“It was a great day the days the Afghans came though … we’d get a school holiday and the camels would march down the street and the ‘Ghans… the Afghans… would be all dressed up with their elaborate turbans and the camels would be all decorated up with bells and rugs … it was a great day and they’d march through the streets and we’d all get a school holiday… they’d bring food.. you know big bags of flour and sugar all that and there would be some of them were hawkers and (they’d) bring (dress and other) materials and it would be a great day. Everybody would dress up and go down to see the hawker open up all his goods…Down towards the creek there used to be a plain there but I think there’s trees on it now… they used to camp there…” (Nel Barlow, 3rd September 1988)
(Photograph is one of several attributed to George Bell for Kerry & Co. in the Tyrrell Collection, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney)
From the very beginnings of the township Afghan cameleers were associated with the history of Milparinka. Sometimes they were involved as “hawkers” – travelling about with one or two camels selling goods, but more often they were general carriers, working strings of camels from the rail-head at Bourke (after 1885), from Wilcannia, and sometimes from Beltana (at least 450km to the west, in South Australia). Some, especially those who were “hawkers” , worked alone. The rest occasionally worked as contractors in small teams, but more often were employees of larger organisations. However, there is some evidence that even those working with the camel trains engaged in a sideline that was very similar to the activities of the “hawkers”. For example, consider the implications of Nel Barlow’s reminiscences that headline this page.
The life of the Afghans was harsh, and, although their services were essential to the survival of the small towns and the pastoral holdings, they were usually treated to a degree of exclusion. By the same token, the Afghans appear to have held the majority of townspeople and the pastoralists at arms’ length. At Milparinka and Tibooburra however, at least some residents were their allies.
The record created by Thomas Wakefield Chambers provides an insight into their treatment and their relationship to the community at Milparinka, but in this instance the memories of Nel Barlow and, as discussed later, those of Harry Blore, allow an even more vivid picture to be created.
Early Associations with the Albert Goldfield
The first mention of camels in association with Milparinka comes from the Australian Handbook of 1882 where it is stated that “in June 1881 a camel troop, consisting of eleven camels laden with stores and goods to a weight of 3 1/2 tons, came safely overland from Beltana in South Australia to here…“. From Beltana to Milparinka by the most direct route was at least 450 km (282 miles) but it would seem that this was the only way relief could be delivered in response to an appeal for help from a starving populace at Mount Browne. Ten months later (April 1882) another rescue mission, comprised of sixty camels and two waggons, arrived at Mount Browne from Beltana. (Australian Handbook, 1883) The camels and their Afghan handlers had established their place in the Far West of New South Wales.
Involvement as General Carriers
A mere eight years after the relief missions (as we would call them today) people were starting to forget the Afghans had saved their hides. The Tibooburra Telegraph (4 November 1890, p2c4) reported that the Milparinka Progress Committee had passed a resolution that “the trustees of the town common be asked to give attention to the necessity for making some rules with regard to camels”. Two weeks later the Trustees advised that “the trustees are of opinion that in view of the many accidents occasioned by the aggressive demeanour of the Afghans who drive the camels, and of the fact that camels are not wanted on the main roads as carriers, they, the trustees decline to make any regulations giving camels a right to the use of the common; That all camels be excluded from the use of the Milparinka Town Common and that action be taken to have the foregoing resolution made part of the rules and regulations of the Milparinka Town Common under the Commons Act of 1873-1886 “.
Even more interestingly, in 1893 The Sturt Recorder Tibooburra and Mount Browne Advertiser” (3 November 1893) declared “As to the usefulness of camels in times of drought, that argument does not apply to this Colony, where the roads are all getting well-watered and if one road is not practical for horse-teams that carry feed, and another is, and camel owners on these occasions always take care to get extreme rates, so there is no advantage in any way. Besides, after all is said and done it is only a question of a few years when steam or electric tramways will supersede all other modes of carriage on trunk lines at any rate. Even to this remote part, and the class now in distress will be comfortably settled with their families under their own vine and fig tree instead of carting their families about the country in caravans. But in the meantime they must live and the camel and the afghan should go.” How someone as perceptive as Thomas Wakefield Chambers could have been so naive beggars belief, but then, just perhaps, this little gem was not his work at all. Either that or he was looking to the interests of his new newspaper’s business.
To continue..
