Star.
London, England, 1831-05-18 00:00:00

rnt
, .
, r. 11444
ttVika open awl wee. We have heard various versionsa
event, but none ue.it w!.iel, ve could so rely as to repeat as
attiltagtie. firs hope, lufayeer, that these people will rather excite their
brethren to pacific. than hostile operations, their treatment after their
rapture bting each as to prevent the pt ssibility of their making any re-
port„-otlier than of. the most favourable description of the humanity
with which they were :reatcd. and of the advantage,' which must attend
their accepting the protection offered to them.
The line advanced steadily and uniformly on Monday, Tuesday. and
Wednesday. The Lieutenant-Hon:nur was every where. His pre-
sence gave zeal and animation to the whole force. It is impossible to
do justice to the energy with which his Excellency conducted this im-
portant operation. We have it from undoubted authority, that from
the day he left Hobart Town ra the present time, he can hardly be said
to have taken an hour's tepose. He is known to have rode frequently
from one extremity of the line to the other daily, when it extended up-
wards of fifty miles, and to have carefully inspected every thing—to
have conversed freely, familiarly, friendly with all—to have left nothing
unseen, uninspecred. The consequence was, that every individual felt
interested in the result—felt personally, as it were, concerned in the
success of the undertaking, upon which so much of the general interests
depended. It is impossible to describe the effect which his Excellency's
personal deportment had upon every individual engaged in this great
national affair. It can be, however, at once understood when we state,
that from the day the field was taken to the very last movements, one
uniform spirit prevailed—one generous emulation, in endeavouring to
curry the great object into sue::essitil effect.
On Tuesday it became evident that those within the lints had disco-
aced that they were enclosed. hitting the whole of that night, and of
the advance of Wednesday, attempts were made in numerous different
parts of the line to burst through. There were never observed at one
time more than twenty persons who thus ventured to endeavour to force
a passage. But so many of thew attempts were repeated from different
parts, that it was calculated that not less than two hundred men could
be (imaged in them. One of two things is ascertained—either that there
arc White men shod, as is usual amongst the aborigines or that these lat-
ter wear shoes of ordinary manufacture, the marks of bare feet and of
nailed shoes being palpable in many places where parties have assem-
bled to endeavour to penetrate the line.
At eleven last night a dispatch arrived from his Excellency, the con-
tents of which are, we understand, of the most satisfactory nature. His
Excellency requires forthwith a reinforcement of every man (military
and volunteer), that can be mustered. The unfavourable weather has
impeded the intended movement of yesterday, but no doubt now exists
of a very considerable number of the aborigines being within the lines.
Their attempts to break through are made with increased boldness and
freqneney. We have heard that his Excellency states that the "pro-
voking interference of the Shetiff" has considerably impeded his opera-
tions. Several bags of buck-shot are to be forthwith sent to the line
This looks as if matters were not to be left half done.

From the Tasmanian of Nov. 12.
Although we have not the gratification to announce this week (as we
had hoped that we should have had) the successful termination of the
important and interesting expedition which his Excellency Lietenant.
Governor Arthur, with so much attention to the best interests of the
Colony, has personally undertaken, yet we have nothing whatever to
report of a discouraging nature. His Excellency still occupies the po-
sition in which he was this day week ; he is only waiting for reinforce-
ments to make the great movement to the front, which we anxiously
hope—in common, we believe, with the whole colony—will be attended
with as perfect success as the nature of the country and the limited ex-
tent of means possessed by his Excellency will admit of. Yesterday
every disposable soldier who could be spared was dispatched from Ho-
ban Town to join the lines. The duty here is now exceedingly severe.
The men of the 63d arc four nights out of bed for one night in bed. This
is hard duty, but they bear it with the greatest seal and alacrity; one
general spirit pervades the whole colony—civil, military, all classes ; it
is of cordially uniting in the forwarding the great object. Nothing
certainly can be more gratifying to the government than to witness
this, which has shown itself in every possible way.
The difficulties which his Excellency has to encounter are infinitely
greater than were at first expected. The ground immediately in front
of the lines is chiefly a thick impenetrable scrub. The intervals are as
few as possible, and the communication is kept up as closely and as re•
gulary as is practicable. Still it is utterly impossible to prevent the es-
cape of the aborigines in particular places, if they have intelligence of
the nature of the position of the investing force. This they cannot be
deprived of, the hills in front which they occupy, commanding a
view of all that occurs below; and if there are white men amongst
them (which there is too much reason to believe), they would be
readily instructed in the best means of getting away. We have no
doubt, from the information which we can collect, that there is not
une single tribe but which has some of our own people with It. Upon
the advance, as the circle narrowed in extent, the last resting places of
the blacks were frequently come upon. In many of these it was appa-
rent that the time of the halt had been occupied in making spears and
other offensive weapons; and, from the shavings and other remnants
of the work of the savages, it is evident that they possess European
tools. Tne circumstance which we mentioned in our last, of nailed
oboes appearing amongst all tracks of footsteps, is in our opinion deei.
