Plate 18: Portraits of the Aboriginal inhabitants. Comprises 4 vignettes of Aboriginal people: 'Milliltie, a man of the Battara tribe, beyond Port Lincoln' (top left); 'Tuarau, an old man of Moorundi, on the river Murray' (top right); 'A man of the Milmendura tribe, wearing the Seaweed Cloak' (bottom left); and 'Poodnobummin, a young man of the Tatta-yarra country' (bottom right).

Mary Thomas, daughter of early pioneers and printing press operators, Robert and Mary Thomas, referred to Aboriginal people, in her diary (PRG 1160/6, p. 42). Please note, the language used to describe Aboriginal people is not appropriate today;

Sept. 1, 1845   Some of our gentlemen are desirous of going out into the bush to meet Captain Sturt and conduct him to town. We have no direct announcement of the late proceedings of their party and their leader as yet, but the news of their safety is the more gratifying as the most horrible accounts have reached us from the blacks at Moor-undie respecting these adventurers. Mon-i-ya (?), a native we are acquainted with, gave Mr. Skipper a full account of it. The blacks at Moor-undie have been waiting for some time to accompany a party of whites to ascertain the truth of the matter, but I suppose that the Governor had other information, as I believe no such expedition ever set forward. The natives were most likely deceived by the other tribes, as well as ourselves, as I have heard that they have been mourning their relatives who went out with Captain Sturt.

This is one of 60 coloured lithographs found in the 1847 edition of South Australia Illustrated by colonial artist George French Angas, together with a descriptive passage for each. The lithograph was created by J.W. Giles from Angas' original painting. The date assigned is assumed to be approximately when the lithographs were created; the original paintings were completed in earlier years.

George French Angas (1822-1886), naturalist and painter, was born on 25 April 1822 at Newcastle upon Tyne, England, fourth child and eldest son of George Fife Angas and his wife Rosetta, née French. He sailed for Australia in 1843 in the Augustus, reached Adelaide in January 1844, and remained in South Australia until July when he left for New Zealand.

He returned to South Australia in January 1845 and remained for six months. During these visits to South Australia, Angas recorded landscapes and settlements seen in his travels in the colony in watercolour drawings.

Angas, George French, 1822-1886

Hawkins, W.

Colwell, M and Alan Naylor. Adelaide: an illustrated history, [Joslin, S. Aust.]: McP, 1981

Insights into South Australian history, volume 2: 'South Australia's German history and heritage', Harmstorf, Ian A. ed. Adelaide: Historical Society of South Australia, 1992-

Kwan, Elizabeth Living in South Australia: a social history, Netley, S. Aust.: South Australian Government Printer, 1987

Tregenza, John George French Angas, artist, traveller and naturalist, 1822-1886 Adelaide: Art Gallery Board of South Australia, 1982

Treasures of the State Library of South Australia see: South Australia illustrated by George French Angas

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition: Search for George French Angas

SA Memory Foundation of South Australia 1800-1851 Diary of Mary Thomas

State Library of South Australia fact sheets online: Aboriginal Australia

Pictures Catalogue National Library of Australia

PictureAustralia