PRIMITIVE BLACKS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 306, 20 September 1921, Page 9

PRIMITIVE BLACKS

IN FAR NORTH OF AUSTRALIA MISSIONARY’S ADVENTUROUS LIFE Fresh from contact with blacks living as their ancestors did, and retaining all the old tribal customs, even to insisting on tho taking of a lifo for a life, the Bev. J. Watson, of the Methodist Aborigines’ Mission, arrived iu Sydney a few days ago. He wont up to tho mission station at Goulburn Island seven months back to assist in tho establishment of a second station of tho Crocodile Islands, which are situated 109 miles east of Goulburn Island, but the plans of tho missionaries were upset by tho wreck of tho lugger Amethyst, on board of which were the Bev. J. C. Jennison and parly. The Goulburn Island station was established in 1916. It is the centre of work in what is called a "patrol” of the superintendent of the mission as protector of aborigines, which extends over the northern coast from Van Diemen's Gulf to Capo Grey in tho Gulf of Carpentaria, a littoral approximately 569 miles in length. "This," said Mr. Watson in an interview with the "Sydney Morning Herald," "is largely a terra incognita, which is computed to contain 4000 ’blacks, and in work among them the missionaries use three dialects, Iwadji, Mail, mid. Gunwlngor. We also find that tho Malay tongue is fairly well known, due to tho fact that Malays in their praus have been visiting that coast for centuries in order to secure trepang. There seems to have been a modification of the blacks as a result of their contact with the Malay, as tho island and coastal blacks often have fine features and short, curly hair." Tho natives generally are friendly. Mr. Watson travelled through Arnheim’s Laud with pack-horsw and natives without interference, and was most kindly received by different tribes, and in the lugger he has travelled right, along the coast'of the patrol. The country ho describes os very good. There are mobs of Timor ponies and wild cattfle, and thousands of buffaloes. Deer, placed there by Mr. Alteo Hunt, have multiplied wonderfully, and are moving eastwards. There are grey, white, and black kangaroos, and fish abound in tho lagoons and rivers. Mr. Watson’s first introduction to the Crocodile Islands was in 1910, when he investigated the murder of two Malays. He saiy in the group an admirable centre for a mission station, as there is a large population within easy reach, nnd the industrial possibilities in the way of the marine industries tropanging and pending are favourable. The mission will bo established this month. That at Goulburn Island has had considerable success. There were 15 candidates for admission to the Church this year, and there are 38 children in school at present. The Christianisfed blacks settle at the’stations. .Mission work is carried out on industrial, educational, and spiritual lines, and numbers of young men are being turned out as Bailors, gardeners, and elementary mechanics. The blacks do not flourish in contact with whites, but among the wild blacks there is every indication of their holding their own under tho guidance of experienced, sympathetic missionaries. "I believe in tho complete segregation of the blacks from tho whites nt present," continued Mr. Watson. “Our ob. jective ia to prepare them for the impact of the so-called, higher race, and to that end we are seeking to establish communities, where they will cultivate the soil and practise the industries incidental to that part of the country. Consistent also with the indhlgonce of their natural lovo of freedom, the last thing that wo desire is to have a mission station regarded by the black as a penal establishment. Our blacks ore at perfect liberty to come on<| go, but the attractions of the mission station have been so fnr strong enough to hold most of, those who came to tie in Goulburn Island in 1916. “Lifo up there is full of adventure; there is not a dull hour in tho day,” Mr. Watson asserted, "One’s life is occasionally in danger, but somehow I havo always come through safely. Tho police records show about 35 murders along the const in 15 years.” Tho patrol is now looked upon with different eyes to what it was formerly. When Mr. Watson talked of going there he chose that portion of tho Northern Territory which is now tho mission’s patrol, and the Administrator said: "If you want that part of the country you can have it, because nobody else wants it.” Since then, however, others have cast envious eyes on the area, which shows that its possibilities ere boing realised. An incident which occurred after the wreck of ttyo Amethyst was proudly related by Mr. Watson. The shipwrecked party, after walking 100 miles, arrived opposite Goulburn Island, which is 4} miles from tho mainland. Three blacks volunteered to swim across the crocodile and shark infested channel to give information to the mission station. Owing to the swift current they failed, and they had to land at an islet half-way across. Asked by Mr. ’Watson why threo of them attempted the crossing, they replied that one might be taken by a shark or crocodile, and that would leave two messengers, and, even if a second were seized, there would still be a chance for the delivery of tho news.