An abstract from the book “REMINISCENCES OF AUSTRALIA” written by James T Ryan who was a grandson of First Fleeters, Anthony Rope and Elizabeth Pulley, and who was my Great Grandfather six times removed.              Submitted by Warren White, Kootingal, NSW

 

John Single, an English farmer (an early settler), was no doubt a pattern to many; the Hadley’s, Kennedy’s, Collet’s, Colliss’s, Field’s, McCarthy’s of Cranbrook, and many others farmers in a most creditable way.

 

Samuel Terry, of Mount Pleasant, had three hundred acres under cultivation, all workable by assigned servants, and no such farming is now carried on in the County of Cumberland.

 

The servants were well treated, not tyrannised over or flogged to death (as I shall mention hereafter); but it may be said in passing that one half of the crime of Australia might have been readily prevented, had humanity been shown.   The military aristocracy were responsible for a great portion of the crime committed, and no wonder, for tyranny begot tyranny, and sedition, sedition.   But, of course, there were exceptions, and men who regained their liberty often remained with their masters for the remainder of their lives, proving themselves faithful and willing servants.

 

About this time the Government sold the stock farm at Emu Plains, and broke up the farming establishment, converting it into a penal settlement, John Maxwell being the purchaser of the “Satalite” blood mares; hence, the fine animals that carried the old mounted police so well all over Australia.

 

Soon after were gathered the criminals under the military authority, who commenced operations under Lapstone Hill, where the present road through the Blue Mountains to Bathurst now runs.   There were something like a thousand men, with two hundred soldiers over them, with Williams and Brooton as overseers, who remained as such until the road was formed to ‘Mount Victoria’ and thence to Bathurst.

And now came the terrors of the poor unfortunate criminals; a stockade was formed on the spot where the burial ground, church, and school-house now stand.   Rayner’s factory was the old soldiers barracks.   In the centre of the stockade were fixed the triangles, where the lash was administered daily; the yells of the poor unfortunate wretches would have melted a heart of stone, and no human being to soothe or speak a work of kindness, to prevent, perhaps, the prospect of being sent to Norfolk Island or Tasmania, even though they were fortunate enough to escape a cruel death in the Blue Mountains.

Williams, the overseer, was subsequently killed by a prisoner, who rushed at him and struck him down with a spade, in revenge for being put to work on a bull-dog ant-hill.   For this crime he was, of course, hanged.

In close proximity to the stockade there was a place called Billibot, where the dead were buried.   It was a round hole, dug out like a well, about thirty feet in the circumference, and of considerable depth.   The bodies were stripped, thrown in, and covered with quick lime together with some earth.   This was their mode of burial.

The Correction House was well flagged and kept thoroughly washed, but was bitterly cold in winter.   There were cross beams, five feet high, to which prisoners were often handcuffed all night for bad conduct.   Sometimes two or three were found dead the next morning, the doctor’s certificate being the only record of death.   There were disposed of in the afore-mentioned manner.

Dr. White a well known medical man of Windsor and Penrith, who was the doctor the whole time (about six years), has often related the story of Billibot.

Wells, who was the butcher during that period, has often spoken of the barbarity of that awful place, now almost forgotten, perhaps, not even been heard of, by the quiet and peaceful inhabitants now occupying the lands.

It is indeed to be deplored that such a lovely spot should have, at any time, been polluted by such dastardly deeds as those committed by the blood thirsty wretches who so cruelly betray their trust.

“But when into the earth they descended, such cruel tyranny surely ended.”