A Source Book Of Australian History by Compiled by Gwendolen H. Swinburne

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A SOURCE BOOK OF
AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

COMPILED BY

GWENDOLEN H. SWINBURNE, M.A.

DIP. ED., MELB. UNIV.

LONDON

G. BELL AND SONS, LTD.

1919

CHISWICK PRESS: CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO.

TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.

INTRODUCTION

I submit this volume to the public in the hope that it may increase the
amount of interest usually shown in Australian History by deepening the
general knowledge of the subject, and illustrating it by those vivid
details which arrest the attention and enable the student to visualize
past events.

The number of events described in a Source Book must necessarily be
smaller than that in histories of another type; but the aim is to place
the student in contact with the evidence of history in order that he may
become his own historian by drawing his own deductions from the
contemporary records. The greatest historian can find no materials
ulterior to such as are here presented, for there is nothing ulterior to
them but the deeds themselves. They are the records written by the men
who gave their life and health to lay the foundation of Australia's
greatness--by Phillip, weakening under the racking cares of the infant
state; by Sturt in the scorching desert, as the last duty of an
exhausting day. They are aglow with the heat of action; they are
inspiring in their quiet modesty and strength.

In order to give greater continuity to the volume, short introductions
have been placed at the head of each selection. It has been impossible
to quote in full all the documents of which use has been made, but
fuller information may be obtained by reference to the "source"
mentioned at the head of each selection. The editor or author of the
source and its date of publication are shown in order to facilitate
further research.

The Source Book has been compiled with attention to the requirements of
schools, and it is hoped that teachers in Australia will avail
themselves of the opportunity to introduce the study of history from
contemporary documents, and thus in this respect bring Australia into
line with the other countries where source books are already familiar.
The section on discovery and exploration may with advantage be used in
the study of geography.

My thanks are due to the proprietors of the "Times" for permission to
quote certain pages from "The Times History of the War in South Africa,"
and "The Times History of the War and Encyclopaedia," and also for the
"Dispatch from a Special Correspondent at the Dardanelles," printed in
the "Times," 7 May 1915.

It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge my indebtedness to
Professor Scott, of Melbourne University (at whose suggestion the work
was undertaken), for his interest and advice; and to Arthur Wadsworth,
Esq., Chief Librarian for the Parliament of the Commonwealth, for his
courteous assistance.

GWENDOLEN H. SWINBURNE.

HAWTHORN,
MELBOURNE.

CONTENTS

PART I

DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION

DISCOVERY OF TASMANIA

DESCRIPTION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

THE FIRST VISIT TO THE EASTERN COAST

BASS STRAIT

THE _INVESTIGATOR_

ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS

AUSTRALIA FELIX (VICTORIA)

THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTINENT. I

EXPLORATION OF THE EASTERN RIVER SYSTEM

THE INTERIOR. II

ACROSS THE CONTINENT. SOUTH TO NORTH. I

ACROSS THE CONTINENT. SOUTH TO NORTH. II

FROM WEST TO EAST. I. ALONG THE BIGHT

FROM WEST TO EAST. II. THE INTERIOR

PART II

GENERAL HISTORY

THE FIRST SETTLEMENT

EARLY DIFFICULTIES

PHILLIP'S RESIGNATION

NEW SOUTH WALES CORPS

THE IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS

THE BLIGH MUTINY

THE BEGINNING OF THE WOOL INDUSTRY

EMANCIPIST CONTROVERSY

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WAKEFIELD'S SCHEME OF COLONIZATION

FOUNDATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FOUNDATION OF VICTORIA

TRANSPORTATION

INDEPENDENCE OF VICTORIA

GOLD

EFFECTS OF THE GOLD DISCOVERY

THE GOLD MINES

VICTORIA IN 1854

THE BUSHRANGERS

ANTI-TRANSPORTATION MOVEMENT

THE LAND QUESTION

THE LAND QUESTION IN NEW SOUTH WALES

QUEENSLAND

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS CRISIS

NEW GUINEA

THE NATIONAL AUSTRALASIAN CONVENTION, 1891

THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

THE BOER WAR

THE GREAT WAR

LANDING ON GALLIPOLI

WHAT ANZAC MEANS

[Illustration: MAP OF AUSTRALIA]

A SOURCE BOOK OF
AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

PART I

DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION

DISCOVERY OF TASMANIA

+Source.+--Tasman's Journal (edited by Heeres), pp. 1, 11-16

The Spaniard Torres was probably the first European to sight
Australia (Cape Yorke); but Tasman was the first who consciously
discovered the Great South Land. In his search for fresh fields for
trade, he came upon Tasmania and New Zealand.

