Hunter Valley

May 1830 28th After a hard days riding on my return home with some Bush herd which were by no means inclined to proceed, [XXXXX] with all might by a Brush my said milking cows rushed out like mad things and to my great joy I found them. Townshend joined me at night and tho he would not taste a mouthful at my place persuaded me to accompany him home where we met G. [Forde] who had just returned from Sydney whereas he gave us all the news with a little [XXXXX] It was 12 o'clock before I got home & a [XXXX] cold [meant] it was freezing like the deuce. 29th Had a gallows erected & despatched a young bullock not 2yrs old 52[XX] who will now say anything against our pasture, but Townshend half 1 ¾ lbs soap. 30th Sunday & after reading prayers I went over to Townshends & met Messrs [Adair], Park & Forbes and spent a most pleasant (struck out) dull day. June 5th Finished wheat sowing & ___________a nasty sort of hole in my farm; had [sheep pens] built native dogs most extremely troublesome 6th Sunday Met Webber & Park at Townshends & proceeded to [Largs] to see the new Chums and pass the day were introduced to Mr & Mrs Pilchard, Messrs Browning & Gilbert altogether spent an agreeable day and returned to Townsend at 12 o'clock where I staid for a short time discussing some beef and [Beer] & got to my own place at 1 o'clock freezing very much. 7th Slabbing calf pen & in the evening with Park went to Mr Webbers to meet as we thought only Townshend extra to have a [XXX] rubber on our arrival found [Miss Nun] I advise there was a scarcity of bids & found myself lying down on the floor about 3 o'clock to take a little sleep if possible. After breakfast proceeded altogether most of them called at my place & ate some most unwholesome [XXXXXX] I was completely knocked up & most sleepy indeed. 8th Sent my dray for flour Paling got [wood] and began to burn off for tobacco 9th At work burning off myself unfortunately for about 11 o'clock in sticking at a stump struck the axe nearly through my foot, & cut two veins which I was not aware of for some time. I bandaged it up with numberless folds but it would not do I could not stop the bleeding at length getting rather timid I rode to Townshends in great pain blood letting drop all the way arrived there after sundown when luckily Adair who knew that lint was about the best thing it luckily succeeded & just as the [bonding] was performed I fainted away from loss of blood, had I only waited a short time bleeding to death would have been the result lint is the best thing possible to stopping blood. 10th After passing an indifferent night breakfasted and rode to my own place where I found two men sick like master like man myself a cripple 11th Very lame still but able to toddle about Mr Penson paid me a visit and I prevailed upon him to stay and divert my solitude in the evening as we were enjoying a glass of lemonade in place of something better were astonished by the sound of horses steps

King Jackey's Funeral August 1833 A long neck of land formed by the junction of a Creek with the river was the place chosen as that of interment, at the extremity towards the river the brushes on three sides the fertility of the whole was as pretty a place for the purpose as I know of any where. When I approached, an old man was digging the grave which [was] a most laborious task, the ground being very hard and the only tool used for the purpose a tommyhawk or small hatchet. The form of the grave was oval & its depth when finished short of four feet. There were about 16 savages squatting or standing around, amongst them the Father, Mother and several brothers of the deceased the parents were [the] only howlers in company, the cry can be termed nothing else. These sounds long dwelt upon give an idea of the male's voice a______ar_ar_____ o~~~~~ r______ The females more treble er_____on______n________ This noise they kept up sans intermission. The body itself trussed up in as small a compass as possible and wrapt up in rugs & all. The insignia of a New S Wales Aboriginal was supported by two relations about 4 yards from the grave & laying on their knees whilst they bent over it full of grief & affection. The digging part of the grave being finished the [Sexton] went to some of the younger and fresher looking trees and broke the small branches with leaves off and proceeded to line the grave with them. Which being done a brother of the deceased was desired to try whether the grave was comfortable which he did by lying in the posture the deceased was to be placed, after some more slight alteration he again got into it and the signal given the younger branches of the family came forward surrounded the corpse and as they lifted it up gave a great [sh….] and then as it were [conjured] by blowing and waving hands over the body the same noise and blowing was repeated upon lowering the remains into the arms of his brother who received them and carefully placed them in the most comfortable position and so that not a particle of ground should touch the body. The shout then set up by them was awfully deafening The old Father rushed past me seized a tommyhawk and cut his head in several places until the blood gushed in quantities from the wound. Another old man snatched it from him and commenced upon his own. Three or four men did the same some most viciously whilst others seemed to think a little of the thing went a long way. The howling continued all the while. Bark was carefully placed over the body and the old men stretched themselves at full length on the ground and howled dreadfully. One of them at length got up took a bit of bark and laid it across the grave and stretched himself upon it crying with all his might and then left them [,] nothing of the ceremony remaining but filling in the grave. My reflections on the occasion were curious and many. I thought of what grief really was and fancied that I saw it there, I thought within myself also where will that creature go to and could not for a moment believe that he was doomed to hell. Altho he was no Christian and tho perhaps he may have committed sins from want of knowing better which to us would appear horrible but still amongst the Blacks was a good one, he was what they termed a strong party on their side tho perhaps not much of a warrior he was a politician and an orator for no man could inflame rage more than he, no one could talk better as they term it - blow up an enemy - no one in short had more sway over their minds than King Jackey as he was termed [ XXXXXXX ]

