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Pistol Duel at De Salis Waterhole in Tootgarook Swamp
Image: courtesy Discover the Mornington Peninsula website.
Was the last pistol duel in Victoria at De Salis Waterhole in Tootgarook Swamp?
And, who really won?
The story is a ripping yarn, the tale having been passed on by witnesses to the long passed event, no official account exists though considering the in continuity of early Victorian newspapers it doesn't mean it wouldn't have been newsworthy. In the early 1840's, the southern part of the Mornington Peninsula (the Nepean Peninsula) was held as large stock runs with, John and Dr Edward Barker at Cape Schanck, Maurice Meyrick at Buoneyyang[1] (Boneo), and Edward William Hobson at James Purves, Tootgarook.
In 1842 John Barker had returned to England and his brother Dr Edward Barker had taken over the running of their land near Barra Bang creek. (Edward Barker was a surgeon who gave up medicine for the land but later returned to be on the surgical staff at Melbourne Hospital).
It was while his brother John was in England that a disagreement between Edward Barker and Maurice Meyrick led to a pistol duel, which took place at a location that seems disputed from different sources, one account has it to occurred on one of the 'cups' near the turn off to the present Cape Schanck Lighthouse[2], whilst another account states the scene of this duel was a few miles on the Sorrento side of the spot at which the Cape Schanck lighthouse was afterwards built[3] and a third report states it as taking place at Desailly's waterhole, on Boneo Rd.[4]
I personally favour another site, that being the actual location of the waterhole, (actually spelt De Salis)[5] located on Maxwell road, off Boneo next to the edge of the start of the Cups and a few miles from the Cape Schanck lighthouse, and the southernmost extent of the Tootgarook Swamp, for it was this waterhole which formed the catalyst of the dispute leading up to the duel.
Image: This 1863 map shows the location and actual spelling of De Salis rather than Desaillys. Courtesy State library of Victoria.
Image: Between the our custom 1951 Tootgarook Swamp Overlay in Google Earth, and the bend in Maxwell road, a circle can be made out. The site of De Salis Waterhole (see arrow). Image Courtesy Google Earth.
Image: De Salis Waterhole 2013.
The tale goes on to describe the removal of a natural object that is the cause of this dispute. It appears that some of Barker's men had removed either sand or had stripped bark from a wattle at De Salis waterhole[6],[7]. Or for those interested in European history, W.T. Jackson gives an account of the Barker - Meyrick duel, which was occasioned according to Thomas of the protectorate, by Barker’s cutting down a magnificent oak tree, the first in the district, in the dry creek which was the boundary between the two runs, an oak tree which Meyrick painted, the painting being sent home to England. Dr Barker was a stutterer; the account casts him in an unfavorable light.[8] One would assume it was an indigenous Drooping She-oak tree in the latter account.
One of the accounts goes on to tell that a furious argument started between De Salis who was employed by both William Hobson and Maurice Meyrick, and Edward Barker and that somehow Maurice Meyricks became involved and challenged Edward Barker to a pistol duel, the second known to be fought in Victoria[9], and what would also seem to be the last fought in the state.
Though whatever the reason we know that something happened to deeply offend at the De Salis waterhole in the Tootgarook Swamp, one would assume due to all accounts having the wrong spelling of the De Salis name, the location had been forgotten.
On the eventful day both parties were nervous so the story goes and secretly wished that the whole affair could be called off, but the 'seconds', more eager than the participants, eventually managed to get them lined up.
Meyrick fired first, his ball whistling past Barkers ear.[10] Barker got such a fright he fired into the air, and, as the story has it, hit a passing seagull while in full flight! All agreed that honour was satisfied, and went off to celebrated at Meyrick's house[11].
One of the accounts goes on to tell that a furious argument started between De Salis who was employed by both William Hobson and Maurice Meyrick, and Edward Barker and that somehow Maurice Meyricks became involved and challenged Edward Barker to a pistol duel, the second known to be fought in Victoria[9], and what would also seem to be the last fought in the state.
Though whatever the reason we know that something happened to deeply offend at the De Salis waterhole in the Tootgarook Swamp, one would assume due to all accounts having the wrong spelling of the De Salis name, the location had been forgotten.
On the eventful day both parties were nervous so the story goes and secretly wished that the whole affair could be called off, but the 'seconds', more eager than the participants, eventually managed to get them lined up.
Meyrick fired first, his ball whistling past Barkers ear.[10] Barker got such a fright he fired into the air, and, as the story has it, hit a passing seagull while in full flight! All agreed that honour was satisfied, and went off to celebrated at Meyrick's house[11].
Image: Could this be the site of the Duel?
Or was it? As mentioned before W.T. Jacksons account paints Edward Barker in a unfavourable light, and in the following year (1843) after the duel, the run originally held by Maurice Meyrick was taken over by Barker.[12]
The Tootgarook Swamp has much history awaiting rediscovery such as, the Tasman Land Bridge, the ‘Kiara Compost Company’, and Walter Hiscocks ‘Australian Gas and Power Co’, and ‘Peninsula Lime and Fertiliser works’, which first put the Tootgarook Swamp in International headlines in 1922.
The Tootgarook Swamp has much history awaiting rediscovery such as, the Tasman Land Bridge, the ‘Kiara Compost Company’, and Walter Hiscocks ‘Australian Gas and Power Co’, and ‘Peninsula Lime and Fertiliser works’, which first put the Tootgarook Swamp in International headlines in 1922.
[1] From the spelling on G.D. Smythe’s Map of 1841 (spelling before the grant is Barkers, later spelling is of Boniyong is after Barker has the pre-emptive right instead of Meyrick).
[2] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[3] The Argus Saturday 17 October 1931 page 4
[4] Environmental History for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council DRAFT ONLY SEP 2008 Mornington Peninsula Shire.
[5] From the spelling on M. Callanan’s Map of 1863 Special Lands Parrish of Wannaeue County of Mornington.
[6] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[7] http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barker-william-3316
[8] ‘I succeeded once’, The Aboriginal Protectorate on the Mornington Peninsula,1839–1840 - Marie Hansen Fels
[9] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[10] http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barker-william-3316
[11] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[12] Mornington Peninsula Shire Heritage Review, AREA 1 Volume 1 - Thematic History Final report 30 July 2012
[2] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[3] The Argus Saturday 17 October 1931 page 4
[4] Environmental History for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council DRAFT ONLY SEP 2008 Mornington Peninsula Shire.
[5] From the spelling on M. Callanan’s Map of 1863 Special Lands Parrish of Wannaeue County of Mornington.
[6] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[7] http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barker-william-3316
[8] ‘I succeeded once’, The Aboriginal Protectorate on the Mornington Peninsula,1839–1840 - Marie Hansen Fels
[9] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[10] http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/barker-william-3316
[11] www.discovermorningtonpeninsula.com.au/fascinatingfacts/the-duel.php
[12] Mornington Peninsula Shire Heritage Review, AREA 1 Volume 1 - Thematic History Final report 30 July 2012