sive. It daily becomes more and more observed. During the recent
rains, opportunities were afforded of tracking these people in various
places, and upon all occasions the nailed shoe marks were conspicuous
amongst the tracks of naked feet. We cannot, therefore, doubt that
there are white men with these benighted creatures, for whom, if they
have been perpetrators in any adze dreadful atrocities which have re-
cently marked their progress, no punishrrent, in the event of their cap-
ture, can be too great. The eminence called Cherry Tree Hill is about
two miles and a half from the scrub, which we have before mentioned as
being in front of the lines. It communicates with the scrub in several
puts, and no doubt the Aborigines ascend it in order to reconnoitre. The
scrub itself is about three miles wide, and seven miles long. The lines
are immediately in the rear of it, and extend about 30 miles. In front
of the main line there is kept up during the whole night a row of fires
placed diagonally, so as that to those in front they appear one conti.
nued line of fire. His Excellency is continually on the move ; not a
day passes but that he personally inspects the whole. He proceeds
from his own quarter, which is within a few miles of the extreme right,
along the while line, to all parts where he thinks his presence may be
necessary. Frequently he traverses the whole line. In a word, his un-
remitting personal exertions and endurance of fatigue excite a spirit of
emulation in all, which cannot be described. It is impossible to praise
too highly the whole of the force in the field. The soldiery, as may be
expected, are steady, regular, and attentive, ready at a moment, and
actuated only, as British soldiers invariably are, by the desire to come
up with their enemy. The volunteers are equally to be depended upon,
but their zeal, energy, and activity are beyond ail praise. It is sufficient
to say, that his Excellency has, upon every occasion, expressed how
highly he is satisfied with them.
Mr. Thomas, the Colonial Treasurer, as soon as he beard of the de-
sire of his Excellency, recruited a party of 63 volunteers, at the head of
which he joioed the lines on Saturday last. This reinforcement was im-
mediately boated in front. At day-break on Sunday morning his Ex.
cellency had them in position. A very intelligent man of Mr. Tho-
mas's party, named Proctor, was on Saturday sent in advance with
six picked men ; he penetrated the scrub to a greater distance from the
lines than had been before done ; bearing a peculiar noise at the edge
of a precipitous descent, he was induced to endeavour to ascertain its
cause ; he descended, and suddenly heard a rush as of a large herd
of cattle entering the scrub ; not intimidated, he proceeded, and
suddenly came upon a sort of encampment of the natives in a deep
ravine from which his approach had driven them, and their retreat had
caused the rushing noise which alarmed them. They had been as
suddenly surprised that they left their munitions of war behind them—
spears, waddles, blankets, etc. It was remarked that there were also
glass bottles. Amongst the tracks of naked feet there were those of
two persons who were shod : the feet of one very small ; those of the
other of the ordinary size. Amongst the impressions of naked feet was
one which is stated to be eighteen inches long I Mr. Thomas himself
advanced as far into the scrub as he could penetrate. It became at
length so' thick and impenetrable, that he could plated no farther,
and was only able to retrace his steps by his pocket compass. The con-
duct on the part of Mr. Thomas is moat creditable to the zeal and en-
terprise of that highly.respected public officer.
The two men who were taken speak English fluently ; when the
waddies taken by Proctor were brought in, which are of an unusually
large size, resembling the heaviest description of New Zealand clubs,
they were asked why they were so constructed ? to which they replied,
" to kill white man.'
We have received various communications from the interior. We
regret to state, that in all directions the blacks who have not been en.
closed evince the utmost hostility. The following letter is from a
highly-respectable correspondent, near the Jordan, 10th November ;
" Yesterday morning, between 10 and II o'clock, • small party
of Blacks robbed the hut of Robert Mason, upon Constitution Hill,
of five blankets and about twenty pounds of sugar. Mason and a
man named Moses Jones were planting potatoes at the time, when the
violent barking of their dog caused them to look up, and they per.
ceived three natives coming out of the hut, two immediately struck c(
into the bush, whilst the third, armed with two spears, ran down to-
wards Mason, dogged hint round a tree for a few minutes, and then
tripped off to join his sable companions.
" This is the version which 1 have of the circumstance, from Mason
himself, who lives only a mile and half from me.
" The same morning some splitters, in the employ of Mr. Stiglits,
lost all their meat, sugar, and flour."
From our other correspondents we derive little interesting infor-
mation, beyond what we gave in our last. Much alarm appears to
exist; and the general hope is, that so soon as his Excellency shall have
completed his present operation, he will march to the northward sad
clear that division of the Island of the hostile tribes by whom so much
mischief has been done, and so much is apprehended.
Fainair, lona o'Cz.nce.—We have heard nothing farther of mate•
rial importance from the lines than is contained in the preceding detail.
We regret to state that Isaac Hall, a young man ftom the Broad Marsh,
wits seriously wounded yesterday morninf, by the accidental discharge
of his musket : it is supposed that the injured arm must be amputated.
Ile was conveyed to Sorrell.
We bdievy en Sunday his Excellency purposes to make the final
movement in advance. Beery man must anxiously wish that it may
be attended with the most perfect success. But be such what It may,