OLD AUSTRALIAN HISTORY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 January 1925, Page 6

OLD AUSTRALIAN HISTORY.

Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, a correspondent is giving a series of most fascinating recollections. Inter .alia', he says: Melville Island was sighted on September 2. The 25th was spoilt in locating the passage through the reefs that lie off the mouth 'of Apsiey Strait, which separates Melville from

natmu'st. isiauu. vj n zotn jhismssmou was taken. This locality had been discovered and surveyed by Captain King on the 18th, 19th, and 20th of April, 1918. After several days a suitable site was selected on Kind’s Cove, named by Captain Bremer after Captain King, who had surveyed the straits. The outer harbour. - was named Pout Cockburn, in honour of ViceAdmiral Sir George Cockburn, li.N.. All the gear and live stock were then landed, and the erecting of a fort and l houses was started. The fort was built on an elaborate style, on account of the fear of a possible attack from MaLays—in a . rectangular shape, measuring 7b yards by 50 yards, and of heavy timbers in layers of sft thick at the base, with an all-round height of f>ft.. All the woodwork was surI'n 1111 flo/1 lvtr M 1,11-rrn /I if/.1, 1/ VO ,U.n

and 15ft wide. Two nine-pounders and Hour were mounted, ’• and on October 21 a Royal salute was tired by the H.M.S. Tamar, and the site chosen manied Fort Dundas, in lyouour of Viscount Melville. then the First Lord of tlm Admiralty. Captain Bremer acted as Coininandant until his departure for .India on November 1-1, 1821. Captain Maurice Barlow was 'appointed commandant alter the sailing of Bremer. On Barlow taking over the command the following comprised the garrison :—One commandant, one lieutenant, and 2.'i men of the fil'd Foot Regiment, one lieutenant and 26 of the Royal Marines, one assistant .surgeon,’ with three members in the Commissariat Department; also 'll convicts, ii tree mechanics, together" with the brig Lady Nelson, under a. lieutenant and 10 men, which was left as a guard and supply ship. The niafives up to this period had not come into clo-'-e contact with the

settlers. '1 hey had made several raids on the cattle, and had showered the fort at times with spears. in fact, they gave the people a rather bad time of it. if any tools were left out, or a boat left unattended, tho motives would steal them. The Lady Nelson was sent across to Timor for supplies of stores and meat, hut the only available cattle were buffalo. These animals were taken across alive, and many were lost on account of the cramped space given to them during the voyage, which usually took about 20 days, owing to light winds "and strong currents. On landing, the buffalo had a bad time of it. Some remarkable sickness came over the beasts, and the fort eurgeon eoukl not account for it. Many broke away from their stone yards, and made off into the bush, and were never caught again. These escaped buffaloes bred up quickly, and to-day a large herd roams the island. This was the first importation of buffalo into North Australia.