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diff --git a/13121.txt b/13121.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3c5fcd0 --- /dev/null +++ b/13121.txt @@ -0,0 +1,18608 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 2, by Matthew Flinders + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 2 + +Author: Matthew Flinders + +Release Date: August 6, 2004 [EBook #13121] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Col Choat + + + + +PRODUCTION NOTES: + +Notes referred to in the book (*) are shown in square brackets ([]) +at the end of the paragraph in which the note is indicated. + +Italics are indicated by underscore characters (_) at the +start and finish of the italicised words. + +References to the charts have been retained though, of course, +the charts are not present in the text only version of the ebook. + +The original punctuation and spelling and the use of italics and capital +letters to highlight words and phrases have, for the most part, been +retained. I think they help maintain the "feel" of the book, which was +published nearly 200 years ago. Flinders notes in the preface that "I +heard it declared that a man who published a quarto volume without an +index ought to be set in the pillory, and being unwilling to incur the +full rigour of this sentence, a running title has been affixed to all the +pages; on one side is expressed the country or coast, and on the opposite +the particular part where the ship is at anchor or which is the immediate +subject of examination; this, it is hoped, will answer the main purpose +of an index, without swelling the volumes." This treatment is, of course, +not possible, where there are no defined pages. However, Flinders' page +headings are included at appropriate places where they seem relevant. +These, together with the Notes which, in the book, appear in the margin, +are represented as line headings with a blank line before and after them. + + + + + + +A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS +UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPLETING THE DISCOVERY OF THAT +VAST COUNTRY, +AND PROSECUTED IN THE YEARS +1801, 1802 AND 1803, +IN +HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP THE INVESTIGATOR, +AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN THE ARMED VESSEL PORPOISE +AND CUMBERLAND SCHOONER. +WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE +SHIPWRECK OF THE PORPOISE, +ARRIVAL OF THE CUMBERLAND AT MAURITIUS, AND IMPRISONMENT OF THE +COMMANDER DURING SIX YEARS AND A HALF IN THAT ISLAND. +BY MATTHEW FLINDERS +COMMANDER OF THE INVESTIGATOR. +IN 2 VOLUMES WITH AN ATLAS. +VOLUME 2. +LONDON: +PRINTED BY W. BULMER AND CO. CLEVELAND ROW, +AND PUBLISHED BY G. AND W. NICOL, BOOKSELLERS TO HIS MAJESTY, +PALL-MALL. +1814 + +[Facsimile Edition, 1966] + + +A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS VOLUME II + +TABLE OF CONTENTS. (For both volumes) + +IN THE FIRST VOLUME. + +INTRODUCTION. + +PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS. + +SECTION I. + +NORTH COAST. + +Preliminary Remarks: +Discoveries of the Duyfhen; of +Torres; +Carstens; +Pool; +Pietersen; +Tasman; and of +three Dutch vessels. +Of Cook; +M'Cluer; +Bligh; +Edwards; +Bligh and Portlock; and +Bampton and Alt. +Conclusive Remarks. + +SECTION II. + +WESTERN COASTS. + +Preliminary Observations. +Discoveries of Hartog: +Edel: +of the Ship Leeuwin: +the Vianen: +of Pelsert: +Tasman: +Dampier: +Vlaming: +Dampier. +Conclusive Remarks. + +SECTION III. + +SOUTH COAST. + +Discovery of Nuyts. +Examination of Vancouver: +of D'Entrecasteaux. +Conclusive Remarks. + +SECTION IV. + +EAST COAST, WITH VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. + +PART I. + +Preliminary Observations. +Discoveries of Tasman; +of Cook; +Marion and Furneaux. +Observations of Cook; +Bligh; and Cox. +Discovery of D'Entrecasteaux. +Hayes. + +PART II. + +Preliminary Information. +Boat expeditions of Bass and Flinders. +Clarke. +Shortland. +Discoveries of Bass to the southward of Port Jackson; +of Flinders; +and of Flinders and Bass. +Examinations to the northward by Flinders. +Conclusive Remarks. + +BOOK I. + +TRANSACTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGE +TO THE DEPARTURE FROM PORT JACKSON. + +CHAPTER I. + +Appointment to the Investigator. +Outfit of the ship. +Instruments, books, and charts supplied, with articles for presents and +barter. +Liberal conduct of the Hon. East-India Company. +Passage round to Spithead. +The Roar sand. +Instructions for the execution of the voyage. +French passport, and orders in consequence. +Officers and company of the Investigator, and men of science who +embarked. +Account of the time keepers. + +CHAPTER II. + +Departure from Spithead. +Variation of the compass. +The Dezertas. +Arrival at Madeira. +Remarks on Funchal. +Political state of the island. +Latitude and longitude. +Departure from Madeira. +The island St. Antonio. +Foul winds; and remarks upon them. +The ship leaky. +Search made for Isle Sable. +Trinidad. +Saxemberg sought for. +Variation of the compass. +State of the ship's company, on arriving at the Cape of Good Hope. +Refitment at Simon's Bay. +Observatory set Up. +The astronomer quits the expedition. +Rates Of the time keepers. +Some remarks on Simon's Bay. + +CHAPTER III. + +Departure from False Bay. +Remarks on the passage to Terra Australis. +Gravity of sea-water tried. +Cape Leeuwin, and the coast from thence to King George's Sound. +Arrival in the Sound. +Examination of the harbours. +Excursion inland. +Country, soil, and productions. +Native inhabitants: Language and anatomical measurement. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER IV. + +Departure from King George's Sound. +Coast from thence to the Archipelago of the Recherche. +Discovery of Lucky Bay and Thistle's Cove. +The surrounding country, and islands of the Archipelago. +Astronomical and nautical observations. +Goose-Island Bay. +A salt lake. +Nautical observations. +Coast from the Archipelago to the end of Nuyts' Land. +Arrival in a bay of the unknown coast. +Remarks on the preceding examination. + +CHAPTER V. + +Fowler's Bay. +Departure from thence. +Arrival at the Isles of St. Francis. +Correspondence between the winds and the marine barometer. +Examination of the other parts of Nuyts' Archipelago, and of the main +coast. +The Isles of St Peter. +Return to St. Francis. +General remarks on Nuyts' Archipelago. +Identification of the islands in the Dutch chart. + +CHAPTER VI. + +Prosecution of the discovery of the unknown coast. +Anxious Bay. +Anchorage at Waldegrave's and at Flinders' Islands. +The Investigator's Group. +Coffin's Bay. +Whidbey's Isles. +Differences in the magnetic needle. +Cape Wiles. +Anchorage at Thistle's Island. +Thorny Passage. +Fatal accident. +Anchorage in Memory Cove. +Cape Catastrophe, and the surrounding country. +Anchorage in Port Lincoln, and refitment of the ship. +Remarks on the country and inhabitants. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER VII. + +Departure from Port Lincoln. +Sir Joseph Banks' Group. +Examination of the coast, northward. +The ship found to be in a gulph. +Anchorage near the head of the gulph. +Boat expedition. +Excursion to Mount Brown. +Nautical observations. +Departure from the head, and examination of the east side of the gulph. +Extensive shoal. +Point Pearce. +Hardwicke Bay. +Verification of the time keepers. +General remarks on the gulph. +Cape Spencer and the Althorpe Isles. +New land discovered: Anchorage there. +General remarks on Kangaroo Island. +Nautical observations. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Departure from Kangaroo Island. +Examination of the main coast, from Cape Spencer eastward. +The Investigator's Strait. +A new gulph discovered. Anchorage at, and examination of the head. +Remarks on the surrounding land. +Return down the gulph. +Troubridge Shoal. +Yorke's Peninsula. +Return to Kangaroo Island. +Boat expedition to Pelican Lagoon. +Astronomical observations. +Kangaroo Island quitted. +Back-stairs Passage. +The coast from Cape Jervis, eastward. +Meeting, and communication with Le Geographe. +Remarks upon the French discoveries on the South Coast. + +CHAPTER IX. + +Examination of the coast resumed. +Encounter Bay. +The capes Bernouilli and Jaffa. +Baudin's Rocks. +Differences in the bearings on tacking. +Cape Buffon, the eastern limit of the French discovery. +The capes Northumberland and Bridgewater of captain Grant. +Danger from a south-west gale. +King's Island, in Bass' Strait: Anchorage there. +Some account of the island. +Nautical observations. +New Year's Isles. +Cape Otway, and the north-west entrance to Bass' Strait. +Anchorage in, and examination of Port Phillip. +The country and inhabitants. +Nautical observations. + +CHAPTER X. + +Departure from Port Phillip. +Cape Schanck. +Wilson's Promontory, and its isles. +Kent's Groups, and Furneaux's Isles. +Hills behind the Long Beach. +Arrival at Port Jackson. +Health of the ship's company. +Refitment and supply of the ship. +Price of provisions. +Volunteers entered. +Arrangement for the succeeding part of the voyage. +French ships. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER XI + +Of the winds and currents on the south coast of Terra Australis, +and in Bass' Strait. +Usual progress of the gales. +Proper seasons for sailing eastward, +and for going westward: +best places of shelter in each case, +with some instructions for the Strait. + +APPENDIX. + +Account of the observations by which the _Longitudes_ of places on the +north coast of Terra Australis have been settled. + +IN THE SECOND VOLUME. + +BOOK II. + +TRANSACTIONS DURING THE CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF TERRA AUSTRALIS, +FROM THE TIME OF LEAVING PORT JACKSON TO THE RETURN TO THAT PORT. + +CHAPTER I. + +Departure from Port Jackson, with the Lady Nelson. +Examination of various parts of the East Coast, from thence to Sandy +Cape. +Break-sea Spit. +Anchorage in Hervey's Bay, where the Lady Nelson joins after a +separation. +Some account of the inhabitants. +Variations of the compass. +Run to Bustard Bay. +Port Curtis discovered, and examined. +Some account of the surrounding country. +Arrival in Keppel Bay, and examination of its branches, +one of which leads into Port Curtis. +Some account of the natives, and of the country round Keppel Bay. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER II. + +The Keppel Isles, and coast to Cape Manifold. +A new port discovered and examined. +Harvey's Isles. +A new passage into Shoal-water Bay. +View from Mount Westall. +A boat lost. +The upper parts of Shoal-water Bay examined. +Some account of the country and inhabitants. +General remarks on the bay. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER III. + +Departure from Shoal-water Bay, and anchorage in Thirsty Sound. +Magnetical observations. +Boat excursion to the nearest Northumberland Islands. +Remarks on Thirsty Sound. +Observations at West Hill, Broad Sound. +Anchorage near Upper Head. +Expedition to the head of Broad Sound: +another round Long Island. +Remarks on Broad Sound, and the surrounding country. +Advantages for a colony. +Astronomical observations, and remarks on the high tides. + +CHAPTER IV. + +The Percy Isles: anchorage at No. 2. +Boat excursions. +Remarks on the Percy Isles; with nautical observations. +Coral reefs: courses amongst them during eleven days search +for a passage through, to sea. +Description of a reef. +Anchorage at an eastern Cumberland Isle. +The Lady Nelson sent back to Port Jackson. +Continuation of coral reefs; +and courses amongst them during three other days. +Cape Gloucester. +An opening discovered, and the reefs quitted. +General remarks on the Great Barrier; +with some instruction relative to the opening. + +CHAPTER V. + +Passage from the Barrier Reefs to Torres' Strait. +Reefs named Eastern Fields. +Pandora's Entrance to the Strait. +Anchorage at Murray's Islands. +Communication with the inhabitants. +Half-way Island. +Notions on the formation of coral islands in general. +Prince of Wales's Islands, with remarks on them. +Wallis' Isles. +Entrance into the Gulph of Carpentaria. +Review of the passage through Torres' Strait. + +CHAPTER VI. + +Examination of the coast on the east side of the Gulph of Carpentaria. +Landing at Coen River. +Head of the Gulph. +Anchorage at Sweers' Island. +Interview with Indians at Horse-shoe Island. +Investigator's Road. +The ship found to be in a state of decay. +General remarks on the islands at the Head of the Gulph, +and their inhabitants. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER VII. + +Departure from Sweers' Island. +South side of C. Van Diemen examined. +Anchorage at Bountiful Island: turtle and sharks there. +Land of C. Van Diemen proved to be an island. +Examination of the main coast to Cape Vanderlin. +That cape found to be one of a group of islands. +Examination of the islands; their soil, etc. +Monument of the natives. +Traces of former visitors to these parts. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Departure from Sir Edward Pellew's Group. +Coast from thence westward. +Cape Maria found to be an island. +Limmen's Bight. Coast northward to Cape Barrow: landing on it. +Circumnavigation of Groote Eylandt. +Specimens of native art at Chasm Island. +Anchorage in North-west Bay, Groote Eylandt; +with remarks and nautical observations. +Blue-mud Bay. Skirmish with the natives. +Cape Shield. +Mount Grindall. +Coast to Caledon Bay. +Occurrences in that bay, with remarks on the country and inhabitants. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +CHAPTER IX. + +Departure from Caledon Bay. +Cape Arnhem. +Melville Bay. +Cape Wilberforce, and Bromby's Isles. +The English Company's Islands: meeting there with vessels from Macassar. +Arnhem Bay. +The Wessel's Islands. +Further examination of the North Coast postponed. +Arrival at Coepang Bay, in Timor. +Remarks and astronomical observations. + +CHAPTER X. + +Departure from Timor. +Search made for the Trial Rocks. +Anchorage in Goose-Island Bay. +Interment of the boatswain, and sickly state of the ship's company. +Escape from the bay, and passage through Bass' Strait. +Arrival at Port Jackson. +Losses in men. +Survey and condemnation of the ship. +Plans for continuing the survey; +but preparation finally made for returning to England. +State of the colony at Port Jackson. + +CHAPTER XI. + +Of the winds, currents, and navigation along the east coast of Terra +Australis, both without and within the tropic; also on the north coast. + +Directions for sailing from Port Jackson, through Torres' Strait, towards +India or the Cape of Good Hope. + +Advantages of this passage over that round New Guinea. + +BOOK III. + +OCCURRENCES FROM THE TIME OF QUITTING PORT JACKSON IN 1803, TO ARRIVING +IN ENGLAND IN 1810. + +CHAPTER I. + +Departure from Port Jackson in the Porpoise, +accompanied by the Bridgewater and Cato. +The Cato's Bank. +Shipwreck of the Porpoise and Cato in the night. +The crews get on a sand bank; where they are left by the Bridgewater. +Provisions saved. +Regulations on the bank. +Measures adopted for getting back to Port Jackson. +Description of Wreck-Reef Bank. +Remarks on the loss of M. de La Perouse. + +CHAPTER II. + +Departure from Wreck-Reef Bank in a boat. +Boisterous weather. +The Coast of New South Wales reached, and followed. +Natives at Point Look-out. +Landing near Smoky Cape; and again near Port Hunter. +Arrival at Port Jackson on the thirteenth day. +Return to Wreck Reef with a ship and two schooners. +Arrangements at the Bank. +Account of the reef, with nautical and other remarks. + +CHAPTER III. + +Passage in the Cumberland to Torres' Strait. +Eastern Fields and Pandora's Entrance. +New channels amongst the reefs. +Anchorage at Half-way Island, and under the York Isles. +Prince of Wales's Islands further examined. +Booby Isle. +Passage across the Gulph of Carpentaria. +Anchorage at Wessel's Islands. +Passage to Coepang Bay, in Timor; and to Mauritius, +where the leakiness of the Cumberland makes it necessary to stop. +Anchorage at the Baye du Cap, and departure for Port Louis. + +CHAPTER IV. + +Arrival at Port Louis (or North-West) in Mauritius. +Interview with the French governor. +Seizure of the Cumberland, with the charts and journals of the +Investigator's voyage; and imprisonment of the commander and people. +Letters to the governor, with his answer. +Restitution of some books and charts. +Friendly act of the English interpreter. +Propositions made to the governor. +Humane conduct of captain Bergeret. +Reflections on a voyage of discovery. +Removal to the Maison Despeaux or Garden Prison. + +CHAPTER V. + +Prisoners in the Maison Despeaux or Garden Prison. +Application to admiral Linois. +Spy-glasses and swords taken. +Some papers restored. +Opinions upon the detention of the Cumberland. +Letter of captain Baudin. +An English squadron arrives off Mauritius: its consequences. +Arrival of a French officer with despatches, and observations thereon. +Passages in the Moniteur, with remarks. +Mr. Aken liberated. +Arrival of cartels from India. +Application made by the marquis Wellesley. +Different treatment of English and French prisoners. +Prizes brought to Mauritius in sixteen months. +Departure of all prisoners of war. +Permission to quit the Garden Prison. +Astronomical observations. + +CHAPTER VI. + +Parole given. +Journey into the interior of Mauritius. +The governor's country seat. +Residence at the Refuge, in that Part of Williems Plains called Vacouas. +Its situation and climate, with the mountains, rivers, cascades, and +views near it. +The Mare aux Vacouas and Grand Bassin. +State of cultivation and produce of Vacouas; +its black ebony, game, and wild fruits; and freedom from noxious insects. + +CHAPTER VII. + +Occupations at Vacouas. +Hospitality of the inhabitants. +Letters from England. +Refusal to be sent to France repeated. +Account of two hurricanes, of a subterraneous stream and circular pit. +Habitation of La Perouse. +Letters to the French marine minister, National Institute, etc. +Letters from Sir Edward Pellew. +Caverns in the Plains of St. Pierre. +Visit to Port Louis. +Narrative transmitted to England. +Letter to captain Bergeret on his departure for France. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Effects of repeated disappointment on the mind. +Arrival of a cartel, and of letters from India. +Letter of the French marine minister. +Restitution of papers. +Applications for liberty evasively answered. +Attempted seizure of private letters. +Memorial to the minister. +Encroachments made at Paris on the Investigator's discoveries. +Expected attack on Mauritius produces an abridgment of Liberty. +Strict blockade. +Arrival of another cartel from India. +State of the public finances in Mauritius. +French cartel sails for the Cape of Good Hope. + +CHAPTER IX. + +A prospect of liberty, which is officially confirmed. +Occurrences during eleven weeks residence in the town of Port Louis +and on board the Harriet cartel. +Parole and certificates. +Departure from Port Louis, and embarkation in the Otter. +Eulogium on the inhabitants of Mauritius. +Review of the conduct of general De Caen. +Passage to the Cape of Good Hope, and after seven weeks stay, +from thence to England. +Conclusion. + +APPENDIX. + +No. I. + +Account of the observations by which the _Longitudes_ of places on the +east and north coasts of Terra Australis have been settled. + +No. II. + +On the errors of the compass arising from attractions within the ship, +and others from the magnetism of land; with precautions for obviating +their effects in marine surveying. + +No. III. + +General Remarks, geographical and systematical, on the Botany of Terra +Australis. By ROBERT BROWN, F. R. S. _Acad. Reg. Scient. Berolin. +Corresp._ NATURALIST TO THE VOYAGE. + +A LIST OF THE PLATES, WITH DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. + +IN VOLUME I. + +View from the south side of King George's Sound. + +Entrance of Port Lincoln, taken from behind Memory Cove. + +View on the north side of Kangaroo Island. + +View of Port Jackson, taken from the South Head. + +IN VOLUME II. + +View of Port Bowen, from behind the Watering Gully. +View of Murray's Islands, with the natives offering to barter. +View in Sir Edward Pellew's Group--Gulph of Carpentaria. +View of Malay Road, from Pobassoo's Island. +View of Wreck-Reef Bank, taken at low water. + +IN THE ATLAS. + +Plate. + +I. General Chart of TERRA AUSTRALIS and the neighbouring lands, +from latitude 7 deg. to 441/2 deg. south, and longitude 102 deg. to 165 deg. east. + +II. Particular chart of the South Coast, from Cape Leeuwin to +the Archipelago of the Recherche. + +III. Ditto from the Archipelago of the Recherche to past the head +of the great Australian Bight. + +IV. Ditto from the head of the great Australian Bight to past +Encounter Bay. + +V. Ditto from near Encounter Bay to Cape Otway at the west entrance +of Bass' Strait. + +VI. Ditto from Cape Otway, past Cape Howe, to Barmouth Creek. + +VII. Particular chart of Van Diemen's Land. + +VIII. Particular chart of the East Coast, from Barmouth Creek +to past Cape Hawke. + +IX. Ditto from near Cape Hawke to past Glass-house Bay. + +X. Ditto from Glass-house Bay to Broad Sound. + +XI. Ditto from Broad Sound to Cape Grafton. + +XII. Ditto from Cape Grafton to the Isle of Direction. + +XIII. Particular chart of the East Coast from the I. of Direction +to Cape York, and of the North Coast from thence to Pera Head; +including Torres Strait and parts of New Guinea. + +XIV. A particular chart of the North Coast, from Torres' Strait +to Point Dale and the Wessel's Islands, including the whole +of the Gulph of Carpentaria. + +XV. The north-west side of the Gulph of Carpentaria, on a large scale. + +XVI. Particular chart of Timor and some neighbouring islands. + +XVII. Fourteen views of headlands, etc. on the south coast +of Terra Australis. + +XVIII. Thirteen views on the east and north coasts, +and one of Samow Strait. + +AND + +Ten plates of selected plants from different parts of Terra Australis. + +BOOK II + +TRANSACTIONS DURING THE CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF TERRA AUSTRALIS, +FROM THE TIME OF LEAVING PORT JACKSON TO THE RETURN TO THAT PORT. + +CHAPTER I. + +Departure from Port Jackson, with the Lady Nelson. +Examination of various parts of the East Coast, from thence to Sandy +Cape. +Break-sea Spit. +Anchorage in Hervey's Bay, where the Lady Nelson joins after a +separation. +Some account of the inhabitants. +Variations of the compass. +Run to Bustard Bay. +Port Curtis discovered, and examined. +Some account of the surrounding country. +Arrival in Keppel Bay, and examination of its branches, +one of which leads into Port Curtis. +Some account of the natives, and of the country round Keppel Bay. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +[EAST COAST. TOWARDS HERVEY'S BAY.] + +THURSDAY 22 JULY 1802 + +Lieutenant John Murray, commander of the brig Lady Nelson, having +received orders to put himself under my command, I gave him a small code +of signals, and directed him, in case of separation, to repair to +Hervey's Bay; which he was to enter by a passage said to have been found +by the south-sea whalers, between Sandy Cape and Break-sea Spit. In the +morning of July 22, we sailed out of Port Jackson together; and the +breeze being fair and fresh, ran rapidly to the northward, keeping at a +little distance from the coast. (Atlas, Plate VIII.) + +At eleven o'clock, the south head of Broken Bay bore W. by N. three +leagues; and Mr. Westall then made a sketch of the entrance, with that of +the Hawkesbury River, which falls into it (Atlas, Plate XVIII, View 2). +The colonists have called this place Broken Bay, but it is not what was +so named by captain Cook; for he says it lies in latitude 33 deg. 42' +(Hawkesworth III. 103), whereas the southernmost point of entrance is not +further than 33 deg. 34' south. There is, in captain Cook's latitude, a very +small opening, and the hills behind it answer to his description of "some +broken land that seemed to form a bay," when seen at four leagues, the +distance he was off; but in reality, there is nothing more than a shallow +lagoon in that place. In consequence of this difference in position, Cape +Three-points has been sought three or four leagues to the north of Broken +Bay; whereas it is the north head of the entrance into the bay itself +which was so named, and it corresponds both in situation and appearance. + +At noon, the south-eastern bluff of Cape Three-points bore S. 64 deg. W., +seven or eight miles, and was found to lie in 33 deg. 321/2' south and 151 deg. +231/2' east. In steering northward along the coast, at from six to two +miles distance, we passed two rocky islets lying under the high shore; +and at sunset, Coal Island, in the entrance of Port Hunter, bore N. 9 deg. +W., five or six miles. This port was discovered in 1797 by the late +captain John Shortland, and lies in 32 deg. 56' south, longitude 151 deg. 43' +east. + +We passed Port Stephens a little before midnight; and the breeze being +fresh at W. by S., the Lady Nelson was left astern, and we lay to for an +hour next morning [FRIDAY 23 JULY 1802], to wait her coming up. The land +was then scarcely visible, but a north course brought us in with the +Three Brothers (Atlas Plate IX.); and at four in the afternoon, they bore +from S. 56 deg. to 65 deg. W., the nearest land being a low, but steep point, +distant four or five miles in the first direction. The Three Brothers lie +from one to five miles behind the shore, at the eastern extremity of a +range of high land, coming out of the interior country. The northernmost +hill is the broadest, most elevated, and nearest to the water side; and +being visible fifty miles from a ship's deck, is an excellent landmark +for vessels passing along the coast: its latitude is 31 deg. 43' south, and +longitude 152 deg. 45' east. + +To the northward of the Three Brothers there is four leagues of low. and +mostly sandy shore; and after passing it, we came up with a projection, +whose top is composed of small, irregular-shaped hummocks, the +northernmost of them being a rocky lump of a sugar-loaf form; further on, +the land falls back into a shallow bight, with rocks in it standing above +water. When abreast of the projection, which was called _Tacking Point_, +the night was closing in, and we stood off shore, intending to make the +same part next morning; for some of this coast had been passed in the +dark by captain Cook, and might therefore contain openings. + +SATURDAY 24 JULY 1802 + +At daybreak of the 24th, Tacking Point was distant three miles, and the +breeze fresh at S. W. by W. with fine weather. Our little consort being +out of sight, we stood an hour to the southward; and not seeing her in +that direction, bore away along the coast until noon, when our situation +was as under: + + +Latitude observed 30 deg. 581/4' +Longitude by time-keepers 153 61/2 +Northern Brother, dist. 48 miles, bore S. 23 W. +Smoky Cape, distant 3 or 4 miles, N. 41 deg. to 30 W. +Northern extreme of the land, N. 5 W. + + +The coast from Tacking Point to Smoky Cape is generally low and sandy; +but its uniformity is broken at intervals by rocky points, which first +appear like islands. Behind them the land is low, but quickly rises to +hills of a moderate height; and these being well covered with wood, the +country had a pleasant appearance. Smoky Cape was found to answer the +description given of it by captain Cook; its centre lies in 30 deg. 55' +south, and 153 deg. 4' east. The three hummocks upon it stand on so many +projecting parts; and at half a mile from the southernmost lie two rocks, +and a third two miles further south, which were not before noticed. On +the north side of Smoky Cape, the coast falls back four or five miles to +the westward, forming a bight in the low land, where there may probably +be a shallow inlet; it afterwards resumed a northern direction, and +consisted as before of sandy beaches and stony points. + +Our consort was not yet in sight; but we kept on until five in the +evening, when the nearest land was two miles off, and the northern +hummock on Smoky Cape bore S. 4 deg. W. nine leagues. I had before seen the +coast further northward, as far as 29 deg. 20'; and having therefore no +inducement to lose a night's run for its examination, we steered onward, +passing without side of the Solitary Isles. At three in the morning +[SUNDAY 25 JULY 1802], hove to until day-light; and at eight o'clock made +the south head of a bay discovered in the Norfolk (Introd. Vol I, "In +latitude 29 deg. 43', we discovered a small opening like a river, with an +islet lying in the entrance; and at sunset, entered a larger, to which I +gave the name of SHOAL BAY, an appellation which it but too well +merited."), and named _Shoal Bay_. One of the marks for finding this +small place is a peaked hummock on the low land, thirteen miles distant; +and it was now set over the south head of the bay at S. 20 deg. W. In +steering northward close along the coast, we passed two small reefs, and +the water shoaled to 10 fathoms; they lie two miles off the land, and +there did not seem to be any safe passage within them. Our latitude at +noon was 29 deg. 4', and longitude by time keepers 153 deg. 31'; the shore was +three miles off but until we came up with Cape Byron at five in the +evening, there was no projection worthy of being particularly noticed. +From Shoal Bay to Cape Byron is fifty miles, where the coast, with the +exception of two or three rocky heads, is mostly low and sandy; and the +soundings, at from two to four miles off, vary between 10 and 32 fathoms, +on a sandy bottom. A few miles back the land rises to hills of moderate +elevation, which were poorly covered with wood in the southern part, but +towards the cape had a more fertile appearance. + +Cape Byron is a small steep head, projecting about two miles from the low +land, and in coming along the coast makes like an island; its latitude is +28 deg. 38', and longitude 153 deg. 37', or 7' east of the situation assigned to +it by captain Cook. There are three rocks on its north side; and in the +direction of N. 57 deg. W., eight or nine leagues from it, is the peaked top +of a mass of mountains, named by its discoverer _Mount Warning_; whose +elevation is about 3300 feet, and exceeds that of Mount Dromedary, or any +other land I have seen upon this East Coast. To Mr. Westall's sketch of +this remarkable peak (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View 3.) it may be added, that +the surrounding hills were well covered with wood, whose foliage +announced a soil more fertile than usual so near the sea side. + +The sun was near setting at the time Cape Byron bore west, three or four +miles; and the coast from thence to Point Look-out having been seen by +captain Cook, we steered off in order to avoid falling in with the reefs +of Point Danger in the night. At eleven, hauled more in for the land; and +at eight next day [MONDAY 26 JULY 1802], Mount Warning was set at S. 25 deg. +W., twenty leagues. On coming in with Point Look-out, I took observations +for the latitude and longitude, which fixed it in 27 deg. 27' south, and 153 deg. +31' east. The latitude is the same as it had been made in the Norfolk, +(Introd. Vol. I), but is 19' south, and 3' west of the situation given in +captain Cook's chart. The bearings of the land at noon were, + + +Point Look-out, distant 3 leagues, S. 9 deg. W. +Moreton entrance to Glass-house Bay, S. 55 W. +Cape Moreton, distant six leagues, N. 18 W. + + +A strange vessel seen to the southward, had induced me to carry little +sail all the morning; it was now perceived not to be the Lady Nelson, but +probably one of the two whalers known to be fishing off the coast; we +therefore made sail for Cape Moreton, and came up with it at four +o'clock. I was much surprised to see a small, but dangerous reef lying +between four and five miles off this cape to the north-east, which had +not been noticed in the Norfolk; in entering Glass-house Bay I had then +hauled close round Cape Moreton at dusk in the evening, and in coming out +had passed too far westward to observe it. The longitude of Cape Moreton +was now fixed by the time keepers at 153 deg. 261/2' east, differing only 11/2' +from the lunar observations before taken in the Norfolk; when its +latitude had been settled at 27 deg. 01/2' south. + +(Atlas, Plate X.) + +TUESDAY 27 JULY 1802 + +After passing the dangerous reef, we steered northward until three in the +morning; and then hove to until daylight, for the purpose of examining +the land about Double-island Point and Wide Bay, which did not appear to +have been well distinguished by captain Cook. At seven o'clock the point +bore N. 2 deg. W., six leagues, and the shore abreast, a beach with sandy +hills behind it, was distant six miles. Between the S. 63. W. and a low +bluff head bearing S. 32 deg. W., was a bight in the coast where the sand +hills seemed to terminate; for the back land further south was high and +rocky with small peaks on the top, similar to the ridge behind the Glass +Houses, of which it is probably a continuation. + +At half past nine we hauled close round Double-island Point, within a +rock lying between one and two miles to the N. N. E., having 7 fathoms +for the least water. The point answered captain Cook's description: it is +a steep head, at the extremity of a neck of land which runs out two miles +from the main, and lies in 25 deg. 56' south, and 153 deg. 13' east. On the north +side of the point the coast falls back to the westward, and presents a +steep shore of white sand; but in curving round Wide Bay the sandy land +becomes very low, and a small opening was seen in it, leading to a piece +of water like a lagoon; but the shoals which lie off the entrance render +it difficult of access, if indeed there be a passage for any thing larger +than boats. Had the Lady Nelson been with me, I should have attempted to +get her into the lagoon, having previously entertained a conjecture that +the head of Hervey's Bay might communicate with Wide Bay; but the +apprehension that lieutenant Murray would arrive at the first rendezvous, +and proceed to the next before we could join him, deterred me from +attempting it with the Investigator or with boats. + +Upon the north side of the opening there was a number of Indians, fifty +as reported, looking at the ship, and near Double-island Point ten others +had been seen, implying a more numerous population than is usual to the +southward. I inferred from hence, that the piece of water at the head of +Wide Bay was extensive and shallow; for in such places the natives draw +much subsistence from the fish which there abound, and are more easily +caught than in deep water. So far as could be seen from the mast head at +three or four miles off, the water extended about five miles westward, to +the feet of some hills covered with small wood. Its extent north and +south could not be distinguished, and it seemed probable that one, and +perhaps two streams fall into it; for there were many large medusas +floating at the entrance, such as are usually found near the mouths of +rivers in this country. + +We passed the shoals of Wide Bay in from 12 to 5 fathoms water; and +steered northward at the distance of six, and from that to two miles off +the shore, until dark. Captain Cook describes this part of the coast as +moderately high and very barren; there being great patches of moveable +sand many acres in extent, through which appeared in some places the +green tops of trees half buried, and in others the naked trunks of such +as the sand had destroyed. We sailed some miles nearer to it than the +Endeavour had done, and saw extensive, bare patches in many parts; but +nothing to indicate the sands being moveable; and in general, there were +shrubs, bushes, and some trees scattered over the hills in front of the +sea. Nothing however can well be imagined more barren than this +peninsula; but the smokes which arose from many parts, corroborated the +remark made upon the population about Wide Bay; and bespoke that fresh +water was not scarce in this sandy country. + +Our course at night was directed by the fires on the shore, and the wind +being moderate from the south-westward, it was continued until ten +o'clock; after which we stood off and on till daylight [WEDNESDAY 28 JULY +1802], and then had Indian Head bearing S. 54 deg. W. one mile and a half. +This head was so named by captain Cook, from the great number of Indians +assembled there in 1770. Mr. Westall's sketch of it (Atlas, Plate XVIII, +View 4.), taken as we steered close along the shore for Sandy Cape, will +show that the same sterility prevailed here as in the southern part of +the peninsula; and it continued to the northern extremity. + +At eleven o'clock we reached Sandy Cape, and the master was sent ahead to +sound in a small passage through Break-sea Spit. The ship followed under +easy sail, until we got into 3 fathoms; and the master not making the +signal for any deeper water, I tacked and called the boat on board. The +channel appeared to go quite through the Spit, into Hervey's Bay; but as +there were, in many parts, not more than 2 fathoms, it can be passed only +by small vessels. At noon, + + +Sandy Cape, distant a miles, bore S. 64 deg. to 80 deg. W. +Indian Head, distant 7 leagues, S. 12 E. + + +Our observations fixed Sandy Cape in 24 deg. 42' south, and 153 deg.' 16' east, +being 3' north, and 7' east of the position assigned to it by captain +Cook. + +[EAST COAST. HERVEY'S BAY.] + +At one o'clock we steered