The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson Part 22

"Sat.u.r.day, 5th April. P.M. At 4 came alongside 2 canoes with only 3 men.

Lost the stock of the small bower anchor, unstocked the kedge and stocked the small bower, at 8 A.M. came alongside 3 chiefs from the Island of t.i.tteranee, friends of Tippahee. Lat.i.tude of anchorage 34 degrees 47 minutes 20 seconds south.

"Sunday, 6th April. On the Island of t.i.tteranee found the natives very friendly, the native Tookee that went to Norfolk Island came on board, the chiefs supplied the ship with fish, gave them bread in lieu.

"Monday, 7th April. P.M. Employed watering vessel, people on sh.o.r.e cutting brooms.

"Tuesday, 8th April. P.M. Several canoes alongside. Three chiefs on board. Boat returned having lost the seine among the rocks.

"Wednesday, 9th April. A.M. Sent people on sh.o.r.e to cut firewood.

"Thursday, 10th April. Moderate and cloudy. Painting ship.

"Friday, 11th April. Strong gales with rain. The 3 chiefs still on board.

"Sat.u.r.day, 12th April. A.M. Tippahee 2 or 3 times attempted to raise a disturbance in the vessel, lifted up weapons against some of the men whilst putting their orders into force. At noon Tippahee became very mutinous. I have understood from an Otaheitan on board he told one of the chiefs to go on sh.o.r.e and bring his men to attack the vessel.

"Sunday, 13th April. P.M. Ditto weather with a heavy sea in the offing, the wind has not changed more than 2 points these six days, sent the boat for greens for the Brig's company.

"Monday, 14th April. P.M. Strong gales with heavy rain. Painted ship, sent boat for greens.

"Tuesday, 15th April. At 8 A.M. sent for water.

"Wednesday, 16th April. Received boatload of water, people cutting wood on sh.o.r.e.

"Thursday, 17th April. At 4 sent boat for greens.

"Friday, 18th April. Sent boat for cask of water. A.M. Sent boat for greens, 2 chiefs on board.

"Sat.u.r.day, 19th April. P.M. Sent boat for water. Strong breezes and squally.

"Sunday, 20th April. P.M. Went with the boat to examine a deep bay to the south-west. Found at the bottom of the bay a river to run south-south-east and north-north-west about 3 miles, and one from the west-south-west to west-north-west there is about 4 fathoms water, it is not safe for any vessel drawing more than 12 feet to attempt entering, the tide runs out at 2 knots and flows about 8 or 10 feet. There is a shoal running off towards the starboard sh.o.r.e about west from the leeward sh.o.r.e, half-way up the bottom is a fine sand. There is a lagoon runs all along the deep bay aback of the beach; to the eastward of the River there is a deep bay runs in, about one mile apart. In returning on board the boat upset and lost overboard 2 musquets, 3 powder horns and 2 pistols.

"Monday, 21st April. Lost overboard 2 woodaxes.

"Tuesday, 22nd April. A.M. Weighed and made sail out of bay. Run from the ship Joseph Druce.

"Wednesday, 23rd April. P.M. Strong breezes with heavy swell--at 6 Cavill's Island about 6 leagues--at 12 tacked ship, saw a fire on sh.o.r.e, at 8 Cavill's Island about 10 miles. Noon. Lat.i.tude observed 34 degrees 43 minutes 57 seconds.

"Thursday, 24th April. Standing off and on working in sh.o.r.e, Point Poc.o.c.k* (* Point Poc.o.c.k of Cook now called Cape Wiwiki.) east-south-east Cape Brett east 14 miles. At 6 Cavill's Island south-south-east about 8 miles, at 12 fresh breezes and squally, at 4 ditto weather, tacked Cavill's Island south-west about 6 miles, at 8 tacked moderate, squally.

At noon Point Poc.o.c.k south-east Cape Brett about 14 miles. Lat.i.tude observed 35 degrees 3 minutes south.

"Friday, 25th April. P.M. Moderate breezes and cloudy. Point Poc.o.c.k about 6 miles, Cape Brett east by south 18 miles. At 8, 3 canoes alongside. At noon bore up between 2 islands and came to under the island Matuapo in 2 fathoms water.

"Sat.u.r.day, 26th April. P.M. Light winds and variable. A.M. At daylight got the house on deck and sent on sh.o.r.e the carpenter to build. Sent on sh.o.r.e all the tools and articles belonging to Tippahee.

"Monday, 28th April. A.M. Got on board 7 spars from the chief.

"Tuesday, 29th April. P.M. Strong breezes and squally weather. Stowed and lashed the spars. Carpenter about the house.

