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light exploded. He went to stay at a friend’s place in Adelaide River where, while chopping wood, a chip flew into
his eye. He became totally blind in 1987. He subsequently lived alone in a small flat at Pine Creek, checked on by
the Community Health sisters and Red Cross carers. He still cooked cakes and made his tea but got assistance with
shopping and letter writing. He enjoyed smoking, deftly rolling a thin cigarette and inserting it into a well-used
filter, but was never a drinker. He listened avidly to the radio and was well informed about the world at large.
He survived many of his associates and at 76 had an excellent recall and great memories as a participant in a very
interesting period of Top End history. Alf devoted nearly 30 years to fulfilling his promise to Bill Lucy and people
admired his dedication. Like many bushies he had a great range of talents, which were developed in a period where
one did it by experience, endurance and ingenuity. He was a great man of his time.
Personal information.
JAN HILLS, Vol 3.CONFALONIERI, ANGELO BERNARDO (1813–1848), first Catholic missionary in the Northern Territory,
son of Peter Confalonieri and Mary, nee Rossi, was born in Riva Del Garda in northern Italy on 22 June 1813.
He studied for the priesthood at Trent, which was not far from his birthplace and after serving a few years at
Ala he entered the College of Propaganda in Rome, the work of the congregation being to spread the Church
throughout the world.
In Rome Confalonieri met Bishop John Brady who had arrived in Europe to recruit missionaries and seek
financial assistance for the administration of the first settlement of Perth. The Holy See accepted Brady’s
suggestions as to how Australia should be divided up to facilitate the work of the apostolate and in May 1845
consecrated him bishop and assigned him the administration of the two vicariates on the south and north coasts of
Australia. Confalonieri volunteered to work amongst the Aborigines on the Cobourg Peninsula and Bishop Brady,
being favourably impressed with this young priest’s missionary zeal and gift of languages, immediately accepted
him. He chose two Irish Catechists, James Fagan and Nicholas Hogan to accompany him and was provided with
1000 Pounds by the Propagation of the Faith Society in Lyons. Before he left for Sydney Bishop Brady conferred
upon Confalonieri the full powers of Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Port Victoria.
After a tedious journey of four months from London, the missionary party arrived at Fremantle on the barque
Elizabeth in the heat of January 1846. There Brady held a council to discuss ways of converting the Aborigines and
it was decided to attempt to penetrate the interior. Angelo Confalonieri and his two Irish Catechists then proceeded
to their destination via Sydney and Torres Strait, as there was no shipping service up the west coast of Australia.
They left Fremantle on 1 March 1846.
On arrival in Sydney they were penniless and sought the help of Father John McEncroe who endorsed a bill of
100 Pounds for them. Archbishop John Bede Polding received them warmly and assisted them in their needs for
the northern mission as did Dr Gregory, Vicar General of Sydney, who provided them with a letter of introduction
to the military commandant of Port Essington, Captain John MacArthur of the Royal Marines.
At that time the schooner Heroine arrived in Sydney from the north. Her passengers included Ludwig Leichhardt
and his party of explorers who had been given up for dead after leaving the Darling Downs in October 1844 on
their 3 000-kilometre overland journey to Port Essington. Confalonieri quickly made himself known to the master
of Heroine, Captain Martin McKenzie and managed to secure a passage for himself, Fagan and Hogan as soon
as the vessel had revictualled and taken on stores for Victoria. The schooners Enchantress and Sapphire were
to accompany Heroine, through the then little known Torres Strait. McKenzie acted as commodore of this fleet.
They sailed on 8 April for Port Essington.
At one o’clock on the morning of 24 July 1846, Heroine struck a reef in the Torres Strait and sank in six
minutes. Father Confalonieri, Captain McKenzie’s Timorese wife and two Malays were thrown overboard and
eventually managed to cling to the main topmast head, which protruded three metres out of the water. A great
Newfoundland dog, Nelson, the property of Mr Ral, the ship’s mate, helped to remove the survivors one by one to
a nearby reef. From there Enchantress picked them up at daylight.
Captain McKenzie was rescued naked and exhausted after six hours in the sea, his daughter having died on his
back. The devastated survivors eventually reached their destination where Captain MacArthur and a sympathetic
garrison gave them every assistance.
Confalonieri was accommodated in one of the hospital wards at Victoria. As well as the greatest sorrow
of losing Fagan and Hogan, he had lost everything—books, papers, sacred vessels and of course his letter of
introduction to the commandant. In addition to this he had lost his glasses, which made him terribly miserable as
he was so shortsighted that he could hardly perceive objects until he touched them. Nevertheless, his faith was
strong. In a letter to Dr Gregory he told of the disaster and wrote, ‘I reckon the sufferings of this time not worthy
to be compared with the glory to come’.
As a result of his letter, published by the Catholic Press on 6 March 1847 substantial funds were raised.
Dr Gregory was first on the list with a donation of three Pounds and amongst others there was a donation of
10 Shillings and six Pence from a friend who could not spare it.
In the meantime Captain MacArthur supplied the priest with rations, and Confalonieri’s letters record the
warmth of his gratitude.
While recuperating, Confalonieri accepted an invitation by Captain Yule to join his survey ship HMS Bramble
on a livestock-buying voyage to the Ki Islands. Angelo took an Aboriginal boy, Jim Crow’, with him and bargained
with the rest, purchasing a sampan which was later stolen from him.