the tree. and where the horse was killed, This soon I h.ave been. unable to discover in any history on led to the discovery of the remains of William W. f\ustraha where It states that any person actually land­ Clarkson, about three miles from where the horse was ed ',«n. the east coast of Australia prior to the visit of left. On the east side about three miles on the west Captain James Cook at Bo~any Bay on the 30th 'April side of that spot that the remains of Henry J. Clarkson ~778. . Ithas not been-definitely stated that persons did were found. Evidently he had been killed by the natives not~ctuaIlyl.an?on th~ east coast of the continent prior The remains of these unfortunate brothers had to be to 1770 110r IS It defiriitelv recorded that Captain Cook brought back to Geraldton, a distance of about 400 ,was actuallythe first person ,and an Englishma1J, to land miles. tl'Jlrere and the second Enghshman to visit Australia,