Thursday, 13 December 2012
In honour of, and to remember our elders and ancestors I'm posting some Blackbirding Images....I may have posted these before, however, as 2013 draws closer, marking 150 years since the first major shipment of "Kanaka Labour" was introduced to Queensland by Robert Towns, I thought I'd post some pictures.....as they speak for themselves...
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Blackbirding Vessels
Blackbirding Vessels
‘DANIEL WATSON’ Wood schooner that was based in Sydney and did her recruiting in the 1860’s. Her captain discovered that other recruiters had got to several islands before him and he decided to make it harder for them to recruit the next time by firing on every village that he passed on his way along the coast.
‘EMPREZA’ Wood Brig that was based in Brisbane and took her turn in the recruiting trade. She was active in taking returning natives back to the islands when their contracts expired. One group of 153 natives she took back to the New Hebrides was ill with dysentery and when they arrived at their home island, the locals quickly came down with the sickness and over 200 died.
‘JANET STEWART’ Wood schooner that was based at Maryborough, Queensland. She operated during the 1870’ and 1880’s under Captain L Thomas. Government Agent; William Lockhead. The vessel anchored off Kwai Island, Malaita in February 1882 and the captain and two boats went ashore at a place some five miles from the anchorage. The captain had been lured away from his vessel, leaving the government agent and some of the crew aboard. Natives crept on board the schooner and killed the agent and the rest of the crew then set fire to the vessel. When the captain returned, it was too late to save the ‘Janet Stewart’ and those killed were cremated on the burning ship.
‘SPEC’ Wood schooner that operated from Mackay, North Queensland during the late 1860’s. She recruited labour for Robert Towns and various other plantations.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Monday, 12 November 2012
Monday, 5 November 2012
This photo was taken around the Herbert River
I often look at the photographs, like these, taken of the workers, the "kanaka's" and wonder if any of them really understood what was going on..I doubt if they ever saw the result of what was captured on that day ..I find myself studying their fine-looking faces and wonder who they are.
On this day..an article I have copied from Newspaper Archives
Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954), Sunday 5 November 1911
In the South Sea Islands
"Blackbirding" Forty Years Ago
Leaves from a Diary
(By "OW-Tùner.") |
In the early days of Fiji, say
bout forty years ago, there was a
business carried "on in, the South Sea
islands known as "blackbirding." At
.his time there was not so much outcry
against the traffic in natives as
here has been since. The writer was
n Fiji at the time when H.M.S.
3laser, under command of Captain
Malcolm, was told to keep a sharp,
ook-out for men engaged in this
'.rame in natives. The cotton plantations
were then in full swing, and
planters were supposed to be makins;
i very fine thins out of South Sea'
:otton at anything from 2s. to 3s. Gd.
1er lb. That it was a profitable busi
less there was no denying, but there
vas always the risk of the hurri
'anes conting along in January and
??-lowing the whole crop away. These
yclonic bursts came with unerring
-egnlarity, and .the planter who had
dot taken the necessary precautions
jy chaining down his house with
ange cables, stood a good chance of
Ming his home, as well as his crop
'f cotton. -When these heavy blows
truck the plantation they lifted out
bc cotton bushes by the roots, and
t¡e plantation presented a most -desolate
appearance, just as if it had
;een swept by a terrific hail of shot
md shell. ..
But this is a digression. . I was
^ -alking about the "blackbirding,**
.ind thinking'of an incident which
.ms not yet 'appeared in print. A
two-masted .schooner .had just, cornie
inside the reef at Levuka and -dropped
anchoT near what , was known-as
ïhe Reading-room Point. It was
¿ailed so because'-there was a small
Mechanics* Institute there, and later
on this same building was
' used as
'.he house in'which the members of
the Government
'
met' to carry on the
business of the country. This was
the time when Càkabau (pro
nonmced'ThaScambau) was king. Oh
used' for signal ring vessels coming
in or leaving'the 'port The schooner
.which
'
had just arrived was known
ac the Undine, returned after a re-'
I -crniting cruise arnottsthe Solomon
j Islands.' She had jbeen veryv sws*
eessful, and had secured in ali.abont
ISO laborers, for which the captain I
had received £15 a head Crom the
planters at Taviuni and Lomo Xiocno.
