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Moore, George Fletcher 1884, Diary of Ten Years Eventful Life of an Early Settler in Western Australia and also A descriptive vocabulary of the language of the aborigines, Walbrook, London.
Diary of Ten Years Eventful Life of an Early Settler in Western Australia
Excerpts having to do with Midgegoroo
19 May 1833
One of the parties which have been sent after Ya-gan have fallen in with some of the hostile tribe, and shot the brother of Midgegoroo, who is Ya-gan's father. Twenty-four natives made their appearance at the opposite side of the river, wishing to get across. I made signs that the boat was out of order, and that they must go round by the ford ; which gave me time to get some wheat ground, and coarse cakes made, which I distributed amongst them. I had previously taken care that all my arms and ammunition should be in readiness, but they were very quiet. Among them were two very well-looking young women, one of whom suckled her child, supporting its body under her arm, whilst its legs were in the bag which hung at her back. Weeip gave me a very good knife, with a wedge of quartz. I was almost alone when this party came ; but by good fortune a number of neighbours and runners happened to come immediately after.
20th. — Midgegoroo, one of the proclaimed natives, has been taken, and there is great perplexity as to what should be done with him : the populace cry loudly for his blood ; but the idea of shooting him with the cool formalities of execution, is revolting: there is some intention of sending him into perpetual banishment.
22nd. — Midgegoroo, after having been fully indentified as a principal in three murders at least, has been shot at the gaol-door, by a party of the military. We are all anxious to see how the others will conduct themselves after this execution, if they discover it; there were none of them present at it. His son had been sent on board the Ellen previously,
27th. — Have had a long, angry, and wholly unexpected conference to-day with the very spirit of evil himself, I mean the notorious Ya-gan. On seeing several natives approach the house, I went towards them as usual, thinking they were my old friends. To my surprise, the first I met was Migo, whom I had known well at Perth, as the servant of Captain Ellis, and the friend of the chieftain Mundy. On looking round, I then saw Munday himself (who is proclaimed, with a price on his head) : this made me look still closer, and at last I saw Ya-gan standing a little aloof, scrutinising my countenance narrowly, and my manner of receiving them. I had been taxing Migo with having been present at the murder, which he energetically denied. When my eyes first fell upon Ya- gan, I said immediately " What name ? " They all answered " Boolgat." I said " No ; Ya-gan." At first he was inclined to persist in the assumed character ; but seeing that I knew him perfectly, he came forward, avowed himself, and entered into a long argument and defence of his conduct, in a way that I can hardly make intelligible to you ; and I confess he had almost as much of the argument as I had. Both parties seemed to consider us as respectively arguing the question. Ya-gan listened with respectful anxiety, and used bold and emphatic language and graceful gesture, with abundant action; he delivered himself boldly. I did not understand him, but replied, " If white man queeple (steal), white man shoot white man ; if black man queeple, white man shoot black man ; if
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black man no gydyell (kill) cow, no gydyell sheep, no gydyell pig, white man all same as brother to black man, shake hands plenty, co-obbery plenty." Here I advanced with open hands to them, which all ran eagerly to grasp, save the moody chief himself. They had grouped around, evidently attending to the arguments on both sides with great interest, and glad of anything like a friendly termination. Ya-gan again stepped forward, and leaning familiarly with his left hand on my shoulder, while he gesticulated with his right, delivered a sort of recitative, looking earnestly at my face. I regret that I could not understand him, but I conjectured, from the tone and manner, that the purport was this : — "You came to our country ; you have driven us from our haunts, and disturbed us in our occupations : as we walk in our own country, we are fired upon by the white men ; why should the white men treat us so ?"
This reminded me of a chorus in a Greek tragedy ; and the other natives seemed to act as subordinate characters to Ya-gan. After a short interval, the chief approached again, and fixing his eyes as if he read my countenance, said inquiringly, " Midgegoroo shoot ? walk ?" (meaning was Midgegoroo dead or alive ?) I felt that the question was full of personal hazard to me, and gave no reply. Even Weeip came, and anxiously asked the same question, putting his finger to my ear, to know if I heard or understood him. I answered slowly, "White man angry, — Governor angry." However my men assured them that both Midgegoroo and his son were gone on board a ship. Ya-gan still continued to read my countenance, and when he could obtain no answer from me, he said with extraordinary vehemence of manner, distinctness of utterance, and emphasis of tone, " White man shoot Midgegoroo, Ya-gan kill three " (holding up three
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fingers). I said, "Ya-gan kill all white man, soldier man and every man kill Ya-gan." He scowled a look of daring defiance, and turned on his heel with an air of ineffable contempt. During the latter part of this conference, he held a beautifully tapered and exquisitely pointed spear, grasped like a stiletto, about fourteen inches from the point, while the shaft lay over his shoulder, with a seeming carelessness. He evidently suspected treachery, and was on his guard against it, taking care not to let my men press on him too closely, and keeping some of the natives between myself and them.
