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With W. Halloran's Compliments 31 Oct 72
1872 ------ NEW SOUTH WALES -----------------------------
NEW GUINEA EXPEDITION PER BRIG "MARIA". (CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING RESCUE AND ARRIVAL OF SURVIVORS OF.)
Presented to both Houses of Parliament, by Command. ---------------------------------------
SCHEDULE.
No. PAGE. 1. Lieutenant Gowlland to the Attorney General. 28 March , 1872................................ 1 2. The Attorney General to Lieutenant Gowlland. 2 April, 1872................................... 6 3. Lieutenant Gowlland to the Attorney General. 9 April, 1872...................................... 6 -------------------------------
No. 1. LIEUTENANT GOWLLAND to THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. "Govenor Blackall," Sydney, 28 March, 1872.
Sir, I have the honor to inform you of the arrival of the steamer "Governor Blackall" in Sydney Harbour, having on board thirty-four survivors of the crew and passengers of the brig "Maria," wrecked on the Bramble Reef on the 26th February.
In accordance with the instructions which I received from you, to prosecute the search after the shipwrecked members of the New Guinea Prospecting Expedition, who were supposed to be cast on shore, or drifting on rafts along the coast and islands in the vicinity of Cardwell, I left Sydney in this vessel shortly before daybreak on Sunday morning, the 10th instant, having on board thirteen relatives and friends of the cast-away crew (these gentlemen proffered their services on this occasion as volunteers), as well as a crew of the Water Police, together with a supply of arms and ammunition ; and, considering the short notice at which the ship was despatched, I thought myself fortunate to secure the services of so many efficient associates, in an undertaking which would assuredly tax their powers of endurance.
After taking in 240 tons of coal at Newcastle we proceeded north with all possible speed, and arriving at Cardwell on the 16h instant, found H.M.S. "Basilisk" at anchor, under the command of Captain Moresby, who gave me every assistance in his power, and communicated to me all necessary information in reference to the object of our search.
From him we gained all the important intelligence that he had rescued eight of the crew of the larger of the two rafts off Point Cooper (see plan of coast annexed), and had also discovered three dead bodies on the shore further south, supposed to be those of men who had landed from the second raft. The reception on board the "Govenor Blackall" of these poor fellows was a scene that none of the spectators will be likely to forget. They were all in a more or less destitute state, and most of them suffering from ulcerated sores on the body, and low fevers, the result of three days' and nights' partial submersion on the raft without food or water, of bad or no food at all whilst with the blacks, and some seven or eight days' weary journeyings along the burning beaches and sharp jagged rocks, in search of sustanance and succour. They had providentially fallen in with a tribe of natives shortly after their raft touched the shore, who treated them with great kindness, and allowed them to share such food as was procurable : a strange contrast to the fiendish cruelty to the tribes to the south of "Shoal Rivulet," who at the same time, and only a few miles distance, were barbarously murdering their companions.
Having received on board Sub-lieutenant Jones from the "Basilisk" to aid in the search, as well as a detachment of Native Police under command of Mr. Johnstone, for whose services I had made application 25.....
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application to Mr. Sheridan, the Police Magistrate at Cardwell, we started shortly after noon of Sunday, 17th instant, to commence the examination of the coast and seaboard lying between Point Cooper and Cardwell. Northward of Point Cooper the coast had been very carefully searched by boat parties from H.M.S. "Basilisk," but to the southward the coast had only been cursorily examined. I resolved, therefore, to confine our scrutiny, in the first instance, to the line of coast extending about 10 miles north and south of the spot where the second raft (i.e., the smaller of the two) had drifted on shore.
Accordingly, having anchored the ship off Shoal Haven, distant about 15 miles south of Point Cooper, I despatched three armed boats in the afternoon, manned by sailors, volunteers, and native police, with instructions to search certain given sections of the country and adjacent coast on the following day.
For four days a similar system of investigation was followed, the ship shifting her anchorage from time to time as circumstances required.
Each boat's crew detached an armed landing party, who walked along the beaches and over the rocks, and whenever feasible made excursions in various directions through the dense scrub and jungle which fringed the shore of the mainland.
A strong party of volunteers, reinforced by the native trackers, forced their way inland along the banks of the river which falls into the sea at the spot marked Shoal Haven on the plan, through an all but impassable country, and in their passage intersected the foot-marks of blacks in numerous directions.
Every native camp between Cardwell and Point Cooper - a distance of about 50 miles - was visited and minutely searched for any traces of white men that might permit us to hope that some of our missing countrymen might even still be alive, though languishing in captivity.
A second party, with two boats, and accompanied by Mr. Johnstone and the Native Police, were sent to examine the banks of a large river still further to the northward, marked on the plan as Shoal Rivulet. They were absent about two days ; but with the exception of a felt hat, found in a native encampment about 4 miles north up the river, no traces of the existence of living white men in this neighbourhood were discovered.
