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The following accounts were transcribed from various contemporary sources :
Colonial Times (Hobart), 28th July 1840 :
“SCHOONER ‘MARIA.’ - Serious apprehensions are entertained for the schooner Maria, which left Adelaide for this port, some time ago, so that she must have encountered some of the late heavy gales; she is insured we understand for L1,500.”
Sydney Gazette, 4th August 1840 :
“The schooner Maria, from Port Adelaide, bound for Hobart Town, has been six weeks overdue, and no accounts having been heard of her since her departure from South Australia, great fears are entertained for her safety.”
Sydney Gazette, 22nd September 1840 :
“SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
“The following is taken from the Register of the 5th : -
“EXECUTION OF TWO NATIVES - TWO
OTHERS SHOT.
“It is our painful duty to lay before the public the following facts connected with the recent execution of two natives, which have just been communicated to us the the Honorable the Colonial Secretary : -
“To the Editors of the South Australian Register,
Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Friday, Sept. 4, 1840.
Gentlemen - Feeling it to be important that the public should be correctly informed on the subject adverted to in the leading article of the Adelaide Chronicle of Wednesday last, I beg to communicate to you the following facts, which I learnt at a late hour yesterday evening.
“Major O’Halloran on arriving in the neighbourhood of the place where some unfortunate passengers of the Maria were recently murdered, obtained the most conclusive evidence that the sufferers on the sea coast were Mr. Denham and his family, Mrs. Yorke, and a man named Sturt, and that these persons (whose clothes the police recovered from the blacks) had been killed under circumstances of very brutal ferocity.
“Having most clearly convicted one of the natives of having been concerned in the commission of this outrage, the Commissioner of Police, acting within the scope of his instructions, in obedience to which he undertook this expedition, caused this individual, as well as another, who was clearly proved to be the murderer of Roach and another sailor, at the wreck of the Fanny, some time ago, to be hung near the spot where Mr. Pullen’s party had interred the bodies found by them near the sea coast. Two other blacks belonging to the group of murderers attempted to escape, by swimming across the south-east branch of the lake, but while doing so they both received mortal wounds from the carbines of the police.
“It appears certain that two or three men and a woman (perhaps Captain Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Young), were murdered by another tribe of natives on the eastern side of the Murray, and it was hoped that the party might be able at least to find the bodies of these persons, so as to set all doubts on this distressing point at rest. Mr. Wright, and a party of sealers coming up the coast, had seen the wreck of the Maria N.W. of Cape Jaffa.
“Upon this statement of facts I would only remark, that there is great reason to believe that a prompt execution of the guilty parties, on the spot where the crime was perpetrated, and in the presence of their tribe, who were fully aware of their guilt, will have a very beneficial effect in deterring the natives of that district for the future, from making wanton and unprovoked attacks on the persons or property of the Europeans who are about to settle in that neighbourhood.
“If the offenders had been brought up to Adelaide, it is very probable that they could not have been tried and punished under the English criminal law; but even if that could have been done, the effect of the example would have been lost to the other members of the tribe, who would have been more irritated by the removal of their comrades as prisoners, than awed or impressed by any account which they might hear of the punishment of the offenders.
“Major O’Halloran and his party proceeded down the coast to visit the wreck; and they will probably not return to Adelaide until next week.
“I Have the honor to be, &c.,
GEORGE HALL,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
“We are sure that our readers will join with us in deploring the occurrence of events, the consequences of which cannot be otherwise than most lamentable to all the parties concerned. In the present state of public feeling, and in the absence of all specific reports from Major O’Halloran on the subject, it would not become us to express opinions calculated further to excite the minds of the colonists or bias the course of justice. Before our next the official documents connected with this sad transaction will be published; and, however slight their bearing may be on the one prominent and appalling fact, we feel bound to pause until the fullest possible information can be obtained.”
The Courier (Hobart), 6th October 1840 :
“The following interesting reports have been addressed by Major O’Halloarn to the Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia, relative to the dreadful murder of the crew and passengers of the ill-fated Maria : -
“FIRST REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO HIS
EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
“Camp Tentie, opposite the first island of the South
Eastern branch of Lake Alexandrina, and about five
miles to the W.N.W. of the Murray.
