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Police Department Cooktown, 4th July 1897.
Sir,
Following my telegram of 27.5.97. I have the honour to report that by appointment arranged by Sergeant Whiteford I met 120 blacks and 30 gins on the 28th May last at the 5 mile Creek near Musgrave and there killed a bullock for them. When I arrived at the 5 mile with the Sergeant and 5 troopers I could see only a very few blacks and was afraid the meeting was to be a failure. When the bullock was shot a few more appeared and on my expressing disappointment at the small number present a peculiar "call" was given when every tree and other hiding place produced its man while the creek near by appeared to be literally alive with blacks. It was like the scene created by Roderick Dhu's signal in the "Lady of the Lake".
While a few were cutting up the bullock we with difficulty got them in to line for the purpose of giving each a little tobacco and also counting them. The numbers were as stated and were principally composed of members of the "Ral Mal" and "Koo Koo Lama Lama" tribes there being about equal numbers of each tribe. Those present explained there were many more close by who were too frightened to come up, there were no young boys or young gins present and am convinced there must have been quite 400 blacks in the neighbourhood and from the fires I saw the day previously I know there were great bodies
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of blacks going to our meeting place. They were mostly all very timid and did not trust us as was shewn by the absence of their young gins and boys, neither did they like being put into line, fearing some trap, the least mistake in our arrangements would have had a bad effect. With the aid of half civilized boys I explained what you and the Government wished done. The Inspector of Police with them is a "big" man, the Commissioner is still very much greater, but the "Government" is that unknowable all powerful something in their opinion which can do anything and everything and which they reverence and fear with their whole being. We all parted with expressions of good will, not a trace of the bullock being left. I told them I hoped to get blankets for them which pleased them greatly, you very kindly attended to the request for blankets at once and the blankets have since been distributed amongst them. I have also applied to you for Brass Plates for the 2 principal men of these two tribes Gnarwin the Chief of the "KooKoo Lama Lama" was brave in coming off his own country to meet me. When I was getting and putting his name in my pocket book his voice, great thighs and hairy chest were quaking with timidity, the experience was apparently so novel to him that he did not know what might happen, not knowing whether the whole thing was a trap and my pencil and book something deadly.
They appeared to be nearly all most healthy, one had a large sore on his cheek, something like cancer, another appeared to have had bad eyes from his birth, all the rest were clean skinned healthy looking fellows. There were 2 very old white headed men, and 1 white headed
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headed gin. The gins were an old ugly lot, but judging from the specimens of men present there must have been many handsome young gins and fleet young men not far away who were either too timid to come or the men present did not trust us sufficiently to bring them to us.
"Oonquilba" King of the Ral Mals is undoubtedly king. All the tribes look upon him as such and treated him with the very greatest respect, he is over 6 feet high, his brother is as tall and his son taller. All magnificent fleet footed specimens of savagery. Most of the Ral Mals are tall, being forest and mountain blacks they live by hunting and climbing, "Gharwin" and the other members of the Kookoo Lama Lama tribe are shorter and stouter than the Ral Mals, they appear to be more of the fishermen type. Gnarwin's men all treated him with deference but I do not think he is king. Am inclined to think they did not trust us sufficiently to bring their king so sent Gnarwin to represent him.
When the main body of the blacks left us I took "Oonquilba" to the buggy to make him some futher presents, he seemed to have perfect confidence in me, but his son and a few others would not leave the place till they saw Oonquilba leave me in safety and it was evident they would fight or do anything else for him. I have known tribes go anywhere and do anything to recover certain members of their tribe and I think the same thing refers to Oonquilba and believe his tribe would do anything for him. When he gets his plate as king I have great
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great hopes of the Ral Mals keeping faith with us, but cannot depend on the Laura or Drighton [sic] (Kookoo Warres) half civilized blacks when they go over there. In the old days it was mostly the travelling blacks who committed outrages etc when they were outside their tribal boundaries. Many of the Ral Mals and other blacks could, I believe, be induced to accept work on plantations etc. Some were pleased at the prospect of becoming Native Troopers and I think a good work could be done by arranging to send as many as are willing to go to sheep and cattle stations and also recruiting from them for the Native Police Trackers for use in Southern Queensland and other Colonies. There are very large numbers o f blacks in that district; probably thousands. These 120 blackfellows were a very powerful imposing force, many being over 6 feet high, but fortunately for us they did not know their own strength.
Please accept my thanks and kindly convey same to the Honourable the Home Secretary for the ready responses to all my requests - bullocks blankets etc, for the blacks - So far everything goes well - no complaints and I hope much good will continue to be the result of our present dealings with the Northern aborigines - such I believe will be the case until they get civilized enough to know their own strength when all detachments will have to be strengthened much. I attach Sergeant Whiteford's report No.105.97. on the subject of meeting these blacks etc.
I have etc. (Sgd) Jas. Lamond. Inspector.
The Commissioner of Police. Brisbane.