C. Y. O'Connor

Forrest, depicted here on right with Aboriginal guide Tommy Windich, was concerned about the bad treatment of 'natives'. White prospectors were excluding them from their traditional sources of water ('gnamma holes').

"Personally, I am not an advocate of chaining wild blacks to show water. Unless under extreme circumstances I would not do so. Experience has taught me that when under compulsion they will not -- unless very thirsty or a long distance from other waters -- conduct white people to the best: but will take them to some soak or rock hole not valued by the tribe. They will lead a party away from an abundant supply of water, and assert there is none in that direction… In desert spinifex, gnamma holes and soaks may be found in patches of scrub mulga, which occur here and there throughout the interior, generally low-lying formations of granite and desert sandstone, clothed with weeds, silver grass and scattered small narrow-leafed salt bush with occasional quondong and kurrajong trees… Natives, owing to their usual improvidence, filthy habits and want of brain power, etc., in never looking ahead, can not stand excessive thirst, like the well trained white man."

H G. Mason Darkest West Australia: A Guide To Out-back TravellersKalgoorlie: Hocking & Co, 1909, pp. 32-34

 
Hard labour...