Chapter 10 (1)

Cross the Gulf of Carpentaria, and anchor at Goulburn's South Island. Affair with the natives. Resume the survey of the coast at Cassini Island. Survey of Montagu Sound, York Sound, and Prince Frederic's Harbour. Hunter's and Roe's Rivers, Port Nelson, Coronation Islands. Transactions at Careening Bay. Repair the cutter's bottom. General geognostical and botanical observations. Natives' huts. Brunswick Bay. Prince Regent's River. Leave the coast in a leaky state. Tryal Rocks, Cloates Island. Pass round the west and south coasts. Bass Strait. Escape from shipwreck. Botany Bay. Arrival at Port Jackson.

1820. August 17.

We did not leave our anchorage off Booby Island until the next morning, in order that we might obtain sights for the watches, and have the advantage of daylight for passing over the position assigned to a shoal, said to have been seen by the ship Aurora. After weighing we steered West-South-West for sixty miles without seeing any signs of it; and on this course our soundings very gradually increased to thirty fathoms.

August 18 to 19.

On our passage across the Gulf of Carpentaria we had very fine weather but the horizon was enveloped in haze. The South-East monsoon was steady but very light; and the wind during the day veered occasionally to North-East, which might here be called a sea-breeze.

August 19.

On the 19th we passed Cape Wessel. Hence we steered for Goulburn Islands.

August 21.

And on the afternoon of the 21st anchored in South West Bay, off the watering-place, which was running very slowly; a hole was dug to receive the drainings.

August 22.

And the next morning we commenced operations, but, from the small supply of water, our progress was very slow.

The natives had not made their appearance, but knowing whom we had to deal with, every precaution was taken to prevent surprise: an armed party was stationed to protect the remainder of our people who were cutting down the trees which grew immediately over the watering-place on the brink of the cliff; and the officers and men were severally cautioned against straying away from the shore party without taking the precaution of carrying arms.

Mr. Hunter and Mr. Cunningham ranged about the island near our wooding party; the former gentleman shot for us several birds, among which was a white cockatoo that differed from the species that is common at Port Jackson in being smaller and having a very small white crest or top-knot without any yellow feathers in it: its mandibles and feet were white but the feathers on the under part of the wings had the usual yellow tinge.

Mr. Cunningham was successfully employed in adding to his collections, but the dry season was so far advanced and the country so parched up that everything bespoke the last season as having been unusually dry.

August 23.

On the following day, when our people resumed their occupation, they were again cautioned not to trust to the apparent absence of the natives. In the afternoon Mr. Roe walked along the beach with his gun in quest of birds: on his way he met Mr. Hunter returning from a walk in which he had encountered no recent signs of the Indians. This information emboldened Mr. Roe to wander farther than was prudent, and in the mean time Mr. Hunter returned to our party in order to go on board; he had however scarcely reached our station when the report of a musket and Mr. Roe's distant shouting were heard. The people immediately seized their arms and hastened to his relief and by this prompt conduct probably saved his life.

It appeared that, after parting from Mr. Hunter, he left the beach and pursued his walk among the trees; he had not proceeded more than fifty yards when he fired at a bird: he was cautious enough to reload before he moved from the spot in search of his game, but this was scarcely done before a boomerang* whizzed past his head, and struck a tree close by with great force. Upon looking round towards the verge of the cliff, which was about twenty yards off, he saw several natives; who upon finding they were discovered set up a loud and savage yell, and threw another boomerang and several spears at him, all of which providentially missed. Emboldened by their numbers and by his apparent defenceless situation, they were following up the attack by a nearer approach, when he fired amongst them, and for a moment stopped their advance. Mr. Roe's next care was to reload, but to his extreme mortification and dismay he found his cartouch box had turned round in the belt and every cartridge had dropped out: being thus deprived of his ammunition, and having no other resource left but to make his escape, he turned round and ran towards the beach; at the same time shouting loudly to apprize our people of his danger. He was now pursued by three of the natives, whilst the rest ran along the cliff to cut off his retreat.

(*Footnote. See Note above.)

On his reaching the edge of the water, he found the sand so soft that at every step his feet sunk three or four inches, which so distressed him and impeded his progress that he must soon have fallen overpowered with fatigue had not the sudden appearance of our people, at the same time that it inspired him with fresh hopes of escape, arrested the progress of the natives, who, after throwing two or three spears without effect, stopped and gave him time to join our party, quite spent with the extraordinary effort he had made to save his life.

Whilst this event occurred I was employed on board in constructing my rough chart, but upon Mr. Roe's being seen from the deck in the act of running along the beach pursued by the Indians, I hastened on shore, determined if possible to punish them for such unprovoked hostility. Upon landing, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Roe, and one of the men joined me in pursuit of the natives; but from our comparatively slow movements and our ignorance of the country, we returned after an hour without having seen any signs of them; in the evening before our people left off work we made another circuitous walk, but with the same bad success. The natives had taken the alarm and nothing more was seen of them during the remainder of our stay, excepting the smokes of their fires which appeared over the trees at the back of the island.