"Wednesday, 30th April. P.M. People stowing away wood. At noon hauled the boat on sh.o.r.e to repair--carpenter about the house.

"Thursday, 1st May. P.M. Small rain. Stowing away fire-wood, launched the boat. A.M. At 6 towed out in the stream, at 8 came to, Cape Brett east-north-east 8 miles. At noon sent back on sh.o.r.e for potatoes.

"Friday, 2nd May. At 6 made sail to work out of Cove, finding we could not weather the Cape Brett, bore up to come to an anchor, bore up for a bay to leeward.

"Sat.u.r.day, 3rd May. P.M. Sounded in 24 fathoms sandy bottom, the soundings run from 24 to 13 fathoms, very regular until you shut the Southern Island and Point Poc.o.c.k in, then sh.e.l.ls from 10 to 5 fathoms sand bottom.

"Sunday, 4th May. Several canoes alongside. Sailmaker making canvas buckets.

"Tuesday, 6th May. At 8 A.M. 30 canoes alongside: at 11 strong breezes from westward, in boat.

"Wednesday, 7th May. P.M. At 2 A.M. made sail out of the bay: at 5 Point Poc.o.c.k south-south-west 1 1/2 miles: at 8 Cavill's Island west-north-west 8 miles. At noon 7 canoes alongside.

"Thursday, 8th May. At 10 light breezes from the southward: weighed and made sail between Cavill's Island and the main, current not less than 5 fathoms mid-channel: at 6 ten canoes alongside. Wongoroa Island bearing south-south-west about 12 miles, Cavill Island south-east 4 miles.

"Friday, 9th May. P.M. Several canoes alongside. At 4 Wongaroa Island south-east about 3 miles: at 5 light breezes, made all sail along the coast, at 6 Cavill Island east by south. Wongaroa south-east by south.

Knuckle Point west 5 leagues, A.M. Knuckle Point south 3 miles: set up.

At noon North-West Cape about 6 miles: 5 canoes alongside.

"Sat.u.r.day, 10th May. At 2 bore up and made sail for Norfolk Island.

"Friday, 16th May. Light breezes and variable, thunder and lightning.

Found the current setting to north-east about 10 miles. By double alt.i.tude lat.i.tude 29 degrees 30 minutes 32 seconds. Lat.i.tude by observation 29 degrees 23 minutes 57 seconds.

"Monday, 19th May. Fresh breezes, wind and rain--at 4 Norfolk Island west-north-west and Phillip Island west 4 miles--at 5 bore up for Sydney.

At 6 fired a gun and made signal for a pilot, at 7 a boat came off from the sh.o.r.e and received a pilot.

"Wednesday, 21st May. Calm and dark cloudy weather with heavy showers of rain at times. At daylight saw a strange sail to south-east. At 7 joined company and proved to be the Ocean Whaler, from New Zealand.

"Thursday, 22nd May. Strong breezes and cloudy. Working between the islands. Noon, received no boat these 24 hours, landing being so bad.

"Friday, 23rd May. At daylight bore up for Sydney finding they would not send off a boat from Cascade, at 6 working in for Sydney.

"Sat.u.r.day, 24th May. P.M. Working in for Sydney. Received from Ocean Whaler 4 gallons of oil for use of vessel, at midnight stood in for bay, the flagstaff north-east by north. At noon received 2 boatloads of sundries.

Norfolk Island to Sydney.

"Monday, 26th May. Received on board Ensign Lawson New South Wales Corps with 6 privates and their baggage for a pa.s.sage to Port Jackson, discharged the pilot, at 7 weighed and made all sail for Port Jackson.

"Thursday, 5th June. Heavy sea from north-east. At 1 wind shifted to the south-east. Wore ship, Ball's Pyramid, at 6 distant off sh.o.r.e 10 miles, at 11 found main keel gone.

"Monday, 9th June. P.M. Fresh breezes, quarter past 3, Point Stephens bearing west-north-west about 12 miles. At noon fresh breezes and squally weather, Collier's Point north-west 1/2 west about 7 leagues, found the current setting to the northward about 18 hours this day.

"Tuesday, 10th June. At sunset Cape Three points south-west 1/2 west, Bird Island S. by S. about 5 miles.

"Friday, 13th June. Light breezes and cloudy. At 8 saw the light on the south head of Port Jackson, came on board pilot and took charge of the vessel, at 9 came to finding the tide done. At noon Bradley's Head 2 miles.

"Sat.u.r.day, 14th June. Half-past 1 weighed and made sail up the harbour, at half-past 3 came to in Sydney Cove.