Terra Australis Templar (A Peter Wilks Archaeological Mystery)

by Gregory House

  Terra Australis Templar

  A Peter Wilks Archaeological Mystery

  By Gregory House

  Published by Gregory House at Amazon

  Copyright 2011 Gregory House

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  All artwork copyright Alexander House 2011

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  Contents

  Aussie Terms. 6

  Dramatis Personae. 7

  The Kimberley. 7

  Queensland. 8

  Map Kimberley Coast North Western Australia. 9

  Prologue; The Kimberleys. 10

  Chapter 1 Past History and Remittance Men. 19

  Chapter 2 Sun, Sand, Surf and Bloody Students! 23

  Chapter 3 A Simple Task. 32

  Chapter 4 Limberlost Terrace. 43

  Chapter 5 Old Mates. 51

  Chapter 6 Kimberley where?. 54

  Chapter 7 Kimberly Here! 61

  Chapter 8 The First Kimberlians. 67

  Chapter 9 Don’t Piss off the Pilot 75

  Deception Bay Site Map. 82

  Chapter 10 Deception Bay. 83

  Field Illustration 1. 91

  Chapter 11 Fifteen Men on a Dead Man’s Chest?. 92

  Field Illustration 2. 95

  Field Illustration 3. 103

  Chapter 12 The Friggin Diggin and the Graves. 104

  Field Illustration 4. 110

  Chapter 13 Shades of Interpretation. 111

  Field Illustration 5 Lampies’ coin. 116

  Chapter 14 God, Graves and Misconceptions. 117

  Field Illustration 6. 122

  Chapter 15 The Job the Dig or the History. 123

  Field Illustration 7. 133

  Chapter 16 Sid, a Shovel and a Dispute. 134

  Chapter 17 Mainly Fine with the Chance of Snakes. 140

  Chapter 18 Land Rights and Wrongs. 144

  Chapter 19 The Scorpion’s Sting?. 152

  Chapter 20 Terra Australis Outremer 158

  Field Illustration 8. 169

  Chapter 21 Snack Attack! 170

  Field Illustration 9. 175

  Chapter 22 Fenton, Friends, and Fellow Weasels. 176

  Chapter 23 A Fortuitous Happenstance. 184

  Chapter 24 Sun Sand and the Serengeti 188

  Chapter 25 Banquet sur le Mer 193

  Chapter 26 Deceit at Deception Bay. 204

  Chapter 27 A Boating We Will Go. 219

  Chapter 28 Wally’s Repose. 228

  Field Illustration 10. 237

  Field Illustration 11. 238

  Chapter 29 Camden Harbour 239

  Map Camden Harbour inland to the McLarty and MacDonald ranges. 246

  Chapter 30 A Pleasant Day’s Hike. 247

  Chapter 31 Speleologist’s Delight 254

  Chapter 32 There She Blows! 259

  Chapter 33 Treachery Tinnies and Newtonian Principles. 264

  Chapter 34 Where’s The Castle?. 273

  Chapter 35 There’s the Castle! 279

  Chapter 36 Wrangling the Researcher 284

  Chapter 37 D’Alene’s Repose. 288

  Chapter 38 Besieged! 296

  Chapter 39 Ruse d’Guerre. 302

  Chapter 40 King of the Castle. 309

  Epilogue: Terra Nullius – Terra Australis Templarius. 320

  Historical Note Endpiece. 324

  Sources. 324

  Aussie Terms

  Antipodean: Originally people with feet opposite ours, from Latin, from Greek, from pl. of antipous, based on a report in Ptolemy about a race of people living in Terra Australis, with as it says backwards facing feet. Now commonly a term used to refer the inhabitants of Australia and New Zealand.

  Terra Australis: The original title on the old maps for the landmass reputedly lying between Indonesia and Antarctica. Shortened to Australia

  Ordo Templarus: The Order of the Poor Knights of Christ of the Temple of Jerusalem or in short hand the Templars

  The Outback: Pretty well anywhere outside of the main eastern coastal cities usually to the west and frequently considered far west of the Great Dividing Range.

  VOC: The acronym for the Dutch East India Company that traded through out South East Asian and it appears were the first Europeans to successfully report the discovery of Terra Australis.

  Bonza: Aussie slang for great, fantastic really good.

  Tinnie: Either a metal dinghy or a can of beer depending on circumstance. Often if fishing you can have a tinnie, in a tinnie.

  Willy willies: The local name for dust devils a very small whirlwind frequent in the dryer parts of Australia.

  Groper: A member of a species of fish found in the coastal waters of Australia can grow to 4-5 foot in length and weigh up to 40 kilos usually very curious about divers one of the few harmless species in Australian waters.

  Cloacae Aureus Piscum: A golden sewer fish a latin translation of the abbreviation of CAP

  Boab Tree: The same specie of tree that grows in Eastern Africa an important source of water, tools and fibre for the local Koori

  Wandijani karadji: An aboriginal healer, magician, medicine man and shaman

  Wandijani: The name of the Kimberley aboriginal tribal grouping

  The Bradshaws: Or Gwion gwion, a startling type of cave paintings displaying amazing style, complexity and sophistication as well as the earliest images of boats anywhere in the world. One theory postulates that the artists are the very first wave of colonisers.