26th August, 1840.
“Sir - By ‘Encounter Bay Peter,’ I have the honour to report the progress of the expedition under my command.
“Mr. Pullen returned from Rairwee, (the elbow of the Goolwa,) by the evening of Friday, the 21st instant, to our first camp, near the mouth of the Murray, with a fortnight’s supply of provisions. On Saturday morning, the 22nd, we started at an early hour, the mounted party keeping along the sea-coast the entire day, but we could not discover any relics of our countrymen, three of whom were said to have been killed within a few miles of the sea-mouth of the Murray, which, however, the Encounter Bay blacks declare to be false. During this day, (Saturday) owing to the winds being foul, the boats got on badly, and we halted for the night about twelve miles from where we started in the morning, and not more than fourteen miles from the sea-mouth of the Murray.
“On Sunday morning, the 23rd instant, we again moved off at an early hour, the wind being fresh and fair for the boats. I proceeded, as on the day before, with the mounted party along the sea-coast, and detached Captain Nixon, Mr. Bonney, and an orderly to keep up the line of communication with Mr. Pullen, who was to notify by certain signals whenever he saw any natives from the boats, for we had now got into the country of the hostile ‘Big Murray Tribe.’ About twelve o’clock we discovered a number of natives along the coast, at a great distance a-head, running from us. We instantly followed in pursuit, and at as rapid a rate as the heavy nature of the sands would admit of; but we rode hard upwards of two miles before we neared them, when they took to the high and heavy sand hills, that are in many places covered with thick scrub. I, however, threw skirmishers out from the coast to the lake, and we thus kept those steadily in sight whom we first saw, and the result was, that by the evening, and after very great fatigue and exertion from the hilly, scrubby, and sandy nature of the country, we contrived, without injury to any, to capture thirteen men, two lads, and about fifty women and children. Some of the natives took to the lake when closely followed, whom we rode in after and captured, and some of them were intercepted by Mr. Pullen’s party. Upon the persons of almost every man and woman, and in almost every whirley we examined (and they were numerous) we found various articles of European clothing, belonging to males and females, as well as children, and many of the stained with blood; an excellent silver watch also, and four tea and one silver salt spoons, with the initials J.E.Y. on the five latter, were taken; all of which clearly proved that those in custody were participators in, if not actual perpetrators of, the late horrible murders. The prisoners were carefully secured and guarded during the night, but the women and children I liberated; the latter, however, remained near the men till the evening of the next day. From our last encampment we must have travelled at least twent-five miles, independent of the great distance caused by the long continued pursuit in so ufavourable a country, so that, when we rested for the night, most of our horses were quite knocked up.
“On Monday, the 24th instant, the mounted party were on horseback an hour before day-break, for the purpose of scouring the country a-head of us, along the narrows, where Mr. Pullen, in his former trip of inquiry, and who now accompanied us on horseback, saw a number of ferocious characters with European clothing on, and who were chiefly the murderers, according to the statement of the captured natives. These men I was therefore fully resolved on securing if we fell in with them, and to allow none a chance of escaping; we beat the country for a long way from the lake side to the sea-shore, captured some women, and found a quantity of European clothing (male and female) in the whirleys and huts on the lake side; several articles of which, especially a woman’s shift, were covered with blood. Close to these whirleys we saw two natives swimming across the lake; we instantly rode down, and at the water’s edge, Mr. Pullen picked up a sailor’s cap, which he at once recognised as that worn by one of the worst-looking men from his former trip, and who was then with a party of natives pointed out, by the friendly blacks that were with him, as the murderers. Finding these fellows could not be followed, and had every chance of escaping if prompt measure were not resorted to, I now, for the first and only time, ordered those around me to fire, and though the distance was great, both the natives were wounded, and one severely, though they swam to an island immediately opposite to us. Inspector Tolmer swam over after them, and found the two blacks wounded, as I have described, but before a boat (which was sent on our return to camp) could reach the island to bring them off, they had both got over to the north-east shore of the Coorong. There can scarce be a question but that thses men formed part of the actual gang of murderers, for in their whirleys, or rather huts, close by, we found articles of clothing covered with blood, and at this locality the captured natives all declared that the principal murderers were to be found. At another spot in this neighbourhood, we found newspapers, receipted bills made out in the name of Captain Smith, the mail letters from Adelaide open and torn, the leaves of a bible and another book, with part of the log of the ‘Brigantine Maria.’ This clearly proves that the crew and passengers of the above vessel are the unhappy sufferers, and that they must have come on shore very deliberately, and were making their way to Adelaide when murdered. It appears strange, however, that they had no weapons of defence with them. We returned to camp by the forenoon, having swept the country in all directions for at least eight miles to the south-east, and especially along the narrows. The captives, on our return, much alarmed at the situation they were placed in, pointed out one of their number as the murderer of a whaler, named ‘Roach,’ who came down here two years ago with another sailor (also murdered) from Encounter Bay to the wreck of the schooner Fanny, that lies on the sea-shore just opposite to where our present encampment is. The captives also pointed to the main land on the opposite side of the lake, and said that one of the murderers of the crew of the Maria was there, and could easily be taken; and two of them, at the suggestion of Mr. Bonney, volunteered to bring the man over and to give him up to us. I sent ‘Encounter Bay Peter’ with these men, and they returned at a quarter-past four o’clock in the evening, accompanied by the culprit, who was quite unconscious, till secured, of our being aware that he was one of the murderers. All our prisoners shouted with joy on seeing the man.
“Having formally and deliberately investigated into every particular relative to the murders, in the presence of those of my own party off duty, the Encounter Bay blacks and the prisoners, and finding that neither of the culprits denied, though they would not actually confess their guilt, I proceeded to pass sentence of death upon them, by virtue of the authority and instructions received from your Excellency, for the guilt of these men was fully and clearly established by the united testimony of their tribe present, and my own opinion and conviction of their guilt was supported by the unanimous declaration of all the gentlemen around me, as well as the Encounter Bay blacks.
“Yesterday morning (Tuesday, 25th instant,) I proceeded with my entire party, (except a small guard left to protect the camp) the prisoners and murderers, back about fifteen miles to the spot on the sea-coast where our unfortunate countrymen lie buried, and where they were likewise murdered; and there, at two minutes past three o’clock, p.m., these two men were executed by hanging, immediately over the grave. They died almost instantly, and both evinced extreme nerve and courage to the last, especially the man who was given over to us by his tribe, and who had the most ferocious and demon-like countenance I ever beheld. he was also a man of extraordinary strength and powerfully made.
“After the execution I released the prisoners, and notified that such was the way the whites punished those who committed murders and that the present punishment was a merciful one considering the numerous murders they had committed. I Likewise warned them not to touch the bodies, and desired them ever to remember this day, and to bring their relatives and children to the spot that they might all see how the white man punished those who murdered any of his tribe. I then allowed them to depart, and we got back to camp by dark, after a day of heavy rain and much fatigue.
“I have reason to think that the persons murdered on the spot alluded to above, were Mr. and Mrs. Denham, Strut their servant, Mrs. York, and four or five of the Denhams’ children. They were killed in the day-time, being overpowered in the most insidious and cowardly manner, by a large number of blacks and beaten to death by waddies. They were all unarmed, and the garments of those murdered (female as well as male) were chiefly stained with blood about the back of the collars. The murderer of Roach killed him, when sitting down, by the blow of a waddy from behind, and Roach’s companion was likewise killed in a similar way, and at the same time, by another black.
“The country that we have travelled over from the mouth to this averages about a mile across, from the south-east branch to the sea-shore. It is composed of steep sandy hills and scrub, with light vegetation at present in some of the bottoms, and which the horses seem to relish. Water is abundant almost everywhere along the lake side, and can be easily had by digging a foot or two, but in some places it is brackish, and in others smells and tastes offensively.
