["Cossack and Roebourne", The West Australian, Monday 11 May 1885, page 3]
COSSACK AND ROEBOURNE.
(By a Special Reporter.)
Twenty Years After.
It is now over twenty years since the cutter Mystery, sixteen tons, P. Hedland, master, entered the Harding River and anchored off where the town of Cossack now stands. The Mystery was acting pilot fish to the barque Tien Tsin, both crafts chartered by that old and highly respected colonist Mr. W. Padbury, who, fired by the glowing reports of that piince of explorers, Mr. F. T. Gregory, determined to form a settlement and start a sheep station on this uninhabited part of the North West coast. The intention was to land the stock in Nicol Bay, but that was found impracticable owing to an impossible marsh which cuts off the coast hummocks from the main land. When this discovery was made Mr. Padbury despatched "Old Peter," as he was called, in the Mystery, which resulted in the finding of the estuary of the Harding with a good sandy beach on which the stock could be landed. Thus to Mr. Padbury and Peter Hedland belongs the credit of opening up the chief port of the famed Nor'-West, which in common courtesy to the old pioneer should have been named Port Padbury. Old Peter and the Mystery, after many years' service on the coast, have become things of the past, the former foully done to death by his native crew at Roebuck Bay, whilst the hull of the latter lies a wreck on the beach at Cossack, within a cable's length of Craig's hotel. Very different is the Mystery landing of the present day. A jetty is being built beside which coasters and small steam boats can discharge cargo. Mail steamers arrive once or twice a month, and at times the Bay is alive with pearling boats with their motley crews of divers. The site selected for the town is sufficiently elevated to be beyond the reach of the highest tides, which in a willy willy rise about twenty-five feet. The town boasts of a Mechanics Hall, public school where divine service is held, two stores, three hotels, and various private dwellings. A costly road has been formed over the marsh which cuts off the direct track to Roebourne, a tramway between the towns is contemplated, and Cossack is evidently prospering, notwithstanding numerous wrecks, monuments of past willy willys, which are strewn around. After crossing the marsh the road leads over a level plain of rich chocolate soil for seven miles, when Roebourne is reached. Well grassed paddocks fenced with wire are passed en route.
The township of Roebourne stands on the western bank of the Harding, and is built on the slopes of Mt. Welcome, distant nine miles from the port of Cossack. The town contains about fifty houses, including a Church (English), Mechanics' Hall, Government School, Residency, and a new stone building now in course of erection, which is intended for police quarters and lock up. The "North West Australian Mercantile Company, Limited" occupy a good substantial stone building, from which the wants of the neighbourhood are supplied. The hotels provide entertainment for man and beast, but at times when the races are on or steamers arrive the accommodation is limited.
Upon approaching Roebourne a stranger is struck with the peculiar aspect of the buildings, which are of a varied and motley description, and nearly all presenting a low squab appearance. They are chiefly of wood, with roofs of corrugated iron fastened down with stout battens firmly bolted through the rafters. Upon closer examination the rafters will be found bolted to the wall plates, and in turn the latter are clamped down to the uprights. When inquiring why such a quantity of iron is used, the reply is, "willy willy," the native word for cyclone, the meaning of which is very clear to all who have resided a few years in Roebourne. It is now over three years since the last severe willy willy passed over the town, and traces of the whirling blast may be seen in sheets of iron, crumpled up like brown paper. Of late years a few substantial stone and brick buildings have been erected, including the nice little Church, "all stone," standing on one of the spurs of Mt. Welcome, and forming a conspicuous land mark for many miles, the only drawback being its smallness; on several occasions it has been full to overflowing.
The Residency, built of brick, stands on a hill with a gentle slope to the river, and in, I consider, the best situation in Roebourne. Here the Government Resident has a comfortable home, although for many years he had to put up with rather rough quarters. The public school is a roomy wooden building, but is open to the morning and afternoon sun which shines on the unfortunate scholars and teachers with terrific force. It surely would not cost much to protect the windows with a verandah at each side. There is another peculiarity in connection with this school which certainly should be bought to the notice of the governing body, that is the long hours kept for such a climate, viz., from 9 a.m. to 12 and again from 1 p.m. to 3, the latter term being the very hottest part of the day, and only those who have lived a summer in the tropics know how hot that is. Yet some of these unfortunate children have to walk perhaps a quarter of a mile, to and from school, in the broiling sun. The powers that be, seem to think that school hours suitable for Albany should be equally suitable for Roebourne, but let those who think so spend the afternoon two hours in this particular school and I think they will admit when they see poor little urchins sleeping at their desks, with perspiration oozing from overy pore, that it is positive cruelty, and can only lead to disastrous results, both mentally and physically. In my opinion school hours in this climate should, in summer, commence at 8 a.m. and end at noon. Now were a lot of native children treated in this manner, the matter would be at once reported to the Aboriginal Protection Society, who would quickly come to the rescue. I should be sorry to cast any reflections upon the School Board at Roebourne who evidently are of opinion that they must accept the hours laid down by law, but which they can scarcely approve.
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