The coast north and south of Point Cooper was the next selected for examination, and the appearance on the night of the 18th instant of a large fire on the declivity of that promontory (which was thought by Mr. Johnstone to be a signal fire made by white men) inspired us all with a fervent hope that success might at length reward our labours.
Having shifted the ship to a berth eastward of the point, I proceeded about midnight, immediately after anchoring with armed crews of volunteers and Native Police, to examine the position of the fire. After a most rigorous search our expectations were again doomed to disappointment, as the fire proved to be merely a conflagration of grass and underwood, originating no doubt in the fire of a native camp discovered in the immediate neighbourhood.
The results of our examination of the country between Point Cooper and Double Point were thus, so far as concerned the recovery of the survivors of the shipwrecked crew, dispiriting in the last search in the direction of Cardwell.
But although we were not destined to rescue any lives, we have succeeded in discovering six dead bodies between Shoal Rivulet and Tam O'Shanter Point, almost all of which have been with nearly absolute certainty identified by their shipmates as the remains of the unfortunate occupants of the smaller raft.
The places where these bodies were discovered are laid down in the annexed plan, No. 1 ; and the descriptions of the skeletons, their clothes and other distinguishable marks, wheresoever such descriptions were possible, are set forth in the annexure No. 2.
This raft was found stranded on the beach about a quarter of a mile to the south of Shoal Rivulet, and though somewhat smaller than that which came on shore a few miles to the northward, was better constructed ; and though very frail, was probably a better support to the poor fellows, who in their extremity were obliged to trust to it, than the larger raft.
Their bleaching skeletons lie clustering around, but chiefly to the southward of the raft ; and, with but a single exception, the skulls of all bear a horrible testimony of the nature of that death which awaited them on the land they must have been so anxious to reach.
All but one have been most barbarously murdered by the blacks. Sometimes the skull has been shattered by a huge stone, sometimes the jaw bones and face have been smashed in with waddies or clubs, and in one instance the body had been divided into fragments - the leg being found in one place, the head and shoulders in another, and portion of the trunk in a third.
Of all who came on shore or left the wreck in this second raft, but two now remained unaccounted for, and these could not in all human possibility have escaped the fate of their murdered companions, if indeed they had not been previously drowned off the raft. Nevertheless, I felt it my duty to continue the search in the direction of Cardwell.
A strong party was therefore detached on Thursday, the 21st instant, in two boats, to examine the coast southward of the Barnard Islands, and whilst the ship was taking in water at Dunk Island the whole of the coast, as far as Tam O'Shanter Point, was scoured by both land and boat parties, but with no other result than the discovery of three more skeletons of murdered men in the neighbourhood of Louisa River. Descriptions of these remains will be found in annexure No. 2.
Both boats returned to the ship at Dunk Island on the 22nd instant, and the watering having been completed, after consulting with Mr. Johnstone and the volunteers on board, I arrived, with no little reluctance, at the painful conclusion that the further prosecution of our search would be merely waste of time, as no hopes could now be entertained of the existence of a single survivor from the wreck.
Under these circumstances, I decided to return at once to Cardwell.
On arrival there, we embarked the remainder of the shipwrecked party (twenty-six in number), and started for Sydney on the afternoon of the same day (Saturday, 23rd instant).
The doctor of the New Guinea Prospecting Expedition, whom I had taken on board the "Governor Blackall" on our first arrival at Cardwell, here left the ship ; consequently it fell to my duty during the return passage to attend to the sick, so far as my medical knowledge, which is but scanty, permitted me.
I am happy to be able to state that no casualties or accidents of any kind have occurred during the trip, and that the sick and wounded are in a fair way of recovery.
The "Governor Blackall" arived [arrived] in Sydney on the 28th March. I
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I annex by way of appendices -
No. 1. Plan of the coast of Queensland, from Tam O'Shanter Point to Point Cooper, showing the positions of the rafts drifted on shore, and the spots where the murdered bodies of some of her crew were found by the "Governor Blackall."
No. 2. Description of remains found during search of coast.
No. 3. Report of Mr. Johnstone, Sub-inspector of Native Police.
No. 4. List of crew of "Maria" on leaving Sydney, showing the numbers rescued, murdered, and drowned.
No. 5. List of articles of clothing found with remains of bodies and in native camps.
Before concluding my report, I may perhaps be permitted to invite attention to a few observations, which, though only collateral to the object of my mission, are yet closely connected with this most melancholy shipwreck and loss of life.