“All the European clothes, &c., taken from the natives, with the torn letters and papers, are carefully preserved by me, with the hope that they may be identified on our return to Adelaide by some of the friends or relations of the deceased.
“I send your Excellency the names of a few of the native localities, and the names also of the murderers, but we have otherwise been too much employed as yet to attend much to such points.
“The place of execution is called Pilgaru.
Native name of the Big Murray Tribe, Milmenrura.
Our present encampment, Trentie.
The island opposite our encampment, Colmoro.
The Narrows, Panca.
The south-east branch of the Lake, Coorong.
Sea-mouth of the Murray, Etandua.
The murderer of Roach, Moorcangua.
The murderer given over to us by his tribe, Mangarawata.
“I have the honour to be, &c.,
T. O’HALLORAN, Commiss. of Police.
His Excellency Col. Gawler, K. H. Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Adelaide.
“SECOND REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.
“Camp - eleven miles from the sea-mouth of the Murray,
on the N.E. beach of the Coorong.
4th September, 1840.
“Sir - My last report to your Excellency was closed and dispatched on the 26th ultiom, by ‘Encounter Bay Peter;’ and I have now the honour to address you again in continuance.
“On the morning of Thursday, 27th August, I left the camp at Tentie under charge of Mr. Pullen, and proceeded with the mounted party along the sea-coast south-east, in search of the wreck of the brig Maria (each man taking a supply of six days’ provisions with him) detaching three men to sweep the country along the lake side and carefully examine all the whirleys they fell in with. The day was cold and wet. At three p.m., nine natives were seen at a considerable distance crossing the lake to an island opposite; we examined two of their huts close by, which were full of European clothing - a good silver watch was likewise found, the dial and upper part being stained with blood. Finding it impossible to take any of the clothing with us , each horse having a heavy load to carry, I set fire to the huts and their contents, but the watch have I preserved. We travelled this day in heavy sand and rain about twenty miles.
“On Friday, the 28th August, we again moved off at an early hour, and travelled along the coast till near twelve o’clock, when Capatain Nixon and Mr. Bonney, who had been detached along the lake side, rode over to report that they had fallen in with Thompson and Walker and the rest of the party sent in the whale boat by Captain Hart from Encounter Bay, on Monday, the 17th ult., in search of the wreck of the brig Maria. On joining these men, I received the following account from Thompson, and which Captain Nixon took down in his own words : -
“Thompson’s statement -’On Tuesday morning, 18th August, we left the mouth of the Murray in a whale boat, two of us keeping the boat and two the beach. On Wednesday, we hauled the boat up where we now are, which we estimate to be one hundred miles from the mouth. We then divided our party, two kept the beach and two the shores of the lake, so as to be of any use to any party who might have been shipwrecked. On Sunday evening, an hour before sun down, we fell in with the long boat of the ‘Maria of Hobart Town,’ (the Captain’s name was not in the boat,) two oars and a mast, but no sail; we hauled the boat up to high-water mark, and then walked on and fell in with part of the quarter-deck and sky-light, some of the panes of glass not broken; about six miles further on towards Cape Jaffa, we fell in with the companion - we then walked on to Captain Wright’s, at Rivoli Bay, but met nothing in our walk except a broken table. We reached Captain Wight’s on Monday evening, about three o’clock. Tuesday, about the middle of the day, we left Captain Wright’s on our return. Wednesday afternoon we found this key and seal (showing them) fast to the state-room door, and part of the laboured quarter, the stern davit, and a quarter davit, one gilt star on the part that was broken. All her deck is on the beach broken, a cask of fresh water, and several broken boxes. We think she must have been wrecked on Baudin’s Reef. Our party consisted of myself, Walker, Fox, Sullock, two native men and two boys - one of each from Encounter Bay, the other two were met near the wreck of the Fanny.’
“The information thus obtained from Thompson, rendered it unnecessary for me to proceed farther; we therefore, , after leaving some provisions with the whalers, who greatly needed such supplies, crossed the lake (here very shallow) to the north-east side of the Choorong [sic], and got back to our camp which had been moved to the side we were on, and opposite to Tentie, by Sunday the 30th August, and where we had the honour of meeting your Excellency.
