section 19 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org letters from Victorian pioneers letter 19 from W. Odell Raymond Stratford Stratford 15th of August 1853 my dear tires in reply to your note in closing me his excellency the governor's favor of the 29th of July and requiring my reply on Wednesday at the latest you give me a bit little time to collect my memory as to my first travels into this district and certainly no time to enable me to address the letter to his excellency upon the subject I will therefore reply by giving you all the information I can bring to my memory with the hope that you will put it in proper form and at the same time express my regret at not being able myself to address his excellency the droughts of 1839 1840 1841 having caused great losses amongst our stock sheep and cattle at Wellington where I had the management of my father's stations I had recommended a removal of a portion of the sheep to the northward and had fully made up my mind for a trip to New England with at least half our sheep just at this time early in 1842 I got in possession of a pamphlet published by counts dress lecky giving a description of Gippsland and pointing out by a chart the route into it this caused me to immediately arrange for the removal of a portion of our stock to Gippsland and I had in three weeks after seeing the work 8000 sheep on the road I however had not started when I received information that Mr. Albert Broderick had started from Bradhurst with a number of sheep belonging to Mr. Reeve for the same destination and I believe upon the same information the counts work I do not deem it required that I should enumerate all the casualties attending upon such a journey say 700 miles but suffice it to say that I arrived after many difficulties at the Mitchell River Gippsland upon the 20th of June 1842 after a constant travel for four months with my stock and working cattle in better condition than when I left Wellington with regard to that portion of his excellency letter if preceded accompanied or immediately followed by whom and when and the general state of the district around and in advance of me at that period I beg to state Mr. Curlewis's and Mr. Reeve's sheep preceded me a few weeks Mr. Logan and Taylor with sheep cattle and horses joined company with me at Mancrew Mr. F. Jones at Omeo and we traveled in company to the Mitchell River as to the state of the district around and in advance of me at the period of my arrival I'm only able to refer you to a copy of a letter I wrote upon my arrival at Melbourne at Mr. Parker's request for the information of Governor Gipps as the only record of my first observations as to the state of Gippsland upon my arrival trusting that it may convey some of the information that Mr. Latrobe is requiring I now conclude begging that you will express my best wishes for his excellency's safe arrival and happy meeting with his friends in Old England and believe me to be my dear tires yours ever truly W. O'Dell Raymond letter forwarded by Mr. Raymond to Mr. Tires Melbourne 24th of August 1842 Dear Parker I should have before this written to you according to my promise but the sameness of the country through which I traveled where you meet nothing pleasing to the eye or interesting to relate induced me to defer writing up to this time in the hope that I might be able to give you some information respecting Gippsland which may not before have reached you counts trellettes keys description of it as an agricultural and grazing country's fully borne out in all my travels in New South Wales for those purposes I have not seen its equal his chart however gives you a very incorrect idea of the courses of the rivers as you will see by Mr. Townsend survey which I suppose will have arrived in Sydney before this that part of the country marked in the counts chart between Gippsland and Omeo as Buckleys and McAllister stations is a very extensive country and better suited for sheep than Gippsland and I have no doubt the greater portion of it will be taken up next summer the richness of the soil in Gippsland makes it with the exception of small portions of it less suited for sheep but it is capable of feeding an immense number of cattle the runs which I have selected are on the Avon River and extend to a lake into which the river empties itself and are a fine open undulating country sound to the water's edge I however do not consider them equal to those I occupied at Wellington had with the same moisture as I am led to suppose we have in Gippsland the lake itself is a very large sheet of water which I suppose to be in width about 12 or 14 miles from what I saw of it from the mountains when coming to Gippsland I should imagine it to be from 50 to 60 miles long the water when I visited it was brackish but not too much so for stock and we were soon able to enjoy a good pot of tea made with it after a long day's ride I am however assured by Mr. McMillan Mr. McAllister superintendent and the first discoverer of this country who had visited it three times in the summer months that he never found it so before and the only way in which I can account for this is that I suppose the rush of water into the lake at this time of the year is so great as to break through some outlet or sandbank leaving a passage for the saltwater to enter which passage fills up in the summer months I however intend on my return to make an excursion on the lake and examine the coast side of it as well as the soundings the particulars of which I will give you when I return to Sydney after shearing I have not as yet fallen in with any of the Aboriginal natives but from what I can collect respecting them they are a wild race and have already committed some outrageous on the settlers there are already in Gippsland about seven thousand head of cattle belonging to Mr. McAllister McFarlane Arbuckle Cunningham Pearson Jones Taylor and Lognan and some small squatters who I understand do not hold licenses thirty five thousand sheep brought by Mr. McAllister Ker-Lewis Reeve Taylor and Jones and myself and about one hundred horses and a population of one hundred and forty four free men thirty three bound twenty six free women and seventeen children most of them in service the remainder living God knows how on the beach where they have erected huts for themselves waiting they say for the town allotments to be put up on sale we feel the want of a police bench very much here the servants do just as they like work or walk away as they think proper and are harbored by those people on the beach if my father agree to my proposition to bring down the remainder of our sheep and to reside there I shall willingly do my best as a magistrate to keep the district in order if his excellency will give me the power by granting a court of petty sessions a clerk and a few constables or perhaps a party of the border police under the direction of a sergeant of the mounted police would be more available in the district Mr. Ker-Lewis I understand intends to reside in the district so does Mr. Reeve and these gentlemen would I think be eligible for appointment to the commission of the peace and their services as magistrates would I have no doubt be of great advantage to the district I arrived here last week after a very severe journey by way of western port Mr. Albert Broadrib Mr. Pearson I and my black fellow who my brought with me from Wellington started on the information of a Mr. Campbell who stated that he had ridden for three days in the direction of western port and had got sight of that place upon this information we took with us 10 days provisions and pack horses to accompany us for two days we however owing to the denseness of the scrub found it impossible to bring the horses farther than the first day's journey about 14 miles consequently we shouldered our pack blessing the informer and with great difficulty made about four miles that day for 14 days during 10 of which it rained without ceasing we never could exceed eight miles in a day on the 15th day we got into a lower and less broken country the scrub still continuing with water up to our knees and our provisions with the exception of a little flour and tea were all exhausted we however managed to exist to the end of the journey upon what the black fellow could get in the shape of two pheasants five monkeys and a parrot a small portion of which was served out in the morning with about two tablespoonfuls of flour which we put to boil in a quart pot of water in the evening by way of change we had the monkey and tea without sugar in this way we lived for eight days at times so exhausted that when we walked a mile or two we were quite done up suffering severely from the cuts we got getting through the scrub our clothes and boots being completely torn off of us and it was I can assure you to our great joy on the eighteenth day that we made western port when we were picked up by Mr Surveyor Smith who is surveying the coast and who kindly conveyed us in his boat to Mr Jamesons and then to Mr Mantons from whence we made this place making the journey on foot in twenty two days as the mail by the Tambo is about to be made up I must now conclude assuring you that I will at all times be most ready to give you any information as to the district that may be in my power and remain my dear sir yours ever truly W. O'Dell Raymond Gippsland footnote this document is not signed it was found by Mr Raymond among his papers and forwarded by him to Mr Tyres along with the preceding letter editor and a footnote population from three hundred fifty to four hundred of whom thirty are bond probable amount of revenue licenses Reeve Raymond Corlewis Cunningham Duncan and Mason Lognan Jones McFarlane McAllister MacMillan Arbuckle Pearson Scott King four hundred pounds there are several settlers squatting without license keeping stores grog shops etc if obliged to pay license their licenses would produce Campbell Bunton Turnbull Neosyn Kennedy Furnham cuts seventy pounds