The first bushranger
When you think bush rangers you always think of Ned Kelly, however did you know about John Caesar, the -first- bushranger and one of the first African people to colonise this continent.
He was born c1763 in possibly Madagascar and died 1796. Charged with the theft of some £12 he was sentenced to transportation for 7 years. He embarked in the London on 6 Jan 1787 in the ship Alexander, which reached Botany Bay with the First Fleet on 19 January 1788.
He was known as 'Black Caesar', he became known in the colony as a hard worker and labourer. In 1789 he was again tried for theft and sentenced to a second term of transportation, this time for life. 14 days later he stole arms and escaped into the bush, he was caught in June 1789.
After being caught he was sentenced to work in chains on Garden Island. A master overseer said of him:
"His frame was muscular and well calculated for hard labour; but in his intellects he did not very widely differ from a brute.”
Of course he said that.
On 22 December 1789, Caesar escaped in a stolen canoe taking a gun with him. He returned to the bush. He wasn't an ally however, let’s clear that up. He held Aboriginal folks at gunpoint for food. They, in turn, speared him as was their law/lore for theft. He surrendered himself in 1790 after the spearing.
Governor Phillip sent him to Norfolk Island. There he gained a measure of independence. By 1 July 1791 he was supporting himself on a lot at Queenborough and was issued with a pig. In January 1792 he was given one acre of land and ordered to work three days a week.
He returned to Port Jackson in 1794 but was soon back in custody and received severe punishment. Late in 1795 he was with a work party at Botany Bay that was attacked by Aboriginal warriors led by the great Pemulwuy, whom Caesar sadly wounded. He was a colonial settler after all.
He escaped from custody for the last time in December 1795 and led a gang of absconders and vagabonds in the Port Jackson area and in so doing became Australia's first ever bushranger. Every theft in the colony was ascribed to him. He became public enemy #1.
On 29 January 1796 Governor Hunter offered a reward of five gallons of spirits for his capture.
On 15 February Caesar was shot by John Wimbow at Strathfield, then called Liberty Plains, and died shortly thereafter.
It's tricky, John Caesar was a colonial settler, but was also sentenced to be one. He was hard working and conscientious but also shot at and stole from the people whose land he had settled and colonised from. Regardless, his story takes a backseat to Kelly's.
People often think that Australian history is only some 200+ years old and that it's boring. But that's because we've only been taught about white history that is 200+ years old.
This continent is ancient and it has its great heroes and myths and legends and most of them aren't white. The biggest mistake we can all make is to continue centering historical whiteness.
Hopefully you've learned a thing today. Give it a share so we can all learn a thing.