In the first place then, I would desire to allude to the fact, as I have already done on a former occasion, that in this, as in the instance alluded to, the cause of disaster is clearly traceable to the culpable ignorance of navigation evinced by the master of the lost vessel. He took his ship to sea, as it appears by the testimony of the survivors, almost destitute of charts or proper appliances for navigation. Blown away by a gale of wind when almost within sight of New Guinea, his vessel is allowed to drift - for I cannot say that she is piloted - among the most dangerous reefs of the Coral Sea. Her position before striking the Bramble Reef appears to have been altogether unknown to her Captain, or indeed to any of his officers, although in fact both Palm and Hinchinbrook Islands were plainly visible from the wreck. And this is not all : for after his ship has struck, he takes the best boat, and with a crew only of six, when twenty-five might have been safely carried in her, he deserts, leaving the rest of the passengers and crew to perish or not as Providence might ordain.
It is with great pain that I feel myself constrained to record this opinion of one who has, alas ! expiated his errors by a violent death at the hands of the savages of Tam O'Shanter Point.
The next circumstance connected with the wreck, which I cannot pass over without noticing, is that the boats and their crews abandoned the rafts to their fate, instead of, as is invariably the rule in such cases, keeping in their company, and towing them when practicable.
The necessity of boats remaining by rafts on occasions like this cannot be urged too emphatically.
It is not too much to say that all hands might have been saved from the wreck of the "Maria," had this well recognized course been adopted.
It must always be a subject of the deepest regret that the search of the "Tinonee" was not extended north of Double Point, for it is now ascertained that at least five of the shipwrecked crew were alive, and wandering along the beach, within a few miles of Double Point, at the very time when that steamer was on the coast engaged in the search.
Lastly, I desire to acknowledge the obligations I feel under to those gentlemen who accompanied me on this expedition as volunteers. Their willing subordination to discipline, and cheerful readiness to undertake any duty or undergo any fatigue, ashore or afloat, by day or by night, are deserving of the highest praise. The assistance rendered to the searching parties by Mr. Johnstone and his detachment of Native Police was, from his accurate knowledge of the habits of the natives, and his professional skill, of inestimable value to the Expedition ; and in Lieutenant Jones, of the H.M.S. "Basilisk," whose services had been lent for the purposes of our search by Captain Moresby, I found a most efficient and trustworthy coadjutor. In my absence that gentleman fulfilled very responsible duties whilst in charge of manned and armed boats of police and volunteers, and carried out my instructions with discretion and ability.
The crew of the Water Police boat, and the hastily shipped complement of hands required for working the ship and manning the boats, have also conducted themselves entirely to my satisfaction.
I have, &c., [etc.,]
JNO. T. GOWLLAND.
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[Annexure No. 2.] [centred]
A DESCRIPTION of the bodies found by the "Governor Blackall," supposed to have come on shore on the second raft.
Corpse A was that of a young man about middle height, hair medium brown, two double teeth were wanting on the right side of the lower jaw, and one on the left side. One incisor on the left upper jaw decayed ; the body was a perfect skeleton, although probably not dead a fortnight. The poor fellow had evidently landed from the raft much exhausted, and crawled a little way along the beach looking for food. His remains were found about a quarter of a mile north of the raft, lying out of reach of the sea, with a sailor's monkey jacket doubled up under his head for a pillow, and from sleep he seems to have passed calmly into death. A black and yellow striped shirt, tweed trousers, and a pair of coarse cotton socks, were taken off the skeleton for identification by friends. Most of the surviving shipmates are of the opinion that this is the remains of Hooker or Hardy.
Corpse B. - That of a tall man, but the body was beyond identification, being divided into three separate parts, and washing about in the seaweed. The head or skull and one arm adhering together. Legs separated at the lower vertebrae of the spine forming another portion, and the trunk by itself.
Corpse C. - A tall man with brown beard ; nothing but the bones left. From the fact that the bones of the arms were missing, it was surmised that part of him had been eaten. Head smashed in by blows of a stone or club.
Corpse D. - A man of middle height, with good teeth, skull small and well formed, whiskers red ; the body was perfectly naked, except a small piece of tweed trouser tied round the foot by a piece of shoe-leather to protect it from the sharp jagged rocks, along which he was travelling south ; the whole of the right side of the head was smashed in by a large stone which was found lying close to the body. It would seem from the posture of the body that he had been suddenly alarmed by the blacks, and while endeavouring to get into the bush for shelter, had received his death blow whilst clambering up a little rocky gorge, as the appearance and position of the limbs are those of a person in the act of climbing. The corpse was well kept, and could not have lain there more than five or six days. It is undoubtedly that of poor Parnell.
Corpse E. - A tall man with a long brown beard. Body perfectly naked, the whole of the front part of the face completely broken in beyond identification. Supposed by the beard to be Rowe or Thompson. A pair of nearly new colonialmade blucher boots were found near the body.