On Friday 13th July, 1894 (p2c6) The Sturt Recorder, Tibooburra and Mount Browne Advertiser advised that “On 7th inst 107 camels passed Milparinka from Bourke en route to Western Australia.” but it was not long before William Baker (Storekeeper at Milparinka) resorted to the use of pack camels from Bourke to bring in large consignments of general merchandise…(Sturt Recorder , Tibooburra and Mount Browne Advertiser, 2nd July 1896). His previous consignment, shipped by paddle-steamer to Wilcannia from South Australia, had arrived 9 months late…mainly because paddle-steamers need water in order to proceed, and the River Darling had been reduced to a string of puddles… His consignment was forwarded from Wilcannia by camel…because bullock and horse teams simply could not survive the distance.
Camels and Horses Don’t Mix
The love-hate relationship between the Afghan and the establishment endured for quite a few years, but not without ongoing comment. For example, the mailman (apparently on horseback) met with a string of camels on the North Bourke Bridge “with the usual result”. On another occasion the Recorder stated that the “Wanaaring mail driver reported having, at night, run into a mob of camels camped on the road. His horses bolted and went about four miles before he could pull them under control. Fortunately he managed to keep them on the track and no damage was done.” In the same issue, the Recorder said a worse accident had befallen some “travelling jewellers, whose horses became quite unmanageable when they encountered some camels on the road. Both occupants of the buggy were thrown out, and the vehicle and contents were scattered throughout the bush in fragments”.
The use of Camels to carry wool
Although tales of unfortunate encounters involving horses and camels were not unusual, the camel had proven itself to be indispensable, not only in bringing goods to the outback stores and pastoral stations, but in clearing the wool clip, work which needed to be done during the hottest months of the year. On the night of 30th January 1898 41 camels were camped on the Milparinka Town Common and later that year “a large number” of camels arrived at Milparinka to carry wool from nearby pastoral holdings to the rail-head at Broken Hill and from properties along the Wanaaring Rd to Bourke. These had been contracted by Rich & Co. of Wilcannia.
According to another report in the Sturt Recorder the Afghans in charge of camels assigned to carrying wool to Broken Hill had little choice but to seek water for their heavily-laden beasts from sources that were not located on the approved “Stock Route”. On this occasion the Sturt Recorder (12 November 1898) chose to be a little sympathetic… “Even camels cannot do without water when travelling with loading in the ordinary way on our public roads, and it is only when abstinence has been enforced by degrees, and extended over some weeks, that the animal can do without water for any length of time.” However, a week later Arthur Hood Smith appeared at the Milparinka Police Court on behalf Wonaminta Station to prosecute a camel driver named Oodel for having watered two camels at a station tank. Oodel did not appear in Court, in part because he had been told the matter would be dealt with on a different date to that of the hearing. Nevertheless he was fined in absentia £10-0-0 plus £ 7-16-0 expenses. At a subsequent hearing (apparently when Oodel made himself available on the day he had been advised the matter would be heard) it was stated that the tank at which the camels were alleged to have watered was about three miles from the nearest stock route. There was no public road to the tank but there was “a sort of pad to it” and Oodel had admitted having been to the tank with his camels. Although the stock route did run through the paddock involved, the paddock was said to be fenced and Oodel had been warned against watering his camels there. The fine previously imposed was upheld.
Later the same month (November 22nd 1898) Mahommet Droze was accused of watering camels at Tineroo Bore without first obtaining permission, but the matter was settled out of court.
Mahommet Droze had also got into trouble over bringing his 32 camels onto the Milparinka Common on 17th November without giving due notice. Cheet Singh, “being sworn in the form used by Christians”, acted as interpreter. Mahommet Droze pleaded guilty and was fined £1-0-0 plus ten shillings and sixpence costs.
Clearly the utility of the camel in clearing bales of wool did not prevent their handlers being fined when their charges were desperate for water. Nor were transgressions by travelling hawkers overlooked, even though it would seem that they always had camped on the common and allowed their camels to graze there. .. Gool Mahommet was hauled into Court at Milparinka for having failed to give 24 hours notice before bringing camels onto the common, and for depasturing camels on the common – “both of which (offences) are in violation of the regulations framed under the Act” . The locally created regulations stated that the penalty should be £10-0-0 but the Magistrate was obviously sympathetic when he fined Gool Mahommet three shillings and sixpence. Perhaps he realised that it is a little difficult to give 24 hours notice of intention to arrive at Milparinka when you are perhaps one day’s travelling time from the place and there is no telegraph or coach service between your location and the town….
