WHITE MEN LOST AMONG THE BLACKS.

West Coast Times, Issue 681, 29 November 1867, Page 3

WHITE MEN LOST AMONG THE BLACKS.

♦ From the" Cleveland Express" (Queensland) of the 2nd November, we select the following account of the Hinchinbrook Island Search Expedition : The party of volunteers who went in search of the white men reported by Capt. Major and Mr Henry, of the steamer Black Prince, to have been seen by them on Hinchinbrook Island, on the afternoon of Friday, the 18th October, left Townsville on Tuesday evening, the 22nd of October, fully equipped and provisioned for a thorough search of the island, with a view to rescue the white men from their uncomfortable and dangerous position. The long boat belonging to the good ship Vernqn was placed at the disposal of the party by Mr Walker, manager of the firm of Messrs Towns and Co, and the party set sail amidst the cheers and good wishes of a large number of the inhabitants of the -town assembled at the wharf to see the departure of the expedition party. After a passage of twenty-five hours Hmchinbrcok Island was reached, andon Thursday morning at daybreak the parly landed on the island at the south-east end, where the white men were reported to have been i ß66^ ?n? n the beach - Before the party knded, several Datives were seen coining down to the beach, evidently watching with great care the movements of the search party and preparing themselves to elude the well-laid schemes of the party for the recovery of 1 heir brethren. Upon landing on the island, several members ot the parLy went towards the natives, who were still visible on the beach, to try and get near enough to have a conversa-

tion with them, but the natives retreated into tlie scrub adjoining tlie beach. The The party then, with a black tracker in advance, entered the scrub, and shortlyfound a blackfellow's track leading to the interior of the island. This track upon being followed led to a very large camp of natives, consisting of at least forty or fifty gunyars or humpies scattered over a space of about half a square mile, and had evidently just been left by the inhabitants, as the camp fires were still bitrning. If o natives were to be seen here ; the only indication, of white men having been at tlfe camp, or of having had anything to do with the natives, being a piece of red blanket about a foot long lying in one of the humpies. The trees all about were thoroughly searched, but no markings of any sort were to be seen — nothing in short to show that white men had been at this camp. One or two of the party remarked on the appearance of an erection consisting of two forked sticks stuck in the ground, having a cross stick supported by the forks, and apparently as a sleeping place, but having no covering of any kind over it like the other erections^ in .the vicinity. Some supposed that this might have been the workmanship of white people, others thought that this was no great indication of the presence of whites. The black boy then led the way on the tracks of the aboriginals into the interior, passing through mangrove scrubs, fresh water swamps, and very rough country. After tracking some five or six miles under a very hot sun, the natives werelost in a high mountain, which rises nearly perpendicular, and the party then thought it best to pursue their search for that day on the low lying country, and endeavor to fall ia with other camps near the beach, or meet some natives among the mangrove scrubs. Although search, was then made of all th& country adjacent to the long beach where the party. first landed," no further success attended their, efforts on this day/ On the party's return to the boats, the men left in charge reported that six or seven natives had shown themselves on a ridge opposite to the moorings of the boats, but could not be persuaded to come down on the beach. Bank ets • were held out to *them } and various other means used by the boatmen to entice the natives to come down, but all in vain. Immediately upon the receipt of this intelligence, the land party again started off and ascended the high ridges adjoining the coast of the island and to the north of the long beach where the first landing was effected. Upon reaching the top of the first ridge, one native was caught sight of at a considerable distance, but he soon disappeared, and night coming on, the party desisted following any further and returned to the boats. After supper a council was held, and it was agreed by all hands that the best course to adopt in the circumstances, considering the size and mountainous nature of the island, was to proceed at daylight next morning to Eockingham Bay, and secure the services of Mr Alurray, of the native police force, and his troopers. The boats accordingly proceeded up channel next morning, and after sailing some four miles smoke was seen to issue from a camp situated in a mangrove scrub near the coast. The small boat was at once made ready to proceed to the locality of the smoke, and a few went off to see what could be done there. Before the party reached land, however, the boat was seen coming by the natives, who at once commenced shouting and making discordant noises, and after a few minutes some ten natives showed themselves through the mangrove trees. The whole party remained in the boat, and endeavored to get the natives to come off to the boat by offering them various articles, such as blankets, handkerchiefs, knives, &c, After some hesitation, one little fellow came off in his canoe, and a conversation was at once attempted between him and some of the search party. After taking ashore several articles, this little fellow returned offering beads and fishhooks in exchange for those articles already received by him and his sable brethren on' the island, and it was then that he made signs in answer to observations made by the party in search, from which the party gathered that a " big fellow canoe' 1 had been upset near the island, and that four white fellows were then on the island — the black boy pointing inland as the locality of the white men at that time. The lad counted four on his fingers and made such gesticulations and signs as left no doubt on the minds of the boat party ttat he meant to show that four white men were on the island. The black boy with the boat party could not be persuaded to yabber or talk with the natives, and scmed very much afraid of them ; indeed he would! not go near the boy who had come off in his canoe. Another and an older native then advanced towards the boat, and ultimately stood upon the bow of the boat, when one of the party tied a handkerchief round his neck, and he in a like manner corroborated what had just been expressed with regard to the white men being on the island by the canoe boy. The boat party did not attempt to land here, as the party was small and the mangroves were very thick and difficult to get through by Ayhitc men, and the boat party was uncertain as to the strength of the native party ashore. After a long conversation, theboat was about leaving the shore, when a regular volley of stones camo down, and some fell in the water within a few inches of the boat. None fortunately fell into the boat, and no spears were thrown. The thick mangroves prevented the throwing, of spears, otherwise there is little doubt that spears would have been hurled at the party, and the blacks might have got more articles of curiosity than had been already presented to them. A few of the more liberal minded of the boat party gave it as their opinion that the throwing of the stones at the boat was simply a mode of salute in vogue among the Hinchinbrook Islanders— if so, it is a mode of salute not very palatable or intelligible to most civilised white men. The boats then proceeded up channel, and had not proceeded more than a mile further when natives were again seen on the beach or some headland nearly opposite Haycock Island. • The small boat again took a party off from the long boat, and on coming near the shore the search party recognised the natives as being the same just seen about a mile further down the channel. Again more articles were given to the backs, and conversations took place, and again all the natives coincided in endeavoring to explain that four white men were on the island, but some distance from where they then stood. Gne tall fellow counted five on his fingers, but this may be accounted for by what afterwards appears, that another blackfellow made signs to Mr Murray to the effect that one of the white persons had died, probably the female passenger ,on board the Eva at the time of the wreck. The other natives, who counted four only on their fingers;' intended to show that four white persons were then on the island alive, and four was

