Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume I Part 24

Some account of the inhabitants.

Disappointed in not finding water.

Leave Zeeba Bay, and beat back against the monsoon to Coepang.

Complete wood and water, and procure refreshments.

Return to Port Jackson.

Pa.s.s the lat.i.tude a.s.signed to the Tryal Rocks.

Arrival in Sydney Cove.

1819. October 1.

We had now reached a part of the coast which, excepting a few of the islands that front it, the French expedition did not see: we should therefore have commenced its examination with more pleasure had we been in a state better fitted for the purpose; for we were rapidly consuming our stock of water without any prospect of finding a supply at this season; and this, added to the loss of our anchors, considerably lessened the satisfaction we should otherwise have felt in viewing the prospect before us.

After a calm and sultry morning a breeze from the North-East carried us towards the land, the situation of which was pointed out by the smoke of natives' fires. A little before three o'clock it was seen from the deck and as we stood towards it we narrowly escaped striking on a part of the shoal that extends off Cape Londonderry: our course was then directed towards some broken land in the South-West which proved to be a group of islands with a considerable sinuosity in the coast behind them; the eastern head of the bay was called Cape Talbot after the then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Between this and Cape Londonderry the coast is very low and defended by an extensive reef, which in many parts was dry.

During the night we stood off sh.o.r.e.

October 2.

And at daylight were eight miles from the islands. At nine o'clock, being calm, we anch.o.r.ed to the north of the group, which was named Sir Graham Moore's, in compliment to the gallant admiral then holding a seat at the Admiralty Board. The princ.i.p.al island is more elevated than the rest and has a flat tabular summit: it bore from the anchorage South 19 degrees East three miles and a half.

The sea-breeze set in from North-West with the change of tide; as soon as the sun's meridional alt.i.tude was observed we got under sail and steered to the West-South-West; but were soon after obliged to alter the course to avoid a shoal on which the sea was breaking within fifty yards of us.

After pa.s.sing this danger we found ourselves in a deep channel the seaward limit of which was formed by an extensive reef connected with Jones' Island. At sunset we anch.o.r.ed within one mile and a half of the sh.o.r.e in five fathoms and a half, soft sandy mud, off the entrance of a considerable bight or bay; which appeared to be so nearly blocked up by a reef of dry rocks that it was doubtful whether we should be able to penetrate without going round the Eclipse Islands; these islands were so named in consequence of an eclipse of the moon that took place in the evening; and the flat-topped mount which is conspicuous on the princ.i.p.al island of the group was named Eclipse Hill.

October 3.

The next morning was pa.s.sed in examining the reefs to the southward; we first landed on the south-east end of Long Island, where a set of bearings and a tolerable view up the bay were obtained. Long Island is of a rugged character and formed princ.i.p.ally of large water-worn ma.s.ses of quartzose sandstone superinc.u.mbent upon a basis of the same rock. The s.p.a.ces between them were occupied by a variety of plants, the examination of which fully employed Mr. Cunningham: natives' traces and fireplaces, and the remains of a turtle-feast were observed; but there were no signs of the islands having been very recently visited by the Indians: we afterwards landed upon some dry rocks that lie in the mid-channel, and whilst I was occupied in taking bearings the boat's crew fished, but with little success on account of the rapidity of the tide.

October 4.

After this we found and examined a tolerably wide and deep channel on the eastern side of the Middle Rocks; through which, as it appeared to be free from danger, the cutter was worked the next morning, and afterwards anch.o.r.ed near the western side of the bay; where the verdant appearance of the gra.s.s and trees that clothed the sides of the hills induced me to land for the purpose of searching for water; we were, however, disappointed: large streams of water had evidently very lately poured down the gullies; but there was not the least vestige of any remaining.

On the beach of one of the sandy bays the traces of natives were more numerous than usual; for we counted as many as forty small fireplaces arranged in a straight line along the beach; near to each were lying the stones on which the Indians had evidently been bruising seeds, particularly of the fruit of a new species of sterculia, the husks of which were strewed about: near the fireplaces were the remains of two huts; one of them was thrown down, but the other was perfect enough to give us an idea of its form and for us to recognise its resemblance to some we had seen on the East coast.

