ed over her possession, and it was decided to kill the
child, and so avoid dissension among the tribe. From these murders the
lagoons were known as the "Murdering Lagoons."

On my way back to Cooktown I camped near the grave. That night I laid
down in the centre of the bullocks when they camped after feeding,
holding my loaded rifle and horse by the bridle. Bullocks are very
sensitive to the smell of wild blacks, and will almost certainly
stampede should any be about. Camping among the bullocks is considered
the safest place one can find.

Some time later, while at this camp, I was mustering my bullocks on the
plain between the scrubs, when they stampeded. I looked, I could see
nothing, but I knew that blacks must be the cause. On returning to the
waggons, I was informed that three troopers, who had run away from Cape
York, had been to the camp. They had no clothes, but rusty rifles, and
had fought their way through the wild tribes of the Peninsula. My
bullock bells were the first sign of civilisation they had met for three
months.

Mr. William Hann had just arrived at Palmerville with a mob of fat
bullocks from his Maryvale Station. I purchased 13 steers from him at
L16 per head. The cattle were very quiet after their long droving, and
as I was returning to Cooktown with my empty waggon, I was enabled to
break them in. At that place I bought another waggon, and with spare
bullocks from my first team, I was able to put two full teams on the
road.

Sub-Inspector O'Connor's camp was at the Laura River. On one occasion,
when dispersing some blacks, the troopers, who were all Fraser Island
natives, saw the shiny, black skin of an aboriginal hiding in the bush
some distance away. They fired, and a little fellow about six years of
age got up and ran towards them. The troopers picked him up, and he
became a favourite with them. They delighted in instructing him in drill
and discipline, and he proved an apt pupil. O'Connor and myself became
great friends, and many a happy hour I've spent at his barracks when
passing to and fro to the Palmer. Knowing I had no black boy, he gave me
the little fellow he had so well drilled. I bought a pony for him to
ride, and it was laughable to see him, if we happened to meet the
troopers on the road, straighten himself up and salute the officer.

O'Connor told me an amusing incident which occurred at Government House
in Sydney, when his cousin, Sir Hercules Robinson, was Governor.
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