 In December 1867 Frank Jardine while still in charge of his cattle operations, was also appointed by the Queensland Government as police magistrate at Somerset.This appointment gave Jardine immense power over the Cape York region as he now was the government representative, had personal ownership of much of the land, controlled the seven police constables stationed at Somerset and also still commanded the four native troopers who had accompanied him on his overlanding journey in 1864.In May 1868, the local Aboriginal people organised a large assault on Jardine's Point Vallack cattle station which resulted in the death of one of his native troopers named Eulah, and the looting of a significant amount of supplies and firearms.