[“Christmas Day on Dorre Island”, The Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA), Saturday 05 February 1916, page 6]

CHRISTMAS DAY ON DORRE ISLAND.

(By H.P.L.)

Outside the Aborigines’ Department and Medical Department there are not many who know that there are two islands set apart for the sick Australian natives, and that on these two islands are well equipped hospitals. In the year 1908, when the islands were first occupied by the Department, I spent two years amongst the blacks, I am not now going to write anything of my impressions after a five years absence, but later on I will tell of the very many changes and very many incidents I have noted during my absence.

It is of how we spent Christmas day I will tell. At present there are but fifty-five native girls on Dorre Island. One must not imagine that it is by any means miserable place. It could not be so where there are aborigines. And here they are seen at their very best, as they are obliged to keep themselves absolutely clean. Amongst them are many very lovely girls. I can imagine I see the smile of derision on many faces at this saying, but it is so. Of course it goes with out saying that native women are unusually graceful.

Christmas morning was simply perfect. It had been blowing a gale for many weeks, but Christmas Day was perfect. Many of the girls can tell when Christmas is near by the stars, and as they were told that they were to have a good time they were becoming excited as the month sped by. Fortunately the turtle season begins shortly before December, so that eggs were not a consideration in the puddings, and quantity did not

count. There had been several monster turtles already caught and eaten, some of the animals weighing over two hundred weight. The Matron made three huge puddings and three equally huge cakes with several thousand eggs in the making, so that they were very rich, and I may say en passant that there is no perceptible difference in taste between turtle and hen eggs in cakes. The girls had been promised a good time, and they had it. There were new ginnas (dresses) for each one, and an extra stick of tobacco, a bag of sweets, and a brilliant bandeaux for each dusky lassie’s hair. It had meant some work to the Matron and Mrs. W. Batty, of Carnarvon to get these things ready. To make fifty-five very handsome bandeaux took some time, but Mrs. Batty has ever been kind to the poor blacks, whose lot, no matter where they may be, is never to be envied. At 9 a.m., in the regrettable absence of the Medical Officer and Laws, the small staff assembled on the verandah of the hospital where the natives were waiting, as usual full of life and excitement. Each one was landed by the Matron a bag of sweetsf a new ginna, and a beautiful bandeaux. At 12 p.m. they had a monster turtle for dinner with heaps of pudding, and as it was a high holiday for each girl they were allowed to wander at their will, some who are expert anglers going to fish, while others went kangaroo-hunting, or the more staid ones remained in their, camps “wangying.” 7 p.m. brought their tea with its wonderful cake, and so ended Christmas Day, 1915, bringing to that often despised, but very wonderful race, at least one day to be always remembered.

AB notes:

Harriet Lenihan reporting on Christmas 1915 at the lock hospitals, and clearly pleased to be back with her “dusky lassies”.