assessment for this half year seven thousand cattle thirty five thousand sheep hundred fifty horses hundred and twenty pounds eight shilling four pens assessment for next half year adding fifty percent hundred and eighty pounds twelve shilling six pens probable amount of revenue for eighteen forty three five hundred eleven pounds and ten pens this amount is likely to be much increased as follows from the number of settlers going to Gippsland probable amount of customs duty now lost to the government three thousand six hundred pounds of tobacco all can be landed free of duty from Van Diemen's land to public house licenses three hundred and sixty pounds spirits at an average of ten shelling a gallon three hundred pounds total one thousand one hundred seventy one pounds and ten pens this is the amount of revenue that can be collected in Gippsland with proper officers this is allowing twelve pounds of tobacco to each grown adult male per annum known to be less than the average and say each man spends five pounds per annum in drink of this four pounds is for spirits at forty shelling retail price per gallon the treasury has also received ten thousand two hundred and sixty pounds for two special surveys at Gippsland and also five thousand one hundred and twenty pounds for a third special there but which has since been allowed to be selected elsewhere the township is also being surveyed at this moment and must bring a considerable sum to the land fund end of section 19 section 20 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org letters from victorian pioneers letter 20 from Thomas Manifold dear sir I received your letter of the 29th Altimo asking information as to the first occupation of various portions of the colony this I have great pleasure in furnishing so far as my recollections will admit I shall therefore commence from my first connection with Port Phillip I first visited it for the purpose of examining it early in February 1836 at which time there were not more than about two thousand five hundred sheep in the whole district although fully twice that number had been shipped but from casualties had been reduced to about the number I have named one of my brothers and myself reached Jolly Brand Point early in July where we heard that a number of gentlemen on a pleasure party had been with the Brig Henry into Geelong Harbour and as we wished to settle westward this at once determined us on attempting to land our sheep at Point Henry then known by the native name Malopio we succeeded in doing this and I put the first sheep ever landed on the pointer shore on the ninth of July 1836 during the same day Mr John Stiglitz also arrived with stock we immediately removed to the mornable and occupied both sides of that river from Sutherland's Creek down to the old racecourse at this time there were only three stations west of the worry bee that is Cowie, Steed and Stiglitz at a place on the mornable known as the Bellpost Dr Thompson's station at the Falls on the Barrowan and a Mr Dark on the Barrowbool Hills these I believe arrived and occupied the country in the order I have named them having landed their stock either at the heads or a jelly brand point we were immediately followed by Mr William Road Knight who occupied the country on both sides of the river where the lower vineyards are in the September following a great influx of stock into the western district took place by the arrival of Mr Joseph Sutherland who settled on the creek now bearing his name Mr G Russell on account of the Clyde Company and the Mornable and Lee Mr David Fisher on account of the Derwent Company occupying where Geelong now is indented head and the country about the junction of the Barrowan and Lee a Captain Pollock went on to the Barrowan where the Upper Vineyard is a Dr Sharpe on account of Colonel Cowsell taking the upper part of Sutherland's Creek and Mr John Hyatt remained moving about a short time on the Barrowan finally removed into the Melbourne district the above to the best of my recollection arrived during September and October 1836 I then until the commencement of 1839 resided in Van Diemen's land with the exception of occasional short visits and cannot say in what order the country was taken up in November of 1837 my brothers and self examined the country about Banyang, Warren Hape and Lake Borumbeat and encamped one night on the now celebrated Golden Point Ballarat little dreaming of the immense wealth beneath us at this time there were only two stations on the upper part of the Moribble that is that of Mr J and McLeod and that of Mr G F Reed it was in December of 1838 that my brothers first discovered Lake Borumbeaty and Mount Leura country we then abandoned our station on the Moribble which became a kind of depot for stock on first arrival and removed our stock to Borumbeaty which we occupied about the close of January 1839 the Monsieur's Balden had a week or two previously occupied the run on the Pyrenee Yalloch which they soon after sold to Scott and Richardson the next station formed was at Mount Norat by a person named Taylor on account of Monsieur's McKillip and Smith who sold to Monsieur's Neil Black and Co this was taken up in March 1839 the Mount Shadwell country was now occupied by a Mr Anderson who removed from the stations now held by Macmillan and Wilson Ward Yalloch with a portion of stock belonging to Derwent Company and soon afterwards fell into the hands of Captain Webster simultaneously with the occupation of Mount Shadwell the Monsieur's Watson discovered the Hopkins and took up the Marang run on the western side and then sold to Mr Ferry the land on the opposite side to Ferries was first taken up by the Monsieur Balden in August 1840 and then sold to Mr G Roger during the period from August to Christmas 1840 the Monsieur's Balden by forming various out stations occupied on the western side of the Hopkins all the country subsequently held by Monsieur's Plummer and Dent Strong and Foster, Manifold, Riery, Carmichael, Good, Mailer, Manning, Eddington, Walker and Cosgrove and on the eastern side the part of the country held by Black, Johnson, Walker, Chris Holm and Allen I cannot name the precise time when each of these stations was occupied but believe that Plummer and Dent's now Joseph Weir's was occupied about the latter end of 1842 or commencement of 1843 Strong and Foster's about the same time Riery's the lake station in June 1844 my own the Grasmere station in the month following the others were respectively portions sliced of the country claimed by the Monsieur's Balden Allen's station was occupied first in 1841 and Chris Holm's Junction of Hopkins and Emu Creek about the same time in reply to your inquiries as to the haunts numbers etc of the aborigines I am afraid I can give little or no information although each tribe has its own district and each family its portion I never could perceive that they became in any way attached to a particular spot or attempted to constructed dwelling having any greater claim to permanency than the common Maya Maya nor have I ever observed the slightest semblance of religion among them with respect to their number at the time the country was first occupied it has been in all accounts I have seen very much overrated I come to this conclusion from having counted their Maya Mayas when congregated and do not recollect in any instance seeing more than about 30 nor do I think they would average more than from four to five in a hut their manner towards the first settlers had generally the semblance of extreme friendship but this I am convinced did not in reality ever exist it arose from the mere novelty of the thing and a desire to gratify their curiosity which being satiated they would whenever they got a chance plunder or murder even those from whom they had only a few minutes previously received presence and food this may seem harsh but I have known so many instances of it that I feel justified in speaking thus generally of them trusting the above may be of some little service I remain dear sir yours truly Thomas Manifold to his excellency CJ Latrobe Esquire end of section 20 section 21 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org letters from victorian pioneers letter 21 from George Armitage Hermitage October 6th 1853 dear sir and reply to yours of the 29th of July requesting information as to the first settlement of the country adjacent to the Barwon and Glen Elk rivers in the first week of May 1836 I left Georgetown Vendemen's land with a small flock of sheep in the brig Henry five days after embarkation they were landed at Williamstown Port Phillip where I found several if not all of first settlers with their flocks all of which had been brought from Vendemen's land within the five or six previous months and which were left in charge of the shepherds near the beach until suitable runs could be procured I have no recollection of any serious depredations having been committed by the aborigines at this time the wild dogs were very numerous and troublesome and destroyed several sheep their howling at night was terrific while at Williamstown and Mr. Franks and I agreed to take up a run together Mr. Franks was to select it after making these arrangements I left my sheep and shepherd and returned to Vendemen's land about six weeks after I received the melancholy intelligence of the murder of poor Mr. Franks and my shepherd both of whom had been struck on the head by the blacks with the tomahawk while making a bush fence for yarding the sheep on the new run they had selected on Mount Cotterill near the river Axie shortly after during the day my son Thomas on riding up to assist in making the yards found the unfortunate Mr. Franks and the shepherd lying on their faces with the back of their heads split open about this time there were other murders one at indented head captain flat a manager for Dr. Thompson after being dreadfully beaten and left for dead recovered several other murders and robberies were committed by the blacks