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CAPTAIN POWELL’S

WONDERFUL CAREER

A LIFE OF USEFULNESS AND ADVENTURE

The familiar saying that truth is stranger than fiction, aptly applies to the extraordinary career of the late Captain Taylor-Powell. The regret is that so many of the pioneers of this State were permitted to pass away, if not exactly “unwept, unhonoured and unsung,” who did not receive a tithe of the merit and recompense their discoveries and achievements for the public benefit entitled them. The foregoing remark applies most forcibly perhaps to Queensland and other Australian explorers, but squatters, captains of vessels, gold wardens, and police officers, in the early days of settlement, nearly all had experiences requiring prompt action, resolution, and resource to carry them successfully through their never-ending difficulties. If the doings of such people could be properly recorded, what interesting narratives of the early days would be preserved?

Captain Powell was one of those who suffered hardships of various kinds, but in spite of everything died at a ripe old age, after a life of usefulness and starting adventure.

POWELLS EARLY LIFE.

About the beginning of the century when the writer was preparing “The early History of Rockhampton,” he had the good fortune to meet Captain Powell, who was on a visit to his son, Lionel. Captain Powell must have been verging on seventy years of age at the time, but possessed a clear brain and vigorous frame, and quite willingly supplied an all too brief sketch of his life, which was taken down rapidly in shorthand by the writer’s late son, Jack.

Walter David Taylor Powell was born at Bampton, Oxfordshire, England, on March 25, 1831. His father was Archdeacon Powell, who, with his family settled in Madras, India in 1830. Archdeacon Powell was engaged as Chaplain by the famous East India Company. When young Powell left school he chose the sea as the medium of his life’s endeavour, and was entered as a midshipman on Green and Company’s ship Blackwall.

Whilst young Powell was requiring knowledge of seamanship and navigation he visited various parts of the world, and in 1832, when twenty-one years of age, arrived in Melbourne on another of the Green line of vessels, which he was third mate. Most of the big Goldfields of Victoria were then in full swing, and as usual when a vessel arrived at Melbourne practically all hands, including the officers, left their vessel in Hobson’s Bay and steered for some of the diggings.

The same thing happened with the officers and crew of the ship young Powell was in, and all headed for the Forest Greek diggings (now Castle-maine). Powell was lucky enough to get a good claim and he did very well for a couple of months, then he got a bad attack of dysentery, which was then very prevalent. So he started back to Melbourne and just missed his ship by one day, she having sailed for England the day before his arrival.

Nothing daunted, as it was easy enough to get a berth on a ship homeward bound, Powell shipped before the mast on the brig Elizabeth Buckham, 250 tons. The ship went round Cape Horn and the voyage lasted eighteen weeks.

Whilst with friends in England in 1853, he tried to get a position in the Turkish Navy as a war with Russia was looming. There were about thirty applicants, and they were being put off time after time. That decided Powell to go out to Australia again. He accordingly entered as third mate on the ship Cambodia and arrived in Melbourne before 1853 closed. “Quite naturally” he turned his steps to the goldfields again, having done so well on his previous visits. This time he went to the famous Bendigo, but his luck was not as good as it was when he went to Forest Greek.

JOINS THE GOLD ESCORT

About this time the M’ivor gold escort was stuck up by bushranger, and in the fight that ensued several of those in charge of the gold were shot. This caused a lot of comment. In the colony and a demand was made that drilled mounted troopers should accompany the large quantities of gold sent frequently from the different fields.

The idea caught on and Powell was one of those who volunteered. He was one of those accepted for the work, the authorities having a special fancy for sailors. With others he was drilled for three months around Richmond, and attained knowledge of military duties that subsequently proved of much value. He was finally appointed to the escort that travelled from Reechworth to Melbourne, a distance of 172 miles.

The value of the troopers was soon made clear for about eighteen months they were never molested, the troopers were then paid off (in September, 1855).

A RACE AND A WRECK

Powell decided he would take another trip to England, and with that object joined the ship Reindeer, 324 tons, as an able seaman. The reason Powell wished to get to England was for the purpose of volunteering for service in the Crimea, as the Crimea War broke out some time after Powell left England in 1853. The quickest way of getting to England at that time was to join a ship’s crew, sailors for home being always in demand. Hence he had joined to serve before the mast.

The Reindeer was engaged in the China tea trade, and she left Melbourne on September 5, 1855 for Shanghai, China. The ship Chrysolite left Melbourne for Shanghai on the same day and the two Captains decided to test their ships by seeing which could get to their destinations first.