The whole situation that existed in November and December of 1898 was summarised by Tom Chambers in the edition of 12th December that year: – “Teamsters are very unwilling to load wool on account of the bad state of the roads for feed and water. The Wilcannia Road is a blank this season the river again being too low for navigation. The Broken Hill track is the one preferred, as there is no delay in transit when once the railway terminus is reached. But this road is so ill provided with water that it is closed for traffic, except by camels. A train of these animals was loaded on the 2nd inst. at Connulpie, and 64 bales dispatched for Broken Hill.“
Then we start to get the other side of the story…
Conditions of Employment for Afghans
The Sturt Recorder Tibooburra and Mount Browne Advertiser, 25th November 1898
On 22nd November 1898 two Afghans named Said Mahommet and Mere Assene appeared in the Milparinka Police Court, charged with absconding from the hired service of the Bourke Carrying Company. William Baker appeared on behalf of the Company, having been appointed their representative in the matter. Tom Chambers provides a detailed account of the court hearing, but there is a bit of confusion about things as in the first report there is no specific mention of Mere Assene’s co-defendant, Said Mahommet.
The fundamentals, as reported on 25th November 1898, were:
- Mere Assene was said to be contracted to work for the Company for six years, his wages being twenty four pounds per annum.
- The Bourke Carrying Company said it would not prosecute the defendants if they consented to return to their employment – either on another camel train or other work.
- Mere Assene said that the man over them on the camel train, Mahommet Droze, used bad language to him all the time and generally treated him badly. He agreed he had been engaged to drive camels by the Bourke Carrying Company and that he had signed an agreement, but he did not know what was in it.
- He knew he had to work for six years, but did not know the wages he was to receive. The reason for his absconding was that Mahommet Droze always ill-used him by striking him. Since leaving Bourke he had had mutton to eat only once. All other meals had been but flour and tea. The defendant refused to go back to work for the Company under any conditions whatever.
Image:Cameleer wearing traditional clothing, Wanaaring Road c1893 – Detail from photograph attributed to George Bell for Kerry & Co. Tyrrell Collection, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney .
Mahommet Droze having been sworn, stated that he was in charge of camels belonging to the Bourke Co., and the defendants were assigned to him to work, but he did not do his work properly; he did not strike him but had often had to tell him to do his work quick. Mere Assene had left the camels when they arrived at the Warratta Tank. He also stated that they had meat on leaving Bourke, and got meat at the Government Tank 15 days from Bourke, so that altogether he got meat three times, besides any amount of rations.
Then William Baker, on oath, stated that he had received a wire from Bourke Carrying Co. stating that the Manager Mr. Abdul Ware was coming to Milparinka with the agreement made by the Company with the defendants, and would present it if an adjournment was secured until Monday next (28th November 1898). The Case was adjourned accordingly. (Sturt Recorder, Tibooburra and Mount Browne Advertiser, 25th November 1898)…
MILPARINKA POLICE COURT 28th November, 1898, – Before Messrs John Ducat,P.M., Alex Lang and B.Ringrose J’s P.
William Baker, representative of the Company, stated on oath that he had received no agreement from Bourke showing how the defendants were under agreement to the Company. He also submitted a telegram as evidence which stated that if the case was remanded until today the agreement would be forthcoming . Baker then indicated that because of an interruption to the telegraph line this morning he had been unable to wire the Company further.
Through the interpreter, the defendants were then asked if they were agreeable to have the two cases decided upon the evidence of Said Mahommet already taken. All that could be got out of Mere Assene was that he would not go back to work for the Company.
Ger Goonohah, evidently an Afghan who worked, or had worked, for the Bourke Carrying Company, stated that he had never seen either Mere Assene or his co-defendant sign an agreement, but that he had heard they sign one. He also stated that the Company paid the passage out of the two men, or at least he had every reason to believe so. It also seems that Ger Goonohah, who had been assigned to act as an interpreter also became involved in clarifying the evidence of the two men involved because he next stated that “When you sent me to these two men they told me they would not work for the Company. They said the work was too hard, and the boss was all the time growling.” Said Mahommet, being sworn, said through the interpreter, that he never signed an agreement with the Bourke Carrying Company. Abdul Bay asked him how many camels he could work and sent him on the road. He thought he could leave any time he liked, and that the reason he left was because Mahommet Droze swore at him too much, and he had not enough to eat. He had meat at Bourke, and they got another sheep at Wanaaring, but he did not get enough to eat. He did not know how many times he had meat between Bourke and Milparinka but he was always hungry.
