Page 9 - eMuse Vol.9 No.09

the hobbles on. An old man of the found under the wool their bull-
tribe later related that Charley had dog speared through the body .’
mounted the horse still with the Macpherson shortly after-
hobbles on, that it had naturally wards sailed to Scotland, married,
fallen and thrown him, and that and returned to his stations, both
he had then run for several miles of which he opted to sell, in 1856.
before being overtaken and killed. He decided the unprofitable Mt
Nevertheless Macpherson, the Abundance was no place for a
‘Muckadilla Maaster,’ acknowl- young wife and children, and sold
edged the aborigines’ claim to it cheaply to Stephen Spencer,
the land, and refused to condemn who lost the run in 1869 due to
them as treacherous . heavy debts. He had established
In January 1849 Macpherson a post office and supply store at
again rode to Keera on business, the station. Only under its new
and upon return found the shear- owners, the Scottish Investment
ing unfinished, the shepherds Company, did it become a viable
ready to quit in fear of their lives, concern. Due to resumption and
and the grass poor. The absentee subdivision, today it comprises
Allan Macpherson and Family in 1884 at Blairgowrie Scotland. Allan landlord had surely not helped just under 500 hectares.
is seated in the front row with a hat on his lap. Public domain Photo. his own prospects. He therefore The later Mt Abundance
returned all the sheep to Keera, homestead, built on the same
Just as the saddles were all boomerangs, nulla-nullas etc ., having lost around 10 000 from all site in the 1860’s, is 5 km west of
off, the horses hobbled, and our they being still between one and causes, and resolved to maintain Roma and 1km south of the War-
quartpots on the fire boiling, two hundred yards from where I the run as a cattle station only. In rego Highway in the Maranoa
Charley observed a black in the was standing. May he received news that his cat- District, and is heritage listed . It
distance and, calling my attention I had girthed my saddle and tle party approaching from Keera presents rare surviving evidence
to him added: ‘You had best get holsters, vaulted into my seat and had been attacked and two or of the pastoral development of
up the horses; I think there are a drawn a pistol. One black, see- three men killed . With an armed western Queensland, and is open
mob coming!’ ing me mount, rushed out of the party he buried the victims and by appointment: ph 07 4622 3836
Four of the horses, my own, ring towards me and as I dashed recovered the cattle. or 07 4622 3183.
Dublin Jack’s, Friday’s and the at him flung his nulla-nulla which Tragedy upon tragedy visited Macpherson later served in
pack horse, were pretty close to just grazed my hat. I at the same the same month when news ar- the New South Wales Legislative
us on the same side of the creek instant fired. rived of an attack on his wool Assembly, representing South
as we were. Charley’s was on the Jack was just clear of the ring. drays, the carriers having refused Cumberland from 1863 to 1868.
opposite bank, having gone into I charged through it at a hand to wait one week for a police In 1866 he inherited the Blairgow-
the creek to drink. Just as I was go- gallop. Another shower of spears escort . Arriving at the scene he rie Estate upon the death of his fa-
ing to lay my hand on my horse’s passed me. One passed between noted: ther and resided there from 1869.
head I happened to turn round my bridle and the horse’s mane, “… the following horrible scene He died of influenza at Blairgowrie
and saw an immense line of blacks another grazed the crupper of my presented itself to our view: - the House in 1891.
drawn up in a semicircle of which saddle . two drays a little off the road And finally, a reflection is ap-
the radius was about three hun- The blacks wheeled just as I alongside the river; one close to propriate on the Prussian scientist
dred yards. The blacks, as nearly cleared them, and the shower of it with marks of the team having and explorer Ludwig Leichhardt,
as I could guess, greatly exceeded spears and the war shouts fright- broken from it and dashed down who disappeared on his expedi-
one hundred and fifty in number. ened Jack’s horse so that he lost the bank; the other dray over- tion to cross the continent after
The moment they perceived I his saddle and his gun, but did set and two bullocks dead in the leaving Mt Abundance in 1848
had observed them they set up a not wholly lose his seat. He was pole, and two more fastened to it during Macpherson’s absence .
tremendous war shout, ‘Waugh, very active and on his horse again in the chains; the wool bales scat- A letter dated 1874 discovered
waugh, waugh, tirr, tirr, tirr,’ all in in a twinkling. But the blacks had tered in all directions, seven or in the NSW state library in 2003
unison, which fairly seemed to closed so Jack and I dashed across eight ripped up, the canvas taken relates how members of the
make the air vibrate . the creek higher up than where away, and the wool scattered in Wallumbilla tribe near Roma
Jack had caught his horse and Charley had been . Friday had dis- large piles on the ground; at the described the encirclement and
Charley was close to his on the appeared . back of the dray the horse on his destruction of a party of white
other side of the creek. My horse After a rapid search for Char- back, and his body covered with men leading mules and bullocks
stood gazing at the black cordon ley- I could not persuade Jack to wounds of spears, nulla-nullas, along the Maranoa River many
with distended nostrils and fixed wait longer, as the whole band etc . Durbin (the Commissioner years before (their possessions
eyes . Speaking gently to him, I put were closing on us again - we pro- of Crown Lands) uttered the joy- and equipment would have been
on his bridle, took off his hobbles ceeded slowly up the creek, just ful exclamation, ‘The men have traded and dispersed). After all
and led him up to my saddle just keeping out of spear-shot of the escaped.’ I said, ‘Look under the the mystery and controversy, and
as Jack flew by me on his horse blacks and shouting ‘Charley!’ The wool.’ Under it - horrible to relate given all of the above, perhaps the
with his gun in the air and his sad- blacks’ shouts got fainter and we - we found the bodies of the two shoe fits?
dle-girths flying loose. reached the deserted hut several unhappy men enveloped in the
The blacks had begun advanc- hours after sunset.” wool, mutilated in the most hor-
ing after their manner - two steps In fact both Charley and Friday rible manner, and in a dreadful
forward and one backwards - and were dead. Friday’s body was dis- state of decomposition – one of a|b
just as Jack fired a shot at them, covered, brutally battered. Char- the bodies being wholly stripped,
whizz came a shower of spears, ley’s horse was found, still with the other partially so. We also
September 2020 eMuse 9