Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume I Part 6

On the 23rd we pa.s.sed the meridian of Cape Van Diemen, in lat.i.tude 10 degrees 48 minutes. The same evening some land was indistinctly seen bearing South.

March 24.

The ensuing daylight discovered to us several islands in the South-South-East, having previously shoaled our soundings from 31 to 10 fathoms; and during the morning we steered through them.

The group contains several low coral-formed islands; the north-easternmost of which proved to be the New Year's Island of Lieutenant McCluer of the Bombay Marine; they are covered with a shrubby vegetation, and are severally surrounded by a coral reef: the princ.i.p.al of them were named Oxley's, McCluer's, and Lawson's Islands, and a larger and higher island in the South-South-West was named in compliment to my friend Captain Charles Grant, C.B., of the Royal Navy, under whose auspices I entered the naval service.

We steered on to the East-South-East through the first part of the night, with every prospect of reaching Cape Arnhem, where our examination of the coast westwardly was to commence.

March 26.

But at midnight the wind changed to the eastward, and at daylight (26th), the land was visible from south to South-West. At ten o'clock we fetched in close to a low sandy point, and then bore up to the westward along the coast, which appeared, as it afterwards proved to be, a part of the main.

The low point which commenced our survey was called Point Braithwaite, and one mile North-West from it is Point Hall: the sh.o.r.e then trends five miles to the westward to Point Cuthbert, from which a shoal communication extends towards a rock on which the sea broke: we pa.s.sed within the rock, carrying two and a quarter fathoms; and then hauled in for a point of land, called after my friend Captain G.H. Guion, R.N.; but not succeeding in finding anchorage under it, we bore away along the sh.o.r.e, and at night anch.o.r.ed off Point Turner. Between Points Guion and Turner is a deep but rocky bay, at the bottom of which is an appearance of an opening lined with mangroves: to the westward of Point Turner is another bay, which circ.u.mstances did not then allow of our examining. From our anchorage the land was traced as far as North-West, and appeared to be an island separated from the main by a strait.

March 27.

The next day we pa.s.sed through it, and anch.o.r.ed in a bay on the South-West side of the island, at about half a mile from the beach. The Strait was named Macquarie Strait, after the late Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, who administered the government of New South Wales for a period of nearly twelve years.

As the sh.o.r.es of the bay, in which we had anch.o.r.ed, appeared likely to afford both wood and water, of which articles we were much in want, I was induced to take advantage of the opportunity, and immediately made preparation to commence these occupations. In the evening a pit was dug for water, which oozed so fast into it, that we did not antic.i.p.ate any difficulty on that head, and the wood was both plentiful and convenient to the beach.

It was now about the termination of the rainy season, and everything bore the most luxuriant appearance; the gra.s.s, which covered the face of the island, was more than six feet high, and completely concealed us from each other as we walked to the summit of the hill, the sides of which were very thickly wooded. Upon the edge of the beach, the panda.n.u.s, the hibiscus, and a variety of other tropical trees and shrubs were growing, and the sand was variegated with the long-stemmed convolvulus in full flower.

The trees upon the hills were princ.i.p.ally a small-sized eucalyptus, which we cut for firewood, but the stem was generally found to be unsound, and totally useless for any purpose excepting for fuel. Among the flowers that were strewed about the island was a superb shrubby grevillea, with scarlet flowers. The casuarina grew also near the sandy beach but it seemed to prefer the exposed parts near the extremities of the sandy projections of the land where no other tree would grow. The wood of this tree appeared to be of a closer grain, and of a darker colour than the species that is usually found upon the north coast.

The only edible fruit that we found was a small black grape: it bore a very inferior resemblance to the common sweet-water grape, but the leaf and habit are altogether different.

The centre of the bay is formed by a sandy beach; it is terminated by cliffs of about forty feet in height, the upper stratum of which appeared to be an indurated clay of a very red colour, occasioned by the ferruginous nature of the rocks and soil; the lower part is a stratum of the whitest pipe-clay, the upper limit of which, from the surface having been washed clean by the late rains, was so defined and produced so striking a contrast in point of colour as to give the whole a most remarkable appearance.