(Image: Cameleer possibly wearing ex-military clothing on the Wanaaring Road, c1893 -Detail from a photograph attributed to George Bell for Kerry & Co. Tyrrell Collection, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney) In examining the original of this photograph it appears the belt this man is wearing is made of webbing and that it has a broad brass buckle with three prongs that pass through eyelets in the webbing to secure it. His trousers have several buttons that when done-up firmly envelope his leg from the bottom hem of the trousers almost to his knee. Note that he is also wearing a Fez. His jacket is also quite distinctive, and it would be very interesting to learn his background and role in managing the camel string.
The interpreter said it was customary to have two meals on the road each day. However, Said Mahommet said that Mahommet Droze did not buy a goat at the 60 mile tank, and that he (Mahommet Droze) would not give him any more food when he asked for it.”
The case was dismissed for want of sufficient evidence to prove the existence of an agreement, but a week later the Sturt Recorder reported that the three absconding Afghans left by coach last Saturday accompanied by Constable Colmar and the black tracker. Milparinka Police had apprehended them under warrants and the Bench remanded them to Bourke to dealt with there.(17 December 1898).
No indication has been found of what happened to these two men or to Ger Goonohah, in 1898. Their case, however, gives a very good picture of the conditions of work for Afghans who came to New South Wales as indentured workers. The Sturt Recorder published a letter on 4th March 1899 which gives an even more clear image of the situation and suggests they were only part of a much larger system of exploitation:
THE BOURKE AFGHAN CASES – An Appeal
To The EDITOR,
Sir – you and the readers of your journal will have a very clear idea of the nature of the agreement existing between the Bourke Carrying Company, and the Afghans recently brought by it from India. That agreement binds the men for six years, but gives the Company the right to terminate it at any time upon a month’s notice. The wages are twenty-four pounds per year of which seventy-five percent is withheld until the termination of the six years service, and is forfeited if that service is not completed. Nominally, this leaves the men two shillings three and three-quarter pence per week, but actually, they are bound to work nearly two years for nothing, as their passage money, eleven pounds seventeen shillings and eleven pence is, by terms of the agreement, regarded as an advance on wages. The men are to work on Sundays and holidays. The ration supplied is such as the manager shall deem sufficient. Such is the character of the agreement under which the company is successfully invoking the coercive intervention of the law. Four times some of its’ employees have been sentenced to jail for refusing to work under the conditions set out. On the last occasion, one of them, evidently despairing of any escape from the clutches of the company, attempted suicide. They allege that when they signed the agreement they were not aware that it contained the provisions they have since found it to have contained, that they are insufficiently fed, and that they have been ill-treated. They have also confirmed that they left India under one agreement, that on arriving in this Colony they were required to sign another, different from the former in a very material particular. It is admitted that there are two agreements, but as the Company, taking its’ legal stand upon the second one, has refused to produce the original, the opportunity has not yet occurred for verifying the statement as to a difference between the two. It is not, however, necessary, to go outside the agreement to secure material for its’ condemnation. It is so barbarous and inhuman in its’ conditions as to case a disgrace who conceived it and their approach to the country wherein its’ enforcement is possible. I like to think, too, that it something more, that it will prove a clarion call, so rousing the public conscience that all the resources of the constitution will be exhausted before the efforts to cancel so iniquitous an instrument are abandoned and the unfortunate men left to their fate. And it is not only the fate of the forty-five men immediately concerned that is involved. If this agreement is maintained, then it can be imitated by other companies, and we shall have here a system that is slavery in everything but name. If this agreement, however, can be successfully challenged, then its’ abolition will stand as a warning that not by such means shall a lust for gain seek its’ gratification in New South Wales. To enable it to be tested in the higher courts – obviously the first thing to do – the people of Bourke have started a subscription. The Bulletin, with characteristic sympathy, has gone to their assistance, launching a Bulletin list which it heads with a substantial donation. At least one hundred and fifty pounds is required to properly prepare and present an appeal, as interpreters have to be found – the men not understanding a word of English – and other expenses met that are not the accompaniments of ordinary cases. Will you also throw your influences behind the movement to raise funds? In one hundred and fifty pounds there are three thousand shillings. If three thousand people will contribute one shilling a piece the initial difficulty is over. I am sure in such a cause it only needs publicity to secure the requisite response. But it will come quickly. A few shillings from each locality will suffice. May I ask you to assist by appealing for this measure of support in your district. If only a fair proportion of the provincial papers will undertake to collect twenty shillings subscriptions, all will have been done that is necessary. I feel confident that I shall not address you in vain. Subscriptions can be sent either to the Hon. Secretary, Afghan Defence Fund, Bourke, or to the Bulletin, Sydney. Yours truly, E.D.Millen, 14 O’Connell Street, Sydney. (Sturt Recorder Tibooburra and Mount Browne Advertiser, 4th March 1899,P4C2)
( Photograph attributed to George Bell for Kerry & Co. Tyrrell Collection Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney)
Afghans as Hawkers
That Afghan hawkers who wished to camp on the Milparinka Common were required to give twenty-four hours’ notice has already been mentioned. However, Afghans who wished to operate as hawkers were also required to be licensed, as were their European counterparts.