but I cannot particularize them after this my sheep were put into a flock of judge petters in charge of Mr. Dark where they remained until the unfortunate circumstance of the loss of Mr. Jellybrand and Hassey these gentlemen had been missing some time and doubts being entertained of their safety my son who was an article clerk to Mr. Jellybrand went with four or five others in search of the missing explorers in the direction where from the information they had received they hoped to fall in with their tracks after searching and following the Barwin river in the westerly direction about 30 miles from Geelong they found the tracks of the lost party and followed them until they reached the place where Mr. Jellybrand and Mr. Hassey had camped on this spot the searching party stayed during the night next morning they continued following the track up the river until the country became so stony and rough that they could not trace the party further consequently they struck off from the river towards Lake Colac and therefore it was at this time and by this party Lake Colac was first discovered and also Banyang stony rises and other places after the party returned my son took the sheep to the spot where he first found the track of Jellybrand's party and where we have been ever since this part of the country has since been surveyed and marked off into counties and parishes our station named Ingleby is in the parish of Yanyan Gort County Polworth the eastern side of my Ingleby station was taken up by Mr. Henry Hopkins of Hobart town and is now the property of his son John Hopkins and called Wormbeat this property is considerably improved the station on the north side of Wormbeat was first taken possession of by Mr. W Rodenight whose son is now in possession the station south of Ingleby was taken up by William Rodenight and is now occupied by Mr. Thomas Vickery Mr. Rodenight's son-in-law this station is called Yanyan Gort the station adjoining this on the west was taken up by Thomas Crutch who sold it to Matthews who sold to George Vickery who is now in possession the original occupiers of the country adjacent to and lying west southwest further up the Barwin River where Mr. Austin, Rodenight, Ricketts, Dennis and myself all of whom in 1840 were removed by the government to make room for the Wesleyan missionaries who if I am correctly informed brought an order from the home government to occupy 10 miles square of land for the purpose of maintaining and civilizing the aborigines this mission failed and the land has since been sold and led to the highest bidder nearly the whole of it is now in possession of Mr. James Austin and myself northwest of the mission station was originally occupied by a Mr. Matheson who sold to the Mr. Dennis the present occupiers the original occupiers of the land lying westerly from Mr. Dennis in the Colac district where Mr. Murray Lloyd, Dr. Murray's, Pollock, Dewing and Captain Fiance the whole of whom sold their rights of runs accepting Mr. Murray and Captain Fiance in consequence of the great expenses and many difficulties they had to contend with about five miles in an easterly direction from Dennis Brothers and north from Ingleby about three miles are two small mountains supposed to be a volcanic production they are named after the two unfortunate gentlemen, Mr. Jellibrand and Hesse between Mount Jellibrand and Dennis Brothers station is situated a station selected and originally occupied by Aerie and Darnell who made considerable improvements these gentlemen dissolved partnership Darnell sold to Aerie who has since died the property is now rented to Mr. Spiel and Trebek the station lying east of the last mentioned called Hesse Mount is part of a station originally occupied by Mr. Hyatt and Harding they have separated Hyatt sold to Mr. Hopkins of Hobart town whose son Arthur is now occupying it Mr. Harding still retains possession of his half my son Thomas who has been previously mentioned in this letter lost his life by a cold caught in crossing the bar one before there were any bridges I have the honor to remain your Excellency's most obedient servant George Armitage to his Excellency the Lieutenant Governor C. J. Latrobe Esquire etc. P.S. most substantial improvements chiefly stone have been made on nearly all the stations herein mentioned they are fully stocked with sheep cattle and horses and there are cultivated fields well fenced on nearly every station on our station there are 40 000 sheep 2000 cattle and horses etc the aborigines occupying the country adjacent to the bar one river from the sea to its source were supposed to be about 300 in all they intended head barra bull hills Colac and Yanyan Gert tribes their chief support was fish caught in the river in the summer and autumn seasons and in winter and spring they depended on their success in hunting together with a route called Murnong the gentleman I expected to get information from relative to the country adjoining the Glen Elk acquaints me he has given all the information your Excellency required to Mr Bell the commissioner but I am expecting this gentleman in Jilong after shearing when if I can glean anything further I will take care it shall be forwarded g a end of section 21 section 22 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org letters from Victorian pioneers letter number 22 from Henry Dwyer Victoria Valley Saturday August the 13th 1853 my dear sir I'm not surprised at your returning to Britain be it for wheel or woe as for me I suppose as I made a fool of myself by going home for a wife I must also make a fool of myself a second time by going again with her for his honest information I came here about the year 1841 with 1,800 sheep and a few horses the damned sheep ate the grass and I pared their feet and improved the country by my individual labour I got the run from James R Annett and Thomas Woolley first occupied it I've had many a scrimmage with the whites and the niggers once took a mob of my jumbucks across the Victoria to the Ghanelk where I followed them I recovered all but 44 sheep with the assistance of Captain Dana and his since much despised blaggard the niggers have always been shy of coming to or showing on this country your excuse my not writing more is tis my abhorrence with compliments to Mrs Rose I'm wishing you every happiness I remain yours very truly Henry Dwyer PD Rose Squire end of section 22 section 23 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org letters from Victorian pioneers letter number 23 from Sir H.E.F. Young station of Hogg and Lawton on board Lady Augusta Steamer beyond the Swan Hill Tuesday April the 20th 1853 my dear sir you will oblige me by causing to be made and sending to me at Adelaide a copy of my dispatch to the Secretary of State from the copy which I sent to Governor La Trobe from Swan Hill on the 17th instant for by some oversight of my amenuensis the transcript of it has not been retained to enable me to forward a duplicate to Downing Street you will hear no doubt from Mrs Irvine a correspondent of Mrs Campbell's many of the little incidents of our void which a ladies pen can only describe suitably all I need to say is that in every respect the journey has thus far been very agreeable and Mrs Irvine's wit and cheerfulness have contributed greatly to enliveness the river for 40 miles approaching Swan Hill and for 20 miles beyond it presents the most singular aspect which it is possible to conceive a vast plain of reeds without visible high land of any kind or trees the river course perfectly safe open and deep three and three and a half fathoms occasionally a fringe of high trees and then another vast plain entirely bare and open with large lakes whilst the first fringe of trees lasted the snags were pretty frequent and the trees rather overhanging but offering no serious impediment to the navigation on the reed plains we have seen many fat cattle but generally at this season they are too much underwater to be fit for pasture but in summer I should think them excellent the reeds evidently have a tendency to give place to grass and consequently firmer ground and when the day arrives for the wet plains to become meadows they will be rich indeed the merianne as steamer of 20 tons built navigated and owned by the randles millers and farmers of gumaraca started a fortnight before us from the reedy creek and reached Swan Hill some hours after as on the 17th instant she is now ahead of us having steamed all night and past us this morning while we were at anchor cutting wood the squatters are all delighted at the prospect of sending their wool by water and there can be no doubt that steamers will henceforth never leave these waters to the great benefit of all the colonies on this speedy exploration of the rest of the continent yours very sincerely H. E. F. Young Norman Campbell Asquire end of section 23 section 24 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Catherine letters from Victorian pioneers letter 24 from A. M. Campbell Ganawara Ganawara 29th of September 1853 sir I received your communication of the 29th of July about five weeks since and I have to apologize for not replying sooner I hope that you will obtain some of the information required from the enclosed last Wednesday evening the lady Augusta steamer arrived here having on board Sir Henry Young and a number of ladies and gentlemen from South Australia they left on Friday morning on their return they seemed much delighted with their voyage and quite sanguine as to the continual successful navigation of the Murray for six or eight months in the year I am sir your most obedient servant A. M. Campbell his excellency C. J. Latrobe Asquire in October 1844 I came up to the Murray to look for an occupied country suitable for pastoral purposes and went out exploring on the other side of the river and saw much available country the lowest stations then were Mr. Collier's on this side and Mr. Clark's on the other side of the river Mr. E. B. Green had taken up a