Corpse F was Williams, discovered by H.M.S. "Basilisk" : murdered by blows from a wooden sword ; the whole of the back of his head having been dashed to pieces.
Corpses G and H. - Found on the beach on the south side of a stream 25 miles from Cardwell. The poor fellows seem to have reached so far in safety, and were barbarously murdered just after swimming one of the numerous small rivers running through the beach into the sea ; in both cases the front of the face was dashed in, as if from the blow of a stone or club. These bodies are supposed to be those of Polin and O'Mally, and had apparently been killed only about eight or nine days.
Corpse I. - Found further south than the two last ; was murdered in the same brutal manner. The body could not be recognized.
In addition to these, the burnt bones of what are supposed to have been the Captain and his two men were found in a large native camp near Tam O'Shanter Point.
A quantity of wearing apparel, seized in the blacks' camp, and taken off the bodies of the corpses found, are under charge of Sergeant Little of the Water Police, and may be seen by friends wishing to identify the bodies.
All the corpses, from A to F, were found between Shoal Rivulet and Shoal River, at intervals of distance of from half to one mile apart, lying on the sandy beaches or rugged rocks fringing the coast line ; and it would appear they were making their way south separately, when they were overtaken or surprised by the blacks ; so that there seems to have been a want of unanimity of purpose and action amongst those poor fellows as to their proceedings.
The remaining bodies - G, H, and I - were found ten and twelve miles further south, or about twenty-five miles from Cardwell, having only escaped the fate of their companions from the tribe north of Double Point, to fall under the murderous blows of the same savages who killed and burnt the Captain and his men near Tam O'Shanter Point. ------------------------- [centred]
[Annexure No. 3.] [centred] Sub-Inspector Johnstone to Captain Gowlland. [centred]
[right of page] Ship "Governor Blackall," 22 March, 1872.
Sir,
I have the honor to report, for the information of Captain Gowlland, that according to instructions, I, with the assistance of the detachment of Native Police under my command, have carefully searched the country extending from Cardwell northwards to Cooper's Point, and am thoroughly convinced that there are no traces of any white men living either on the coast or inland ; and, from facts of having found the bodies of the missing men except two, all brutally murdered by the blacks, there does not exist the slightest doubt that the two men now missing are either drowned off the raft or murdered by blacks. I have also to state that I have severely punished the guilty parties, having found the property of the murdered men in their possession.
I have also to state that any further instructions you may wish me to carry out, I place myself and detachment entirely under your orders.
I have, &c [etc.]., ROBERT JOHNSTONE, Sub-inspector of Police. --------------------------- [centred]
[Annexure No. 4.] [centred]
LIST of Crew of Maria on leaving Sydney, showing the numbers rescued, murdered, and drowned :-
Passengers to Sydney by "Governor Blackall" :- Sonnichsen, Chalon, Wright, Good, Forster, Coyle, Bardon, Schwelfling, Konig, Fox, King, Robinson, Siddle, Haydon, Phillips, Ingham, Crommelin, Dicksman, Powell, Misdell, Smith, Nilson, Sullivan, Finnie, Lane, Pegus, Le Fin, Hocraft, Barclay, Grey, Broadbent, Arps, Maag, and Wallen. Drowned on wreck :- Andrew, Repran, Crout, Crook, Shewell, Bolton, Zimmerman, Coburn, Arkley, Stewart, Weeham, and Coot. Killed by blacks :- Davis, Stratham, Parnell, Polin, O'Malley, Hardy, Williams, Dalgleish, Thompson, Heakman, Hooker, Rowe, Solomon, and Angel. Drowned off rafts and otherwise :- Morris, Sanderson, Tanner, Hazlebrook, Trenchard, Grant, Taylor, Anderson, Roden. Left at Cardwell :- Hess, Goble, Ramsay, Tate. Left Cardwell for Sydney : - Hargrave and Hyman. ------------------------------ [centred]
[Annexure No. 5.] [centred]
LIST of articles found near and upon bodies lying murdered on the shore between Point Cooper and Tam O'Shanter Point, and also in blacks' camps :-
one pair of stout blucher boots, with large-headed nails on soles, and iron heels, not much worn ; one leather sheath for belt-knife ; two portions (small) of dark small-stripe tweed trowsers [trousers], one portion - evidently a part of waistband - found near one body lying on the shore a little to the north of the Shoal Haven River.
Corpse E. - One pair of blucher boots, pegged and strong, little worn and apparently colonial made - a leather boot-tie still remaining in one ; one portion of waist of trowsers [trousers], light material, and light drab spotty-looking colour ; brass buttons, stamped "Exton, Sydney" ; one portion of heavy doeskin trowsers [trousers], dark dull red or chocolate colour, double stripe pattern - the fragment