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GOLD ESCORT DAYS.
A Fight With Smugglers.
Interview With Mr. A. H. D.
Tolmer.
By Rufus.
One of the most picturesque
characters associated with the
early history of South Australia
was Capt. Alex Tolmer, Inspector
and Commissioner of Police, whose
name will always be remembered
in connection with the gold
escorts. His eldest son, Mr. A.
H. D. Tolmer, now in his eighty-
eighth year, can give first-hand in-
formation concerning some excit-
ing episodes in his father's life.
Meeting my old friend Mr. Bert Tolmer,
who recently arrived from Broome, we
were chatting about the colourful career
of his father, Capt. Tolmer, and he said:—
"My half-brother Alexander can tell a
wonderful story of a fight my father had
with smugglers at Glenelg." The next
none Help
Mr. A. H. D. TOLMER,
aged 87, eldest son of Capt. Tolmer.
day I found myself at Thorngate inter-
viewing a delightfully interesting young
old man with a good memory, a keen sense
of humour, a remarkable knowledge of
life, and a distinctive and aristocratic
bearing.
Oldest St. Peter's Boy.
"Yes," he said, as he puffed away at
his pipe, "I'm the eldest son of Capt.
Tolmer, and I'm the oldest surviving St.
Peter's College boy. The Rev. Mr. Wil-
son was the head master. He could use
the cane, but I liked him very well. Talk-
ing of the stick, I remember lending a
silver-mounted cane to Mr: Dempster, one
of the masters over the week-end, and I
got stripes with my own cane. The other
boys chaffed me unmercifully over that.
When Sir John Bray went to England
I was asked to take his place as one of
the governors of the college, and I was
very proud when the old scholars elected
me to a similar position."
A Great Fighter.
"When I was a boy father had a cot-
tage at Glenelg during the summer. In
those days the now popular seaside resort
consisted of several fishing huts, a few
none Help
CAPT. TOLMER,
a courageous and picturesque figure,
whom old colonists will readily recall.
houses (Wigleys had the best), and one
hotel. Father got word that a vessel
in the offing had a lot of contraband stuff
on board. I was watching with him in
the sandhills. A boat came ashore, and
several men landed. A big fellow, the
captain, went ahead to see if the coast
was clear. He then proceeded to a hut
at the back of the sandhills.
Father said, 'That is the man I
want,' and following him up,
started to tackle him. They had a ter-
rible fight. The man from the ship was
twice the size of my father, and he was
armed with a heavy wooden batten. He
struck my father several times with the
batten, and I cried, because I thought the
burly coward would kill him. My father
hung on like a bulldog, although much
knocked about. Just when men were
coming to the rescue of their captain
three troopers, armed with swords, rode
up and the chief smuggler was hand-
cuffed. The vessel was forfeited to the
Crown. She had a cargo of brandy."
Other Boyhood Memories.
"I remember going hunting with my
father at the Cross Keys. I was mounted
on a pony, and my father on a fine horse.
We used to hunt a wild dog or a kanga-
roo which would be brought down from
the north, and liberated for the purpose.
The obstacles were mostly mud walls and
ditches. There were a few fences. Yes,
I remember the arrival, of the first gold
escort and the banners with the words,
'Welcome Tolmer,' stretched right across
the streets. I remember quite well riding
down Rundle street alongside my father
and going to the Treasury. There was a
great crowd of cheering people in the
city."
Treacherous Blacks.
"After I left college I was tutored by
the Rev. E. K. Miller. Dick Baker (after-
wards Sir Richard) was there with me.
Then I went to the Hon. John Baker's
Lake Albert Station, and lived with the
manager (Mr. Rivaz). After I had been
there six months it was decided to send
about 1,000 head of young cattle up the
Darling to country at Menindie Creek.
Mr. Wright, who afterwards came into
prominence in connection with the ill-
fated Burke and Wills expedition, was in
charge of the cattle. The blacks were
always bad. They used to spear the
cattle. We never moved without firearms,
and we watched the bushes pretty closely.
Willie Edmunds and I had our camp
close to the river, and we had two tame
natives with us. We were working the
cattle at Menindie Creek and getting them
used to the country. By the state of the
cattle you could tell a long time before
you got to them if the blacks were about.
In the middle of the night one of our
black boys pulled my foot and said,
"Black fellow come on; you hear 'em."
After I had been warned a second time
I moved away from the fire. It was
perishingly cold, and as no natives ap-
peared I fired a few shots into the river.
We heard a yell, and in the morning we
found by their tracks that a regular mob
of blacks had moved along under the
bank. A young fellow who took my place
was murdered soon afterwards. Lieut.
Perry and several Sydney black trackers
caught the ringleader, Menindie Charley.
They tied him to a tree and shot him.
An example was made of several others,
and this clean-up had the effect of keep-
ing the blacks quiet."
In the Bush.
"I was 13 years at Mikkira and seven
years at Talia. Then I went exploring
for Harrold Brothers and J. H. Angas.
Following on that, I managed Arkuba.
I was working for Dr. Brown on all three
stations. I remember mustering and
shooting wild bulls on Mikkira with the
Hon. John Lewis."
Secret of Longevity.
'What is the secret of your long life!"
—"Well, first of all, I attribute it to
constitution. Although I was a bit of a
nut in my young days, I never knocked
myself about. I've smoked since I was
a boy. I smoke too much, and they say
smoking affects the eyes. Well, at 87
I read the paper without glasses. I never
touch alcohol now, although I used to be
able to take my share. I was brought up
in a severe school. My father was a
strict disciplinarian, and I had to pay the
penalty for any misdeeds, but I must say
of my father that he would fight a man
twice his own size and he would never
ask those who served under him to do
what he would not do himself."
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