Previous to this attack upon Mr. Roe the natives had probably been following Mr. Hunter; and were doubtless deterred from attacking him by witnessing the destructive effects of his gun among a flight of cockatoos, five or six of which he brought away, and left as many more hopping about the grass wounded and making the woods re-echo with their screams. When Mr. Hunter parted from Mr. Roe the natives remained to watch the latter gentleman; and no sooner had he discharged his gun, which they found was of no use until it was reloaded, than they commenced their attack; and from the known dexterity of the natives of this country in throwing the spear it was not a little surprising that they missed him so repeatedly.

Before we embarked for the night I walked with Mr. Roe to the place where he was attacked, in order to look for the spears that had been thrown at him and for the cartridges he had lost; but as neither were found, we were revengeful enough to hope that the natives would burn their fingers with the powder, an event not at all unlikely to occur, from their ignorance of the dangerous effect of placing the cartridges near the fire, which they would be sure to do.

During our visit we were fortunate in having very fine weather; and although it was very hazy we did not experience that excessive heat which, from the advanced state of the season, had been expected. The thermometer ranged between 73 and 83 degrees; but the regularity and strength of the sea-breezes tended materially to keep the air cool and pleasant.

August 25.

On the 25th the gentlemen visited Sims' Island, where they found a considerable quantity of fresh water in holes that had apparently been dug for the purpose by the Malays. Among the insects which they brought back with them was a very fine species of cimex; it was found in great numbers upon the foliage of Hibiscus tiliaceus.

In the evening we left the bay.

August 26.

And the next morning passed to the northward of New Year's Island in order to avoid the calm weather which was experienced at the same season last year.

Off the entrance of Van Diemen's Gulf (Dundas Strait) we passed through large quantities of sea sawdust, some of which was put into a bottle; and when the process of putrefaction had taken place the substance sunk to the bottom and coloured the water with a crimson tinge.

1820. September 3.

After passing the meridian of Cape Van Diemen our course was directed towards Captain Baudin's Banc des Holothuries near Cape Bougainville; but being impeded by calms and light winds did not reach it until the 3rd of September, when we passed between its south-east extremity and Troughton Island. Before dark we passed over the north extremity of the long reef to the westward of Cape Bougainville.

September 5.

The following day at noon we were near Condillac Island, after which a sea-breeze from the westward enabled us to pass Cape Voltaire, at which point our last year's survey terminated. When we were within the Cape we found an ebb-tide setting out of a bight, which trended deeply in to the southward and appeared to be studded with rocky islands. This adverse tide continued to run all the evening and prevented our reaching the bottom; so that at sunset we dropped the anchor a few miles to the south of Cape Voltaire.

To the westward of this position we counted twenty-three islands, the northernmost of which were supposed to be the Montalivet Isles of Baudin. The whole have an uninteresting and rocky appearance but are not altogether destitute of vegetation: a greenish tinge upon the nearest islet saved them from being condemned as absolutely sterile.

September 6.

The next morning a boat visited the outer north-easternmost islet, named in the chart Water Island, which was found to be as rocky in reality as it was in appearance. It is formed of a hard granular quartzose sandstone, of a bluish-gray colour; the basis is disposed in horizontal strata but the surface is covered with large amorphous rocks of the same character that have evidently been detached and heaped together by some convulsion of nature: over these a shallow soil is sprinkled, which nourishes our old acquaintance spinifex, and a variety of plants of which Mr. Cunningham collected more than twenty distinct known genera. The exposed surfaces of the rocks are coloured by the oxide of iron, which is so generally the case upon the northern and north-western coasts that the name of Red Coast might with some degree of propriety be applied to a great portion of this continent.

Mr. Hunter found a large quantity of bulbous-rooted plants; they proved to be a liliaceous plant of the same species as those which we had before found upon Sims' Island, the islands of Flinders' Group on the eastern coast, and at Percy Island.

A meridional altitude of the sun was obtained on the north side of the island; and before we embarked the boat's crew found fresh water enough to fill our barica: this was so unusual a discovery that the island was complimented with a name which will serve rather to record the fact than to distinguish it as a place where so important an article of refreshment may be procured with certainty. In the rainy season a large quantity may always be obtained from cisterns, or holes, which were observed naturally formed upon the surface of the rocks.

The marks of a turtle were noticed upon the beach; and near them was the impression of a native's foot as well as the broken shells of some turtles' eggs which had very recently been eaten. This discovery set the boat's crew on the search for other nests but they were unsuccessful.

An extensive view of the surrounding islands was obtained from its summit, as well as a set of bearings for the survey of this Sound, which was named at Mr. Hunter's request after Robert Montagu, Esquire, Admiral of the White.

A sea-breeze set in before we left the island: upon arriving on board we got underweigh and at four o'clock anchored near the bottom of the bay (Swift's Bay) in the entrance of a strait separating Kater's Island from the main.