run below Mr. Clark's which he had to vacate for about twelve months on account of the hostility of the blacks in February 1845 I brought my stock sheep and cattle up to the Murray and stationed them temporarily on the Yalloch Creek about 13 miles below the Mr. Collier's home station and went out exploring on this side of the river accompanied by Mr. McDoggle acting for Mr. J. C. Lewis and Jack and native of Twofold Bay and after being out 14 days returned to my camp at the Yalloch Creek Mr. McDoggle and I proceeded to Melbourne to obtain the posturing licenses and before my return poor Jack had been enticed away by other aborigines who murdered him the day after I was much surprised that he joined them as I had frequently heard him express his belief that if they got an opportunity they would kill him and that he would put no faith in anything they might say to the contrary I was much grieved at his loss for he was a merry agreeable fellow a first-rate bulk driver and an expert horseman he was about 20 years of age and had lived seven years with the whites I came here early in June Mr. Kerluis had passed to Lake Boga Mr. James Cowper had located himself on the other side of the Loden with sheep about 18 miles from this and Mr. James Rowan arrived at Gunbauer station shortly afterwards I cultivated a friendly feeling with the natives and I found them inoffensive and obedient upon one occasion however seven strange blacks came to the hut there was no one at home but myself and after some conversation with them I went to the river for water previous to stooping down I happened to turn around and saw one of the natives Waragul Jemi afterwards transported for life following me a few yards behind with my own axe uplifted and clasped in both hands I fixed my eye upon his walked deliberately up to him and gently took hold of the axe which he quietly relinquished I walked back to the hut conversing with him as if he had done nothing to excite my suspicion and I concealed the circumstance from my own men and the natives on the station for about two years when I mentioned it to the natives of this place they said they had no doubt but that Waragul Jemi intended to kill me but that he acted from impulse and there was nothing premeditated at another time when near the reedy lake about 30 natives naked and armed with spears surrounded me and I was well pleased to recognize three of the blacks from my own station among them whom I advise immediately to go home which they did the party when I saw them were going in the direction where two days afterwards about 60 miles distant two of Mr. Cowper's shepherds were murdered by aborigines who about that time showed much hostility towards Mr. Cowper and shortly afterwards towards Mr. Corlewis the latter sustained a loss from their attacks upon his cattle of about six thousand pounds the cause was I believe the following some white men on one side of the marabit called out to some blacks on the other side to come to them the latter inquired who they were and were told that they were Mr. Corlewis's men shooting ducks the unsuspecting blacks were crossing in a canoe when one or two of them were shot by the whites who were Mr. Cowper's men in april 1846 I went about 140 miles down on this side of the Murray accompanied by two whites and a gunbear black fellow when about 10 miles below the country since occupied by Mr. Beaverage we saw a number of natives at a distance who seemed very frightened of us at length they approached nearer carrying green bows in their hands which they kept waving towards us and came to the opposite bank of a creek when we carried on a conversation through my black fellow and two of them agreed to cross to us if we sent away our guns which was done we were short of provisions at the time and they promised to meet us next day with fish we then proceeded lower down the river resolving to return next day after parting with the natives my black fellow informed me that when we went for the fish the natives would kill us that they told him so and asked him to join them I doubted his statement after consideration and after questioning him closely at different times I discovered that he was trying to deceive me which he confessed but said that we ought to shoot them after they brought us the fish we met the two natives next day according to appointment who gave us the promised fish one of these men afterwards assisted to murder Mr. Beaverage some months after I came up here Mr. A. McCallum occupied Mount Hope and Tri-Govle and Mr. Green re-occupied the stations on the opposite side of the Murray the gunbower blacks are 35 in number the mealy water blacks or my blacks are 32 in number and are not decreasing and of section 24 section 25 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org letters from Victorian pioneers letter 25 from John Gardner note taken from Mr. J Gardner by Mr. La Trobe on board the Argo August 19 1853 first visit to P. P. W. Jollebrand 1836 C. Journal of Later returns to V. D. L. and then to NSW close of year December came over land to Murrumb G. W. Sheep with Hoddon and Hepburn having disposed of his station on that river to mollison ebden follows end of section 25 section 26 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Catherine letters from Victorian pioneers letter 26 from Philip D. Rose Melbourne dear sir I send you the enclosed which I fear is of little value but I found a reluctance in many to allow me to repeat anecdotes of blacks mentioned by themselves and I've only told of what I know to be correct I am dear sir yours very truly Philip D. Rose his Excellency C. J. La Trobe James Hodgkinson Maiden Hills Woodstock taken up in 1841 with 2000 sheep one horse and six bullocks sold in 1853 20,000 at 23 shilling sixpence and let 10,000 with part of the station at two shilling sixpence for five years had great trouble with the blacks at starting lost by them 200 sheep the number of blacks exceeded 500 in 1841 now only a few stragglers remaining frequent murders among the blacks and in some instances Europeans also the country is now much improved for pastoral purposes kangaroo grass has nearly disappeared and wire grass taken its place brody and crook shank one wonder river Wimmera taken up in February 1844 with 3,300 sheep lost by the blacks during the first year 1,800 sheep the extra expenses while forming the station guns extra labor etc two shepherds to each flock and additional hutkeepers 1,000 pounds added 18,000 sheep during the year the blacks were exceedingly numerous and troublesome Mount Arabiles being their headquarters when we'd stolen stock their numbers are now greatly diminished Alfred Tady Thompson Fiery Creek taken up in 1841 having been five months on the road with 4,000 sheep lost 300 under Mount William by the blacks who were so troublesome as to cause two shepherds to be with each flock and at times the men refused to shepherd from fear of the blacks our Sutherland took a part of Taylor and McPherson's run in 1846 and caused a lawsuit each party leading his men in a battle royale Sutherland had to vacate Alec Anderson Emure Creek taken up in 1840 with 2,030 shilling per head not troubled with blacks himself but great complaints farther off companies Lee on the moribol taken up in 1839 with 25,000 blacks troublesome at first there were 200 at that time in the tribe called the wood coal tribe few remaining John Carfrey led Kurt Wimmera bought in 1848 21,000 sheep at seven shilling per head clean it is doubtful if this run has improved being of a wet nature a coarse grass having taken the place of the natural grass and herbs the kangaroos still plentiful at the foot of the mountains main range of grampians sandstone and all the shoulders from the base ironstone granite in some places covered with sandstone Sir Thomas Mitchell's track still visible at Mount Tyre's also one circular encampment Neptune Malgorara Inure light of the mountain or wild dog of the mountain at the later end of 1853 died with drinking spirits he slipped away from the other blacks and spilled a cask and was found dead under it in the morning one family of blacks have died off in this run in three years all strong fine men each dying in the same month same week in corresponding years from apparently the same cause that is wasting of their lungs attributed to change of clothes and diet Dublin Jack a white man lived six years with the blacks and has two fine boys he was found dead in his camp in about June last supposed to have been strangled by the natives one black at Mount Willis station died from eating wheat while grinding another at lead court from eating enormously of a deceased sheep crows and eagle hawks are our worst enemies and the wild dog is again beginning to appear hay was sold this year at 75 pounds per ton to the innkeeper old bill yannon gonna spring from the earth is at Norfolk island having been sent there for stealing 600 sheep belonging to Bailey and Hamilton which were found with all their forelegs broken to keep them from getting away this black was seen at Norfolk island and whenever he mentioned the Grampians invariably cried from thought of home in 1841 a hutkeeper and stockman at Mochipilly took two lubras from their camp to their own huts then went and shot the Coolies whom they buried in the sand I was told this by a black calligan well known at the Grampians who pointed out the spot where they were buried and digging I found it to be too true a black dead three months was taken from the tree where he was buried and the council being held he was taken carefully down one old man holding the body in a sitting posture between his legs still all covered with cloths and rags when one black walked up and uncovering the foot broke off the toe bones and retired another did the same with the other foot then others came in turn and each breaking off a joint until they came to the neck the face never having been uncovered which was kept from view by the old black holding it the lubras were