September 3, 2025 • 13 mins
Dive into a fascinating collection of letters penned by the early pioneers of Victoria, addressing the Lieutenant-Governor Charles Joseph La Trobe in response to his circular dated July 29, 1853. These correspondences provide a glimpse into the early days of the colony, its interactions with the Aboriginal community, and the perspectives of those who shaped its history. While these letters offer valuable insights, they are not without their flaws; as noted in the preface, they cannot be deemed infallible records of our past. The series concludes with a unique compilation of Aboriginal words and phrases gathered by a dedicated woman, which, though their accuracy may be uncertain, stands as a testament to her commitment to preserving cultural heritage. Remember, the views expressed in these letters reflect the sentiments of the time and may not necessarily align with modern perspectives. (Annise)
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section fifty eight of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit libriyvox dot org.
Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Letter fifty eight from John Hart, Melbourne,
(00:24):
April twenty fourth, eighteen fifty four. Sir, enclosed is the
account you favored me by asking for. I have no
doubt that most of its contents your excellency will not
be interested in the least about I found it necessary
to go back a long time to arrive at the dates,
(00:44):
having none of my books and papers with me, and
I have been disappointed in getting from the custom House
records at Launceston the information required on that head. In
consequence of the dismissal of the officer to whom I
wrote to furnish it, I regret I cannot at present
go to Launceston and makes the search. I have no
(01:06):
doubt the local newspapers of the date would make mention
of my early trip. Also, trusting you will excuse the
very imperfect manner that I complied with your request. I
remain your obliged servant, John Hart to his Excellency, Governor Latrobe.
In the months of November eighteen thirty one, became master
(01:28):
of the schooner Elizabeth of Launceston, owned by mister John Griffith,
and bound on a sealing voyage to the Northwest Islands.
Early in December, we landed on the Lawrence Rocks Portland Bay,
where we were joined by a boat's crew left there
the year before, they having procured nearly four hundred skins,
(01:50):
proceeding towards Kangaroo Island. Anchored on the sixteenth in Gihen Bay,
landing on Bodine's Rocks, killed thirty seals, leaving one man
with a supply of water and provisions until our return.
Anchored in Nepine Bay on the twenties and procured from
the Salt Lagoon five tons of salt, bought one hundred
(02:12):
and fifty skins seal and twelve thousand Wallaby skins from
the islanders. These islanders were principally men who had left
various ceiling vessels when of their homeward voyage, the masters
readily agreeing to an arrangement by which they secured for
the next season all the skins obtained during their absence.
(02:34):
This island life had the peculiar charm for the sailors,
being supplied from the ship with flour, tea, sugar, tobacco
and a few slops, and living generally in pairs on
the shore of one of the little bays, they cultivated
a small garden to supply them with potatoes, onions, and
a small patch of barley for their poultry. They thus
(02:57):
led an easy, independent life as compared with that on
board ship. They obtained wives from the mainland. These attended
to the wallaby snares, caught fish, and made up the
boat's crew when on a seiling excursion to the neighboring rocks.
At Kangaroo Island, there were some sixteen or eighteen of
(03:17):
these men. On a certain day once a year, they
assembled from all parts of the island to meet the
vessel in Nepene Bay and dispose of their skins, getting
a supply in return for the following year, the only
money required being a sovereign or two for making ear rings.
(03:38):
There was another class of men also, who probably had
escaped from one Demon's land. These lived generally on islands
apart from the others. Some on Thiscil Island, near Port
Lincoln and other islands in Spencer's Gulf. And there was
one man who had been unvisited for three years when
I saw him on this trip. This man lay under
(04:00):
the suspicion of having murdered his original companions. He had
two wives whose wullly heads clearly showed their one Demon's
land origin. Although so long without supplies, he had every
comfort about him. A convenient stone house, good garden, small
wheat and barley, paddocks with pigs, goats and poultry made
(04:22):
him quite independent of the vessel except for tea and tobacco.
