THE AGE OF KOOMBANA.

Daily Herald, 13 April, 1912.

LIFE IN THE WEST

THE CATTLE CAMPS.

ABORIGINAL CUSTOMS.

By the steamer Koombana, since

wrecked in a cyclone on the Western

Australian coast, arrived at Broome

under engagement to manage Frazier

Down cattle station for Mr. Mark

Ruben, who is credited at Broome with

being the largest pearl buyer in the

world. He has been living in London

for several years. Mr. Davis, his brother-

in-law, manages the Broome business. I

was engaged by Dalgety & Co. Limited,

Perth, on behalf of Mr. Ruben. The

station is 120 miles south of Broome

overland, and 80 miles by sea (writes

W. EL B. in the "Herald").

I stayed in Broome for a few days,

until arrangements were made for me

to go down the coast - to the station by

Joe Johnstone's 25-ton schooner Muriel,

the crew being six Malays, with Johnstone, 

the owner, in charge. We left Broome on 

Wednesday, July 5, and arrived at Cape

Frazier, the coastal boundary of the 

station, on the following Friday morning -

anchoring about two miles off the land,

Johnstone informed me I had arrived

at my destination, and that the Malay

crew would row me ashore, and I would

see the station homestead from the sand

hummock. I rather demurred to this

arrangement, as I told Johnstone - no

doubt he knew all about the coastline,

but as I had never been on the coast

before his knowledge was useless to

me as I might be landed 50 miles from

nowhere. However, we compromised

on matters in a way—on my arrival 

onshore I was to keep the boat's crew 

until I could see the homestead.

On going up on , a hill I could see no

house, but met about 50 aborigines who

could speak broken English. They put

me on the track. I then let the boat's

crew return to the schooner. On my

arrival at the station homestead some

three miles from the coast there was

only one white man and about 100

natives. The homestead had three

rooms, with iron sides, and roof, and

back and front verandah. This station,

was 129,000 acres; stock, 3500 cattle, 

400 goats, and 30 horses.

All the stations at West Kimberley

are leased from the Government for 25

years, the rentals being 6/ per 1000

acres per annum. The country is very

flat, and the herbage is spinifex and salt

grass. The average rainfall at La Grange

Bay for the last 20 years is 18' inches

per annum, and three-fourths of this

average falls in the willy-willy season.

The cattle, are small - Bullocks, when

fat, average about 650 lb., and in the

vicinity of La Grange Bay there are no

cattle diseases. At the same time the

cattle are getting very much inbred.

The only market for cattle is Java,

three days' steam from Broome. The

vessel takes 250 head per fortnight 

from Broome and Derby; the price 

being 15/ per head, delivered, at either 

of the above ports. If the vendor and 

purchaser cannot agree as to the average 

weight, the former will pick out the largest 

bullock, and the latter the smallest, have 

them slaughtered, and average the weight, 

this average to be accepted as the average 

weight of this mob. 

The Java trade with Kimberley opened up a 

little over 12 months ago. There is a plentiful 

water supply - within 20 miles of the coast; at 

12 to 20 ft. good cattle water, but there is some 

mineral in the water which rots the iron tanks 

and troughs within three years. Tar is useless 

as a preservative. I had three Edison pumps on 

the station. 

The balance of the report has been redacted due to the nature of commentary regarding indigenous 

West Australians.

Mr. C.W. Pidduck (?).

courtesy Trove.