QSA846890 1871 Report by Henry Chester 10 August, Colonial Secretarys Office In letters, In letter 71:2499, DR61918

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[oval stamp, very faint] COLONIAL [GOVERNMENT?] QUEENSLAND

M^r Chester 2499: 26.Oct.71. Narration [if to train?], N.E. Channel

Notwithstanding that a considerable portion of our commerce with India and China passes annually through Torres Strait, it has rarely attracted public attention since the Surveys of Capts. [Captains] Blackwood and Stanley in 1843-46, and except for a passing paragraph in an Eastern newspaper recording some wreck or masSacre [massacre], which tended to keep up the high rate, 12^1/2 per cent:, charged by Insurance Companies it was, perhaps, seldom thought of except by those whose business it was to encounter its risks and dangers - The foundation of the Settlement at Port Albany in 1864 seventeen years after it had been strongly urged upon the home Government was the result of newly awakened public interest. It was fully anticipated that besides affording a harbor of refuge to vessels wrecked in those waters, it would act as a check upon the treacherous and bloodthirsty natives of the neighbouring islands, and prevent in future such masSacres [massacres] as are recorded in the book of sailing directions for Torres Strait and the Coral Sea. So far from this having been the case, so late as the beginning of 1869 a vessel was taken within thirty miles of Somerset, and her crew cruelly murdered by natives who for the preceeding [preceding] five years had constantly maintained friendly intercourse with Europeans.

During all this time the people at the Settlement were without the means of ascertaining what was going on in their immediate vicinity, and where, three months afterwards the news reached Somerset there was not a boat fit to venture outside Albany.

More recently, news of the wreck of the Schooner "Honolulu" in the N. E. channel reached Somerset from Batavia via Sydney three months after it occurred, and, but for an accident, - the discovery of the valua

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pearl fishery at Warrior reef would have been published in Sydney before it was known at a port only fifty miles distant. This discovery has had the effect of again creating an interest in all that relates to Torres Strait.- Seven vessels employing about thirty large boats are now engaged in this profitable pursuit, which is, however, entirely monopolised by our neighbors [neighbours] of New South Wales. Owing to the absence of all maritime enterprise in Queensland, the wealth so profusely scattered over the reefs fronting her N.E. coast has been gathered year after year by the merchants of Sydney; yet it will now, perhaps, surprise people to learn that since 1864 this represents a total of upwards of £80,000 -

Towards the end of last year the harbor [harbour] of refuge at Cape York became possessed for the first time of a boat capable of going any distance from the port. On 1^st December 27 of the Survivors from the wreck of the brig "Freak" arrived at Somerset, and their boat being no longer required was purchased by the Police Magistrate. The Government of Queensland desirous of encouraging trade with New Guinea had authorised M^r Jardine to incur any reasonable expense within certain limits in so doing. It was therefore determined to employ the boat in paving the way for this desirable end, by cultivating friendly relations with those tribes who are in the habit of trading with the natives of New Guinea. Unfortunately these intentions could only be partially carried out, as on the arrival of HMS "Rozario" the shipwrecked Kanakas who formed the boats [boat's] crew were forwarded to their homes; consequently a projected expedition to New Guinea which was about to start had to be abandoned.

My offer to take charge of the boat was

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accepted and it is owing to the cordial co-operation and assistance of M^r Jardine that I was enabled to collect whatever information is contained in this paper -

My first visit was to Jervis Island. This island being quite out of the track of vessels navigating Torres Strait was merely approximately laid down by the Surveyors, and until the close of the year 1870 was never visited by Europeans. It is situated to the Northward of Mulgrave island and is about Sixty miles distant from Cape York. The boats of the "Pakeha" and "Melanie" were the first to call there and obtained a quantity of pearl and tortoise-shell. The natives had recently returned from a successful foray on Banks island in which they had killed thirteen of the Italeega and carried off several women. The fresh skulls were there hanging in their huts. They saw also a quantity of damaged tobacco, which probably came from the wreck of the "Honolulu", and purchased for a handkerchief a large tarpaulin. On arriving at the island I ran the boat into a small bay on the NE side where I found no less than fifteen canoes hauled up on the mud and a crowd of men on the rocks. An interpreter from Cape York explained to them the reason of our visit and warned them that not more than one canoe would be allowed alongside at a time. With some little difficulty, due to the stupidity of the interpreter, they were made to understand that the price of a tomahawk or small knife was 10 pair of shells; of a large knife 15 pair; while three would purchase a fig of tobacco, and five pair a piece of iron for a fish spear. When the first tomahawk was handed out, it was exhibited in triumph to the people on shore who set up a great shout and sent off in haste for the shell stowed

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away in their huts. Amidst much laughter, scraping of hands and incessant shouts of Marbiack taag - taag!* the trading went briskly on, and in a very short time I had purchased 200 pair of shell. At first all the usual precautions adopted when trading with Savages were observed, one man covering me with his carbine while I was stooping over the trade box, but before long the arms were laid aside and all hands were busy receiving and stowing away the shell.

Neither then, nor afterwards during my whole intercourse with them, was there the least attempt to extort more than the stipulated price; indeed, some weeks later when a dearth of tomahawks was impending, and I raised the price to 15 pair of shells, there was no dissatisfaction expressed. By this time mutual confidence had been established, and two of the tribe volunteered to go with me to Mulgrave island, and were away in the boat for three days. On returning to Marbiack I went on shore and was received by some 30 or 40 men of the tribe. From much whispered consultation in which the words "Ipikagee, and taag - nino - taag⁺, were frequently repeated, I gathered that they were debating as to whether the women should be sent for, and the matter was apparently decided by my two friends vouching for our peaceful intentions - A present of beads distributed among the women and children who then came forward from the mangroves, behind which they watched our proceedings, was received with much rejoicing, and, what is rare among Savages there was no begging for more. In five subsequent visits to these people in each of which I spent a week at the island I never had reason to alter the very favorable opinion I formed of them during

*Jervis island. Peace! Peace! --- ⁺ Women - Peace, really Peace!

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our first intercourse - Such confidence had they that two of their principal men on one occasion returned with use [us] to Cape York, and seven on another - The latter were detained longer than was expected as I had to take some natives who had been cast away in a canoe back to their own island, so that it was three weeks before the Marbiack men could get home. The joy at their return was great; nearly the whole population of the island flocked down to the beach and crowded into and around it the boat. Their wives brought their youngest children and placed them in the arms of the men, who fondled them in the boat while relating the wonders they had seen. What appeared to have struck them most during their stay was the shooting of a bullock, for though they had most likely heard of the effects of fire arms [firearms], they had evidently never witnessed their power, and could not understand how so large a beast could be so easily killed.

One day while waiting the favorable [favourable] time for fishing I occupied myself in taking down the names of the tribe and afterwards calling them over. In this manner I got the names of the whole male population amounting to 114 persons. I also collected a short vocabulary of their language which closely resembles that of the Prince of Wales islanders.

A physiognomist would probably form a low estimate of the character of the Gamaleega* from the low type of countenance so frequently met with, in which cunning and cruelty are strongly depicted; but as regards affection for their children, intelligence and energy, which latter quality was to me their principal recommendation, they far surpass all ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [centred]

* Name of tribe inhabiting Jervis island.