singing all the time and the head was again buried in a tree and all the bones of the body collected and put into a bag which the old mother slept on and uses still September 1853 as a pillow in 1844 and 1845 I took a white half-cast infant from the mother who gave it up very willingly I kept it for two months but a disorder breaking out on it my servant refused to attend to it and on my departure for town made the mother take it away since which I could never persuade her to let me have him again but she has since sold him for a sack of flour to Armstrong of Allenvale who has him at present with his own boys at school in Melbourne and he surpasses the white children of his own age in quickness and learning he has lost all knowledge of the native language and is in great fear of blacks in 1843 I had a little girl about nine years old who kept constantly on the station from being nearly blind and in continual bad health she took great delight in pointing out springs on the run and was always very merry about two years after an old black captain jack came and took her away and when in the gap six miles from Rosebrook he drew her behind him as he sat on the ground and grasping her neck strangled her this was told me with merriment by the other blacks who were at the time stimulating the noise and convulsions of the poor little savage captain jack her murderer was himself killed by two of my own black boys who made him the first victim they had ever slain they did this by treachery they induced him to go with them to hunt and one sat down and offered the old fellow something to eat and went quite off his guard the other boy from behind knocked out his brains I am not aware what they did with the body being anxious to procure a skull two boys brought me one using it as a football and in great glee when the jaws and teeth rattled they did not like touching it with their hands about 1846 a woman and two children came to my station mochipally badly wounded with spears the mother had crawled nine miles and died two days after her arrival one child died also the other a boy I kept for five years and he was very useful when my wife came to the station he was very fond of her and told her of all bush and native habits on one occasion he asked my brother to let him go to a meeting of blacks but was refused as we were busy when he said if busy he did not want to go my brother being pleased with his willingness allowed him to leave but the poor little fellow was killed the day after the meeting had been all arranged for the purpose a letter sent me by a hut keeper months year I shunned tin big bags my attis box ps catchy the rat she obedient servitor norbert dolobosky I send ten big bags margaret's box and the puss has caught the rat rosebrook taken up in March 1843 as huber station expended three thousand dollars in purchasing stock for it had a few losses by blacks and was obliged to have two hut keepers together sold in 1853 10 000 sheep 300 cattle and all other items on station given in for 12 000 pounds 9 000 pounds of which was to hang over five years at six percent I have foolishly transferred my license which would have been one of the best securities I have known as many as 400 blacks assembled different tribes on this and neighboring stations at one time few are remaining about 30 only of one tribe now in 1843 I think there were over 100 a few old men still use a spatula to dig a small hole and cover their evacuations like the Israelites of old in 1843 at the grampians all did this none will eat pork there even now cooked in any shape salt or fresh they think it brings a scab out on them from my own experience I think the country greatly improving in grass but in some districts getting scrubby from fires not being so frequent principally in box forests and in the Sydney country end of section 26 section 27 of letters from Victorian pioneers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Sonia letters from Victorian pioneers letter 27 from George Faithful Wangarata Wangarata 8th of September 1853 my dear sir your excellency's letter of the 27th of July I beg respectfully to acknowledge and as far as it may be within my power I will endeavor to give your excellency as clear an account as my memory at this distance of time will admit respecting the first settlement by the white man of the land lying between the Murray and the Broken River it was in February 1838 that I first determined to remove my stock from the colony of New South Wales to the famed land of Port Phillip it was known for years prior to this time that much fine land lay in this neighborhood and extended from the Murrumbidgee to the Bay of Port Phillip human howl were the first discoverers of this fine country but Sir Thomas Mitchell some years afterwards in tracing down the Darling opened up the great country to the westward which gave the stimulus to the proprietors of stock in New South Wales to migrate with their flocks and herds from a land at that time suffering from severe drought into a land which is the glory of all lands many persons and numerous flocks and herds were on the line of march when I was but none terried or turned to the right hand or to the left all were hastening on to the land so highly pictured by the discoveries before mentioned when I arrived at the ovens I knew from Yume's description that there were planes called after the former Surveyor General Oxley I determined to turn out of the beaten road and visit Oxley Plains where I finally determined upon leaving my horned cattle sending on my sheep to the finer land spoken of by Sir Thomas Mitchell it was at this juncture that I sent on my brother's sheep under charge of his overseer to the Broken River to await my coming up unfortunately within a few days after their arrival there they were attacked by the Aborigines many of his men murdered the stocks scattered through the country and about 200 pounds worth of property then in the Drace taken away my brother having arrived shortly after the massacre of his men and destruction of his property we determined for the sake of more fully protecting each other to settle on the ovens some few months passed on when I had messiahs bowmen raid chism and docker as neighbors the country was left to us for some years in consequence of the hostility of the blacks which became so unbearable that I could not keep shepherds although well armed without employing a horseman in addition to myself to keep continually perambulating the woods lest the natives might cut them off during my employment in this way my cattle were destroyed in numbers within the short distance of only six miles from my hut I once found 14 head of slaughtered cattle in one pond of water they had been driven in by the natives it being an ana branch of the river and from the depth of the water and the boggy state of its banks they were destroyed with the tomahawk in endeavoring to get out thus I and my men were kept for years in a perpetual state of alarm we dared not move to supply our huts with wood or water without a gun and many of my men absconded from my service throwing away their fire locks and in some cases destroying the locks and making them wholly useless from sheer terror of the blacks this may appear too absurd for belief nevertheless it is a fact at last it so happened that I was the means of putting an end to this warfare riding with two of my stockmen one day quietly along the banks of the river we passed between the ana branch of the river itself by a narrow neck of land and after proceeding about half a mile we were all at once met by some hundreds of painted warriors with the most dreadful yells I had ever heard had they sprung from the regions below we could have hardly been more taken by surprise our horses bounded and nade with fear old broods which in other respects required an immense deal of persuasion in the way of spurs to make them go along our first impulse was to retreat but we found the narrow way blocked up by natives two and three deep and we were at once saluted with a shower of spears my horse bounded and fell into an immense hole a spear just then passed over the pommel of my saddle this was the signal for a general onset the natives rushed on us like furies with shouts and savage yells it was no time for delay I ordered my men to take deliberate aim and to fire only with certainty of destruction to the individual aim that unfortunately the first shot from one of my men's carbines did not take effect in a moment we were surrounded on all sides by the savages boldly coming up to us it was my time now to endeavor to repel them I fired my double barrel right and left and two of the most forward fell this stopped the impetiosity of their career I had time to reload and the war does begun continued from about 10 o'clock in the morning until four in the afternoon we were slow to fire which prolonged the battle and 60 rounds were fired and I trust and believe that many of the bravest of the savage warriors spit the dust it was remarkable that the children and many of the women likewise had so little fear that they boldly ran forward even on our horses legs picked up the spears and carried them back to the warrior men we at last beat them off the field and found that they had a fine fat bullock some of it roasting some cut up ready for the spit and more cattle dead ready to portion out the fight I have described gave them a notion of what sort of stuff the white man was made and my name was a terror to them ever after I picked up a boy from under a log took him home and tamed him and he became very useful to me and I think was the means of deterring his tribe from committing further wanton depredations upon my property my neighbors however suffered much long after this the government during all this time gave no help no assistance of any kind and at last threatened to hang anyone who dared to shoot a black even in protection of his property and appointed protectors to search about the country for information