northward, close to the edge of Break-sea Spit, +searching for a passage through it into Hervey's Bay. There were many +small winding channels amongst the breakers, and a larger being perceived +at three, the boat was sent to make an examination; in the mean time, the +wind having shifted to north-west and become very light, we dropped the +stream anchor two miles from the Spit, in 11 fathoms, fine grey sand. The +channel where the boat was sounding, and out of which a tide came of more +than one mile an hour, bore W. by N.1/2 N., and Sandy Cape S. 24 deg. to 41 deg. +W., about three leagues. + +Soon after sunset the master returned, and reported the channel to be +nearly a mile and a half wide, and that it went quite through to the bay; +but it did not generally contain more than fourteen feet water, and was +therefore impassable for the Investigator. The bottom of this, and of the +former small channel, as also the shoaler banks of the Spit, were of +coral, mixed with coral sand. + +THURSDAY 29 JULY 1802 + +At three in the morning, on a breeze springing up at S. W. by S., we +stretched south-eastward; and a vessel having been observed over night +off Indian Head, this tack was prolonged till seven o'clock; when seeing +nothing of her, we stood back for the Spit, and coasted close along its +east side as before, in from 10 to 5 fathoms water. At forty minutes +after noon we passed over the tail of the Spit, in latitude 24 deg. 24'; the +water then deepening suddenly from 6 and 7, to 22 fathoms, and the white +patches on Sandy Cape bearing S. 8 deg. E. In standing N. W. by W. we crossed +a bank in 11 fathoms, and on tacking, passed another part of it with only +5; the water upon it was not discoloured, nor had it been observed either +by captain Cook, or by me in the Norfolk: it lies about 6 miles W. N. W. +from the end of Break-sea Spit. + +The first rendezvous appointed for lieutenant Murray, was the anchorage +near Sandy Cape; but the wind being unfavourable, we did not reach it +till four on the following afternoon [FRIDAY 30 JULY 1802]; at which time +the anchor was dropped in 7 fathoms, sandy bottom, with the outer +extremity of the cape bearing S. 79 deg. E., and the nearest part distant two +miles. A vessel was seen on the outside of the Spit, which proved to be +the Lady Nelson; and the master being sent with a boat to assist her +through the passage, she anchored near us at sunset, and lieutenant +Murray came on board. The account he gave of his separation, and the +delay in arriving at the rendezvous, convinced me both of the Lady Nelson +being an indifferent vessel, and of the truth of an observation before +made upon the currents: that they run much stronger to the southward at +the distance of six, and from that to twenty leagues off the coast, than +they do close in with the shore. Mr. Murray not being much accustomed to +make free with the land, had kept it barely within sight, and had been +much retarded. + +In order to give the botanists an opportunity of examining the +productions of Sandy Cape, I determined to remain here a day; and some +natives being seen upon the beach, a boat was sent to commence an +acquaintance with them; they however retired, and suffered Mr. Brown to +botanise without disturbance. Next morning [SATURDAY 31 July 1802] the +brig anchored within a quarter of a mile of the shore, to cover our +landing parties; and the armed boats being moored at grapnels, out of the +reach of the natives, we separated into three divisions. The naturalist's +party, consisting of six persons, walked along the shore towards the +upper part of the bay; Mr. Murray and his people went to cut wood for +fuel; and the party with me, also of six persons, including my native +friend _Bongaree_, went towards the extremity of Sandy Cape. Several +Indians with branches of trees in their hands, were there collected; and +whilst they retreated themselves, were waving to us to go back. Bongaree +stripped off his clothes and laid aside his spear, as inducements for +them to wait for him; but finding they did not understand his language, +the poor fellow, in the simplicity of his heart, addressed them in broken +English, hoping to succeed better. At length they suffered him to come +up, and by degrees our whole party joined; and after receiving some +presents, twenty of them returned with us to the boats, and were feasted +upon the blubber of two porpoises, which had been brought on shore +purposely for them. At two o'clock the naturalists returned, bringing +some of the scoop nets used by the natives in catching fish; and we then +quitted our new friends, after presenting them with hatchets and other +testimonials of our satisfaction. + +These people go entirely naked, and otherwise much resemble the +inhabitants of Port Jackson in personal appearance; but they were more +fleshy, perhaps from being able to obtain a better supply of food with +the scoop nets, which are not known on the southern parts of the coast. I +noticed in most of them a hard tumour on the outer knuckle of the wrist, +which, if we understood them aright, was caused by the stretcher of the +scoop coming in contact with this part in the act of throwing the net. +Our native did not understand a word of their language, nor did they seem +to know the use of his _womerah_ or throwing stick; for one of them being +invited to imitate Bongaree, who lanced a spear with it very dexterously +and to a great distance, he, in the most awkward manner, threw both +womerah and spear together. Nothing like a canoe was seen amongst these +people; but they must have some means of passing over the water to short +distances, since I found, in 1799, that Curlew Islet, near the head of +this bay, had been visited. + +A species of _pandanus_ before found at Glass-house and Shoal Bays, grows +in abundance upon Sandy Cape; and notwithstanding the extreme sterility +of the soil, the sand hills were mostly covered with bushes, and the +vallies contained trees of the _casuarina_ and _eucalyptus_. There was +fresh water in a pool near the shore, and as a ship may lie within half a +mile, both wood and water might be procured here without great +difficulty; but I doubt if the water would not altogether fail in the dry +season. + +A tolerably regular tide set past the ship, N. N. E. and S. S. W., nearly +one mile an hour; and it appeared by the shore to be high water _about +eight hours after_ the moon's passage, and the common rise to be between +six and seven feet. + +No mention has been made of the variation of the compass since leaving +Port Jackson, A gradual diminution seems to take place from Twofold Bay, +near the southern extremity of this coast, to Sandy Cape; as will appear +from the following observations. + + +Lat. 37 deg. 4' Azim., one compass, on shore, 9 deg. 29' E. + 33 52 do , do , do , 8 51 + 31 36 do , do , head north, 9 8 + 30 32 do , three comp., do , 8 42 + 26 10 do , one comp., head N. by W. 8 deg. 40', corr. 8 7 + 25 0 Ampl., do , head N. W. by N. 9 39 , corr. 8 9 + 24 43 do , do , head S. E. 1/2 S. 6 33 , corr 8 14 + + +The coast lies nearly north, and except Sandy Cape, appears to be mostly +of free stone, which I have not found to produce any effect upon the +needle; and what is remarkable, on comparing my observations with those +of captain Cook, it appeared that little or no change had taken place in +the variation, during thirty-two years; for wherever our observations +were taken with the ships heads in the same direction, there the same +variation was obtained to a few minutes. + +Within Break-sea Spit, an amplitude gave the variation when corrected, 7 deg. +25' east; and one taken at the anchorage near Sandy Cape, but +uncorrected, the direction of the ship's head being unknown, 7 deg. 57' east. +There is little doubt that on bringing the land to the eastward of the +ship, the variation was diminished at least half a degree: the stone of +Sandy Cape is granitic. + +SUNDAY 1 AUGUST 1802 + +In the morning of August 1, the wind was from the southward, and we +steered across Hervey's Bay, towards a sloping hummock on the west side, +where my examination in the Norfolk had terminated. The soundings +increased from 7, gradually to 18 fathoms, and afterwards decreased till +half past four in the afternoon; when the sloping hummock bore S. 2 deg. E. +eight miles, and we had no more than 31/2 fathoms near some dry banks and +breakers, which extend out three miles from two shallow inlets in the +coast. At dusk the anchor was let go in 61/2 fathoms, mud and sand; the +shallow inlets to the south being distant 6 miles, and the sloping +hummock bearing S. 17 deg. E. In captain Cook's chart, the width of Hervey's +Bay is fifty-nine miles, which had appeared to me too great when here in +the Norfolk; and I now made the distance, from the north-west extremity +of Sandy Cape to a low point running out from the hummock, to be forty +three miles by the _time keepers_. Such errors as this are almost +unavoidable without the aid of these instruments, when sailing either +along a coast which lies nearly on the same parallel, or where no land is +in sight to correct the longitude by bearings. From Port Jackson to Sandy +Cape, captain Cook's positions had been found to differ from mine, not +more than from 10' east to 7' west; which must be considered a great +degree of accuracy, considering the expeditious manner in which he sailed +along the coast, and that there were no time keepers on board the +Endeavour; but from Sandy Cape northward, where the direction of the +coast has a good deal of westing in it, greater differences began to show +themselves. + +[EAST COAST. NEAR BUSTARD BAY.] + +There was a little tide running past the ship in the first part of the +night from N. N. W., which appeared to be the flood setting into Hervey's +Bay. At daybreak [MONDAY 2 AUGUST 1802] we pursued our course along the +shore, at the distance of four or five miles, in soundings between 5 and +9 fathoms. The coast was low, but not sandy; and behind it was a range of +hills extending north-westward, and like the flat country, was not ill +clothed with wood. There was no remarkable projection till we came to the +south head of Bustard Bay; and the night being then at hand, we ran in +and anchored on a sandy bottom, in 41/2 fathoms, nearly in the same spot +where the Endeavour had lain thirty-two years before. + +The rocky south head of Bustard Bay, from the survey between the +preceding and following noons, should lie in 24 deg. 9' south, and the time +keepers placed it in 151 deg. 52' east; or 5' south and 10' east of captain +Cook's situation; nor did the form of the Bay correspond to his chart.* +The variation observed a few miles from the anchorage, was 8 deg. 20' east, +with the ship's head N. W. by N., or 6 deg. 52' reduced to the meridian; +nearly as had been found in the morning, when it was 6 deg. 56' corrected. +This is a full degree less than it was on the east side of Sandy Cape, +and captain Cook's observations show a still greater diminution. + +[* The latitude 24 deg. 4' was observed on board the Endeavour, at anchor +here; by whom is uncertain, but it was not by captain Cook or Mr. Green. +In the _Astronomical Observations_ of the voyage, p. 134, Mr. Wales, in +deducing the position of Bustard Bay, takes no notice of this +observation, and omits the latitude.] + +TUESDAY 3 AUGUST 1802 + +At daylight we proceeded along the coast; but the wind being very light, +were no more than abreast of the north head of Bustard Bay at noon; and +the ship being drifted by the tide toward some rocks lying off the head, +a boat went to sound amongst them for a passage; in the mean time an air +sprung up at north; and having got the ship's head to the eastward, we +stretched off from the rocks. This north head lies in latitude 24 deg. 0', as +laid down by captain Cook, and bears from the south head N. 44 deg. W., +twelve miles; it is moderately high, and behind it is a mass of hummocky, +barren hills, which extend far to the westward. A reef lies out as far as +two miles from the north head; but within the outer rock above water our +boat had 14 fathoms, and there was room for a ship to pass. + +Not being able to weather the reef before dark, we worked to windward +during the night; bearing down frequently to the Lady Nelson, to prevent +separation. At daylight [WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUST 1802], the wind had shifted +gradually round, from north to the south-westward; and at noon the north +head of Bustard, Bay was brought to bear S. 16 deg. E., four leagues, our +latitude being then 23 deg. 48', and longitude 151 deg. 40'. A low island was +seen from the mast head, bearing north at the supposed distance of six +leagues, of which captain Cook does not make any mention;* and the +furthest visible part of the main land was a conspicuous hill, named +_Mount Larcom_, in compliment to captain Larcom of the navy. It bore W. +1/2 deg. N., ten or eleven leagues; but the coast line between it and the north +head of Bustard Bay, seemed to be much broken. + +[* A cluster of low islands, about fifteen leagues from the coast, was +seen in the following year by Mr. Bunker, commander of the Albion, south +whaler. He described the cluster to be of considerable extent, and as +lying in latitude 233/4 deg., and longitude about 1521/2 deg.; or nearly a degree to +the eastward of the low isle above mentioned. It is probably to these +islands, whose existence captain Cook suspected, that the great flights +of boobies he saw in Hervey's Bay retire at night.] + +In the afternoon, a breeze from the north-westward enabled us to stretch +in for the land; and we anchored soon after sunset in 10 fathoms, brown +sand, five or six miles from a projection which received the name of +_Gatcombe Head_; and to the southward of it there was a rather deep bight +in the coast. The bearings of the land, taken a few minutes before +anchoring, were as under. + + +North head of Bustard Bay, dist. 5 leagues, S. 56 deg. E. +Gatcombe Head, S. 86 W. +Mount Larcom, N. 80 W. +Northern extreme of the coast, N. 46 W. + + +The chain of hills which rises near Bustard Bay, was seen to stretch +westward a few miles behind the shore, till it was lost at the back of +Mount Larcom. These hills were not destitute of wood, but they had a +barren appearance; and the coast was more rocky than sandy. At this +anchorage, the flood tide came from the north-by-east, and the ebb set +east, half a mile per hour. + +[EAST COAST. PORT CURTIS.] + +THURSDAY 5 AUGUST 1802 + +At daylight of the 5th, we closed in with the shore, steering +north-westward; and at nine o'clock a small opening was discovered, and +water seen over the low front land. The Lady Nelson was ordered to look +for anchorage; and at eleven we came to, in 4 fathoms brown sand, one +mile from the east point of the opening; and the following bearings were +then taken: + + +Southern extreme of the coast, over the east point, S. 36 deg. E. +Rocky islet in the middle of the opening, dist. 11/2 mile, S. 28 W. +Mount Larcom, S. 75 W. +Hummock at the northern extreme (C. Capricorn), N. 18 W. + + +The opening was not so much as a mile in width, but from the extent of +water within, it was conjectured to have a communication with the bight +on the south side of Gatcombe Head; and this being an object worthy of +examination, the sails were furled and the boats hoisted out. The +naturalist and his companions landed at the west side of the entrance, +where some Indians had assembled to look at the ship; but they retired on +the approach of our gentlemen, and afterwards taking the advantage of a +hillock, began to throw stones at the party; nor would they desist until +two or three muskets were fired over their heads, when they disappeared. +There were seven bark canoes lying on the shore, and near them hung upon +a tree some parts of a turtle; and scoop nets, such as those of Hervey's +Bay, were also seen. + +I proceeded up the opening in a boat, and lieutenant Murray got under way +to follow with the brig; but the tide ran up so rapidly, over a bottom +which was rocky and very irregular in depth, that he anchored almost +immediately, and came to the middle islet where I was taking angles. We +then went over to the west shore, and ascended a hill called in the +chart, _Hill View_; from whence it was evident, that this water did +certainly communicate with the bight round Gatcombe Head, and by an +opening much more considerable than that in which the vessels were +anchored; the port was also seen to extend far to the westward, and I was +induced to form a regular plan for its examination. The northern entrance +being too full of rocks and shoals for the Lady Nelson to pass, although +drawing no more than six feet when the keels were hoisted up, Mr. Murray +was desired to go round to the southern opening; and about sunset he got +under way. + +FRIDAY 6 AUGUST 1802 + +Early in the morning I went off in the whale boat, with two days +provisions, and made nearly a straight course up the port, for a low +point on the south shore called _South-trees Point_. The water was very +shallow, with many rocks and dry banks, until the southern entrance was +fairly open, when the depth varied between 7 and 3 fathoms; but there was +from 6 to 8 close to the low point. This forms the inner part of the +southern entrance, and Gatcombe Head, the outer part, lies from it S. 64 deg. +E. about four miles; from the head southward, however, the width of the +channel is much less, being contracted by banks which extend out from the +opposite shore. + +Seeing nothing of the brig, I proceeded in the examination, steering +westward for a small island four or five miles up the port. This is the +southernmost of six islets, lying behind the point of Hill View, and from +one of two hillocks upon it, another set of bearings was taken. The depth +of water thus far, had varied from 8 fathoms, to six feet upon a middle +shoal; after which it deepened to 3, 4, and 7 fathoms, and there was 10 +close to the southern islet. The Lady Nelson made her appearance off +Gatcombe Head about noon; but not waiting for her, I went to a point on +the northern shore, near two miles higher up, where the water was so deep +that a ship might make fast to the rocks and trees: the soundings were +very irregular from the southern islet, but the least depth was 5 +fathoms. + +The port was here contracted to one mile in width; but it opened out +higher up, and taking a more northern direction, assumed the form of a +river. In steering across to the western shore, I carried from 8 to 4, +and afterwards from 6 to 2 fathoms; when turning northward for two islets +covered with mangroves, the depth increased again to 7 fathoms. We tried +to land upon a third islet, it being then sunset; but a surrounding bank +of soft mud making the islet inaccessible, we rowed on upwards, and +landed with difficulty on the west shore before it became quite dark. The +breadth of the stream here was about a mile; and the greatest depth 6 +fathoms at low water. + +SATURDAY 7 AUGUST 1802 + +In the morning, a small opening was observed in the opposite, eastern +shore; but reserving this for examination in returning, I proceeded +upwards with a fair wind, five miles further, when the greatest depth any +where to be found was 3 fathoms. The stream then divided into two arms; +the largest, about one mile in breadth, continuing its direction to the +N. W. by N., and apparently ending a little further up; the other running +westward, but the greater part of both occupied by shallow water and mud +banks. Upon the point of separation, which is insulated at high water, +there were some low, reddish cliffs, the second observed on the west +shore; and from thence I set Mount Larcom at S. 15 deg. 15' W., distant seven +or eight miles. + +This station was nine miles above the steep point, where the port is +first contracted, and the steep point is ten from Gatcombe Head; and +conceiving it could answer no essentially useful purpose to pursue the +examination where a ship could not go, I returned to the small opening in +the eastern shore, opposite to where we had passed the night. There was 4 +fathoms in the entrance of this little branch; but it presently became +shallow, and I landed to ascend a hill which had but little wood at the +top. The sea was visible from thence; and the ship at the northern +entrance of the port was set at N. 891/2 deg. E, and Mount Larcom S. 591/2 deg. W. +The small, mangrove islets below this branch, were passed on the east +side in our way down, there being a narrow channel with from 3 to 5 +fathoms in it, close past two trees standing alone in the water; and at +sunset we got on board the brig, lying at anchor off South-trees Point. + +Lieutenant Murray had found some difficulty in getting into the southern +entrance, from a shoal which lay to the S. E. by E., one mile and a half +from Gatcombe Head. He passed on the north side of the shoal, and brought +deep water as far as South-trees Point; but in steering onward, in +mid-channel, had met with other banks, and was obliged to anchor. I +desired Mr. Murray to ascertain as he went out, whether there were any +channel on the south side of the shoal near Gatcombe Head; and quitting +the brig next morning [SUNDAY 8 AUGUST 1802], I landed on the larger +island to the south of the point of Hill View, to take angles; and soon +after nine o'clock, reached the ship. + +During my absence, the botanical gentlemen had been on shore every day, +lieutenant Flinders had made astronomical observations, and boats had +been employed, though unsuccessfully, in fishing. No Indians had been +seen on the east side of the port, and I therefore gave a part of the +ship's company leave this afternoon, to land there and divert themselves. +At eight in the evening a gun was heard in the offing; and by the +guidance of our light, the Lady Nelson returned to her anchorage four +hours afterward. Mr. Murray had struck upon a reef, having kept too near +the shore in the apprehension of missing the anchorage in the dark; but +his vessel did not appear to have sustained any other damage than the +main sliding keel being carried away. + +As much time having been employed in the examination of this port as the +various objects I had in view could permit, we prepared to quit it on the +following morning. This part of the East Coast had been passed in the +night by captain Cook; so that both the openings escaped his notice, and +the discovery of the port fell to our lot. In honour of admiral Sir Roger +Curtis, who had commanded at the Cape of Good Hope and been so attentive +to our wants, I gave to it the name of PORT CURTIS; and the island which +protects it from the sea, and in fact forms the port, was called _Facing +Island_. It is a slip of rather low land, eight miles in length, and from +two to half a mile in breadth, having Gatcombe Head for its southern +extremity. + +The northern entrance to Port Curtis is accessible only to boats; but +ships of any size may enter the port by the southern opening. Mr. Murray +did not find any passage on the south side of the shoal near Gatcombe +Head, but could not say that none existed; he thought the deep channel to +be not more than a mile wide; but at half a mile from the head there was +from 6 to 10 fathoms, and the channel from thence leads fair up the port +to beyond South-trees Point; I suspected, however, from the account given +by Mr. Murray, that there might be a second shoal, lying not so much as a +mile from the head, and one is marked in the plan accordingly, that ships +may be induced to greater caution. There is good anchorage just within +Gatcombe Head; and at a small beach there, behind a rock, is a rill of +fresh water, and wood is easily to be procured. + +I cannot venture to give any other sailing directions for going up this +port, than to run cautiously, with a boat ahead and the plan upon the +binnacle. Both the bottom and shoals are usually a mixture of sand, with +mud or clay; but in the northern entrance, and off some of the upper +points and islands where the tides run strong, the ground is in general +rocky. + +The country round Port Curtis is overspread with grass, and produces the +_eucalyptus_ and other trees common to this coast; yet the soil is either +sandy or covered with loose stones, and generally incapable of +cultivation. Much of the shores and the low islands are overspread with +mangroves, of three different species; but that which sends down roots, +or rather supporters from the branches, and interweaves so closely as to +be almost impenetrable, was the most common. This species, the +_Rhizophora Mangle_ of Linnaeus, is also the most abundant in the East +and West Indies; but is not found at Port Jackson, nor upon the south +coast of this country. + +Granite, streaked red and black, and cracked in all directions, appeared +to be the common stone in the upper parts of the port; but a stratified +argillaceous stone was not unfrequent; and upon the larger island, lying +off the point of Hill View, there was a softish, white earth, which I +took to be calcareous until it was tried with acids, and did not produce +any effervescence. + +Traces of inhabitants were found upon all the shores where we landed, but +the natives kept out of sight after the little skirmish on the first day +of our arrival; they subsist partly on turtle, and possess bark canoes +and scoop nets. We saw three turtle lying on the water, but were not so +fortunate as to procure any. Fish seemed to be plentiful, and some were +speared by Bongaree, who was a constant attendant in my boat; and yet our +efforts with the seine were altogether unsuccessful. The shores abound +with oysters, amongst which, in the upper parts of the port, was the kind +producing pearls; but being small and discoloured, they are of no value. +The attempts made near the ship with the dredge, to procure larger +oysters from the deep water, were without success. + +I saw no quadrupeds in the woods, and almost no birds; but there were +some pelicans, gulls, and curlews about the shores and flats. Fresh water +was found in small pools on both sides of the northern entrance, and at +the point of Hill View I met with some in holes; but that which best +merits the attention of a ship, is the rill found by Mr. Murray at the +back of the small beach within Gatcombe Head. + +The _latitude_ of our anchorage at the northern entrance, from four +meridian altitudes of the sun, is 23 deg. 44' 16" south. + +Six sets of distances of the sun west of the moon, taken by lieutenant +Flinders, would make the _longitude_ 151 deg. 21' 22" east; the two time +keepers gave 151 deg. 20' 10"; and fifty sets of distances, reduced from +Broad Sound by the survey, which I consider to be the best authority, +place the anchorage in 151 deg. 20' 15" east. + +These being reduced by the survey to the southern entrance, place +Gatcombe Head in latitude 23 deg. 521/2 deg. S. longitude 151 deg. 24' E. + +No _variations_ were observed at the anchorage; but two amplitudes off +Gatcombe Head gave 11 deg. 11', and azimuths with three compasses, 10 deg. 50' +east, the ship's head being W. S. W. and W. N. W. These being reduced to +the meridian, will give the true variation to be 8 deg. 40' east. + +This is an increase of near 2 deg. from Bustard Bay; and seems attributable +to the attraction of the granitic land which lay to the westward, and +drew the south end of the needle that way. + +The rise of _tide_ at the place where I slept near the head of the port, +was no more than four feet; but upon the rocky islet in the northern +entrance, there were marks of its having risen the double of that +quantity. The time of high water was not well ascertained, but it will be +between eight and nine hours after the moon's passage over and under the +meridian. + +MONDAY 9 AUGUST 1902 + +On getting under way at daylight of the 9th, to prosecute the examination +of the coast, the anchor came up with an arm broken off, in consequence +of a flaw extending two-thirds through the iron. The negligence with +which this anchor had been made, might in some cases have caused the loss +of the ship. + +[EAST COAST. KEPPEL BAY.] + +In following the low and rather sandy shore, northward to Cape Capricorn, +we passed within a rocky islet and another composed of rock and sand, +four miles south-east of the cape, the soundings being there from 8 to 9 +fathoms; and at ten o'clock hauled round for Cape Keppel, which lies from +Cape Capricorn N. 80 deg. W., ten miles. The shore is low, with some small +inlets in it, and sand banks with shoal water run off more than two +miles; at six miles out there is a hummocky island and four rocks, one of +which was at first taken for a ship. We passed within these, as captain +Cook had before done; and at half past two in the afternoon anchored in +Keppel Bay, in 6 fathoms soft bottom, three-quarters of a mile from a +head on the east side of the entrance. + +My object in stopping at this bay was to explore two openings marked in +it by captain Cook, which it was possible might be the entrances of +rivers leading into the interior. So soon as the ship was secured, a boat +was sent to haul the seine, and I landed with a party of the gentlemen to +inspect the bay from an eminence called _Sea Hill_. There were four +places where the water penetrated into the land, but none of these +openings were large; that on the west side, in which were two islands, +was the most considerable, and the hills near it were sufficiently +elevated to afford an extensive view; whereas in most other parts, the +shores were low and covered with mangroves. These considerations induced +me to begin the proposed examination by the western arm; and early next +morning [TUESDAY 10 AUGUST 1802] I embarked in the Lady Nelson, intending +to employ her and my whale boat in exploring the bay and inlets, whilst +the botanists made their excursions in the neighbourhood of the ship. + +The depth in steering for the western arm was from 6 to 9 fathoms, for +about one mile, when it diminished quickly to 2, upon a shoal which +seemed to run up the bay; the water afterwards deepened to 5 and 7 +fathoms, but meeting with a second shoal, the brig was obliged to anchor. +I then went on in my boat for the nearest of the two islands, passing +over the banks and crossing the narrow, deep channels marked in the plan. +The two islands are mostly very low, and the shores so muddy and covered +with mangroves, that a landing on the northern and highest of them could +be effected only at the west end; but a hillock there enabled me to take +an useful set of bearings, including Mount Larcom, which is visible from +all parts of this bay, as it is from Port Curtis. + +In the afternoon I proceeded up the western arm, having from 3 to 8 +fathoms close along the northern shore; and about four miles up, where +the width was diminished to one mile, found a landing place, a rare +convenience here, and ascended a hill from whence there was a good view. +At five or six leagues to the south, and extending thence north-westward, +was a continuation of the same chain of hills which rises near Bustard +Bay and passes behind Mount Larcom; but at the back of Keppel Bay it +forms a more connected ridge, and is rocky, steep, and barren. Within +this ridge the land is low, and intersected by various streams, some +falling into the western arm at ten or twelve miles above the entrance, +and others into the south-west and south arms of the bay. The borders of +the western arm, and of its upper branches so far as could be perceived, +were over-run with mangroves; whence it seemed probable the water was +salt, and that no landing was practicable, higher than this station; the +sun also was near setting when my bearings from _West-arm Hill_ were +completed; and I therefore gave up the intention of proceeding further, +and returned to the northern island in the entrance, to pass the night. + +It was high water here at seven in the evening, and the tide fell nine +and a half feet; but the morning's tide rose to six and a half only +[WEDNESDAY 11 AUGUST 1802]. In rowing out between the two islands, I had +from 8 to 3 fathoms; but shoal water in crossing from thence to the +entrance of the south-west arm, where again there was 5 to 8 fathoms. A +strong wind from the south-eastward did not permit me to go up this arm, +and the extensive flats made it impossible to land upon the south side of +the bay; and finding that nothing more could be done at this time, I +returned to the ship. + +The numerous shoals in Keppel Bay rendering the services of the Lady +Nelson in a great measure useless to the examination, I directed +lieutenant Murray to run out to the hummocky island lying to the +north-east from Cape Keppel, and endeavour to take us some turtle; for +there were no signs of inhabitants upon it, and turtle seemed to be +plentiful in this neighbourhood. He was also to ascend the hills, and +take bearings of any island or other object visible in the offing; and +after making such remarks as circumstances might allow, to return not +later than the third evening. + +THURSDAY 12 AUGUST 1802 + +Next afternoon, I went, accompanied by the naturalist, to examine the +eastern arm of the bay, which is divided into two branches. Pursuing the +easternmost and largest, with soundings from 6 to 3 fathoms, we came to +several mangrove islands, about four miles up, where the stream changed +its direction from S. S. E. to E. S. E., and the deepest water was 2 +fathoms. A little further on we landed for the night, cutting a path +through the mangroves to a higher part of the northern shore; but the +swarms of musketoes and sand flies made sleeping impossible to all except +one of the boat's crew, who was so enviably constituted, that these +insects either did not attack him, or could not penetrate his skin. It +was high water here at nine o'clock; and the tide afterwards fell between +ten and twelve feet. + +FRIDAY 13 AUGUST 1802 + +In the morning, I set Broad Mount in Keppel Bay at N. 61 deg. 20' W. and +Mount Larcom S. 8 deg. 20' E; and we then steered onward in six to eight feet +water, amongst various little islands of mud and mangroves; the whole +width of the stream being still more than half a mile, nearly the same as +at the entrance. Three miles above the sleeping place the water began to +increase in breadth, and was 2 fathoms deep; and advancing further, it +took a direction more southward, and to our very agreeable surprise, +brought us to the head of Port Curtis; forming thus a channel of +communication from Keppel Bay, and cutting off Cape Capricorn with a +piece of land twenty-five miles in length, from the continent. + +I landed on the eastern shore, nearly opposite to the reddish cliffs +which had been my uppermost station from Port Curtis, and set + +Broad Mount in Keppel Bay at N. 60 deg. 45' W. +Mount Larcom, S. 16 15 W. + +Having found one communication, we rowed up the western branch near the +reddish cliffs, hoping to get back to Keppel Bay by a second new passage; +but after going two miles, with a diminishing depth from 4 fathoms to +three feet, we were stopped by mangroves, and obliged to return to the +main stream. + +The tide was half ebbed when we came to the shallowest part of the +communicating channel; and it was with much difficulty that the boat +could be got over. A space here of about two miles in length, appears to +be dry, or very nearly so, at low water; but it is possible that some +small channel may exist amongst the mangroves, of sufficient depth for a +boat to pass at all times of tide. + +We reached the entrance of the eastern arm from Keppel Bay, with the last +of the ebb; and took the flood to go up the southern branch. The depth of +water was generally 3 fathoms, on the eastern side, and the width nearly +half a mile. This continued three miles up, when a division took place; +in the smallest, which ran southward, we got one mile, and up the other, +leading south-westward, two miles; when both were found to terminate in +shallows amongst the mangroves. It was then dusk; and there being no +possibility of landing, the boat was made fast to a mangrove bush till +high water, and with the returning ebb, we got on board the ship at +eleven o'clock. + +The Lady Nelson had returned from the hummocky island, without taking any +turtle. No good anchorage was found, nor was there either wood or water +upon the island, worth the attention of a ship. Mr. Murray ascended the +highest of the hummocks with a compass, but did not see any lands in the +offing further out than the Keppel Isles. + +SATURDAY 14 AUGUST 1802 + +I left the ship again in the morning, and went up the southern arm to a +little hill on its western shore; hoping to gain from thence a better +knowledge of the various streams which intersect the low land on the +south side of the bay. This arm is one mile in width, and the depth in it +from 3 to 6 fathoms; the shores are flat, as in other parts, and covered +with mangroves; but at high water a landing was effected under the _South +Hill_, without much trouble. The sides of this little eminence are steep, +and were so thickly covered with trees and shrubs, bound together and +intertwisted with strong vines, that our attempts to reach the top were +fruitless. It would perhaps have been easier to climb up the trees, and +scramble from one to another upon the vines, than to have penetrated +through the intricate net work in the darkness underneath. + +Disappointed in my principal object, and unable to do any thing in the +boat, which could not then approach the shore within two hundred yards, I +sought to walk