'Wolves about their prey’ : Intimacy and violence in Eyre’s expeditions

On 28 June 1837, Edward Eyre 'reached the Goulburn river, about 51 miles [82km] from the Winding Swamp'. He was some three months into his first overlanding expedition, driving '78 head of cattle and 414 sheep' across a 600-kilometre stretch from Molonglo to Port Phillip. The river had 'considerable width' and a fast-moving current; crossing it was a daunting prospect. Camped on its bank was another party led by Mr Yalbone, who had already Jost one horse and rider to its raging waters; a second man had barely survived the crossing. Among that group were Cootachah and Joshuing, 'two little black boys about eight years old' who were 'perfectly naked' and looked 'very hardy as well as full of life and spirits'. They had arrived earlier with another unnamed settler from the Murray, who promptly abandoned them when they refused to cross the flooded river. Finding that Yalbone 'did not know what to do' with the boys, Eyre eagerly 'attached them to [his] own party'.

Eyre had been intrigued by Aboriginal people and culture since arriving in Australia four years earlier as a 17-year-old.4 In the course of his overlanding journey he had benefited from the 'great use' of Aboriginal men's tracking skills, usually solicited in exchange for blankets, tobacco and 'other things'.

First published 2023

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