All went well with the Reindeer till September 23, when she ran on the Pocklington reef, among the Louisiade Archipelago, just to the east of the southern coast of Papua. The vessel was hard and fast on the reef, and what was still worse the longboat was the only boat that could be made serviceable.

A PERILOUS EXPERIENCE

There were nineteen men on board the Reindeer, and the longboat was hastily patched up and decked and rigged as a cutter. Provisions were taken from the wreck to a small adjacent island, and from there the boat was provisioned as lightly as possible in view of the number of men she had to carry. Before leaving, a long discussion took place as to the best route to follow some being strongly in favour of making for Timor, which was Captain Bligh’s objective when forced into a boat with a small following after the mutiny on the bounty, in 1789. Fortunately the Reindeer crew had not so far to go as Captain Bligh, but the sufferings of those on the longboat were little less acute.

It was finally decided to sail for the coast of Australia, making for that portion which has since became Queensland. The boat was only nineteen feet long, so taking many provisions was impossible.

At the end of September they made such sail as possible to the south-west. They were at once put on short rations, and as the provisions grew less the quantity was decreased till only a quarter of a ships’s biscuit and half a gill of water per diem was served out. All known means to assuage their thirst was resorted to.

Hinchenbrook Passage

After a voyage of fourteen days the shipwrecked crew reached the Barrier Reaf, and getting through Cook’s Passage, soon after arrived at Lizard Island, to the north of Cooktown. At that period Gladstone was the most northern port of what is now Queensland that was inhabited, so the poor fellows on the longboat had still a long distance to cover till they got to civilization.

It was difficult to land at Lizard Island, but water was needed so badly that Powell and Sidney (the latter subsequently being a well known shearer in the Central Queensland), agreed to swim ashore, though the sea was infested with sharks. They got ashore safely, however, but the search for water or any thing to eat was fruitless, so they had to return to the boat.

A DREARY AND FOODLESS COAST

The mainland of Australia was plainly visible, so it was decided to sail in that direction. A landing was made on the mainland near Cape Grafton, a little to the south of where Cairns is situated, and not far north of where a portion of the wrecked passengers by the vessel Maria got ashore seventeen years subsequently.

All of the nineteen men on the boat went ashore, glad to stretch their legs after being cooped up in a small boat for so long. A mob of blacks met the sailors, but nothing to eat or drink could be obtained.

Two of the crew said they would remain ashore with the blacks, who seemed friendly enough, and would gradually work their way south. The captain warned the men that such a foolish action was a most dangerous proceeding. He further told them that if they did not return in a specified time the boat would leave without them.

Later the boat was pushed off into deeper water, and all hands prepared to get on board. Powell, looking through a glass along the frontage to the shore, saw some distance off the blacks were making an attack on the two sailor men, who ran away into the sea from them. Several sailors with muskets ran off to the rescue of their foolish ship mates. A few shots were fired and the blacks ran away. The blackfellows had attacked the sailors because they would not give up their clothes, just as the men from the Maria were attacked seventeen years later. Though the men had been knocked about a good deal, fortunately they were not seriously injured, and were glad to get back to the overcrowded boat.

A STARVING CREW

A volume could be filled with the detailed sufferings of the boat’s crew during the next two months. They did not go far from the shore, and lived on such shell fish, as they could find. Their misery was increased by several fights with the blacks both on the coastal islands and on the mainland. There was some sweet oil on board, and so long as it lasted it served for both food and drink. When that was all done, their necessities were alleviated by colza oil, of which they had one tin.

At length, after a most distressing time, Cape Capricorn was reached, where they all went ashore and had a glorious feed of periwinkles and small crabs. There was also plenty of fresh water, even more welcome than the shellfish.

BACK TO CIVILISATION

Continuing south they found the passage between Curtis and Facing Islands, and so went through to the Gladstone harbour, on November 23, 1853. This was about fifteen weeks latter than the Messrs. Archer and party arrived at what is now Gracemere.

Instead of the present charming little town of Gladstone opening up before the eyes of those shipwrecked mariners, nothing was to be seen but bush. They steered for Auckland Point and as they drew nearer someone spied a house with a thatched roof, and soon after people were seen moving about. This was a pleasant sight after two months of misery and semi-starvation, and all hands mentally offered up a few words of fervent thanks that they were once more back in a civilized spot.

