able to the acquisitive faculty, that not a few were ready to dare danger for bright gold. A scheme was actually set on foot, though detected in time, to proceed to the Straits, capture the half-civilized women there, and claim the bounty. The Launceston Advertiser of March, 1830, sounded an alarm: "We understand a party of volunteers are busily employed man-catching in the neighbourhood; we hope they will not introduce any stranger from the islands to the main. Five pounds a-head is a tempting sum; but our accommodations in this quarter are rather too limited to furnish bread and lodging for these sable gentry."
The "bounty five" was stopped by the order of June 5th, 1832, when the head hunters were informed by the Governor that the reward was no longer offered, because the "present tranquil state of the Colony had rendered it unnecessary."
When caught, the Natives were not easily held. A good smearing of opossum grease on their naked skins prevented a secure grasp. Thus, four were one day surrounded, and held for a time, at St. Paul's Plains; but three managed to wriggle themselves free. The ever-watchful Courier hastened to publish an infallible cure. "Some persons," quoth the paper, "adopt the plan of getting behind them, and thrusting the arms beneath the armpits of the Black, to bring the hands round behind the neck or head, and, being thus clasped, completely secure and overpower him."
Some independent parties were highly successful. Mr. Howell, of the Shannon, obtained a thousand acres for his exploits. Mr. James Parish, an Australian by birth, and a pilot, was said to have been the means of securing no less than twenty-two Aborigines, and a host of dogs, close to Swan Island, on which he managed to place them. Another person caught a Native, called Tommy Notoes, from having lost these useful members. One man escaped after being first secured, but was wounded by a shot in his retreat. He managed, however, to gain the shore, and attempted to swim away; but, soon exhausted, he was retaken, and his wound was dressed. Placed in a hut for security, he again escaped, and was not recovered. Two were caught by a shrewd fellow who exposed a sugar-bag in the Bush, and then hid himself till his victims were in the sweets.
The Natives were terribly harassed by the roving parties.