Jan 1 1831 Saturday. Another year has gone by and left me for one I fear not much better in condition than it found me With choice of all professions who but myself would have selected a settler's life Have bartered the comforts & luxuries of home for either going between the plough handles heaving the hoe or some other delightful occupation with about 3 acres of tobacco 400lbs wheat, 6 acres of corn 600 sheep 70 or 80 cattle & 2 horses. I begin this year encumbered with difficulties not very trifling, yet full of hope and confident of success, sheep shorn, harvest reaped. Feby 18th January has passed by & so much of this month in which time many things have taken place which should have been written down by me. Twice I have been at Maitland once to meet the Governor whom I [saw]. 8 days I have spent in the upper district of Hunter River have cut some tobacco & planted good deal Built a tobacco shed & churned some ground for wheat which I fear I shall be unable to plough, this day began planting potatoes & yesterday planted 20 plants of tobacco as an experiment have had rain nearly every day which is most prejudicial to everything have hired a tobacconist A. Long for one year at the rate of £25.0.0 per annum. An agreement entered into this eighteenth day of February 1831. Between Mr Boydell of Paterson River and Andrew Long whereby the said Mr B agrees to hire A Long to twelve months and to pay him wages to the amount of twenty five pounds sterling [ ] his rations. In consideration of which A Long duly engages to serve the said Mr Boydell for that term and to do what he may be required. Witness to the signatures [J Edmonds] Charles Boydell Andrew Long March 2nd Finished planting potatoes last week mightily busied with my tobacco which comes on mightily well except the latter crop which after flourishing exceedingly for some has been in equal measure blighted occasioned I should presume by an extremely hot sun following immediately after a shower whereby the plants got [XXXed] which their appearance much indicated. Corn looks well everywhere but not much of it in the County. Sale of [ ] having been advertised for the First of March, on that day I attended but it had been put off. However, came in at the tag end of [Griggins] sale when everything was disposed of at low rates 3 steers for2/6 eaxh sheep 3/5 lambs/40 and wheat very low went on to Glendon where I passed a most splendid evening with a large party agreed to give Daniel O'Hara wages at the rate of £ 15.0.0 per annum until he is free ~ things altogether in a thirsty way - 5th Saturday night. Altogether the week has passed well tho not much done during it. Been attempting to clean out part of the stockyard [XXXX] tobacco & chipping the ground for a second crop which was mightily [foul], cattle & everything doing well and not giving much trouble. One rainy day with which exception I never witnessed a [XXXX] week. April 27th More than a month has elapsed since opening this book I may say altogether to my satisfaction having in that time paid Mr A B Sparke's bill of £40 and Townshend to [cul] tobacco with 14 Bushels of wheat….have had much visiting 2 Pic nics by Scot & Allman where plenty of fun & everything that was good was going on. Such things can do no harm whilst they enliven the monotony of a settler's life…

1/ Notes on a Cattle drive: On Tuesday morning we started from Camyr Allyn, having sent the stockmen and dray with supplies the day before; to muster the H brand of cattle, which had been almost entirely unlooked after for some years before, and there being a large proportion of unbranded calves among them. On arriving at the yard, we had to construct a wing to the right hand corner, as there was a deep gully on the edge of which the yard was built and when the cattle were coming quickly in they generally rushed down this creek, before a horse could come round to oppose them. By dinner time we had finished a few substantial log panels (sic) extending about 40 yards, and after dinner (we) started for our first lot of cattle. We soon caught a large mob, quietly grazing by the side of a creek, but when [we got them] near the yard, half of them broke away, and galloped off, not to be caught again that night; however we got some more before dark & then had a first rate supper. Indeed you can make a much better meal in the bush, where you have been on the move all day, off damper & tea, than you could from the most luxurious dainties at home.