Those on shore saw the boat with the voyagers approaching, and the Government boat was sent out to meet the exhausted men and take them on shore. Captain O’Connell was asleep at the time, but his brother. Mr. Carlo O’Connell was in charge and he did all in his power to assist them. Dr. A.T Robertson, afterwards a prominent medical man in Rockhampton for many years also met the strangers and saw that the starving men had suitable food and ate sparingly till their normal condition was restored. Happily under the doctor’s care all hands rapidly recovered and regained their strength.

Cape Capricorn

Powell had been so long in Madras in his youth that he had learned the Tamil language, and seeing a woman who looked like an Indian ayah. He spoke to her. She was pleased to be addressed in her own language and informed her interrogator that she was employed by Mr. H.V Stonehouse the Clerk of Petty Session, who had formerely been in Madras and was well acquainted with Powell’s family. Mr. Powell also knew Mr. Stonehouse, and on sending in his name by the ayah Mr. Stonehouse came down and invited Mr. Powell to stay with him. The invitation was gratefully accepted.

JOINS THE NATIVE POLICE

At this time Lieutenant John Murray, who was in command of the native Police Force for the Gladstone district, was in need of officers for the force, and finding that Powell was a drilled man, and thoroughly experienced in escort work, gladly appointed him a Sub-lieutenant, and the shipwrecked sailor was sworn in and took up his new duties on December 3, ten days after his arrival, half dead from starvation.

Sub-lieutenant Powell quickly became conversant with his duties, but nothing of moment occurred till June, 1856, when he was instructed to escort Mr. Richard Palmer from Gladstone to the banks of the Fitzroy, where he intended to open a store. The protection was needed on that journey for the blacks in places were numerous and not to be trusted.

THE START OF ROCKHAMPTON

They all arrived safely on June 6, 1856, and so Mr. Palmer set about building the first store in Rockhampton, at the bottom of Fitzroy stream, opposite the Criterion Hotel. The timber and material came up the Fitzroy River by sailing vessel and Mr. Palmer’s employees erected a store that stood for many years.

Lieutenant Powell had been instructed to form a camp on the site of the new township and to patrol the district. He accordingly chose a spot near the river bank at the foot of what is now Albert-Street and his troopers stripped the bark from trees and with his assistance built what was the first dwelling house in Rockhampton. This place he made his headquarters.

To keep things in their chronological order Mr. Parker, from Gayndah, built the Bush Inn, the site of the present Criterion Hotel soon after Palmer’s store was erected and so the baby town had a store, hotel and Native Police camp, as a beginning, and there was also a shed belonging to the Archers at the bottom of Quay-Street where the wool was shipped from a makeshift wharf.

Lieutenant Powell had a rather dreary time for a while, his food being of a poor quality. Some months later after an attack had been made by the blacks on the Messrs. Elliott’s camp, who were driven off by the opportune arrival of Lieutenant Walker and his troopers, the Archers invited Powell to change his camp to Gracemere. This he gladly did and not only became a protection to Gracemere Station, and its many employees, but the change was infinitely better for the officer.

Patrol and routine work followed in various directions and so capably did Powell carry out his duties that he was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant of Native Police. For a short period he was stationed at Euramba near Hornetbank, and was largely concerned in punishing the murderers of the Fraser family.

HAPPILY MARRIED

In spite of his active life and changing fortunes Lieutenant Powell had managed to introduce a little romance into his career and had found a lady who was willing to share his fortunes, however hard they might be. Accordingly, in 1860, he obtained leave and went to Sydney, where he was married.

During the interval from Lieutenant Powell’s arrival on the banks of the Fitzroy and his departure to Sydney to be married, Rockhampton had undergone the convulsion caused by the Canoona Rush. Gold seekers in their thousands had thronged the unmade streets of Rockhampton, cursed their bad luck, and the bulk of them departed. Some of them remained in the new town and started all manner of avocations, while a fairly large number went on to the stations that were springing up to the north and west. The settled population of Rockhampton at the end of 1860 was about 500 persons, steadily increasing almost daily.

Near the end of the year Lieutenant Powell returned to duty from his honeymoon, and one of the first things he was called on to do was to try to ascertain the murderers of Fanny Briggs. There were those who thought the outrage had been committed by some white man, but the brutal way the murder had been carried out pointed strongly to blacks having been concerned.

How the murder was found out and the way the murderers were punished will be told in the next article.

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