Taming The North

Hudson Fysh
Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1950.
Revised Edition.

22cm x 15cm. xvi, 266 pages, black and white photographs, maps to endpapers. Green cloth, worn gilt lettering, no jacket.

“Story of Alexander Kennedy, Scottish migrant who arrived at Rockhampton in 1861; p.31-34; Details of Cullin-la-ringo massacre and Fraser massacre at Hornetbank; p.85-91; Aboriginal/​white relations, native police, quotes Parry-Okeden report; p.94-97; Massacre at Woonamo waterhole 12m. from Sulieman Creek homestead, 1878, hunt for murderers, piebald native among murderers, notes on cannibalism quoting Andrew Petrie; p.121-125; Disperses party of natives who raided homestead, killed cattle; warning of subsequent raid given by native servant, free translation of songs from preparatory corroboree, Kennedys complaints at police headquarters, Brisbane; p.126- 139; Authors meeting with natives near Wollogorang Station between Burketown and the Roper River; general description of Aboriginal life, quotes W.E. Roth on the Kalkadoons in Cloncurry district; nomadic hunting &​ gathering existence, use of fire, domestication of dingo; three types of shelter among Cloncurry tribes; north of Cloncurry, huts on raised platforms to avoid flooding, fires to prevent mosquitoes; dress &​ ornaments; use of coolamon, skin water bags, hair or string dilly-bag, hafted greenstone axes, other weapons; camp fights, womens fights; brief notes on class system with example for Upper Flinders River tribe; death &​ sickness attributed to enemies, bone pointing described; message sticks sent by Kalkadoons to Georgina River tribes to arrange trade markets; galah &​ lizard myth; pituri bartered on the upper Mulligan River; dance steps, boomerangs &​ thigh slapping as accompaniment; feathers, ochres &​ copi as ceremonial decorations Kalkadoon &​ Mitakoodi attitude to white men; p.141-145; Murder of Beresford (officer in charge of Native Police, Cloncurry district), F.C. Urquharts work with Native Police to track murderers; p.148-149; p.177-186; Tracking down of natives who continued to attack white settlers &​ spear their cattle.”

Slightly cocked. Minor wear and mottling to cloth. Previous owner’s signature in ink. Very minor foxing. Good Condition.

SOLD