Transcription Page 1

Goulburn River District,
July 7th. 1841.

Sir
The serious accident which happened
to Mr. Powlett having prevented him from coming into this
district with his border policemen, I was under the
necessity of taking a mounted policeman on my way down,
intending to repair with him to Mr. Benson’s in order to
enquire into the particulars of the affray which lately
occurred between him and the blacks. But as I found,
on my arrival at the Central Station, that Mr. Benson
had sent me a written statement, I sent the policeman
back to the barracks the next day, as there are only
two troopers now in this district. I have requested my
(son

His Honor
Charles J. La Trobe, Esquire
&c &c &c

[Annotations: top]

No41/1043
20th. July 1841
A. P. Le Souef
In reference to ye attack on
Mr Benson’s station & ye act of retaliatn
& reprisal which followed.

Transcription Page 2

son to apply at the Post-Office in Melbourne for
Mr. Benson’s letter, and to furnish your Honor with
a copy of it, for without that document it is hardly
possible to form a correct opinion of the occurrence,[crossed out: s]
but after all that has been related to me, I am
induced to think the following statement as correct a one
as is likely to be obtained.-

Some of Mr. Benson’s sheep having been stolen,
he and his men were on the watch to prevent further
depredations, when they saw about sixty blacks, armed
with spears, preparing to pass the river. As soon
as the two ringleaders had landed on the western
bank, Mr. Benson and his men rushed forward and
seized them, intending, as he avers, to convey them as
prisoners to the Central Station, but these natives
having called on their comrades for assistance a brisk
discharge of spears took place, and Mr.. Benson and
his party fired in return, when one of the ringleaders