14G THE ABORIGINES 



collecting Mr. Walker's observations on the aborigines, 

 although part has already been published mliis Memoirs. 

 (London, L862). The accounts of the race are so 

 meagre that even the smallest reliable details respecting 

 it recorded by an independent observer will have a value 

 for anthropologists. 



The deadly feud between the natives and the settlers 

 which raged between 182,5 and 1830, led to Governor 

 Arthur's military operation known as the "Black Line." 

 In October, 1830. some 3000 men took the field, to 

 sweep the island from north to south, with the view of 

 converging on the Oyster Bay and Big River tribes, and 

 driving them into the cul de sac of Tasman's Peninsula. 

 The march commenced on 7th October, 1830, and the 

 line advanced southwards. But the blacks easily slipped 

 through its straggling ranks, and when on 26th November 

 it closed on East Bay Neck it was found that the prey 

 had escaped. The total result of this levy en ?nasse, at a 

 cost of £30,000, was the capture of one solitary aborigine. 

 Some months later it was discovered that the supposed 

 formidable force opposed to the 3000 men of the line 

 was considerably less than a hundred naked savages. 



Consequent on the failure of Arthur's Military Move- 

 ment, efforts were made to capture, either by persuasion 

 or force, the " mobs " scattered over the island, with the 

 view of removing them to a place of safety, where they 

 would be under the care and protection of the Govern- 

 ment, and powerless to molest the settlers further. By 

 the end of 1830 some 56 had been captured. They 

 were placed temporarily on Swan Island, in Bass Strait. 

 This was only a desolate granite rock, and the blacks 

 were soon removed to Gun Carriage, or Vansittart 

 Island. This also proving unsuitable, they were finally 

 transferred in 1831 to Flinders Island. As George 

 Augustus Robinson, in his daring mission of conciliation, 

 accomplished what the whole force of the colony had 

 failed in, and persuaded other "mobs" to surrender 

 themselves, fresh captives were continually transported 

 to the new settlement. For 15 years Flinders was the 

 home of the miserable remnant of the native tribes of 

 Tasmania, and for the greater part of them it was 

 destined to become their grave. 



Messrs. Backhouse and Walker visited the settlement 

 in the spring of 1832 (October), a few months after the 