the number of white men on board the Eva, Captain Macbeath, his mate and two seamen. Notwithstanding the strong remonstrances made by the boat party against the natives' mode of giving a parting salule, a olley of stones again came down, falling within a short distance of the boat just as the party had bade adieu to the islanders. Cardwell was reached on the afternoon of Friday, the 25th October, and here a great scene occurred by some of the party attempting to land in our small boat while the tide was at half flood. The landing party went down in mud and dirt fully three feet and a half, and when on terra firma again presented a very piteous appearance. A worthy inhabitant of the town came down at once to the beach, and proffered the use of his own shower-bath and well of water to the immersed expeditionists, which offer was readily and thankfully accepted.^ No time was lost in communicating with Mr Richards, the police-magistrate of Cardwell, aud with Mr Murray. Both of these gentlemen at once promised all the assistance in their power, and arrangements were at once set on foot to have the black troopers sent down to the island without delay, the pilot boat being placed at the service of Mr Murray and his black troopers, Mr M'Bryde, Mr Morgan, of the sugar plantation, aud one or two others volunteeredto join the party, and the second named gentleman put his celebrated boat Julia, at the disposal of the party. On Sunday morning a start was made for the southern portion of the island, which was not reached until Monday at mid-day, owing to the strong south-easterly winds and an opposing current. At the bottom of Rockingham Bay channel the Louisa Maria was boarded, the vessel conveying the Government parly from Bowen on an errand similar to that on which the Townsville party was engaged. In the afternoon a further search was made on the low-lying parts of the island, and Mr Murray and his trackers discovered a fresh camp notfar removed from the beach, where several blackfellows were found One of these was captured and brought down to the troopers' camp, situated near the anchorage ground of the vessels.. From this man it was also clearly gathered by means of signs aud expressions used by him, that four white men were on the island at that time, and that one white person had died. Next day the same blackfellow took Mr Murray to the camp where he was found, and pointed out to him a humpy which a white woman had occupied for some time, and explained how the white woman had died some time before. This humpy was situated at some lit le distance from the others, the humpies occupied by the natives. Upon the return of the Townsville party to the boats in the evening, aud after speaking with Mr Mario w and Mr Murray, of the native police force, on the subject, it was arranged that the party should start homeward that night upon the setting in of the ebb tide, as their presence on the scene of operations was now no longer necessary, in consequence of so many troopevs being assembled at the island, whose work would be much more efficacious than that of almost any number of white men. Besides, it was thought advisable not to have too large a party on the island, in order to prevent the natives on the island as much as possible from conjecturing what the object of the party was in lauding upon the island. The Black Prince, steamer, overtook'the Vernon's boat on its homeward course near one of the middle Palm Islands, and took the majority of the party on board, a few being left on board the long boat to fetch her safely to port. The steamer reached Townsville on Wednesday afternoon, about six o'clock, and numerou.s anxious spectators were awaiting her arrival in port to learn the result of the expedition. Many thanks are due to Mr Gordon, police magistrate of Townsville, and the inhabitants of this town generally, for the interest they took in the fitting up the expedition party. and in supplying them with provisions, tents, and other necessaries for the successful carrying out of the search. Though the main object of -the party was not attained, viz., the rescuing of the white men supposed to be on the island, the party was successful in so far as they met with natives on the island whose evidence and statements went to corroborate what was reported by Captain Major. It may be a matter of weeks or even months before the white men are rescued, but one thing is certain, that white men arc at present on Hinchinbrook Island, living among the blacks, and no effort should be spared on the part of Government and private individuals to rescue them from their present position. It may be added that various articles, such as blankets, fishhooks, small mirrors, &c, were left at the different camps visited by the Townsville party, in order to endeavor to conciliate the blacks, and to prove to them that the white men had no hostile intentions towards them.

Yesterday (says the " Melbourne Argus" of the 16th) was by far the hottest day we have had yet this season. A strong hot wind was blowing all day long, aud during most of the day the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sly. The thermometer in the shop of Messrs Kasner and Moss, Collins street, at three o'clock in the afternoon, stood at 87de#., which was eight or nine degrees higher than on any other day during the month. The northern wind at times swept up dense clouds of dust, causing great annoyance to passengers in the streets of the city. During the day soveral light columns of smoke were seen rising from tho western slopes of tho Dandenong Eanges, and after nightfall the red light of an extensive bush fire was visible, covering a largo surface of the ranges, and shining by reflection upon the clouds above.