Journal or description drawn up by me, ABEL JAN TASMAN, of a Voyage made
from the town of Batavia in E. India for the discovery of the unknown
Southland, in the year of our Lord 1642, the 14th of August. May God
Almighty vouchsafe his Blessing on this work. AMEN.

_Note_.--Days reckoned from midnight to midnight. Longitude calculated
from meridian of Peak of Teneriffe.

_Item the 23rd Nov._--Good weather with a south-easterly wind and a
steady breeze; in the morning, we found our rudder broken at top in the
tiller hole; we therefore hauled to windward under reduced sail and
fitted a cross beam to either side. By estimation the west side of Nova
Guinea must be North of us.

_Item the 24th do._ Good weather and a clear sky. In the afternoon about
4 o'clock we saw land bearing East by North of us; at about 10 miles
distance by estimation. The land we sighted was very high. Towards
evening we also saw S.S.E. of us three high mountains, and to the N.E.
two more mountains, but less high than those to southward. This land
being the first we have met with in the South sea and not known to any
European nation, we have conferred on it the name of Anthoony Van
Diemenslandt, in honor of the Hon. Governor-General, our illustrious
master, who sent us to make this discovery; the islands circumjacent so
far as known to us, we have named after the Hon. Councillors of India.

_Item 28th do._ In the evening we came under the shore. There are under
the shore some small islands one of which looks like a lion.

_Item 29th do._ In the morning were still near the rock which looks like
a lion's head. Towards noon passed two rocks; the most westerly looks
like Pedra Branca, which lies on the coast of China, the most easterly,
looking like a high rugged tower, lies about 16 miles out from the
mainland. Ran through between these rocks and the land. We came before a
way which seemed likely to afford a good anchorage upon which we
resolved to run into it. We again made for the shore, the wind and
current having driven us so far out to sea that we could barely see the
land.

_Item 1st Dec._ We resolved that it would be best and most expedient to
touch at the land, the sooner the better; both to get better acquainted
with the land and secure refreshment for our own behoof. About one hour
after sunset we dropped anchorage in a good harbour, for all of which it
behooves us to thank God Almighty with grateful hearts.

_Item 2nd do._ Early in the morning we sent our own pilot Major Francoys
Jacobz in command of our pinnace manned with 4 musketeers and 6 rowers,
all of them furnished with pikes and side arms together with the
cockboat of the _Zeehaen_, with one of her second mates and six
musketeers in it, to a bay situated N.W. of us at upwards of a mile's
distance in order to ascertain what facilities (as regards fresh water,
refreshments, timber and the like) may be available there. About three
hours before nightfall the boats came back, bringing various samples of
vegetables, which they had seen growing there in great abundance, some
of them in appearance not unlike a certain plant growing at the Cabo de
Bona Esperance, and fit to be used as pot-herbs; and another species
with long leaves and brackish taste strongly resembling persil de mer or
samphou. The pilot Major and second mate of the _Zeehaen_ made the
following report, to wit:

That they had rowed the space of upwards of a mile round the said point
where they had found high but level land, covered with vegetation and
not cultivated but growing naturally (by the will of God) abundance of
excellent timber and a gently sloping watercourse in a barren valley;
the said water though of good quality being difficult to procure,
because the watercourse is so shallow that the water could be dipped
with bowls only.

That they had heard certain human sounds, and also sounds resembling the
music of a small trump or a small gong not far from them though they had
seen no one.

That they had seen two trees about 2 or 2-1/2 fathoms in thickness
measuring from 60-65 feet from the ground to the lowermost branches,
which trees bore notches made with flint implements, the bark having
been removed for the purpose; these notches forming a kind of steps to
enable persons to get up the trees and rob birds' nests in their tops
were fully five feet apart; so that our men concluded that the natives
here must be of very tall stature or must be in possession of some sort
of artifice for getting up the said trees. In one of the trees these
notched steps were so fresh and new that they seemed to have been cut
less than four days ago.