It would appear that these licenses were to be renewed annually, but very few mentions of these are made in the Sturt Recorder. However, both Nel Barlow and, especially, Harry Blore were able to relate quite a lot about Afghan hawkers when the subject came up in wide-ranging conversations during the 1980s. Of course, these were their personal reminiscences dating at earliest from about 1910, ten and more years after the Sturt Recorder had ceased publication, but there appears to be little reason to think the ‘Ghans were not operating in much the same way as they had always done.
Nel Barlow, as suggested by the opening paragraph of this page, remembered that Afghan hawkers put on a great show when arriving to set up shop and peddle their wares. She also remembered their wearing traditional clothes and that their camels would be decorated in coloured rugs with bells and tassels, but , more than anything else, that they bought with them dress materials.
Another very useful source of information was Harry Blore. He was not always entirely correct, but when he got started it was fascinating to talk with him. Harry’s knowledge related to a much later period than Nel Barlow’s and his memories of Said Ali, probably the last Afghan hawker around Milparinka and Tibooburra, were very clear. He also remembered the names of some of the last Afghan cameleers – Sultan Aziz and Akbah Khan.
Harry’s memories and knowledge sometimes became a little jumbled and I learned it was better to let him tell the story than try to clarify too much detail. But there were other times when my question was the thing that was jumbled. For instance, when I asked him about places associated with the Chinese … ” No bloody way … there is only one Chinaman’s Well mate…I worked there …” In fact there were two, but one used to be called “Chinaman’s Garden Well”… However, Harry could provide a wealth of information that stands up well to scrutiny and verification, and I found him a likeable character.
Harry was also quite emphatic when asked about Afghan hawkers…
“we never had no Afghans…” Then suddenly he remembered …” oh one Afghan… Said Ali … an old chap called Said Ali (“Alley”)… he had camels … he was the last of them … he had a little old rubber tyred cart in the end … with the camels drawing it … got rid of his camels in 1950 I think .. 49/50 .. he brought an Austin truck … god did he have fun with that… “He come from Pakistan…”
In fairness to Harry, he did remember a lot more than he let on and it is perhaps best to let him tell the story through the words he used on the evening of 16th August 1987. I recorded (with his ok) and subsequently transcribed the conversation. The part that has enormous significance for the history of the Afghans is reproduced below. (H=Harry Blore G=Geoff Svenson) And, by the way… If anyone knows what a ‘bungarten’ is ,please please let me know. The discussion started with Said Ali…
H. Camel driver … changing from camel driver into Austin truck … we … by God … he had fun old Said… funny old bloke…
H. He come from Pakistan …
G. No. Where was he coming from… Broken Hill?
H. Broken Hill … but he’d go everywhere to buy his gear …He was a mighty man Said Ali… he’d go away and he buy a heap of stuff … he’d get it sent to Broken Hill by rail … wouldn’t buy at Broken Hill… no way … he go to cheaper places … Adelaide Melbourne… and he’d buy a big heap of gear … and all by rail to the hill … and then he’d bring it up mainly … sometimes to Tibooburra, mainly by mail coach in the later times… leave his camels and gear at Tibooburra … let the camels go on the common … take his old bloody ford (?) …
G. Would he just let his camels go…
H. Oh yes … they were always there … around an acacia tree … he was only ever gone about three weeks or a month…
G. So he’d get the stuff up on the coach and then load it up on the cart?
H. Yes…coach … put it in his old bungarten and he’d go off.
G. What kind of stuff did he have then?
H. Everything. Bloody trousers. I brought my first leather coat off Said Ali … R.M. Williams … 1945 … I bought my first leather coat and swag off Said Ali ….
