Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land, 1830-1840 - Page 184
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[Page 184]
Mr Anstey did not think himself justified in so doing. The trophies were 14 dogs, 13 blankets, 5 spears, twenty waddies, & a great number of knives. The natives were left destitute of everything. For this service Mr Anstey received a letter of thanks from Sir George Arthur with a grant of five hundred acres of land.
The English reader might feel surprise that such munificent donations were bestowed for taking a few Blacks, and which would be considered ample remuneration for Veteran Services, but this surprise must cease when reflecting on the extreme difficulty which the Whites encountered in a rough country, impracticable in many parts, and so many defiles, and above all the activity and cunning of the Aborigines.
It has been seen that the Roving parties did not succeed in Capturing many of the Blacks whose depredations continued with excessive fury. Something must be done to preserve the Colonists from absolute ruin, but Sir George Arthur seemed as if he was thought himself amenable to a higher