Letter from James Anderton Hall to his brother, 7 December 1879
Dec 7th 1879
My dear brother
I wish to write a few lines to you and let you know how we are geting on, after I had been stuck at the big hill three days I found I might stay there as long again for most of my horses had lost shoes and I had no nails to put others on I could not get any in the Roebourne or Cossack. I packed most of my load up the hill and then I started for the Millstream to get horses to help me up the hill I and (illegible text) had got close to the big hill with his two teams we met (illegible text) and another man of Mr Hickes, George Craggs which he had sent off at once to our place to render any assistance they could Craggs volunteered to stay with my team and bring it along and I and Redge to proceed to (illegible text) a distance of thirty miles where Lilly and the dear children were we (illegible text) them all sight thank God but very much fatigued after a long tramp of thirty miles of rough country of spinifex and shones they started in the evening after (illegible text) had got a prick in the hand fron a natives spear Barlow went on like a fool and a madman he told Lilly when he (illegible text) she did not intend
started and stole away as quietly as they (illegible text) I was very much (illegible text) at all Barlow's proceedings in the matter and think he was to (illegible text) throughout all the affair and I have told him so (illegible text) are going to live (illegible text) a (illegible text) in the (illegible text) the place at the (illegible text) he says it is the (illegible text) place he ever saw and I would not wish to have a better place to live at on the 1st of Dec I and (illegible text) took a load of things to the creek we are (illegible text) camped at and when we get back I expect we have lost between 50 and £60 worth of things and I think that dreadful and a man and native on the spot I asked Barlow what he had been about he told me he had done all he could do to save things, there was not the least wind that night to have (illegible text) Baslow swore it was the bush natives that had come and got the place on fire to burn him I told him it was his blasted pipe that had done it and not to tell any of his lies I (illegible text) I do not know when things will take a turn for the better with (illegible text) we are having started and stole away as quietly as they (illegible text) I was very much (illegible text) at all Barlow's proceedings in the matter and think he was to (illegible text) throughout all the affair and I have told him so (illegible text) are going to live (illegible text) a (illegible text) in the (illegible text) the place at the (illegible text) he says it is the (illegible text) place he ever saw and I would not wish to have a better place to live at on the 1st of Dec I and (illegible text) took a load of things to the creek we are (illegible text) camped at and when we get back
we found that Barlow was so frightened of the natives that he left his own hut and came without being told and slept in (illegible text) & (illegible text) about half an hour after he had been in the hut it tool fire and the vagabond did not save one single thing all our horse gear was on a pole close to the hut and he let all of them be burnt the native Johny saved one pack & pags the poor old side saddle and one mans old saddle there was willies & clasnes box with dose and all sorts of things