Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume I Part 29

July 31.

The next day, whilst busily employed at the tent in calculating some lunar distances, we were suddenly alarmed by the rapid approach of the flames; but having previously taken the precaution of burning the gra.s.s off round the tent, their advance was received with unconcern: the rapidity and fierceness however with which they approached made me fear that the sparks might set fire to the tent, upon which the instruments were moved to the water's edge and the tent pulled down; but, had not the gra.s.s been previously cleared away, we could not have saved any article, from the rapidity with which the flames spread through that which had been left standing and which was not more than ten yards from the tent.

1820. August 2.

Three days after the visit from the natives, Mr. Bedwell and Mr. Hunter proceeded to examine among the mangroves at the back of the harbour for a communication with some fresh water ponds which we had discovered the day before; but they returned in the afternoon without success. They had penetrated up two or three openings in the mangroves; in one of which was found a canoe, similar to that described by Woodcut 3: it was hollowed out of the trunk of the erythrina and was furnished with an outrigger. A turtle-peg was found in it, which Mr. Hunter brought away; it measured seventeen inches in length and was in other respects similar to that used by the natives of Rockingham Bay. (See Woodcut 4.) On the mud and close to the canoe the gentlemen noticed the impression of a human foot, that must have been made since the previous high tide. They also saw an alligator but it was not more than eight feet in length.

Mr. Cunningham returned in the evening from a walk to the summit of Mount Cook, much fatigued from the difficulty he experienced in the ascent: he brought with him however a collection of specimens and seeds, which fully repaid him for the toil of his excursion. He also rendered his expedition useful to me by taking the bearings of some reefs in the offing and by furnishing a sketch of the bay on the south side of the mountain, and of the rivulet which falls into it. This did not appear to him to be deep enough for a vessel larger than a boat. It was this bay that Captain Cook first examined for a place to repair his ship after his escape from the reef; but he found it much too inconvenient and exposed for his purpose; and it was after this that Endeavour River was discovered.

On one of Mr. Cunningham's explorations he found several cabbage palms (Seaforthia elegans, Brown); but they were too distant from the tents to induce me to send for any for the ship's company. Besides this he also found a species of yam (Caladium macrorhizum, Cunn. ma.n.u.scripts) the roots of which would have furnished an excellent subst.i.tute for vegetables for us, had the plants been found in abundance and convenient for gathering.

During our stay at this harbour our gentlemen visited every part of the country within five or six miles from the tents. The soil, although covered with gra.s.s, was generally remarked to be shallow and of inferior quality; as was sufficiently indicated by the small size of the trees.

The distance to which we had penetrated was by no means sufficient to give a fair idea of the nature of the country in the interior; which from its hilly appearance might be expected to possess both a rich soil and a better pasturage than the parts we had seen; but for the latter, the neighbourhood of the entrance of Endeavour River was by no means insignificant.

The small number of our crew prevented my sending away a party to examine the interior with any certainty of protection either to the travellers or to those left in charge of the vessel; and this circ.u.mstance, on several occasions, precluded us from forming any correct idea of the productions of the places we visited, which we probably might have been partially enabled to do by a walk of two or three miles from the sea.

Some kangaroos were seen by us during our visit; and Mr. Hunter shot a few birds: among the latter was a specimen of the Psittacus haematodus, or Blue-mountain parrot of Port Jackson; and a crane-like bird, similar to the Ardea antigone, was seen at a distance. Some of our gentlemen observed the impression of a bird's foot, resembling that of an emu; it was nine inches broad: very few insects were found here. We saw no more of the natives after their visit on the 30th but the smokes of their fires were frequently observed in the interior. Mr. Cunningham found some traces of their having eaten the fruit of the panda.n.u.s, of which he says, "Panda.n.u.s pedunculatus, Brown, forms ornamental clumps on these arid downs, and, being now heavily laden with its compound fruit, afforded me an ample supply of seeds in a well-ripened state. These tempting orange-coloured fruits had induced the natives to gather a quant.i.ty for the sake of the little pulp about their base, and I observed that, in order to enjoy themselves without trouble, they had lately kindled their fires immediately beneath some of the trees laden with fruit, which with some sh.e.l.lfish had afforded them a good repast." Cunningham ma.n.u.scripts.

The weather during our visit has been oftener clouded and hazy than clear: the wind veered between South-South-East and East-South-East, and was generally fresh and accompanied with squalls. The thermometer ranged on board in the shade between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the heat was by no means oppressive.

