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The Lizard Island Tragedy.
Our readers will probably remember the
publication a few weeks ago of an account
of the supposed massacre of Mrs. Watson
on Lizard Island. We take the following
further particulars of this sad affair from
a Brisbane telegram published in the
Sydney Mail:—
“The schooner Kate Kearney arrived
this morning. Captain Brenner reports
calling at Number 5 Island, Horwick
Group, where he accidentally discovered
three skeletons, which on investigation
proved to be those of Mrs. Watson, her
child, and one Chinaman. The bones of
the mother and child were found in half
an iron tank, in which they escaped from
Lizard Island. A revolver, full cocked
and loaded was by her side, also a box
containing her clothes account books, and
diary. The Chinaman, Ah Sam, was
found about 20 yards distant, under a
tree, with a loaded rifle. They evidently
died from thirst, as plenty of provisions
were found. The Government schooner
Spitfire proceeds on Monday with Mr.
Fahey, Inspector Fitzgerald, and Captain
Watson to cover the remains, which were
carefully covered by Captain Brenner,
who read the Church of England burial
service over them.
“The tank in which Mrs. Watson escaped
was half an ordinary ship’s tank,
used for boiling beche-de-mer. The
Chinaman was speared in several places.
Mrs. Watson had evidently extracted the
spears and dressed the wounds, as bandages
were found under the skeleton.
The dates in the diary prove that death
occurred at least five days before any
suspicion of the disaster reached Cooktown.
“The following are extracts from Mrs.
Watson’s diary:—‘October 9: Brought
the tank ashore as far as possible with
this morning’s tide; made camp all day
under the trees. Blowing very hard.
No water. Gave baby a dip in the sea.
He is showing symptoms of thirst, and
took a dip myself. Ah Sam and self
very parched with thirst. Baby showing
symptoms. Sunday, 10th: Baby very
bad with inflammation; very much
alarmed; no fresh water and no more
milk but condensed; self very weak.
Really thought I should have died last
night. Monday, 11th: Still all alive.
Baby very much better this morning;
self feeling very weak. I think it will
rain to-day; clouds very heavy; wind
not quite so high; no rain; every appearance
of fine weather. Ah Sam gone
away to die; have not seen him since the
9th. Baby more cheerful; self not feeling
at all well; have not seen any boats
of any description. No water. Dead
with thirst.’ The diary ends abruptly,
but death must soon have ensued, as they
had then been five days without water.
She says a steamer passed on 7th October
and that they made signals, but failed to
attract attention. The island is about
40 miles distant from Lizard Island, and
right in the track of steamers.
“An official telegram states that the
diary shows that Mrs. Watson left Lizard
Island on 3rd October. She was afloat
all night, and next day she landed on a
reef, where she remained till the 6th,
when she left, pulling the tank to No. 1
Island, Horwick Group. There she
looked for water, as what they had
brought was exhausted. She saw some
natives, and left, and reached No. 5
Island, where she died.”
“I hope this is not counterfeit?” said a
lover, as he toyed with his sweetheart’s
hand. “The best way to find out is to ring
it!” was the quick reply.
Kangaroo tendons are now used by
fashionable surgeons for the sewing up of
flesh wounds.
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