upwards, and ascertain the communication between the south +and south-west arms; but after much fatigue amongst the mangroves and +muddy swamps, very little more information could be gained. The small +fish which leaps on land upon two strong breast fins, and was first seen +by captain Cook on the shores of Thirsty Sound, was very common in the +swamps round the South Hill. There were also numbers of a small kind of +red crab, having one of its claws uncommonly large, being, indeed, nearly +as big as the body; and this it keeps erected and open, so long as there +is any expectation of disturbance. It was curious to see a file of these +pugnacious little animals raise their claws at our approach, and open +their pincers ready for an attack; and afterwards, finding there was no +molestation, shoulder their arms and march on. + +At nine in the evening, the tide brought the boat under the hill, and +allowed us to return to the ship. All the examination of Keppel Bay which +our time could allow, was now done; but a day being required for laying +down the plan of the different arms, I offered a boat on Sunday [15 +AUGUST 1802] morning to the botanists, to visit the South Hill, which +afforded a variety of plants; but they found little that had not before +fallen under their observation. A part of the ship's company was allowed +to go on shore abreast of the ship, for no Indians had hitherto been seen +there; but towards the evening, about twenty were observed in company +with a party of the sailors. They had been met with near Cape Keppel, and +at first menaced our people with their spears; but finding them inclined +to be friendly, laid aside their arms, and accompanied the sailors to the +ship in a good-natured manner. A master's mate and a seaman were, +however, missing, and nothing was heard of them all night. + +MONDAY 16 AUGUST 1802 + +At daylight, two guns were fired and an officer was sent up the small +inlet under Sea Hill; whilst I took a boat round to Cape Keppel, in the +double view of searching for the absentees and obtaining a set of +bearings from the top of the cape. This station afforded me a better view +of the Keppel Isles than any former one; and to the northward of them +were two high peaks on the main land, nearly as far distant as Cape +Manifold. + +Amongst the number of bearings taken, those most essential to the +connection of the survey were as under. + +Cape Capricorn, outer hummock, S. 79 deg. 30' E. +Mount Larcom, S. 6 10 E. +The ship at anchor, S. 59 50 W. +Highest peak near Cape Manifold, N. 25 10 W. +Keppel Isles, outermost, called first lump, N. 0 45 E. +Hummocky Island, N. 54 deg. 35' to 61 40 E. + +On my return to the ship, the master's mate and seaman were on board. The +officer had very incautiously strayed away from his party, after natives +had been seen; and at sunset, when he should have been at the beach, he +and the man he had taken with him were entangled in a muddy swamp amongst +mangroves, several miles distant; in which uncomfortable situation, and +persecuted by clouds of musketoes, they passed the night. Next morning +they got out of the swamp; but fell in with about twenty-five Indians, +who surrounded and took them to a fire place. A couple of ducks were +broiled; and after the wanderers had satisfied their hunger, and +undergone a personal examination, they were conducted back to the ship in +safety. Some of the gentlemen went to meet the natives with presents, and +an interview took place, highly satisfactory to both parties; the Indians +then returned to the woods, and our people were brought on board. + +TUESDAY 17 AUGUST 1802 + +The anchor was weighed at daylight of the 17th, but the wind and tide +being unfavourable, it took the whole day to get into the offing; at dusk +we came to, in 9 fathoms, mud and sand, having the centre of the hummocky +island bearing S. 72 deg. E. two leagues. A sketch of the island and of Cape +Keppel was taken by Mr. Westall (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View 5.) whilst +beating out of the bay. + +Keppel Bay was discovered and named by captain Cook, who sailed past it +in 1770. A ship going in will be much deceived by the colour of the +water; for the shores of the bay being soft and muddy, the water running +out by the deep channels with the latter part of the ebb, is thick; +whilst the more shallow parts, over which the tide does not then set, are +covered with sea water, which is clear. Not only are the shores for the +most part muddy, but a large portion of the bay itself is occupied by +shoals of mud and sand. The deep water is in the channels made by the +tides, setting in and out of the different arms; and the best information +I can give of them, will be found by referring to the plan. The broadest +of these channels is about two miles wide, on the east side of the bay; +and our anchorage there near Sea Hill, just within the entrance, seems to +be the best for a ship purposing to make but a short stay. Wood is easily +procured; and fresh water was found in small ponds and swamps, at a +little distance behind the beach. This is also the best, if not the sole +place in the bay for hauling the seine; and a fresh meal of good fish was +there several times procured for all the ship's company. + +The country round Keppel Bay mostly consists either of stony hills, or of +very low land covered with salt swamps and mangroves. Almost all the +borders of the bay, and of the several arms into which it branches, are +of this latter description; so that there are few places where it was not +necessary to wade some distance in soft mud, and afterwards to cut +through a barrier of mangroves, before reaching the solid land. + +Mention has been made of the ridge of hills by which the low land on the +south side of the bay is bounded. The upper parts of it are steep and +rocky, and may be a thousand, or perhaps fifteen hundred feet high, but +the lower sloping sides are covered with wood; Mount Larcom and the hills +within the ridge, are clothed with trees nearly to the top; yet the +aspect of the whole is sterile. The high land near the western arm, +though stony and shallow in soil, is covered with grass, and trees of +moderate growth; but the best part of the country was that near Cape +Keppel; hill and valley are there well proportioned, the grass is of a +better kind and more abundant, the trees are thinly scattered, and there +is very little underwood. The lowest parts are not mangrove swamps, as +elsewhere, but pleasant looking vallies, at the bottom of which are ponds +of fresh water frequented by flocks of ducks. Cattle would find here a +tolerable abundance of nutritive food, though the soil may perhaps be no +where sufficiently deep and good to afford a productive return to the +husbandman. + +After the mangrove, the most common trees round Keppel Bay are different +kinds of _eucalyptus_, fit for the ordinary purposes of building. A +species of _Cycas_, described by captain Cook (Hawkesworth, III. 220, +221) as a third kind of palm found by him on this coast, and bearing +poisonous nuts, was not scarce in the neighbourhood of West-arm Hill. We +found three kinds of stone here: a greyish slate, quartz and various +granitic combinations, and a soft, whitish stone, saponaceous to the +touch; the two first were often found intermixed, and the last generally, +if not always lying above them. The quartz was of various colours, and +sometimes pure; but never in a state of crystallisation. + +Wherever we landed there had been Indians; but it was near the ship only, +that any of them made their appearance. They were described by the +gentlemen who saw them, as stout, muscular men, who seemed to understand +bartering better than most, or perhaps any people we had hitherto seen in +this country. Upon the outer bone of the wrist they had the same hard +tumour as the people of Hervey's Bay, and the cause of it was attempted, +ineffectually, to be explained to one of the gentlemen; but as cast nets +were seen in the neighbourhood, there seems little doubt that the manner +of throwing them produces the tumours. These people were not devoid of +curiosity; but several things which might have been supposed most likely +to excite it, passed without notice. Of their dispositions we had every +reason to speak highly, from their conduct to our sailors; but +particularly to the master's mate and seaman who had lost themselves, and +were absolutely in their power. On the morning we quitted the bay, a +large party was again seen, coming down to the usual place; which seemed +to imply that our conduct and presents had conciliated their good will, +and that they would be glad to have communication with another vessel. + +It is scarcely necessary to say, that these people are almost black, and +go entirely naked, since none of any other colour, or regularly wearing +clothes, have been seen in any part of Terra Australis. About their fire +places were usually scattered the shells of large crabs, the bones of +turtle, and the remains of a parsnip-like root, apparently of fern; and +once the bones of a porpoise were found; besides these, they doubtless +procure fish, and wild ducks were seen in their possession. There are +kangaroos in the woods, and several bustards were seen near Cape Keppel. +The mud banks are frequented by curlews, gulls, and some lesser birds. +Oysters of a small, crumply kind, are tolerably plentiful; they do not +adhere to the rocks, but stick to each other in large masses on the +banks; here are also pearl oysters, but not so abundantly as in Port +Curtis. + +The _latitude_ of our anchorage, from the mean of three meridian +altitudes to the north, was 23 deg. 29' 34" south. + +_Longitude_ from twenty-four sets of distances of the sun and moon, the +particulars of which are given in Table I. of Appendix No. I. to this +volume, 151 deg. 0' 28"; but from fifty other sets, reduced by the survey +from Broad Sound, the better longitude of the anchorage is 150 deg. 58' 20" +east. + +According to the time keepers the longitude would be 150 deg. 57' 43"; and in +an interval of six days, they were found to err no more than 5" of +longitude on the Port-Jackson rates. + +From three compasses on the binnacle, lieutenant Flinders observed the +_variation_ 6 deg. 48', when the ship's head was north, and 5 deg. 47' when it +was south-south-east. This last being reduced to the meridian, the mean +of both will be 6 deg. 47' east, nearly the same as in Bustard Bay; but 2 deg. +less than was observed off Gatcombe Head. At the different stations round +Keppel Bay whence bearings were taken, the variation differed from 5 deg. 10' +to 6 deg. 30' east. + +Whilst beating off the entrance, I had 7 deg. 52' east variation, from +azimuths with the surveying compass when the head was N. W., and from an +amplitude, with the head N. by W., 6 deg. 54'; the mean reduced to the +meridian. will be for the outside of the bay 6 deg. 16' east. + +Captain Cook had 7 deg. 24' near the same situation, from amplitudes and +azimuths observed in 1770, with the Endeavour's head W. N. W. + +The rise of _tide_ in the entrance of Keppel Bay seems to vary at the +neaps and springs, from nine to fourteen feet, and high water to take +place _nine hours and a half_ after the moon's passage over and under the +meridian; but the morning's tide fell two or three feet short of that at +night. The set past the ship was greatest at the last quarter of the +flood and first of the ebb, when it ran two-and-half knots, and turned +very suddenly. In the offing, the flood came from the eastward, at the +rate of one mile per hour. + +CHAPTER II. + +The Keppel Isles, and coast to Cape Manifold. +A new port discovered and examined. +Harvey's Isles. +A new passage into Shoal-water Bay. +View from Mount Westall. +A boat lost. +The upper parts of Shoal-water Bay examined. +Some account of the country and inhabitants. +General remarks on the bay. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +[EAST COAST. FROM KEPPEL BAY.] + +AUGUST 1802 + +The rocks and islands lying off Keppel Bay to the northward, are numerous +and scattered without order; two of them are of greater magnitude than +the rest, and captain Cook had attempted to pass between these and the +main land, from which they are distant about five miles; but shoal water +obliged him to desist. When we got under way in the morning of the 18th +[WEDNESDAY 18 AUGUST 1802], our course was directed for the outside of +these two islands, and we passed within a mile of them in 9, and from +that to 13 fathoms water. They are five miles asunder, and the +southernmost and largest is near twelve in circumference; its rocky hills +are partly covered with grass and wood, and the gullies down the sides, +as also the natives seen upon the island, implied that fresh water was to +be had there. + +[EAST COAST. CAPE MANIFOLD.] + +At the back of the islands the main coast is low and sandy, with the +exception of two or three rocky heads; but at a few miles inland there is +a chain of hills, moderately elevated and not ill clothed with wood. +These hills are a continuation of the same which I had ascended on the +west side of Keppel Bay, and extend as far as the two peaks behind Cape +Manifold. + +After passing the Keppel Isles we steered for a small opening in the +coast, seven or eight miles to the north-west, and the Lady Nelson was +directed to lead in; but on her making the signal for 3 fathoms, and the +inlet appearing to be a sandy cove fit only for boats, we kept on +northward, between one and two miles from the shore. At five o'clock, the +south-east breeze died away, and a descent of the mercury announcing +either little wind for the night or a breeze off the land, a kedge anchor +was dropped in 8 fathoms, sandy bottom. The bearings then taken were, + +Keppel Isles, the first lump, S. 45 deg. E. +C. Manifold, east end of the island near it, N. 9 E. +Peaked islet in the offing, N. 281/2 E. +Flat islet, distant four or five leagues, N. 43 E. + +The two last are called the Brothers., in captain Cook's chart; though +described in the voyage as being, one "low and flat, and the other high +and round." A perforation in the higher islet admits the light entirely +through it, and is distinguishable when it bears nearly south-east. + +THURSDAY 19 AUGUST 1802 + +At seven next morning, having then a light air from the land with foggy +weather, we steered northward along the coast; and at noon were in +latitude 22 deg. 473/4', and two rocks near the shore bore S. 54 deg. W. two or +three miles. From that time until evening, we worked to windward against +a breeze from the north-east, which afterwards veered to N. N. W.; and at +nine o'clock, a small anchor was dropped in 14 fathoms, two miles from +the shore. The Lady Nelson had fallen to leeward; and made no answer to +our signals during the night. + +FRIDAY 20 AUGUST 1802 + +At daylight, supposing the brig had passed us by means of a shift of wind +to W. N. W., we proceeded along the coast to the island lying off Cape +Manifold. This island, with some of the northern hills, had been sketched +by Mr. Westall (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View 6.) on the preceding evening; it +is slightly covered with vegetation, and lies in latitude 22 deg. 42', and +longitude 150 deg. 50'. The cape is formed of several rocky heads and +intermediate beaches; and the hills behind, from which the cape was +named, rise one over the other to the two peaks set from Cape Keppel, and +appeared to be rocky and barren. The easternmost, and somewhat the +highest peak, is about four miles from the shore, and lies S. 49 deg. W. from +the east end of the island whose situation is above given. + +The wind was from the northward at noon, and we were then making a +stretch for the land, which was distant four or five miles. + +Latitude, observed to the north, 34 deg. 361/2' +C. Manifold, east end of the island, S. 1 W. +C. Manifold, the highest peak, S. 301/2 W. +Small isle (Entrance I.) at the northern extreme, N. 29 W. +Peaked islet in the offing, distant 7 miles, S. 61 E. + +From Cape Manifold the coast falls back to a sandy beach, six miles long, +and near it are some scattered rocks. The land is there very low; but at +the north end of the beach is a hilly projection, from which we tacked at +one o'clock, in 12 fathoms; being then within a mile of two rocks, and +two miles from the main land. The brig was seen to the south-eastward, +and we made a long stretch off, to give her an opportunity of joining, +and at two in the morning [SATURDAY 21 AUGUST 1802] lay by for her; but +the wind veering to south-west at five, we stretched in for the land, and +approached some rocky islets, part of the Harvey's Isles of captain Cook, +of which, and of the main coast as far as Island Head, Mr. Westall made a +sketch (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View 7). At half past nine, when we tacked +from Harvey's Isles, I was surprised to see trees upon them resembling +the pines of Norfolk Island; none such having been before noticed upon +this coast, nor to my knowledge, upon any coast of Terra Australis. Pines +were also distinguished upon a more southern islet, four miles off, the +same which had been the northern extreme at the preceding noon; and +behind it was a deep bight in the land where there seemed to be shelter. +The breeze had then shifted to south, and the Lady Nelson being to +windward, the signal was made for her to look for anchorage; but the brig +being very leewardly, we passed her and stood into the bight by an +opening between the islets of one mile wide and from 10 to 7 fathoms in +depth. On the soundings decreasing to 5, we tacked and came to an anchor +near the pine island in the entrance, in 7 fathoms coarse sand, exposed +between N. 75 deg. and S. 23 deg. E, and the wind was then at south-east; but +having a fair passage by which we could run out to the northward., in +case of necessity, I did not apprehend any danger to the vessels. + +[EAST COAST. PORT BOWEN.] + +Instead of a bight in the coast, we found this to be a port of some +extent; which had not only escaped the observation of captain Cook, but +from the shift of wind, was very near being missed by us also. I named it +PORT BOWEN, in compliment to captain James Bowen of the navy; and to the +hilly projection on the south side of the entrance (see the sketch), I +gave the appellation of Cape Clinton, after colonel Clinton of the 85th, +who commanded the land, as captain Bowen did the sea forces at Madeira, +when we stopped at that island + +A boat was despatched with the scientific gentlemen to the north side, +where the hills rise abruptly and have a romantic appearance; another +went to the same place to haul the seine at a small beach in front of a +gully between the hills, where there was a prospect of obtaining fresh +water; and a third boat was sent to _Entrance Island_ with the carpenters +to cut pine logs for various purposes, but principally to make a main +sliding keel for the Lady Nelson. Our little consort sailed indifferently +at the best; but since the main keel had been carried away at Facing +Island, it was as unsafe to trust her on a lee shore, even in moderate +weather. On landing at Entrance Island, to take angles and inspect the +form of the port, I saw an arm extending behind Cape Clinton to the +southward, which had the appearance of a river; a still broader arm ran +westward, until it was lost behind the land; and between Entrance Island +and Cape Clinton was a space three miles wide, where nothing appeared to +obstruct the free passage of a ship into both arms. Finding the port to +be worthy of examination, and learning that the seine had been successful +and that good water was to be procured, I left orders with lieutenant +Fowler to employ the people in getting off pine logs and watering the +ship; and early next morning [SUNDAY 22 AUGUST 1802], set off in my whale +boat upon an excursion round the port. + +From the ship to the inner part of Cape Clinton the soundings were from 5 +to 8 fathoms, on a sandy bottom; but close to the innermost point there +was no ground at 10 fathoms. From thence I steered up the western arm, +passing to the south of a central rock lying a mile out; and got with +difficulty to the projection named _West-water Head_. The arm terminated +a little further on; but to the northward, over the land, I saw a long +shallow bay at the back of Island Head, and beyond it was the sea. This +western arm being full of sandy shoals, and of no utility, if at all +accessible to ships, I observed the latitude and took angles, and then +returned to the inner part of Cape Clinton. In rowing to the southward, +close along the inside of the cape, we had from 3 to 9 fathoms water; but +it was too late in the evening to make an examination of the southern +arm, and I therefore ascended a hill near the shore, to inspect it. This +was called _East-water Hill_, and I saw from its top, that the southern +arm extended S. 16 deg. W. about seven miles, to the foot of the hills behind +Cape Manifold, where it terminated in shallows and mangroves. Close under +Eastwater Hill there was a small branch running eastward, nearly +insulating Cape Clinton; but neither this branch nor the main arm seemed +to be deep enough to admit a ship much higher than the cape; and in +consequence, I gave up the further examination, and returned on board at +seven o'clock. + +Amongst the useful bearings for the survey, taken at Eastwater Hill, were +the following: + + +Entrance Island, centre, N. 9 deg. 45' E. +Peaked Islet in the offing, S. 58 45 E. +Cape Manifold, east end of the island, S. 29 40 E. +Cape Manifold, highest of the two peaks, S. 3 20 W. + + +By means of this last bearing, the longitude of Port Bowen was connected +with Keppel Bay and Port Curtis, independently of the time keepers. + +A fresh wind from the south-eastward had blown all day, and raised so +much surf on the north side of the port, that our watering there was much +impeded; a midshipman and party of men remained on shore with casks all +night, and it was not until next evening [MONDAY 23 AUGUST 1802] that the +holds were completed and pine logs got on board. The water was very good; +it drained down the gully to a little beach between two projecting beads +which have rocky islets lying off them. The gully is on the west side of +the northern entrance, and will easily be known, since we sent there on +first coming to an anchor, in the expectation of finding water, but Mr. +Westall's sketch will obviate any difficulty (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View +9). + +There were pine trees in the watering gully and on the neighbouring +hills; but the best, and also the most convenient, were those upon +Entrance Island, some of them being fit to make top masts for ships. The +branches are very brittle; but the carpenter thought the trunks to be +tough, and superior to the Norway pine, both for spars and planks: +turpentine exudes from between the wood and the bark, in considerable +quantities. + +For a ship wanting to take in water and pine logs, the most convenient +place is under Entrance Island, where we lay in the Investigator; indeed +fresh water was not found in any other place; but this anchorage is not +tenable against a strong south-east wind. At the entrance of the southern +arm, just within Cape Clinton, a ship may lie at all times in perfect +safety; and might either be laid on shore or be hove down, there being 3 +fathoms close to the rocks, at each end of the beach; it is moreover +probable, that fresh water might be there found, or be procured by +digging at the foot of the hills. In the southern arm the bottom is +muddy; but it is of sand in other parts of the port. + +Of the country round Port Bowen not much can be said in praise; it is in +general either sandy or stony, and unfit for cultivation; nevertheless, +besides pines, there are trees, principally _eucalyptus_, of moderate +size, and the vallies of Cape Clinton are overspread with a tolerably +good grass. No inhabitants were seen, but in every part where I landed, +fires had been made, and the woods of Cape Clinton were then burning; the +natives had also been upon Entrance Island, which implied them to have +canoes, although none were seen. There are kangaroos in the woods; hawks, +and the bald-headed mocking bird of Port Jackson are common; and ducks, +sea-pies, and gulls frequent the shoals at low water. Fish were more +abundant here than in any port before visited; those taken in the seine +at the watering beach were principally mullet, but sharks and flying fish +were numerous. + +The _latitude_ of the north-west end of Entrance Island, from an +observation taken by lieutenant Flinders in an artificial horizon, is 22 deg. +28' 28" south. + +_Longitude_ from twelve sets of lunar distances by the same officer, 150 deg. +47' 54"; and by the time keepers, 150 deg. 45' 36"; but from the fifty sets +which fix Broad Sound, and the reduction from thence by survey, the more +correct situation will be 150 deg. 45' 0" east. + +_Dip_ of the south end of the needle, 50 deg. 20'. + +_Variation_ from azimuths with the theodolite, 7 deg. 40' east; but on the +top of the island, where my bearings were taken, the variation appeared +to be 8 deg. 30' east; and 8 deg. in other parts of the port. + +The time of high water, as near as it could be ascertained, was _ten +hours after_ the moon's passage over and under the meridian, being half +an hour later than in Keppel Bay; and the tide rises more than nine feet, +but how much was not known; it is however to be presumed, from what was +observed to the south and to the north of Port Bowen, that the spring +tides do not rise less than fifteen feet. + +TUESDAY 24 AUGUST 1802 + +At daylight of the 24th, we steered out of Port Bowen by the northern +passage, as we had gone in. The wind was from the westward; but so light, +that when the ebb tide made from the north-west at ten o'clock, it was +necessary to drop the kedge anchor for a time. In the evening we came to, +in 10 fathoms fine grey sand, one mile and a half from the main; being +sheltered between N. E. by E. and E. by S. by the same cluster of small +isles upon which the pine trees had been first seen. In the morning +[WEDNESDAY 25 AUGUST 1802] we worked onward along the coast, against a +breeze at north-west, till ten o'clock; when the tide being unfavourable, +an anchor was dropped in 15 fathoms, sand and shells, near three islets, +of which the middlemost and highest bore S. 29 deg. E., one mile: these were +also a part, and the most northern of Harvey's Isles. + +A boat was lowered down, and I landed with the botanical gentlemen on the +middle islet; where we found grass and a few shrubs, and also ants, +grasshoppers, and lizards. Upon the rocks were oysters of the small, +crumply kind, which seemed to indicate that the sea here is not violently +agitated; and in the water we saw several large turtle, but were not able +to harpoon any of them. Several of the Northumberland Isles were in sight +from the top of the islet, and the following observations were taken. + +Latitude, observed in artificial horizon, 22 deg. 20' 42" +Longitude, deduced from survey, 150 42 +Peaked Islet in the offing bore S. 35 35 E. +Island Head, distant 3 miles, S. 82 45 W. +Cape Townshend, the rock near it, N. 57 45 W. +Northumberland Isle, the 4th, a peak, N. 43 30 W. + +When the tide slacked in the afternoon we stretched over towards Island +Head, and saw a canoe with two Indians, who made for the shore near a +place where the woods were on fire. At dusk we anchored in 18 fathoms, +soft mud, in a bight between Island Head and Cape Townshend, at the +bottom of which was an opening one mile wide, where captain Cook had +suspected an entrance into Shoalwater Bay. The Lady Nelson had fallen to +leeward, as usual; and not being come up in the morning [THURSDAY 26 +AUGUST 1802], the master was sent ahead of the ship in a boat, and we +steered for the opening with a strong flood tide in our favour. From 22 +fathoms, the water shoaled to 12, and suddenly to 3, on a rocky bottom, +just as we reached the entrance. A kedge anchor was dropped immediately; +but seeing that the opening went through, and that the master had deep +water further in, it was weighed again, and we backed and filled the +sails, drifting up with the tide so long as it continued to run. At nine +o'clock the anchor was let go in 6 fathoms, sand and shells, one mile +within the entrance, the points of which bore N. 34 deg. and S. 89 deg. E.; but +the extent of deep water was barely sufficient for the ship to swing at a +whole cable. + +[EAST COAST. STRONG-TIDE PASSAGE.] + +(Atlas, Plate XI.) + +Lieutenant Flinders landed on the north side of the entrance, and +observed the latitude 22 deg. 17' 53', from an artificial horizon; and a boat +was sent to haul the seine upon a beach on the eastern shore, where fish +to give half the ship's company a meal was procured. We had no prospect +of advancing up the passage until the turn of tide, at three in the +afternoon; and I therefore landed with a party of the gentlemen, and +ascended the highest of the hills on the eastern side. From the top of it +we could see over the land into Port Bowen; and some water was visible +further distant at the back of it, which seemed to communicate with +Shoal-water Bay. Of the passage where the ship was lying, there was an +excellent view; and I saw not only that Cape Townshend was on a distinct +island, but also that it was separated from a piece of land to the west, +which captain Cook's chart had left doubtful. Wishing to follow the +apparent intention of the discoverer, to do honour to the noble family of +Townshend, I have extended the name of the cape to the larger island, and +distinguish the western piece by the name of _Leicester Island_. Besides +these, there were many smaller isles scattered in the entrance of +Shoal-water Bay; and the southernmost of them, named _Aken's Island_ +after the master of the ship, lies in a bight of the western shore. Out +at sea there were more of the Northumberland Islands, further westward +than those before seen, the largest being not less distant than fifteen +leagues; Pier Head, on the west side of Thirsty Sound, was also visible; +and in the opposite direction was the highest of the two peaks behind +Cape Manifold, the bearing of which connected this station with Port +Curtis and Keppel Bay. The view was, indeed, most extensive from this +hill; and in compliment to the landscape painter, who made a drawing from +thence of Shoal-water Bay and the islands, I named it Mount Westall.* The +bearings most essential to the connection of the survey, were these; + + +Pier Head, the northern extreme, N. 62 deg. 40' W. +Aken's Island in Shoal-water Bay, N. 86 55 W. +Pine Mount, on its west side, S. 80 40 W. +Double Mount, S. 56 35 W. +Cape Manifold., highest peak behind it, S. 20 10 E. +West-water Head in Port Bowen, S. 30 25 E. +Northern Harvey's Isles, last station, N. 81 20 E. +Cape Townshend, north-east extreme, N. 20 25 W. +Northumberland Isles, the 4th, a peak, N. 26 25 W. + + +[* A painting was made of this view, and is now in the Admiralty; but it +has not been engraved for the voyage.] + +Mount Westall and the surrounding hills are stony, and of steep ascent; +pines grow in the gullies, and some fresh water was found there, standing +in holes. The lower hills are covered with grass and trees, as is also +the low land, though the soil be shallow and sandy; the wood is mostly +_eucalyptus_. No natives were seen during our walk, and only one +kangaroo. + +At dusk in the evening, when we returned on board, I found the Lady +Nelson at anchor near us, and two boats absent from the ship. In hauling +them up to be hoisted in, the cutter had been upset from the rapidity of +the tides, which ran above four knots, the man in her was thrown out, and +the boat went adrift. The man was taken up by the Lady Nelson; but the +boatswain, who with two men in a small gig had gone after the cutter, was +not heard of till next morning [FRIDAY 27 AUGUST 1802], when he returned +without any intelligence of his object, having been bewildered in the +dark by the rapid tides in a strange place, and in danger of losing +himself. + +[EAST COAST. SHOAL-WATER BAY.] + +On weighing the kedge anchor to go further up the passage, it came up +broken near the crown, having in all probability hooked a rock. The Lady +Nelson went one mile ahead, a boat was kept sounding close to the ship, +and in this manner we drifted up with the flood tide, till half past +eight; when another kedge anchor was dropped in 7 fathoms, a short mile +from the land on each side, and two from the inner end of the opening. +Lieutenant Fowler was immediately sent away in the whale boat, to search +for the lost cutter; and in the mean time we weighed with the afternoon's +flood, to get through the passage. On approaching a low, triangular +island on the eastern shore, the depth diminished quick, and an anchor +was let go; but in swinging to it, the ship caught upon a bank of sand +and shells where there was no more than twelve feet water. In half an +hour the tide floated her off; and the whale boat having returned, but +without any information of the cutter, it was kept ahead; and before dark +we anchored in 5 fathoms, at the entrance of Shoalwater Bay. + +The opening through which we had come was named _Strong-tide Passage_. It +is six miles long, and from one to two broad; but half the width is taken +up by shoals and rocks, which extend out from each shore and sometimes +lie near the mid-channel; and the rapid tides scarcely leave to a ship +the choice of her course. The bottom is rocky in the outer entrance, but +in the upper part seems more generally to consist of sand and shells. By +the swinging of the ship, it was high water _ten hours after_ the moon's +passage, and the rise was thirteen feet by the lead; but at the top of +the springs it is probably two or three feet greater; and the rate at +which the tides then run, will not be less than five miles an hour. It +will be perceived, that I do not recommend any ship to enter Shoal-water +Bay by this passage. + +SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 1802 + +In the morning, I went in the whale boat to the westward, both to search +for the lost cutter and to advance the survey. In crossing the inner end +of Strong-tide Passage, my soundings were 5, 4, 3, 21/2, 2, 3 fathoms, to a +rock near the south end of Townshend Island, whence it appeared that the +deepest water was close to the Shoals on the eastern side. After +searching along the shore of Townshend Island., and amongst the rocky +islets near it, I crossed the western channel over to the south end of +Leicester Island; where a set of bearings was taken, and the latitude +observed to be 22 deg. 18' 17" from an artificial horizon. This channel is +about one mile wide, and I proceeded up it until a passage out to sea was +clearly distinguishable; but although there be from 4 to 7 fathoms with a +soft bottom, the deep part is too narrow for a stranger to pass with a +ship. I returned on board in the evening, without having discovered any +traces of the lost cutter or seen any thing worthy of particular notice; +unless it were three of the large bats, called flying foxes at Port +Jackson: when on the wing and at a distance, these animals might be taken +for crows. + +SUNDAY 29 AUGUST 1802 + +On the following morning, we got up the anchor and steered further into +Shoal-water Bay. The land on the western side appeared to be high; and as +the botanists were likely to find more employment there, during the time +of my proposed expedition to the head of the bay, than they could promise +themselves at any other place, I was desirous of leaving the ship on that +side, in a situation convenient for them. After running three miles to +the westward, mostly in 3 fathoms, we anchored in 6, till four o'clock, +and then again weighed. The soundings became very irregular; and at five, +seeing a shoal which extended up and down the middle of the bay, we +tacked from it and came to, in 5 fathoms soft bottom, it being then low +water. + +Mount Westall bore N. 86 deg. E. +Leicester Island, the south end, N. 9 W. +Pine Mount, S. 78 W. + +The western land was still six or seven miles distant, but there was no +prospect of getting nearer, without taking time to make a previous +examination of the shoal; and I therefore embarked early next morning +[MONDAY 30 AUGUST 1802] on board the brig, and proceeded towards the head +of the Bay. + +Steering south-eastward, in a slanting course up the bay from the middle +shoal, we had from 5 to 8 fathoms; and passed a shallow opening in the +eastern low shore, four miles above Strong-tide Passage. Three miles +higher up there was another opening, near two miles in width; and the +wind being then light and foul, I quitted the brig and proceeded three +miles up in my boat, when the arm was found to be divided into two +branches. Pursuing that which led eastward in a line for Port Bowen, and +was three-quarters of a mile wide, I carried a diminishing depth, from 6 +fathoms to six feet, above two miles further; and the branch then +terminated at the foot of a ridge of hills. I wished much to ascend this +ridge, believing that Westwater Head in Port Bowen, lay close at the +back; but the shore was so defended by mud flats and interwoven +mangroves, that it was impossible to land. + +The other branch of the eastern arm led south-eastward, and was a mile +wide, with a depth of 6 fathoms as far as two miles above the division; +it then separated into