  The Kimberley: The usual name for the North-western coast of Western Australia it is a very rugged landscape and the closest part of the Australian mainland to the Indonesian island chain. Current evidence indicates this was the first region settled by the earliest aboriginal inhabitants of Australia between 70,000-100,000 years ago.

  Goanna: Is the name used to refer to any number of Native Australian monitor like lizards of which there are some 25 species. They are carnivorous and some can grow over 2m (over 7 feet) in length while mainly scavengers they have been know to attack children and adults and their bite is extremely toxic. The goanna is an important motif in Koori (aboriginal) culture and art.

  Freshie: The common slang for the very much smaller fish eating fresh water crocodile tends to live in the inland reaches of rivers, is usually
shy and timid though has been know to occasionally bite tourists after provocation.

  Saltie: The common slang for the Australian Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), they inhabit the coastal strip of northern Australia from Derby in Western Australia across to the Pacific coast of northern Queensland. They have been known to grow over 7 metres and are the supreme ambush predator of northern Australia. Salties are cunning, aggressive and extremely territorial. During the mating season they are even more aggressive than usual. On average they ‘take’ about a dozen people a year and are large enough to seize a fully grown water buffalo.

  Irukandji: A small sea wasp or Portuguese man o’ war like creature about the size of a ten cent piece its toxin can cause extreme pain.

  RIB: Reinforced Inflatable boat sometime called zodiacs

  Dramatis Personae

  The Kimberleys

  Sid Brydges contract archaeologist for Lavost Explorations and discoverer of the Deception Bay site, a man who needs an expert for an archaeological conundrum

  ‘Lampie’ Yvette Lampierre attractive contracted site surveyor for Deception Bay and owner of the ketch ‘Bast’ and Sid’s long suffering business associate

  ‘Bluey’ and Rob the pair of ‘Abbot and Costello’ like diggers that make up Sid’s excavation team

  ‘Uncle Bill’ Wanidijjuri miraculous bush chef for Sid excavation team at the Deception Bay site

  ‘Blinky’ Fenton an occasional friend of Sid and infamous scavenger of the Kimberley coast

  Wally Buckley Kimberley barge captain and Aboriginal art expert looking for the first Australians, partner to Sarina and May Ling

  ‘Trussie’ Ricky Mad Dog Truscotte a Catalina flying boat pilot in the Kimberleys

  Guniyandi Rydell a Land council rep with a long held grudge

  Sandy Wanidijjuri a Land council rep a cousin of Uncle Bill and friend of Lampie

  Abernathy Wallace A convenient well off rescuer, and fine arts connoisseur with a very large cruiser

  Mr Wallace’s ‘assistants’

  Larry H Carlew, Red, Rex, Sammy, Frenchie, Johnno and Jamil

  Plus a supporting cast of diverse Kimberley wildlife; snakes, sharks, salt water crocodiles (salties), scorpions, goannas, wombats, green ants, humpback whales, galahs and cockatoos.

  Queensland

  Peter Wilks an English remittance man and medieval historian posted to Skaze University for his ‘health’, old flat mate of Sid’s

  Dr William Wilberforce Adams the Vice Chancellor of Skaze University a man of formidable reputation and a long memory

  Freddie Harrison coach of the Skaze Rugby team and Peter’s mentor on Skaze customs and politics

  Gerald Turnbull the dean of Skaze University Commerce Faculty a man with a fine appreciation of Australian art

  Rob Charlton and Barrie Hendricks Commerce Faculty lecturers and minions

  Ken Dodworthy An associate of vice chancellor Adams who has a ‘simple’ research commission

  Westfall A regional development commission official uncommunicative unhelpful and rapidly unavailable

  Dedication

  I would like to give my thanks to my partner, editor and critic Jocelyn, my children for their patience, the KDD for their unflagging support and friendship when times were difficult and my review team for their assistance and input, especially Donald.

  Regards Greg House Terra Australis du Sud. Anno Domini MMXI

  Map Kimberley Coast North Western Australia

  Prologue: The Kimberleys

  The sky was a kind of intense hammer blue that spanned all overhead, making the horizon retreat well back over the turquoise waters, breaking with a leisurely splash on the sparkling white sand. The sun was still high enough in the heaven to give the barest hint of the coming flood of burnt orange sunset, while to the north the advancing bank of dark clouds fringed the scene lending the dramatic tension of a coming storm. It was the sort of vista that’d have one of those east coast landscape photographers whimpering with ecstasy, if only they could capture the moment.

  To the lean built man hunched over the narrow trench cautiously scooping away trowels of sandy brown soil, the allure of the coming sunset was irrelevant. So absorbed in his work, he hadn’t notice that the shifting sun had passed the limited shelter of the canvas tarp, crisping the already tanned skin of his left arm below a rolled up faded blue shirt sleeve and bleaching out his wild red hair that escaped the restraint of a battered ‘diggers’ hat.