At the distance of ten miles behind the beach of the mainland, which is very low, there is a continued ridge of rocky hills which was named Wellington Range, and behind them is the Tor, a remarkable rock that stands alone. The range is about twenty-five miles in extent, and its summit has a very irregular outline; it is visible for eight or nine leagues.

March 28.

The morning after our arrival a baseline was measured upon the beach for the survey of the bay, and whilst we were thus employed our people found and brought to me several traces of Malays, who, as we are informed by Captain Flinders, make annual visits to this part of the coast in large fleets, to fish for beche de mer.

Among the relics were old broken joints of bamboo, which the Malays use to carry their water in, some worn out cordage and a coconut, which had perhaps been left behind by accident. The traces appeared to be of so recent a date, that we conjectured the fleet was but a short distance to the eastward of the islands, and as the easterly monsoon had commenced, we were naturally in daily expectation of being overtaken by them. Our operations, therefore, were hurried, since we could not tell what might be the result of encountering them, as we were totally incapable of defending ourselves, should they be mischievously inclined. A look-out was therefore kept for their approach, and our people were held as much as possible within sight, so that we might be prepared to weigh and leave the place as soon as they should make their appearance.

The hole which had been dug for water was half full, but it was so brackish as to be quite unfit for use.

Upon further search a small pond was found by Mr. Cunningham in a hollow, at the back of the beach; but in the course of the day a run of water was discovered by Boongaree, at the north end of the beach, oozing out from the base of the pipe-clay cliffs, which proved upon examination to yield better water than the former, besides being very much more convenient to obtain.

Our wooding-party commenced operations the day after we arrived, and, on their returning on board at night, imprudently left their tools on sh.o.r.e.

March 29.

The next day, whilst the people were at dinner, Boongaree, whose eyes were constantly directed to the sh.o.r.e, espied five natives among the gra.s.s, which was so high as nearly to conceal them, walking towards our wooding-place; and, as they proceeded, it was perceived that they had stolen one of our station-flags, four of which had been erected on the beach to mark the baseline. On reaching the place where our people had been employed, three of the natives began to throw down a pile of wood that had been heaped up ready to embark, whilst the fourth crept on his hands and knees towards the other station-flags, and succeeded in carrying off two more before he was observed; but as he was on the point of taking the fourth he was detected, and two muskets were fired at him, upon which he fled into the woods, followed by his companions, carrying with them all our wooding tools.

During the morning a canoe, containing six or seven natives, had been seen on the opposite sh.o.r.e under Point Ross; but it had disappeared, and had probably brought the party over who had just robbed us. Mr. Bedwell suggested the idea of their having landed round the south point of the bay, where, if so, their canoe would be found. He was accordingly despatched to bring it away as a reprisal for our stolen flags and tools, and upon his pulling round the point he saw several natives standing by the canoe, which was hauled up on the beach. On the boat pulling in, one of the natives poised a spear, but he retreated with his companions into the wood the moment that our party landed, without throwing it. The canoe was then launched and brought on board. It appeared to have originally belonged to the Malays, for it was made from a log of teak; it was seventeen feet long and two feet broad, and had probably been either captured or stolen by these natives. During Mr. Bedwell's absence I landed, to observe some distances between the sun and moon, and this task was completed without interruption; the thieves were seen all the afternoon standing among the trees, watching our movements; and upon our making an excursion in the evening towards the north end of the bay, they were observed to follow us armed with spears, but they did not show themselves, since they probably perceived we were prepared to receive them.

Before dark the canoe was hoisted up to the stern, and our other boats were secured under it; notwithstanding which the natives swam off, and, when everything was quiet, cut the whale boat's moorings, without being detected, and swam away with her in tow; it was, however, discovered in time, and the boat recovered before the tide had drifted her out of sight.

March 30.