It was^ rumoredthat in eötäng these
niggers Captain'Mnir had not been
too paräcnlar. and . that nrany of
them had not £aken a trip in the On
I- dine with their own free Will and
coiuont. It .WM even biiitad that at
one ot the islands of the Solomon >
groop a nmnber. nf natives wwe induced
to come on
- board ostensibly
to have a de^
'
in beads
'
and to
baceo, and while they were below,
deeply . interested in doing a bit "of
trading, the captain quietly set thé
'
mniMrii and-jib,' and before the nig-.
discovered how. they had been
tricked' the Undine was three nales
from land. Some of: them made a
runa on deck, and regardless. of
sharks or the distance from shore
jmnpen over-^he side and made a
bold dash pm hclme. rand freedom.'
Others, not having the prnck, remained
:.onV'.boanl, and were promptly
battened down. - Daring the night
' the men who had-been kidnapped
for it is no «se^ailing it by any
ottte^erm^^-kleked np a jolly row,
and a tree^Bght ensued betw^n them
and some Tanna men "who had; been
leglptaafaely engaged yndffr'the-asnal
fire; years' contract. iThe /Captain,
- fearing 'that 'some- of . his' - haman
cargo* might he "kiiiéd "in thé fight,
and that an killed would mean a loss
of £15 për heád to -him, ' lifted cont«e, . was only to scare I
them, but Unfortunately throe "Tanna,
men vere 'fatally wounded. The
shooting,
"
however, stopped the
trouble for the fright, '.
At dayHght hext inormng the
hatches were lifted, and the scene
presented in ihe hold resembled nô
thlng so moch as a-miniature battlefield.
Three niggeró had been killed
while four Vere in a
outright, while four Vere in a dying
condition, .and about a dozen more
were so bashed about as to require
immediate attention in the, snape of
Splints :ànd bandages. Included
among the crew of the Undine was a
yoong feSow who had commenced a
coarse of stady in Sydney for the
medical profession, bot after putting
in" two Years at the University ~ he
. abandoned the profession, and, at
tracted by the glamor of the Sooth
Sea boom, he Trent dows, to the'islands.
As supercargo on the Undine
he came in very handy to attend to
the vants of the wounded niggers.
He fixed them B up in quite professional
style, and by the . time . the
schooner reached Tarroni all the.
: wounded-men were/fit for engagement.
The dead men were thrown
over the side, abd when the Undine
reached Levuka all traces of the tragedy
had been removed, and the* incidents
of that awful night off the
Solomon Istartds had been' forgotten.
In all pröbabflSty nothing further
would have been heard of the matter
had it not been for the in-feeling
which existed hetween the captain
and his "matt over the bernis to which
? the latter was entitled by agreement,
for every nigger shipped. The mate
claimed his £1 per head on aQ natives
aboard the schooner when the
vessel left the Solomons, but the
captain would only pay for those
landed, and would not pay head
money on those which had been
thrown overboard. The mate contended
that it was not his fault that
the niggers had lost the number of
their jmess, as he had -not shot them,
but the captatn point blank refused
to pay a bonne on the -dead men. The
mate brooded over the skipper's
meanness, and resolved to get even ;
with him when the Undine arrived
at Levuka, and he did, as the sequel
will shew. After the schooner had
dropped anchor the mate asked to
be paid off, pleading that he waa sick
of tho same. The captain waa only
too pleased to fall in wita the «uç
geetLon, and so th« maia loft the
vessel. S marti ng under tho skipper1g
shabby treatment, the mate
went up to the BrtSah OoagnTs
house and gave him a few particu
j lare of the incidents on the voyage
of the Undine from the Islands. In
the meantime, the captain, scenting
trouble with his mate, hurried on
' board in order to clear out of port.
' The Consul had given strict orders
' that the Undine was to be watched,
, and if she made any attempt to leave
her anchorage she was to be stop-
'ped; but how this was to be done
was not quite clear, as there was no.