Having sufficiently attained our object in visiting this place, and having also taken the opportunity of completing our wood and water and repairing our boat, we prepared to sail.

August 5.

And on the 5th at seven o'clock in the morning weighed anchor and made for the bar; but the wind was so baffling and unsteady that we had great difficulty in pa.s.sing over it.

Our course was then directed round Cape Bedford towards Lizard Island. On our way we noticed several shoals. Off the south-west end of the island we saw a great many whales: soon after three o'clock we anch.o.r.ed in a sandy bay on its south-west side.

August 6.

The wind during the night and the following day blew so fresh as to prevent our proceeding; the delay was therefore taken advantage of by our gentlemen to land and examine the island. It may be recollected that it was from the summit of Lizard Island that Captain Cook discovered the openings in the reefs through which he pa.s.sed and got to sea; little thinking that, by so doing, he was incurring a greater risk than by remaining within the reefs and steering along the coast. Some of our people walked round the island where they found a whaler's ton b.u.t.t cast upon the beach: it had probably belonged to the Echo. Near the cask were lying several coconuts, one of which was quite sound and perfect. The beach was strewed with pumice-stone heaped up above the high-water mark.

The basis of the island is a coa.r.s.e-grained granite. A shallow soil on the sides of the hills, the surface of which was thickly strewed with stones and large ma.s.ses of rock, nourished a slight clothing of gra.s.s and other herbage. The summit of the island forms a peak, and is perhaps about a thousand feet high; the island is thinly wooded with small trees which scarcely deserve the appellation of timber.

No natives were seen but it was evident they had lately been upon the island from the recent appearances of their fireplaces and the perfect state of a hut, which was a more comfortable habitation than we have usually found: it was arched over in the usual way, by twigs bent in the form of a dome; and was neatly thatched with dry gra.s.s. No turtle marks were noticed on the beach so that I should think this was not the season for laying their eggs.

August 8.

We were detained at this anchorage from the unfavourable state of the weather until the 8th, on which day we sailed and steered for Howick Group on a direct and unimpeded course. The channel appeared equally free on either side of the group; but as it was a material object, on account of the unfavourable state of the weather, to make sure of reaching the anchorage under Cape Flinders, we did not attempt to pa.s.s round the northern side but steered through the strait between 2 and 3, and then over our former track round Cape Melville. At six o'clock we anch.o.r.ed under Cape Flinders. Between Point Barrow and Cape Melville I had an opportunity of improving my chart with respect to the reefs in the offing, and of observing the outer limit of the barrier reefs which were distinguished by the heavy breakers that lined the horizon. On rounding Cape Melville, the remarkable feature of which has been previously described above, a pine-like tree was noticed growing on the summit of the ridge: Mr. Cunningham thought it was the Araucaria excelsa; if his conjecture was right this tree occupies a s.p.a.ce of 900 miles of coast, between 14 degrees 10 minutes and 29 degrees 30 minutes. It might however have been a callitris.

On pa.s.sing round Cape Flinders the remains of the Frederick's wreck were still seen scattered over the rocks but appeared much reduced in quant.i.ty.

August 9.

Upon visiting it the next morning we observed evident proofs that some ship had lately been there and taken away several of her princ.i.p.al spars; and that a great portion of the smaller planks had been destroyed by the natives' fires. We took the opportunity of collecting some iron-work and teak planks, which afterwards proved more serviceable than we at the time antic.i.p.ated.

Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Hunter walked about the island but did not meet the natives. The traces both of men and dogs were so recent as to make us conjecture they were at no great distance; but from our subsequent knowledge of the inhabitants of these islands there is no doubt but that they would have shown themselves had they known of our visit. Mr.

Cunningham also ascended a remarkably rugged-looking hill at the south point of the bay on the east side of the island, which, from its appearance, received several appropriate names from our people, such as Mount Dreary and Mount Horrid. Mr. Cunningham calls it Rugged Mount, and says, "it is thinly covered with a small variety of plants similar to those of Cape Cleveland. This mount is a pile of rugged rocks, towered up to a considerable elevation above the sea which washes its base: the stones of the summit being of angular or conical forms (apparently basaltic) whilst the general ma.s.s on the slopes or declivities are deeply excavated, furnishing s.p.a.cious retreats to the natives. I entered one of the caverns (the walls of which were of a decomposing sandstone) having a window formed in it by the falling down of a portion of the side rock.

