5

David Punchard being duly sworn states. I am a bush carpenter
in partnership with Francis Henry Farrington. On the twenty fourth of
December last I was at Mr Balbi's. I went there just after breakast. I do not
remember to have heard anthing when I was there about any blackfellows
having been shot near the head station, but I was drinking heavily. As I returned
from Balbi's on Thursday two blackfellows told me they had been shooting some
blackfellows in the scrub. Mr Farrington told me next said that was the same
day that I came home to the best of my recollection. I think it was on the following
day I went by myself to the scrub and I saw a human body very much burnt.
It was the same body that I showed the Coroner to day. It was not burning when
I first seen it, but just as it appeared to day. On the Sunday following, that is on
last Sunday I went again to the scrub in company with a man on the station
called "Blackmore". I then found another. It was partly covered with some
red article of clothing. It was the body of an aboriginal. I took it to be
the body of an old man. but I did not stop to take particular notice of it
as it smelled so badly.
his
Taken and acknowledged upon oath ) Daniel x Punchard
on the head Station Fassifern this third ) Mark
day of January 1861 before me )
[signed] Henry Challinor J.P. )

Charles Blackmore being duly sworn states. I am a Smith and
carpenter in the employment of Messrs Hardie and Weinholt. I have been
I have been spending Christmas in Limestone. While there I read in one of the local
newspapers that four blackfellows had been shot in Fassifern. I returned to
Fassifern the following day, that is on Saturday. On Sunday morning I went with
David Punchard to the scrub in the bush paddock. I saw the bodies of
two men there. One was very much burnt. The other was the body of a
old black fellow, whom I thought I could recognise. I have no doubt the other
was the body of a black fellow. The shooting of the blacks in the scrub I have
referred to, has been the subject of general conversation on the Station.
After dinner on Sunday I went again and took two other men with me
belonging to the Station.
[signed] Charles Blackmore
Taken and acknowledged upon oath )
on this third day of January 1861 on the )
head Station Fassifern before me )
[signed] Henry Challinor J.P. )