British iaan-o'-war in harbor at the
. time. With a steady' breeze off the
. time. With a steady' breeze off the
shore the Undine. soonA got under
welsh and through the4 opening in
the reef, and headed "for Kan dava.
As soon -as the Consul '
saw that his
orders had been disobeyed he went
to the flagstaff on the Point, and signailed
the Undine to return to port.
The master of the schooner, read theJ
signals, but took no notice of them.
He was certain the mate had "blown
the gaff" on him, and accordingly -
determined to put as wide a gap, as
possible between -himself ¿nd the
British Consul 'at Levuka. Accbrd
jngly he crowded as much canvas on
the Undine as she could stagger .under.
She responded bravely, and was
cutting out. her
'
ten knots in fine
style when the man at the wheel
called out-"There is another lot of '
signals on the staff, captain/' The
skipper -turned in the direction indicated,
and then dived dawn into the
cabin to get his code book. On returning
to .the deck he noted the
flags on the staff, -and after referring
to his book discovered that the
- message on the staff was not: for1
him,.-but for some vessel, rounding
the Point. Hastily picking up his
binoculars he-saw away to the eastward
a large, vessel coming along-un- ?
der steam. It did not take bim long] '.
to discover^ that the steamer was a
J
man-o'-war, .possibly H.M.S.: Blazer.
\
In this surmise he was 'correct. The
Blazer answered the signals on the
j
Point,, and then headed, for the Uhdinev
She signalled the schooner to
Dorice of the request, hut kept en his
course, Then there, was a puff ot
smoke from the Blazer and a vhis
zing sound as a shot dropped jost
j
ahead of the. schooner. The «kipper j
refused to accept the hint, and so
another shot came across the water,
and this time' it passed fairly high
np, but between the fore and main
masts. By. tbis time the Blaser had
got the range ot the Undine exactly,
and as the schooner still kept oh ber
coarse the next, shot passed right
through the foresail. 'It' then, occurred
to the obstinate Huirthat the
marking was getting too close to be
pleasant, so he called out to his
newly-Bhrpped mate to back the,
main yard and bring ;the schooner
hp in the wind. No sooner was the
üttle craft hove to than à boat :was
seen to be got ready on Üie Blaser,
and as the warship neared the
schooner the. boat was lowered and
headed for the Undine. She was In
charge of . a lieotenant and a jsab
lleotenaht, and" had a. crew of four
bluejackets, with Sour marines. Ás
soon as the officer had stepped on
deck he asked fOr the msster-Cap
tain Hair came forward. , "What ;
ship is this?" Inquired the lieutenship
is Inquired lieutenant.
"The Undine," Teplled
;:
Muir,1
"bound ;fromilieruka to Svgney.*'
Then came the'questioh which Mair
most dreaded, "Where are your
papers?" Qf ..coane, .as^thcflndine
had skipped out of .Levuka without
the -formality of a clearance the captain
had to admit "that he had not
got any. "I most ask you to immediately
return to Levuka,^' said the
officer, firmly, but politely, "and consider
yourself and- ship under arrest,"
At the same time fte aubV
lieutenant : and::, four marines } were
left on board to see that die order
?was carried ont.