G. So what else did he have..?
H. Oh blankets and clothes, horse bells and trousers and manure hooks… you name it it’d all be there…screwdrivers and spanners and …He’d have about four tons …
G. Must have been a bloody fancy wagon… what did … it have little drawers all over it?
H. Oh yes … it was all packed in … you walked in the back … he dropped his little ladder down two or three steps … and he had a hole in the middle … a little cubby hole … and you’d go in there … dresses for women …(see note below) …he had a daughter too … by god she was a lovely girl … nobody knew you know… nobody knew about this girl … everybody was bloody-well dumbfounded when she turned up … she was half Ghan half Australian of course … gawd she was a lovely person … she was only about seventeen or eighteen … us blokes thought she was bloody lovely … she was nice … she got married to some bloke down in Melbourne … she was a … this old bloke he was a funny old bugger … very very close … he never visited anybody … and if he went to a station somewhere he opened up his bloody hawkers’ cart and everybody would come out and have a look and that was it…. (handslap!!!) finish … he wouldn’t go to the station and have a meal or anything … just serve his gear out and piss off…he’d be gone next morning … before daylight he’d be gone…
[Note: I have omitted a few comments that were made at this point as they would today perhaps be regarded as offensive. They did not add significantly to the information put forward.]
G. Did he sleep under his cart?
H. Yes… he had a step he used to sit on… that was his bed too … had a bit of a top over it … a bit of a roof… but it was open…
G. Was it like an old bread cart or something?
H. Yes … something like… similar … they must have had them made special I think … it was bloody heavy … had four camels pulling it … two on the pole and two on the front …
G. How would he get along with wet weather?
H. No worries… pull up…stop… wherever he was…
G. Did he ever sort of park himself down at Coally?
H. Oh no … well away from everybody…as I say…say…coming into Naryilco in the afternoon … he’d set up his bloody gear and set his camels off to feed and have some coverage of inspections for the ringers that might be there and tomorrow morning the next day he won’t be there … he’d be gone… when you got up next morning there’d be no sign of him… he’d be gone.. on the track…
G. Well I s’pose it’s a hard life…
H. But he used to do it easy… this old man… he was only a little bloke … he wasn’t a very big man… he’d be flat out being five foot seven I s’pose…
G. Did he wear all traditional gear or what?
H. No he’d wear all eastern clothes… he wore eastern gear …of course he was a dark complexion… he wore dark clothes… but he never wore the gown like Akbar Khan used to wear … the cameleers they were very flashy ….
G. Did they sort of… I s’pose it’s gung ho is the word you’d use these days… were they sort of flashy guys… did they swagger along at all?
H. Oh they would get along like as if they were somebody. They were big time. But that was their job I s’pose… they were very efficient at their work…
G. Did they have to yell at their camels at all?
H. No…No…no noise at all … not a bloody whisper …and the camels would just follow them along … he’d get up in front with all his gear on and the camels would just stand behind him…he’d have two or three offsiders … they’re on camels back through the string…
G. How many camels did he have?
H. Thirty forty something like that… unpack them at night and repack them next morning…
G. Would they hobble them…
H. No Geoff… they didn’t go … they’d be around somewhere in the morning not far away at an acacia tree somewhere … overhead foliage … like mulga trees or acacia … look round next morning at the acacia trees and they’re all there…no water problems … go for a week without a drink…
G. What did the ‘Ghans sleep in… did they have … sleep under the stars…
H. Nothing … sleep under the stars … no tent… nothing… they’re like a bloody gypsy you know … wherever they were the ground was there…
G. Any idea what they used to wear?
H. If it was summer of course they always had their white of course … that’s their traditional colour … their shirts were always white and their pantaloons were always white, and their big flowing robes were always white, and their headgear was white… maybe a coloured bank around their turban but that was it…