That on the ground they discovered the footprints of animals, not unlike
those of a tiger's claws. They also brought on board a small quantity of
gum, of a seemingly very fine quality, which had exuded from trees, and
bore some resemblance to gum-lac.

That at one extremity on the point of the way they had seen large
numbers of gulls, wild ducks, and geese, but had perceived none further
inward though they had heard their cries, and had found no fish except
different kinds of mussels forming small clusters in various places.

That the land is pretty generally covered with trees, standing so far
apart that they allow a passage everywhere and a look-out to a great
distance, so that when landing, our men could always get sight of
natives or wild beasts unhindered by dense shrubbery or underwood, which
would prove a great advantage in exploring the country.

That in the interior they had in several places observed numerous trees
which had deep holes burnt into them at the upper end of the foot while
the earth had here and there been dug out with the fist so as to form a
fireplace; the surrounding soil having become as hard as flint through
the action of fire.

A short time before we got sight of our boats returning to the ships, we
now and then saw clouds of dense smoke rising up from the land (it was
nearly always north of us) and surmised this must be a signal given by
our men because they were so long coming back.

When our men came on board again, we inquired of them whether they had
been there and made a fire, to which they returned a negative answer;
adding, however, that at various times and points in the wood they had
also seen clouds of smoke ascending. So there can be no doubt there must
be men here of extraordinary stature.

_Item 3rd Dec._ In the afternoon we went to the S.E. side of this bay,
in the boats, having with us pilot Major Francoys Jacobz, Skipper Gerrit
Janz, Isack Gilseman, supercargo on board the _Zeehaen_, subcargo
Abraham Cooman and our master carpenter Pieter Jacobz; we carried with
us a pole with the Company's mark carved into it, and a Prince flag to
be set up there that those who shall come after us may become aware we
have been here, and have taken possession of the said land as our lawful
property. When we had rowed about half-way with our boats it began to
blow very stiffly, and the sea ran so high that the cockboat of the
_Zeehaen_ was compelled to pull back to the ships, while we ran on with
our pinnace.

When we had come close inshore in a small inlet the surf ran so high
that we could not get near the shore without running the risk of having
our pinnace dashed to pieces. We then ordered the carpenter aforesaid to
swim to the shore alone with the pole and the flag.

We made him plant the said pole with the flag at the top, into the
earth, about the centre of the bay near four tall trees easily
recognizable and standing in the form of a crescent, exactly before the
one standing lowest. This tree is burnt in just above ground and is in
reality taller than the other three, but it seems to be shorter because
it stands lower on the sloping ground. Our master carpenter, having in
the sight of myself Abel Janz Tasman, skipper Gerrit Janz and subcargo
Abraham Cooman performed the work entrusted to him, we pulled with our
pinnace as near the shore as we ventured to do; the carpenter aforesaid
thereupon swam back to the pinnace through the surf. This work having
been duly executed, we pulled back to the ships, leaving the
above-mentioned as a memorial for those who shall come after us, and for
the natives of this country who did not show themselves though we
suspect some of them were at no great distance and closely watching our
proceedings.

_Item 4th Dec._ In the evening we saw a round mountain bearing N.N.W.
of us at about 8 miles' distance.

_Item 5th do._ The high round mountain which we had seen the day before
bore now due W. of us at 6 miles' distance. At this point the land fell
off to the N.W. so that we could no longer steer near the coast here,
seeing that the wind was almost ahead. We therefore convened the Council
and the second mates, with whom after due deliberation we resolved, and
subsequently called out to the officer of the _Zeehaen_ that pursuant to
the resolution of the 11th ultimo, we should direct our course due east,
and on the said course run to the full longitude of 195 deg., or the
Salamonis Islands. Set our course due east in order to make further
discoveries.

[This course brought them to New Zealand.]

DESCRIPTION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

+Source.+--The Voyages and Adventures of Captain William Dampier
(published 1776). Vol. II, pp. 134-40

Dampier was an Englishman who had joined a company of American
buccaneers. They arrived in May 1698 on the Western coast of
Australia, which was by this time fairly well known to the Dutch
under the name of New Holland.

New Holland is a very large tract of land. It is not yet determined
whether it is an island or a main continent; but I am certain that it
joins neither to Asia, Africa nor America. This part of it that we saw
is all low even land, with sandy banks against the sea, only the points
are rocky, and so are some of the islands in this bay.