It was nearly dusk when the Undine
anchored inside the reef, and
shortly after the Maser' dropped anchor
not far from her. The British
Consul at once proceeded on board
the man-of-war, and after a short
Intel view with the commander a
party of bluejackets and. marines,
?wich an officer in charge, w>are placed
on board the Undine. On the following
Ttrornirig the Consol, with officers
from the- Blazer, made a thorough
examination of the hull of the
schooner, and as she -was in light ballast
trim 'the. inspection was not a
very difficult matter. In the skin of
the hold, on the starboard side, were
fosod four bullets embedded. In reply
to the Consul, Captain Moir explained
that they had been fired into
the hold to frighten the natives when
they "nudämed" one night when' off
the Solomon (SCOUD. The
told Captain Mair that he -woola
have to expfeda that incident when
before the Court in Sydney, and in
the meantime he ovoid consider himself
a prisoner of the Crown. Muir
was fnfacmed that ne could either
proceed to Sidney under escort or
ebie go in the Blaser. He elected to
go to Sydney to stand his trial in
his own little craft,
1
Tlroee -dasB later the Undine put to
sea. In addition to- Captain Muir
. and ids own crew, there were on
board a Bentenant, a navigating-sub
HeotetBsnt. fire bteejaefcets, four
m***n*>a snd the wrJbar, who was
gimen a imnrapn up tb Sydney tn view
of certain tafocmstion be could
give, if retprined, as to the methods
of otil Jilling natrres on contract for
plantation werk. On the Blaser was
the mate who «as on the Undine
wfcea the shooting took place off the
Solomon TritmdB, also the supercargo
who dressed the wounded nativos
after the fight In the hold. The trip
on theschooatfir -ras-an eventful one.
Shortly after dearing the inland of
Kandavu a black sgnafl strack the
little craft when aU her^sail was set,
and it was a near squeak, of her turning
turtle and nobody reaching Sydney.
The moat o' mut, crew were not
ney. moat mut, crew were not
accustomed to BsBng a email craft
like the Undine. They had been
used to a ship with ten or a dosen
men on a yard, so small wonder
they were--taken una wams. A week
hitor, when near Horfofk Island, another
Bonall Struck Oie Undine, and
took both masts out of her by the
board. Thta ww «A nftdrt tinw. All
haste WOP« amaröy nailed, and a lot
of the wceekrum which threatened
to hnedk a. hon In the schooner's I
side was. seeweed and hanlad on
haard, At the same time «une ot Qi«
leese spam and salla were
to mate a 6ea anchor, which kept thc
vessel's head to sea till a jory mast
contd oe rigged and a bit of canvai
spread. Next morning when da}
dawned the Undine presented a pitiable
sight. The sea anchor was
hauled aboard, and after a time two
jury masts were rigged and some
square canvas set. Fortunately, after
this mishap fine weather was es>
. perienced, but the daily progress was
very slow. We had been out now
forty-days from Levuka, when the
discovery was made that the suppl;
of water was running out. Only a
little could be doled out each day tc
make a cup of cocoa night and morning.
The only other stuff on board
which could be utilised to drink wai
some ullaged stout. Muir bad taken
this damaged stout to the Islands tc
trade it with the natives,
'
but they
would not touch it. The 'only pos
sible way in which it could be drunk
was with plenty bf sugar.- Here was
retributive justice if you like. The
very stuff which Muir thought to
pass off on the natives in exchange
for copra, or other -trade, we had to
drink: ourselves. TBút we were glad
bf anything in the shape of liquid
to moisten our lips.
On the'"forty-fifth day out a three
masted schooner bound from Levuka,
to. Sydney hove in sight. Seeing our
battered condition she signalled us,
and after, getting within speaking
distance an .arrangement -was, made
td take "us.ih'tow. The .towing
schooner did very well fdr.'two days,
but on'the third, during some rough
weather the tow-line parted, and we
were .left toourselves again. By this
time'.the .'Undine, .:waa_iiff'.Port Stephens,
andr the /commander' of the
Blazer, getting anxious about, his
prize, came. ont, in search. ,
.He picked,
up the .Undine à little south of
Pori Stephens; and 'towed, her into
Sydney. .,' "V- ,¿>.,
",,A : month later .Mair's trial took
place, and the evidence against him
was
.so'" overwhelming
'
that the jury
found him guilty without even leav
ing the bot -
- At, this ,tàme,, when
there, was . such a howl in the press
about "blackbirdiBg," it was thought
about "blackbirdiBg," it was thought
that the prisoner would have .got
life, bat- the judge sentenced him -to
15 years' pena)., servitude.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Mixed Marriages...interesting information
Many of us, the descendants of those who were "blackbirded" are of mixed heritage...
So it's interesting to come across this information
Queensland Parliamentary Papers -
Chief Protector of Aborigines Annual Reports
Mixed Marriages
The Aboriginals Protection Act provides that before a native woman can be married to a man other than an aboriginal, the written consent of the Chief Protector must be obtained.
