Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

THE LIZARD ISLAND MASSACRE.
BRISBANE, Tuesday.
A diary kept by Mrs. Wateon, the wife of
one of the owners of the beche-de-mer Btation
on Lizard Island which was recently destroyed
by the Queensland blacks, was discovered on
the island by Her Majesty's schooner Conflict,
and has been brought on to Cooktown.
An entry, dated 29th September, shows that
a Chinaman named Ah Leong was killed on
that day at the farm. Ah Sam found his hat
on the beach, which was considered proof
that the blacks were on the island. At 7 in
the evening, shots were fired from a rifle and
revolver, and the blacks then left. The diary
proceeds to state that on October 1 they re
turned, and speared Ah Sam, inflicting fonr
wounds on his right side and three on hiB
shoulder. In all ten men were seen. This
was the last entry in the diary, and it points
to the conclusion that Mrs. Watson and her
child were killed soon afterwards. The
search party have returned from Turtle
Island, having fonnd no trace of the missing
persons. It is believed that the blacks have
been deceiving the police officers, and it is
now feared that nothing further will be heard
that will throw light on the massacre. In
spector Fitzgerald has again started north
ward for the purpose of punishing all the
tribes concerned in the outrage.
COOKTOWN, Wednesday.
Mr. Watson has examined the diary be
lieved to have been written by Mrs. Watson,
and states that the entries in it are in hiB
wife's handwriting. There are none later
than 1st October. The original search party
are much blamed for having overlooked the
diary, as it contains valuable evidence,
which would have saved much time had
it been produced earlier. Inspector Fitz
gerald left here this morning overland,
with a detachment of troopers for Cape
Flattery, where he will continue the search
for Mrs. Watson. The schooner Spitfire will
meet him at the cape. No definite evidence
of Mrs. Watson's death has yet been obtained,
though the friendly Cape Bedford tribe assert
that she and her baby were speared on Octo
ber 2nd by the M'lvor blacks on Lizard
Island, just after Mrs. Watson had shot one
of her assailants dead. Inspector Fitzgerald
has two friendly natives with him, who have
offered to guide him to the camps of the
M'lvor tribe.
$