Musquito (c.1780-1825), Aboriginal resistance leader and tracker, also known as Mosquito, Musquetta, Bush Muschetta or Muskito, was probably an Eora (Gai-Mariagal) man, born on the north shore of Port Jackson, New South Wales. In 1805 he participated in raids on settlers' properties in the Hawkesbury and Georges River districts. Orders issued on 9 June 1805 authorised his arrest to prevent further mischief. Local Aborigines agreed to capture him and he was apprehended by them and gaoled at Parramatta in July, but not charged. Next month Governor King exiled Musquito and 'Bull Dog', to Norfolk Island, where Musquito remained for eight years.
In January 1813 Musquito was evacuated aboard the Minstrel for Port Dalrymple (Launceston), Van Diemen's Land. Next year his brother Phillip, in New South Wales, gained Macquarie's consent for him to be sent back to Sydney, but Musquito remained in Van Diemen's Land. In 1817 Lieutenant-Governor Sorell praised his service as a tracker of bushrangers and approved his return to 'his Native Place', but this never eventuated. Some people blamed Musquito for influencing the island's 'natives' to violent retribution, and colonial historians John West and James Bonwick greatly exaggerted his character and deeds. According to them, Musquito was transported to Van Diemen's Land for the murder of a pregnant Aboriginal woman and murdered women before turning the the local Aborigines against the settlers. By February 1818, he was a servant of Edward Lord. In October he helped to track and kill the bushranger Michael Howe. Henry Melville later recounted Musquito's statement that Sorell's broken promise, and exclusion by convicts, drove him into the bush, where he formed the 'tame gang' in 1823. Musquito subsequently became antagonistic towards settlers, and joined the 'wild' Oyster Bay tribe. His knowledge of the English language and customs and his expertise in guerilla warfare were assets to people who, frustrated, resorted to aggression. With 'Black Jack', the band killed several stockkeepers in raids on the east coast in November 1823 and in 1824. In August 1824 Musquito was wounded and captured by an Aboriginal boy named Teague. After his recovery, Musquito and Jack were charged with aiding and abetting the murder of a stockkeeper, and tried without oaths in the Supreme Court, Hobart Town, in December 1824. Musquito was convicted on questionable evidence, Jack on a second charge; both were hanged on 25 February 1825. It remained unclear whether Musquito committed any murders. The indigenous resistance leader was the subject of a series of paintings by the Aboriginal artist Lin Onus in 1978-82. (Source: http://adb.anu.edu.au/) |
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MOSQUITO
This bushranger was a Sydney aboriginal, transported to Van Diemen’s Land for the murder of a woman. At first he was employed by the authorities as a tracker for hunting up the haunts of the bushrangers, but he afterwards effected his escape to the bush, and headed the Oyster Bay tribe of natives, over whom he appeared to exercise unbounded sway; they numbered some 200 blacks, and under the command of Mosquito committee many foul and treacherous murders upon isolated settlers and their families. He became a pest to society and a terror to the colony, and a large reward was offered for his capture; at last he was tracked to his lair at Oyster Bay by a native and two constables, and after a desperate resistance was wounded and eventually captured and conveyed to Hobart Town, where he and another native named Black Tom, and six Europeans, were executed together, February, 1825. The love of a wild, and in a measure free life in the bush, and the wish to avoid the severity of the lash, caused many of the prisoners of the Crown to effect their escape into the bush where, collecting in gangs, they vied with one another in deeds of the most daring and sanguinary nature, -till at last in 1814 Governor Macquarie, despairing of reducing their numbers by force, offered a free pardon to all who, not having been guilty of murder, would within six months of the date of his proclamation return to their duty, and this proclamation had, partly, the desired effect.
(Source: http://www.warrenfahey.com/bushranging-in-van-diemans-land/)
This bushranger was a Sydney aboriginal, transported to Van Diemen’s Land for the murder of a woman. At first he was employed by the authorities as a tracker for hunting up the haunts of the bushrangers, but he afterwards effected his escape to the bush, and headed the Oyster Bay tribe of natives, over whom he appeared to exercise unbounded sway; they numbered some 200 blacks, and under the command of Mosquito committee many foul and treacherous murders upon isolated settlers and their families. He became a pest to society and a terror to the colony, and a large reward was offered for his capture; at last he was tracked to his lair at Oyster Bay by a native and two constables, and after a desperate resistance was wounded and eventually captured and conveyed to Hobart Town, where he and another native named Black Tom, and six Europeans, were executed together, February, 1825. The love of a wild, and in a measure free life in the bush, and the wish to avoid the severity of the lash, caused many of the prisoners of the Crown to effect their escape into the bush where, collecting in gangs, they vied with one another in deeds of the most daring and sanguinary nature, -till at last in 1814 Governor Macquarie, despairing of reducing their numbers by force, offered a free pardon to all who, not having been guilty of murder, would within six months of the date of his proclamation return to their duty, and this proclamation had, partly, the desired effect.
(Source: http://www.warrenfahey.com/bushranging-in-van-diemans-land/)