ATTEMPTS TO CIVILISE THE BLACKS.
CAPE YORK PENINSULA.
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
The Hon. John Douglas, Government Resident at Thursday
Island, has always shown an intelligent and benevolent interest in the welfare
of the aboriginal races, both in New Guinea and in this country. During the
past six months he has not only made valuable suggestions to the Government of
Queensland for the benefit of the natives of the Cape York Peninsula, but has
also taken preliminary steps which should lead to some tangible results. The
action thus adopted, and the scheme suggested by Mr. Douglas for the
amelioration of the condition of the natives of the Peninsula, and for the
prevention of outrage by the natives are described in the following
correspondence. It will be seen that Mr. Douglas has willing helpers in his
humane work in the Rev. Maitland Woods, Church of England minister at Thursday
Island, and in Sub-inspector Savage, of the Police Force, but that further
assistance is needed.
The following letter was addressed to the Chief Secretary by
Mr. Douglas on 30th October, 1890:—
“Sir,—I have the honour to inform you that I have lately
apprehended several natives of the mainland of Australia who are more than
suspected of being concerned in the murder of white men. Of these, Kio, and
I-put-yen, commonly known as Big Belly, are accused of crimes on account of
which warrants have been issued. Waimera is the name of another young man who
was an accomplice in Pratt’s murder, at the Sir Charles Hardy Group. I have
also apprehended Wooshara, commonly known as Jimmy. All of these are
intelligent young men, who understand English fairly well, Jimmy being
especially well informed, and capable of acting as an interpreter, all these
men might be indicted for crime on some show of evidence, but there is not the
slightest chance of securing a conviction against any one of them. I propose,
however, to utilise them as intermediaries so as to obtain the confidence of
the tribes to which they belong, and of the natives of the Batavia River, with
whom they are well acquainted. They are at present retained here, two of them
being in gaol and the other two at the police barracks under surveillance.
“I think that it would not be difficult to obtain some
knowledge of the native inhabitants of the mainland through the intervention of
these suspected characters, whose confidence, I may say, has been to some
extent won. I propose, therefore, to retain them in the meantime, giving them
food, clothing, and a little tobacco. Through them I hope to become acquainted
with the leading men of the mainland. I should endeavour thus to secure some
recognition for a system of authority on the same principle as that applied to
the natives on the islands of the straits, namely, by the appointment of native
policemen, subject in the first instance to their own superiors, and subject
also to the police authorities here, from whom, through me, they would receive
a small annual allowance. Mr. Acting Sub-inspector Savage has suggested this
mode of treatment, and I think it is well worth trying. Nothing can be more
hopelessly unsatisfactory than the present relations of Europeans to the
natives of the mainland. In this way, however, I am pretty confident that a
better state of affairs might be established.
“In order to carry out this plan, it would be necessary that
I should receive special authority from you; and I propose that I should be
authorised to draw on your department on account of this service for a sum not
exceeding £60 a month for six months, the disbursements on this account to be
certified to in the usual way by vouchers. This expenditure would be under the
following headings:—1. For the charter of a lugger when required, to be manned
by natives under the supervision of the police. I should not always employ the
same lugger, and would probably not make use of the same lugger for more than a
month at any one time. 2. The pay, food, and clothing of six natives to be made
use of as envoys and missionaries of goodwill among their acquaintances. 3. The
subsidising of a few of the oldest and most important men among the tribes. The
leading idea of this my proposal would be as follows:—First of all to gain the
confidence of the natives, and then, that when punishment on individuals became
necessary, such punishment should be remitted to the native authorities, who
would be held accountable for the administration of justice among themselves. I
advise that an attempt at civilising the natives of this end of the Cape York
Peninsula be made on these lines, and I am willing to hold myself responsible
to you for carrying out the same, but I must have carte blanche to act
on my own discretion, subject to the limits of expenditure named by me.”
