Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Saturday 9 September 1826, page 3


THE BLACKS.

The Mountain Blacks in the neighbourhood of Glenny's Creek, in one of the more remote districts of Hunter's River, have again not

only been troublesome, but also evinced a spirit of revenge, and have murdered two shepherds belonging to Captain Lethbridge, at his sta-tion. On Monday, the 28th of August last, at the farm of Captain Lethbridge, an unexpected visit was paid to the house by four black men entering, having spears, &c. and bearing the appearnce of hos-tility. Some black native women had a short time before informed the woman of the house, that the natives intended to come down, to kill and eat her white child, but no credit was given to this assertion, viewing it merely as a stratagem used to extort bread or other food to assuage their hunger. On the arrival of the four black men on the morning of the 28th, the Reader may in some measure be capable of judging the dreadful thoughts which would at once start across the

mind of Mrs Alcorn for the safety of the infant then in her arms. Mrs Alcorn was nursing, and the only man in the house was frying some kangaroo; there was a youth also present about 13 years of age. She immediately ordered the man to give the remaining part of the kangaroo "to the poor black men," they accepted it, and appeared well delighted, and Mrs Alcorn availed herself of an opportunity of com-municating her wish, by gestures used to her brother, the youth before mentioned, that the two shepherds, who were splitting some railings for fencing, should be immediately fetched; the little boy very art-

fully performed his part, and left the house without suspicion, and the men armed with the utmost punctuality; the boy returned with them. At this moment also, Mr Richard Alcorn arrived, but casually, not suspecting the visitors were in the house, on his return from a neighbouring farm. The youth went outside of the house, and has-tened in again, saying - "O, what shall we do here's the blacks all coming with their spears shipped." Ten or twelve more blacks were actually bearing down upon the house with their warlike implements in battle array. To describe particularly, it will be necessary to ex-plain, that the house consists of two rooms, the inner is Mr Alcorn's bed-room, and has a door appended, the outer room has no door. The blacks surrounded the house, and its inmates, suspecting their inten-tion, spoke civilly to them, but without the appearance of fear, and desired them to ''tat tat'', or go away, which injunction they refused to obey. The two shepherds were standing near the door way, but outside the house, a black cast a spear at one, and struck him in the body. Cottle was the unfortunate man's name, he exclaimed "I'm a dying man!" and instantly expired. They speared the other shepherd through the body, and with an instrument described by the name of nulla nulla, struck him a violent blow on the back of the head, and fractured his scull:— this poor man was not heard to speak. During this murderous scene, Mrs Alcorn crept under the bed in the inner room of course taking the baby from the premeditated danger (as may now be fairly conceived, and the little boy followed her example. Mr Alcorn was lightly speared in several parts of the body, but no dangerous consequences are entertained from the spear wounds; he also received a blow with a stone of about four pounds and a half weight, as it is described, thrown at him, by some peculiar instrument of war used by the natives in that district; he fell, and was senseless for some short time. When Mr. Alcorn recovered, the surviving man and him-self went into the bedroom, and secured the door; they were yet in a very perilous situation; there was a window place to the room, but no window shutter, and they were exposed to the enemy through that aperture. Invention was not long idle; self-presentation soon found an expedient; they placed a long box against the vacuum, and by that means defied the effect of the spears; the natives kept hammering away at at the box with the aforesaid instrument nulla nulla, until they broke it, the man in the room with Mr. Alcorn now charged a gun, with powder only, no other ammunition being in the house; he fired, but the black-fellows cried out distinctly - "fire away - fire away -bail black man fall!" nevertheless the man conceived he might do some good, and was about to reload when he said - "I want some wad-ding!" Mrs. Alcorn now tore her gown, and threw pieces from her from under the bed, and supplied him with wadding; and, strange be it to say, it had a good effect. The report of the gun brought down a neighbouring shepherd towards the house, who beholding the black-fellows in their attack, made off towards Captain Glenny's, at whose re-sidence is a party of mounted police. This man's movement, however, caught the eye of one of them, and they made after him, and cast spears at him but missed him. - they were heard to say - "Gone for soldier!; and they left off the siege, they then entered the outer room, and took away the blankets and spare wearing apparel of the men they had killed. We had nearly forgot to mention, that when they killed the men, as before stated, they made loud acclama-tions, three different times. The man while using the gun was speared in the hand, and it is described as a lucky fact, that the position in which he stood, viz. the attitude of firing, prevented the spear enter-ing his breast. The black monsters made away towards the mountains, and a speedy alarm was given. The most active and determined mea-sures are said to be set on foot, but it is much to be feared that this mountain tribe will be very difficult to capture or subdue. Some friendly natives have joined in the pursuit, and we are told one or more Magistrates are of the party of pursuers. Mr. Alcorn was taken to Captain Glenny's, where he received the most hospitable welcome. It was supposed Mr. Alcorn would be able to walk about in a week from the date of the affray; he lost a copious flow of blood. This in-telligence may be relied on; it has been communicated to Mr. Al-corn's family at Windsor, and similar accounts have been received in

the Hawkesbury districts by parents who have their children at Hun-

ter's River. ——

On Tuesday last, an Inquest was held at the Punch Bowl Farm, on the body of George Jackson, Government servant to Mr. John Redman, of Syd-ney, who was killed by falling from his cart, on his

head. Verdict—Accidental Death.

Yesterday an Inquest was held at Hill's Tavern, Hyde Park, on the body of a man named Radcliffe, who was found drowned, the day preceding at Wooloomooloo. Verdict—Found Drowned.

Same day, an Inquest was held in Kent-street, on the body of a child named Charlotte Farthing, who accidentally fell into a well and was drowned. Verdict—Accidental Death.