as to the destruction of the natives this gentleman resorted to the most contemptible means to gain information against individuals whom the trumpet tongue of falsehood had branded as having destroyed many of these savages this instead of doing good did much evil people formed themselves into bands of alliance and allegiance to each other and then it was the destruction of the natives really did take place I however never troubled myself to go off my own run I had no need of help and had no desire for the destruction of the wretched race but I would not undergo the same injuries annoyances and anxiety again for ten times the quantity of land I hold no sooner was all fear of the blacks dissipated than the whites became almost as great a nuisance in edging in their applications and claims for portions of our runs and let it be remembered that we were the first squatters and pioneers of the district unfortunately the government gave to willing an ear to them as we were all branded as murderers of the blacks they readily deprived us of portions of our runs to give them to the other squatters who were considered peaceful men as they well might be after the war was ended ours was the danger there's the reward I need hardly carry my short and necessarily imperfect account further your excellency is fully aware of the history of the squatters since no sooner did the home government give to that class an interest in their stations for the wholesome purpose of encouraging them to open up the wild lands of the colony to raise the walls so necessary for the use of the world at large to make themselves comfortable and become the purchasers of some portions of these wild lands than the gold digger the ephemeral grubber of a day sets up his claim to the right not only of the oriferous metal in the bowels of the earth but to the grass upon the earth and that too free from all restraint tramping underfoot the rights of the pioneers quarter rights gained by discovery and by conquest and which are acknowledged by our government because the land was god's land made for all men to enjoy in common therefore things in the earth and above the earth are theirs also in common ergo the cattle will shortly be theirs as the cattle eat the natural grasses of the earth and breed upon the earth and require no more tending than the kangaroo and why should one man enjoy monopolize flocks and herds sufficient for thousands because he may choose to put his brand upon them this is the next argument i expect to hear from these men trusting that your excellency will pardon me for inflicting so long a letter upon you i remain with great respect your excellency's obedient and humble servant george faithful his excellency cj lot rope a squire lieutenant governor victoria end of section 27 letter 28 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libra vox dot org recording by beth thomas melbourne victoria letters from victorian pioneers letter 28 from george de mercer to his excellency cj lotrobe melbourne weatherboard near gelong victoria august 22nd 1853 sir i regret that in disposition has prevented my earlier reply to your letter of 29th july requesting information as to the time and circumstances of the first occupation of the lee and bowen and gelong district generally on my arrival in this country the 11th of april 1838 the derwent company lately port phillip association possessed stock on the indented head and at gelong the land about point henry was only used for landing stock mr's cowy instead had a station on bellpost hill but shortly afterwards moved to their present runs mr's manifold had a run at baitsford on the dog rocks and they removed in april 1839 to their present runs mr g russell of clad company had his home station on the moribu now a portion of dr liamont's purchased ground but very shortly afterwards he moved up to his present head station on the lee mr's sutherland had a station on a creek running into the moribu on the north side the station mr william sharp now occupies the mr's baits were on the duckponds mr jason simpson on the whereby now mr churnside station the derwent company's stations extended as high as this one the native creek murga bolly flat and deep gully stations being all on the road besides the station on the barrable hills on what is now mr fishers purchased land dr tomson occupied his present house and held the adjacent country towards the coast with stock the mr's liamont had a station on my first arrival which is now a portion of this one on the south side of the barwin but they left it about may 1838 for bunan yong at this time there were no stations further out in the plains in may 1838 major mercer mr fischer and myself went out and came on the widie yellock at or about the frenchman's inn and following the creeks up discovered the run now held by mr j g mcmillan with those now held by mr herson mr cg ferris and mr af cunningham as also the cattle run now belonging to the latter and returning home by the lee immediately sent out stock and took up in june 1838 the last named four runs and not long afterwards took up the first in march 1839 we again started with a drae from mr mcmillan's present station went across to tim boon which we then held temporarily with two flocks of sheep for missus manifold who had penetrated through the stony rises and discovered their present run from tim boon we went on to taylor's river where mr f taylor in charge of sheep belonging to mr's mcillip and smith had been about a fortnight this station is now held by mr n black from thence we went on to mount shadwell under which the derwent company had two flocks this station is now held by mr burke recently purchased from captain webster leaving this the last station we went by mount rouse mount napier across to mount sturgeon thence following the edge of the plains crossed the fiery creek hopkins etc and by mount emu and emu hill back to mr mcmillan's station from whence we started the station on mergabolly flat afterwards held by the derwent company was originally taken up by the mr's yule but before my arrival they had moved in consequence i believe of one of their number having been killed by the natives the station now mr p sharps on the native creek on the old road to the lee was originally taken up by mr j g where mr w harding occupied on account of mr hyatt the station now mr a hopkins on the muddy lake and adjoining this and on their afterwards separating formed the mount hessie stations his present ones on his own account but the dates of these i'm unable to give captain pollock occupied the station in 1838 now purchased land at pollock's fort on the barwin this is the spot where mr's jelly brand and hessie were last seen and transferred it to mr j allen who in 1842 or three i fancy acquired the station now held by mr's russell simpson and russell from mr cp tilley who originally settled it mr a must have sold to mr james austin who sold 1851 to mr's r s and r mr prentice originally took up the station held now by mr af cutting him warren bin lately mr john thompson's this run was allotted to my father on the division of the derwent company in june 1842 as also the mount mercer cattle station now belonging to mr af cutting him as regards the natives of the colony my intercourse with them was little chiefly in the neighborhood of gelong went out on the expedition by mount rouse and mount sturgeon we were under the latter hill very nearly attacked by a band the aborigines about gelong were after the first year always quiet they killed two of the port philip associations or derwent companies men on indented head in 1836 the bun and young natives were occasionally troublesome both in their own country and even down as far as this could i be of any assistance to you i beg you will command my services and i will be happy to add any information i may just at present have forgotten as this is written rather hurriedly i remain sir yours faithfully george d mercer end of letter 28 section 29 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a liby vox recording or liby vox recordings in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liby vox dot org number 29 letter from william f splat dear sir melbourne 13th of august 1853 i have to acknowledge the receipt of your circular letter of date 29th ultimo in which you ask for information respecting the first settlement of various portions of this colony in reply i beg leave to say that any information in my power to communicate will i fear prove very meager in as much as it was not until 1841 that i arrived in the colony and i have never myself taken up any new country but have invariably purchased from others who preceded me it is however within my knowledge that all the country on the whimmerer to the north and west of the pyrenees from wjt clerks and smith stations to lake hind march was unoccupied prior to the year 1844 in that year the flocks of mrs brody and crook shank mrs taylor and mcpherson mrs wilson's major fire brace philip d rose and others were first settled on the country in the neighborhood of horsham and mount arapales it was in august 1845 that i purchased mrs brody and crook shanks live stock with the right to their station known by the name of one wonder and in connection with my partner mr cp pincent i still retain that establishment i have reason to believe that the aboriginal population though not nearly so numerous heroes on the murray were very troublesome and caused great losses to the settlers during the first year they occupied this part of the country but since that period they became nearly harmless and appeared to have greatly diminished in numbers the neighborhood of the granel was much earlier settled it was in 1840 that the flocks of mrs james jackson and m gibson after rejecting fine planes from the lee to mount elephant and to mount shadow and also the rich country of the wanon were finally settled down on the precipitous and heathy banks of the granel it was in 1846 that i purchased mrs