The land is of a dry sandy soil, destitute of water, except you make
wells; yet producing divers sorts of trees, but the woods are not thick,
nor the trees very big. Most of the trees that we saw are dragon-trees
as we supposed, and these too are the largest trees of any there.

They are about the bigness of our large apple-trees, and about the same
height, and the rind is blackish and somewhat rough. The leaves are of a
dark colour; the gum distils out of the knots or cracks that are in the
bodies of the trees. We compared it with some gum dragon, or dragon's
blood, that was on board, and it was of the same colour and taste. The
other sorts of trees were not known by any of us. There was pretty long
grass growing under the trees, but it was very thin. We saw no trees
that bore fruit or berries.

We saw no sort of animal, nor any track of beast, but once, and that
seemed to be the tread of a beast as big as a mastiff dog. Here are a
few small land-birds, but none bigger than a black-bird and but few sea
fowls.

Neither is the sea very plentifully stored with fish, unless you reckon
the manatee and turtle as such. Of these creatures there is plenty, but
they are extraordinary shy, though the inhabitants cannot trouble them
much, having neither boats nor iron.

The inhabitants of this country are the miserablest people in the world.
The Hodmadods of Monomatapa, though a nasty people yet for wealth are
gentlemen to these, who have no houses and skin garments, sheep,
poultry, and fruits of the earth, ostrich eggs etc. as the Hodmadods
have; and setting aside their human shape, they differ but little from
brutes. They are tall, straight-bodied and thin, with small long limbs.
They have great heads, round foreheads and great brows. Their eyelids
are always half closed to keep the flies out of their eyes, being so
troublesome here, that no fanning will keep them from coming to one's
face, and without the assistance of both hands to keep them off, will
creep into one's nostrils and mouth too, if the lips are not shut very
close. So that from their infancy being thus annoyed with these insects,
they never open their eyes as other people; and therefore they cannot
see far, unless they hold up their heads, as if they were looking at
somewhat over them.

They have great bottle noses, pretty full lips, and wide mouths. The two
fore-teeth of their upper jaw are wanting in all of them, men and women,
old and young; whether they draw them out, I know not, neither have they
any beards. They are long-visaged, and of a very unpleasing aspect,
having no one graceful feature in their faces. Their hair is black,
short and curled, like that of the negroes, and not long and lank like
the common Indian. The colour of the skin, both of their faces and the
rest of their body, is coal black, like that of the negroes of Guinea.

They have no sort of clothes, but a piece of the rind of a tree tied
like a girdle about their waists, and a handful of long grass or three
or four small green boughs, full of leaves, thrust under their girdle to
cover their nakedness.

They have no houses, but lie in the open air, without any covering, the
earth their bed, and the heaven their canopy. Their only food is a small
sort of fish, which they get by making wares of stone, across little
coves, or branches of the sea; every tide bringing in the small fish,
and there leaving them for a prey to these people, who constantly attend
there to search for them at low water. This small fry I take to be the
top of their fishery; they have no instruments to catch great fish,
should they come; and such seldom stay to be left behind at low water;
nor could we catch any fish with our hooks and lines all the while we
lay there.

In other places at low water they seek for cockles, mussels, and
periwinkles; of these shell-fish there are fewer still, so that their
chief dependence is on what the sea leaves in their wares, which, be it
much or little, they gather up, and march to the place of their abode.
There the old people, that are not able to stir abroad, by reason of
their age, and the tender infants, wait their return: and what
providence has bestowed upon them, they presently broil on the coals,
and eat in common. Sometimes they get as many fish as make them a
splendid banquet; and at other times they scarce get every one a taste;
but be it little or much that they get, every one has his part, as well
the young and tender, and the old and feeble who are not able to go
abroad, as the strong and lusty.

How they get their fire I know not; but probably, as Indians do out of
wood. I have seen the Indians of Bon-Airy do it, and have myself tried
the experiment. They take a flat piece of wood that is pretty soft, and
make a small dent in one side of it, then they take another hard round
stick, about the bigness of one's little finger, and sharpening it at
one end like a pencil, they put the sharp end in the hole or dent of the
soft flat piece, and then rubbing or twirling the hard piece between the
palms of their hands, they drill the soft piece till it smokes, and at
last takes fire.