In the evening we landed upon the south-east end of Kater's Island and found it to be in character, both geologically and botanically, very similar to Water Island; excepting that there was more vegetation upon it in the shape of shrubs and trees. The surface of the ground was covered by spinifex, which rendered our walking both difficult and painful; this plant diffuses a strong aromatic odour, which quality it possesses, as it were, to counterbalance the annoying effects of its prickly foliage.

September 7.

The next day Mr. Bedwell examined a small inlet at the bottom of the bay. It proved to be merely a salt-water creek bounded by rocks and mangroves. Traces of natives were observed; and he brought on board with him the remains of a fish-pot, nine feet long, made of strips of Flagellaria indica, but so imperfect and disfigured that we could not readily convince ourselves either of its particular construction or use. In the evening we found a few gallons of water in a hollow near the beach upon the south shore of the strait. During Mr. Bedwell's absence a hot land-wind from South-East sprung up and raised the temperature to 90 degrees.

The peculiar verdure of the vegetation in all parts hereabout was a proof that this part of the country had suffered less from drought than the coast to the eastward. The traces of a small species of kangaroo were found in every part but our appearance had frightened them away. The food of this animal appeared to be principally the seeds and leaves of an acacia which they reach easily from the rocks.

Mr. Cunningham, who was as usual most indefatigable in adding to his collection, observed one of the large nests that have been so frequently before described. It was six feet in diameter, formed principally of sticks, among which was found a piece of bamboo about five feet long, that had evidently been cut at its extremities by a sharp-edged tool, probably by the Malays. Whatever the inhabitant of this nest might have been it was doubtless a bird of considerable size and power to have transported a stick of such a length.

September 8.

The next morning after Mr. Roe had sounded the strait that separates Kater's Island from the main we got underweigh and passed through it; and then rounding a high island named after Dr. W.H. Wollaston, we steered to the westward through a group of islets which were too numerous to be correctly placed in a running survey. To the westward of Wollaston Island is a deep bay which, from the broken appearance of the coast at the back, there is some reason to think may prove the embouchure of a small rivulet; but as it was not of sufficient importance to cause delay it was passed with the appellation of Mudge Bay. In the evening we anchored off an island named on account of the peculiar shape of a rock near the beach Capstan Island; and as it wanted yet an hour to sunset we landed and ascended the summit which, from its very rugged ascent, was no easy task. A view however from this elevated station, and an amplitude of the setting sun, repaid me for my trouble; and Mr. Cunningham increased his collection by the addition of some interesting plants and a few papers of seeds.

The distance that the French expedition kept from this part of the coast, of which M. De Freycinet so often and so justly complains, prevented it from ascertaining the detail of its shores: in fact very few parts of it were seen at all. Commodore Baudin's Cape Chateaurenaud must be some low island which we did not see, unless it was the outermost of our Prudhoe Islands.

Montagu Sound is bounded on the west by an island of considerable size which was named in compliment to John Thomas Bigge, Esquire, his Majesty's late Commissioner of Inquiry into the state of the colony of New South Wales. Bigge Island is separated from the main by a strait named after the Reverend Thomas Hobbes Scott, now Archdeacon of New South Wales, formerly Secretary to the above commission.

September 9.

The next morning we steered through Scott's Strait but not without running much risk on account of the muddy state of the water, and from the rocky nature of its channel. It was however passed without accident; but as the tide prevented our doubling Cape Pond the anchor was dropped, and the evening spent on shore upon a rocky island that fronts the Cape, from the summit of which an extensive set of bearings was taken. The land was observed to trend in very deeply to the southward of Cape Pond and the western horizon was bounded by a range of islands on which were two hills of sugarloaf form. This island, like Capstan Island, is a heap of sandstone rocks, clothed with the usual quantity of spinifex and small shrubs. A path of the natives was observed winding among the grass and on the beach were the marks of feet. The tide fell whilst we were on shore twenty-two feet.

September 10.

The next morning we steered round Cape Pond and entered the opening; but, the wind being contrary, we did not reach farther than Anderdon's Islands, where the night was passed.

September 11.

The next day we took advantage of the flood-tide and before high water anchored where the depth at low water was three fathoms. The tide subsequently rose twenty-eight feet.

We were now at the bottom of a very extensive harbour bounded by bold and irregular ranges of precipitous rocky hills, particularly on its eastern side, where three or four peaks were noticed, among which were Manning Peak and Mount Anderdon. Under these hills was the mouth of a large opening; and to the eastward of the anchorage we observed another of greater size but not so interesting in its appearance as the former.

The country hereabout, although equally rocky and rugged, is more wooded than that to the north-east; and from the number of fires that were burning there is reason to suppose it is more populous. We therefore prepared to examine the two openings in view, with sanguine expectations of finding something to repay us for the numerous disappointments we had already encountered.

September 12.

And the next morning Mr. Hunter accompanied me to explore the opening under Manning Peak whilst Mr. Roe and Mr. Cunningham embarked in another boat to examine the river that falls into the bottom of the bay.