On the 13th November Mr. Douglas addressed a further
communication to the Chief Secretary as follows:—
“Sir,—In further reference to my letter of the 30th October,
I have to report that Mr. Acting Sub-inspector Savage has twice lately visited
the mainland of Australia, and that on both occasions he has been in friendly
communication with the natives of the Jardine River. On the 10th and 11th
instant he camped with seventeen males, twenty females, and six children. More
were expected at this trysting place, but the time at his disposal was limited,
and he could not wait any longer. A commencement of a fair understanding has
been made, and an old grey-bearded man named Yarra-hamquee, who is the chief of
the tribe, has come in to Thursday Island with Mr. Savage. He will remain here
for a week or two, and after he has become a little acquainted with us I
propose to send him back, presenting him at the same time with a few utensils
for cooking. The Crystal, a whaleboat belonging to the station, has been
used for the purpose of these small expeditions, and the expenditure has been
trifling, but if we are to go further afield, to the Batavia River, or to the
east side of the Peninsula, I must receive some special authority from you for
the additional expenditure, which will be necessary. Meanwhile Mr. Savage is to
be congratulated on a hopeful commencement.”
In reply to the above Mr. W. E. Parry-Okeden wrote to Mr.
Douglas on the 11th December as follows:—
“Sir,—I have the honour by direction to acknowledge the
receipt of your letters of the 30th of October and 11th November last, with
reference to your dealings with the natives of the mainland, and to inform you
that the action taken by you as narrated in both letters is entirely approved.
“With regard, however, to your proposals as to establishing
the beginnings of a police system among these natives, the Chief Secretary does
not think it practicable to authorise any punitive or coercive action without
special legislation, but is willing to sanction an expenditure of £10 a month
to assist in carrying out such other civilising methods as you have suggested.
Sir Samuel Griffith will be glad to receive further reports from you from time
to time upon the subject.”
On the 16th February Mr. Douglas wrote again, enclosing a
report from Acting Sub-inspector Savage and one from the Rev. Maitland Woods,
which are appended. Mr. Douglas wrote as follows:—
“Sir,—I have the honour to forward herewith a report lately
addressed to me by Mr. Acting Sub-Inspector Savage in reference to the mainland
natives. Since the date of my last letter to you on this subject Mr. Savage has
frequently visited the coast of the mainland, from the Jardine River to the
Seven Rivers and the mouth of the Batavia. The result, I can confidently say,
has been the establishment of more humane relations than those which previously
existed between the residents of this island and the aboriginal natives of the
Cape York Peninsula in this vicinity. I have myself visited the camp at the
Jardine River, and I can assure you that there has been some advance made in
the civilisation of this once formidable, but now severely decimated, tribe.
They have been, and are probably still, not unnaturally suspicious of us. They
have been quite in the dark as regards our wishes and intentions towards them,
and the growth of our more friendly relations can only be very gradual.
“I think, however, that I can see a prospect of better times
for them and for us—for them because we may hope to have passed beyond the
stage of indiscriminating hostility which has, I regret to say, characterised
our dealings with them in the past; for us, because we shall be able to
establish some more direct control than has hitherto been possible over those
recruited from the localities I speak of. As an instance of the improved
relations now subsisting I may mention that some natives of the west coast of
the Peninsula lately ran away with a lugger from Warrior Island. They landed at
Crab Island and made straight for the bush. The lugger, however, and everything
in it, was at once taken possession of by our friends in the neighbourhood, and
held by them until they could be safely restored to the owners. There were
three bags of flour on board, two revolvers, two American axes, some tomahawks,
and several other small articles. None of these were touched, and I felt
justified in rewarding the natives who thus proved to us that they were anxious
to restore the property which had been taken.
“The object of the natives who ran away with the lugger was
simply to regain their liberty, for they had served a longer time than they had
shipped for, and they were only anticipating the discharge to which they were
entitled, though by doing so they forfeited the small wages coming to them. The
expenses incurred by me in connection with this service have not exceeded the
amount which I was authorised to spend. My outlay consisted chiefly of the pay
and maintenance of interpreters, together with the cost of flour, tobacco, and
a few utensils given to the leading men of the tribes communicated with.
Vouchers for these will shortly be submitted to you covering the whole period
from the beginning of October to the end of February.
“I must add that in carrying out these transactions the
steamer Vigilant has proved most useful. Tong-ham-blow, the chief of the
Seven Rivers, is a very noticeable man. He is greyheaded, and has a most
remarkable physiognomy. When he was brought to us here he knew nothing, of
course, of the world or its inhabitants beyond the environment of the Seven
Rivers, but during the three weeks he remained with us he made good use of his
eyes and ears, and the impressions thus conveyed to him will doubtless be of
use to us in our future communications with him.