These people speak somewhat through the throat, but we could not
understand one word that they said. We anchored, as I said before,
January 5th, and seeing men walking on the shore, we presently sent a
canoe to get some acquaintance with them, for we were in hopes to get
some provisions among them. But the inhabitants, seeing our boat coming,
ran away and hid themselves. We searched afterwards three days in hopes
to find the houses, but found none, yet we saw many places where they
had made fires. At last being out of hopes to find their habitations, we
searched no further but left a great many toys ashore, in such places
that we thought that they would come. In all our search we found no
water, but old wells on the sandy bays.

At last we went over to the islands, and there we found a great many of
the natives; I do believe there were forty on one island, men women and
children. The men at our first coming ashore, threatened us with their
lances and swords, but they were frightened, by firing one gun, which we
fired purposely to scare them. The island was so small that they could
not hide themselves; but they were much disordered at our landing,
especially the women and children, for we went directly to their camp.
The lustiest of the women, snatching up their infants, ran away howling,
and the little children ran after, squeaking and bawling, but the men
stood still. Some of the women and such of the people as could not go
from us, lay still by a fire making a doleful noise, as if we had been
coming to devour them; but when they saw we did not intend to harm them,
they were pretty quiet, and the rest that fled from us at our first
coming, returned again. This, their place of dwelling, was only a fire,
with a few boughs before it, set up on that side the wind was of.

After we had been here a little while, the men began to be familiar, and
we cloathed some of them, designing to have some service of them for it;
for we found some wells of water here, and intended to carry two or
three barrels of it on board. But being somewhat troublesome to carry on
the canoes, we thought to have made these men carry it for us and
therefore we gave them some cloathes; to one an old pair of breeches; to
another a ragged shirt; to the third a jacket that was scarce worth
owning; which yet would have been very acceptable at some places where
we had been, and so we thought they might have with these people. We put
them on them, thinking that this finery would have brought them to work
heartily for us; and our water being filled in small long barrels, about
six gallons each, which were made purposely to carry water in, we
brought these, our new servants, to the wells and put a barrel on each
of their shoulders for them to carry to the canoe. But all the signs we
could make were to no purpose, for they stood like statues, without
motion, but grinned like so many monkeys, staring one upon another, for
these poor creatures seem not accustomed to carry burdens; and I believe
that one of our ships-boys of ten years old, would carry as much as one
of them; so we were forced to carry our water ourselves, and they very
fairly put the cloathes off again, and laid them down as if cloathes
were only to work in. I did not perceive that they had any great liking
to them at first, neither did they seem to admire anything that we had.

At our first coming, before we were acquainted with them, or they with
us, a company of them who lived on the main, came just against our ship,
and standing on a pretty bank, threatened us with their swords and
lances, by shaking them at us; at last the captain ordered the drum to
be beaten, which was done of a sudden with much vigour, purposely to
scare the poor creatures. They, hearing the noise ran away as fast as
they could drive, and when they ran away in haste, they would cry,
gurry, gurry, speaking deep in the throat. Those inhabitants also that
live on the main, would always run away from us; yet we took several of
them. For, as I have already observed, they had such bad eyes, that they
could not see us till we came close to them. We always gave them
victuals, and let them go again but the islanders, after our first time
of being among them, did not stir for us.

THE FIRST VISIT TO THE EASTERN COAST

+Source.+--Cook's Journal (edited by Wharton, 1893), pp. 237-249,
311-312

Captain Cook was the first Englishman to search for the Great South
Land. After observing the transit of Venus, he made extensive
explorations in New Zealand, and then sailed West, to seek the East
Coast of New Holland.

_April 1770. Thursday 19th._ At 5, set the topsails close reef'd and 6,
saw land, extending from N.E. to W., distance 5 or 6 leagues, having 80
fathoms, fine sandy bottom. The Southernmost land we had in sight, which
bore from us W 3/4 S., I judged to lay in the latitude of 38 deg. 0' S., and
in the Long. of 211 deg. 7' W. from the Meridian of Greenwich. I have named
it Point Hicks, because Lieutenant Hicks was the first who discovered
this land. To the Southward of this Point we could see no land, and yet
it was clear in that quarter and by our Long. compared with that of
Tasman's, the body of Van Diemen's Land ought to have bore due South
from us. The Northernmost land in sight bore N. by E. 1/2 E., and a
small island lying close to a Point on the main bore W., distant 2
Leagues. This Point I have named Cape Howe; it may be known by the
trending of the Coast, which is N. on the one side, and S.W. on the
other.

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