He had collected seven thousand wallaby skins of a kind
peculiar to this island, very small, fine furred, and beautifully
mottled in color. I sold these in Sydney for the
China market. Returning to Launceston in February eighteen thirty two,
(04:45):
I was first employed to take mister Sinclair's whaling party
to Twofold Bay and afterwards in the Sydney trade. November
third proceeded on a second ceiling trip, landing on almost
every rock between Bass Straits and Doubtful Island Bay. Returned
to Launceston after a very successful trip in March eighteen
(05:05):
thirty three, my mate mister Dutton, appointed the chief headsman
of the first fishing in Portland Bay employed attending on
these whalers. Wales so plentiful that on my visiting the
bay in June, I found all the casks full and
the men putting oil into pits they had made in
(05:27):
the clay. Out of hundred tons, thus dealt with a
very small quantity was saved. I took the first cargo
of oil from Portland on this occasion. Port Fayry was
visited about three years before by the cutter of that name,
commanded by mister Wishardt. Mister e Henty made his first
(05:48):
visit to Portland, with me returning to launceston the same
voyage November fitted for my third ceiling voyage, which was
extended to Cape lee Wynn. On this voyage, we anchored
in the harbor of Middle Island, discovered close to the
beach a lagoon containing fine salt in such quantities that
(06:08):
we took on board twenty tons in three days. On
this voyage, also I was on the plain where Adelaide
now stands, and also discovered the dangerous reef of Cape
Jaffa returned to Lanceston in March eighteen thirty four. Two
fisheries in Portland Bay this year. Voyage to Hokianga, New Zealand.
(06:31):
October brought Griffith's party of whalers from Portland. Employment having
to be found for these men during the summer. To
prevent them being employed by the opposition, fishing Party took
a number of them on an expedition to strip Bark.
Left launceston the latter end of November, having on board
(06:51):
a team of bullocks, a dray and some twenty men beside.
The crew entered the heats of Western Port the beginning
of December, anchored under Philip's Island, saw the place where
a settlement had been, ruins of houses and workshops with
broken crockery, et cetera. The land here was bad and
there were no wattle trees stood up the harbor. Surprised
(07:15):
to find the deep water channel marked with beacons on
each side. Anchored abreast of the ruins of another settlement,
landed the men and team. Here were the remains of
houses and gardens, grass ery abundant, and the battle trees
the largest I had ever seen. Employed for a fortnight
collecting bark, saw the traces of numerous cattle, shot a
(07:39):
large white bull. Finding the bark so abundant, I loaded
the schooner and proceeded to Sydney, leaving the shore party behind.
Sold my cargo to a ship bound to London, and
chartered the ship Andromeda to load bark in Western Port
for London, put on board mister Thom my mate, as
(08:00):
pilot and supercargo. She arrived there in April eighteen thirty five.
In the meantime, I proceeded to Launceston and gave an
account of my trip, first to my owner and mister Connolly,
afterwards to a number of persons assembled in the billiard
room of the Cornwall Hotel, among whom were mister Faulkner,
(08:21):
Messrs Gio and John Evans, and I think mister Batman.
I spoke in high terms of the land at the grass, instance,
the sign of the Mimosa trees as a proof for
the one, and the condition of the wild cattle as
the result for the other. When, however, the Andromeda arrived
to get her clearance at the Custom House at Launceston,
(08:44):
the fame of the place was spread far and wide
by the returned bark cutters. Many of these were farming
men born in One Demon's Land, and they at once
saw the advantages of this beyond that of their own country.
The cargo of the Andromeda was consigned to John Gore
and Co. Of London through mister Connolly, and sold for
(09:08):
about thirteen pounds per ton. I brought vast numbers of
black swans which we had pulled down while molting. The
waters of Western Port were covered with these birds. In
de Super eighteen thirty five I sailed as a passenger
to London, and while there gave evidence to some of
the South Australian Commissioners on the subject of the coasts
(09:32):
and lands of that province. I furnished sailing directions for
Colonel Light then about to leave. In the rapid I
related to Colonel Torrance the fact that the Port Lincoln
natives circumcised their mails in a very extraordinary manner, although
the tribes around had no such custom. In September I
(09:54):
sailed from London to Lanceston, taking with me as passengers
several of the now old South Australian settlers, who, on
my suggestion, went to One Demon's Land in the first instance,
to select their stock et cetera to take with them.
