German Missionaries in Australia

Excerpts from the journal of the Brethren Eipper and Hartenstein, who resided among the natives on the Pine River from Nov 4-11 1842.¹²

The native Wunkermany with two women having offered themselves as bearers of provisions to Umpie Bong, we set out this morning for that place. The burdens were heavy as we contemplated an absence of at least three weeks; and the women complained of the loads as they slowly went on, one especially who had lately cut her head severely when mourning for a relation. Before we could reach the camps on the Pine River, where our Nat. intended to spend the night, a heavy shower of rain distressed us much because we feared for our provisions. We found however a tree, which being burnt out on one side, afforded a little shelter for the bags with an additional covering of bark. When the rain had ceased we went a few miles farther towards the Pine River, and slept at a place called Gibbernang by the Natives in a a hut which Wunkermany and the women made for us. On Saturday 5th we met, after having walked a few miles, the Pine River Natives, who had their camp at a place called Daggir Daggir to which we repaired, and having got a hut we had school with ten children. The natives have here a great variety of food, honey, fish, kangaroo, snakes etc. so that they do not tease us so much for food, on the contrary, they give us kangaroo, fish or honey for a little rice.

On Sabbath the 6th ten children were instructed in the morning and evening, the adults would now and then listen, they were also addressed singly. In the afternoon natives came from Durrundur and joined ours so that on Monday the 7th we had 21 children in the morning and evening for instruction. Br. H. goes abroad with them in the bush while I keep school, and so thus we should feel well content with the opportunity for intercourse with them, if they did not intend to move so soon, and these seasons they generally separate in different directions.

Tuesday 8th This morning the Nat have changed their camp. The Durrundur natives went back to their mountains, other families moved onwards to Brisbane Town, where a fight is to take place, and the majority are with us now at Gibbernang where we spent the first night. …….