Summary

A lugger or ketch, moored on the river, with a group of Aboriginal men and children on the riverbank. A smaller boat or dinghy can be seen in the foreground. The following is Baldwin Spencer's original description of this image; ''Venture' unloading supplies at Borooloola, Northern Territory 1901'. Spencer does however indicate on the glass plate sleeve that the plate was broken and as a result only an original print remains. In 2010 a visiting research provided further information about this image: 'This is not the same vessel as that in other photos. It is not the Venture, but a much smaller lugger, possibly the Minnie Ha Ha. I note that when Spencer and Gillen were due to leave Borroloola, they were taken with their luggage by the Minnie Ha Ha to meet the steamer Vigilant at the mouth of the McArthur River (see F. Gillen's Diary p. 360). (Tony Roberts).

Baldwin Spencer and Frank Gillen left Borroloola on the Vigilant in February of 1902. Spencer wrote: 'Our little steamer the 'Vigilant' is really only a river boat drawing 5 ft 6 in & so the very least movement sends her up & down.' (Spencer's Diary Feb 9th 1902).

Physical Description

Original print. Sepia toned. No annotations on reverse.

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