7

Alexander Balbi being duly Sworn States I am the landlord of the
Bush Inn Fassifern. On Christmas day last several blacks came into my place
requesting me to allow them to sleep in my stable because the black Police
had been shooting some old blackfellows in the scrub in one of the Paddocks
belonging to Mr Hardie. I told them they could sleep in the Paddock attached
to my house and I would protect them there. This was about eleven or twelve
o'clock in the forenoon. They continued to sleep in my Paddock a few nights
and appeared very much frightened of the Native Police persuing them to that
place. I saw the bodies of three blackfellows lying dead in the said scrub when
I went there on the third instant. From the appearance the camp presented to me
that day I should think it would have been suddenly deserted by the
blacks. Dillies, broken spears, shields and articles of clothing lying scattered about.
I was desired by the Coroner to go with him and bring my blackfellow
named "Shepherd Tommy" as a guide to where the bodies were lying. I had not
seen them since they were shot before that day. I recognised two of them. They
were very old and decrepid men.

[signed] Alex Balbi

Taken and acknowledged upon oath
before me at Ipswich this fifth day
of January 1861. [signed] Heny Challinor J.P.

John Hardie Grazier being duly swornstates. I am a Joint
Proprietor of the Fassifern Run. I remember the twenty fourth day of
December last I was present at the head Station on that day. I did not
leave the Station till about twelve or one o'clock about noon that day. I
returned to the Station about five or six o'clock in the evening. I returned to
dinner. We dine about half past seven o'clock generally. I am not
aware personally of anything having occured on the head Station that day. I heard
conversation some time that day of something having occured. A man told me
there was a dead black fellow lying in the ajoining scrub. It was John Jones
who told me he was lying there. I am not certain whether it was the evening of the
twenty fourth of December or on the morning of the following day that he told me.
I think it was the same day that he told me that I went and saw the body lying
there. He looked to be an elderly man. He was lying just inside the
edge of the scrub close to where some blacks had been camping. The body was not
burnt when I saw it. It was the day before the black's dogs were sShot
that I saw the body. I told them, (the blacks) if they did not remove their
dogs I would destroy them. They did not remove them so I got them destroyed as they
were hunting the horses in the paddocks. I requested the dogs to be collected and
burnt that they might not create an offensive smell. Some blacks assisted