three, but the entrances were shallow and the +borders every where muddy and covered with mangroves. I therefore +returned to the brig which had anchored at the entrance of the branch; +and in the night, we dropped out of the eastern arm with the tide, to be +ready for going up the bay with the morning's flood. + +TUESDAY 31 AUGUST 1802 + +On the 31st, in steering for the middle of the bay, the brig grounded +upon a spit which runs out from the south point of entrance to the +eastern arm, and I believe extends so far down the bay as to join the +middle shoal near the ship. The bottom was muddy, and the rising tide +soon floated her; but our progress being slow, I went onward in the boat +and got into a channel of a mile wide, with regular soundings from 6 to 4 +fathoms. + +Abreast of the eastern arm, the width of the bay had diminished to about +four miles; and in advancing upwards, I found it to go on contracting +until, at four miles above the arm, the shores were less than one mile +asunder, and the head of the bay assumed the form of a river, though the +water remained quite salt. The depth here was from 4 to 6 fathoms; and +the east side of the contracted part being a little elevated, I was able +to land and take a set of angles to fix its position. The width and depth +continued nearly the same two miles higher up, to a woody islet in the +middle of the channel; where the latitude 22 deg. 37' 6" was observed from an +artificial horizon, and more bearings taken. + +A ship may get up as high as this islet, for the channel is no where less +than half a mile wide, nor the depth in it under 3 fathoms; but there the +stream divides into several branches, which appeared to terminate amongst +the mangroves, similar to the branches of the eastern arm. The largest +runs S. S. E; and I could see three or four miles up it, near to the foot +of the hills behind Cape Manifold, where it probably ends, as did the +southern arm of Port Bowen. + +The islet had been visited by Indians, and several trees upon it were +notched, similar to what is done by the people of Port Jackson when they +ascend in pursuit of opossums. Upon the main, to the west of the islet, +where I walked a mile inland, fire Places and other signs of inhabitants +were numerous, and still more so were those of the kangaroo; yet neither +that animal nor an Indian was seen. Around the extinguished fires were +scattered the bones of turtle, and the shells of crabs, periwinkles, and +oysters of the small kind; and in the low grounds I observed many holes, +made apparently by the natives in digging for fern roots. An iguana of +between two and three feet long, which lay upon the branch of a high tree +watching for its prey, was the sole animal killed; but the mud banks are +frequented at low water by sea pies of both kinds, curlews, and small +cranes. + +The soil was stiff, shallow, and often stony; the vegetation consisted of +two or three species of _eucalyptus_ and the _casuarina_, not thickly set +nor large--of several kinds of shrubs, amongst which a small grass-tree +was abundant--and of grass, with which the rest of the soil was thinly +overspread. + +After making my observations, I rejoined the Lady Nelson two miles below +the woody islet; but the wind blowing fresh up the bay, and the brig +being leewardly, went on and with some difficulty landed on the west +side, opposite to the entrance of the eastern arm. This part is stony; +but equally low with the rest of the shores, and is probably an island at +high water. A confined set of bearings was taken here; and the sun being +then nearly down and the brig at anchor, I went on board for the night. +Next afternoon [WEDNESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 1802], when the ebb tide enabled +the vessel to make progress against the strong north-west wind, we beat +down in a channel of between one and two miles wide, with soundings from +2 to 8 fathoms; but they were not regular, for the depth was less in some +parts of the middle than at the sides of the channel. The wind moderated +in the evening; and being then within three miles of the ship, I quitted +the brig, and got on board at sunset. + +One object of my research in this expedition had been the lost cutter, +and orders had been left with lieutenant Fowler to send again into +Strong-tide Passage upon the same errand, but all was without success. + +During my absence, the naturalist and other gentlemen had gone over in +the launch to the west side of the bay, where they had an interview with +sixteen natives; their appearance was described as being much inferior to +the inhabitants of Keppel and Hervey's Bays, but they were peaceable, and +seemed to be very hungry. They had bark canoes which, though not so well +formed, were better secured at the ends than those of Port Jackson; and +in them were spears neatly pointed with pieces of quartz, for striking +turtle. The number of bones lying about their fire places bespoke turtle +to be their principal food; and with the addition of shell fish, and +perhaps fern roots, it is probably their sole support. + +The same muddy flats which rendered landing so difficult in the upper +parts of the bay, run off to some distance from the shore under _Double +Mount_; and the land is low for two or three miles back. The hills then +rise, ridge over ridge to a considerable elevation; and at the top are +several hummocks, of which two, higher than the rest, obtained for this +high land its present name. So far as the gentlemen were able to ascend, +the hills were found to be tolerably well covered with pines and other +trees; and the soil of the vallies was better than in those near Mount +Westall on the opposite side of the bay. + +THURSDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +Early on the 2nd the brig rejoined; and the wind being at S. by E., we +steered across towards Pine Mount, passing over the shoal in sixteen +feet. In crossing the middle channel, our soundings increased to 9, and +then diminished to less than 3 fathoms upon a second shoal, the width of +the channel here being not quite three miles. On the west side of the +second shoal is another channel, nearly as wide as the former; and the +greatest depth in it, reduced to low water as usual, was 8 fathoms. The +water shoaled again suddenly on approaching the west side of the bay, and +obliged us to veer round off; we then steered to pass within Aken's +Island, intending to anchor in the West Bight behind it; but the depth +not being sufficient for the ship at low water, we came to in 4 fathoms, +muddy bottom, one mile from the shore and two from Aken's Island, the +east end of which bore N. 27 deg. W. + +Pine Mount is a single round hill with a high peaked top, standing about +two miles inland from the West Bight; and to obtain a set of bearings +from it which should cross those from Mount Westall, had induced me to +anchor here; but finding my health too much impaired by fatigue to +accomplish a laborious walk, I sent the launch next morning [FRIDAY 3 +SEPTEMBER 1802] with the scientific gentlemen, and as an easier task, +landed upon Aken's Island and took angles from the little eminence at its +north-east end. + +At every port or bay we entered, more especially after passing Cape +Capricorn, my first object on landing was to examine the refuse thrown up +by the sea. The French navigator, La Perouse, whose unfortunate +situation, if in existence, was always present to my mind, had been +wrecked, as it was thought, somewhere in the neighbourhood of New +Caledonia; and if so, the remnants of his ships were likely to be brought +upon this coast by the trade winds, and might indicate the situation of +the reef or island which had proved fatal to him. With such an +indication, I was led to believe in the possibility of finding the place; +and though the hope of restoring La Perouse or any of his companions to +their country and friends could not, after so many years, be rationally +entertained, yet to gain some certain knowledge of their fate would do +away the pain of suspense; and it might not be too late to retrieve some +documents of their discoveries. + +Upon the south-east side of Aken's Island, there was thrown up a confused +mass of different substances; including a quantity of pumice stone, +several kinds of coral, five or six species of shells, skeletons of fish +and sea snakes, the fruit of the pandanus, and a piece of cocoa-nut shell +without bernacles or any thing to indicate that it had been long in the +water; but there were no marks of shipwreck. A seine was hauled upon the +small beaches at the south end of the island, and brought on shore a good +quantity of mullet, and of a fish resembling a cavally; also a kind of +horse mackerel, small fish of the herring kind, and once a sword fish of +between four and five feet long. The projection of the snout, or sword of +this animal, a foot and a half in length, was fringed with strong, sharp +teeth; and he threw it from side to side in such a furious way, that it +was difficult to manage him even on shore. + +A boat was sent in the evening to the foot of Pine Mount, for the +naturalist and his party, but returned without any tidings of them; and +it was noon next day [SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 1802] before they got on +board. They had reached the top of the mount, but were disappointed in +the view by the pines and underwood. In returning to the boat, a chase +after a kangaroo had led one of the gentlemen out of his reckoning; and +this, with the labour of bringing down their prize, had prevented them +from reaching the water side that night. Pine Mount is stony, but covered +with large trees of the kind denoted by its epithet; the country between +it and the water side is grassy, bears timber trees, and is of a +tolerably good soil, such as might be cultivated. There are small creeks +of salt water in the low land; and in one of them a fish was shot which +furnished the party with a dinner. + +Pine Mount is composed of the _greenstone_ of the German mineralogists; +but in some other parts of the neighbourhood the stone seems to be +different, and contains small veins of quartz, pieces of which are also +scattered over the surface. At Aken's Island there was some variety. The +most common kind was a slate, containing in some places veins of quartz, +in a state nearly approaching to crystallization, and in others some +metallic substance, probably iron. The basis of most other parts of the +island was _greenstone_; but in the eastern cliffs there was a soft, +whitish earth; and on the north-west side of the island, a part of the +shore consisted of water-worn grains and small lumps of quartz, of coral, +pumice stone, and other substances jumbled together, and concreted into a +solid mass. + +Speaking in general terms of Shoal-water Bay, I do not conceive it to +offer any advantages to ships which may not be had upon almost any other +part of the coast; except that the tides rise higher, and in the winter +season fish are more plentiful than further to the south. No fresh water +was found, unless at a distance from the shore, and then only in small +quantities. Pine trees are plentiful; but they grow upon the stony hills +at a distance from the water side, and cannot be procured with any thing +like the facility offered by Port Bowen. The chart contains the best +information I am able to give of the channels leading up the bay, and of +the shoals between them; but it may be added, that no alarm need be +excited by a ship getting aground, for these banks are too soft to do +injury. The shelving flats from the shores are also soft; and with the +mangroves, which spread themselves from high water at the neaps, up in +the country to the furthest reach of the spring tides, in some places for +miles, render landing impossible in the upper parts of the bay, except at +some few spots already noticed. + +Were an English settlement to be made in Shoal-water Bay, the better soil +round Pine Mount and the less difficulty in landing there, would cause +that neighbourhood to be preferred. There is not a sufficient depth at +low water, for ships to go into the West Bight, by the south side of +Aken's Island, and the north side was no otherwise sounded than in +passing; but there is little doubt that the depth on the north side is +adequate to admit ships, and that some parts of the bight will afford +anchorage and good shelter. + +The tides do not run strong in Shoal-water Bay, the rate seldom exceeding +one knot; but they stir up the soft mud at the bottom., and make the +water thick, as in Keppel Bay. I am not able to speak very accurately of +the rise in the tide; but it may be reckoned at twelve or fourteen feet +at the neaps, and from seventeen to eighteen at the springs. High water +takes place about _ten hours and a half after_ the moon's passage; but on +the east side of the bay, the flood runs up a full hour later. + +The _latitude_ of the north-east end of Aken's Island, from an +observation in the artificial horizon, is 22 deg. 21' 35" south. + +_Longitude_ from twelve sets of distances of the sun and moon, taken by +lieutenant Flinders, and reduced to the same place, 150 deg. 18' 45"; but +from the survey, and the position afterwards fixed in Broad Sound, it is +preferably 150 deg. 15' 0" east. + +_Variation_ from azimuths taken with a theodolite at the same place, 9 deg. +48'; but the bearings on the top of the eminence showed it to be 9 deg. 0'. +The variation on shore, on the _west_ side of the bay, may therefore be +taken at 9 deg. 24' east. + +Upon Mount Westall on the east side, and at the south end of Leicester +Island, it was from the bearings 8 deg. 50'. Upon the small islet at the head +of the bay, 9 deg. 25'. + +At our anchorage on the west side of the bay, Mr. Flinders took azimuths +when the ship's head was S. E. by E., which gave 6 deg. 31' by one compass; +before he had done, the ship swung to the flood tide with her head W. N. +W., and two other compasses then gave 11 deg. 27' and 11 deg. 4': the mean +corrected to the meridian, will be 8 deg. 46' east. + +At an anchorage towards the east side of the bay, the same officer +observed the variation with two compasses, when the head was east, to be +4 deg. 49', or corrected, 7 deg. 21' east. + +The difference in Strong-tide Passage, where the land was one mile to the +south-south-east on one side, and the same to the west on the other, was +still more remarkable; for when the head was N. E. by N., an amplitude +gave me 9 deg. 10', or corrected, 10 deg. 34' east. + +There might have been an error in any of the ship observations of half a +degree; but I am persuaded that the attraction of the land, sometimes to +the east and sometimes west, as the ship was near one or the other side +of the bay, was the great cause of the difference in the corrected +results; and it will presently be seen, that the effect on a neighbouring +part of the coast was much more considerable. + +CHAPTER III. + +Departure from Shoal-water Bay, and anchorage in Thirsty Sound. +Magnetical observations. +Boat excursion to the nearest Northumberland Islands. +Remarks on Thirsty Sound. +Observations at West Hill, Broad Sound. +Anchorage near Upper Head. +Expedition to the head of Broad Sound: +another round Long Island. +Remarks on Broad Sound, and the surrounding country. +Advantages for a colony. +Astronomical observations, and remarks on the high tides. + +[EAST COAST. THIRSTY SOUND.] + +SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +At noon September 4, when the botanical gentlemen returned from their +excursion to Pine Mount, we made sail out of Shoal-water Bay with a +breeze from the eastward. In steering north-west amongst the small +islands, the soundings were between 9 and 14 fathoms; and nearly the same +afterwards, in keeping at three or four miles from the coast. I intended +to go into Thirsty Sound; but not reaching it before dark, the anchor was +dropped in 8 fathoms, sandy bottom, when the top of Pier Head bore west, +three miles. In the morning [SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 1802] we ran into the +Sound, and anchored in 6 fathoms, with the points of entrance bearing N. +16 deg. and S. 67 deg. E., one mile. The carpenters had for some time been +employed in making a sliding keel for the Lady Nelson, from the pine logs +cut in Port Bowen; and being now finished, it was sent on board. + +The botanists landed upon the east shore, preferring the main land for +their pursuits; and the launch was sent to haul the seine on that side, +at a beach a little way up the Sound. I went to the top of Pier Head and +took bearings of the Northumberland Islands, as also of the points and +hills of the coast to the east and west; the most essential of them to +the connexion of the survey, were as under: + +Mount Westall, station on the top, S. 63 deg. 20' E. +Aken's Island, station on the N. E. end, S. 43 10 E. +Pine Mount, S. 25 5 E. +Long Island, the north point, distant 8 miles, N. 65 5 W. +Peaked Hill, west side of Broad Sound, N. 61 25 W. +Northumberland I., a peak, marked h, N. 22 25 W. +Northumberland I., No. 3 peak (of Percy Isles), N. 20 10 E. + +Captain Cook observed, when taking bearings upon the top of Pier Head, +"that the needle differed very considerably in its position, even to +thirty degrees, in some places more, in others less; and once he found it +differ from itself no less than two points in the distance of fourteen +feet." (Hawkesworth, III, 126); from whence he concluded there was iron +ore in the hills. I determined, in consequence, to make more particular +observations, both with the theodolite and dipping needle; and shall +briefly state the results obtained on this, and on the following day. + +Azimuths were taken, and the bearing of Mount Westall, distant +thirty-four miles, was set at S. 63 deg. 28' E. (true), whilst the theodolite +remained in the same place; and from a comparison between this bearing +and those of the same object at different parts of the head, the +variations were deduced. The dip was observed with both ends of the +needle, and the face of the instrument changed each time. + +At the highest top of Pier Head, Var. 3 deg. 25' E. Dip 53 deg. 20' S. +West, three yards from it, 6 10 +S. E. three yards, 10 5 +S. S. E., ten yards, 8 6 52 19 +North, four, 6 55 +N. E., twenty, 6 50 50 35 +N. N. E., one-sixth mile, at the water side, 7 6 50 28 +S. E., one-third mile, at ditto, 8 2 50 50 + +There are here no differences equal to those found by captain Cook; but +it is to be observed, that he used a ship's azimuth compass, probably not +raised further from the ground than to be placed on a stone, whereas my +theodolite stood upon legs, more than four feet high. The dipping needle +was raised about two feet; and by its greater inclination at the top of +the hill, shows the principal attraction to have been not far from +thence. The least dip, 50 deg. 28', taken at the shore on the north side of +the head, was doubtless the least affected; but it appears to have been +half a degree too much, for at Port Bowen, twenty-two miles further +south, it was no more than 50 deg. 20'. An amplitude taken on board the ship +in the Sound by lieutenant Flinders, when the head was S. S. W., gave +variation 8 deg. 39', or corrected to the meridian, 7 deg. 40' east. As Pier Head +lay almost exactly in the meridian, from the ship, its magnetism would +not alter the direction of the needle; and I therefore consider 7 deg. 40' to +be very nearly the true variation, when unaffected by local causes: in +Port Bowen, it varied from 7 deg. 40' to 8 deg. 30' east. + +Notwithstanding this very sensible effect upon the needle, both +horizontally and vertically, I did not find, any more than captain Cook, +that a piece of the stone applied to the theodolite drew the needle at +all out of its direction; nevertheless I am induced to think, that the +attraction was rather dispersed throughout the mass of stone composing +Pier Head, than that any mine of iron ore exists in it. The stone is a +porphyry of a dark, blueish colour. + + MONDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +On the 6th, at noon, when the observations were finished and I had +proposed to quit Thirsty Sound, the wind and tide were both against us. +To employ the rest of the day usefully, I went over in the whale boat, +accompanied by the landscape painter, to the 6th, 7th, and 8th +Northumberland Islands, which, with many low islets and rocks near them, +form a cluster three or four leagues to the north-east of the Sound. +Orders were left with lieutenant Fowler to get the ship under way as +early as possible on the following morning, and come out to meet us. + +Nearly mid-way between Pier Head and the cluster, lie some rocks +surrounded with breakers; and until they were passed the depth was from 6 +to 8 fathoms, and 11 afterwards. We rowed to a beach at the north-west +end of the 7th island, proposing there to pass the night, and hoped to +turn some turtle; but proofs of natives having lately visited, or being +perhaps then on the island, damped our prospects, and still more did the +absence of turtle tracks; yet under each tree near the shore were the +remains of a turtle feast. + +TUESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +In the morning I ascended the highest hill on the 7th island, and took +bearings; but the hazy weather which had come on with a strong wind at E. +S. E., confined them within a circle of three leagues. This island is +somewhat more than a mile in length, and was covered with grass, but +almost destitute of wood; the rock is a greenish, speckled stone, with +veins of quartz finely inserted, and is something between granite and +porphyry. The 6th island is the largest of this little cluster, being two +and a half miles long; and it was well covered with wood. We rowed over +to it with some difficulty on account of the wind, but could not sound in +the channel; it appeared to be deep, its least width three-quarters of a +mile, and in fine weather a ship might anchor there and procure pines fit +for top masts, at several places in the group. Water was found under the +hills on the 6th island; but not in sufficient quantities for the purpose +of a ship. + +I looked anxiously, but in vain, for lieutenant Fowler to come out of +Thirsty Sound; for the wind blew so strong that it was uncertain whether +the boat could fetch over, or that it was even safe to attempt it; our +provisions, besides, were nearly exhausted, and nothing more substantial +than oysters could be procured. Pressed by necessity, we set off under +close-reefed sails; and the boat performing admirably, fetched the low +neck to leeward of Pier Head, whence another boat took us to the ship; +and at high water in the evening, the whale boat floated over the neck +and followed. + +When Mr. Fowler had weighed in the morning, according to my directions, +the ship had driven so near the shore before the stream anchor was at the +bows, that he let go the small bower; but the cable parted, and obliged +him to drop the best bower, being then in 3 fathoms water with the wind +blowing strong into the sound. By means of a warp to the brig, the best +bower was shifted into 4 fathoms; and when I got on board, the stream and +small bower anchors had just been recovered. The weather tide made at +nine in the evening, and we ran into 7 fathoms in the channel; and at +daylight stood out of the sound, with the brig in company, having then a +moderate breeze at south-east. + +Of Thirsty Sound as a harbour, very little can be said in praise; the +north-east and east winds throw in a good deal of sea, and there is not +room for more than three or four ships, without running up into the +narrow part; and what the depth may be there I did not examine, but saw +that there were shoals. The entrance of the sound may be known by two +round hills, one on each side, lying nearly north and south, one mile and +a half from each other: the northernmost is Pier Head. The surrounding +country is clothed with grass and wood; but on the Long-Island side the +grass is coarse, the trees are thinly scattered, and the soil is every +where too stony for the cultivation of grain. + +There were many traces of natives, though none recent. Judging from what +was seen round the fire places, turtle would seem to be their principal +food; and indeed several turtle were seen in the water, but we had not +dexterity enough to take any of them. In fishing with the seine, at a +small beach two miles up the sound, we always had tolerably good success; +but no fresh water accessible to boats could be found in the +neighbourhood. + +The _latitude_ of Pier Head, from an observation made at the top in an +artificial horizon, is 22 deg. 6' 53" S. + +_Longitude_ from thirteen sets of distances of the sun west of the moon, +observed by lieutenant Flinders, 149 deg. 47' 50"; but by the survey and the +fixed position in Broad Sound, with which the time-keepers agreed, it +will be more correctly 150 deg. 0' 10" E. + +Captain Cook specifies the situation of Thirsty Sound to be in latitude +22 deg. 10', longitude 149 deg. 42' (Hawkesworth, III, 128); but in the chart +published by Mr. Dalrymple, it is 22 deg. 7' and 149 deg. 36', which agrees +nearer with the deductions of Mr. Wales (_Astron. Obs._ p. 135). In +either case it appears, that my longitude was getting more eastward from +captain Cook as we advanced further along the coast. + +WEDNESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +The tides in Thirsty Sound were neaped at this time, and the rise, +judging by the lead line, was from ten to twelve feet; but captain Cook +says, "at spring tides the water does not rise less than sixteen or +eighteen feet," which I have no doubt is correct. It ceases at _ten hours +and three quarters after_ the moon passes over and under the meridian. + +On quitting Thirsty Sound we steered north-westward, to pass round a +chain of rocks extending six miles out from Pier Head, and behind which +there was a bight in Long Island, with some appearance of an opening. It +was my intention to examine Broad Sound up to the furthest navigable +part, and we hauled up between the north point of Long Island and a +cluster of small isles lying three miles to the north-west; but finding +the water too shallow, and that it would be more advantageous to begin +the examination on the west side, I desired Mr. Murray to lead round the +_North-point Isles_ and across the sound. A small reef lies between four +and five miles N. E. by E. from the largest and easternmost of these +isles; it is covered at half tide, and therefore dangerous, but we had 7 +to 8 fathoms at less than a mile distance, on the inside. + +At noon, the depth was 8 fathoms, the largest North-point Isle, which is +nearly separated into two, was distant four miles, and our situation was +as under: + + +Latitude observed to the north, 21 deg. 56' 17" +Pier Head top, bore S. 38 E. +Northumberland Island, peak marked 'h', N. 15 W. +North-point I., westernmost, highest part, S. 56 W. +North-point I., largest, S. 37 to 16 W. + + +In steering W. by N., rippling water was seen ahead at one o'clock. and +the depth diminishing to 4 fathoms, we hauled a little to the southward +and then resumed our course. This rippling seems to have been on a part +of the same shoal near which captain Cook anchored in 3 fathoms; for it +lies five miles from the North-point Isles, and as he says, "half way +between them and three small islands which lie directly without them." + +[EAST COAST. BROAD SOUND.] + +Our course for the west side of Broad Sound passed close to some low, +flat isles, lying to the south-east of the peaked West Hill set from Pier +Head. At dusk I sought to anchor behind the hill, for it had the +appearance of being separated from the main land; but the water being too +shallow, we hauled off upon a wind. At ten o'clock, however, the breeze +having become light and the sea gone down, an anchor was dropped in 5 +fathoms, sandy bottom; whence the top of West Hill bore N. 68 deg. W. three +miles. A flood tide was found running from the N. N. E., one mile and a +quarter per hour. + +THURSDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +In the morning I landed with the botanical gentlemen, and wished to +ascend the top of the hill; but the brush wood was too thick to be +penetrable. Upon a projecting head on the north-east side, I took a part, +and about half way up the hill on the south-east side, the remainder of a +set of bearings, which included many of the Northumberland Isles not +before seen, and other of the Flat Isles within Broad Sound. The furthest +visible part of the main land towards Cape Palmerston, was distant about +five leagues, and behind it was a hill to which, from its form, I gave +the name of _Mount Funnel_; the shore both to the north and south was +low, and the Flat Isles to the southward of the ship were mostly over-run +with mangroves. I did not go round West Hill, and could not see whether +it were connected with the main land, or not; but if joined, it must be +by a very low isthmus. The bearings at this station, most essential to +the connection of the survey, were these: + + +Main coast, the extremes, N. 1 deg. and S. 10 deg. 45' +E. +Pier Head, the top, S. 61 25 +E. +Northumberland Isles, peak marked 'h', N. 61 45 +E. +Northumberland Isles, high northmost marked 'i', dist. 11 L. N. 19 15 +E. + + +The stone of the hill had in it specks of quartz or feldtspath, and was +not much unlike that of Pier Head; but it had a more basaltic appearance. +A piece of it applied to the theodolite, drew the needle two degrees out +of its direction, and yet the bearings did not show any great difference +from the true variation; for an amplitude taken on board the ship by Mr. +Flinders, when the head was N. N. E, gave 6 deg. 18', or corrected to the +meridian, 7 deg. 17' east, and the variation on the eastern side of the hill +was 8 deg. 15', according to the back bearing of Pier Head. + +From an observation of the sun's upper and lower limbs in an artificial +horizon, the latitude was 21 deg. 50' 18", and the ship bore from thence S. +68 deg. E. two miles and a half; the latitude of the ship should therefore +have been 21 deg. 51' 14"; but a meridian altitude observed to the north by +lieutenant Flinders, gave 21 deg. 49' 54"; and I believe that altitudes from +the sea horizon can never be depended on nearer than to one minute, on +account of the variability of the horizontal refraction. From this cause +it was that, when possible, we commonly observed the latitude on board +the ship both to the north and south, taking the sun's altitude one way +and his supplement the other, and the mean of the two results was +considered to be true; separately, they often differed 1', 2', and even +3', and sometimes they agreed. The observation to the north most commonly +gave the least south latitude, but not always, nor was there any regular +coincidence between the results and the heights of the barometer or +thermometer; though in general, the more hazy the weather, the greater +were the differences. At this time, the wind was light from the eastward +and weather hazy; the thermometer stood at 72 deg., and barometer at 30.15 +inches. + +At two o'clock we got under way to go up Broad Sound, it being then near +low water. After steering south-east one mile, the depth rapidly +diminished and we tacked; but the ship was set upon a bank of sand, where +she hung five minutes and then swung off. I afterwards steered nearer to +the shore, in deeper water; and at dusk the anchor was dropped in 5 +fathoms, sandy bottom, between the Flat Isles and the main, West Hill +bearing N. 35 deg. W. three leagues; the master sounded towards the coast, +which was five miles off, and found the deepest water to be on that side. +In the morning [FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 1802] the wind had shifted to south, +and we beat up in a channel formed by the Flat Isles and the shoals +attached to them, on one side, and the shelving banks from the main +coast, on the other. We had the assistance of a strong flood tide till +eleven o'clock; at which time the anchor was let go, one mile from the +north end of the 4th Flat Island. + +I landed immediately, with the botanists; and at the south-east end of +the island, which is a little elevated, took bearings and the meridian +altitude of both limbs of the sun from an artificial horizon. The +latitude deduced was 22 deg. 8' 33"; and the ship bearing N. 19 deg. 30' W., two +miles, it should have been for her, 22 deg. 6' 40"; but lieutenant Flinders' +observation to the north gave 22 deg. 5' 19", or 1' 21" less, nearly as on +the preceding day; and it was ascertained that the difference arose +neither from the eye nor the instrument. Amongst the bearings were, + +West Hill, the top, N. 16 deg. 40' W. +Northumberland Isles. the peak marked 'h', N. 25 15 E. +Long Island, extreme of the north point, N. 73 35 E. +Upper Head, on the west shore up Broad Sound, S. 39 55 E. + +The 4th Flat Isle is about one mile long, and there is a smaller lying +off its south-east end; they are a little elevated, and bear grass and +small trees; but the shores are covered with mangroves, and surrounded +with extensive flats of mud and sand. The main coast, from which they lie +two or three miles, is also low, with mangroves and shelving mud banks; +but there is a deep channel between, of a mile in width. In the evening, +when the flood made, we steered into this channel with a light +sea-breeze; but not having time to clear it before dark, the anchor was +dropped in 4 fathoms at six o'clock. + +My attention was attracted this evening by the vast extent of mud left +dry on each side of the channel, and I ordered particular attention to be +paid to the tides during the night. At eleven o'clock, when the flood had +ceased running, the depth was sounded and the lead line measured, and the +same at half past five in the morning [SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 1802] when +it was low water; the difference was no less than thirty-two feet, and it +wanted a day of being full moon; so that the springs may reach two or +three feet higher. The flood set S. by E., but its greatest rate did not +exceed one mile and three quarters an hour. + +At daylight the wind was south-east, directly against us. We backed and +filled, drifting up with the flood between the shoals on each side, and +having the Lady Nelson and a boat ahead; but on approaching the end of +the channel, our passage into the sound was blocked up by a bank running +across, upon which there was not water enough for the ship by a fathom, +and we therefore anchored. At nine the tide had risen a fathom. and we +passed over into the open sound; the depth immediately increasing to 4 +and 7 fathoms, reduced to low water. So long as the flood continued +running we worked up the sound; and when it ceased, anchored three miles +from a shallow opening in the low western shore, the second which had +been observed. We again proceeded upwards with the evening's tide until +dusk; and at nine next morning [SUNDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 1802] passed a fifth +opening, and anchored abreast of the hilly projection on its east side, +which I have named _Upper Head_, in 4 fathoms, soft bottom, two-thirds of +a mile from the shore. This was the first place on the main where there +was any prospect of being able to land; for the western shore, thus far +up, was equally low, and as much over-run with mangroves and defended by +muddy flats, as the shores of Keppel Bay. + +It being my intention to explore the head of Broad Sound with the brig +and whale boat, a situation where tents could be fixed and an easy +communication held with the ship during my absence, was the object now +sought; and I immediately went with a party of the gentlemen, to +ascertain how far Upper Head was calculated for our purpose. We landed at +half flood, without difficulty; and on ascending the hill, obtained a +view of the Sound which exceeded my expectations. Amongst the many +bearings taken, were the following fixed points in the survey. + + +Pine Mount, of Shoal-water Bay, S. 84 deg. 38' E. +Pier Head, the western part, N. 36 7 E. +West hill, the top, N. 28 5 W. +Flat Isles, the 4th, station there, N. 39 53 W. + + +The breadth of the Sound, from Upper Head over to the inner end of Long +Island, appeared to be three leagues, but it contracted upwards, and +assumed the same river-like form as Shoalwater Bay; and it was to be +feared, from the mangrove shores and muddiness of the water, that it +would terminate in the same manner. No shoals could be then +distinguished; but towards low water in the evening I again ascended the +hill, and saw to my regret, that the upper parts were mostly occupied +with banks of mud and sand, many of which were dry, and extended downward +past the inner entrance of Thirsty Sound. Amongst the banks were various +channels; but that of about two miles wide where the ship lay, was by far +the most considerable. The small fifth opening, close on the west side of +Upper Head, ran some miles in the low land towards the foot of a ridge of +hills, lying three or four leagues at the back of the shore; but the +greater part of this inlet was also taken up by mud banks, and the +borders covered with mangroves. There was no fresh water at Upper Head, +nor did I see any prospect of obtaining wherewith to complete the holds +of the two vessels before leaving the coast; unless it were at a place a +little higher up on the same side, to which the appearance of another +opening