In following out the provisions of the Act in this respect, permission has been given to the several marriages set forth hereunder:—
Emily, a half-caste woman, to a South Sea Islander. Childers.
Rosie, an aboriginal woman about thirty years of age, to a white man. Duaringa.
A half-caste girl, nineteen years, to a Tanna man. Bundaberg.
A half-caste girl, about seventeen years, to a Rotuma man. Thursday Island.
Baill, a native of Murray Island, about twenty-three years of age, to a Dative of Lifu, South
Sea Islands. Thursday Island.
Mary Ann, a half-caste girl, twenty-two years of age, to a Manila man. Atherton.
Millie, an aboriginal woman, to a South Sea Islander. Mackay.
Lucy, an aboriginal girl, about twenty-five years of age, to a white man. Springsure.
Annie, a half-caste woman, to a white man. Mackay.
Nida, a half-caste, to a South Sea Islander. Townsville.
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Tonight I am going to the Solomon Islands…and I'm taking you with me ....
Whilst going
through my library I came across a story I’ve read before, for about the
fifth or sixth time, have not been able to stop reading, and will read again,
and again, and again….it reminded me of my own “Putting my feet down on my
island home” experience....so very special and very emotional and one
significant and life changing event in my life I will never ever forget..
So I’m going
to take a few snipets…leaving out family names as there are many descendants
still living and prospering today, whom I am proud to say I know well and have
much respect for…and I’m happy that they too have been able to experience “Going
back home”….
“...When we
landed on the runway at Honiara, I was almost sobbing. My Heart – I can’t explain the feeling, the
feeling that had invaded my body as I put my foot down in the Solomon Islands
that first time…I had returned!!
I was
ushered through Customs and out to see the Malaita people who had heard that I
was coming…Every time I wanted to talk a great lump would come in my throat.
We could see
the people looking at us, at my family and me.
They were very intrigued.
Then in
Honiara we met a man and his wife and their son and daughter, and we had a
great talk..
On Friday
night we left Guadalcanal to go to the Island of Malaita…
I literally
cried, I was so overcome with emotion. Here I was off the Malaita coast, and I
was soon to land on the island my grandfather had come from so long ago. I thought of my Dad. How would he have felt if he had been able to
come with me this morning, if he had seen this island, the land of his father?
I went
ashore….and then I walked onto the land, the soil of Malaita. Oh, Malaita, the land of my father.
The gentleman who had come to meet us said: Come
brother, visit your land. Come see your place.
As I walked
on Malaita for the first time, I bent down and touched the ground.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
On this day - Blackbirding in Peru
On this day – 2nd
October
Peruvian Blackbirding
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Some information about Robert Towns
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Futuna Chief
This Chief (Futuna) embodies all things great.
He is a dignified, noble and imposing looking man and this photoghraph
captures his fine features.
A striking figure.
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Macleay Island History - http://moretonbay.biz/
Macleay Island History- The second largest of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands
Originally called Jencomercha, it was renamed in 1839 after former Colonial Secretary for NSW and naturalist Alexander Macleay.
However, before the change occurred, the island was also known - and appears on early maps - as Tim Shea's Island. Timothy Shea was an Irish convict who was transported in 1826, arriving in Moreton Bay in July 1827. He was put into a convict timber gang that was sent to Dunwich to work at a small outpost. The islands were a valuable source of timber for the penal settlement and its outposts. Shea escaped from Dunwich In the mid-1830s and lived on Thompson's Point, Macleay Island, for about 14 years.
The Campbell family (see Russell Island), led by patriarch John 'Tinker' Campbell, were the first permanent settlers on Macleay Island, soon leasing or owning almost the entire island.
Tinker Campbell was an early Moreton Bay squatter and entrepreneur who engaged in many business ventures after his arrival in the district in the 1840s.
The Campbells originally established a sugar plantation on Macleay Island and engaged South Sea Island labourers, also known as Kanakas.
