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Somerset District
Thursday Island Station
26th October 1885

Water Police Constable Phillpotts

Reports for the information
of the Government Resident, that on the
23rd instant in company with a man named
William Miller he (the Constable) left Thursday
Island in the "Edigo" for the purpose of
returning twelve men and four small boys
to their home on the Mainland.

Weighed anchor at 5a.m. and tacked
out through Boat Passage, between Horn and
Prince of Wales Islands, and between Entrance
Island and Prince of Wales Island passing
Rattlesnake point at 8am, thence acrose
the Endeavour Straits to the mouth of the
Jardine River, where we dropped anchor
at 10:30am and the three men
"Larkoo", "Jimmy Jardine" and "Small Tom".
We also landed (at their request) "Johnny"
"Wong. "E. Mallah", "Kioh" and "Monkey", the
four men belonging to the small River
(Situated about two miles further to the Eastward)
Miller after distributing bread and tobacco
to the Natives returned on board.

Weighed anchor at 11 am and
proceeded along the coast. At 11 30 am
we passed close to a boat named the
"Republic" bound for Darnley Island, two
white men in charge.

They had a number of small boys, and
men on board, who were recognised by
the Natives on the "Edigo" as belonging to
the same tribe as themselves at the