| Narrative | According to the 'Hobart Town Courier' March, 21, 1829, 'On Tuesday last [10 March 1829], the Blacks made their appearance and robbed one or two huts near the Cataract, and on Friday they were seen on the North Esk river, a short distance from Launceston, where they robbed three or four farm homes and killed a woman [Mrs Miller] and two men [James Hales and Thomas Johnson] at the farm of a man named Miller. They also speared a man in his master's barn [Russell], and another who was on the road at Patterson's plain with a bag of flour on his back; both these persons are badly wounded, and are now in the Hospital. Two stock-keepers are also missing, and are supposed to have been killed by the Blacks in the same neighbourhood. Several parties have been sent in pursuit, but the soldiers and constabulary are unsuccessful. Yesterday morning [Thursday 12 March] a party of volunteers came up with the murderers about 12 miles [20 kilometers] from hence [Launceston] at a place called Bullock's hunting ground, where four men, a woman and a child were killed. One of the men that was shot had a red coat on which was stolen from the Commandant's stock-keeper, in a hut near the Cataract Hills. I am told there is a woman amongst them who formerly lived in Launceston for several months.' |
