[“Western Australian Aborigines” (Letter to the Editor), The West Australian, Saturday 29 July 1911, page 8]

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES.

To the Editor.

Sir,—I read with much interest Mr. Conigrave’s article on the West Australian aborigines in one of your late issues. I was surprised to read that gratitude was an unknown quality in the heart of the West Australian blacks. In a short sketch, which I wrote some two years since of my residence amongst them as pioneer matron of the hospital for diseased natives on Bernier Island, I had not then much occasion to test their gratitude or otherwise, though they always seemed at the time to be intensely grateful for kindness received. Since then, I was commissioned by the Chief Inspector to take charge of the batch of 21 cured natives, men and women, who were being returned to their homes in April of this year. It had been two years since I left the island, and I was not aware that any of the girls for whom I had cared were to be among those awaiting me on the Carnarvon jetty. When the Koombana steamed in and they saw me, they made a rush and surrounded me, kissing my hands or the hem of my skirt, weeping, thrusting on me shells or shell necklaces, exclaiming, “Oh, missie, me nothing forget missie, she so good to black fellah.” Nor was that all. On the return journey many of the girls whom I had brought back two years previously were at the jetties to meet me. Nor am I yet forgotten, for in two letters received no later than last week from the interior of Kimberley, the masters remark, “I have two of your girls working on the station ard they speak often of ‘Missie—good to black fellah.’”

If, then, this is not gratitude, I do not know what is. I may say that all the passengers on the Koombana, as well as the townsfolk of Carnarvon, and Mrs. Daisy Bates, were witness to the reception I got from my dusky friends on Carnarvon jetty.

I agree with Mr. Conigrave that the Nor’-West white community are a splendid lot, and, with few exceptions, the native blacks are well treated, for, living with them constantly for two years, in their company from early morning till late at night, entering into their lives as I did, I never heard anything from them but praise for the Nor’-West squatters as their employers. —Yours, etc., H.P.L. Perth,

July 26.