After landing at the entrance of the opening we proceeded up a considerable reach, bounded on either side by precipitous rocks, in some parts from two to three hundred feet in height. This reach extends four miles; and being from five to seven fathoms deep, and more than half a mile wide, forms an excellent port: half way up on the north side is a wide inlet; probably the embouchure of a mountain stream, for it appeared to wind under the base of Manning Peak. We landed in many parts on search of fresh water but were on all occasions unsuccessful. At the end of this reach the river, for such it now appeared to be, gradually narrowed and wound with a more serpentine course under the base of the hills which still continued to be rugged and steep; but the banks were now thickly lined by mangroves, whereas in the first or sea reach they are formed principally of large rounded masses of rock that had been detached from the summits of the overhanging hills by the effect of the cascades, some of which must have fallen from a height of 200 feet without interruption in their descent. During the rainy season it would be dangerous to expose a vessel to the strength of the freshes in this river.

At the distance of six miles from the end of the first reach we arrived at the termination of the river where its width was not more than twenty-five yards. Here its bed was blocked up by large water-worn masses of sandstone and, as the boat could not proceed farther, we landed to await the turn of the tide.

About a mile below this part we had unexpectedly found a spring of fresh water bubbling up among the mangroves and yielding a very considerable quantity: whilst we were examining it the tide was nearly up so that we had only time to fill our barica and kettle before the salt water flowed over and mixed with it.

During our detention here we ascended the hills over the landing-place to examine the country; but on reaching the top after a rugged and difficult walk, higher hills obstructed our view in every direction. The bed of the river appeared to continue for some distance through a deep gully formed by precipitous hills. In the wet season this is doubtless a very considerable stream; and then perhaps the water is fresh as low as the upper part of the first reach. At this time the holes in the rocks were filled with fresh water but the tide flowed up as far as it was navigable for our boat. The trees on the tops and sides of the hills had lately been burned: in the shady parts however near the water, the shore was lined with several plants which had escaped destruction; among them was a species of nutmeg (Myristica insipida, Brown), a tree of twenty-five feet high (Maba laurina, Brown), and on the top of the hills and shelving places halfway down were observed several coniferous trees that resembled the Callitris ventenat, or Australian cypress, which grows in the interior of the colony at Port Jackson: they were at this season in fruit.

A steep peaked hill near our landing-place was named Donkin's Hill after the inventor of the preserved meats; upon a canister of which our party dined. This invention is now so generally known that its merits do not require to be recorded here; we had lately used a case that was preserved in 1814 which was equally good with some that had been packed up in 1818. This was the first time it had been employed upon our boat excursions and the result fully answered every expectation, as it prevented that excessive and distressing thirst from which, in all other previous expeditions, we had suffered very much.

On our return we landed at the spring. The tide had covered it; but upon searching another was found farther back among the mangroves, supplying at the rate of two to three gallons a minute; a discovery so valuable that the river was thought worthy of a name and it was called after my companion Mr. Hunter, who shared my pleasure in the gratification of finding what we had hitherto thought, at this season, totally wanting near the coast.

No signs of natives were observed, unless the country, having been lately fired, might indicate their having been in these parts; but, from the very rugged nature of the hills, it is not probable they frequent the neighbourhood of the river.

Kangaroos' tracks were seen and a small opossum observed skipping about the rocks. On our return down the river we landed on several parts where the depth of the gullies and the verdure of the trees indicated a probability of our finding fresh water, but in vain; not a drop was obtained.

On returning we were left by the ebbing tide upon a bank of mud; being however near low water, we had only to exercise our patience for two hours. We reached the vessel by eleven o'clock at night.

Mr. Roe did not return until sunset of the following day from his examination of the river which falls into the bottom of the port. When he left the cutter he pulled to a hill at the entrance of the river, which had been pointed out to him as probably affording an easy ascent and from which he would obtain a commanding view of the country to guide his proceedings. From this elevation the country around appeared to be very stony and barren, although he fancied there was some approach towards improvement; the banks of the river were low and lined with mangroves and intersected by many small saltwater inlets extending through the low country to the foot of the back hills; at low water the shore is fronted by a bank of mud, ten or twelve yards wide, and so soft as to prevent landing. Whilst he was employed at the summit of the hill in taking bearings, twelve natives with two dogs made their appearance on the opposite shore which was separated from the hill on which Mr. Roe landed by a soft mud flat. The natives attempted to cross to him, shouting loudly as they advanced, but when halfway over they desisted and slowly returned. When Mr. Roe descended he perceived several fresh prints of the human foot on the mud, from which he supposed that there were already some natives upon the island. There were several large fires burning in various directions and one was kindled by the natives on the opposite bank.*

(*Footnote. The natives of this part were seen by Tasman, according to the following note of Burgomaster Witsen, as published in Mr. Dalrymple's Papua. "In 14 degrees 58 minutes South, longitude 138 degrees 59 minutes (about 125 degrees East) the people are savage, and go naked: none can understand them.")

A snake about seven feet long was the only animal our party saw, but the dung of the kangaroo was as usual plentifully spread in all directions.

