USC295_0018

- 6 -

Fred Epps was sent to Imbil while Dad was still at Fraser Island and was
later sent back to Dad. After we left Fraser Island, Epps was in charge, then, I
think, Markwell. I don't know the later ones.

About 1921 a store was built beside the tramline just below the water tank -
store and offices.

In 1922 a lot of old hands had gone. Harry Walker was still there but his
family had moved to Maryborough. George Holmes, nursery-man and George Jackson
had followed Dad to Imbil. Harry Walker always baked us a Damper when Dad and I or
Dad returned to the Island. Harry was an expert and could turn out a very large
damper perfectly every time. Dad was pretty good but I did see one damper he made,
old 'Barney' wouldn't eat. I will admit the flour had been under the sea when we
were wrecked going 'round Poyungan in the Buggy.

The burial tree on western edge of Carrol patch, about half a mile east of
Walker's Camp was a big Turp. Satinay tree with a hollow some 4 - 5 feet from the
ground and extending some feet up the trunk. The tree was only a shell and
probably 4 - 5 feet diameter inside. The method of burial was to put the bones,
previously buried in the ground until the flesh left, cleaned and put in a dilly-
bag. (Not all bones were kept) of all dead but great men I believe, were all kept.
The dilly was hung on a fork stick cut sifficiently long so as to keep the dilly
clear of the ground when leaning against the wall. In this way many dillies could
be placed in the same tree. This method was practical in many areas. One such
tree used to stand below the railway line not over a quarter of a mile from where
I am now sitting. Many other methods were used for tree burial - earth burial only
taking a few small knuckle bones and carrying them for months until another
relation died when they would be disposed of and new ones carried. The Western
blacks on Georgina walked for many miles from Bedourie to Lake Nash and to my
knowledge, dug a shallow grave in hard stony ridge area covered it with a
heap of Gidgea branches. These branches would still be there when only traces
were fragments of soft bone, bone dust and teeth.

H. Aldridge took cable to Eurong in 1868-9, built living quarters and a yard,
planted Buffalo grass which was still growing in the vicinity in 1922, also 3
Coconut Palms which my brother and I used to climb for the nuts - now cut down.
The road went past the yard and the palm trees and over the sand blow. A Fig Tree
now marks one corner of the old yard.