“The Rev. W. Maitland Woods, the Church of England clergyman
who resides here, spent ten days in camp with the natives of the Jardine River,
and has shown a great interest in their future welfare. I forward copy of a
letter which I have received from him, and I hope that he will be able to
follow up the good work among the natives which he has commenced. I must add,
however, that we cannot expect any very lasting beneficial results until some
philanthropic European is found who will be sufficiently disinterested to take
up his abode among the aboriginals of the Peninsula.
“I have already expressed an opinion that Cullen’s Point, at
the mouth of the Batavia River, would be a most suitable site for a mission
station. I repeat this now, and shall be glad if you can give publicity to this
statement when a convenient occasion arises. The question of ameliorating the
condition of the aboriginal natives arises periodically with recurrent
interest, and the statement I now make in connection with the Batavia River
should have some weight with those who believe that it is our duty to civilise
the natives, and who desire to undertake this duty with some prospect of
appreciable results.”
The following is the report of Acting Sub-inspector Savage
to the Government Resident at Thursday Island:—
“Sir,—I have the honour to report on our efforts to civilise
the natives of Cape York Peninsula as follows:—In the beginning the difficulty
was to obtain suitable natives to act as interpreters. Finally they were
provided by appointing two Jardine River natives who were acquainted with the
English language as supernumerary trackers, with payment at the rate of 10s.
per month. These men gave assistance in collecting the tribe at the Jardine
River, in explaining what was required of the people, and in all the parleys
which were held and through which in the end friendship was established.
“The chief was brought in to Thursday Island, where he
underwent a course of instruction, and when he had sufficiently understood what
was required of him was taken back and made king, his subjects and several
visitors, natives of Prince of Wales Island, being present. The next place
where the foregoing plan was repeated was at the Batavia River, at the mouth of
which was found the chief of the Seven Rivers tribe. He was brought in to
Thursday Island for instruction. He proved to be a very intelligent man, and
was willing to learn. He was taken back, and made king in the same manner as
the chief of the Jardine River had been. Permanent camps have been established
at the Jardine River and Seven Rivers, and large gunyahs have been built.
Cocoanuts, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and water-melons have been planted, and
are growing well at the Jardine River. The matter now stands thus. The natives
at the Jardine and the Seven Rivers are aware that the Government takes an
interest in them, is prepared to protect them when necessary from injustice,
and expects their assistance in punishing crimes committed by their tribes.
They have been shown how to make houses of the bark, and told that it is better
for them to live in houses than to roam aimlessly about. They understand this
completely, but whether they will continue as well as they are going on now
remains to be seen. I believe, with constant supervision, they will.”
The Rev. W. Maitland Wood’s letter to the Government
Resident is as follows:—
“Thursday Island, 16th February, 1891.
“Dear Sir,—On 5th January, I started in company with
Inspector Savage to pay a short mission visit to the Jardine River tribe.
Inspector Savage returned the same day, and I was left in the camp for ten
days. During this short time I was able to observe very closely their habits
and disposition. I found them a lithe, active, intelligent, laughter-loving
people, who expressed a great desire to cultivate fruit trees and live in
houses as the white man does. I suggested to them that we should build a house,
as the humpies in which we were living were by no means proof against the
terribly heavy rain squalls which were coming from the north-west. The
suggestion was received with delight, and for three days we all, men and women,
worked together, sometimes in drenching rain and at other times up to our
waists in salt water, cutting mangrove trees. In that time we had built of
strong timbers the framework of a large house. The bark thatching and side
covering of this house was not complete when I left their camp, but on a
subsequent visit with Mr. Savage we found, to our surprise, that the house was
completed, and showed careful work. From this fact we may draw very favourable
conclusions.
“I was very sorry to leave them, as some of them had become great friends of mine, and particularly one who fainted under the weight of a burden sooner than he would allow me to share it with him. I cannot help thinking that these people have been mismanaged or misunderstood until quite lately. It is quite evident to me that they are capable of the finer feelings of our nature, as shown in their lively affection for Inspector Savage, and intense respect for you as representing that to them omnipotent mystery—the Government.”