From this station, which was seven miles from the mouth, they followed the course of the river, first on an easterly direction for ten miles, and then it took a sudden turn to the southward and trended alternately South by East and South by West for fifteen miles; at this part the river was upwards of seventy yards wide; the banks were lined with mangroves but the rocks rose precipitously behind them to the height of three hundred feet. Here our party landed to pass the night, and before dark Mr. Roe and his companion Mr. Cunningham with one of the boat's crew climbed the ridge over their heads but encountered much difficulty before they reached the summit, from which they could discover nothing but ridges beyond ridges of rocky wooded hills, precisely similar to what they were upon. One higher than the rest was discerned about ten miles off to the eastward. No signs of human beings were noticed.

The top of the hill was strewed about with ant-hills constructed of dry dusty sand, and this was the only substance that could be called soil; but notwithstanding all this sterility there were trees of the eucalyptus family growing from twenty to forty feet high; and one was measured whose diameter was as much as eighteen inches.

The rocks are of sandstone, in nearly horizontal strata, coated with a crust of crystallized quartz and coloured by a ferruginous oxide.

On their return to the tent they made preparations to pass the night; and as it was prudent, if possible, to keep the boat afloat, one of the men was stationed in her for that purpose; but, overpowered by fatigue, he fell asleep and the boat in a short time was left dry upon the mud; the party on shore were continually disturbed during the night by what was thought to be the rushing of alligators into the water beneath them, but the noise was probably occasioned by stones and lumps of mud falling into it as the tide ebbed; a splash, however, that they heard on the opposite side was very likely an alligator, for they had seen one swimming as they pulled up the river. On hearing this Mr. Roe became very much alarmed on account of the boat-keeper, but no pains to apprize him of his danger had any effect: the only reply that could be got from him was, "Damn the alligators," and the next moment he was asleep again; fortunately for him no alligator came near enough to make him repent his foolhardy insensibility.

The width of the stream at low water, which was quite salt, was not more than twenty-five feet. When the flood commenced it came in so rapidly that the water rose five feet in ten minutes: altogether it rose twenty-four feet; but driftwood and dead branches of trees were noticed among the rocks at least fourteen feet above the ordinary high-water mark, indicating, at other seasons, the frequency of strong freshes or floods. One of the pieces of driftwood had been cut by a sharp instrument.

Mr. Roe further says, "From the appearance of the country and the steep hills, generally about three hundred feet high, among which this river winds, there can be little doubt of its being, during the rainy season, a considerable fresh-water stream; and as I consider the length of its various windings to be twenty-six or twenty-seven miles, there is every prospect of its being navigable for our boat for at least half that distance farther. Fish were plentiful, but principally of that sort which the sailors call cat fish; of these several were caught. Small birds were numerous, together with white cockatoos, cuckoos, some birds with very hoarse discordant notes, and one whose note resembled the beating of a blacksmith's hammer upon an anvil. At daybreak they all exerted themselves in full chorus, and I should then have proceeded farther, but the tide was half out, and a soft mud-bank forty feet broad fronting the shore cut off our communication with the boat."

As soon as the ebb-tide began to make Mr. Roe embarked on his return; and during his passage down saw as many as twelve alligators. Two were fired at but the balls glanced off their tough coats of mail without hurting or scarcely frightening them. A small trickling of water was noticed among the rocks, which they found to be fresh but in too small a quantity to be of any use. The boat was six hours and a half pulling down although for the first five hours the tide was favourable.

The river was named after the rector of Newbury, the reverend father of my zealous and diligent assistant Mr. Roe. It appears to be a very considerable stream and, as Mr. Roe justly observes, in the rainy season or at any other time of the year than during the months of September and October, which terminate the dry season, will doubtless afford a large quantity of fresh water.

The opportunity that offered in Hunter's River of filling our water-casks was not to be lost.

September 14.

And the day after the boat returned from the examination of Roe's River the cutter was moved to an anchorage about half way up the first or sea reach of Hunter's River.

September 15.

And the next morning before daylight the boats were despatched; but owing to the darkness of the morning and the ebb-tide having left the shores dry and almost inaccessible, from the quantity of mud that lined them, they did not reach the spring until late in the day. In the mean time, however, they contrived to wade through the mud to the shore; and then explored the bed of the river for half a mile beyond where our previous examination terminated.

In this space they passed several pools of fresh water which, in some parts, was running over a pebbly bottom; but the supply was so trifling as to be not sufficient to alter the taste of the seawater.

Our gentlemen described the country to be as destitute of soil as we had found it lower down; and so rugged as to be scarcely passable. The ravine is formed by precipitous rocks of sandstone rising perpendicularly on both sides to the height of two hundred feet, here and there lightly sprinkled with a few shrubs which had lately been burnt.

Some of our party thought they saw both an emu and a black swan amongst the bushes on the banks of the river. In some parts of the north coast we have certainly noticed marks on the sand like the impressions of an emu's foot, but as we have never seen the bird it is probable that we have mistaken them for the traces of the Ardea antigone. Black swans we have never seen at all within the tropic and it is equally likely that in this instance we may have also been deceived by the appearance of a bird of similar size and plumage. On the return of the boat two alligators swam past it.

