QSA847237 1887 Report from Jocelyn Brooke to Frederick Murray 24 May, Colonial Secretarys Office In Letters, In letter 87/5184, DR78286

Police

East Normanby May 24th 1887

[Stamps: INSPECTOR POLICE COOKTOWN 256787 COLONIAL SECRETARYS OFFICE QUEENSLAND 4690 13 JUN 87 COMMISSIONER OF POLICE 03,758 QUEENSLAND 7. JUN. 87]

Insp Murray Cooktown Sub Inspr Brook's report re alleged abduction of some girls by Geo Rotumah

Sir

I have the honour to report that in accordance with your in-structions that I have visited Forbes Island.

I found George Rotomah and crew alone on the Island. He informed me that he did go to the mainland to recover the wreck of a cutter that was lost by him a few days previously and that some of the mainland blacks went with him. These Blacks took the gins telling Rotomah that they were their wives As the gins did not protest against going with them Rotomah did not interfere with them in any way.

I do not consider that Rotomah is to blame in the matter The blacks probably took gins they were not entitled to But Rotomah could not tell and so did not interfere in the matter. Canoes pass to and from the Island so that Blacks can not be detained against their will. - over

[In margin: The Commissioner of Police Forwarded for your information. Re your wire of Saturday have sent to Mr Brooke for report re his patrol of Jardine river &c

Fred J Murray Insp P/C 30.5.87

We had very stormy weather and the sails of the cutter Eileen not being sound split up the seams &c and as I could get no canvass [sic] to repair them nearer than Thursday Island I considered it more advisable to go there and repair, than to attempt to beat down against a strong head wind and risk losing the cutter and perhaps lives.

Going to Thursday Island would take three days and a fair wind going to Cooktown three weeks and a strong head wind.

When I got to Thursday Island Mr Milman gave orders at once to have new sails made for the Eileen and she was to leave on the 18th.

I was ordered to patrol the Jardine River which I did and then returning to Thursday Island left with troopers in the Albatross for Cooktown on the 15th inst reaching Cooktown on the 21st and my station on the 23rd.

I also ascertained that Underwood of Rocky Island had none of the boys who stole the cutter Flo in his employ.

My troopers suffered from fever and sea sickness during my journey but are now all well again.

I have the honour to be Sir &c J. Brooke 2/c S.I.