Some notes on the native fauna
May. 14th, 2011 09:33 pmA curious circumstance happened at Mr. Blinkworth's, Jerusalem, the other day. A native tiger, as it is called, boldly entered his cottage, where his family was assembled, and seized one of the little children by the hair, but fortunately missed its bite. Mr. Blinkworth who was confined to the house with a lame hand, alertly seized the animal by the tail and dashing it on the ground speedily killed it.
Hobart Town Courier, 17 April 1830
When Captain Petrie lately sailed from this in the Drummore to the Mauritius, he took with him as a present to one of the authorities at Port Louis, one of those savage creatures peculiar to this Island, commonly called a devil, which had been caught and as far as was practicable tamed, by Mr. Davidson at the Government garden. Considerable difficulty arose however in landing it at Port Louis, for the officer of the customs there strongly remonstrated against landing in their beautiful island, any thing in the shape or even with the name of the devil. They recollected no doubt, the time when their predecessors the Dutch were forced to abandon the island when it became overrun with rats. However on ascertaining that it was only a simple quadruped, though a curious one, and on the gentleman to whom it was given, undertaking to keep it secure, it was at last allowed to be landed. But the devil was not long in his new birth when he contrived to make his escape, and for some weeks dreadful havock was played among the poultry around, until with difficulty he was shot. It is curious, that though this singular animal has now been known and described by naturalists for some years, a living specimen has never been sent to England, until Capt. Riddell of the Duchenfield, which sailed the other day undertook to do so. There is now a dam (or in other words a she-devil) in a crib at the Government gardens, which has brought forth three young ones, but they seem quite untameable.
Colonial Times, 18 June 1833
Hobart Town Courier, 17 April 1830
When Captain Petrie lately sailed from this in the Drummore to the Mauritius, he took with him as a present to one of the authorities at Port Louis, one of those savage creatures peculiar to this Island, commonly called a devil, which had been caught and as far as was practicable tamed, by Mr. Davidson at the Government garden. Considerable difficulty arose however in landing it at Port Louis, for the officer of the customs there strongly remonstrated against landing in their beautiful island, any thing in the shape or even with the name of the devil. They recollected no doubt, the time when their predecessors the Dutch were forced to abandon the island when it became overrun with rats. However on ascertaining that it was only a simple quadruped, though a curious one, and on the gentleman to whom it was given, undertaking to keep it secure, it was at last allowed to be landed. But the devil was not long in his new birth when he contrived to make his escape, and for some weeks dreadful havock was played among the poultry around, until with difficulty he was shot. It is curious, that though this singular animal has now been known and described by naturalists for some years, a living specimen has never been sent to England, until Capt. Riddell of the Duchenfield, which sailed the other day undertook to do so. There is now a dam (or in other words a she-devil) in a crib at the Government gardens, which has brought forth three young ones, but they seem quite untameable.
Colonial Times, 18 June 1833
(no subject)
Apr. 1st, 2007 06:21 pmDidn't mention rally was at Albert Hall, which is a decent sized building, but didn't come close to holding everyone who turned up.
So we sat outside, along with 1500 other people. The organisers set up a speaker to everyone outside could hear. Some interesting speakers. A retired fisherman who was there with the support of the Tasmanian Fishing Industry Council who spoke out the potential job losses in their industry & related filed is the proposed mill went ahead. (The big flag, waving argument in favour of the mill is it will creat Jobs and be for the Economy). He wasn't the most eloquent speaker there, but we reckone made more impact. Richard Flanagan spoke -- prominent Australian (Tasmania) author who was told, by Lennon, this his ideas weren't welcome in the "new Tasmania". Someone whose name I missed listed all those politicians who didn't support the recent legislation. Terry Martin (the Labour MLC who spoke against it) got a few minuites of cheers & clapping.
The longer it goes on, the more people are being affected. You might not care that the spotted quoll could be endangered (and the spotted quoll is always endangered, whatever project is under discussion), but you might care that this mill be be consuming vast quantities of water while you're threatened with water restrictions, that many more log trucks while be using a highway that's really coping with the ones already using it, that children with asthma will be at risk from increased air pollution, that jobs could be lost in toursim & fishing, that your recreational areas/view out your window/property values will be destroyed, that a private company is controlling the elected goverment... As I said to sister later, there's enough issues being created to attract the interest of everyone.
Forgot to take camera though. Had squirrel. Annoying, but squirrel had fun -- joined in the clapping (I didn't do it) and had photos by someone else. Got to play with an elephant too.
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So we sat outside, along with 1500 other people. The organisers set up a speaker to everyone outside could hear. Some interesting speakers. A retired fisherman who was there with the support of the Tasmanian Fishing Industry Council who spoke out the potential job losses in their industry & related filed is the proposed mill went ahead. (The big flag, waving argument in favour of the mill is it will creat Jobs and be for the Economy). He wasn't the most eloquent speaker there, but we reckone made more impact. Richard Flanagan spoke -- prominent Australian (Tasmania) author who was told, by Lennon, this his ideas weren't welcome in the "new Tasmania". Someone whose name I missed listed all those politicians who didn't support the recent legislation. Terry Martin (the Labour MLC who spoke against it) got a few minuites of cheers & clapping.
The longer it goes on, the more people are being affected. You might not care that the spotted quoll could be endangered (and the spotted quoll is always endangered, whatever project is under discussion), but you might care that this mill be be consuming vast quantities of water while you're threatened with water restrictions, that many more log trucks while be using a highway that's really coping with the ones already using it, that children with asthma will be at risk from increased air pollution, that jobs could be lost in toursim & fishing, that your recreational areas/view out your window/property values will be destroyed, that a private company is controlling the elected goverment... As I said to sister later, there's enough issues being created to attract the interest of everyone.
Forgot to take camera though. Had squirrel. Annoying, but squirrel had fun -- joined in the clapping (I didn't do it) and had photos by someone else. Got to play with an elephant too.
( Read more... )