between two hills, induced me to move the ship. + +MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +Next morning, when the flood made, we drifted upwards, with the Lady +Nelson and a boat sounding ahead. After advancing three miles the brig +suddenly took the ground, and we dropped a stream anchor; but in swinging +to it, the ship was caught upon a bank of quick sand in eleven feet; and +the tide running strong upon the broad side, it made her heel in a manner +to excite alarm. The sails were immediately clewed down, and the +top-gallant yards struck; and it appearing that the stream anchor allowed +the ship to drive further up the bank as the tide rose, the best bower +was let go, and then she righted and swung to the tide. The Lady Nelson +also got off safe; but a part of the after sliding keel was carried away. + +I went in a boat to examine the place which had presented the appearance +of an opening; but it proved to be only a bending in the shore, and the +mud banks and mangroves did not admit of landing; we therefore went back +with the returning ebb to Upper Head, and moored the ship nearly in our +first situation; where there was something more than 3 fathoms all round, +at low water. + +TUESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +On the following morning, the time keepers and other instruments were +sent on shore under the charge of lieutenant Flinders, with two of the +young gentlemen to assist him, and a guard of marines for the protection +of the tents. It had appeared from the survey, that the time keepers were +losing more than the Port-Jackson rates supposed; and before quitting +this coast for the Gulph of Carpentaria, it was necessary to take fresh +observations. Mr. Flinders undertook as usual to perform this service, +whilst I should be absent up the Sound; and lieutenant Fowler was +directed to examine and air all the stores, and make the ship ready for +sea against my return. + +Having made these dispositions, I embarked in the Lady Nelson with the +naturalist, taking my whale boat and surveying instruments. We had a +strong flood tide; and after grounding on a bank, anchored eleven miles +above the ship, in 3 fathoms, that being the greatest depth to be found. +It was then high water; and the brig being expected to be left dry by the +ebb, we prepared for it by mooring, to prevent all chance of settling on +the anchor, and hove up the fore and after keels; the new main keel being +swelled by the wet, could not be raised, and when it took the ground, the +vessel turned about violently and dragged both the anchors, until the +keel broke off, and then she lay easy. + +At low water, the seamen went out upon the dry flat and found the best +bower cable parted, and the anchor so far buried in the quicksand, that +it could not be raised. At ten o'clock the flood tide came rolling in, +and presently set the brig afloat; the anchor was then weighed with ease, +by means of a hawser previously bent to it, and the vessel rode by the +small bower, against a tide which ran at the strongest between four and +five knots. + +WEDNESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +The Lady Nelson again took the ground at six in the morning. On sounding +over to the east shore, distant half a mile, I found a small channel +leading upwards, with four or five feet more water in it than where the +brig lay; the western shore was two miles distant over a silty flat, +which was dry at low water and level as a race ground. + +At eleven, the flood came in, six or eight inches perpendicular, with a +roaring noise; and so soon as it had passed the brig, I set off with Mr. +Brown and Mr. Lacy in the whale boat, to follow it up the small channel +on the eastern shore; and having a fair wind we outran the tide and were +sometimes obliged to wait its rising before we could proceed. At the end +of six miles the small channel led across to the western side; and the +rare opportunity of a landing place induced me to pitch our tent there +for the night: two miles higher up, the whole breadth of the Sound was +reduced to half a mile. + +The country here was a stiff, clayey flat, covered with grass, and seemed +to have been overflowed at spring tides; though the high water of this +day did not reach it by five feet. Three or four miles to the southward +there were some hills, whence I hoped to see the course of the stream up +to its termination; and having time before dark, we set off. The grass of +the plain was interspersed with a species of sensitive plant, whose +leaves curled up in, and about our footsteps in such a manner, that the +way we had come was for some time distinguishable. From the nearest of +the small hills, I set the bearings of Double and Pine Mounts, our tent, +and the brig at anchor, by which this station was fixed as in the chart; +but in order to reconcile the bearings, I found it necessary to allow 12 deg. +of east variation. + +Towards Double Mount and Shoal-water Bay, the country consisted of +gently-rising hills and extensive plains, well covered with wood and +apparently fertile. The stream at the head of Broad Sound could not be +traced from hence more than three or four miles above the tent; but it +may possibly run up much further to the south-eastward, though too small +to be distinguished in the wood, or to be navigable for boats. To the +south and westward there was a ridge of high land, which appeared to be a +prolongation of the same whence the upper branches of Port Bowen and +Shoal-water Bay take their rise, and by which the low land and small arms +on the west side of Broad Sound are bounded. A similar ridge ran behind +Port Curtis and Keppel Bay, and it is not improbable that the two are +connected, and of the same substance; for at Port Curtis the basis stone +of the country was a granite, and this small hill was the same. It has +been more than once observed, that granite is amongst the substances +which exert an influence upon the magnetic needle; and it is to the +attraction of the ridge of mountains to the south and westward, that I +attribute the great variation found in the bearings at this station. + +We returned to the tent at sunset; and there passed a disagreeable night +amongst musketoes, sand flies, and ants. At four in the morning [THURSDAY +16 SEPTEMBER 1802] the ebb had made, and we embarked in the boat; but the +depth of water was so little that we could not proceed, and were obliged +to re-land and wait for the following tide; not without apprehension of +being left till the next springs came on. At two in the afternoon the +flood came up rapidly, and in half an hour it was high water; we set off +immediately, and after some trouble from the shoals, reached the brig at +five o'clock. Mr. Murray got under way at three the next morning [FRIDAY +17 SEPTEMBER 1802] to beat down to Upper Head, the wind being from the +northward; but the Lady Nelson getting aground, I went off with Mr. Brown +in my boat, and reached the ship at seven o'clock, and in the evening, +the brig arrived. + +Lieutenant Fowler had gone through the most essential duties, and the +ship was nearly ready for sea; but on landing at the tents I found that +the time keepers had been let down, and the business of finding new rates +for them was to be recommenced. This accident would require a week to be +repaired; and being unwilling to remain so long inactive, I determined to +leave Mr. Flinders at Upper Head, and take the ship over to the inner end +of Thirsty Sound, where it appeared there was something to correct in +captain Cook's chart. + +SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +The Lady Nelson had lost two sheets of copper, and the trunks of the +sliding keels required some reparation; I therefore desired lieutenant +Murray to lay his vessel on shore and get these matters arranged, to cut +wood for himself, and be ready to sail in a week for Torres' Strait; and +his stock of water was completed out of the Investigator. + +SUNDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +On the 19th in the morning we unmoored the ship, and a little before low +tide stretched over towards Thirsty Sound; but the numerous shoals to be +encountered, and which cannot be concisely described otherwise than in a +chart, caused much delay; and it was near noon of the day following +[MONDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 1802] before we anchored at the south end of Long +Island, in 3 fathoms, and about one mile from the low mangrove shore. At +the south end of the island was a small hill, bearing S. 55 deg. E. one mile +and a half from the ship, where I landed with a party of the gentlemen; +it forms the west point of the inner entrance to Thirsty Sound, as some +low red cliffs, one mile and a half distant, do the east point; but a +shoal, dry at low water, lies in the middle, and the channels on each +side are not calculated for a ship. The small hill was found to be on a +detached islet one mile long, the greater part of which is mud covered +with mangroves; the hill is partly excavated by an arched way running +through it, and the stone is of a mixed red and white colour, and of an +ochry consistence. From the highest top, I set: + + +Upper Head, bearing S. 28 deg. 22' W. +Double Mount. S. 53 20 E. +Pine Mount, S. 61 5 E. + + +These bearings place the inner end of Thirsty Sound in latitude 22 deg. 16'; +and curtail the distance of thirty miles from Pier Head in captain Cook's +chart, to twelve miles and a half. + +TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +On the 21st, the botanical gentlemen went over in the launch to the east +side of Thirsty Sound, the main land having been always found more +productive in the objects of their pursuit, than any island however +large. I went to examine along the west side of Long Island; but had not +proceeded two miles before an opening presented itself amongst the +mangroves. It led to the eastward, and then separated into two branches; +and in following that which trended north-east I came into Thirsty Sound, +and landed five miles above the inner entrance, at an islet in +mid-channel, which had been set from Pier Head and is laid down by +captain Cook. + +No less than five different pieces of land were found to be cut off from +the south end of Long Island, by winding channels amongst the mangroves; +and I now saw the prospect of a passage through the middle, leading out +at the bight between the north point and Pier Head. A woody and rather +elevated islet obscures the inner end of the opening, and seems to have +prevented captain Cook's observing this separation when going up Thirsty +Sound in his boat. I found in it a good bottom, with 3 to 5 fathoms +water, and room for a ship to swing, or sail through as far as the outer +opening to sea; but another island lies in the outlet, the bottom is +rocky, and the regular depth at low water is not so much as 3 fathoms on +either side. + +Having taken a second set of angles, and passed out by the new opening, I +steered northward along the east side of Long Island; but although the +land be high and rather steep, there was seldom so much as 3 fathoms at a +mile distance. I landed at the north end of the island, to ascertain +better the forms and positions of the North-point Isles; and then, +steering southward along the west side, entered a cove where the form of +the surrounding land gave a hope of finding fresh water for the ship; but +the borders were covered with mangroves, and we could not get +sufficiently far up to know whether any part of the stream running +through them were fresh. Another set of angles was taken from a hill on +the south side of the cove; and the sun being then set, our tent was +pitched for the night. + +WEDNESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +Next morning I steered onward along the west side of Long Island, landing +occasionally to examine the gullies made by the rains; but at this time +they were all dry. As far to the south as Westside Islet, the shore is +tolerably high and the water deep; and near to the inner end of the +islet, where I landed to take angles, there was no bottom with 10 +fathoms; but the shore from thence to the ship was low and covered with +mangroves, and even the rocky points cannot be approached within half a +mile, except by boats. + +Not a single Indian was seen during this excursion round Long Island; nor +from the length of the grass and appearance of their fire places, do I +think they had been there for some months. + +THURSDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +Next day I made a further examination of the winding channels at the +south end of Long Island; and also went to an inlet on the east side of +Broad Sound, the entrance of which is so much obstructed by shoals, that +it was difficult to find a sufficient depth, even for the boat. I landed +with the naturalist at a low, cliffy head on the north side of the +entrance; but not without wading a quarter of a mile in the mud. We saw +from thence, that this inlet, though presenting the appearance of a +respectable river when the tide was in, had no perceptible breadth at +five miles within the land, that it was almost wholly dry at low water, +and that the shores were covered with mangroves to a great extent; even +the cliffy head where we stood, was surrounded with mangroves, and +appeared to be insulated at spring tides. + +FRIDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +In the morning of the 24th, we got under way to return to Upper Head; and +having the same difficulties to encounter amongst the shoals as before, +did not reach our former anchorage until next day [SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER +1802]. On landing at the tents, I found, to my no less surprise than +regret, that the time keepers had again been let down; and no more than +one day's rates had been since obtained. Twenty-five sets of distances of +the sun and moon had been taken to correspond with an equal number on the +opposite side; and it appeared that lieutenant Flinders being intent upon +these, had forgotten to wind up the time keepers on the 22nd at noon. + +This fresh difficulty was very embarrassing. To go away for Torres' +Strait and the Gulph of Carpentaria without good rates, was to cripple +the accuracy of all our longitudes; and on the other hand, the expected +approach of the contrary monsoon on the North Coast admitted of no longer +delay in Broad Sound. On comparing the last day's rates with those of the +four days previously obtained, the letting down did not appear to have +produced any material alteration; and I therefore determined to combine +the whole together, and to sail immediately. + +SUNDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +The following day was occupied in completing the holds with wood, taking +on board our shore establishment, and preparing for sea; and next morning +[MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 1802] we steered down Broad Sound, with the Lady +Nelson in company, keeping near the western side to avoid the middle +shoals. On a sea breeze coming in at north, we tacked towards the +North-point Isles; and at sunset, the flood tide having then made, +anchored in 8 fathoms, upon a bottom of sand and rock, the +north-westernmost isle bearing N. 6 deg. E., two leagues. In the morning we +passed round the North-point Isles, with a breeze from the south-east; +and thus quitted Broad Sound, steering off for the outermost and largest +of the Northumberland Islands. + +There remains little to be said upon the navigation of Broad Sound, more +than what has been related of our courses in it, and what will be found +in the chart. The western channel, between the Flat Isles and the main, +is not to be recommended; but after steering up the middle of the Sound +and passing these isles, the western shore should be kept nearest a-bord. +A ship may then reach Upper Head without difficulty, and lie there in +perfect safety from all winds, at two-thirds of a mile off; but cannot go +higher up the sound without risk of grounding on the banks. From half +flood to half ebb, landing is easy at Upper Head, and it is perhaps the +sole place on the main possessing that advantage; every where else the +shore is very low, fronted with mud banks, and covered, in some places +miles deep, with interwoven mangroves, amongst which the tide flows at +high water. + +The stone of Upper Head, and apparently of all the hills in its +neighbourhood, is granitic; whilst that of Long Island and West Hill +approach nearer to porphyry. At the inner entrance of Thirsty Sound the +points are mostly composed of an earth, which is not heavy, is sometimes +red, but more frequently white, or mixed; and of a consistence not harder +than ochre. + +Long Island, though covered with grass and wood, is stony and incapable +of ordinary cultivation. On the main land, the low parts between the +mangroves and the hills seemed to be of a tolerably good soil; and +according to the report of some of the gentlemen, who made an excursion +at the back of Upper Head, the vallies there produce good grass and +appeared fertile. There seems, indeed, to be a considerable extent of +land about Broad Sound and on the peninsula between it and Shoal-water +Bay, which, if not calculated to give a rich return to the cultivator of +wheat, would support much cattle, and produce maize, sugar, and tobacco; +and cotton and coffee would grow upon the more rocky sides of the hills, +and probably even upon Long Island. Should it ever be in contemplation to +make an establishment in New South Wales within the tropic, in aid of +Port Jackson and the colonies to the southward, this neighbourhood would +probably be chosen; and the great rise of tide presents advantages which +might be some time turned to account in ship building. On the west side +of the sound, near the Flat Isles, the rise at spring tides is not less +than thirty, and perhaps reaches to thirty-five feet. At Upper Head it is +from twenty at the neaps, to thirty or more at the springs; but the +bottom rises so much towards the top of the sound, that the tide there +never seems to exceed twelve feet. The time of high water is nearly +_eleven hours after_ the moon's passage over and under the meridian; +though the flood runs up near an hour on the west side of the sound, +after it is high water by the shore. + +The places best calculated for the construction of docks, appear to be at +the uppermost or 4th Flat Isles, where the shoals form a natural harbour, +and at the entrance of the opening near Upper Head, in which is a small +islet of sand and rock, not covered with mangroves nor surrounded with +mud flats. The pines of Port Bowen, Shoal-water Bay, and the +Northumberland Isles, would furnish the necessary spars and lighter +planking; and there is no reason to think that the _eucalyptus_, which +grows all over the country, should not be as fit for timbers, etc., as it +is found to be further southward. No iron ore was seen in the +neighbourhood; but were a colony established and the back ridge of +mountains well examined, this and other metallic productions might be +found. The attraction which the mountains seemed to have upon the needle, +is in favour of this probability; but the iron work might be prepared at +Port Jackson where the ore exists, and in whose vicinity there are plenty +of coals. + +Fresh water was scarce at this time, none being any where discovered near +the sea side, except a small rill at the back of Upper Head, little more +than adequate to the supply of the tents; it can however be scarcely +doubted, that fresh water for domestic purposes would be found in most +parts of the country; and there is a season of the year, most probably +the height of summer, when rain falls abundantly, as was demonstrated by +the torrent-worn marks down the sides of the hills. + +Not a single native was seen, either on the shores of Thirsty, or Broad +Sounds, during the whole time of our stay. + +There are kangaroos in the woods, but not in numbers. The shoals all over +the sound are frequented by flocks of ducks and curlews; and we saw in +the upper part, some pelicans, an individual of a large kind of crane, +and another of a white bird, in form resembling a curlew. Many turtle +were seen in the water about Long Island, and from the bones scattered +around the deserted fire places, this animal seemed to form the principal +subsistence of the natives; but we had not the address to obtain any. +Hump-backed whales frequent the entrance of the sound, and would present +an object of interest to a colony. In fishing, we had little success with +hook and line; and the nature of the shores did not admit of hauling the +seine. + +The climate here, being one degree within the tropic, was warm at this +season, which may be considered as the spring and the driest time of the +year. On board the ship, the height of the thermometer did not exceed +76 deg., with the warm winds from the northward, but at the tents it averaged +at noon somewhat above 90 deg.; and the musketoes and sand flies were very +troublesome at all places near the mangroves. We did not see any snakes +or other venemous reptiles or insects. + +The _latitude_ of Upper Head, from six meridian observations in the +artificial horizon, is 22 deg. 23' 24" S. + +_Longitude_ from fifty sets of distances of the sun and moon, given in +Table II of the second Appendix to this Volume, 149 deg. 46' 53" E. + +The errors of the time keepers from mean Greenwich time, at noon there +Sept. 26, and their mean rates of going during seven days, of which four +were before and three after they had been let down the second time, were +as under: + + +Earnshaw's No. 543 slow 2h 3' 37.23" and losing 9.62" per day. +Earnshaw's No. 520 slow 3h 29' 15.57" and losing 21.41" per day. + + +These errors and rates were found by lieutenant Flinders, from equal +altitudes taken with a sextant on a stand, and using an artificial +horizon of quicksilver. + +The longitudes given by the time keepers on Sept. 12 a.m. at Upper Head, +with the Port-Jackson rates, were these: + +No. 543, 149 deg. 54' 27" east. +No. 520, 149 deg. 53' 47.5" east. + +The mean is 7' 14" to the east of the lunars; but on using rates equally +accelerated from those at Port Jackson to the above at Upper Head, and +commencing the acceleration on Aug. 15, at Keppel Bay, where the time +keepers were found to be keeping their former rates, the mean longitude +will be 149 deg. 48' 56.6", or 2' 3.6" from the lunar observations; which is +therefore the presumable sum of their irregularities after August 15, or +in 27.7 days. + +In fixing the positions of places along the East Coast, I have made use +of the time keepers from Port Jackson to Port Curtis, without any +correction. From Port Curtis to Broad Sound, the coast and islands are +laid down from theodolite bearings taken on shore, combined with the +observed latitudes; and consequently the accuracy in longitude of the +first portion depends upon that of Port Jackson and the time keepers, and +of the last, upon Upper Head and the survey. These two unconnected +longitudes meet at Port Curtis, and the difference between them is there +no more than 5". + +From observations with the theodolite upon the top of Upper Head, the +_variation_ was 8 deg. 37' east; but on moving the instrument ten yards to +the south-west, it was 45' less. At two other stations on the west side +of the sound, it was 8 deg. 15', and 8 deg. 0'; and on board the ship 7 deg. 17' and +7 deg. 46', corrected. On the east side of the sound it differed at six +stations on shore, from 8 deg. to 6 deg.; and on board the ship was 6 deg. 44' +corrected. As general results, therefore, but subject to many small +deviations, the variation may be taken, + + +On the west side of Broad Sound at 8 deg. 0' E. +On the east side 7 0 +At the head of the sound it was, +at one station 12 deg., at another 10 deg.; +the mean, 11 0 + + +The differences between the two sides of the sound, both on shore and on +board, are nearly similar to what took place in Shoal-water Bay. + +The rise of _tide_ and time of high water have been mentioned; but it may +be proper to say what I conceive to be the cause of the extraordinary +rise in Broad Sound. From Cape Howe, at the southern extremity of the +East Coast, to Port Curtis at the edge of the tropic, the time of high +water falls between seven and nine hours after the moon's passage, and +the rise does not exceed nine feet; but from thence to the northward, +commencing with Keppel Bay, the time becomes later, and the rise +augments, till, at Broad Sound, they reach eleven hours, and between +thirty and thirty-five feet. The principal flood tide upon the coast is +supposed to come from the south-east, and the ebb from the north, or +north-west; but from the particular formation of Keppel and Shoal-water +Bays, and of Broad Sound, whose entrances face the north, or north-west, +this ebb tide sets into them, and accumulates the water for some time, +becoming to them a flood. This will, in some degree, account for the +later time and greater rise of the tide; and is conformable to what +captain Cook says upon the same subject (Hawkesworth, III. 244); but I +think there is still a super-adding cause. At the distance of about +thirty leagues to the N. N. W. from Break-sea Spit, commences a vast mass +of reefs, which lie from twenty to thirty leagues from the coast, and +extend past Broad Sound. These reefs, being mostly dry at low water, will +impede the free access of the tide; and the greater proportion of it will +come in between Break-sea Spit and the reefs, and be late in reaching the +remoter parts; and if we suppose the reefs to terminate to the north, or +north-west of the Sound, or that a large opening in them there exist, +another flood tide will come from the northward, and meet the former; and +the accumulation of water from this meeting, will cause an extraordinary +rise in Broad Sound and the neighbouring bays, in the same manner as the +meeting of the tides in the English and Irish Channels causes a great +rise upon the north coast of France and the west coast of England. + +That an opening exists in the reefs will hereafter appear; and captain +Cook's observations prove, that for more than a degree to the north-west +of Broad Sound, the flood came from the northward. I found, when at +anchor off Keppel Bay, and again off Island Head, that the flood there +came from the east or south-east; but when lying three miles out from +Pier Head, there was no set whatever; and I am disposed to think that it +is at the entrance of Broad Sound, where the two floods meet each other. + +CHAPTER IV. + +The Percy Isles: anchorage at No. 2. +Boat excursions. +Remarks on the Percy Isles; with nautical observations. +Coral reefs: courses amongst them during eleven days search + for a passage through, to sea. +Description of a reef. +Anchorage at an eastern Cumberland Isle. +The Lady Nelson sent back to Port Jackson. +Continuation of coral reefs; +and courses amongst them during three other days. +Cape Gloucester. +An opening discovered, and the reefs quitted. +General remarks on the Great Barrier; +with some instruction relative to the opening. + +[EAST COAST. PERCY ISLES.] + +TUESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +On quitting Broad Sound, we steered for the north-easternmost of the +Northumberland Islands., which I intended to visit in the way to Torres' +Strait. These are no otherwise marked by captain Cook, than as a single +piece of land seen indistinctly, of three leagues in extent; but I had +already descried from Mount Westall and Pier Head a cluster of islands, +forming a distinct portion of this archipelago; and in honour of the +noble house to which Northumberland gives the title of duke, I named them +_Percy Isles_. + +(Atlas, Plate XI.) + +At noon, the observed latitude on both sides was 21 deg. 51' 20"; the west +end of the largest North-point Isle bore S. 18 deg. W. three or four leagues, +and the Percy Isles were coming in sight ahead. The weather was hazy; and +the wind at E. S. E. preventing us from fetching No. 2, the largest isle, +we tacked at five o'clock, when it bore S. 31 deg. to 54 deg. E, two or three +leagues; No. 5, the north-westernmost of the cluster, bearing N. 24 deg. W., +two miles and a half. At dusk the anchor was dropped in 14 fathoms, sandy +ground, two or three miles from some rocky islets which lie off the west +side of No. 2. The flood tide at this anchorage came from the north-east, +one mile per hour. + +We got under way again in the morning [WEDNESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 1802]; but +the wind being light and unfavourable, and the tide adverse, I went off +in the whale boat, accompanied by Messrs. Brown and Westall, to examine +the passage between the rocky islets and No. 2, directing lieutenant +Fowler to follow with the ship when the signal should be made. We first +landed at the islets, where the same kind of pine as seen at Port Bowen +and other places, was abundant; and leaving the two gentlemen there, I +sounded the passage, which was a mile and a half wide, with a sandy +bottom of 8 to 13 fathoms deep, and sheltered from all eastern winds. The +signal was then made to the ship; and so soon as she was brought to +anchor, I went to examine a little cove, or basin, into which the height +of the surrounding hills gave expectation of finding a run of fresh +water. The entrance is little more than wide enough for the oars of a +rowing boat, the basin, within side, is mostly dry at low water, and the +borders are over-run with the tiresome mangrove; but when the tide is in, +it is one of the prettiest little places imaginable. In searching round +the skirts, between the mangroves and feet of the hills, a torrent-worn +gully was found with several holes of water; and one in particular, near +the edge of the mangroves, where, by cutting a rolling way for the casks, +the holds of the two vessels might be filled; and at a beach without side +of the entrance to the basin, several hauls of the seine were made with +good success. + +THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 1802 + +Early next morning, lieutenant Fowler landed with a party of men prepared +to cut through the mangroves; but fresh water was discovered to ooze out +from amongst them, much below high-water mark; and by digging in the sand +at half ebb, our casks might be filled more easily, and with better water +than in the gully. Whilst this duty was going on, the carpenters were +sent to cut fire wood and pine logs upon the rocky islets, the botanical +gentlemen followed their pursuits where it best pleased them, and my time +was occupied in surveying. From a hill near the head of the basin, I took +bearings of all the objects to the south and westward; amongst which, the +five following were the most important to the connexion of the survey. + + +Mount Westall on the main (not distinct), S. 23 deg. 5' E. +Northumberland Islands, the 4th, a peak, S. 18 20 E. +Northumberland Islands, the 7th, station on the hill, S. 19 30 W. +Northumberland Islands, a peaked I. marked 'h', S. 89 deg. 55' to N. 87 35 W. +Northumberland Islands, high northmost, marked 'i', N. 57 0 W. + + +The circle was completed in the afternoon, from a higher part of the +island near the north point; and the weather being tolerably clear, +nearly the whole of the Northumberland Islands were comprehended in the +bearings from one or the other station. Two distant pieces of land in the +N. W. by N., marked _k_ and _k1_, situate near the eastern Cumberland +Islands of captain Cook, were also distinguished; but to the north-east, +where I expected to see a continuation of the reefs discovered by captain +Campbell of the brig Deptford, in 1797, neither reef nor island was +visible. + +SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER 1802 + +On the 2nd of October, Mr. Brown accompanied me to No. 1, the +southernmost of the Percy Isles, which is near five miles long, and the +second of the group in magnitude. Fresh water was found in ponds near the +shore, and there were clusters of pine trees; but in general, this island +is inferior to No. 2, both in soil and productions. Of the two peaked +hills upon it, the south-easternmost is highest; but being craggy and +difficult to be ascended, my bearings were taken from the western hill. +In returning to the ship in the evening, we passed between No. 6 and the +east side of No. 2, and round the north end of the latter island, in +order to see the form of its coasts: the water was deep, and there +appeared to be no hidden dangers. + +SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER 1802 + +On the 3rd, Mr. Bauer, the natural-history painter, went with me to the +northern Percy Isles, upon each of which is a hill somewhat peaked; but +that on No. 3 is much the most so, and the highest; and being thickly +covered with pine trees, is called _Pine Peak_: it lies in 21 deg. 311/2' south +and 150 deg. 141/2' east. My principal object was to take angles for the +survey; and not being able to ascend Pine Peak, from its great acclivity, +we went onward to the two smaller islands No. 4; and from the top of the +easternmost, a third Cumberland Island, marked _k2_, was distinguished, +and the following amongst many other bearings, were taken. + + +Percy Isle No. 3, Pine Peak, distant 21/2 miles, S 2 deg. 5' W. +The ship, at anchor under No. 2, S. 10 48 W. +Northumberland I., the 7th, station, S. 14 0 W. +Northumberland I., the peak marked 'h', S. 67 35 W. +Northumberland I., the high, northmost, marked 'i', N. 73 10 W. +Cumberland I., marked 'k', centre, N. 36 0 W. +Cumberland I., marked 'k2', centre, N. 42 50 W. + + +There is no shelter amongst the northern Percy Isles against east winds; +but ships may pass between them, taking care to avoid a rock which lies +one mile northward from the Pine Peak, and is dry at low water. Nothing +was seen on these islands to merit more particular notice; and their +forms and situations will be best learned from the chart. + +On returning to the ship at nine in the evening, I found lieutenant +Fowler had quitted the shore with his tents and people, the holds were +completed with water, and both vessels ready for sea. + +No. 2, the largest of the Percy Isles, is about thirteen miles in +circumference; and in its greatest elevation perhaps a thousand feet. The +stone is mostly of two kinds. A concreted mass of different substances, +held together by a hard, dark-coloured cement, was the most abundant; I +did not see either coral or pumice-stone in the composition, but it +otherwise much resembled that of Aken's Island in Shoal-water Bay, and +still more a stratum seen at the north-west part of Long Island: it was +found at the tops of the highest hills, as well as in the lower parts. +The second kind of stone is light, close-grained, and easily splits, but +not in layers; it is of a yellowish colour, and probably argillaceous. + +The surface of the island is either sandy or stony, or both, with a small +proportion of vegetable soil intermixed. It is generally covered with +grass and wood; and some of the vallies round the basin might be made to +produce vegetables, especially one in which there was a small run, and +several holes of fresh water. The principal wood is the _eucalyptus_, or +gum tree, but it is not large; small cabbage palms grow in the gullies, +and also a species of fig tree, which bears its fruit on the stem, +instead of the ends of the branches; and pines are scattered in the most +rocky places. + +No inhabitants were seen upon any of the islands, but there were deserted +fire places upon all. The Indians probably come over from the main land +at certain times, to take turtle, in which they must be much more +dexterous than we were; for although many turtle were seen in the water, +and we watched the beaches at night, not one was caught. There are no +kangaroos upon the Percy Isles; nor did we see any useful birds. The +large bats or vampyres, common to this country, and called flying-foxes +at Port Jackson, were often found hanging by the claws, with their heads +downward, under the shady tops of the palm trees; and one solitary eel of +a good size, was caught on clearing out the hole where our water casks +had been first intended to be filled. + +Pines, fresh water, and fish will be some inducement to visit the Percy +Isles; as perhaps may be the hump-backed whales, of which a considerable +number was seen in the vicinity. The best and most convenient anchorage, +and indeed the only one to be recommended, is that where the Investigator +lay, directly off the basin; in mid-channel between No. 2 and the western +pine islets. It is sheltered at fourteen points to the eastward, and +three towards the west; and there being a clear passage out, both to the +north and south, no danger is to be apprehended: the bottom, however, +does not hold very well. + +A wet dock might be made of the basin without other trouble or expense +than a little deepening of the narrow entrance, and throwing a pair of +gates across; and were the mud to be cleared out, the basin would contain +fifteen or twenty sail of merchant ships with great ease. + +The flood _tide_ came from the north and the ebb from the south, past the +anchorage; but on the outside, they run south-west and north-east. It is +not extraordinary that the rise and fall by the shore did not exactly +coincide with the swinging of the ship; but that the time of high water +should differ three hours, and the rise twenty feet from Broad Sound, is +remarkable. According to Mr. Fowler's observations in the basin, it was +high