September 19.

After completing our water we left the river; but owing to light winds did not succeed in getting out of the harbour until the following morning. Its examination had been performed as narrowly as time and circumstances admitted: it is of considerable size and in most parts offers good and secure anchorage; with abundance of wood for fuel and perhaps always water of good quality. Its western side was very indistinctly seen; and it was thought probable from appearances that, in the space between Cape Pond and Anderdon Islands, there are perhaps two or three small mountain streams.

The harbour was called Prince Frederic's, and the sound that fronts it York Sound, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke of York.

September 20.

After passing Point Hardy we entered a fine harbour bounded on the west by a group of islands, and on the east by the projection of land that forms the western side of Prince Frederic's Harbour. The flood-tide was not sufficient to carry us to the bottom so that we anchored off the east end of the southernmost island of the group; which on the occasion of the anniversary of the late king's coronation was subsequently called the Coronation Islands. The harbour was called Port Nelson, and a high rocky hill that was distinguished over the land to the southward received the name of Mount Trafalgar.

Notwithstanding we had constantly experienced since the period of our leaving the east coast both fine weather and smooth water, yet the leaky state of the vessel had been gradually increasing; leading me to fear that the injury received at Port Bowen had been much more serious than we had then contemplated. Having the advantage of smooth water and a fair wind during our passage up the east coast, the damage had not shown itself until we reached Cairncross Island: after this it was occasionally observed, but with more or less effect according to the strength and the direction of the wind and the state of the sea. At the anchorage off Booby Island, being exposed to a swell, she made four inches of water in an hour; but during the examination of Montagu Sound and the harbour we last left it did not show at all: upon leaving Hunter's River and working against a fresh sea-breeze, the leak gained more than three inches in the hour; and in passing round Cape Torrens, the vessel being pressed down in the water from the freshness of the sea-breeze, it gained as much as nine inches in one hour and twenty minutes.

From the alarming increase of the leak it became absolutely necessary to ascertain the full extent of the damage, in order that we might, if possible, repair it, so as not to prevent the further prosecution of the voyage, or at least to ensure our return to Port Jackson.

We were fortunately upon a part of the coast where the tides had a sufficient rise and fall to enable us to lay her on shore without difficulty; but the beaches in York Sound and Prince Frederic's Harbour were all too steep for the purpose.

September 21.

The spring tides were now at hand; and, it being on this account very important that it should be done as speedily as possible, I left the cutter the following morning in search of a convenient place, in which I was fortunately very soon successful; for at the bottom of the port in which we had anchored we landed on the sandy beach of a bay which, to my inexpressible satisfaction, was found in every way suitable for the object we had in view. Deferring therefore any further examination for a more convenient opportunity, I hastened on board and in the course of the morning anchored the cutter close to the beach.

It has been already stated that the construction of the Mermaid was rather sharp, so that it was necessary to land everything before it would be safe to lay her on the ground: her masts were therefore struck and the sails, being sent on shore, were suspended to trees and converted into tents for the preservation of our provisions and stores and for habitations for the officers and crew.

Our anchorage was four hundred yards distant from the beach; which, since the vessel took the ground at low water, was as near as we could prudently approach it but sufficiently close to protect our property from the natives until everything was landed. None had as yet appeared, but, the country having been lately fired, and the impression of a man's foot having been noticed on the sand when we landed in the morning, gave evident proofs that they were not far off. On the beach were the remains of several huts; but they did not appear to have been recently occupied: in order however to avoid surprise or loss, the stores and provisions that had been landed in the evening were placed at a distance from the grass and trees and covered over with a sail: near this pile our four-pounder was planted, loaded with musket balls, ready to be fired at a moment's warning.

Having thus taken all possible precaution our people returned on board to pass the night. My anxiety however prevented my retiring to bed so early and I continued watching our property in the momentary expectation of something occurring. The moon was fortunately at her full and shone sufficiently bright to enable me to distinguish any moving object near the tent. At eight o'clock a light was suddenly observed on the summit of the hill that rises over the beach; but after being stationary for ten minutes it disappeared: at first it was thought to be a native's fire; and afterwards it was suspected to be occasioned by an insect. At midnight, as the light had not again been seen, I retired to rest, leaving a watch on the deck to give alarm should anything occur; but in less than an hour was disturbed by the cry, "The tent's on fire!" On reaching the deck I found the alarm had not been made without reason, for a flame was actually blazing close to them.

At the first appearance of the flames two muskets were fired in the direction of them and our people were immediately landed. On reaching the tent everything was secure and quiet but the fire was still burning at about twenty yards behind it. Having cautiously approached it we found our fears had been groundless and that they were occasioned by no less innocent an enemy than a half-consumed log of wood, in the heart of which a fire had been lying dormant for some days, having been lighted by the fires which had lately passed over the country; it had been fanned into a flame by the land-breeze which sprung up at midnight. The light seen in the early part of the night originated, most likely, from a similar cause; so that we returned to the vessel without further apprehension.

