DISPERSING THE BLACKS.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume V, Issue 222, 23 May 1885, Page 3

DISPERSING THE BLACKS.

A correspondent of the Melbourne j Weekly Times writes:—Tales oftae native I police and their doings in Northerr. j Queensland are by most people supposed to refer to byesone duys, but the details of a little incident which happened less than three months ago in the far north have just reached me, and g;> to show that " dispersals " are not yei things of the past. A far out cattle stition north of the M'lvor had been harried several times by the natives, and the native police, under a sub-inspector, bid administered a couple of severe The blacks, however, made another raid, and information was sent to the officer in charge of the district, who immediately instructed his subordinate to go out with his troopers and u disperse " the troublesome blaeks. A start was made, and latv> on the third night after leaving his quarters the sub-inspeetor, came upon the tracks of his quarry. He followed them up for a eouple of days, and at dusk on the second day he and his men arrived at the edge of a large swamp in which was a marshy island. On this island they could see a large fire blazing, with dusky forms passing to and fro in the fir© light, while the bellowing of bullocks indicated

the nature of the game that was being played. Guided by the fire the pursuing party rode through the swamp and quietly »urrounded the camp, which according to one of the troopers, contained 40 to 50 blacki, snugly ensconced in the jungle, they waited until morning, whilst their nostrils were assailed with the grateful odour of roasting meat on which the maurauderi were gorging themselves. When day broke the signal was given, and a volley was poured into the unsuspecting natives, who at first tried to retaliate, but found themselves hemmed in on every side, tnd when they tried to escape were shot down. At last they surrendered, and then came the brutal part of the affair. The dead bodies of those shot were thrown into the fire, and the excited troopers then seized their eaptives and bundled them in also, men, women and children, until not a solitary one of the tribe was left to tell the horrid tale.