AUSTRALIA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 29, 16 January 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

AUSTRALIA.

THE NOGOA TRAGEDY. SLAUGHTER OF UPWARDS OF SIXTY OF THE SUPPOSED MURDERERS. (From the “ Rockhampton Bulletin ,” Nov. 30.) We have received the following letter, for publication from Mr. P. P. M’Donald, being a report upon the proceedings of the party sent from this place under his guidance, to succour the survivors on Mr. Wills’ station on the Nogoa, and to protect the property there. Though M’Donald used all haste in reaching Cullinla-ringo, he was too late to bo of more service than to leave men to assist in taking charge of the stock, and to inspire confidence (by no means a small consideration) in Mr. Wills and his men. He informs us that, owing to the kind and active care of Mr. Gregson and other settlers in the neighbourhood, the sheep have been recovered to within about 300, which, considering their large number, 10,000, and all the circumstances attending the sad affair, must be considered fortunate. Yaamba, November 23, 1861.

Dear Sir, —W e have just returned from our expedition to the Nogoa, after an absence of twenty - eight days. We left Marlborough on the 29th of October, and arrived on the eastern part cfCuUiu-la-ringo on Thursday, the 4th of November. On the following day wo travelled south-west and came upon the tracks of sheep which we followed for a short distance till we came up to where about thirty had been slaughtered and roasted by the blacks ; we then encamped in order to examine the ground more minutely, and about 300 yards distant we found some pieces of a tent which had been partly erected; wo also found some articles of clothing, and three large blood-stained patches

of grass, which marked where three victims had evidently falien. Upon further examination, and about one and a quarter-miles in a north-easterly direction, we discovered where the main camp had been situated. The ground was strewn with broken bomerangs, nulla-nullas, and spears, and here too the blood-stained grass in several places indicated many sickening marks of savage atrocity. The bodies had been already buried close by, and a good deal of property lay scattered around, but otherwise the place seemed quite deserted. I have been informed by the survivors of Mr. Wills’ party, that although the men never felt the necessity of carrying firearms for their protection, though requested by Mr. Wills to do so, —yet the poor women from their arrival on the station seemed ea'cTT to entertain a presentiment that they would never teave it alive. One of them, when her brother was leaving the place a few days before the massacre, expressed herself in the following words : —“ Come back quick, Jamie, this is such a wild looking place that I am afraid something will happen to us.”

As our chief object was to lend assistance to the survivors of the party, we started early next morning, the 6th instant, and followed the tracks of the drays and the stock, which retired from the station, till we found them encamped about fifteen miles distant on a part of the Rainsworth Station. Mr. Thomas Wills and his men were very much gratified at the kind sympathy evinced towards them by the people of Rockhampton; but he informed me that, owing to the prompt assistance rendered by Mr. Gregson and other gentlemen in the neighbourhood, most of the sheep had been recovered, and that his men had very creditably expressed their willingness to remain with him. He was however, still very much in want of men, and gladly availed himself of the services of two of my'party, Mr. H. Low, a volunteer, and Mr. Cox. It is Mr. Wills’ intention to return to the station, and put up improvements as soon as the sheep are shorn, and I think he expected to have them finished in a month from that time.

As it had been fully ascertained that the great portion of blacks implicated in the murders belonged to the Comet and Dawson Rivers, and had made off in that direction, we started on the morning of the 7th in search of them, but as they had so many days in advance of us and their foot-tracks were nearly everywhere obliterated by recent thunderstorms, om chances of finding them were very much diminished. We spent eight days searching the scrubs in the neighbourhood, but with little success. In one place we saw the tracks of a party of horsemen, which I believe to be those of Lieutenant Cave’s detachment.

I wish some of those misinformed gentlemen who think that the native police are of so little service had been there—if they had felt any sympathy for Cullin-la-ringo victims, they would have seen sufficient reason to entertain a different opinion, and I think their gratification would have compelled them to acknowledge their error. For mv part I trust that the Government, instead of decreasing the force, will endeavour to strengthen it. At present there are many owners of runs who will soon be compelled either to forfeit them by non-occupation, or stock them at some risk of life and property. I did not meet Lieutenant Genitas, but I saw tracks about twenty-six miles south of Cullin-la-ringo, which I think must have been his.

In conclusion I may state that owing to the liberal assistance which you afforded me on behalf of the government, together with that of Messrs. Archer, Henning, Burdin, and Co., and othe gentlemen who assisted me with horses, —the expenses of the late expedition will not, I think, amount to more than 25 per cent, of the money subscribed. The balance can be returned to the subscribers in proportion to the amount of their subscriptions, when the horses and sundries have been sold.—l am, sir, respectfully yours,

P. P. M’Dosaid. John Jardine. Esq., P. M.. &c., &., Rockhampton. [We are informed that, on the 26th or 27th ultimo, the Native Police overtook the tribe of natives who committed the late outrage atNogoa, and succeeded in driving them into a place from whence escape was impossible. They then shot down sixty or seventy, and they only ceased firing upon them when their ammunition was expended. One of the blacks who was shot, cried out, “ Me no kill white fellow!” showing plainly they well comprehended the proceeding. Some firearms and other property in their possession were recovered.—Ed. It. B.]