Early the next morning the cutter was removed nearer to the watering-place that Boongaree had found, and in doing this we were watched by ten or twelve natives, who were standing as they thought concealed among the trees. This afforded us so good an opportunity of expressing our anger at their attempt to steal our boat, and of showing them that we were not Malays, that we fired a shot from a six-pounder carronade over their heads, the report of which for a moment scared them; but their alarm was only momentary, for they soon afterwards recovered from their fright and continued to watch us as before.

As soon as the vessel was secured, our watering party commenced their operations, and had been employed for half an hour without interruption, when the natives suddenly appeared on the brink of the cliff that overhung the beach, and threw several large stones at our people, which slightly wounded three of them, before the muskets could be fired, upon which the Indians retreated into the woods. The attack having been observed from the vessel, the jolly-boat was dispatched to the sh.o.r.e with a.s.sistance, and with orders to Mr. Bedwell to keep the whale-boat moored at about fifteen or twenty yards from the beach with muskets ready to fire, so that with this protection the watering-party were enabled to continue their task without molestation. In the course of the day the natives collected again behind the trees, and were at one time advancing towards the cliffs, but being seen from the cutter a shot was fired over their heads, which deterred them from coming forward. This hostile conduct of the natives induced me to give up our intention of wooding at this island; since the Indians might easily advance under cover of the thick underwood, and throw their spears before we could be aware of their approach. As soon, therefore, as our watering was completed, I determined upon procuring our fuel from an island to the northward, which, during our visit, we had seen from the North-West point of the bay, and which, together with the one we were at, were called Goulburn Islands, in compliment to the then Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.

1818. April 1 to 4.

During our stay, Sims' Island, named at the request of Mr. Cunningham after Dr. Sims, the eminent conductor of the Botanical Magazine, was twice visited. It is situated in front of South-West Bay, is about two miles and a half in circ.u.mference, and formed of a large and coa.r.s.e granular quartzose sandstone, large rounded ma.s.ses of which cover the surface at its northern end, the summit of which was named Sansom's Head.

Sims' Island furnished a very large addition to Mr. Cunningham's collection, and among the flowers which it produced was a very beautiful sweet-scented asclepias. No snakes nor reptiles of any description were seen, but birds of various sorts were abundant, particularly the white c.o.c.katoo. Of the sea-fowl, a species of tern was the most numerous. An alligator, about fifteen feet long, swam about the vessel for some time, which made us afterwards rather cautious of walking through the high gra.s.s; but excepting a dog that followed the natives, no quadrupeds were seen.

Off the north point of the bay, at the distance of a furlong, and separated from it by a channel of from twelve to fifteen feet deep, are two rocks of the same formation as those on Sims' Island; on the largest was deposited a bottle containing a record on parchment of our visit. On this rock all our observations were taken, excepting a few at the south end of the sandy beach, before the natives showed themselves: the longitude of Bottle Rock was subsequently determined to be 133 degrees 19 minutes 40 seconds.*

(*Footnote. Vide Appendix A Section X.)

April 6.

We left South-west Bay on the 4th, and the following morning anch.o.r.ed in a bay on the west side of North Island, and on the 6th we commenced cutting our wood from a group of casuarinas that grew close to the beach.

In the afternoon, when our party returned on board to dinner, some natives were perceived examining our wooding-place, but our late experience had taught us the precaution of bringing our tools away, to prevent any further occasion of quarrel. They did not stop long but walked on, as if they had some other object; at about forty yards farther they halted again, and concealing themselves as they thought behind a bank, they watched us for half an hour; after which they walked away and disappeared among the trees.

April 7.

On our revisiting the sh.o.r.e, we traced their steps through the gra.s.s, and came up with a shallow well containing fresh water, which they had evidently taken the opportunity of our absence to drink at. Upon further search we found their encampment; it consisted of three or four dwellings of a very different description from any that we had before, or have since seen: they were of a conical shape, not more than three feet high, and not larger than would conveniently contain one person; they were built of sticks, stuck in the ground, and being united at the top, supported a roof of bark, which was again covered with sand, so that the hut looked more like a sand-hillock than the abode of a human creature: the opening was at one side, and about eighteen inches in diameter; but even this could be reduced when they were inside, by heaping the sand up before it. In one of the huts were found several strips of bamboo, and some fishing-nets, rudely made of the fibres of the bark of trees.

