Looking-into-Leichhardt_catalogue_Oct2013_Gannon+friends

IX GILBERT“IS DONE FOR” June 1845

By the end of June 1845, the party had made their way along the Mitchell River almost as far as the Gulf of Carpentaria. Gilbert, who had trained with and was now collecting for the great European ornithologist, John Gould, thought he had again sighted the Paradise Parrot (now extinct and easily confused with the magnificent Golden-Shouldered Parrot). Throughout the journey the party met aboriginal communities. They saw “camp smoke rising in every direction” . Gilbert noted that they had entered into a land with “…beautifully constructed ant hills…many rings of fires made by the natives, doubtless for the performance of some of their extraordinary ceremonies…'' . But they became the authors of their own tragedy when some of them sought out the company of aboriginal females in the course of which they assaulted some of the local people. On 29th June at Campsite No. 175, 'Tea-Tree Lagoon' a night attack by aboriginals armed with spears and waddies resulted in death and serious injury for both explorers and aboriginals. Gilbert and possibly one or more aboriginals were killed. Gilbert was speared and uttered his dying words “… I am done for …”

80 x 120 cm oil on board 2013

Leichhardt's 1844-45 route

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