September 22.

The following day all our wet and dry provisions, our wood and guns were landed; and the greater number of the crew slept on shore.

A discovery of great importance was this day made which enabled us to carry on our operations with much greater facility and comfort; this was our finding near the tents some deep holes containing a great abundance of excellent water; so that by emptying our water-casks we avoided the trouble and delay of hoisting them out: our operations were in consequence so much expedited that the next morning at high tide the vessel was warped and secured as far up the beach as the water would allow, preparatory to her taking the ground, which event we awaited with considerable anxiety.

When the tide left her dry we proceeded to examine her bottom, and having stripped the copper off the stern-post, the full extent of the injury she had sustained was detected and found to be greater even than our fears had anticipated.

September 22 to 28.

The after-part of the keel was rent for two feet in an horizontal direction and its connexion with the stern-post and garboard streak so much weakened that, at the first impression, there was every reason to fear we could not remedy the defects sufficiently to ensure even an immediate return to Port Jackson; but when the full extent of our means were considered it was thought not only possible to repair the injury, but to do it so effectually as to permit our completing the voyage according to our original intention.

As it now appeared certain that some considerable time must elapse before we could reload the cutter, she was secured at the next tide in a situation nearer the high-water mark. At low water a deep hole was dug under her bottom, to enable the carpenter to work with his auger; and this operation was necessarily renewed every tide, since the hole was always found filled up after the high water. An armourer's forge and tools were now much wanted but the deficiency of an anvil was supplied by the substitution of a pig of ballast; and some chain plates that we had fortunately taken from the Frederick's wreck, and some bar-iron which was brought out from England by the Dromedary, enabled us to place our vessel in a state of security which we were by no means in before.

In order to connect the keel and stern-post, both of which were almost separated from the frame of the vessel, two bolts, each twenty-four inches long, were driven up obliquely through the keel and two of the same size horizontally through the stern-post into the dead wood; besides which they were also united by a stout iron brace which was fitted under the keel and up each side of the stern-post; by which method the injury appeared to be so well repaired that we had no fears for our safety if the weather should be but moderately fine.

September 28.

These repairs were completed by the 28th but, just as we were congratulating ourselves upon having performed them, a fresh defect was discovered which threatened more alarming consequences even than the other: upon stripping off some sheets of copper, the spike nails which fastened the planks were found to be decaying; and many were so entirely decomposed by oxidation that a straw was easily thrust through the vacant holes. As we had not nails enough to replace the copper, for that was now our only security, we could not venture to remove more than a few sheets from those parts which appeared to be the most suspicious, under all of which we found the nails so defective that we had reason to fear we might start some planks before we reached Port Jackson, the consequence of which would unquestionably be fatal to the vessel and our lives. All that we could do to remedy the defect was to caulk the water-ways and counter, and to nail an additional streak of copper a foot higher than before. This further temporary repair was finished by the 30th.

1820. October 5.

But we were detained until the 5th of October before the tide rose high enough to float the cutter.

During the time that the carpenter was thus occupied all the crew were employed either in assisting him or in cutting wood and filling water; so that I had no opportunity either of visiting the surrounding islands or of examining the country in the vicinity of the bay: but when the repairs were completed and the people were more at leisure I made an excursion as far as Bat Island, off Cape Brewster.

From the summit of this island a set of bearings was obtained, particularly of the islands to the northward and westward. The ascent, on account of its steep and rugged nature, was very difficult and even dangerous, for the stones were so loose and decomposed that no solid footing could be found. The top of the rock is covered with a thick brush of Acacia leucophoea (of Lacrosse Island) many trees of which were obliged to be cut down or cleared away before the various objects could be seen from the theodolite. Mr. Cunningham collected here specimens of eighteen different sorts of plants.

Bat Island is a mass of sandstone superincumbent upon a quartzose basis and intersected by nearly vertical veins of white quartz, the surface of which was in a crystallized state. The floor of the cavern was covered with heaps of water-worn fragments of quartzose rock, containing copper pyrites, in some of which the cavities were covered by a deposit of greenish calcedony. The sides of the cavern had a stalagmitical appearance but the recess was so dark that we could not ascertain either its formation or extent; it did not however appear to be more than twelve or fourteen yards deep. On first entering it we were nearly overpowered by a strong sulphureous smell which was soon accounted for by the flight of an incredible number of small bats which were roosting in the bottom of the cave and had been disturbed by our approach. We attempted to grope our way to the bottom, but, not having a light, were soon obliged to give up its further examination.

The island is connected to the cape by a narrow ridge of rocks which the spring-tides may probably cover. The main corresponds with the island in character and general conformation, being extremely barren and rocky, and of the same description of sandstone, the strata of which appear nearly horizontal; the greatest deviation from that position not being more than an inclination of 5 degrees to the south-east.