In November eighteen thirty seven, I undertook to drive a
(10:15):
herd of cattle from Portland to Adelaide. These cattle I
had originally bought from mister Dutton in Sydney to be
delivered in Portland. I had shipped a large number during
the previous six months. The remainder about five hundred head.
I started with from Darlott's Creek. My party consisted of
(10:35):
mister Pulland, who had been my chief officer now I
believe Captain Pulland or NN of the North Star, and
nine men. I arrived at mister s Winter's station on
the Vennen on the third, and for a week was
employed exploring to the westward of the Glenell, with a
view of making a direct course to Adelaide. Finding, however,
(10:58):
no water, I deterre to make the murray by Major
Mitchell Road. I had, however, greater difficulties to overcome than
I expected. It was a season of extraordinary draft. Many
water holes were dry, in the bottoms of which we
found the large monster mushalls lying putrid. I was obliged
(11:20):
therefore to leave the Major's Road for the purpose of
procuring water, his object at the season in which he
passed being to avoid it. I arrived on the Merry
near Mount Hope early in January eighteen thirty eight, and,
traveling down the stream, crossed the river about fifteen miles
below the Darling. At this place the depth of water
(11:43):
did not exceed eighteen inches on a sandy bottom. As
a nautical man, I felt great interest in this river,
and saw at once that it would be navigable for
a great portion of the year, possibly for the whole
year in ordinary seasons. I observed that the cause of
the shallows was the river having to cross in its
(12:04):
course to the westward the pine sand ridges that run
north and south, And therefore when the river is full
in these places, it increases its wits and brings a
fresh supply of sand into its bed. No deepening, therefore
will avail here, and it appears to me the only
improvement that could be made would be to narrow the
(12:27):
channel artificially with clay or wood, the expense of which
would make it impossible to be done for ages to come.
Nothing struck me so much on this river as the
splendid timber that grows on its banks. I never saw
anything equal to it for shipbuilding purposes. I arrived in
(12:47):
Adelaide March the first, without the loss of a beast,
and on the third sail to Launcestant to ship the
whalers for Encounter Bay. End of Section fifty eight. End
of Letters from Victorian Pioneers.
Section fifty eight of Letters from Victorian Pioneers. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit libriyvox dot org.
Letters from Victorian Pioneers. Letter fifty eight from John Hart, Melbourne,
(00:24):
April twenty fourth, eighteen fifty four. Sir, enclosed is the
account you favored me by asking for. I have no
doubt that most of its contents your excellency will not
be interested in the least about I found it necessary
to go back a long time to arrive at the dates,
(00:44):
having none of my books and papers with me, and
I have been disappointed in getting from the custom House
records at Launceston the information required on that head. In
consequence of the dismissal of the officer to whom I
wrote to furnish it, I regret I cannot at present
go to Launceston and makes the search. I have no
(01:06):
doubt the local newspapers of the date would make mention
of my early trip. Also, trusting you will excuse the
very imperfect manner that I complied with your request. I
remain your obliged servant, John Hart to his Excellency, Governor Latrobe.
In the months of November eighteen thirty one, became master
(01:28):
of the schooner Elizabeth of Launceston, owned by mister John Griffith,
and bound on a sealing voyage to the Northwest Islands.
Early in December, we landed on the Lawrence Rocks Portland Bay,
where we were joined by a boat's crew left there
the year before, they having procured nearly four hundred skins,
(01:50):
proceeding towards Kangaroo Island. Anchored on the sixteenth in Gihen Bay,
landing on Bodine's Rocks, killed thirty seals, leaving one man
with a supply of water and provisions until our return.
Anchored in Nepine Bay on the twenties and procured from
the Salt Lagoon five tons of salt, bought one hundred
(02:12):
and fifty skins seal and twelve thousand Wallaby skins from
the islanders. These islanders were principally men who had left
various ceiling vessels when of their homeward voyage, the masters
readily agreeing to an arrangement by which they secured for
the next season all the skins obtained during their absence.