jackson and gibson's live stock with a right to their rose need stations on the granel which in 1849 i sold to mr john ralston the present occupant the country on the lower london lower revoker and lower murray remained unoccupied until the year 1847 in that year there was a great rush to this quarter the flocks and herds of mrs booth and argyle am cambell mr cooper mrs curlewis and cambell a beverage and others occupied for the first time this fine pastoral country in 1849 i purchased mrs curlewis and cambell's live stock with the right to their extensive stations all of which i still retain the aboriginal inhabitants of the lower murray are more numerous and a finer race than any other native tribe i have seen in australia the comparatively warm short winter of this neighborhood and the abundant sufficient game may in part account for this i can furnish no estimate of their numbers but as far as i'm able to judge their decrease here is much more gradual than elsewhere and although they have innumerous instances of aggression on their part one of which the murder of mr beverage may be in your recollection the native population of the lower murray have on the whole proved much more useful to the settlers than those of any other district with which i'm acquainted yours very truly william f splat to his excellency cj lartrobe squire end of section 29 section 30 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a liby vox recording or liby vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liby vox.org letters from victorian pioneers letter number 30 from robert jamison melbourne 9th of august 1853 i have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of july the 26th which reached me three days ago in cheerfully complying with the request i must express regret that i can afford so little information i arrived in port philip towards the end of the year 1838 and about six weeks afterwards proceeded to cape shank accompanied by william ryrie a squire to look at a tract of country which had just been taken up with a herd of 800 head of cattle from manoroo by an overseer in the employ of child's camel a squire sydney by the advice of mr ryrie the stock and run being for sale i proceeded to sydney overland completed the purchase and took possession from the first of january 1839 the boundaries of the rum were very indefinite as i was the only settler on the coast side of Arthur's seat and all the country from point napien to cape shank now comparatively so thickly populated was then in undisputed possession of the tangaroo emu and a native dog the first of these running literally in large herds between my run and melbourne a distance of about 70 miles there was but one settler mr edward hobson located at kangaroo at the base of Arthur's seat about the month of july 1839 mrs hobson desalium myself accompanied by three aboriginal natives carted a whale boat from kangaroo to western port for the purpose of exploring the country in the neighborhood of that bay the result of the expedition was my taking possession of the run at the head of western port known afterwards as yellow and moving my stock there with the exception of about 150 head of cattle which with my right to the cape shank run i sold to mrs willoughby and tomson mr tomson afterwards sold to the present occupant john barker asquire for a considerable period after occupying yelik the only settlers beyond me were mrs anderson and massie who had an agricultural establishment on the bass river and sent their produce to market by water employing for that purpose small vessels of from 20 to 30 tons berthin i retained possession of yelik station till the year 1845 when i sold out to henry moore asquire in the beginning of 1839 there were very few settlers on the south side of the era mrs ryrie were the highest of the river between them and near to town were mrs wood and one or two others on the road to western port was the dandenong station super intended by a langhorn asquire and beyond it there were i think only ruffy's and o'connor's stations while last the on what is now the point and a peon road was the solitary station of mr hobson the tribe of aboriginal natives known as the western port blacks numbered i should imagine when i knew them first upwards of 300 but on this point mr assistant protector thomas would be an authority during the seven years of my residence in the bush i saw a great deal of the natives and invariably found them quiet inoffensive and willing in their way to be useful they never did me any harm intentionally and on many occasions really helped me although any attempt to induce one or more of them to settle down to any steady work however light even for a single day was utterly vain i believe i may safely say that the settlers south of the era were invariably kind to the natives and there are i believe few of any instances of ingratitude in return on record i was not however so fortunate with the aboriginal natives of gripsland readers know sick who before the occupation of that district by white men came to attack the western port tribe and making my station did a considerable amount of damage but fortunately no lives were lost again regretting the scanty nature of the information furnished to you i am so your most servant robert jammison his excellency cj la trober squire end of section 30 section 31 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a libyvox recording all libyvox recordings are in the public domain more information or to volunteer please visit libyvox.org letters from victorian pioneers letter number 31 from charles wedge my dear sir 10th of september 1853 i beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th of july and feel great pleasure in affording every information in my power on the subjects referred to therein but i regret that owing to the loss of my journal which for the first two or three years residents in the colony i kept as a reference by the melancholia currents occasion by the flood in the whereby last year any which i can afford from memory will be of a very meagre and unsatisfactory nature the settlement of this colony of victoria originated with my father's brother mr john helder wedge and mr john batman i think owing to some observations made relative to the proximity of the two lands by sir george ather then lieutenant governor of van demensland whom they had accompanied on an exploratory expedition to the north coast of that island when in 1835 a company was formed and an expedition dispatched under mr batman to report on the nature of the country and its adaptation to the growth of wool as an outlet for our surplus stock was then beginning to be severely felt immediately upon the return of that expedition and on the report of its leader of the great fertility of the soil being brought abroad several private adventurers as well as the company previously formed determined on the occupation of the country at the end of that year or beginning of 1836 the first sheep will land where williams town now stands and the stations of the mesas wedge and mr simpson then formed on the river whereby as a confluence of the salt and fresh water the tribe of natives occupying that part of the country were found to be very peacefully disposed in a great measure owing doubtless to the facilities for communication afforded by the long residents among them of a runaway prisoner of the crown named buckley who had escaped from a party dispatched from sydney for the formation of a settlement in port philip in the year 1803 and which was abandoned for want of water vessels were now constantly leaving launceston van demensland with stock for the newly discovered country which in the vicinity of what is now known as melbourne and gelong was fast filling up it is perhaps worthy of notice that shortly after or about the time of the arrival of our expedition from van demensland in new south wales an expedition was fitted out by the government at sydney and the major now sir thomas mitchell then surveyor general for the exploration of the same country who on his arrival on the coast in portland bay was astonished to find the large wailing establishment there the property of the mrs henty who on the report of sir thomas mitchell of the grazing capabilities of the country to the northward of the port immediately commenced and with great labour succeeded in cutting a road through the forest and formed his sheep station on what is now known as the marino downs shortly after the first arrivals a mr franks who had formed a sheep station at mount cotterall on the river whereby was killed by the natives which our trade was at the time attributed to their anxiety to obtain axes blankets flour etc the value of which soon became apparent to them going to the report of sir thomas mitchell some of the most enterprising of the stockholders on the outskirts of civilisation in new south wales were induced by the advantages of being near a shipping port to travel their stock overland to port philip amongst whom as the first arrivals may be mentioned mrs ebden hordon heppern cogill howie yaldwin etc who were fast followed by many others and rapidly filled up the country in the neighbourhood of the coast in the year 1839 vessels began to arrive from england and scotland the settlement of the colony having attracted considerable notice at home stockholders also began to push more into the interior the earlier settlers having confined themselves to the coastline and i with my brothers removed our stock to the country at the foot of the grampians now known as the grange on the creeks forming the river wanon in the australia philips of majors at thomas mitchell to which part of the country i was followed by mr john cox dr martin mrs white barton and alewood norris etc after which the country soon became fully occupied upon my arrival at portland bay to which place i had directed stores to be shipped to me from launceston all right to my surprise found the establishment previously alluded to in the