water there _eight hours after_ the moon's passage; and the rise at +the neaps and springs appeared to be from eight to twelve feet. + +Three meridian observations to the north, taken by lieutenant Flinders, +gave the _latitude_ of our anchorage, 21 deg. 39' 31" S. + +_Longitude_, according to the position of Upper Head and the survey from +thence, 150 deg. 12' E. + +_Variation_ of the needle, observed on the low south-west point of No. 2, +8 deg. 28' E. + +Three compasses on board the ship at anchor, gave 5 deg. 34' when the head +was east, or corrected to the meridian, 8 deg. 4' E. + +Upon the different elevated places whence bearings were taken, the +variation differed from 7 deg. 30' to 9 deg. 30' east. + +MONDAY 4 OCTOBER 1802 + +Early in the morning of the 4th, we got under way, with the Lady Nelson +in company, to proceed on our voyage to Torres' Strait and the Gulph of +Carpentaria. The wind was at E. by N., and we kept close up to weather +the northern Percy Isles; for I had a desire to fall in with the reefs +laid down by Mr. Campbell, three-quarters of a degree to the eastward, in +latitude 211/2 deg.; and to ascertain their termination to the north-westward. + +[EAST COAST. BARRIER REEFS.] + +The tide prevented us from weathering the islands till three in the +afternoon; we then passed between No. 4 and some rocks lying two miles to +the north-east, with 33 fathoms water. During the night we tacked every +two hours, working to the eastward, in from 30 to 36 fathoms; and at +daylight [TUESDAY 5 OCTOBER 1802], my station on the eastern isle No. 4 +bore N. 89 deg. W., four leagues. Nothing was seen in the offing, but in +stretching to the N. N. E, reefs were discovered from the mast head a +little before noon; and after the observation for the latitude was taken, +I set one bearing East to E. by S., two leagues, and another N. 14 deg. W. to +29 deg. E., four or five miles. Our situation was in 21 deg. 15 2/3' south, and +longitude from the bearing of the Pine Peak, 150 deg. 34' east. + +These reefs were not exactly those seen by Mr. Campbell; but they are +probably not more than five or six leagues to the north-westward of them, +and form part of the same _barrier_ to the coast. In standing on between +the two reefs above set, others, or parts of the same, came in sight +ahead; upon which I shortened sail to the three top sails, desired the +Lady Nelson to take the lead, and bore away north-westward along the +inner side of the northern reef. In an hour we had passed its west end; +but another reef came in sight, and for a time obliged us to steer W. by +S. At four o'clock we ran northward again, following the direction of the +reef on its lee side; and at six anchored in 27 fathoms, coarse sand, in +the following situation: + + +Latitude observed from the moon., 21 deg. 4' S. +Longitude from bearings, 150 19 E. +Nearest part of the reef, dist. 21/2 miles, E. 1/2 S. +A smaller reef, distant 3 miles, N. W. 1/2 N. +Percy Isles, Pine Peak of No. 3, S. 9 0 W. +Cumberland Island marked 'k', W. 6 0 N. + + +The reefs were not dry in any part, with the exception of some small +black lumps, which at a distance resembled the round heads of negroes; +the sea broke upon the edges, but within side the water was smooth, and +of a light green colour. A further description of these dangers is +unnecessary, since their forms and relative positions, so far as they +could be ascertained, will be best learned from the chart. + +Until midnight, five hours after the moon had passed the meridian, a tide +came from S. by E., half a mile per hour. The ship then tended to the N. +E. by E.; and this tide, whose rate was one mile, appearing to be the +flood, led me to suppose there might be an open sea in that direction. In +the morning [WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER 1802], I sent a boat to lieutenant +Murray with instructions for his guidance in case of separation; and +appointed him Murray's Islands in Torres' Strait, discovered by captain +Edwards in 1791, for the first rendezvous; cautioning him to be strictly +on his guard against the treachery of the natives. + +We weighed at seven o'clock, and steered N. N. E., close to the wind; at +ten, reefs came in sight, extending from W. by N., to N. by E. 1/2 E., +which we weathered one mile, having 35 fathoms water. Our situation at +noon was in latitude 20 deg. 45' 40", from observations to the north and +south, and the longitude by time keeper 150 deg. 28'; the east end of the +great reef to leeward bore S. W. 1/2 W. two miles, and it extended in +patches to N. 16 deg. W., where, at the distance of two leagues, was either a +dry white sand or high breakers but which could not be discerned from the +reflection of the sun. Nothing was seen to the north-east, and we now lay +up in that direction; but at one o'clock there was a small reef bearing +N. 1/2 E.; and at three, a larger one extended from N. by W. 1/2 W. to E. N. +E., and on the outside of it were such high breakers, that nothing less +than the unobstructed waves of the ocean could produce them. We stood on +for this reef, until four; and being then one mile off, tacked to the +southward, having 33 fathoms, nearly the same depth as before. + +The larbord tack was continued to six o'clock, at which time we anchored +in 32 fathoms, white sand, shells, and pieces of coral, having neither +reef nor danger of any kind in sight; but the smoothness of the water +left no doubt of many lying to windward. From the high breakers seen in +the afternoon, however, hopes were entertained of soon clearing the +reefs; for by this time I was weary of them, not only from the danger to +which the vessels were thereby exposed, but from fear of the contrary +monsoon setting in upon the North Coast, before we should get into the +Gulph of Carpentaria. + +At this anchorage, the tide came from between S. W. by S. and W. by S., +till midnight; and at two in the morning [THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER 1802] the +ship rode north, and afterwards N. E. by E., to the flood; which seemed +to imply two openings in the reefs, and one of them near the high +breakers. The depth of water changed from 35 to 32 fathoms, in the night; +but a part of the difference might arise from irregularities in the +bottom. + +We got under way at daybreak, and stretched south-east to gain the wind; +at nine, a reef was passed on each beam; and at noon, when we tacked to +the northward in 20 deg. 58' south and 150 deg. 48' east, there were five others, +distant from two to five miles, bearing from S. 20 deg. W., round by the east +and north to N. 25 deg. W.; but apparently with passages between most of +them. Upon these reefs were more of the dry, black lumps, called negro +heads, than had been seen before; but they were so much alike as to be of +no use in distinguishing one reef from another; and at high water, nearly +the whole were covered. + +In the afternoon, a very light wind at north-east left no prospect of +weathering the reef before dark, upon which the high breakers had been +seen; we therefore tacked to the E. S. E., and anchored at sunset in 84 +fathoms, fine white sand, not far from our noon's situation; a reef, +partly dry, was then distant one mile and a half, and bore E. 1/2 S. to S. +E. The flood tide here ran something more than one mile an hour, and came +from between north and north-west, the ship tending to it at one in the +morning. + +FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER 1802 + +At seven, when the flood had done running, the two vessels were lying up +E. N. E., with a light breeze from the northward; but a rippling which +extended a mile from the reef, caused us to tack until a boat was sent to +sound upon it; for the Lady Nelson was so leewardly, that much time was +lost in waiting for her. At ten we passed through the rippling, in from +14 to 34 fathoms; and at noon were in latitude 20 deg. 55', and longitude +150 deg. 55' by time keeper. We seemed at this time to be surrounded with +reefs; but it was ascertained by the whale boat, that many of these +appearances were caused by the shadows of clouds and the ripplings and +eddies of tide, and that the true coral banks were those only which had +either green water or negro heads upon them. Of these, however, there was +a formidable mass, all round ahead, with but one small channel through +them; and this I was resolved to attempt, in the hope of its carrying us +out to windward of the high breakers. + +At two o'clock, the eastern reef, which was a mile distant to leeward and +nearly dry, was seen to terminate, whilst the northern reefs extended out +of sight to the north-east; the opening between them was a mile and a +half wide, and full of ripplings; but having the whale boat ahead, we +bore away E. S. E., to go through the least agitated part. Having little +wind, and a flood tide making against us, the boat was called back to +tow, and the brig directed to take its station by means of her sweeps. +Our soundings were irregular in the narrow part, between 24 and 9 +fathoms, on rocky ground; but after getting through, we had from 30 to +32, the usual depth in the open places. At sunset, the stream anchor was +dropped on a bottom of coral sand and shells; the reefs then in sight +extending from about E. S. E., round by the north to N. W., where was the +great northern bank. Whether there were any passage through them, could +not be discerned; but the breakers on many of the outer parts proved the +open sea to be not far distant, and that the waves ran high; whilst +within side, the water was as tranquil as in harbour. + +The ship rode north-west, till between eight and nine o'clock, when it +appeared to be high water, and the depth was 35 fathoms; at 9h 34' the +moon passed the meridian, and we were then riding S. by W., to a tide +which ran at the strongest one and a quarter mile per hour. Between three +and four in the morning [SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER 1802] this tide had done, the +depth was 31 fathoms, and the ship afterwards rode N. N. E. till +daylight. The first of the flood therefore came from the N. N. E. and the +latter part from N. W.; it was high water at _one hour before_ the moon's +passage, and the rise at least three fathoms, or eighteen feet. This time +of high water coincides with that of Broad Sound; but it is remarkable, +that at the Percy Isles, lying between them, it should be three hours +earlier. The rise in Broad Sound was five fathoms, and three, or more, +amongst the reefs; whereas at the Percy Isles, there was nothing on the +shore to indicate a higher tide than two fathoms. + +In the morning we steered E. N. E., with a light air from the southward; +the brig was ahead, and at half past nine, made the signal for immediate +danger; upon which the stream anchor was dropped in 16 fathoms. The tide +ran one mile and a half to the E. N. E, and this leading me to expect +some opening in that direction, I sent the master to sound past the brig; +and on his finding deeper water we followed, drifting with the tide. At +eleven he made the signal for being on a shoal, and we came to, in 35 +fathoms, broken coral and sand; being surrounded by reefs, except to the +westward from whence we had come. On the outside were high breakers, not +more than three or four miles distant; these terminated at E. by S., and +between them and other reefs further on, there seemed a possibility of +finding an outlet; but no access to it could be had, except by a winding +circuit amongst the great mass of banks to the southward, which it was +not advisable to make upon such an uncertainty. I therefore determined to +remain at the present anchorage till low water, when the reefs would be +dry, and the channels between them, if any such there were, would be +visible: and should nothing better then present itself, to steer +north-westward, as close within the line of the high breakers as +possible, until an opening should be found. + +The latitude observed to the north and south, at this fifth anchorage +amongst the reefs, was 20 deg. 53' 15"; longitude by time keeper, 151 deg. 5' +east. In the afternoon, I went upon the reef with a party of the +gentlemen; and the water being very clear round the edges, a new +creation, as it was to us, but imitative of the old, was there presented +to our view. We had wheat sheaves, mushrooms, stags horns, cabbage +leaves, and a variety of other forms, glowing under water with vivid +tints of every shade betwixt green, purple, brown, and white; equalling +in beauty and excelling in grandeur the most favourite _parterre_ of the +curious florist. These were different species of coral and fungus, +growing, as it were, out of the solid rock, and each had its peculiar +form and shade of colouring; but whilst contemplating the richness of the +scene, we could not long forget with what destruction it was pregnant. + +Different corals in a dead state, concreted into a solid mass of a +dull-white colour, composed the stone of the reef. The negro heads were +lumps which stood higher than the rest; and being generally dry, were +blackened by the weather; but even in these, the forms of the different +corals, and some shells were distinguishable. The edges of the reef, but +particularly on the outside where the sea broke, were the highest parts; +within, there were pools and holes containing live corals, sponges, and +sea eggs and cucumbers;* and many enormous cockles (_chama gigas_) were +scattered upon different parts of the reef. At low water, this cockle +seems most commonly to lie half open; but frequently closes with much +noise; and the water within the shells then spouts up in a stream, three +or four feet high: it was from this noise and the spouting of the water, +that we discovered them, for in other respects they were scarcely to be +distinguished from the coral rock. A number of these cockles were taken +on board the ship, and stewed in the coppers; but they were too rank to +be agreeable food, and were eaten by few. One of them weighed 471/2 lbs. as +taken up, and contained 3lbs. 2 oz. of meat; but this size is much +inferior to what was found by captains Cook and Bligh, upon the reefs of +the coast further northward, or to several in the British Museum; and I +have since seen single shells more than four times the weight of the +above shells and fish taken together. + +[* What we called sea cucumbers, from their shape, appears to have been +the _beche de mer_, or _trepang_; of which the Chinese make a soup, much +esteemed in that country for its supposed invigorating qualities.] + +There were various small channels amongst the reefs, some of which led to +the outer breakers, and through these the tide was rushing in when we +returned to the ship; but I could not any where see an opening +sufficiently wide for the vessels. Low water took place at a quarter past +three, which corresponded with the time of high water observed at the +preceding anchorage. + +It was too late in the day to begin following the line of the high +breakers to the north-westward; but we lifted the anchor to remove +further from the eastern reef, which was dry within a mile of the ship. +The wind was light at south-east; and in steering westward, with a boat +sounding ahead, we got into one of the narrow streams of tide which +carried us rapidly to the south-west; nor could the boat assist us +across, so much was it twisted about by the whirlpools. At six o'clock, +being well clear of the stream, an anchor was dropped upon coral sand, in +30 fathoms; at ten, when the ship swung to the ebb, the depth was 33 +fathoms, and 28 at low water; as, however, we had two-thirds of a cable +out, some of the difference probably arose from the irregularity of the +bottom. + +SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER 1802 + +At daylight we steered N. N. W.; but reefs were presently seen all round +in that direction, and the course was altered for the small passage +through which we had come on the 8th. Such, however, was the change in +the appearance of the reefs, that no passage could then be discovered; +and fearing to be mistaken, I dared not venture through, but took a more +southern channel, where before no passage had appeared to exist. At nine +o'clock, having sandy ground in 32 fathoms, and it being very difficult +to distinguish the shoals at high water, the anchor was dropped in +latitude 20 deg. 561/2' south and longitude 150 deg. 541/2' east. Between one and two +in the afternoon, we steered W. N. W. and N. W.; and meeting with a small +dry reef at four, hauled up northward, following the line of the great +northern reefs upon which the high breakers had been seen. At half past +five we came to, in 26 fathoms sand and shells, having reefs from S. by +E., round by the east and north, to W. by S.; but there were openings at +N. N. W. 1/2 W. and N. E. by E., and we had the pleasure to see high +breakers, five or six miles distant in the latter direction. The latitude +here, from an observation of the moon, was 20 deg. 491/2', and longitude 150 deg. +48' by time keeper. + +MONDAY 11 OCTOBER 1802 + +Next morning, the brig and whale boat went ahead, and we steered north, +after them; the eastern opening was choaked up with small reefs, and we +had scarcely entered that to the west when Mr. Murray made the signal for +danger, and hauled the wind to the southward. We did the same, round two +inner shoals; and finding the bottom irregular, and more shallow than +usual, dropped the stream anchor in 27 fathoms. The Lady Nelson was +carried rapidly to the south-west, seemingly without being sensible of +it, and I therefore made the signal of recall; but although favoured by a +fresh breeze, she did not get up against the tide till past nine o'clock. +We rode a great strain on the stream cable, and the ship taking a sudden +sheer, it parted at the clinch and we lost the anchor; a bower was +immediately let go; but the bottom being rocky, I feared to remain during +the lee tide, and in a short time ordered it to be weighed. Mr. Murray +had lost a kedge anchor, and was then riding by a bower; and when the +signal was made to weigh, he answered it by that of inability. The tide +was, indeed, running past the brig at a fearful rate, and I feared it +would pass over her bows; for she lay in one of the narrow streams which +came gushing through the small openings in the outer reef. So soon as our +anchor was purchased, a boat's crew was sent to her assistance; and just +before noon she got under sail. + +We beat up till one o'clock, towards the anchorage of the preceding +evening; but the reefs being deeply covered, they could not be +distinguished one from the other; and having found a good bottom, in 35 +fathoms, we came to, and made signal for the brig to do the same. +Lieutenant Murray informed me that his anchor had come up with a palm +broken off; and having only one bower left, he applied to me for another. +Our anchor had swiveled in the stock; and the work required to it, with +getting the last stream anchor out of the hold, and sending Mr. Murray +two grapnels, which were all that our own losses could allow of being +spared, occupied us till the evening. At low water, two reefs were seen, +bearing N. 18 deg.to 41 deg. E., a third S. 72 deg. E., and a fourth S. 74 deg. W.; their +distances being from two to four or five miles. + +The loss of anchors we had this day sustained, deterred me from any more +attempting the small passages through the Barrier Reef; in these, the +tide runs with extraordinary violence, and the bottom is coral rock; and +whether with, or without wind, no situation can be more dangerous. My +anxious desire to get out to sea, and reach the North Coast before the +unfavourable monsoon should set in, had led me to persevere amongst these +intricate passages beyond what prudence could approve; for had the wind +come to blow strong, no anchors, in such deep water and upon loose sand, +could have held the ship; a rocky bottom cut the cables; and to have been +under sail in the night was certain destruction. I therefore formed the +determination, in our future search for a passage out, to avoid all +narrow channels, and run along, within side the larger reefs, until a +good and safe opening should present itself. This plan, which was +dictated by a common regard to safety, might carry us far to the +north-west, and delay our arrival in the Gulph of Carpentaria; yet I +hoped not; for captain Cook had found the flood tide to come from +south-east after passing the Cumberland Islands, whereas before, it ran +from the northward; a circumstance which seemed to indicate a termination +of the reefs, or a great opening in them., to the north or north-west of +those islands. + +TUESDAY 12 OCTOBER 1802 + +In the morning., we got under way and steered N. N. W.; but anchored +again on finding the flood tide too strong to be stemmed with a light +breeze. Our latitude at this tenth anchorage amongst the reefs, was 20 deg. +53' 10", from observations to the north and south, and longitude by time +keeper 150 deg. 42' east. At one o'clock our course was resumed, and +continued till sunset in clear water; when we came to, in 32 fathoms sand +and shells, not far to the south of where the first high breakers had +been seen, in the afternoon of the 6th. A dry reef bore N.1/2 E., distant +two and a half, and another E. 1/2 S. one-and-half miles; and from the mast +head others were seen at the back of them, extending from N. W. by N. to +near S. E. by E. + +WEDNESDAY 13 OCTOBER 1802 + +On going upon deck next morning at daybreak, to get the ship under way, I +found her situation different to that wherein we had anchored in the +evening. The wind had been light, and as usual in such cases, the cable +was shortened in; and it appeared from the bearings, and from the +soundings marked every hour on the log board, that between four and five +in the morning, the anchor had been lifted by the tide, or dragged, two +miles north-east amongst the reefs, from 33 into 28 fathoms; where it had +again caught. This change of place had not been perceived; and it was +difficult, from the circumstance having occurred at the relief of the +watch, to discover with whom the culpable inattention lay; but it might +have been attended with fatal consequences. + +Having weighed the anchor, we steered westward with the brig and whale +boat ahead, until past ten; when the eastern breeze died away and the +stream anchor was dropped in 30 fathoms, fine white sand. The reefs were +then covered. and a dry bank, bearing N. W. by W. five or six miles, was +the sole object above water; and towards noon it was covered also. +Between this bank and the great reef and breakers, was a space which +seemed to be open; but it was not sufficiently large, nor did the tide +run with that regularity and strength, to induce a belief that, if there +were a passage, it could be such as I desired for the vessels. We +therefore again steered westward, on a breeze rising at N. W., until +reefs were seen extending southward from the dry bank, and we bore away +along their eastern side. At sunset, the anchor was dropped in 36 +fathoms, near to our situation on the 6th at noon; the dry reefs bearing +from S. 20 deg. to N. 21 deg. W., distant from one to three miles. + +THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER 1802 + +At daylight the breeze was still from the north-westward, and our course +was pursued to the south and south-west, close round the inner end of the +reefs, till they trended west and we could no longer keep in with them. +The Pine Peak of the northern Percy Isles, and several of the Cumberland +Islands were then in sight; and at noon our situation and bearings were +as under. + + +Latitude observed to the north and south, 21 deg. 2' S. +Longitude by time keeper, 150 11 E. +Pine Peak, S. 6 30 E. +Northumberland I., marked 'i', S. 60 40 W. +Cumberland I., marked 'k', N. 89 deg. to N. 85 30 W. +Cumberland I., six others, S. 75 to N. 54 30 W. + + +The nearest of these isles was little better than a sand bank surrounded +with rocks, and was distant two leagues in the direction of N. 54 deg. W. We +tacked ship at one, and at four o'clock; and anchored at dusk, in 27 +fathoms fine sand, about five miles to the N. N. W. of our noon's +situation. + +FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER 1802 + +The wind was at S. by E. in the morning, and we steered northward after +the brig, in order to fall in with the reefs and prosecute our search for +an opening; in an hour they were visible, and we passed along their west +side at the distance of a mile. Before nine o'clock the brig made signal +for having only 17 fathoms, other reefs were discovered in the +north-west, and the course was altered to pass within them. At eleven we +rounded their west end; and at noon were in latitude 20 deg. 38' 58", and +from the bearing of the Cumberland Isle _k_, in longitude 150 deg. 1' east. +We were now obliged to steer westward again, having reefs at the distance +of two miles, from N. E. by E., to N. W. by W.; and seeing that they +extended onward, and the breeze was fresh, I hauled up for the Cumberland +Island marked _l_, the largest yet seen, with the intention of anchoring +there for the night. The tide carried us too far to leeward, but we +fetched a lesser island, _l2_, seven miles to the north; and came to, in +17 fathoms grey sand, one mile from a beach on its north-west side, and +half a mile from the reef which surrounds the island. + +SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 1802 + +Early in the morning I landed with a party of the gentlemen, and +scrambled through a thick brush and over lumps of rock, to the highest +part near the north end of the island. Hazy weather much contracted my +view; but several new Cumberland Islands were visible, making up the +number to fifteen, of which the greater part had not been seen by captain +Cook. Amongst the bearings taken with a theodolite, were those of 'k' and +'k2', which had been set from No. 4 of the Percy Isles. + + +'k', the extremes, bore S. 48 deg. 30' to 46 deg. 40' E. +'k2', S. 36 50 to 33 40 E. +Ship at anchor, dist. one mile, N. 64 0 W. + + +From these bearings and the several latitudes, I ascertained the +difference of longitude made from Upper Head to the ship, to be 12' 37" +west. + +This little island _l2_ is of a triangular shape, and each side of it is +a mile long; it is surrounded by a coral reef which, as usual, presented +a beautiful piece of marine scenery. The stone which forms the basis of +the island, and is scattered loosely over the surface, is a kind of +porphyry; a small piece of it, applied to the theodolite, did not affect +the needle, although, on moving the instrument a few yards southward, the +east variation was increased 2 deg. 23'. Not much vegetable earth was +contained amongst the stones on the surface, yet the island was thickly +covered with trees and brush wood, whose foliage was not devoid of +luxuriance. Pines grow here, but they were more abundant, and seemingly +larger, upon some other of the islands, particularly on _l3_, to the +westward. There did not appear to be any fixed inhabitants; but proofs of +the island having been visited some months before, were numerous; and +upon the larger island _l_, there was a smoke. The time of high water +coincided with the swinging of the ship, and took place one hour before +the moon's passage, as it had done amongst the barrier reefs; from ten to +fifteen feet seemed to be the rise by the shore, and the flood came from +the northward. + +We returned on board the ship at noon; but I deferred getting under way +till next morning, on account of the wind blowing fresh, and some +business to be executed which could not be attended to whilst among the +reefs. This gave an opportunity of making further observations by the +time keepers, from which it appeared that they gave only 8' 36.3" of +longitude west from Upper Head, with the rates there found; whereas by +the survey, we had made 12' 37". The time keeper No. 520, taken alone, +gave 11' 35.8"; and when the correction, afterwards found necessary in +the Gulph of Carpentaria, is applied, the difference becomes 12' 41", +almost exactly as by survey. The previous positions of the ship amongst +the reefs, and wherever I had not any bearings of fixed points, have +therefore been deduced from this time keeper. + +The _latitude_ of the anchorage, from observations to the north and +south., was 20 deg. 45' 28' S. + +_Longitude_ from a chain of bearings, connected with the fixed station in +Broad Sound, 149 deg. 34' 12" E. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite, observed on the north-west beach of _l2_, +7 deg. 39' east; but it differed on the north head of the island, from 7 deg. to +9 deg. 23' east, in the space of a few yards. + +The variation amongst the Barrier Reefs has not been mentioned; but five +azimuths and amplitudes were taken between the 6th, p.m. and the 15th +a.m. When corrected to the meridian, the extremes were 7 deg. 53' and 7 deg. 11'; +and the mean, in latitude 20 deg. 44', longitude 150 deg. 32', will be 7 deg. 30' +east. + +SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER 1802 + +At daylight on the 17th, the breeze was moderate at E. by N., with fine +weather; and in steering northward, close to the wind, we passed three +miles to leeward of a dry bank of rocks and sand. Several of the +Cumberland Islands were in sight at noon, when our situation and the most +essential bearings were as under. + + +Latitude, observed to the north and south, 20 deg. 23' 56" +Longitude from bearings, 149 331/4 +Island l2, station on the north end, S. 5 E. +Other isles, large and small, from thence to N. 671/2 W. +Pentecost I. (of capt. Cook), resembling a tower, S. 89 W. + + +No reefs were in sight, nor in steering N. N. E. and N. E. by N., could +any be distinguished from the mast head all the afternoon. At half past +five we tacked and bore down to the brig; and then anchored in 31 +fathoms, speckled sand and small stones, and sent a boat to lieutenant +Murray with orders. + +Our latitude here, by an observation of the moon, was 20 deg. 10' south; and +now hoping we should not meet with any more interruption from the reefs, +I resolved to send the brig back to Port Jackson. The Lady Nelson sailed +so ill, and had become so leewardly since the loss of the main, and part +of the after keel, that she not only caused us delay, but ran great risk +of being lost; and instead of saving the crew of the Investigator, in +case of accident, which was one of the principal objects of her +attendance, it was too probable we might be called upon to render her +that assistance. A good vessel of the same size I should have considered +the greatest acquisition in Torres' Strait and the Gulph of Carpentaria; +but circumstanced as was the Lady Nelson, and in want of anchors and +cables which could not be spared without endangering our own safety, she +was become, and would be more so every day, a burthen rather than an +assistant to me. Lieutenant Murray was not much acquainted with the kind +of service in which we were engaged; but the zeal he had shown to make +himself and his vessel of use to the voyage, made me sorry to deprive him +of the advantage of continuing with us; and increased my regret at the +necessity of parting from our little consort. + +The stores and provisions already supplied to the brig, were returned; +and Mr. Murray spared us his old launch, to replace, in some sort, the +cutter we had lost in Strong-tide Passage. _Nanbarre_, one of the two +natives, having expressed a wish to go back to Port Jackson, was sent to +the Lady Nelson in the morning [MONDAY 18 OCTOBER 1802], with two seamen +exchanged for the same number of that vessel's crew; and Mr. Denis Lacy, +who had been lent, returned back to the Investigator. I wrote to His +Excellency governor King, an account of our proceedings and discoveries +upon the East Coast; and requested a new boat might be built against our +return to Port Jackson, and that the brig should be repaired and equipped +ready to accompany me in the following year. + +At nine o'clock we got under way, and showed our colours to bid farewell +to the Lady Nelson; she steered southward for the Cumberland Islands, +whilst our course was directed north-east, close to the wind. The brig +was not out of sight when more reefs were discovered, extending from east +to N. N. W.; and in pursuance of my plan to avoid small openings, we bore +away to run along their inner side. At noon, the latitude was 19 deg. 58' +20", and longitude by time keeper, 149 deg. 37' east. Reefs extended from E. +1/2 N. to S. 1/2 E., at the distance of one to three miles; and there were +separate patches somewhat further, bearing W. by N. 1/2 N. and N. N. E. +Between the first and last bearing was an opening of a good appearance, +and we hauled up for it; but the water having shoaled to 12 fathoms, +though no breakers were seen ahead, we kept away again; and from that +time till evening, passed a variety of reefs, hauling up between them to +look into the openings, and bearing away when repulsed. None of these +banks were dry, nor was there much breaking water upon them; which made +it probable that they were far within the outer line of the barrier. + +The breeze was fresh at south-east, and by sunset we had run eleven +leagues upon various courses to the north-westward, with soundings from +14 to 33 fathoms; the bottom being rocky in the shallow, and sandy in the +deeper parts. We were steering north-west, at the rate of six knots, when +new reefs were discovered, from ahead to abaft the larbord beam; upon +which we clapped upon a wind to the southward, and just weathered them, +passing through rippling water in 30 fathoms. Upon this occasion I felt +very happy that the Lady Nelson was gone, for in all probability she +could not have escaped this danger. Being now dark, it was too hazardous +to stand on; and therefore, on finding a bottom of grey sand in 34 +fathoms, we came to with the best bower, veered to a whole cable, and +sent down the top-gallant yards. The latitude here, from a meridian +altitude of the moon, was 19 deg. 48 1/3', and the longitude 149 deg. 131/2'; there +was a small drain of ebb tide from the S. by W., until eleven o'clock, +but no run was perceptible afterwards. + +TUESDAY 19 OCTOBER 1802 + +In the morning, we saw the reef from N. 1/2 E. to W. 1/2 N., not further +distant than two miles, and the northernmost of captain Cook's Cumberland +Islands bore S. 56 deg. W., about eight leagues. The wind was at E. S. E, +blowing fresh; and our course was pursued along the south side of the +reef till nine o'clock; when it terminated, and we steered northward +twelve miles, with no soundings at 30 fathoms. Another reef was then +seen, bearing from N. 1/2 E. to W. N. W., and obliged us to steer westward +again. + +The latitude at noon was 19 deg. 35' 15", and longitude by time keeper 148 deg. +471/2'; four reefs then extended from E. by S. to N. W. by W., at the +distance of two to five miles; the northern Cumberland Island bore S. 9 deg. +E, and the outer of two hills which I judged to be upon Cape Gloucester, +S. 391/2 deg. W. This bearing, and captain Cook's latitude of the cape, would +make its longitude to be 148 deg. 261/2', or 151/2' east of what that great +navigator lays it down; and it is to be observed, that from the time of +passing Sandy Cape, my longitude had gradually become more eastward as we +advanced along the coast. It has before been said, that captain Cook had +no time keeper in his first voyage; nor did he possess many of our +advantages in fixing the positions of places; it cannot therefore be +thought presumptuous, that I should consider the Investigator's longitude +to be preferable. + +We ran from noon, five leagues W. 3/4 N. along the south side of the reefs; +and seeing their termination at two o'clock, steered N. N. W., Holborne +Isle then bearing S. 53 deg. W., about four leagues. At half past four we had +a small reef two or three miles to the W. S. W., and a larger four miles +to the N. E.; and behind this last was one more extensive, with high +breakers on the outside, reaching from N. E. by N. to E.1/2 S. I hauled up +with the intention of anchoring under the lee of these reefs, till +morning; but not finding sufficient shelter against the sea, we tacked +and stretched southward for the clear water between the reefs and the +land. At sunset, the variation from amplitude was 5 deg. 39' east; Holborne +Isle bore S. by W. from the mast head, and no breakers were in sight. +This tack was prolonged, under treble-reefed top sails, till ten o'clock; +when a light was seen bearing S. by E. 1/2 E., probably upon the isle, and +we stood to the northward. + +The wind blew fresh from the eastward all night, and raised a short swell +which tried the ship more than any thing we had encountered from the time +of leaving Port Jackson; and I was sorry to find, brought on her former +leakiness, to the amount of five inches of water per hour. We tacked to +the south, soon after mid-night, and to the northward at three in the +morning [WEDNESDAY 20 OCTOBER 1802]. Holborne Isle was seen bearing S. 6 deg. +W., four or five leagues, at daylight; and at seven we passed between +three small reefs, of which the easternmost had been set at W. S. W. on +the preceding afternoon. In half an hour, when the latitude from the moon +was 19 deg. 14', and longitude by time keeper 148 deg. 211/2', distant high +breakers were seen to the north and eastward; the nearest small reef bore +S. W. 1/2 W., two miles, and a much larger