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Cloncurry District

Cloncurry Station

25^th September, 1929.

[Underlined heading:] –STATEMENT--

DENNIS state I am an aboriginal, and a native of Hatch’s Creek, Northern Territory. I know an Afghan named Basha Gool; I work with him for five year.

He first time give a job along Hatch’s Creek, Northern Territory, with his Camels, we came along Alligator Creek, we camp there one week, we follow him down Alligator Creek and camp along Rose’s Soak for about two day [crossed out, replaced with] four day. We camp along a road alonga [sic] desert every night[.] We come to WNADOR" [sic] camp there one week and have XMAS [Christmas].

We then come through the desert after new-year to No [number] 17 bore on "Lake Nash" run, we camp there three days and Constable Allen come about evening[.] "He talk with Basha Gool" I could not waw said [sic] too far away; Allen left and we stopped there one day.

We then come along "Augo-doga-gada" camp there one day, then come along No [number] 8 bore camp there kill a bullock, and then wait two days for killer and then go to "Meter" and camp there two day, and then went to a water hole eight mile from Meter and camp there one day a camel died. All this time we travel two moons pass.

Then go along a stock camp, camp one day and go away to "Dip Well"[.] we camp there for one day, and them come ten mile to Urandangie and camp there for one week; and them come along a road five [crossed out, replaced with] eight mile from Urandangie one week; then come to "Mona Creek" Sheep Station camp one day; then come along "Wifely Creek" camp there one day, that morning we come to "Euoraki" and camp there for four day, and then come to "Dulamon Bore" and camp one day, then we come to Dajarra ten mile from "Dulamon Bore" and camp there close up two months.

We then come to Butru, camp there about one month, rain come we couldnt [sic] get away; we come to Duchess and camp two day; then come to Spring Creek camp one day; that morning we come to Malbon camp Police Water Hole, long time to Xmas [Christmas], and make saddle for Camel, after new year we come to Cloncurry along a Afghan Camp for one week; we then go to mine near Cloncurry two day and come back two day no copper there, that time Tommy Fuzzel arrested stealing copper; we come back to Cloncurry and then went back to “Argilla” near Cloncurry; then cart copper to Ballarra.

[A fingerprint in ink labelled ‘Dennis’s’, ‘his print’.]

Witness [handwritten signature:] E. C. Bretham

Constable 2847.

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DENNIS (2).

We cart two trips copper to Ballarra me and another man ”Mahomed Dean”[.] he now stop along Mahomed Mine near Kajabbi; Basha Gool come Cloncurry Tommy Fuzzel case about that copper. Two week after we meeet [sic] Basha Gool at “Wanga Gorge” camp there one day, and then went to WArgus Mine” [sic] for copper and camp along Argus’s place two day, that morning we load up camp along gorge “Wonga” and then came to Cloncurry; we camp one day and go back again, and this time it was winter-time, we make three trips from “Argus” to Cloncurry; we camp at two mile about one week, then go alongs [sic] Oxide along Tommys Creek, and camp along “Corella” one day, then go to Quamby and along Station; one day and watered camels; then go along Koolamarra camp one night and then went to Cabbage Tree Ck, camp there one day; that morning we go to Kajabbi, camp there three days; then we go to Dobbyn camp half way, that morning we get along Dobbyn; camp there one week.

We then go along “Symbol Creek” then go to a place called ”mistake” camp there one night; then go to “Kamilaroi” Selection camp one day, then go to “Gun-powder Creek” and camped at “Buggy Hole” one day and then go to a place called “Elsie”[.] camp there waiting for a killer one week, this time was middle of winter, we get a killer and go to “Mylie Creek” camp one day; then go to “Big Oxide” camp one day[.] we leave things there and then go five mile to Mt Oxide camp there four [crossed out, replaced with] two day fed camel, and the load up[.] come to back to “Camoleo” camp there one day load up in morning again then have long trip and come to “Gun-powder” Creek and camp there one day and the to [sic] mistake; and there to “Symbol Creek” and then eight mile to Dobbyn; and chuck copper along Railway and go camp near Elliott Store near big gum-tree for about a week; we went back along [crossed out section] Dobbyn camp “Symbol Creek” then to [end crossed out section] Dobbyn to “Symbol Creek”[.] then to Mistake camp one day go to “Gun-powder” camp there one day then go to “Pellican Ore” camp one night, and then to “Big Oxide” and to Oxide Mt, catch load copper and came back same road to Dobbyn, and work there right up to XMAS [crossed out, replaced with] about four weeks before XMAS[.] we come to “TommY’s Creek” and make camp and leave saddle, camel, and all horse there and then we come to Cloncurry; we camp in Afghan Camp.

