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The George was a Hawkesbury built sloop and owned by John Palmer, an enterprising and successful settler. In 1803 the George was grounded on New Years Island, off the north west coast of King Island, and refloated nine months later in February 1804. At the time of the shipwreck at Twofold Bay she was under the command of Thomas Bribeck.
Sydney Gazette, 6th of April 1806:
“The hull of the George private colonial schooner, some time since wrecked at Two-fold Bay, has been consumed, as no hopes of getting her off remained, and her iron-work brought up in the Venus.
“Disagreeable accounts were last week received by the Venus private colonial vessel of the inimical disposition of the natives at Two Fold Bay. The sealers employed there were for many weeks past obliged to act with the greatest caution, two men with muskets being obliged to accompany the water bearers to and fro’ for fear of assassination, and centinels [sic] being set at night, who were frequently compelled to alarm their companions, from the appearance of the natives near their hut. Abut five weeks ago a whole body shewed themselves, with a determined resolution to attack the gang en masse. They advanced with shouts and menaces until within reach of a spear, several of which were thrown; and then the gang, eleven in number, in self defence commenced a fire, by which nine of their assailants were lain prostrate; whereupon all the rest made off. To intimidate them it was thought advisable to suspend those that fell, on the limbs of trees; but before daylight the next morning they were taken down and carried off.”
Sydney Gazette, 18th of May 1806:
“On Tuesday came in after a fatiguing travel from the northward of Jervis’s Bay [Jervis Bay], five men who were left at Twofold Bay with the wreck of the George private colonial vessel. About the middle of April they had reason to suspect treachery from the natives, those upon that part of the coast having given frequent testimony of their antipathy to strangers. About the 20th they missed one of their party, known here chiefly by the name Yankey Campbell, whom they conclude to have fallen victim to native barbarity. The seme [sic] day a number of canoes landed from various directions, the natives that were in them making their rendezvous on an eminence commanding that part of the beach which the white men occupied. In the course of the day their numbers increased, and they actually commenced an attack by several flights of spears, thrown from thickets, and were answered by muskets, but with what effect was unknown, as those by whom the spears were thrown were not visible. The first fire produced a general engagement, in which one white man was wounded, but not dangerously, and a number of the aggressors retreated wounded into the woods - .
“They maintained the fight against the fire of musketry until 27 rounds of ammunition were expended; but in the end rushed like a torrent upon the intended victims of their animosity, who fled precipitately to their boat of only 7 feet keel, which they reached with extreme difficulty. Where beyond the reach of their missile weapons, they saw every thing destroyed by their assailants, and the stock they were forced to leave behind massacred; yet thankful for their deliverance determined to coast it up in their little boat; but from the state of the weather were forced to relinquish this project, and on Monday the 5th instant forsook their boat at Jevis’s Bay [Jevis Bay], subsisting entirely upon the shell fish along the coast - a precarious diet, but sparingly afforded. From two Sydney natives one of whom a youth known by the name of Potter, they received such humane assistance when feinting with fatigue, as enabled them to complete their tedious and distressing travel in eight days from their separation from the boat.”
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