Over the Range

Published in 1937, this book describes a single journey Idriess undertook with Constable Laurie O'Neill of the Western Australian Mounted Police, in the Kimberley area of northern Western Australia four years before in 1933. Specifically the journey covers ground north of the King Leopold Range - thus Over the Range from Derby, the main township in this location.

It is similar in theme to a previous Idriess book Man Tracks, except that that book contains multiple short stories about mounted police in the Kimberley, rather than a continuous narrative. Also in Man Tracks Idriess tells the stories and in this book Idriess is actually on the journey, so shares in the story.

In this book Constable O'Neill (who is referred to once by this title, henceforth as Laurie) shares his extensive knowledge of the local aborigines, their tribal behaviours, laws and ritual, their interactions with the few white settlers, the police and the aboriginal employees - trackers and assistants.

In the course of this journey they discover two murders, apprehend suspects, collect witnesses, take control of aboriginal lepers and the female companions of all these people, and bring them on the expedition to eventually return to Derby.

At the end of the day, it is an adventure story of Australia's wild north-west. It is relatively fast paced, well written, and explains the tactical advantage that the white man has over some aboriginal thinking which leaves them at a disadvantage. For example - at one point when 4 prisoners are chained to a tree overnight, there is a complex escape in which two other prisoners help pick the lock on a prisoner who does in fact escape. Had they picked the lock that linked all four to the tree instead of the lock on the prisoner, they could all have escaped the camp, then smashed the chain with rocks before spitting up, making it hard to capture all four with only the two trackers. Idreiss explains it thus: P267

Though wonderfully adept in natural ways, and showing keen thought when inclination and circumstance force him, the aboriginal seems to utterly lack that urge to carry on to a bigger and better conclusion.

From start to finish it was a knotty little problem for Laurie. He had to find out about it first [a crime in general, although a murder in this case], then solve it, then catch the outlaws if possible. He had to pierce the veil that shielded the action in one hundred aboriginal minds, then quickly assemble the facts by his aboriginal knowledge, aided by a wide local geography and knowledge of the hard-doer outside blacks and of their country. In addition he had to foresee the action of many as point by point he solved the case. The police officer on patrol has an interesting job, but he must have gained a wide and practical experience of the aboriginal, be blessed with bush-mastery of high order, have initiative, and the aptitude to retain a quick grasp of locality in an imperfectly mapped country.