The cave was a large natural chamber, capacious enough to hold conveniently a large tribe of natives; who, from the numerous fireplaces, broken turtle staffs, and other relics, had not very long since dwelt there. I also found numerous fragments of quartzose rocks lying about and pieces of a kind of marble, of a brown colour, were abundant in the cavities, as well as upon the face of the mount." (Cunningham ma.n.u.scripts.)

August 10.

Upon leaving Cape Flinders we crossed Princess Charlotte's Bay and steered at half to three-quarters of a mile within the reefs: soon after noon it fell calm and we anch.o.r.ed under the lee of Pelican Island, and landed upon it to examine an appearance of turtle marks on the sand; they were however found to be of an old date.

This island, which does not measure more than two-thirds of a mile in circ.u.mference, is surrounded by a considerable reef and is remarkable for two clumps of trees upon it, that, standing separately, give the appearance at a distance of its being two distinct islets. It is, like all the islets near it, little better than a sandy key.

While I was employed in levelling the theodolite the gentlemen directed their steps to a flight of pelicans that was seen collected upon the beach; at their approach the old birds took wing and left their unfledged young, to the number of eighteen or twenty, waddling about the sand, all of which were killed and skinned before we embarked for the sake of their white down. On the islet three very neatly-constructed natives' huts were observed, that, from their appearance and the very recent state of the fish-bones and turtle-sh.e.l.ls scattered about, had been lately occupied.

The reef is of circular shape; the surface is formed princ.i.p.ally of a rotten, crumbling coral rock and was dest.i.tute of sh.e.l.ls or any animal production except the beche de mer: of which the black sort (batoo) appeared the most abundant.

Among the bearings obtained from this station was that of the highest summit of Flinders' Group, which bore South 61 degrees 26 minutes East (magnetic) and, as a connecting bearing, was of considerable importance to the survey.

August 11.

The day was too far advanced to make further progress with any advantage; we, therefore, remained until the following morning when we steered North-North-West, but were soon impeded by a very extensive reef, m, that crossed our course, trending to the North-East. Wishing to ascertain its extent to seaward, as well as to pa.s.s round its windward side, we steered along its south-eastern edge; and after proceeding for some time, first in a North-East, then a North, and afterwards in a North-North-West direction, found ourselves running through a narrow channel formed by another considerable reef, l, to the eastward, and lying in a parallel direction with m: the breadth of this pa.s.s, or channel, varied between one and two miles. At nine o'clock, having run about ten miles, a break appeared in the innermost reef, m, through which we made an attempt to pa.s.s. As we approached it our soundings quickly decreased, yet still we hoped to effect our object; but suddenly shoaling the water to five fathoms, and at the next heave to ten feet and a half, with the coral rocks almost grazing the vessel's bottom, the helm was put down; fortunately she stayed and we escaped the danger. There was every appearance of a termination of the reef a few miles further to the north-east, but the glare of the sun was so deceptious that I preferred returning by the way we came; and having a leading fresh wind, we were by noon steering between the south-west end of the reef m and the woody islands 2 and 3 of Claremont Isles.

Between this and Cape Sidmouth several reefs were seen to seaward that we had not noticed last year. In pa.s.sing the cape we kept nearer to the sandy islet 7 than before, and had not less water than seven fathoms.

August 12.

The next morning, having pa.s.sed the night under Night Island, we resumed our course and steered round Cape Direction, with the intention of pa.s.sing to windward of the long reef, f; but being prevented by its extending too much to the eastward to allow of our weathering it we bore up, and, pa.s.sing to the eastward of Piper's Islands and of reef l, anch.o.r.ed under Haggerston's Island.

August 13.

As I did not intend running farther than Sunday Island for my next anchorage we did not weigh the following day until we had visited the island and obtained a meridional alt.i.tude for its lat.i.tude and sights for the time-keeper. It is about a mile and a half in circ.u.mference and forms a high rock of steep ascent; its windward side is clothed with a stunted brush, but the lee or north-west side is tolerably well wooded, and is fronted by a sandy beach, on which the traces of natives' fireplaces, scattered with fish-bones and turtle sh.e.l.ls, were found in all directions. A considerable coral-reef extends to the northward, having some dry sandy keys at its north extremity. An extensive view of the neighbouring reefs and islands was obtained from the summit, particularly of the reefs n and o, and of the deep-water channel between them.

