1883
5 MONDAY
Did nothing particular. Mr. Lamb a young fellow camped some distance from here arrived from Normanton.
6 TUESDAY
Did nothing particular. Miss Shadforth & I helped the gins to wash all the morning. It was very hot. No rain yet. The washing is all taken down to the bank of the creek & boiled in kerosene tins.
7 WEDNESDAY
Intensely hot today, I never felt anything like the heat. I do miss the fruits and vegetables. There is no such luxury up here. Mr. Lamb left this morning. Last night we brought our blankets out onto the verandah, it was too hot to be indoors. Ironed all the afternoon.
8 THURSDAY
We slept again outside, but even then it was too hot to sleep. Mr. Bob Shadforth went up to “Lorne hill” Mr. Jack Watson’s and Mr. Frank Hann’s station about 40 miles away. Very Hot. No Rain. Mr.Watson has 40 pairs of blacks’ ears nailed round the walls collected during raiding parties after the loss of many cattle speared by the blacks.
9 FRIDAY
Did nothing particular. Still no rain, very hot.
10 SATURDAY
Very hot, still no rain. Mr. Bob Shadforth came back from Lorne Hill.
11 SUNDAY
The mailman came, & went on South. Wrote to Papa & Jessie.
12 MONDAY
Mrs. Shadforth was unwell all day. Did some washing in the morning. Very hot. Mr. Shadforth went down to meet his son Ernest who is coming from Bourktown [sic] with the provisions in a dray; he ought to have been here today, so he is a little anxious about him. Bourketown is 4 or 5 days journey from here & the blacks are particularly aggressive in the district.
13 TUESDAY
Washed again this morning & ironed this afternoon. No-one but Mr. Lamond has been here for some time. Miss Shadforth is going to be married in May, so she, Mrs. Shadforth and Bob will have to go to Normanton then. They will be taking a buggy, so Harry says I may go too then & wait at Mrs. Forsyth’s until he comes, instead of remaining here, I am so glad only 3 months more! No rain, intensely hot. I still sleep on the verandah. That is too hot even for Harry, he takes his blankets right outside.
14 WEDNESDAY
Nothing happened of any consequence. Trying to exist through the great heat of both day and night.
15 THURSDAY
A nice cool wind sprang up during the night, & the sun is not so strong, so it is pleasantly cool today. It looks a little like rain. Mr. Lamond brought his express over & took us to the Native Police encampment. It consists of about 15 bark humpies round a square courtyard. There are several gins with their picininies, all with no clothing on. Mr. Lamond’s abode is only a log hut divided into four compartments.
16 FRIDAY
It was showery all night but today the rain has ceased, but it is still cloudy. Amy Shadforth, Edith & I went for a walk to the Tarpaean rock about 2 miles from here. We called in at Mr. Doyle’s humpie on our way. His place is a little inferior to this. Mr. Russel a brother of the one we met at Thursday island, arrived at about 1/2 past 8, this evening.
17 SATURDAY
It rained on & off all last night, then a little showery all day. Mr. Tudor Shadforth, the second son, came from the station he is on this evening, to stay till Monday.
18 SUNDAY
There have been a few showers today. Mr. Doyle came to tea & spent the evening. Went for a short stroll with Harry in the afternoon. Mr. Lamond & little Harry came over this evening as usual. Harry Shadforth about 10 years old lives with his future brother in law.
19 MONDAY
Raining pretty heavily in showers all day. The air is delightfully cool.
20 TUESDAY
The rainy season seems to have set in, in real good earnest; it has been raining heavily nearly all day. Mr. Shadforth & Ernest Shadforth came home, but had to leave the dray at Gregory Downs as the roads were too heavy & the rivers too high. They brought a new black gin with them; she cannot speak a word of English. Mr. Shadforth put a rope round the gin’s neck & dragged her along on foot, he was riding. This seems to be the usual method.
21 WEDNESDAY
No rain this morning, but dull & cloudy. Rained all the afternoon in showers. The new gin, whom they call Bella, is chained up to a tree a few yards from the house, she is not to be loosed until they think she is tamed.
22 THURSDAY
Showery in the morning, but poured with rain all the afternoon and all night. The river close to this house has not risen yet, but the others must be flooded by this time.
The Diary of Emily Caroline Creaghe: Explorer,
Corkwood Press, Adelaide, 2004