A curious implement was found on the sh.o.r.e, the use of which we could not at all conjecture, unless it had belonged to the Malays; it was fifteen feet long and five inches in diameter, and composed of three saplings firmly and closely united and covered with gra.s.s secured to it by rope twisted of strips of bark; it might have been a fender for the purpose of hanging between the Malay proas when moored together, to prevent their being injured by their sides coming in contact.

The sh.o.r.es and hills were thickly scattered over with large ma.s.ses of a dark red-coloured sandstone covered with a crust of quartz; the latter substance was not however found in a crystallized state. Everything bore the most parched and arid appearance; the country was certainly seen by us at the most disadvantageous season; but although the hills are thickly wooded the dwarf and stunted habit of the trees is a proof, if we had required it, of the shallow and unproductive quality of the soil. The smoke of three or four large fires were noticed on the opposite side of the bay, the flames of which blazed up as the seabreeze set in. Recent and numerous tracks of the kangaroo were observed in all directions. Fish were abundant, but none were caught. Before returning on board we visited two other places in the bay to make further search for water, but with no better success; and we began to despair of finding any upon the coast.

October 5.

We weighed the next day with the sea-breeze, and anch.o.r.ed in the south-east corner of the bay: in the evening we landed on a projecting point close to the anchorage and ascended its summit, which was so thickly covered with climbing plants that it was called Vine Head. From this station an extensive view was obtained of the bottom of the bay; and as it was nearly low water the time was favourable for my purpose. Near the anchorage was a small mangrove opening, the entrance of which was blocked up by a dry mud bank.

When we landed we found a piece of wood upon the beach with a nail-hole in it: it had probably been part of a Malay proa; for a fleet of such visitors, consisting of twenty-six vessels on the trepang fishery, was seen in this neighbourhood by the French in 1801;* and, according to their report, annually visit this part of the coast.

(*Footnote. Freycinet Terres Australes page 24.)

This day was spent in examining the sh.o.r.es of the bottom of the bay. We first pulled up the arm to the eastward of Vine Head which trends in for one mile, and then examined the bay on its western side, which was found to be both shoal and rocky. We next rowed inside of Jar Island whose peaked summit forms a very good mark for the channel between the Middle and Long Rocks. In pulling towards the west side of the bay, at the back of Jar Island, a native was perceived running along the rocky sh.o.r.e towards the point we were steering for; round which, as we pa.s.sed it yesterday, there appeared to be a deep cave or inlet. As we pulled along the sh.o.r.e we were amused in watching how nimbly the Indian leaped from rock to rock: he was alone and unarmed. At one time we pulled close to the sh.o.r.e and endeavoured to entice him to approach us, but he stood looking at us from the summit of a rocky eminence close to the beach, without attending to our invitations; and, upon our repeating them and resting on our oars, he retreated towards the smoke of a fire that was burning behind the mangroves on the south sh.o.r.e at the bottom of the inlet into which we were pulling; on approaching it we found that the native had already arrived and given the alarm to a family of Indians, consisting of three men, two women, and four children, who had been cooking their repast.

As soon as our approach was discovered the women took their baskets and moveables and hurried away with the children, whilst the men seized their spears to protect their retreat; but as our object was not to alarm these poor savages, we pulled over to the opposite sh.o.r.e, which was about sixty yards across, and landed: Mr. Cunningham and I then ascended a steep hill that rose immediately from the sh.o.r.e, the summit of which promised to afford us a prospect of the surrounding land. The view however from this eminence, although extensive, did not answer my expectation: a low country of an arid and barren appearance extended to the southward; the northern part of the land on which we were appeared to be that described by the French as Bougainville Island, but it was now clearly and distinctly ascertained to be a peninsula: our view to the north-west was intercepted by higher hills than those we were upon. After taking all the bearings that the confined prospect permitted, without having very materially improved my knowledge of the surrounding country, I began to think of returning to the boat, and on looking towards the natives perceived that they had left the tree and were standing about fifty yards farther back, attentively engaged in consultation and in watching our movements: besides their spears they carried short pieces of wood like throwing sticks, and one of them also held in his hand a shield. After some deliberation they moved quickly forward towards the foot of the hill on which we were, evidently with an intention of intercepting our return to the boat, but when we began to descend the hill they stopped and slowly retired to their former station; had they persevered they would have easily cut off our retreat, and as we had forgotten the precaution of arming ourselves the consequence might have been serious. This movement of the natives made us suspicious of no very friendly intentions on their part and hurried our return to the boat; but, the descent being steep and strewed with rocks which were concealed by gra.s.s higher than our middles, we did not reach the bottom of the hill without several bruises.