G. But nothing flashy …
H. Oh no… traditional…
G. Did they carry their own food or did they buy stock from people..
H. Oh no… their own cooks all the time … mainly curry …goat meat and curry … their own flapjacks… bread and water…flat bread and goat’s meat and curry… we were …at Coally this mob come along… fresh out of meat this ‘Ghan … so we brings the goats out … we had about two hundred goats …that big Billy Goat … he had horns this wide …. that’s the one I want … fair the biggest thickest goat in the yard …they wanted him … they’d take the …(?)… draw the first blood and they’d say a bloody prayer and all this shindig over killing a goat…
G. So they were really religious…?
H. Oh my Word, my God that was MOST important … the goat …the bigger the better … the hardest blackest … and that’d keep em going winter and summer … had a gut like cast iron…
G. They must have … but they lived to a pretty ripe old age…
H. Yes… a hundred …. Maree the last of them are over there now .. a hundred and four a hundred and five …still going… amazing … hot as buggery … big … thrive on bloody heat … eating curry … survive on bloody curry all the time… dammed curry’s hot … not the stuff we eat … good tucker …
G. Would they ever share with you as a kid?
H. No. But we knew what they had. I had afghan curry but not from the cameleers … Said Ali … old Said I used to have some in his camp now and then … going through … old Said Ali he was a different man, he was a bit different Ghan, he was lower, as I say, he was a funny bugger … he’d go to a meal with him… if you were on the road somewhere with a mob of sheep somewhere… if he come along he’d have a meal with you but if you were in a house no bloody way … out in the open no worries … oh and a meal times he’d only mainly drink coffee, never tea, black , bit of meat and bread, damper… I only ever saw Said Ali in the later years when he had the Austin truck sit down at a white man’s table to take a meal…in Tibooburra Pub … Chaneys(?) the old Bernies(?) pub … old Bert(?) Davies in them days … I saw him sit down and have a meal at a white man’s table … Said Ali …
G. Was his truck set up the same way as the waggon?
H. Yes. He had it made specially and specially set up… I wonder where he went to … and that girl … I s’pose she’s still alive … but she could be dead … I s’pose she was a bit older than me… she was about three or four years older … she was four years older than me she was… but if she’s still going I’d say she’d be the last of Said’s brood … we never knew what he had …down in Melbourne … he used to go down to Melbourne about three times a year and Adelaide… mainly Melbourne…”
G. And you reckon that is where his family was?
H. Must have been…he only brought that girl up once ….
G. That must have been really unusual for him to bring her along…
H. Yes … she was only about seventeen or eighteen … probably she had only just left University … she was a well educated girl… and she’d be … she’d be sixty-three … I can’t think of her name…
G. If you do think of it give us a yell…
H. I will … just around Tibooburra … my sister Ev in Tibooburra she might know even …and 1949 was Said’s last … I don’t know what happened to him … no one seemed to know where he come from … he just went … probably dead … just here and gone … like the wind … he’s not here any more … nobody seems to know…bloody amazing…
Harry died in 1998. He had known he was on the way out for some time but in his own way he was OK… If anyone knows what a ‘bungarten’ is I would really like to know… I suspect it was almost a brand name used for the people or person who built the waggons used by Said Ali. And, if anyone knows who the girl was, that one small snippet of information would probably make the effort involved in pulling all of these pages together absolutely worthwhile… Thank you Harry for a very personal reminiscence.
In 1997 the body of Said Ali’s hawking van was still reasonably intact, sitting on supports in a yard at Tibooburra. An image also survived of it’s chassis, in use in a parade through the main street of that town. More on that story will be included in a page under development that addresses at least some aspects of Tibooburra history. A small book to be called What was at Tibooburra was proposed at the time I was introduced to Said Ali’s van. However, for one reason or another it never got off the ground. The Tibooburra pages that are yet to be developed for this web site will put forward the information that was gathered for that booklet.
Note regarding the black and white images on this page: All the black and white images come from the same source, as is noted against them. They, and some of those on other pages depicting paddle-steamers on the Darling River at Bourke and the camel train on the Wanaaring Road – were quite likely captured by George Bell during the same trip to the Far West of NSW. On that basis it is possible to date them within a year or so using one relatively straightforward analysis … The image of paddle steamers on the Darling River includes that of the “Rodney” which was famously destroyed in 1894, while the majority of Kerry & Co’s surviving works are considered to have a start date of 1892 . This dating can be refined using an article about George Bell wherein it is stated that Bell was working in New Guinea in 1890 after which he joined Kerry & Co. . If so it would appear likely that the images captured by George Bell for Kerry & Co date from between 1892 and 1894.
references: https://collection.maas.museum/object/2753 and https://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/george-bell
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