(02:34):
This island life had the peculiar charm for the sailors,
being supplied from the ship with flour, tea, sugar, tobacco
and a few slops, and living generally in pairs on
the shore of one of the little bays, they cultivated
a small garden to supply them with potatoes, onions, and
a small patch of barley for their poultry. They thus
(02:57):
led an easy, independent life as compared with that on
board ship. They obtained wives from the mainland. These attended
to the wallaby snares, caught fish, and made up the
boat's crew when on a seiling excursion to the neighboring rocks.
At Kangaroo Island, there were some sixteen or eighteen of
(03:17):
these men. On a certain day once a year, they
assembled from all parts of the island to meet the
vessel in Nepene Bay and dispose of their skins, getting
a supply in return for the following year, the only
money required being a sovereign or two for making ear rings.
(03:38):
There was another class of men also, who probably had
escaped from one Demon's land. These lived generally on islands
apart from the others. Some on Thiscil Island, near Port
Lincoln and other islands in Spencer's Gulf. And there was
one man who had been unvisited for three years when
I saw him on this trip. This man lay under
(04:00):
the suspicion of having murdered his original companions. He had
two wives whose wullly heads clearly showed their one Demon's
land origin. Although so long without supplies, he had every
comfort about him. A convenient stone house, good garden, small
wheat and barley, paddocks with pigs, goats and poultry made
(04:22):
him quite independent of the vessel except for tea and tobacco.
He had collected seven thousand wallaby skins of a kind
peculiar to this island, very small, fine furred, and beautifully
mottled in color. I sold these in Sydney for the
China market. Returning to Launceston in February eighteen thirty two,
(04:45):
I was first employed to take mister Sinclair's whaling party
to Twofold Bay and afterwards in the Sydney trade. November
third proceeded on a second ceiling trip, landing on almost
every rock between Bass Straits and Doubtful Island Bay. Returned
to Launceston after a very successful trip in March eighteen
(05:05):
thirty three, my mate mister Dutton, appointed the chief headsman
of the first fishing in Portland Bay employed attending on
these whalers. Wales so plentiful that on my visiting the
bay in June, I found all the casks full and
the men putting oil into pits they had made in
(05:27):
the clay. Out of hundred tons, thus dealt with a
very small quantity was saved. I took the first cargo
of oil from Portland on this occasion. Port Fayry was
visited about three years before by the cutter of that name,
commanded by mister Wishardt. Mister e Henty made his first
(05:48):
visit to Portland, with me returning to launceston the same
voyage November fitted for my third ceiling voyage, which was
extended to Cape lee Wynn. On this voyage, we anchored
in the harbor of Middle Island, discovered close to the
beach a lagoon containing fine salt in such quantities that
(06:08):
we took on board twenty tons in three days. On
this voyage, also I was on the plain where Adelaide
now stands, and also discovered the dangerous reef of Cape
Jaffa returned to Lanceston in March eighteen thirty four. Two
fisheries in Portland Bay this year. Voyage to Hokianga, New Zealand.
(06:31):
October brought Griffith's party of whalers from Portland. Employment having
to be found for these men during the summer. To
prevent them being employed by the opposition, fishing Party took
a number of them on an expedition to strip Bark.
Left launceston the latter end of November, having on board
(06:51):
a team of bullocks, a dray and some twenty men beside.
The crew entered the heats of Western Port the beginning
of December, anchored under Philip's Island, saw the place where
a settlement had been, ruins of houses and workshops with
broken crockery, et cetera. The land here was bad and
there were no wattle trees stood up the harbor. Surprised
(07:15):
to find the deep water channel marked with beacons on
each side. Anchored abreast of the ruins of another settlement,
landed the men and team. Here were the remains of
houses and gardens, grass ery abundant, and the battle trees
the largest I had ever seen. Employed for a fortnight
collecting bark, saw the traces of numerous cattle, shot a
(07:39):
large white bull. Finding the bark so abundant, I loaded
the schooner and proceeded to Sydney, leaving the shore party behind.