Upon re-embarking we perceived that the natives had again ascended the tree to watch our movements; but when they saw the boat pulling across the stream towards them they leaped down and retired among the trees.

After repeated calls which had not the effect of inducing them to approach, we rowed out of the cove, and, on pa.s.sing a projecting point that was less wooded than other parts, Mr. Cunningham expressed a wish to collect some specimens of the plants that were growing upon it. Whilst meditating upon the propriety of landing so near to the natives, whose conduct we had already some reason to suspect, a dog which we had before seen with them came from behind a bush near the water's edge and walked up to its knees in the water towards us; the boat was backed in and we endeavoured to entice it within our reach by throwing some food; but the animal, upon discovering that we were strangers, became shy, and after smelling about ran back towards a bush about fifty yards off; from which the natives, who had all the time been concealed behind it, rushed out and with loud shouts ran towards us: upon reaching the water's edge they threw several stones, one of which nearly struck the boat; they then prepared their spears, when it was found necessary to deter them by firing a musket over their heads; the noise of which had the desired effect; for, struck with a sudden panic at the report which echoed through the trees, they turned and fled; and as they scampered off two more b.a.l.l.s were fired over them, which, if possible, increased the rapidity of their flight until the trees concealed them from our view; after this we neither heard nor saw anything more of them.

This circ.u.mstance gave the name of Encounter Cove to the inlet. On our return we called at Jar Island and walked over it, but with difficulty, on account of the confused heaps of rugged stones that were strewed over its rocky surface. The spinifex that grew in the interstices of the rocks was also no inconsiderable hindrance to our movements. Behind the beach was a large basin full of salt water that, in the wet season, would doubtless furnish fresh, since it appeared to have been formed by the runs from the rocks, the upper surfaces of which were hollowed out by the effect of the rain: these holes or cisterns are probably full of water in the wet season.

On the beach we found a broken earthen pot which decidedly proved the fact of the Malays visiting this part of the coast and explained the mischievous disposition of the natives. Before we returned to the cutter we landed on some rocks in the bay, at the back of Jar Island, to fish, but having very little success we did not delay, and by sunset reached the vessel.

October 7.

On the 7th we left the anchorage under Vine Head, and by the aid of a breeze from the North-West worked out of the western entrance of the bay, which appeared to be quite free from danger of every sort.

At sunset we anch.o.r.ed in the outer part of the entrance in nine fathoms and a half, muddy bottom. On the west side of the peninsula we pa.s.sed three bays, from one to two miles deep and one mile broad; in each of these inlets there appeared to be good anchorage.

The bay was named Vansittart after the late Chancellor of the Exchequer.

October 8.

At daylight (8th) we weighed and stood out to the North-West between Troughton Island and Cape Bougainville. Round the latter projection the land trends so deeply in to the southward that it was lost to view; but two flat-topped islands were seen in the South-South-West, which afterwards proved to be some of Captain Baudin's Inst.i.tute Isles; we were now obliged to steer down the western side of the cape, for our further progress to the westward was stopped by a considerable reef extending north and south parallel with the land of Cape Bougainville. During the afternoon we had the wind and tide against us so that we made no progress. Some bights in the coast were approached with the intention of anchoring in them but the water was so deep and the ground so unfavourable for it that the stream anchor was eventually dropped in the offing in twenty-two fathoms: where during the night the tide set with unusual velocity and ran at the rate of one knot and three-quarters per hour.

October 9.

