ADRIFT AND AERIAL PING-PONG

 

Shipping  Reporter photographs.

GRAVEYARD OF THE OUTCAST GEESE / ABORIGINAL MASSACRES MAP / QUEENSLAND PLAGUE OUTBREAKS

 The  Cross Bones Graveyard , in medieval times an unconsecrated  cemetery  for  prostitutes , later used for  burying  paupers, turned into a shrine in recent times ,is the cover story in  the latest edition of Progenitor, journal of  the Genealogical Society of  the Northern Territory .

Cross Bones, it states, was established  for prostitutes, or "single women "who were known as "Winchester Geese" as  they were licensed by the Bishop of Winchester ,Henry of  Blios, to work within the Liberty of  Clink.

As this area was outside the jurisdiction of  the  City of  London it became known for its brothels and theatres, bull  and bear baiting .

Archaeological digs carried out in the l990s found a highly crowded  graveyard with bodies piled on top of one another. Tests showed those buried there had suffered from smallpox,tuberculosis,Paget's disease,osteoarthritis and vitamin D deficiency.

The article says the graveyard gates are permanently decorated  by a changing array of messages, ribbons, flowers and  other tokens.  In addition, a short memorial service is held at the gates on the 23rd of each month .

COLONIAL MASSACRES 

Another interesting article  covers  Australian massacres 1788-1930.It says Northern Territory atrocities are being included in the University of Newcastle's frontier massacres map. NT researcher Dr Robyn Smith is quoted as saying it was impossible to enter all massacres on the map because so many of them took place in secret. Perpetrators were a mix of  police, civilians  and  pastoralists. 

 Mounted Constables William Willshire and Erwein Wurmbrand had been particularly brutal in Central Australia. Willshire had been  later posted to the Victoria River district where he "wreaked similar havoc." 

People had been careful destroying evidence. The preferred method was build a huge fire, she said, and then  throw the victim corpses on it , often with the bodies of cattle.Shootings and poisonings were included in the map.

There was evidence of  flour and horse meat poisoning,even putting strychnine in tobacco.

BLACK DEATH AND LOST CEMETERY

There are well illustrated articles about  the bubonic plague outbreaks in Queensland and the so called lost plague  cemetery on  Gibson Island ,off  Brisbane .

The first known case of the plague in Australia was reported in Sydney in January 1900 .The first Queensland case was at Rockhampton in  April 1900,others soon after in Townsville and Brisbane .During 1900 there were 136 identified cases of plague infection in  Queensland;57 died; Townsville had 37 cases and nine deaths .In Rockhampton there were 36 cases, 21 deaths; Cairns had five cases  and two deaths.

One unfortunate known as "lunatic William Lee"from the Townsville Charters Towers area , was  taken by ship to Brisbane ,placed in quarantine, where he died . Many victims were buried on Gibson Island, taken there by   the "plague boat" and buried in the lost cemetery.

Houses were fumigated,bed linen and curtains burned, a stockade built around some  dwellings.The  last  Queensland case was reported in 1922.

SHREDDED PALM FROND

 

Vallis  photographs .

SHE SELLS SHEET MUSIC AND SUPER SHAKA SERVINGS BY THE SEASHORE

Another odd  contribution by the Shipping  Reporter.

SAD CURLEW EVENT

The two chicks born the day of the Queensland election only lasted a few days,thought to be victims of Barking Owls. The youngster on the right had a distinctive black marked back . There is a report of another hatching.

HIGH ON HORSERADISH , COMEDIAN SAMMY J OF THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION CALLS THE USA PRESIDENTIAL RACE

The marathon race is not  over yet folks. Stewards are looking for  batteries , excessive  coffee  consumption, Russian vodka injections and the spur on Donald Trump's heel  which prevented  him  from  being  enlisted to fight in Vietnam  five  times.  Unfortunately, Democracy stumbled due to continual interference from the erratically ridden , windy old nag  soon  to  be  dragged off to the knackery , The  Donald , and had to  be  euthanized .

MAN AND BIKE OVERBOARD

 Another  Shipping  Reporter Scoop 

The  departure of  a  Magnetic Island  passenger ferry from the Townsville terminal this afternoon  was delayed  due  to  an unusual incident. The skipper was about to start up the engine , when a passenger tapped  on the door of  his cabin  and  announced  a  bike  had been thrown overboard. What? A bike. The skipper, donned his cap, marched  down the aisle , went below  and was  later seen  ashore.  He returned , apologised for  the delay, and said it had been due to a man throwing  somebody's bike overboard.  That  person, he added,  would  not  be  allowed   travel  on  the   ferry  again. It could be said the Tour de  Coral  Sea is underway.