Tinker Campbell set up a saltworks on Pininpinin Point. It is likely it was also used as a sugar mill and rumour has it that it was also a front for a rum distillery as many sugar growers around the Bay engaged in this illicit activity at the time. When the family sold some of its holdings in 1871, the South Sea Islander labour force was included in the sale, along with the 40 acres of sugar cane, buildings, sugar mill and salt works.
Tinker Campbell and his sons, Robert, Frederick and John Edwin, were timber-getters, oystermen, fishermen and dugong hunters as well as farmers. They also tried sponge fishing, cultivating castor oil trees and raising angora goats, but none were a commercial success. Their South Sea Island labourers built several structures for the Campbells, including a wharf at Thompson's Point and the saltworks on Cliff Terrace. The wharf was used to ship logs hauled there by bullock teams.
Monday, 3 September 2012
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Captain Whish Bridge...
Captain Claudius Buchanan Whish, a former Indian Army
officer, arrived in August 1862, took up land about 30 miles north of Brisbane
near the mouth of the Caboolture River, and established Oaklands Plantation. He
put a tent on his land, bought horses and bullocks, engaged what labour he could,
cleared a few acres, and planted sugar cane.
When Buhot quarrelled with Hope, Whish engaged him. Whish’s capital was nearly gone-he had only
about 500 pounds to start with – and he formed a business partnership with a Mr
Trevilian. The main problem now was
shortage of labour and high wages. Whish had been one of those who inspected Town’s
kanakas soon after their arrival, and when the schooner Black Dog sailed for
the islands in September 1865 Trevilian went with her to get men.
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Rockhampton Recognition Celebrations 2012
Had the deadliest weekend, we felt so blessed to be involved!! Thank you sooo much to the Rocky mob..RASSIC, Linking the Generations and the ASSI community and everyone who played a part in this outstanding event...the entire weekend was outstanding!! It was so wonderful to catch up with family and friends..meet family I have never known before, witness and be part of such a wonderful gathering...XXX
Thursday, 23 August 2012
1994 – Recognition by the Commonwealth Government - from the HREOC website
1994 – Recognition by the Commonwealth Government In response to the Call for Recognition report, the Commonwealth Government officially recognised the Australian South Sea Islander community as “a distinct ethnic group in Australia with its own history and culture”. The government acknowledged the injustices of the indentured labour system, the severe disadvantage suffered by the South Sea Islanders and their descendents, and their contribution to the culture, history and economy of Australia. The response included a number of initiatives especially designed for the Australian South Sea Islander community, including several projects to strengthen community members’ awareness of and pride in their culture
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
I’m into about my second week with my Blog, and each day as
I continue with my research and reading, I come across articles, photos, diary
entries, sketches and more which I often think are so interesting and that I
should post…however I would be here all day, and most likely get nothing else
done..There is so much thought-provoking and remarkable
information out there.
While I read all this…I could never understand what my
ancestors endured and what the majority of people at the time accepted….It was
a different era I suppose…
One thing that I find interesting is the written word from
over 100 years ago and coming across old words or phrases that you rarely or
never hear anymore…
I thought I’d share something I found recently.
This excerpt is from a news article from the late 1800’s, reporting
the happenings after the death of a captain of a labour vessel, on one of the
islands…
“Perfect Pandemonium”..I think I would like to have seen
that!!…
Friday, 17 August 2012
ON THIS DAY in 1863: Don Juan reaches Brisbane
According to Cannibal Cargos - by Hector Holthouse: "The Don Juan reached Brisbane with her first shipment of sixty-seven kanakas on the 17th of August 1863, the next day they were taken to Towns' Plantation, Townsvale on the Logan River. Sleeping huts and a large mess hall were built there, and the men soon settled in."
According to Cannibal Cargos - by Hector Holthouse: "The Don Juan reached Brisbane with her first shipment of sixty-seven kanakas on the 17th of August 1863, the next day they were taken to Towns' Plantation, Townsvale on the Logan River. Sleeping huts and a large mess hall were built there, and the men soon settled in."
Thursday, 16 August 2012
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
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