| Narrative | On the 18 May 1830, the commandant of the Swan River Colony’s 63rd regiment Frederick Irwin, made it clear to his superiors that he had a ‘duty’ to make the local Whadjuk Noongars subservient to British authority (Irwin cited in Carter, 2005, p 67). Two parties of colonists, one lead by Ensign Dale and the other by Irwin tracked down a group of over 40 Noongar people who were considered aggressive. After a twenty minute 'parley' an undetermined number of Noongar were killed and wounded (Swan River Papers series 111, Vol. 5, p 120). Another colonist wrote in a letter dated 14 July 1830 'The Natives – have been very troublesome in Perth since I wrote and in a skirmish with a strong party, who were evidently determined upon mischief – several of the detachment 63rd Regt were wounded with spears – the report says – (for it was impossible to ascertain the fact) that thirty or forty of the natives were kill'd or wounded' (John Morgan, Swan River Papers, Vol. 6, p 73 cited in Carter, 2005, p 69). 'Eventually the blacks were dislodged from their position, when they hurriedly made for a swamp about 2.5 miles north west of the camp [Perth], probably what is now known as Monger's Lake.' |