  Another figure slowly paced up the low hill into view. It was almost as lean as the patient excavator, though the approach through the low brush of the sandy hill would have excited a different photographer. The long elegant taper of firm smooth thigh hit the edge of the tan shorts hinting at an interesting continuation of the curved sweep. While further up beneath the gaping desert ‘camo’ jacket shadowed swellings barely restrained by an open necked t-shirt, flashed into view with each step. To finish the profile long blond hair was tied back in a slowly bouncing pony tail, enhancing the landscape with alluring potential. The scene was just made for a front cover of ‘Fish and Game’. All she needed was the rifle artfully slung over her shoulder and ‘huntin’ enthusiasts would have been clambering over each other to get a copy. Damn that, if any advertising exec had glimpsed the image he’d have signed her up in a trice to flog a new model of 4x 4 that every accountant needed to brave the perilous wilds of suburban driving.

  Instead the opportunity was lost as she sauntered over to the flapping awning, idly waving off a host of flies with the sort of casual elegance that a cosmetics director would have traded his secretary for.

  “Y’ finished yet Sid? Uncle Bill’s got us a fresh barra to grill over the fire and Rob and Bluey have packed all the gear ready for the next site.” The lean figure pushed himself up from the trench and sat back on his haunches, brushing a dusty hand across his face.

  “No I bloody well haven’t! Who said those two could pack up anyway?” The reply may have sounded petulant, though the long blonde plait only twitched impatiently, lazily flicking a cascade of gold in the afternoon light. A dozen shampoo commercial directors missed the chance of an award winning ad.

  “I told em’. Got a problem with that?” Blonde pony tail began to recite what appeared to be a well rehearsed script, ticking each point off with her fingers. “Well Sid, first is the site at Champagny Island that the museum wanted us to check. Second there’s those caves up past Brecknock Harbour for Lavost Explorations. Remember them Sid? The guys that actually pay us? Then we promised to be back in Broome by next week, so you want all that and me as pilot, we have to pack now and head off before dawn to catch the tide.”

  Hazel eyes under the battered digger’s hat creased in sudden annoyance and a free hand swatted at a hovering insect. “Well Lampie that’s changed, we stay here!” The answer was short and abrupt as the dusty man named Sid returned his attention to the open trench.

  Lampie gave a slow shake of her head as if she was used to Sid’s sudden petulance and this was just one more in the daily flow.

  “Oh and get ’em to bring up the lights and the generator!” Sid was still staring at the dirt in his trench and casually threw the command back over his shoulder.

  Lampie crossed her arms and stared intently at the fly covered shirt of the excavator, as if painting a target for immediate use. “You sure about that? We’re running pretty low on fuel and its a long way back to Derby.”

  If Sid had bothered to turn around, he may have recognized the implied subtext of the question. A more observant man would have instantly translated that foot tapping stance as ‘you really don’t want to piss me off!’

  “What? Yeah. One at each end‘ll do fine, angled into the trench ’d be great.” The last conversation must have strayed somewhere else, cos Sid had missed it all.

  Lampie dropped the subtle approach and growled out a reply. “Get em yourself, arsehole! I said we had to leave or y’ can paddle off with the frekin’ sea turtles!”
<
br />   “And Lampie, unpack the cameras and set em up to view the excavation, I want this discovery on film!”

  Like a pair of trains hurtling towards each other at breakneck speed, this conversation was looking like a collision and at each switch, Sid, oblivious to the threat, pulled the wrong lever.

  Lampie was clearly unimpressed and her demeanor screamed the unsubtle signs of incipient mutiny, the sort that would see the obsessed Sid tumbled into his ditch with a casual but deliberate kick, soon followed by his lights and any number of extra objects that’d serve to fill the hole. Then import of his last comment froze the coming boot.

  “Dis-covery?”

  Discovery was an interesting word, so full of promise and portent. Discovery was in fact a very overused claim. To any advertising agency it was automatically tagged to the latest model of SUV, proclaiming its rugged supremacy, even if it got bogged in a light dewfall. All of them in Sid’s crew were hoping to hear that magically stimulating word after working up and down this coast for years. At its reverberation Lampie dropping her foot, then shoved in next to her grubby supervisor and peered into the open trench.

  “What have you found Sid?”

  Her companion lent over the open pit and scratched at a nondescript bit of soil with his trowel. A distinct ring sounded from the steel.

  Hazel eyes widened in interest. “What is it?”

  Sid, with the battered hat, shook his head and gave a crooked smile. “We won’t know until we get the lights an all. Ask Uncle Bill to bring tucker up here. I need to keep on this.”

  Lampie straightened up and unselfconsciously brushed the loose sand off her knees, before bounding down the slope towards the small array of tents surrounding the fire. Sid pleased at her eager interest, took his attention off the trench for a brief moment and watched the vanishing figure, letting out a brief regretful sigh before returning his excavation.