The Argus at KellyGang 13/3/1879 (2)
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Trackers from Queensland
One great use the native police were put to was that of making new tracks to the diggings, or of shortening the old ones by cutting off corners and bends. this was always done by the inspector or sergeant "lining" the track, a couple of black boys following up behind "blazing" a tree line ; two cuts of the tomahawk, as the boy rode by, being sufficient to " blaze" a tree. Thirty or forty miles were done easily in a day. I have been credibly informed that when the "boys" come up with their quarry they strip entirely naked, only retaining the uniform cap, and then they go to work like demons, and woe betide the unfortunate wild blacks they come in contact with. I have heard some strange stories in connexion with these "nigger raids," as they were often termed. Their powers of tracking are simply astonishing. They will ride along at a gallop tracking a horse or a kangaroo, or even an emu, and no matter how slight the impression they can tell to what animal or bird it belongs. The thickest scrub offers no impediment to their onward progress when engaged in the work of tracking, and to their experienced eyes the passage of any body through a scrub offers more facilities for tracking than the open ground.
When engaged in the work of tracking men guilty of serious offences, however, they dismount, and track on foot, especially where the traces are faint. In keeping the road clear of the wild blacks the native police are unequalled, and such is the dread inspired by them that frequently on their appearance a whole camp of wild blacks will take to their heels as though chased by a horde of demons. In spite of being well armed with Snider carbines of the latest pattern they do not always come off scot-free in their encounters with the wild denizens of the woods. Some few fall never to rise again; others again receive spear wounds from which, however, they soon recover, if no vital part be struck.
The following anecdote will show the significance of the expression “dispersing the blacks.” One day, having occasion to visit a gunsmith in Cooktown, I observed a Government Snider carbine on the table. As the weapon was then new to me I took it up to examine it. Noticing a number of small crosses cut into the wood near the chamber, I exclaimed "Hallo, some fellow has been keeping tally of the victims.” "Yes," replied the gunsmith, “the rifle belongs to the native police force." Curiosity prompted me to count the crosses, when I found there were 16. About a week afterwards I had again occasion to visit the gunsmith, and seeing a Government carbine lying on the table as before, I said, "You have got another Government carbine there I see." "Oh, no," was the reply "That's the same one you saw before. The spring has got weak with rapid firing, so it's in to be seen to again." Noticing that some additions had been made to the crosses, I counted them a second time, and found that the total number now reached 23, or nine additional crosses since I saw the weapon the previous week. This shows pretty clearly that when the black boys are on duty they do not forget how to use the rifle, and that their powers of tracking are very great the Kelly gang may soon find out to their cost. In conclusion it may be well to state that the inspectors of native police are splendid bushmen, and perfect masters of the art of tracking, whilst their bravery and powers of endurance are well known to all old Queenslanders
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