In the morning a view from the masthead enabled me to see a confused ma.s.s of rocks and islets in the South-West. At eight o'clock the flood tide commenced and the anchor being weighed, we steered towards the bottom of the gulf; on our way to which the positions of several small rocks and islets, which form a part of this archipelago, were fixed. At noon our lat.i.tude was 14 degrees 7 minutes 15 seconds, when the hill, which we ascended over Encounter Cove in Vansittart Bay, was seen bearing South 88 1/2 degrees East. The land to the southward was still far distant but with a fresh sea breeze we made rapid progress towards it and by four o'clock entered an extensive port at the bottom of the gulf and anch.o.r.ed in a bay on its western sh.o.r.e, land-locked, in four fathoms and three-quarters, mud. In finding this anchorage we considered ourselves fortunate for the freshness of the breeze in so dangerous a situation made me feel uneasy for our only anchor, which we must have dropped at night, however exposed our situation might have been: by midnight the breeze fell and we had a dead calm.

October 10.

The next day we landed on the west head of the bay, Crystal Head, where the meridional alt.i.tude of the sun was observed and sights for the chronometers taken; in the evening we ascended its summit and by a bearing of the land of Cape Bougainville the survey was connected with Vansittart Bay.

In the morning a young kangaroo was started by Mr. Cunningham but made its escape; the traces of these animals were very numerous on the sides of the hills; several birds new to us were seen, and we also found about the bushes the tail-feathers of the Cuculus phasia.n.u.s (Index Orn. Sup.

page 30). The summit of Crystal Head is of flat tabular form; and the sides, which are both steep and rugged, are covered with stunted trees and high gra.s.s, now quite dry: the geology of this part is princ.i.p.ally of siliceous sandstone; and on the beach we found large detached water-worn ma.s.ses of the same rock, incrusted with quartz and epidote in a crystallized state.

(*Footnote. The Centropus phasia.n.u.s Tem. a.n.a.l. plate 24. Polophilus phasia.n.u.s Shaw's Gen. Zool. volume 9 page 48 plate 11. Zool. Misc. plate 46. Pheasant Cuckow Gen. Syn. sup. 11 page 137.)

No natives were seen; but, from the large fires that were burning, a numerous party was probably collected at the bottom of the port.

October 11.

On the 11th we got under weigh and anch.o.r.ed again at a few miles further up the port, near a small rocky island where the lat.i.tude was observed to be 14 degrees 32 minutes 45 seconds. In the afternoon Mr. Roe and Mr.

Cunningham accompanied me in the whale-boat to examine the bottom of the port; which was found to terminate in two inlets winding under either side of a bold prominent range of steep rocky hills, thickly clothed with stunted trees. We pulled up the south-eastern arm; and having proceeded as far as prudence allowed, for from not calculating upon being absent long we had brought no provisions, we returned on board with the intention of examining it further on the following day. In rowing back, a kangaroo was seen skipping over the hills; and an alligator was lying asleep on the beach, but it rushed into the water as we pa.s.sed the spot.

October 12.

The next day Mr. Roe, accompanied by Mr. Cunningham, explored both arms; and from his report the plan is made: but as they are merely salt-water inlets, they are of little importance. During the absence of the boat the state of our provisions and water was examined, on both of which, as we had antic.i.p.ated, the rats had made considerable havoc; two of the casks were quite empty from holes gnawed by these animals to get at the water; and several were so short of their contents that we had but a fortnight's allowance left: this discovery induced me to determine on taking the first opportunity that should offer of leaving the coast and resorting to Timor; for, besides our want of water, several of the crew were attacked by scurvy, so that it was also necessary to visit it to procure some fresh provisions for them.

Port Warrender, which name was bestowed upon this fine harbour, is of considerable extent; the land is very rugged and rocky; but although the soil is shallow the hills on the western side are thickly covered with gra.s.s and trees; which grew so luxuriantly in the gullies and bore so verdant an appearance that fresh hopes were revived of finding water; we were however very soon convinced of its being entirely dest.i.tute of it.

On the eastern side of the port the land is much broken and fronted by several islands which were named after Sir John Osborn, one of the Lords of the Admiralty; among them is a conspicuous steep rocky head, like Mount c.o.c.kburn in Cambridge Gulf; it appeared to be perfectly inaccessible.

October 13.

At daylight (13th) we left the port; we had very little wind during the day and by sunset had only reached an anchorage off Point Pickering, so named after a late much-respected friend.