Auction 321 - 332 Australian States & Commonwealth of Australia, St. Helena, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Swaziland, Brazil 1843 –1870 - Day 1

1841 (July 19): Entire letter from Goulburn to the a drinker at the 'Castle Inn Tap Room' in Downham, Norfolk prepaid '1/1d.' in manuscript and struck with fair octagonal framed "GOULBURN / POST PAID" in red with two line "BRISTOL / SHIP LETTER" adjacent in black (Robertson S8). Reverse with "GOULBURN / ♚ / JY 22 / 1841 / NEW S. WALES" oval datestamp in black and "♚ / GENERAL POST OFFICE / SYDNEY" transit and London cds (Dec 7) in red. Slightly soiled but a cover of extraordinary content and not without charm.rnrnProvenance: Prestige, Melbourne, 9 Feb 2008, lot 369.rnrnContent: "Somebody stole some of my letters, my Watch & £4 in money, about £10 value of all they got...Arthur engaged with a gentleman to go to Port Adelaide with 5'000 sheep, on their journey they were attacked by the Blacks, they fought with the Blacks a little but were forced to retreat, the number of Blacks they supposed to be 500 and only 13 or 14 White men. They took all the sheep from them and though they sent a body of Mounted Police to try to recover some of the sheep, they could not find any of them, but the Shepherds and men all got away from the Blacks without harm but one, and the Blacks carried one away on their backs and left him for dead but he recovered and had nothing but a dogs tongue to eat for 5 days....the Blacks are all civil for above 100 miles beyond me. I hear that the Government at home talk of bringing them under the Law, they may as soon as catch the old horses at home and learn them to talk. Brother Jere and family are all well except Arthur, he was killed with a kick from a horse last March. Jere expects his Liberty next December in the District."