August 14.

Our next anchorage was under Sunday Island, and on the 14th we proceeded outside the Bird Isles and between two coral reefs, v and w, that appeared last year to be connected. Several reefs were also noticed to seaward that had escaped our observation last year, but they are all of small extent, and on the greater number there is a dry bank of sand which on some is bare, whilst others are covered with bushes and small trees.

As the day was too far advanced to permit us to pa.s.s round Cape York before night we anch.o.r.ed in the afternoon under Cairncross Island and spent the evening on sh.o.r.e. This island is low and wooded like the other and is not more than a mile in circ.u.mference. It is thickly covered with bushes and trees, among which Mr. Cunningham found a great many plants that interested him, particularly the bulbous roots of a species of pancratium, and some large specimens of Mimusops kauki in fruit, besides which he observed a remarkable tree which he has described in his journal by the name of Gueltarda octandra. "It is a strong luxuriant tree, having a stem six feet diameter, whose base is much like the spurred bulb of a tropical fig." (Cunningham ma.n.u.scripts.)

The island is situated at the north-west end of the reef which is two miles and a half long and one mile broad, and composed like that of Pelican Island, of dead coral hardened by the weather and cemented by its own calcareous deposit into ma.s.ses of compact rocks which, being heaped up by the surf, form a key that probably the high-tide scarcely ever covers. The interior is occupied by a shoal lagoon in which, although not more than two feet deep, our people saw a great variety of fish, and among them a shark five feet long, which, notwithstanding there was scarcely sufficient water for it to float in, contrived to escape. A few sh.e.l.ls of the Voluta ethiopica and some clams (Chama gigas) were found, but neither sort was plentiful. The natives, as appeared from their traces, occasionally visit the island: our people found some deserted turtles' nests, and Mr. Cunningham saw a pigeon that appeared to be new; it was of large size and of black and white plumage: besides this no other bird was seen.

We now began for the first time to feel the effects of our accident at Port Bowen, for the tide, setting against the wind, caused a short swell, in which the cutter strained so much that she made two inches and a half of water per hour.

August 15.

At noon the next day we rounded Cape York; and, as we had last year taken the route to the northward of Wednesday Island, we now steered round the south side of Prince of Wales Islands through Endeavour Strait.

August 16.

And pa.s.sing the night under one of the Possession Islands, Number 2, the next day reached b.o.o.by Island off which we anch.o.r.ed. On our course to the westward of Cape Cornwall and across the line of shoals that extend from it to Wallis Isles we had not less water than four fathoms.

In the afternoon we landed on b.o.o.by Island and at night procured turtles, and about a thousand eggs.

On the summit of the island, or rather the rock, several piles of stones were observed that had been heaped up by the crews of the various ships pa.s.sing by, as relics of their visit: among other notices of a similar nature we found a board indicating the safe pa.s.sage through the strait of the ship Sea-Flower, which our logbook informed us left Port Jackson on the 21st of last May; and from the memorandum on the board we found that she took the outer pa.s.sage, entered Torres Strait at Murray's Island, and arrived off b.o.o.by Island, after a voyage of twenty-two days.

A good opportunity was here offered, by comparing our voyage with that of the Sea-Flower, of proving the superiority of the insh.o.r.e route: the Mermaid left Port Jackson on the 12th July, and pa.s.sed b.o.o.by Island on the 16th August, which is an interval of thirty-five days; from this fifteen must be deducted for the delays occasioned by the survey; namely, at Port Bowen two days, at Endeavour River nine days, at Lizard Island, Cape Flinders, Haggerston's Island, and the Possession Islands, one day each; this leaves twenty days for our pa.s.sage, being two days shorter than the Sea-Flower's. This comparison therefore is in favour of the insh.o.r.e route. But it is not only superior to the pa.s.sage without the reefs, from its being shorter, there are also other advantages: the princ.i.p.al of which are that the weather is more generally fine; the sea is always perfectly smooth; and wood or water may be procured upon various parts of the coast: with only common attention there is no risk; and however laboriously the day may be spent the night is pa.s.sed without disturbing the crew; for safe and good anchorage may be taken up every night under the lee of an islet or a reef, which in the event of bad weather may be retained as long as is requisite or convenient. No time is lost by the delay, for the anchor may be dropped in the ship's immediate track; and if the cargo consists of live animals such as horses, cattle, or sheep, gra.s.s may be obtained for them from the islands near the anchorage.