July 12.
Artwork by Glenn Loughrey
Abuse and the desire to annihilate
The abuse of indigenous women
But beyond bad behaviour stemming from ignorance of Aboriginal custom [white] men deliberately cheated, raped and abducted black women. The emergent frontier custom of 'gin-busting' trampled over sexual customs and incest taboos. M. Moorhouse [the Protector of Aborigines in South Australia] set out to unravel the reasons for black hostility on the overland route from New South Wales to South Australia and sought the help of a Sydney black who had made the trip several times. The riverine clans indicated that they were becoming enraged with the whites because they had:
…used the women...and much abused them. The abuse (they explained), consisted of Europeans promising the Aborigines food, clothing and tomahawks for the use of their females, but the Europeans did not fulfil their promises, after gratifying their passions, the women were turned out late in the evening or in the night, and instead of the men having their promised rewards, they were laughed at and ridiculed. [1]
Sexual relations between white men and black women were, then, a major source of misunderstanding, bitterness and conflict. But many Aboriginal attacks on Europeans were motivated by revenge for previous injury or insult whether there had been any sexual contact or not.
M. Moorhouse to Mundy, 12 July 1841, Protector of Aborigines Letterbook, 21 May 1840-6 January 1857, SAA GRG/52/7.
Acknowledgment: Henry Reynolds, The Other Side of the Frontier, pp. 58-59, 175 n.34.
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“One more hour of daylight”
What could be termed the 'final stand' of the Bigambul took place in July 1849. [Native Police Commandant Frederick] Walker was preparing to go to the Condamine River again when Pantaloon, a local man described by Walker as a 'ringleader' approached the Native Police camp making offerings of peace. At nine o'clock that evening Walker was made aware that Pantaloon and his brother Bobby had stolen two sheep. A tribe of Aborigines believed to be under the leadership of 'Darby' had joined a strong reinforcement of 'Moonee blacks' at a place called Cumba.
Walker felt that the peace proposal was an attempt to mislead the Native Police and at eleven o'clock that evening set off in pursuit of the Aborigines. They followed the trail, finding slaughtered beasts at each camp. Late in the afternoon of Monday 9th July, Walker's detachment came across a party of Aborigines cutting up a beast belonging to a Mr Pringle. The Aborigines immediately attempted to escape across a plain but were driven back by a detachment under the command of Corporal Logan, one of two Aboriginal non-commissioned officers. Two troopers prevented the Bigambul from escaping across the river.
Walker, with local squatters Morris, Marshall and Rens, and four troopers, was cut off from the main body by a group of thirty or more Aborigines who were protected by thick scrub. It was getting dark and Walker's men flushed the Bigambul out of the bush and then rushed forward on foot. They fired their muzzle loading carbines at the Aborigines who were twelve paces away. The squatters and police eventually drove the Aborigines from cover, but not without injury to themselves. Walker's orderly, Edgar, was speared through the leg but drew the weapon out and drove it several inches into the body of his adversary. Rens received a facial wound from a boomerang.
Once this party had been dealt with, Walker's small group rejoined the main body of troopers. The remainder of the Bigambul warriors had by now escaped. Walker, who was not satisfied with the carnage already inflicted, reported:
I much regretted not having one more hour of daylight as I would have annihilated that lot. [1]
Frederick Walker to Colonial Secretary, 12 July 1849, New South Wales State Archives, 4/2920, 49/7305.
Acknowledgment: Copland, Richards and Walker, One Hour More Daylight, pp. 47-48, n.137.