one extended from N. 1/2 E. to W. +by N. The passage between these two being three miles wide, we bore away +through it; and in following the south side of the great reef, left +another, five or six miles long, on the larbord hand, the passage being +equally wide with the former, and the least depth 21 fathoms. Soon after +ten o'clock, we steered northward, round the west end of the great reef. + +At noon, the latitude from observations to the north and south was 19 deg. 8' +15", and longitude by time keeper, 147 deg. 59' east. No land was in sight, +and the high breakers were lost in the eastern quarter; but we had +detached reefs in the N. E., the N. E. by N., and W. N. W., distant from +two to five miles. Towards the north there was six points of clear water, +and I steered onward till near three o'clock; when, besides two new reefs +already passed, one on each side, we had five others: two in the E. by N. +at the distances of one and five miles. one E. S. E. four miles, another +N. W. by W. six miles, and a fifth N. W. by N. three miles. Whether to +steer onward amongst these, and trust to finding shelter for the night, +or to run south-westward towards the land, and get within all the reefs +before night came on, was an important, but difficult point to decide. +The reefs in sight were small, and could not afford shelter against the +sea which was breaking high upon them; but these breakers excited a hope +that we might, even then, be near an opening in the barrier; and although +caution inclined to steering back towards the land, this prospect of an +outlet determined me to proceed, at least until four o'clock, at the +chance of finding either larger reefs for shelter, or a clear sea. We +were successful. At four, the depth was 43 fathoms, and no reefs in +sight; and at six, a heavy swell from the eastward and a depth of 66 +fathoms were strong assurances that we had at length gained the open sea. + +The topsails were then treble reefed, and we hauled to the wind, which +blew strong at E. S. E., with squally weather. At eight, hove to and +sounded: no ground with 75 fathoms; and at twelve, none with 115. But the +wind unfortunately headed two points; and the probability of meeting +unknown reefs being thereby much increased, I tacked to the southward at +one in the morning [THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 1802]; preferring, if we must of +necessity be again driven amongst them, to come in where we knew of an +opening, rather than where their formation was totally unknown. + +At four, tacked ship to the northward, and sounded with 100 fathoms, no +bottom. At daylight, no reefs could be seen from the mast head, the wind +had moderated its strength, and we made all possible sail to the N. by +E.; keeping two points free, to make the ship go through the water. We +now considered ourselves entirely clear of the reefs; but at noon high +breakers were seen extending from West to N. N. W., at the distance of +six or seven miles, and we hauled up a point more to the eastward. Our +latitude was 17 deg. 54', longitude 148 deg. 37', and at the depth of 100 fathoms +there was no ground; the variation observed in the morning, with three +azimuth compasses, was 6 deg. 8' east, corrected to the meridian. Another +reef was discovered at two o'clock, lying nearly three leagues to the +northward of the former; but although there were many boobies, and tropic +and man-of-war birds about, no more dangers had been descried at dusk; +nor did we see any more until approaching Torres' Strait. + +I shall conclude this chapter with some general remarks on the reefs, +which form so extraordinary a barrier to this part of New South Wales; +and amongst which we sought fourteen days, and sailed more than five +hundred miles, before a passage could be found through them, out to sea. + +The easternmost parts of the barrier seen in the Investigator, lie nearly +in 21 deg. south and 151 deg. 10' east; but there can be no doubt that they are +connected with the reefs lying to the southward, discovered in 1797 by +captain Campbell of the brig Deptford; and probably also with those +further distant, which captain Swain of the Eliza fell in with in the +following year. If so, the Barrier Reefs will commence as far +south-eastward as the latitude 22 deg. 50' and longitude about 152 deg. 40', and +possibly still further; Break-sea Spit is a coral reef, and a connexion +under water, between it and the barrier, seems not improbable. The +opening by which we passed out, is in 18 deg. 52', and 148 deg. 2'; so that, did +the Barrier Reefs terminate here, their extent would be near 350 miles in +a straight line; and in all this space, there seems to be no large +opening. Mr. Swain did, indeed, get out at the latitude 22 deg.; but it was +by a long, and very tortuous channel. + +Of what extent our opening may be, is uncertain; but since captain Cook +had smooth water in running to the west and northward to Cape +Tribulation, where he first saw the reefs, it should seem to be not very +great; certainly, as I think, not exceeding twenty, and perhaps not five +leagues. I therefore assume it as a great probability, that with the +exception of this, and perhaps several small openings, our Barrier Reefs +are connected with the Labyrinth of captain Cook; and that they reach to +Torres' Strait and to New Guinea, in 9 deg. south; or through 14 deg. of latitude +and 9 deg. of longitude; which is not to be equalled in any other known part +of the world. + +The breadth of the barrier seems to be about fifteen leagues in its +southern part, but diminishes to the northward; for at the Northumberland +Islands it is twelve, and near our opening the breadth is not more than +seven or eight leagues. The reefs seen in latitude 173/4 deg., after we got +through, being forty leagues from the coast, I consider to be distinct +banks out at sea; as I do those discovered by Mons. de Bougainville in +151/2 deg., which lie still further off. So far northward as I explored the +Barrier Reefs, they are unconnected with the land; and continue so to +latitude 16 deg.; for, as before said, captain Cook saw none until he had +passed Cape Tribulation. + +An arm of the sea is inclosed between the barrier and the coast, which is +at first twenty-five or thirty leagues wide; but is contracted to twenty, +abreast of Broad Sound, and to nine leagues at Cape Gloucester; from +whence it seems to go on diminishing, till, a little beyond Cape +Tribulation, reefs are found close to the shore. Numerous islands lie +scattered in this inclosed space; but so far as we are acquainted, there +are no other coral banks in it than those by which some of the islands +are surrounded; so that being sheltered from the deep waves of the ocean, +it is particularly well adapted to the purposes of a coasting trade. The +reader will be struck with the analogy which this arm of the sea presents +to one in nearly the same latitude of the northern hemisphere. The Gulph +of Florida is formed by the coast of America on the west, and by a great +mass of islands and shoals on the east; which shoals are also of coral. + +On the outside of the barrier, the sea appears to be generally +unfathomable; but within, and amongst the reefs, there are soundings +every where. Nor is the depth very unequal, where the bottom is sandy; +but like the breadth of the reefs and the arm they inclose, it diminishes +as we advance northward, from 60 to 48, to 35, and to 30 fathoms near our +opening; and to 20 at Cape Tribulation. The further to leeward, the +shallower the water, seems to be a law amongst coral reefs. + +There is some variation in the tide in different parts of the barrier, +but the most general rise is about two fathoms; abreast of the +Northumberland Islands, however, where the flood from the south-east seems +to meet that from the northward, it is three fathoms, and perhaps more. +The time of high water there, and also at the eastern Cumberland Islands, +is _eleven hours after_ the moon's passage; but it probably accelerates +north-westward, to the opening, and then retards further on: at Endeavour +River, captain Cook found it to be high water an hour and a half earlier +than is above given. + +It has been said, that the width of the opening by which we got out to +sea, is uncertain; it is undoubtedly four, and possibly more leagues, but +there are many small, unconnected banks in it. To a ship desiring access +to any part of the coast, south of Endeavour River, I should certainly +recommend her to enter the inclosed sea by the way of Break-sea Spit, if +able to choose her own route; but the question is, whether a ship driven +by stress of weather, or by accident, to seek the coast, might steer for +the opening with a fair prospect of passing through in safety? I +certainly think she might; with the precaution of not attempting the +passage late in the day. The marks to be given for it, are, the latitude +18 deg. 52', longitude 148 deg. 2', variation 6 deg. east with the ship's head north +or south, and the soundings. When right off the opening, bottom will be +found at from 70 to 40 fathoms before any reefs come in sight; whereas, +if breakers be seen and no soundings can be obtained, it may be certainly +concluded that the ship is not in the fair way for this opening, and +probably, that no large opening exists in that part of the barrier. On +getting soundings and afterwards making the reefs near the situation +above given, a ship should push through the first opening of two miles +wide that presents itself, and steer south-westward amongst the inner +reefs for the land; and it will not be many hours, perhaps minutes, +before she will find smooth water and anchoring ground. The commander who +proposes to make the experiment, must not, however, be one who throws his +ship's head round in a hurry, so soon as breakers are announced from +aloft; if he do not feel his nerves strong enough to thread the needle, +as it is called, amongst the reefs, whilst he directs the steerage from +the mast head, I would strongly recommend him not to approach this part +of New South Wales. + +CHAPTER V. + +Passage from the Barrier Reefs to Torres' Strait. +Reefs named Eastern Fields. +Pandora's Entrance to the Strait. +Anchorage at Murray's Islands. +Communication with the inhabitants. +Half-way Island. +Notions on the formation of coral islands in general. +Prince of Wales's Islands, with remarks on them. +Wallis' Isles. +Entrance into the Gulph of Carpentaria. +Review of the passage through Torres' Strait. + +[EAST COAST. TOWARDS TORRES' STRAIT.] + +THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 1802 + +The last reefs were out of sight in the evening of Oct. 21, and our +course was continued for Torres' Strait; but the barrier was yet at too +little distance, not to cause apprehension of straggling reefs; and I +thought it too hazardous to run in the night, during this passage. + +At noon of the 22d [FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER 1802], our latitude was 16 deg. 39', +longitude 148 deg. 43', and there was no bottom at 150 fathoms (Atlas, Plate +XII.); nor was any thing unusual to be seen, unless it were tropic and +man-of-war birds, and gannets. The _Bature de Diane_ of Mons. de +Bougainville should lie about thirty-eight leagues to the N. E. by E., +and his western reefs about twenty-eight leagues to the N. N. W. 1/2 W., of +this situation; and to them, or perhaps some nearer banks, the birds +might probably belong.* A piece of land is marked to the south-west of +the first reefs, but its existence is very doubtful; for all that M. de +Bougainville says of it (II, 163) is, that "some even thought they saw +low land to the south-west of the breakers." + +[* Bougainville's longitude of the north end of Aurora Island, one of his +_Archipel de Grandes Cyclades_ (the New Hebrides of Cook), differed 54' +of longitude to the east of captain Cook's position; and it seems very +probable that it was as much too great when the above dangers were +discovered. Admitting this to be the case, the situations extracted from +his voyage (II, 161, 164) will be as under: +Bature de Diane 15 deg. 41' south 150 deg. 25' east of Greenwich. +Reef 15 341/2 148 6 +Second reef, 15 17 147 57 ] + +SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER 1802 + +Next day at noon, we were in 15 deg. 12' south, and 149 deg. 2' east; the current +had set half a knot to the N. N. W., and many of the former kinds of +birds, as also boobies and petrels, were seen. Hitherto we had kept up +nearly to the wind, in order to gain an offing from the coast and Barrier +Reefs; but next morning [SUNDAY 24 OCTOBER 1802] the course was directed +N. W. At noon, latitude 13 deg. 47', longitude 148 deg. 39': many boobies seen, +and some petrels and tropic birds. On the 25th [MONDAY 25 OCTOBER 1802], +a shag flew round the ship, and a large flock of petrels was seen: +latitude at noon, 12 deg. 55', longitude 147 deg. 23', and the current setting +more than a mile an hour to the west (Atlas, Plate XIII.). At eight in +the evening, when we hauled to the wind, there was no bottom at 130 +fathoms. + +WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER 1802 + +In the morning of the 27th, a small land bird, resembling a linnet, was +seen; at noon we were in 10 deg. 28' south and 146 deg. 7' east, and the current +had set W. N. W., three quarters of a mile an hour, since the 25th. The +wind, which had been at south-east, then shifted suddenly to north, and +blew fresh with squally weather; but at midnight it veered to south-east +again. These changes were accompanied with thunder, lightning and rain; +indications, as I feared, of the approaching north-west monsoon. We lay +to, during a part of the night; and at day-break [THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER +1802] bore away again upon our north western course. At eight o'clock, +breakers were seen extending from S. W. by W. to N. by. E., distant from +two to six miles; there was a small gap in them, bearing N. by W.1/2 W., +but we hauled up north-east, to windward of the whole, and made more +sail. I ventured to bear away at ten; and at noon our latitude was 9 deg. 51' +36", and longitude 145 deg. 451/2' by time keeper. No reefs were then in sight; +but in steering west, we passed through a rippling of tide or current, +and a single breaker was seen from the mast head, at three o'clock, +bearing S. W. four or five miles. + +These reefs lie nearly a degree to the eastward of those first seen by +the captains Edwards and Bligh, when entering Torres' Strait; for the +north-eastern extreme lies in 10 deg. 2' south, and 145 deg. 45' east. From this +position, the eastern line of the breakers extended ten or twelve miles +to the S. S. W., and the single breaker afterwards seen, lies about six +leagues to the W. N. W.; but how far they may be connected, or what the +extent of the reefs may be to the south-west, could not be seen. In the +belief that this was the first discovery of these coral banks, I called +them the _Eastern Fields_; intending thereby to designate their position +with respect to the other reefs of Torres' Strait. + +Our latitude at noon was exactly that of the opening by which captain +Edwards of the Pandora had entered the Strait in 1791; and which I call +the _Pandora's Entrance_. This opening appeared to be preferable to that +further northward, by which captain Bligh and Mr. Bampton had got within +the reefs; more especially as it led directly for Murray's Islands, +where, if possible, I intended to anchor. Our course was therefore +steered west; and seeing no more reefs, it was continued until eight in +the evening, at which time we hauled to the wind, having no bottom at 105 +fathoms. + +FRIDAY 29 OCTOBER 1802 + +At daylight, after sounding ineffectually with 100 fathoms, we bore away +on our western course. Two reefs were seen at six o'clock; the one +bearing N. by W.1/2 W. three, and the other W. by N. 1/2 N. four miles. They +seemed to be small, and unconnected; but in all probability were parts of +those which form the north side of the Pandora's Entrance, and which +captain Bligh, who saw them more to the northward, named collectively, +Portlock's Reef. The situation of the southernmost part, deduced from the +preceding and following noons, will be 9 deg. 48' south, and 144 deg. 45' east. + +[EAST COAST. TORRES' STRAIT.] + +After passing these reefs, our course was west, by compass; and nothing +further was descried till eleven o'clock; breakers then came in sight +ahead, and we hauled up north-east, till noon; when the observed latitude +from both sides was 9 deg. 36' 55", longitude 144 deg. 13', and the depth 50 +fathoms on a bottom of fine, white sand. The reef was distant one mile +and a half in the nearest part, and three miles at the extremes, which +bore N. 15 deg. E. and S. 60 deg. W.; a sand bank or key upon it bore W. 3/4 S., +and is probably dry at all times, for it was then near high water. + +Finding by the latitude that we had been set considerably to the north, +and were out of the parallel of Murray's Islands, I tacked to the S. S. +W.; and at two o'clock, the largest island was seen bearing S. 38 deg. W. +about five leagues. Soon afterward, a reef came in sight to the +south-east, extending in patches toward the islands; and presently +another was distinguished to the westward, from the mast head, which took +nearly a parallel direction, the passage between them being about four +miles wide. We steered along the lee side of the eastern reef, at the +distance of a mile, with soundings from 29 to 24 fathoms, coral sand, +until four o'clock; the reef then trended more southward, and we edged +away for the islands, of which Mr. Westall sketched the appearance (Atlas +Plate XVIII. View 10). At half past five, the largest island bore S. 36 deg. +E. to 28 deg. W., one mile and a half; and there being more reefs coming in +sight to the westward, the anchor was immediately let go in 20 fathoms, +coarse sand and shells. The north and east sides of the island are +surrounded by a reef, which may probably include the two smaller isles on +its southwest side; but it is totally unconnected with the reefs to the +north-east. These appear to be a northern continuation of the vast bank, +on the outside of which the Pandora sailed as far as 111/2 deg. south, and in +the chart of captain Edwards' track, published by Mr. Dalrymple, it is +marked as surrounding the islands; whereas it is at least four miles +distant from the reef which probably does surround them. + +A number of poles standing up in various places, more especially between +the islands, appeared at a distance like the masts of canoes, and made me +apprehend that the inhabitants of the Strait had collected a fleet here; +but on approaching nearer, the poles were found to be upon the reefs, and +were probably set up for some purpose connected with fishing. We had +scarcely anchored when between forty and fifty Indians came off, in three +canoes. They would not come along-side of the ship, but lay off at a +little distance, holding up cocoa nuts, joints of bamboo filled with +water, plantains, bows and arrows, and vociferating _tooree! tooree!_ and +_mammoosee!_ A barter soon commenced, and was carried on in this manner: +a hatchet, or other piece of iron (tooree) being held up, they offered a +bunch of green plantains, a bow and quiver of arrows, or what they judged +would be received in exchange; signs of acceptance being made, the Indian +leaped overboard with his barter, and handed it to a man who went down +the side to him; and receiving his hatchet, swam back to the canoe. Some +delivered their articles without any distrust of the exchange, but this +was not always the case. Their eagerness to get tooree was great, and at +first, any thing of that same metal was received; but afterwards, if a +nail were held up to an Indian, he shook his head, striking the edge of +his right hand upon the left arm, in the attitude of chopping; and he was +well enough understood. + +At sunset, two of the canoes returned to Murray's Island, paddling to +windward with more velocity than one of our boats could have rowed; the +third set a narrow, upright sail, between two masts in the fore part of +the canoe, and steered north-westward, as I judged, for the Darnley's +Island of captain Bligh. + +I did not forget that the inhabitants of these islands had made an attack +upon the Providence and Assistant in 1792 (Vol I, Introduction*); nor +that Mr. Bampton had some people cut off at Darnley's Island in 1793 (Vol +I, Introduction**). The marines were therefore kept under arms, the guns +clear, and matches lighted; and officers were stationed to watch every +motion, one to each canoe, so long as they remained near the ship. Bows +and arrows were contained in all the canoes; but no intention of +hostility was manifested by the Indians, unless those who steered for +Darnley's Island might be supposed to go for assistance. + +[* "On the 5th, boats were again sent to sound the passage. Several large +sailing canoes were seen; and the cutter making the signal for +assistance, the pinnace was sent to her, well manned and armed. On the +return of the boats in the afternoon, it appeared, that, of four canoes +which used their efforts to get up to the cutter, one succeeded. . . ."] + +[** "After having gone entirely round the island, and seen nothing of the +object of his research, Mr. Dell returned to the first cove; where a +great concourse of natives, armed with bows, arrows, clubs, and lances, +were assembled at the outskirt of the wood. . . ."] + +[SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER 1802] + +We did not get under way in the morning, until the sun was high enough +for altitudes to be taken for the time keepers. Soon after daylight, the +natives were with us again, in seven canoes; some of them came under the +stern, and fifteen or twenty of the people ascended on board, bringing in +their hands pearl-oyster shells and necklaces of cowries; with which, and +some bows and arrows, they obtained more of the precious _tooree_. +Wishing to secure the friendship and confidence of these islanders to +such vessels as might hereafter pass through Torres' Strait, and not +being able to distinguish any chief amongst them, I selected the oldest +man, and presented him with a hand-saw, a hammer and nails, and some +other trifles; of all which we attempted to show him the use, but I +believe without success; for the poor old man became frightened, on +finding himself to be so particularly noticed. + +At this time we began to heave short for weighing, and made signs to the +Indians to go down into their canoes, which they seemed unwilling to +comprehend; but on the seamen going aloft to loose the sails, they went +hastily down the stern ladder and ship's sides, and shoved off; and +before the anchor was up they paddled back to the shore, without our good +understanding having suffered any interruption. + +The colour of these Indians is a dark chocolate; they are active, +muscular men, about the middle size, and their countenances expressive of +a quick apprehension. Their features and hair appeared to be similar to +those of the natives of New South Wales, and they also go quite naked; +but some of them had ornaments of shell work, and of plaited hair or +fibres of bark, about their waists, necks, and ancles. Our friend +Bongaree could not understand any thing of their language, nor did they +pay much attention to him; he seemed, indeed, to feel his own +inferiority, and made but a poor figure amongst them. The arms of these +people have been described in the voyage of captain Bligh (Vol I, +Introduction*); as also the canoes., of which the annexed plate, from a +drawing by Mr. Westall, gives a correct representation. The two masts, +when not wanted, are laid along the gunwales; when set up, they stand +abreast of each other in the fore part of the canoe, and seemed to be +secured by one set of shrouds, with a stay from one mast head to the +other. The sail is extended between them; but when going with a side +wind, the lee mast is brought aft by a back stay, and the sail then +stands obliquely. In other words, they brace up by setting in the head of +the lee mast, and perhaps the foot also; and can then lie within seven +points of the wind, and possibly nearer. This was their mode, so far as a +distant view would admit of judging; but how these long canoes keep to +the wind, and make such way as they do, without any after sail, I am at a +loss to know. + +[* "Their arms were bows, arrows, and clubs, which they bartered for +every kind of iron work with eagerness; but appeared to set little value +on any thing else. The bows are made of split bamboo; and so strong, that +no man in the ship could bend one of them. The string is a broad slip of +cane, fixed to one end of the bow; and fitted with a noose, to go over +the other end, when strung. The arrow is a cane of about four feet long, +into which a pointed piece of the hard, heavy, _casuarina_ wood, is +firmly and neatly fitted; and some of them were barbed. Their clubs are +made of the _casuarina_, and are powerful weapons. The hand part is +indented, and has a small knob, by which the firmness of the grasp is +much assisted; and the heavy end is usually carved with some device: One +had the form of a parrot's head, with a ruff round the neck; and was not +ill done."] + +Murray's largest island is nearly two miles long, by something more than +one in breadth; it is rather high land, and the hill at its western end +may be seen from a ship's deck at the distance of eight or nine leagues, +in a clear day. The two smaller isles seemed to be single hills, rising +abruptly from the sea, and to be scarcely accessible; nor did we see upon +them any fires, or other marks of inhabitants. On the shores of the large +island were many huts, surrounded by palisades, apparently of bamboo; +cocoa-nut trees were abundant, both on the low grounds and the sides of +the hills, and plantains, with some other fruits, had been brought to us. +There were many Indians sitting in groups upon the shore, and the seven +canoes which came off to the ship in the morning, contained from ten to +twenty men each, or together, about a hundred. If we suppose these +hundred men to have been one half of what belonged to the islands, and to +the two hundred men add as many women and three hundred children, the +population of Murray's Isles will amount to seven hundred; of which +nearly the whole must belong to the larger island. + +The _latitude_ of the highest hill, deduced from that of the ship at the +following noon, is 9 deg. 54' south, and _longitude_ by the time keeper +corrected, 144 deg. 2' east; being 3' north, and 20' east of its position by +captain Edwards. A regular tide of about one knot an hour set E. by S. +and W. by N., past the ship; and by her swinging, it was high water at +half an hour after midnight, or about _ten hours and a half after_ the +moon had passed over the meridian. The bottom seemed to be loose at our +anchorage; but were these islands examined, it is probable that better +ground and shelter would be found on their western sides. I distinguished +from the mast head the north end of a reef, three miles distant to the W. +N. W.; but could not see whether it joined the reef surrounding the large +island. At N. N. W. 3/4 W. four miles, was the south-west end of another +reef; and when we got under way at half past eight in the morning, our +course was directed between the two. + +Ripplings of a suspicious appearance caused the whale boat to be kept +ahead for some time; but finding no ground upon them with 30 fathoms, and +the breeze becoming fresh, the boat was called on board. At 9h 40' the +following bearings were taken: + +Darnley's Island, highest part, N. 39 deg. W. +Murray's Islands, the largest, S. 58 deg. to 40 E. +Murray's Islands, two smaller, nearly touching, S. 36 to 27 E. +Rippling off the N. end of a reef, dist. 1/2 mile, S. W. 1/2 W. +East end of a reef, distant 11/2 miles, N. 6 E. + +Mr. Westall's second view of Murray's Isles was taken from this position. +(Atlas Pl. XVIII. View 11.) + +Knowing the difficulties experienced by captain Bligh and Mr. Bampton in +the northern part of the strait, I kept as much up to the southward, for +Cape York, as the direction of the reefs would admit. On the windward +side, we had a long chain of them extending W. S. W. to a great distance; +but its breadth was not great, as the blue water was seen beyond it, from +the mast head. On the north side there was no regular chain, and but one +reef of much extent; small patches were indeed announced every now and +then, from aloft, but these did not cause us much impediment; the +greatest was from two right in our track; but being a mile apart, we +passed between them at eleven o'clock. + +[NORTH COAST. TORRES' STRAIT.] + +Until noon, we had no soundings with from 25 to 30 fathoms of line, but +then found broken coral and shells at the latter depth; the great reefs +to windward were two or three miles distant, stretching south-west, and +our situation and bearings were as under: + + +Latitude observed, 9 deg. 531/2' S. +Longitude from time keeper, 143 42 E. +Murray's Isles, the largest, highest part, S. 881/2 E. +Murray's Isles, the westernmost, highest part, S. 811/2 E. +Darnley's I., highest part, obscure, N. 10 E. +A small, low isle, To the westward. +Nearest reef, distant two miles, S. 67 deg. to N. 43 W. + + +Having a fresh breeze at S. E. by E, we ran at the rate of six knots, +following the chain of reefs lying to windward. On the other side, there +were still very few reefs; but several low isles were distinguished, +similar to that seen at noon; these were small, but seemingly well +covered with wood, and appertain, as I judge, to the group called by Mr. +Bampton, Cornwallis' Range. At half past two, we passed between reefs one +mile and a half asunder, having no ground at 25 fathoms; and then the +chain which had been followed from Murray's Isles, either terminated or +took a more southern direction. Another small, woody isle was then in +sight, nearly in our track, at four it bore N. 67 deg. W., two-and-half +miles; and not seeing any other island ahead to afford shelter for the +night, we bore away round the south end of its reef, and came to an +anchor in 17 fathoms, coral sand. + + +Cent. of the island, dist. 11/4 miles, bore, S. 83 deg. E. +The surrounding reef, N. 78 deg. to S. 12 E. +A woody isle, westmost of five seen this p. m., N. 9 W. +A dry sand, set from the mast head, S. W.3/4 S. + + +A boat was lowered down, and I went on shore with the botanical +gentlemen, to look about the island. It is little better than a bank of +sand, upon a basis of coral rock; yet it was covered with shrubs and +trees so thickly, that in many places they were impenetrable. The +north-western part is entirely sand, but there grew upon it numbers of +_pandanus_ trees, similar to those of the east coast of New South Wales; +and around many of them was placed a circle of shells of the _chama +gigas_, or gigantic cockle, the intention of which excited my curiosity. + +It appeared that this little island was visited occasionally by the +Indians, who obtained from it the fruit of the pandanus, and probably +turtle, for the marks of them were seen; and the reef furnishes them with +cockles, which are of a superior size here to those we had found upon the +reefs of the East Coast. There being no water upon the island, they seem +to have hit upon the following expedient to obtain it: Long slips of bark +are tied round the smooth stems of the pandanus, and the loose ends are +led into the shells of the cockle, placed underneath. By these slips, the +rain which runs down the branches and stem of the tree, is conducted into +the shells, and fills them at every considerable shower; and as each +shell will contain two or three pints, forty or fifty thus placed under +different trees will supply a good number of men. A pair of these cockle +shells, bleached in the sun, weighed a hundred and one pounds; but still +they were much inferior in size to some I have since seen. + +The fruit of the pandanus, as it is used by these Indians and by the +natives of Terra Australis, affords very little nourishment. They suck +the bottom part of the drupes, or separated nuts, as we do the leaves of +the artichoke; but the quantity of pulp thus obtained, is very small, and +to my taste, too astringent to be agreeable. In the third volume of the +Asiatic Researches, the fruit of the pandanus is described as furnishing, +under the name of _Mellori_, an important article of food to the +inhabitants of the Nicobar Islands; and in Mauritius, one of these +species is planted for its long and fibrous leaves, of which sacks, mats, +and bags for coffee and cotton are in a made. + +This little island, or rather the surrounding reef, which is three or +four miles long, affords shelter from the south-east winds; and being at +a moderate day's run from Murray's Isles, it forms a convenient anchorage +for the night to a ship passing through Torres' Strait: I named it +_Half-way Island_. It is scarcely more than a mile in circumference, but +appears to be increasing both in elevation and extent. At no very distant +period of time, it was one of those banks produced by the washing up of +sand and broken coral, of which most reefs afford instances, and those of +Torres' Strait a great many. These banks are in different stages of +progress: some, like this, are become islands, but not yet habitable; +some are above high-water mark, but destitute of vegetation; whilst +others are overflowed with every returning tide. + +It seems to me, that when the animalcules which form the corals at the +bottom of the ocean, cease to live, their structures adhere to each +other, by virtue either of the glutinous remains within, or of some +property in salt water; and the interstices being gradually filled up +with sand and broken pieces of coral washed by the sea, which also +adhere, a mass of rock is at length formed. Future races of these +animalcules erect their habitations upon the rising bank, and die in +their turn to increase, but principally to elevate, this monument of +their wonderful labours. The care taken to work perpendicularly in the +early stages, would mark a surprising instinct in these diminutive +creatures. Their wall of coral, for the most part in situations where the +winds are constant, being arrived at the surface, affords a shelter, to +leeward of which their infant colonies may be safely sent forth; and to +this their instinctive foresight it seems to be owing, that the windward +side of a reef exposed to the open sea, is generally, if not always the +highest part, and rises almost perpendicular, sometimes from the depth of +200, and perhaps many more fathoms. To be constantly covered with water, +seems necessary to the existence of the animalcules, for they do not +work, except in holes upon the reef, beyond low-water mark; but the coral +sand and other broken remnants thrown up by the sea, adhere to the rock, +and form a solid mass with it, as high as the common tides reach. That +elevation surpassed, the future remnants, being rarely covered, lose +their adhesive property; and remaining in a loose state, form what is +usually called a _key_, upon the top of the reef. The new bank is not +long in being visited by sea birds; salt plants take root upon it, and a +soil begins to be formed; a cocoa nut, or the drupe of a pandanus is +thrown on shore; land birds visit it and deposit the seeds of shrubs and +trees; every high tide, and still more every gale, adds something to the +bank; the form of an island is gradually assumed; and last of all comes +man to take possession. + +Half-way Island is well advanced in the above progressive state; having +been many years, probably some ages, above the reach of the highest +spring tides, or the wash of the surf in the heaviest gales. I +distinguished, however, in the rock which forms its basis, the sand, +coral, and shells formerly thrown up, in a more or less perfect state of +cohesion; small pieces of wood, pumice stone, and other extraneous bodies +which chance had mixed with the calcareous substances when the cohesion +began, were inclosed in the rock; and in some cases were still separable +from it without much force. The upper part of the island is a mixture of +the same substances in a loose state, with a little vegetable soil; and +is covered with the _casuarina_ and a variety of other trees and shrubs, +which give food to paroquets, pigeons, and some other birds; to whose +ancestors it is probable, the island was originally indebted for this +vegetation. + +The latitude of Half-way Island, deduced from that of the preceding and +following noons, is 10 deg. 8' south, and longitude by time keeper corrected, +143 deg. 18' east. From the time of anchoring, to nine at night, there was a +set past the ship to the north-east, of half a knot; it ceased for three +hours, then recommencing at a slower rate, ran to the same point. Thus +far in the strait, the current had been found to run at the rate of +fourteen miles a day to the westward; and the above set might have been +an eddy under the lee of the reef, for it seemed too irregular to be a +tide. + +[SUNDAY 31 OCTOBER 1802] + +At daylight in the morning the south-east trade blew fresh with squally +weather. We steered south-westward, passing at seven o'clock between two +dry sands, three or four miles apart, with a depth of 15 fathoms; at +eight, another dry bank was left two miles to the southward, and a small, +low island set at N. by W., two or three leagues. From this time, and +running at the rate of seven knots, nothing was seen until ten; a dry +sand then bore N. 78 deg. W., two miles and a half, and two more low isles +were seen to the northward; the soundings had become regular, between 10 +and 9 fathoms, and the bottom was of mixed sand and shells, fit for +anchorage. Our latitude at noon was 10 deg. 26' 45", and longitude 142 deg. 391/2'; +and we had high land bearing S. 3 deg. E. ten or twelve miles, which I +supposed might be the easternmost of the York Isles, although captain +Cook's longitude of it was 38' more westward. The weather being hazy, no +other land was seen, nor any reefs; but at one o'clock, I set these +bearings: + + +York Isle, high flat top, S. 35 deg. E. +A more northern, double isle, S. 84 W. +A high peaked hill (Mt. Ernest of Bligh), N. 16 W. + + +[NORTH COAST. PRINCE OF WALES' ISLANDS.] + +At two o'clock, when we passed on the north side of the double isle, it +was seen to be surrounded with a coral reef, and there were rocks on its +west and south sides. We then hauled tip S. W. by S. for some rocky +islets lying, as I supposed, off Cape York; but finding no shelter there, +bore away round the north end of an island, of which Mr. Westall took a +view (Atlas, Plate XVIII. View 12), and anchored in 7 fathoms, gravel and +shells, one mile and a half from the land, and two or three cables length +from a shoal to the southward, which became dry at low water. Our +latitude here was 10 deg. 30' from bearings, and longitude by time-keeper +142(? illegible in book) 181/2' east; but I was altogether at a loss to +know what islands these were, under which we had anchored. Supposing the +flat-topped island to have been the easternmost York Isle, the land we +had in sight to the southward should have been Cape York; but no such +isles as those around us were laid down by captain Cook, to the north of +that cape. On consulting the sketch made by captain Bligh in the Bounty's +launch (Voyage to the South Seas, p. 220), it appeared that the first +land was not the easternmost isle, but one much nearer to Cape York; and +that our anchorage was under the southern group of the Prince of Wales' +Islands, the longitude of which, by captain Cook, is 1 deg. 12' west of what +I make it.