o prevent any leaving the wharf without paying the tax. A
stormy scene then ensued, as the coolies strongly objected to the
imposition, ending by the swag of each man being confiscated and placed
in the shed until payment was made. In carrying this out, we were ably
assisted by the sailors and sympathetic civilians. Several of the
Chinese attempted to escape, but were caught by their pig-tails and
brought back. After a controversy between Mr. Beardmore and the Chinese
storekeepers, the latter paid L20, the sum demanded for the release of
the swags. The Chinese had no sympathisers to assist them in obtaining
redress.

The Chinese storekeepers generally packed their goods by their own
countrymen, who carried them in baskets hung on bamboo sticks slung
across their shoulders. The Chinese packers, through fear of the blacks,
invariably travelled in numbers and in single file. Many a time they
would draw down anathema of carriers by parading on the off-side of the
bullocks, which were being yoked up, dangling their tins in an offensive
manner to the animals, which often resulted in the drivers hunting them
away with their bullock whips. As a further protection against the
blacks, the Chinese kept up a loud conversation, which, if not
understood, might be heard some time before they were met.

On their return from the diggings these packers were believed to carry
back gold in payment for goods. In a similar way it was thought that
gold was largely transferred to China.

The value of gold known to have been obtained from the Palmer, is
estimated at about six millions sterling. If there was such a secret
export by Chinese, the value would probably be very much more.

Shortly after making my first trip from Cooktown, I met Dr. O. Quinn,
the then Roman Catholic Bishop of Brisbane, who was visiting the Palmer,
and who with much glee told me he had just come safely through the
"Gates of Hell." This was a short cut from the original track from
Cooktown, and was opened up by Inspector Douglas to avoid the many
crossings of the Palmer during the wet seasons, but was abandoned owing
to the hostility of the blacks. Many a digger and several packers were
murdered on this route and their remains eaten by the blacks of this
locality. It is a sort of long passage, or cut through the rocks, just
about wide enough for a pack horse to pass through easily. Overhead
large boulders here and there are lying across the passage.

CHAPTER