Page:Some account of the wars, extirpation, habits.djvu/95

Rh they sat down. M'Kay describes the spot where this tragedy was performed as nearly open ground, and very inferior, and as they approached the spot where Parker lay, many crows flew up from it, thus indicating the precise spot where he fell. Sixty yards further on the body of Thomas was discovered. It was thirteen days since they died, but the weather had been so cold that decomposition had not yet set in. Still the body of Parker presented a shocking spectacle, that M'Kay never speaks of, even now, without horror. I shall not perpetuate his description. Thomas seemed more like one asleep than dead.

M'Kay next went down to the port, and informed Dr. Smith he had seen the bodies, and several other persons went up under his guidance to where they were, and a kind of stage was built on which they were deposited for the night, and they were sent on to Launceston next morning, where they arrived the day afterwards.

A coroner's inquest was held directly but not concluded for several days, owing to the absence of M'Kay, who was required not only as a witness, but interpreter also. His absence was accounted for thus:—Nunginabitta had informed Old Sal (in strict confidence of course, but who blabbed directly) that her husband, Killmoronia, had taken some part in the death of Thomas, and had retreated to the Surry Hills, towards which M'Kay turned directly to pick him up, but was stopped in his advance by the first river westerly of Port Sorell, namely, the Mersey, which was then greatly swollen; and it was whilst he was making a raft to cross this dangerous stream, he learned that his new companion intended giving him the slip to rejoin her husband. But she being too important a personage to lose sight of just now, he marched her off to Launceston, where he arrived with her three or four days after the first assembling of the Coroner's jury, which both were required to attend directly. M'Kay having given his own evidence was next sworn to interpret hers. But after handing her over to the authorities she was injudiciously allowed to see the prisoners, and when she came before the jury she contradicted all she said before. It now came out she had passed the preceding night with them and she so prevaricated, that M'Kay at last told the jury "it was evident to him that a plan had been laid to get the prisoners off by contradicting her former evidence." She, however, still admitted their presence at the murders, but contended that they took no part in them. "She would not allow," says the report, "that any of the men present had anything to do with the murders, but that they were sitting down." The jury, however, did not believe her story, and all three men were adjudged