Upon our return we landed at Caper Point near the bottom of the bay; where, on taking some bearings, a considerable local magnetic attraction was detected, for the needle of the theodolite was nearly eight degrees in error. Whilst I was thus employed Mr. Cunningham, who was my companion upon this excursion, ranged about among the shrubs in the vicinity and was fortunate in finding the fruit of a tree that was first seen by us at Cambridge Gulf, and had for some time puzzled us from its immense size and peculiar appearance. It proved to be a tree of the natural order Capparides, and was thought to be a capparis; the gouty habit of the stem, which was soft and spongy, gave it an appearance of disease: but as all the specimens, from the youngest plant to the full-grown tree, possessed the same deformed appearance, it was evidently the peculiarity of its habit. The stem of the largest of these trees measured twenty-nine feet in girth whilst its height did not exceed twenty-five feet. "It was at this time in the earliest stages of foliation, the extremities of the naked branches appearing green; and one bud that was opened exhibited the character of Folium quinatum."* One of these trees has been introduced in the view of the encampment at Careening Bay. It bore some resemblance to the adansonia figured in the account of Captain Tuckey's expedition to the Congo.

(*Footnote. Cunningham manuscripts.)

The only quadruped that was seen upon this excursion was a small opossum which appeared to be the same animal that the colonists at Port Jackson call the native cat: its colour was light red with small white spots.

The principal object of my investigation was to find an opening in the bottom of the bay communicating with a large sheet of water that we had seen from the hills to the southward; but as we were not successful in finding any it was supposed that its communication with the sea must be to the westward of Cape Brewster. Mr. Hunter and Mr. Cunningham had previously made an excursion in that direction to the summit of a hill, named by the latter gentleman after Thomas Andrew Knight, Esquire, the President of the Horticultural Society. From this elevation they had a good view of the water which appeared to be either a strait or an inlet of considerable size; it was subsequently called Rothsay Water. The country between it and our encampment was very rocky and rugged; but although almost destitute of soil it was sprinkled with some dwarf timber of various descriptions; and, had it not been for the late fires, there would have been a good share of grass.

The fires were still burning; and while we were employed upon the vessel the little grass that had before escaped the flames was consumed before our eyes, which greatly increased the oppressive heat we were experiencing. The thermometer during the day, exposed to a current of air and shaded from the sun, generally indicated a temperature of between 94 and 98 degrees; and on one occasion although it was exposed to a fresh sea-breeze the mercury stood at 101 degrees at noon: at night however we were usually relieved by its falling to 75 degrees; and at two o'clock in the morning it generally stood at 73 degrees. The maximum and minimum temperature during fourteen days was 101 degrees and 72 1/2 degrees. The daily range of the thermometer was as much as 20 degrees, while the mercury on board did not rise or fall more than 3 or 4 degrees. This great difference is to be attributed to the cooling power of the dew which was precipitated most copiously every night upon the surface of the earth; whilst the water, not being so easily affected by this nightly radiation, took so much longer to cool. In the daytime the reverse took place; for the earth being much more heated by the action of the sun's rays than the water, the temperature on shore was much greater than on the sea.

We had no thermometer with us that could measure the heat of the sand upon which our tents were erected. Mr. Hunter placed his pocket-thermometer in it but the mercury reaching the top of the tube, which was graduated to 130 degrees, he was obliged to withdraw it to preserve the instrument from being damaged. On one occasion we had a hot land-wind from the South-East that veered round as the day advanced to North-East, during which the thermometer stood at 96 degrees; generally however we had a fresh sea-breeze from the north-west, with clear and fine weather; but towards the latter part of our visit we had some very cloudy dull days and a few showers of rain: this change hurried my departure; and we considered ourselves fortunate in embarking our provisions and bread without getting them wetted.

On the 5th, after two ineffectual attempts to heave the cutter off the ground, she floated.

October 8.

And by the 8th, everything being embarked, we made preparations to quit this place which had afforded us the means of repairing our damage and stopping for the present the progress of an injury which had been every day assuming a more serious aspect.

The country in the vicinity of the bay which, from the use we made of it, was called Careening Bay, is only slightly covered with a poor, stony soil; but notwithstanding this drawback the hills are well wooded and vegetation so abundant that, had it not been for the conflagration which has lately spoiled the trees of their leaves, the country would have appeared pleasing and verdant.

The following is a list of some of the trees indigenous to the shores and neighbourhood of Careening Bay, for which I am indebted to Mr. Cunningham:--

COLUMN 1: NATURAL ORDER NAME. COLUMN 2: LINNAEAN SYSTEM NAME. COLUMN 3: ENGLISH NAME. COLUMN 4: QUALITY OF THE WOOD. COLUMN 5: HEIGHT OF TREE IN FEET. COLUMN 6: DIAMETER OF TREE IN INCHES.

Leguminosae : Bauhinia microphylla. Cunn. manuscripts : Mountain Ebony : Hard, coarse grain, wet, black-heart : 10 to 20 : 5 to 8.

Mimoseae : Inga, sp. : Acacia-podded Inga : Unknown : 12 to 25 : 4 to 5.

Sterculiaceae : Sterculia, sp. : Variegated-flowered Sterculia : Soft and spongy : 12 to 20 : 4 to 6.