Battle of Minderoo

by Richmond Thatcher

These examples of local northwest poetry believed to be written by a man named Thatcher were copied out for Harold Aubry Hall by Emily Withnell (Mrs J.G. Meares). Thatcher was briefly in the north in the early days of the settlement.

H.M.W.

"THE BATTLE OF MINDEROO."

Twas Sabbath morn, the rising sun
Had not appeared in view;
But day contested with the night
At beauteous Minderoo
The Cork-bark shed a sweet perfume,
And the wild Ashburton Pea
Made sweeter still the morning air,
And birds sang merrily
What means this band of armed men
Who ride on firey steeds
What mission brings them this abroad
That so much caution need as,
No pannicans or hobble chains
Upon their saddles tied.
They seem to hold their very breath,
As o'er the plain they ride.
How slowly, and how silently
They're riding neck, and neck.
The impatient neighing of a steed
His rider soon doth check.
The sun shows in the Eastern sky
Illumining the scene,
And lighting up the thick snake-bush,
With leaves of heavy green.
The startled Emu o'er the plain;
Is quickly lost to view,
And from the gums with noisy scream
There flies the Cockatoo.
A smile comes o'er our leaders face,
A smile that seems to show
He feels that job, a warrior feels
Who meets a worthy foe:
For there some hundred yards ahead
The dimly burning fires
Betray the presence of the foe
To meet whom he desires.
A foe both dangerous & cruel
With cunning like to theirs
He means now to surround their camp,
And take them unawares;
They see the troop, and starting up,

With wild discordant cry.
They yell like fiends, & on the whites
Intimidation try.
They little know that leader bold;
Who fought in many a field
With stern commanding voice he crys
On every man to yield.
They answer with their fighting spears
Most cruelly barbed in rows
With cooley's, and with clubs they try
to disconcert their foes.
Now Hooley had that barbed spear,
But one inch nearer been;
By Heaven above your
your wife, & child
You never more had seen.
Well shot bold Bob! that warrior
His earthly course has run;
He'll never throw another spear,
Nor view the setting sun.
Bold trooper Vincent's restive steed
Doth rear with all his force
He only asks to fight on foot
If one will hold his horse
Now Ensign Willie's mare doth try,
From off the field to bolt
She kicks, and rears but still Will lets
Them taste his navy colt
M^c Rae confronts the dusky foe
Upon his well trained horse;
He fears no spears; alike defies
The coyles whirling force.
An ugly smile upon his face
Most dangerous to see
Descended evidently from
A Scottish ancestry.
His rein hangs loosely on his arm;
His rifle grasped tight
He sits just like one carved in stone,
And cooly takes a sight
The leader of the savages
The white man's arms defies;

Encouraging his followers
With yelps & shouts, & cries.
His left hand grasps a painted shield,
His right his spears, & rest
To strike the horses of the foe;
He bids them do their best
But suddenly his shield is dropped
His spears are scattered round,
With loud despairing cry of rage
He drops upon the ground
A bullet from M^c Rae's good piece
Has gone right through his brain.
He never more will use that shield,
Nor throw those spears again
Hurrah! cries Thatcher with delight
That shot was worth a crown;
Another warrior bites the dust
The boldest of them down.
Their leader gone, & falling fast
For mercy then, they pray,
And send their prettiest women out
To plead with bold M^c Rae
That flinty hearted champion
The damsels proudly eye;
He heeds not their entreating looks,
Nor cares about their sighs.
"Send out the old men, and the boys;
We only fight with men.
Throw down your arms, unship your spears
We'll talk of quarter then".
They send out boys, & aged men,
The nuncaberrys stay
And fight like wolves, or tigers till
They're vanquished by M^c Rae.
And there they lay upon the plain
A ghastly sight to view
Their life blood stains the clayey soil
Of beauteous Minderoo.

By murdering natives on that plain
A lesson may be read;
"Whose sheddeth the blood of man
By man shall his be shed."

 

The party consisted of: —

Farquhar Mc Rae.	leader.
Robert Sholl.	Captain.
Edward Hooley.	2nd in command.
William Shenton.	Ensign.
Richmond Thatcher.	volunteer.
William Vincent.	trooper.
Edward Kelsh.	volunteer.