occupation of mrs henty here i also found the mrs winter who had also formed a sheep station on the marino dames part of the australia philips of satomas mitchell which was soon very fully occupied with stock from the opposite shore herds of cattle and flocks of sheep were also now pressing on their way to adelaide up to this time we had but little trouble with the aborigines but they now began to attack our shepherds whom they drove from their flocks which they took into the mountains known as the victoria range where they're disposed of many hundreds of them by killing maiming by breaking three of their legs and otherwise mutilating them in a cruel manner to prevent their escape and resisting their numbers giving them confidence recovery at this time they also killed a valuable horse and a car belonging to me and drove away the whole of my milking cattle and working bullocks some of which returned with spears in them and these depredations did not cease till many lives were sacrificed and i may say many thousands of sheep destroyed in the hope that the very small amount of information i'm able to afford may be of use to you i beg to remain my dear sir yours very truly child's wedge cj lard trober squire milman end of section 31 section 32 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a libyvox recording or libyvox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libyvox.org letters from victorian pioneers letter number 32 from j blare portland 30th of august 1853 my dear mr. lard trobe i received your excellency's note of the 27th ultimo some days ago but delayed replying to it that i had satisfied myself by inquiry on some points i was doubtful about in january 1840 mrs. addison and murray brought sheep from van dimensland and took up dun robin the first station formed on the gernelg on the west bank of the river above its junction with the one and were immediately followed by mr. mccullough who took up the station known as the retreat on the east bank of the river near its junction with the wonder it is now occupied i believe by mrs car michael mrs white brothers took up their station for nong wung on brine's creek and mrs j e g robertson and w corny took up their stations wonder valent cashmere on the wonder about the same time in march or april 1840 mr. norris took up kut narin now occupied by mrs swanston and willis and stall and ellis comprising both sides of the glenelt chetwind and pigeon ponds and in about july or august mr rickets took up cloney the station immediately above it and now occupied on the east bank by myself and on the west bank by mr widdiger and mr hamilton and at the same time fulham still higher up and now occupied by mr amatage was taken up by mr discelly for i think sedron oan in 1842 mr winter took up a station on the east bank of the river below the junction of the crawford but after some time abandoned it and it was again taken up by dr mcdonnell in 1844 and in 1845 mr t scott took up a station on the west bank about this time or soon after mr lang took up a station on the east and mr black upon the west bank near the mouth mrs white brothers were the only settlers i heard of being annoyed by the aborigines as early as 1840 but they tracked those gentlemen on their route from melbourne and harassed them in every way setting fire to the grass around them throwing spears at their shepherds and stealing their sheep it was not however till 1841 and 1842 that aboriginal aggressions became a frequent occurrence shepherds were then constantly murdered and their sheep driven off sometimes 50 or 60 miles and as they were usually found with their legs broken they were valueless to their owners mr ricketts the original proprietor of cloney lost so severely by their frequent incursions that he became insolvent in 1844 and i purchased the station from his trustees since then the natives have been quiet but i believe they were troublesome as late as 1845 on the station at mount a rapidly's which was just then taken up by mr urkett i have no idea of the number of the aborigines at that time nor do i think it possible to estimate it they were shy and stealthy holding no intercourse with whites and seldom seen by the settlers unless when detected in committing an outrage or overtaken in retreating with their plunder and as they frequently traveled very long distances to commit outrages no one could tell to what part of the district they belonged i am my dear mr latrobe respectfully and faithfully yours j blare his excellency cj latrobe esquire end of section 32 section 33 of letters from victorian pioneers this is a livery box recording or livery box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liverybox.org letters from victorian pioneers the letter number 33 from william j t clark melbourne 13th of september 1853 agreeable to your request to have the honor to furnish your excellency with the little information i possess with regard to the early settlement of port philip early in the year 1837 when melbourne was then a forest of large timber i sent 2000 female sheep from bandemons land and took up station peak and a portion of the little river for nearly two years where my sheep increased rapidly the natives in that part were quiet and well disposed but i'm willing to work the run i took up was capable of deep pasturing from 15 000 to 20 000 sheep the first year my clip was only 17 and a half bales of wool the second 36 the third 70 bales and it continued to increase almost in the same proportion after remaining at the above station others settlers arrived in contentions commenced about runs when i left my station with my little improvements as they stood for those that liked to occupy them and traveled my sheep about 15 miles north of bunyung where i took up a station called darling forest where my sheep increased and the quality and quantity of the wool also shortly after occupying that country many settlers soon followed and disputes commenced about my run being determined to have a sheepwalk in 1841 i again removed to the purinees with a portion of my sheep and took up a large tract of poor but healthy sheep land of about 180 000 acres where i was unfortunate with my sheep the first two years in consequence of the scab and the difficulty of procuring labor it then be considered so far back beyond all other settlers and the natives being numerous soon became aware of their superiority and strength over my establishment and commenced their attacks on the shepherds when the latter refused to take out their flocks alone consequently i was obliged at great cost to send two shepherds with one flock nor was it safe to leave one man as hut keeper the blacks seeing their superior strength commenced driving off a number of sheep in defiance of the shepherds and destroying them wantonly and slaughtering them for their support on one occasion one of my overseers and shepherds traced them to one of the high mountains where they had a large quantity of my sheep slaughtered for use and they drove off my people and retained their plunder there was one native soon discovered to be more notorious than the rest he was given the name of billy billy who reigned several years he with the assistance of a number of the tribe drove off a considerable number of my sheep and formed a station north of mine at a place which is now well known as billy billy's waterholes where they made a bush yard and shepherded the sheep during the day and dearted them in the usual way at night and when discovered the remaining sheep were recovered with considerable difficulty such was the state of the station for nearly two years when my people found it necessary to defend themselves a number of the blacks i'm sorry to say was shot and mr francis the overseer of the station was many times engaged in the fights with them he was afterwards murdered by one of the shepherds on the station by being stabbed with a shears blade the offender was brought to melbourne and found guilty of the murder soon after the natives became less numerous and peaceable taking occasionally a sheep would who out of the folds at night but seldom came into contact with those in charge when labor became more abundant and the scab cured the sheep increased rapidly so much so that the stock of 2000 i commenced with now count upwards of 80 000 and i've sold and boiled down for these last four years on an average 12 000 per annum and have shipped from this stock alone for several years past nearly 800 bales of wool with upwards of 20 pounds per bale proper standing the present result i beg to observe the loss was great for the first seven years having had occasion to have the stations of darling forest and piranese value seven years after i first settled the expense of carrying them on with first cost of sheep etc with interest added amounted to double the amount of the highest value that could be then set on them after giving credit for all sales of wool etc this arose chiefly from the great difference in the value of the sheep as when i shipped the original from vandeeman's land sheep were worth upwards of two pounds per head and at the expiration of seven years there were only worth three shennings to three and sixpence for which price so i bought one of the best stations in victoria situated at the maiden hills from mr hodgkinson but from that time sheep farming has gradually improved and everyone that has managed his flocks properly cannot have any occasion to complain as to cattle generally i think they have been unproductive previously to the gold fields having myself purchased 400 head in the year 1840 for 4 000 pounds which cattle i kept to the year 1849 and their increase which numbered upwards of 2200 head when i sold the whole for 3300 pounds giving one two and three years credit without interest i also established a herd of horses that increased and paid exceedingly well i have the honor to be your excellency's most obedient servant william j t clark his excellency cj lartrova squire end of section 33