Sold my cargo to a ship bound to London, and
chartered the ship Andromeda to load bark in Western Port
for London, put on board mister Thom my mate, as
(08:00):
pilot and supercargo. She arrived there in April eighteen thirty five.
In the meantime, I proceeded to Launceston and gave an
account of my trip, first to my owner and mister Connolly,
afterwards to a number of persons assembled in the billiard
room of the Cornwall Hotel, among whom were mister Faulkner,
(08:21):
Messrs Gio and John Evans, and I think mister Batman.
I spoke in high terms of the land at the grass, instance,
the sign of the Mimosa trees as a proof for
the one, and the condition of the wild cattle as
the result for the other. When, however, the Andromeda arrived
to get her clearance at the Custom House at Launceston,
(08:44):
the fame of the place was spread far and wide
by the returned bark cutters. Many of these were farming
men born in One Demon's Land, and they at once
saw the advantages of this beyond that of their own country.
The cargo of the Andromeda was consigned to John Gore
and Co. Of London through mister Connolly, and sold for
(09:08):
about thirteen pounds per ton. I brought vast numbers of
black swans which we had pulled down while molting. The
waters of Western Port were covered with these birds. In
de Super eighteen thirty five I sailed as a passenger
to London, and while there gave evidence to some of
the South Australian Commissioners on the subject of the coasts
(09:32):
and lands of that province. I furnished sailing directions for
Colonel Light then about to leave. In the rapid I
related to Colonel Torrance the fact that the Port Lincoln
natives circumcised their mails in a very extraordinary manner, although
the tribes around had no such custom. In September I
(09:54):
sailed from London to Lanceston, taking with me as passengers
several of the now old South Australian settlers, who, on
my suggestion, went to One Demon's Land in the first instance,
to select their stock et cetera to take with them.
In November eighteen thirty seven, I undertook to drive a
(10:15):
herd of cattle from Portland to Adelaide. These cattle I
had originally bought from mister Dutton in Sydney to be
delivered in Portland. I had shipped a large number during
the previous six months. The remainder about five hundred head.
I started with from Darlott's Creek. My party consisted of
(10:35):
mister Pulland, who had been my chief officer now I
believe Captain Pulland or NN of the North Star, and
nine men. I arrived at mister s Winter's station on
the Vennen on the third, and for a week was
employed exploring to the westward of the Glenell, with a
view of making a direct course to Adelaide. Finding, however,
(10:58):
no water, I deterre to make the murray by Major
Mitchell Road. I had, however, greater difficulties to overcome than
I expected. It was a season of extraordinary draft. Many
water holes were dry, in the bottoms of which we
found the large monster mushalls lying putrid. I was obliged
(11:20):
therefore to leave the Major's Road for the purpose of
procuring water, his object at the season in which he
passed being to avoid it. I arrived on the Merry
near Mount Hope early in January eighteen thirty eight, and,
traveling down the stream, crossed the river about fifteen miles
below the Darling. At this place the depth of water
(11:43):
did not exceed eighteen inches on a sandy bottom. As
a nautical man, I felt great interest in this river,
and saw at once that it would be navigable for
a great portion of the year, possibly for the whole
year in ordinary seasons. I observed that the cause of
the shallows was the river having to cross in its
(12:04):
course to the westward the pine sand ridges that run
north and south, And therefore when the river is full
in these places, it increases its wits and brings a
fresh supply of sand into its bed. No deepening, therefore
will avail here, and it appears to me the only
improvement that could be made would be to narrow the
(12:27):
channel artificially with clay or wood, the expense of which
would make it impossible to be done for ages to come.
Nothing struck me so much on this river as the
splendid timber that grows on its banks. I never saw
anything equal to it for shipbuilding purposes. I arrived in
(12:47):
Adelaide March the first, without the loss of a beast,
and on the third sail to Launcestant to ship the
whalers for Encounter Bay. End of Section fifty eight. End
of Letters from Victorian Pioneers.
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