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IN-LETTER 6935/1898 Aboriginal Protector Cooktown

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Some two years ago, the Mission people sold
cattle to the amount of 50£ for the benefit of
the aboriginals solely, the only commercial
transaction that has taken place since its in-
auguration. Mr. Schwarz gave me the impression
of a most conscientious painstaking missionary,
a man of great refinement, strong will-power,
and a gentleman of considerable culture.

On the same afternoon that I had the above
long conversation, Mr. Schwarz brought his 25
blacks down to the Barracks, where the Inspector
and myself addressed them (Mr. S. acting as
interpreter—I cannot imagine anyone more fluent
in this Koko-emoji dialect). I also distributed
tobacco amongst them, which gift I told them
you had instructed me to hand them. All three
of us then went over to the North Shore, where
Mr. Schwarz again told the individuals at each
camp how in future after having their permits
and agreements, they must not attempt to leave
their employer and try and obtain work from
others. I am glad to be able to report that
the Chinese are taking down their huts here, and
making arrangements to settle down elsewhere.

The blacks camps on this North Shore are actually on
the Quarantine Reserve, and not on the Aboriginal
Reserve, so that until some alteration is made,
we cannot (under the New Act) take steps to
prevent them being molested or interfered with.
Here on the North Shore I saw one or two cases
of sickness requiring surgical interference: one
was that of an old man with diseased bone of
the foot, a youngish woman with decayed
teeth which I offered to pull out for her if
she came up to my house, and a middle-aged