Mr. Cunningham took the advantage of a good spot of soil in the vicinity of our wooding-place to sow every sort of seed that we possessed, namely, peach, apricot, loquat (a Chinese fruit), lemon, seventeen sorts of culinary seeds, tobacco, roses, and a variety of other European plants; and in addition to these, the coconut was planted, which we had found upon the beach of South-West Bay, but it is very doubtful whether any have succeeded, on account of the custom that the natives have when the gra.s.s is dry, of setting fire to it, so that there is little doubt but that all the annual plants have been destroyed.

The bay was called Mullet Bay, in consequence of the immense shoals of that fish which were seen near the sh.o.r.es, and of which Boongaree speared several with his fiz-gig. The trepang were found about the rocks on the beach in great numbers, as they were also on the South Island.

April 8.

On the 8th we left Mullet Bay, and made an unsuccessful attempt to beat round the north end of the island, and to return by steering through the strait that separates the Northern from the Southern Island: we were, however, prevented by the freshness of the wind, and the strength of the current.

April 10.

On the 10th, we bore up with the intention of returning to South-West Bay. On approaching it, however, we were surprised with the sight of the Malay fleet steering through Macquarie Strait, towards two of their proas that had already anch.o.r.ed in a sandy bay on the South-West side of Sims'

Island. It was therefore determined that we should proceed as far to the westward before nightfall as we could, and as the bay to the South-East of Sims' Island had not been sufficiently seen by us, we steered off so as to reconnoitre the proas, and improve the survey at the same time.

As soon as we had reached the island, all the vessels but one had anch.o.r.ed, and their crews were busily engaged in pa.s.sing to and from the sh.o.r.e in small canoes, apparently watering. We pa.s.sed by at a small distance with our colours flying, which was answered by each hoisting a Dutch jack; but one of the proas, which was thought to be the Rajah's vessel, bore a blue flag in addition. Some stragglers on the rocks who appeared to take no part in the labours of the rest, and who were probably the chiefs, waved repeatedly to us to stop; but as their acquaintance could render us no service, I declined their invitations.

Our presence did not appear to have excited any particular bustle amongst them, but every precaution was taken on our part to repel any attack. The proas, which were fifteen in number, appeared to be of twenty-five to forty tons burden, and the fleet contained altogether at least three hundred men.

The evening was too far advanced to make any particular examination of the sinuosities of the bay; but, after pa.s.sing Sims' Island, our course was sufficiently near the coast to perceive the general outline of the beach as far as Point Brogden, off which we were at sunset. To the eastward of Point Brogden, which is more elevated than other parts, the coast a.s.sumes a cliffy character, and trends to the North-West towards De Courcy Head, which we reached before dark.

April 11.

During the night we were under weigh, and at daylight were near Grant's Island, which we had seen on the 24th of last month: we then steered for the land, and reached De Courcy Head by eight o'clock, and were on the point of hauling round Cape c.o.c.kburn, to explore a bay that trended in on its western side, when the Malay fleet which we pa.s.sed the preceding evening were seen standing towards us. Not liking to enter it until they had pa.s.sed by, we made a trip off sh.o.r.e, but to our great mortification, no sooner had they reached the cape, than they hauled in to the bay, and anchoring there, prevented, for the present, our visiting it; we had no wish, in our defenceless state, to form a better acquaintance with so suspicious a crew.

As the land to the westward of Cape c.o.c.kburn trended deeply in to the South-West, and formed a deep bay, we steered on to examine it, whilst the Malays occupied the anchorage in what we afterwards called Malay Bay; then pa.s.sing through a strait separating Point Annesley from Valentia Island, we entered Mountnorris Bay, and after coasting for some distance, until the bottom of the bay was visible, we anch.o.r.ed near the eastern sh.o.r.e, and pa.s.sed the night.