“On Monday, the 31st August, and Tuesday, 1st instant, we halted to recruit the men and horses; during which time we learnt from a native of the Big Murray Tribe, called ‘Tom,’ and who was left at our camp by Thompson’s party as they passed on to Encounter Bay, that three males and one female belonging to the brig Maria, had been waddied in the day-time by some of his tribe, not far from where we were encamped. These four had separated from Denham’s party, at the narrows, and crossed to the north-east shore of the Coorong (the same side that we are now upon,) along which after proceeding for some distance, they were murdered, being clasped round the bodies by some of the savages, whilst others waddied them. Tom offered to show us the spot where the murders were committed, and to point out the whirleys of the murderers, and likewise to identify them if found. This account of Tom’s perfectly coincided both as to locality, the persons murdered, and murderers, as given to us previously by the Encounter Bay blacks. The names of two of the murderers, who are brothers, are ‘Pallarynaka’ an ‘Poreilpeepol.’ All the other names Tom had forgotten.
“Accordingly, on the morning of Wednesday, the 2nd instant, your Excellency was pleased to order Inspector Tolmer with half of the mounted man to scour the country inland, whilst I proceeded downwards with the other half along the shores of the Coorong, Mr. Pullen and the boats keeping abreast of us. Between eleven and twelve o’clock my party discovered the mangled remains of two Europeans, one male and one female. The hair of the former was light brown, and he must have been a tall and powerful man. The skulls of both were frightfully fractured, especially that of the female, whose lower jaw bone was likewise broken. Three of the teeth of this jaw on the left hand side and two on the right nearly in front were decayed - those of the upper jaw were perfect. The man had only lost one tooth, the left front one of the upper jaw. On my questioning the native Tom whether he was aware before of these two likewise having been murdered, he said no, but that this place belonged to the murderer ‘Mangarawata,’ whom we had hanged, and who had been given over to us by his tribe. We buried the dead, carefully examined in all directions for other bodies, or graves, but could find none. The shoe of a very large man, however, and several books were discovered (all of which are taken care of) in one of which the name ‘James Greenshields, 1839,’ is written in pencil.
“On reaching the spot where the four other Europeans had been murdered, and which was about four miles further, none of their bodies could be found, after a close and minute examination.
“At one p.m. I relieved Inspector Tolmer’s party with mine, and swept the shores of Lake Albert(so named by your Excellency after Her Majesty’s Royal Consort.) It is a fine body of water, to the south of Lake Alexandrina, and united to it by a narrow channel. After an active search till evening along the Lake (the Albert) and the inland country, I returned to camp unsuccessful, having seen only a few natives at a great distance from us, and who, long before we could get near them, his themselves in the high and thick reeds that encircle Lake Albert in one continued belt along the whole of its shores as far as seen by us. The impression, howver, left on the native’s minds of our activity in thus sweeping their entire country, will, I am persuaded, give them a high notion of our power, and teach them to dread it for the future.
“I am happy to state that these murders, which appear to be seventeen in all (fifteen belonging to the Maria, and the two whalers, Roach and his companion, whose name I cannot ascertain till my return to town) have been committed by only by the hostile Milmenrura, or Big Murray Tribe, who are notorious among the natives generally for their brutal and ferocious character. The neighbouring tribes universally evince confidence in us, and abhorrence of the atrocities that have been lately committed.
“The party having now been nearly three weeks in the field, actively employed at this very inclement season of the year, in a portion of the province so difficult and little known, a severe example having been made, and a convincing exhibition given of our strength and determination to punish atrocious crimes, the district also having been well examined for future operations, should they ever become necessary - I have received your Excellency’s orders to return with my party forthwith to head-quarters.
I have the honour to be, &c.,
T. O’HALLORAN, Commiss. of Police.
His Excellency Col. Gawler, K. H. Governor and
Commander-in-chief, Head Quarters, Camp.”
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