After new year I go back along Tommy’s Creek making saddle for long time, come back from Tommy’s Creek and up along Cloncurry River up to place call em “Top Camp” near Malbon, cart copper to gorge make two trips then come back to Cloncurry with the camel and then go to Granite paddock six mile from Cloncurry, camp there make saddle long time; then go to Tommy’s Creek and one Station man he shift um we fellows from Granits paddock; ,saty [sic] TommY’s creek about a week making saddles; then go back again to “Corella River”[.] camp there about three days making saddles; station man shift we fellows from Corella and we go to Quamby, camp there about a week making saddle again, and then go same road to Mt Oxide, we then work him copper from before winter right up to XMAS last, after new year I come back to Kajabbi camp[.] there long time too much rain, rain finished I come to Cloncurry along Afghan camp[.] Basha Gool with me from one Tuesday to another Tuesday; then went to the Railway Station and waited for Basha Gool[.] he come “I tell him to fetch one stick tobacco” he bring one and then he get a ticket for me[.] I go Dajarra, and I stop there I couldnt [sic] go any further no money[.] I stop with another Afghan up till winter this year; Basha Gool no come up I never see him; I then bring four horses along Cloncurry for that case Arthur Sharpe.

[A fingerprint in ink labelled ‘Dennis’s’, ‘his print’.]

Witness [handwritten signature:] E. C. Bretham

Constable 2847.

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DENNIS (3)

I stop Cloncurry, I see Basha Gool Cloncurry “ I talk to him ”[.] I say you remember I work with you a long time you never give me no money” you tell SUb-Inspector yo [sic] give me five pound £5/-/-, you never give me five pound, you tell-em-lie If I had that money I go home” He never said anything”. Another day I see Basha Gool I say to him “You never gave me five pound, you gave me ten bob at the Railway Station”. He make a lot of talk ”I give you too much money “[.] I said to him “You never give me money when I been working for you, you give me ten bob at Clonclurry Railway Station thats [sic] all”. He made no reply; I cannot understand. I say to him “I no believe what you say to the Sub-Inspector, I know you too well, you rogue too much.”

Whilst at Dobbyn before last XMAS [Christmas] Basha Gool and I had an argument, Me and an Afghan named “Goolum” had an argument about Basha Gool and wages, Goolum said to Basha Gool “If I get that boy to work with me he is a good boy and I give him plenty wages and give him bank book”. [crossed out section.] Basha Gool say to Goolum in their language which I understand “ I give him plenty wages I look after him”[.] Goolum replied “You never give him that boy wages, you more better pay him straight away no good having argument”. Basha Gool say, “Alright”.

Basha Gool say to me “I give you two pound dont ask me more”.

I said “If you like give me, give me”. He said “Alright”. Same day that evening Goolum came to me and gave me two pound and said “This is two pound that Basha Gool gave to me yo [sic] give to you”. Basha Gool went along Cloncurry that morning.

All money that Basha Gool gave to me for the five years that I work for him was £3/-/-, two pound one time, ten bob, and ten bob another time, he gave me tobacco sometime about four stick every two month, sometime he buy me clothes, one shirt he gave me in four months and after the shirt wear out he give me trousers.

I know another boy named “Archie” he work along Basha Gool before he catch me, Archie “ work along Basha Gool all time along me, me and him work together, I never see Basha Gool give Archie any more money.

[A fingerprint in ink labelled ‘Dennis', ‘his print’.]

Witness [handwritten signature:] E. C. Bretham

Constable 2847.