Nothing short of an overpowering force (which I did not possess), or a cold-blooded deliberate treachery (of which I was incapable), would have enabled me to have secured him as he then stood : it was, perhaps, my duty to have attempted his arrest, dead or alive ; however, consider the circumstances of my situation, — I had gone among them unarmed, little thinking that the "Wallace" of the tribe was there ; he did not relinquish his spear till he was certain of my pacific intentions ; and there were ten of them, and only three of us, — myself rather invalided.
I despatched a letter instantly to Mr. Bull, as a magistrate, apprising him of Ya-gan's vicinity. He went off for the soldiers ; and in the meantime this proclaimed and dangerous outlaw, with a price on his head, and threats (not idle) on his tongue, in sight of the military quarters, and of a magistrate's residence, hemmed in between three or four settlements, and almost in presence of a large force of armed men, was suffered to escape unmolested. The truth is, every one wishes him taken, but no one likes to be the captor. How could any person, unless a professed blood-hunter, spring upon a man in cold blood, and lead him to the death ? How could any one who has a heart fire upon him treacherously from a secure ambush, though he be an unfeeling and reckless savage ? There is something in his daring which one is forced to admire.
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In the evening I heard a trampling of horses, and Captains Irwin and Dale arrived. I told the story; they both gallopped off immediately for the soldiers.
28th. — A party was out last night after Ya-gan, but without success.
The Government have sent a band of resolute men here to do their utmost to take him. The man who commands this party is called " Hunt," a most appropriate name. On one occasion he followed a party of natives for thirteen days and nights, thinking it was Ya-gan's tribe ; at last he got into such a situation that the natives attacked his party. He shot the most forward, who turned out to be Midgegoroo's brother. Hunt was a constable in London ; he has just been here to request I would send him word if Ya-gan appears again in this quarter : his party is to lie " perdu " at Mr. Bull's for some time.
29th. — No appearance of the natives here to-day. I have heard that Ya-gan has been seen at a house four miles down the river, on the other side ; so that strong hopes are entertained of his being shortly taken.
31st. — I have just returned from Mr. Brockman's, where I have been all the morning, settling an arbitration affair which had been referred to Mr. Brockman and myself I hope we have finally settled it to the advantage and satisfaction of both parties; but I fear I have not served my health by exposure to the air.
While I was away the natives called at Hermitage, but not accompanied by Ya-gan. One of Midgegoroo's widows was among them, in great grief for the arrest of her son.
June 1st. — My shepherd has not ceased to tease me till I have consented to let him go to Perth, with a venture of ten sheep for sale. He is, I think, a trustworthy man ; but I shall soon see how he has succeeded.
My head does not get on so quickly as I expected; it ought to have been plaistered enough by this time ; my face
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looks as if there had been not only plaistering, but white-washing.
2nd. — My shepherd set out for Perth with his sheep early this morning, and James reigns in his stead.
Old Yellogonga, with three women and children, came here to-day. They begged hard for some sugar. I gave them a little each. The old man asked me to allow him to go down to the house. I led him down, showed him the kitchen, and then my room, in which I had spread out my guns, pistols, &c. " No, no, no," he said ; " no, no." He was quite surprised and puzzled at the looking-glass, peeping over and behind it. After he was gone, Weeip and four others came, one of whom was Ya-gan's son, and it is probable that Ya-gan himself was not far away ; but aware of the danger of appearing. I am told they have since expressed their satisfaction at my conduct, saying, that "Mitzer Moore be very good man." Weeip has intimated that no injury shall be done in this neighbourhood ; and altogether we hope for peace from this friendly intercourse with them. Weeip to-day received a blanket, which Captain Trwin sent to him, — the women were very inquisitive about Midgegoroo and his son. About the former I still shook my head, and said, he " kill white man."
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