* The north-eastern isle of this group, under which we more +immediately lay, is that named Wednesday Island by captain Bligh; to the +other isles he gave no name; but the one westward of the ship seems to +have been the Hammond's Island of captain Edwards, when passing here with +the Pandora's boats. So soon as the weather cleared a little, the +subjoined bearings were taken. + +[* Mr. Wales deduces from captain Cook's observations in the Endeavour, +that the error of his chart here, is 35' west (_Astron. Observations_, p. +131).] + + +Wednesday I., distant 11/2 to 3 miles, S. 89 deg. E. to 21 deg. W. +Hammond's Isle, dist. 4 or 5 miles, S. 52 W. to 71 W. +Hawkesbury I. (of Edwards), highest part, N. 52 W. +Mount Augustus (of Bligh), N. 2 W. +A small isle, distant three leagues, N. 24 E. +Mount Ernest, peak, N. 36 E. +Double Isle, passed at 2 p.m., N. 701/2 E. +Breakers on a reef, distant 31/2 miles, N. 64 to 30 W. + + +[MONDAY 1 NOVEMBER 1802] + +This evening and all the next day, the wind blew so strong that it was +impossible to land; nor did I think it prudent to quit the anchorage, +though anxious to commence the survey of the Gulph of Carpentaria. Upon +Hammond's Island some fires were seen; but Wednesday Island showed no +signs of being inhabited, unless some whitish, conical figures like +sentry boxes, were huts; there were bushes and small trees scattered over +both islands, but their general appearance was rocky and barren. + +The tide here ran nine hours to the westward, at the strongest +two-and-half knots; and three hours north-eastward, but scarcely +perceptible; which deviation from the regular order was probably caused +by the current setting westward. So far as the soundings taken every hour +could ascertain the rise, it was at least two fathoms, and high water +took place _four or five hours after_ the moon's passage over and under +the meridian, and was completed by the three hours tide. According to +this, it would be high water here, and low water at Murray's Islands at +the same time, which would present a remarkable analogy between this +strait and that of Bass to the southward; this however is certain, that +the tide set E. by S. one knot and a quarter, at Murray's Islands, at +four in the morning; and that two days afterward, at Wednesday Island, it +set from one-and-half to two-and-half knots W. by S., from one till seven +in the morning. I will not venture to say that the latter part of the +flood comes from southwest at the Prince of Wales' Islands, though +appearances bespoke it; because captain Cook, who had better opportunity +for observation, found it setting from the east, in Endeavour's Strait. +He also gives the time of high water at one or two hours after the moon, +which comes nearer to what I observed at Murray's Islands. + +From azimuths with the surveying compass when the head was S. E. by E., +the variation was 3 deg. 32', or corrected to the meridian, 4 deg. 52' east. + +TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 1802 + +In the morning of Nov. 2, the wind being more moderate and at E. S. E., +we steered between Hammond's Island and the north-western reef, with +soundings from 6 to 9 fathoms. Another island appeared beyond Hammond's, +to the south-west, which, as it had no name, I called _Good's Island_, +after Mr. Good, the botanical gardener; and we hauled up for it, passing +a rock and a small reef between the two. On seeing an extensive shoal +ahead, which would have carried us off the land to go round it, we +anchored in 7 fathoms, dead coral and shells, with the north end of +Hammond's Island bearing N. 64 deg. E., four or five miles. The botanical +gentlemen landed on Good's Island; and in the afternoon I took these +bearings amongst others, from a hill near its south-west end. + + +The ship, distant 11/4 miles, N. 58 deg. 0' W. +Wallis' Isles, over the Shoal Cape of Bligh, S. 23 5 W. +Booby Isle, centre, S. 80 0 W. +Northern isles, the westernmost visible, N. 28 deg. 10' to 24 5 W. +Hawkesbury Island, N. 9 15 to 4 0 W. +North-west reef, its apparent termination, N. 38 50 W. + + +The shoal which stopped our progress did not run off from Shoal Cape, as +captain Bligh had supposed, but from a smaller and nearer island, two +miles from my station. Within the large island, of which Shoal Cape forms +the north-western point, I saw water like an inclosed port, probably the +Wolf's Bay of captain Edwards; and it seemed possible that the land may +be there divided; but the best information I can give of the forms and +extent of all these islands, will be seen in the particular chart. + +It was now ascertained, that the figures resembling sentry boxes were ant +hills, of eight or more feet high; Pelsert found similar hills on the +West Coast, and says they might have been taken for the houses of +Indians, as in fact we did take them at a distant view. They were also +seen by Dampier on the North-west Coast, who mistook them in the same +way; but says he found them to be so many rocks, probably from not making +the examination with his usual care. The insects which inhabit, and I +suppose erect these structures, are small, reddish, with black heads, and +seemed to be a sluggish and feeble race. We found the common black flies +excessively numerous here; and almost as troublesome as Dampier describes +them to be on the North-west Coast. + +Good's Island is between one and two miles long, and resembles the rest +of the cluster in being hilly, woody, and rocky, with small beaches on +the leeward side. The stone is granitic and brittle; but there is also +porphyry, and in one place I found streaks of verdegrease, as if the +cliffs above had contained copper ore. A log of wood, resembling the +cedar of Port Jackson, was thrown up on the beach, but none of the trees +were seen; those scattered over the island, though of various kinds, were +small and fit for little else than the fire. A species of silk-cotton +plant was plentiful; the fibres in the pod are strong, and have a fine +gloss, and might perhaps be advantageously employed in manufacture. + +From two supplements of the sun's meridian altitude to the north, the +_latitude_ of our anchorage would be 10 deg. 34' 12"; but the supplements +observed on the 31st having given 1' 14" too far south, the correct +latitude is taken to be 10 deg. 32' 58". The _longitude_ from nine sets of +distances of the sun west of the moon, was 142 deg. 23'; but by the corrected +time keeper, which I prefer, it was 142 deg. 101/2' east. To compare this +longitude with that of captain Cook, it must be reduced to some point +distinctly laid down by him, and I take Booby Island, which was in sight. +According to that navigator, Booby Isle is in 140 deg. 38' east (Hawkesworth, +III, 214); whereas I made it to lie in 141 deg. 57', or 1 deg. 19' further east, +a difference which certainly appears very extraordinary; but it is still +more so, that the island should be laid down 63' of longitude to the west +of the high, flat-topped York Isle, instead Of 43' or 44'. To show that +the longitude by my time keeper was not much, if any thing too great, I +have to observe, that in captain Bligh's manuscript chart of 1792, Mount +Augustus is laid down from his time keepers in 142 deg. 14'; and the mean of +his lunar observations, taken eight days before and six days afterward, +was 16' _more east_. My time keeper now placed Mount Augustus in 142 deg. +18', or only 4' more east than captain Bligh's chart, consequently in 12' +less than by his lunar observations; by which quantity it was also less +than the nine sets of distances now taken by lieutenant Flinders. + +No run of tide was perceptible at the anchorage, from eight in the +morning to two p.m.; but it then set westward, and continued so to do +until four next morning, and was then running one knot and a half. The +time of high water appeared by the soundings, to be nearly as they gave +it at Wednesday Island. + +WEDNESDAY 3 NOVEMBER 1802 + +In the morning of the 3rd, the wind was moderate at E. S. E., and we made +sail to get in with the main land to the south of the Prince of Wales' +Islands. In hauling round the dry part of the shoal, we fell into 3 +fathoms, and were obliged to steer round off; nor was it until after many +attempts, and running four or five miles further to the south-westward, +that the shoal would allow us to steer a southern course. At 8h 45', +being then in 5 fathoms, + + +Booby Isle bore, N. 56 deg. W. +Cape Cornwall, S. 58 E. +Station on Good's Island, dist. 11 miles N. 541/2 E. + + +From hence we carried 6 to 7 fathoms until past ten, and afterwards +irregular soundings between 3 and 9 fathoms, to noon; the latitude from a +supplement to the north, with the same correction as applied on the 2nd, +was then 10 deg. 50' 44", and the bearings of the land were these; + + +Station on Good's Island, N. 291/2 deg. E. +Cape Cornwall, N. 68 E. +Wallis' Isles, the highest, distant 21/2 miles, N. 84 E. +Wallis' Isles, a lower and broader, dist. 3 or 4 miles, S. 71 deg. to 64 E. +Main land, low sandy point, dist. 8 miles, S. 43 E. +Main land, furthest extreme near a smoke, S. 77 E. + + +Between Cape Cornwall and the low main land above set, is the opening +called in the old Dutch chart, Speult's River; but which captain Cook, +who sailed through it, named Endeavour's Strait. Wallis' Isles are small, +low, and rocky, and the northernmost seemed destitute of vegetation; they +are surrounded with sandy shoals, which appeared to connect with the main +land and leave no ship passage between them. On the north side of the +isles there are several banks at the outlet of Endeavour's Strait; and +the passage this way into the Indian Ocean is thereby rendered much +inferior to that between Wednesday Island and the north-west reef, in +which there are no difficulties. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +We passed Wallis' Isles, steering southward to get in with the main +coast; but the shoals forced us to run seven or eight miles to the west, +out of sight of land, before regular soundings could be obtained and a +southern course steered into the Gulph of Carpentaria. At dusk, the +anchor was dropped in 8 fathoms, soft mud, in latitude 11 deg. 5', as +observed from the moon to the north and south, and longitude 141 deg. 51' by +time keeper. The variation from amplitude at sunset, was 2 deg. 33', with the +ship's head S. S. E., or 3 deg. 10' east when reduced to the meridian; which +is 1 deg. 42' less than was obtained from azimuths under Wednesday Island. + +I now considered all the difficulties of Torres' Strait to be surmounted, +since we had got a fair entry into the Gulph of Carpentaria; and to have +accomplished this, before the north-west monsoon had made any strong +indications, was a source of much satisfaction, after the unexpected +delay amongst the Barrier Reefs on the East Coast. It was this +apprehension of the north-west monsoon that prevented me from making any +further examination of the Strait, than what could be done in passing +through it; but even this was not without its advantage to navigation, +since it demonstrated that this most direct passage, from the southern +Pacific, or Great Ocean to the Indian Seas, may be accomplished _in three +days_. It may be remembered, that the reefs on the north side of the +Pandora's Entrance were passed at six in the morning of Oct. 29; and +that, after lying two nights at anchor, we reached the Prince of Wales's +Islands at three in the afternoon of the 31st; and nothing then prevented +us from passing Booby Isle, had I wished it, and clearing Torres' Strait +before dusk. Our route was almost wholly to seek, and another ship which +shall have that route laid down to her, may surely accomplish the passage +in the same time; it must however be acknowledged, that this navigation +is not without difficulties and dangers; but I had great hope of +obviating many of them, and even of finding a more direct passage by the +south of Murray's Islands in the following year, when I should have the +assistance of the Lady Nelson in making a survey of the Strait. + +CHAPTER VI. + +Examination of the coast on the east side of the Gulph of Carpentaria. +Landing at Coen River. +Head of the Gulph. +Anchorage at Sweers' Island. +Interview with Indians at Horse-shoe Island. +Investigator's Road. +The ship found to be in a state of decay. +General remarks on the islands at the Head of the Gulph, + and their inhabitants. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +THURSDAY 4 NOVEMBER 1802 + +In the morning of Nov. 4, the wind was at south-east, and we steered +southward, close to it, with soundings from 8 to 11 fathoms. Several land +birds of the size of a pigeon, but more slender, came off to the ship; +when taken they fought desperately, being armed for war with a strong +claw upon each wing. This bird had been seen at Port Philip on the South +Coast, and belongs to the genus _Tringa_, being very nearly allied to the +_Tringa Goensis_. At noon, the latitude was 11 deg. 241/2', longitude 141 deg. +461/2'; and at three, a sea breeze which set in from south-west, enabled us +to steer in for the coast of Carpentaria on the east side of the Gulph; +and it came in sight from the mast head soon afterwards. At five, the +nearest part was six or eight miles distant, and the extremes bore N. E. +to S. S. E.; the depth of water was 10 fathoms, which decreased to 71/2 at +dusk, when we anchored on a bottom of gravel and shells; the shore being +then distant four miles, and the extremes bearing N. 38 deg. to S. 8 deg. E. It +was sandy and low, like that on the south side of Endeavour's Strait, +with which it is no doubt connected; although, in a space of five or six +leagues, our distance was too great for the land to be seen; behind the +shore it was indifferently covered with shrubs and small trees, but +totally destitute of any thing like a hill: fires bespoke it to be +inhabited. There was no set of tide past the ship in the night, but the +depth of water diminished from 71/2 to 61/4 fathoms. + +FRIDAY 5 NOVEMBER 1802 + +When we got under way in the morning to proceed along shore, the wind was +light, off the land, and soon after nine it fell calm; a drain of tide +setting to the north-east, induced me to drop a stream anchor, four or +five miles from a part of the beach where some natives were collected +round a fire. At eleven the sea breeze came in from W. by N., with dark +cloudy weather, and we steered onward, passing a small opening at one +o'clock, four or five miles south of the natives. A much larger opening +came in sight at two, into which I hoped to get the ship; but the water +was so shallow at five or six miles off, that we were obliged to tack; +and after making a second ineffectual attempt, it became dusk, and we +anchored in 61/2 fathoms, fine dark sand, the centre of the opening bearing +S. 37 deg. E. three leagues. + +The coast was low, as before, but the trees upon it were taller. The +largest opening is about two miles wide, leading in south-east; but +turning afterwards more east, and apparently contracting its width. Near +the south-west point of the entrance, which projects a little from the +general line of the shore, was a clump of trees, higher than usual, +presenting the first mark I had yet found for bearings. The latitude of +this opening is 11 deg. 55', and agrees nearly with that of Batavia River in +the old Dutch chart; but the shoal which runs six miles out, seemed to +render it inaccessible to a ship. + +SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER 1802 + +In the morning we had a breeze off the land; and the fear of the +north-west monsoon preventing me from taking time to beat up, we passed +Batavia River at the distance of six miles, with soundings from 5 to 8 +fathoms. Several flocks of ducks were seen coming from the westward, +where they had probably been to pass the night upon some island not +inhabited. Our latitude at noon, from double altitudes, was 11 deg. 56', and +longitude by time keeper 141 deg. 50'; the clump of trees near the entrance +of Batavia River bore E. 1 deg. S., the furthest extreme of the land, S. 11 deg. +W., and the nearest part was distant four miles. + +The land wind continued to blow all day, but permitted us to lie along +the shore. On its falling calm toward sunset, we anchored in 10 fathoms, +soft mud, three or four miles from the coast; the extremes bearing N. 49 deg. +E. and S. 2 deg. W. A light air came off the land at four in the morning +[SUNDAY 7 NOVEMBER 1802], and at daylight we again steered southward; but +in two hours the wind died off, and an anchor was dropped in 9 fathoms. +There was a small opening at E. 5 deg. S., about three miles; and the +botanical gentlemen being desirous of seeing the productions of this part +of the country, the whale boat was lowered down, and we went to examine +the inlet. + +On approaching the entrance, a canoe, or something like one, passed and +repassed from the north to the south side, the rower using both hands to +the paddle like the natives of Murray's Islands. We had a good deal of +difficulty to get in, on account of the shoals; the channel amongst them +being narrow and winding, and not more than nine to twelve feet deep. On +the north side was a party of natives, and Bongaree went on shore to +them, naked and unarmed; but although provided with spears, they +retreated from him, and all our endeavours to bring about an interview +were unsuccessful. It was not safe for the gentlemen to botanise in +presence of these suspicious people; and therefore we rowed a mile higher +up, to a green looking point on the same side, and landed about noon. The +depth thus far, was 2 fathoms; and I could see two-and-half miles further +up the inlet to the E. S. E., where it turned more southward, round a +woody point; and from the strength of the tide, probably extended some +miles into the country. + +Whilst the botanists where making their examination and I walked along +the shore to shoot some birds, several voices were heard in the wood, as +of people advancing towards us; and there being too much opportunity here +to creep on secretly, we assembled and retired into the boat, to wait +their approach. A sea breeze had then set in; and the Indians not +appearing, we rowed back to the first place, where the country was open; +and the gentlemen botanised whilst centinels kept watch on the sandy +hillocks. + +In the upper parts of the port the country was well covered with wood, +mostly _eucalyptus_; but near the entrance it was little better than bare +sand, with some scattered trees of the _casuarina_ and _pandanus:_ a +stone of imperfectly concreted coral sand and shells formed the basis. +Foot marks of the kangaroo were imprinted on the sand, and a dog was +seen; drupes of the pandanus, which had been sucked, lay in every +direction, and small cockle shells were scattered on the beaches. I +sought in vain for the canoe which had landed here, nor did I find any +huts of the natives. + +Before quitting the shore, a hatchet was made fast to the branch of a +tree, and set up conspicuously near the water side. We had scarcely +shoved off, when the party of Indians, sixteen in number, made their +appearance and called to us; but when the boat's head was turned toward +them, they ran away. On the south side of the entrance were four other +natives, who also ran at our approach; we therefore set up another +hatchet for them on the beach, and returned back to the ship. + +These people were all naked; and in colour, as in every thing else, +seemed to have a perfect resemblance to the inhabitants of the east and +south coasts of Terra Australis. In Torres' Strait bows and arrows are +the offensive weapons; but here we saw spears only: each man had several +in his hand, and something which was supposed to be a throwing stick. + +This small opening appears to be the _Coen River_ of the Dutch chart; but +the entrance is too small and shallow to admit any thing larger than +boats: its latitude is 12 deg. 13' south, and longitude 141 deg. 47' east; and +the variation of the compass, observed with the ship's head in the +magnetic meridian, was 4 deg. 36' east. The tide was running from south-west, +at ten in in the morning, and on entering the inlet it was found to be +setting in with considerable strength; at two in the afternoon the flood +was still running; and admitting that it would be high water an hour +afterwards, as seemed probable, the time would be _five hours and a half +after_ the moon passed the lower meridian; or an hour later than it had +_appeared_ to be at the Prince of Wales' Islands. + +Lieutenant Fowler had got the ship under way, on the sea breeze setting +in, and stood off and on the entrance to Coen River, until our return at +three o'clock. We then steered south-westward along the shore; and soon +after sunset, anchored in 10 fathoms, nearly four miles from the land, +which extended from N. 38 deg. to S. 6 deg. E. and was still low and woody, and +fronted with a sandy beach. + +A breeze came off the land at night, as usual, and the weather was dark +and squally. Early in the morning [MONDAY 8 NOVEMBER 1802] we steered +along the coast, with good soundings between 10 and 9 fathoms, muddy +bottom. A sandy point with two hillocks on it, which had been the extreme +of the preceding evening, was passed at ten o'clock; and seeing a large +bight round it, we tacked to work up. At noon, the point bore from N. 44 deg. +E., one mile and a half, to the southern extreme at east, three miles. +This point is one of the very few remarkable projections to be found on +this low coast, but it is not noticed in the Dutch chart; there is little +doubt, however, that it was seen in 1606, in the yacht Duyfhen, the first +vessel which discovered any part of Carpentaria; and that the remembrance +may not be lost, I gave the name of the vessel to the point. Our +observations placed the south extreme of _Duyfhen Point_ in 12 deg. 35' +south, and 141 deg. 42' east; and the variation from amplitude, with the +ships head W. N. W., was 5 deg. 24', or reduced to the meridian, 3 deg. 43' east. + +On the sea breeze setting in at two o'clock, we steered into the bight +until past five; when having no more than 21/2 fathoms, we tacked and +stretched out. The bight extends eleven or twelve miles back from the +line of the coast, and there are three small openings in it; but the +shore being very low, and in many places over-run with mangroves, and the +water shallow four or five miles off, these openings are probably no more +than drains out of salt swamps or lagoons. The bearings when we tacked in +21/2 fathoms, were, + + +Duyfhen Point, south extreme, dist. 6 or 7 miles, N. 63 deg. W. +Small opening behind it, distant 5 or 6 miles, N. 23 W. +A second opening, distant four miles, N. 64 E. +A third, distant three miles, S. 78 E. + + +At eight in the evening, having reached out of the bight, and a breeze +coming off the land, we steered southward until half past ten; and then +anchored in 8 fathoms, muddy bottom. In the morning [TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER +1802], I set the west extreme of Duyfhen Point at N. 9 deg. E.; and the +furthest land in the opposite direction, at S. 9 deg. E. This land forms the +south side of the large bight; and besides projecting beyond the coast +line, and being a little higher than usual, is remarkable for having some +reddish cliffs in it, and deep water near the shore. It is not noticed in +the Dutch chart; but I called it _Pera Head_, to preserve the name of the +second vessel which, in 1623, sailed along this coast. + +(Atlas, Plate XIV.) + +Pera Head was passed at the distance of one mile and a half, at noon, +with 9 fathoms water; and the most projecting part of the cliffs found to +be in 12 deg. 581/2' south, and 141 deg. 40' east. The sea breeze had then set in, +and we steered southward till past four o'clock; when a decrease in the +soundings to 3 fathoms, obliged us to tack at a league from the land; and +the wind being at S. W., we worked along shore till ten in the evening, +and then anchored in 6 fathoms, oozy bottom. At daylight [WEDNESDAY 10 +NOVEMBER 1802], the land was seen to be five miles distant, equally low +and sandy as before; and a small opening in it, perhaps not accessible to +boats, bore S. 79 deg. E. On getting under way again, we closed in with the +shore and steered along it at the distance of two or three miles, in +soundings from 3 to 7 fathoms until noon; our latitude was then 13 deg. 42' +35", longitude 141 deg. 32', being nearly the position of _Cape Keer-Weer_, +at which the yacht Duyfhen gave up her examination. I could see nothing +like a cape here; but the southern extreme of the land, seen from the +mast head, projects a little; and from respect to antiquity, the Dutch +name is there preserved. + +At four o'clock we passed the southern extremity of Cape Keer-Weer, round +which the coast falls back somewhat; the water then became more shallow, +and did not admit of being safely approached nearer than four miles. An +opening is laid down here in the Dutch chart, called Vereenigde River, +which certainly has no existence. All this afternoon the sea breeze was +fresh and favourable; and by eight o'clock, when we anchored in 5 +fathoms, the distance run from noon exceeded forty miles. A fire was seen +on the land about four miles off, and some smokes had been passed in the +day; so that the country should seem to be at least as well peopled in +this part of Carpentaria as further northward. The coast was, if +possible, still lower than before; not a single hill had yet been seen; +and the tops of the trees on the highest land, had scarcely exceeded the +height of the ship's mast head. + +THURSDAY 11 NOVEMBER 1802 + +The land wind came from N. N. E.; and in the morning our course was +pursued along the shore at the usual distance. At eight o'clock the depth +decreased to 21/2 fathoms, and obliged us to steer off, though five miles +from the land; and when fair soundings were obtained, the tops of the +trees only were visible from the deck. At noon we had closed in again, +the shore being distant five or six miles, and the depth 6 fathoms on a +gravelly bottom; our latitude was 14 deg. 51' 5", longitude 141 deg. 33', the +extremes seen from the deck bore N. 29 deg. to S. 66 deg. E., and a smoke was +seen rising at S. 28 deg. E. The sea breeze came in from the south-westward; +but the trending of the coast being nearly S. S. E., we lay along it +until past four o'clock, and then tacked off, in 3 fathoms; the nearest +part of the land being distant two or three miles, and the extremes +bearing N. 3 deg. and S. 7 deg. W. At eight in the evening the breeze died away, +and a stream anchor was dropped in 5 fathoms, mud and shells, five or six +miles off shore; where the latitude from an observation of the moon was +15 deg. 5' south. + +FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER 1802 + +At sunrise, next morning, the ship was steering southward with a land +wind at east; and at seven o'clock we passed an opening near which +several natives were collected. The entrance seemed to be a full mile in +width; but a spit from the south side runs so far across, that there is +probably no access to it, unless for rowing boats: its latitude is 15 deg. +12' south, corresponding with a bight in the Dutch chart to the south of +the second _Water Plaets_; and the variation, with the ship's head in the +meridian, was 4 deg. 43' east. Our course southward was continued at two or +three miles from the shore, in 3 to 4 fathoms; but at eleven o'clock, the +sea breeze having then set in, the depth diminished suddenly to 2 +fathoms; and in tacking, the ship stirred up the mud. + +The latitude at noon was 15 deg. 25' 20", and longitude 141 deg. 32'; at one +o'clock we steered S. S. W., with the whale boat ahead, and carried from +4 to 6 fathoms until seven in the evening, when the stream anchor was +dropped about four miles from the shore, in 5 fathoms, muddy bottom. This +depth had diminished at daylight [SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER 1802] to 33/4 +fathoms, after a tide had been setting nine hours to the N. by E.; and +for the first time upon this coast it had run with some strength, the +rate being one mile an hour. + +We were again under way soon after five o'clock; and at six, being then +four miles from the land, and steering S. S. W., a lagoon was seen from +the mast head, over the front beach. It has doubtless some communication +with the sea, either by a constant, or a temporary opening, but none such +could be perceived. The latitude 15 deg. 53' corresponds with that of _Nassau +River_ in the old chart; and from the examples already had of the Dutch +rivers here, it seems probable that this lagoon was meant. A few miles +further south, the shoal water obliged me to run westward, out of sight +of land from the deck; and even at the mast head, the tops of the trees +were only partially distinguished; yet the depth was no more than from 4 +to 6 fathoms. At noon, when our latitude was 16 deg. 24' 29" and longitude +141 deg. 141/2', trees were visible from the deck at N. 70 deg. E., and from thence +to S. 50 deg. E; the nearest part, whence a smoke arose, being distant seven +or eight miles, and the depth of water 4 fathoms. The slight projection +here is probably one of those marked in the old chart on each side of +Staten River; but where that river can be found I know not. + +The nearest approach made to the land in the afternoon, was five or six +miles, with 3 fathoms water; at dusk we anchored in 6 fathoms, mud, at +six or seven miles from the shore, having been forced off a little by the +sea breeze veering southward. A tide here ran gently to the S. S. W., +till near ten o'clock, and then set northward till daylight [SUNDAY 14 +NOVEMBER 1802]; at which time the water had fallen nine feet by the lead +line. We got under way with a land wind from the north-east, which +afterwards veered to north-west, and steered a course nearly due south; +which, as the coast then trended south-westward, brought us in with it. +At noon, the latitude was 17 deg. 3' 15", longitude 141 deg. 0'; a projecting +part bore N. 59 deg. E. three or four miles, and the depth was 31/2 fathoms. +There appeared to be a small opening on the south side of this little +projection, which corresponds in latitude to _Van Diemen's River_ in the +old chart; but across the entrance was an extensive flat, nearly dry, and +would probably prevent even boats from getting in. If this place had any +title to be called a river in 1644, the coast must have undergone a great +alteration since that time. + +In the afternoon our course along shore was more westward; and this, with +the increasing shallowness of the water, made me apprehend that the Gulph +would be found to terminate nearly as represented in the old charts, and +disappoint the hopes formed of a strait or passage leading out at some +other part of Terra Australis. At four o'clock, after running more than +an hour in 31/2 fathoms, or less than 3 at low water, our distance from the +shore was five miles; and a small opening then bore S. 14 deg. E, which seems +to be the _Caron River_, marked at the south-east extremity of the Gulph +in the Dutch chart; but whatever it might have been in Tasman's time, no +navigator would now think of attempting to enter it with a ship: the +latitude is 17 deg. 26', and longitude 140 deg. 52' east. From four till seven +our course was W. by S., close to the wind, the depth being mostly 3 +fathoms, and the land barely within sight from the mast head. We then +stood off; and the water being smooth, anchored on muddy ground, in 41/2 +fathoms, which became 31/2 at low water. The flood tide here set S. S. W., +till midnight; and the ebb N. by E., till we got under way in the +morning. + +MONDAY 15 NOVEMBER 1802 + +On the 15th, we ran before a north-east wind towards the furthest land +seen from the mast head. The soundings were 31/2, 3, and soon after seven +o'clock, 21/2 fathoms; which made it necessary to steer further off, though +the land was distant six or eight miles, and scarcely visible from the +deck. We kept in 3 fathoms, steering various westward courses, until +noon; when the latitude was 17' 30' 9", and longitude 140 deg. 23'. The land +was distant seven or eight miles to the southward, and the furthest part +distinguished from the mast head was at S. by W. 1/2 W.; it was low and +sandy as ever, and with less wood upon it than any part before seen. A +sea breeze at N. N. W. scarcely permitted us to lie along the shore in +the afternoon; but the ground being soft, and soundings regular, though +shallow, we kept on until five o'clock; and then tacked in 21/2 fathoms, +having reached within three miles of the land. At eight o'clock, the +anchor was let go in 4 fathoms, on a bottom of mud and shells. + +The coast to which we approached nearest this evening, was sandy and very +barren; but there were some natives collected upon the hillocks, to look +at the ship; so that even here, and at the end of the dry season, fresh +water may be had. These people were black and naked, and made many wild +gestures. Between this part and the land set at S. by W. 1/2 W. at noon, +there was a bight falling back as far as the latitude 17 deg. 42', or perhaps +further, which appeared to be the southern extremity of the Gulph of +Carpentaria; for the coast from thence took a direction to the northward +of west. Shoals extended a great way out from the bight; and were almost +dry to a considerable distance. + +TUESDAY 16 NOVEMBER 1802 + +In the morning our route was pursued along the shore, at the distance of +six to nine or ten miles; the course being N. W., close to a N. N. E. +wind, and the soundings remarkably regular, between 3 and 31/2 fathoms. Two +leagues from the place where the natives had been seen, was a projecting +part where the country again became woody; but the coast there, and +onward, was as low as before. At noon, the observed latitude was 17 deg. 21' +15", and the longitude by time keeper 139 deg. 54' east; the furthest +continuation of the land seen from the mast head, bore W. 1/2 S., but there +was a small lump bearing N. 35 deg. W., towards which we kept up as much as +possible. At two o'clock the wind headed, and on coming into 21/2 fathoms, +we tacked; being then five miles from the low southern land, and three or +four leagues from the northern hill, which bore N. 18 deg. W. Not much was +gained in working to windward from that time till dusk; and the anchor +was then dropped in 41/2 fathoms, blue mud, no other land than the small +hill being in sight. + +There being no island marked in the Dutch chart so near to the head of +the Gulph as this hill, made me conclude that it was upon the main land; +and to hope that the space of four leagues, between it and the southern +coast, was an opening of some importance. In the morning [WEDNESDAY 17 +NOVEMBER 1802], a fresh land wind at south-east favoured our course, the +water deepened to 10 fathoms, and at eight o'clock to no ground with 13, +near the south end of a reef extending out from the hill. On coming into +5 fathoms behind the reef, the anchor was dropped on a muddy bottom, with +the hill bearing N. 15 deg. E., one mile and a quarter, and the dry extremity +of the reef S. E. 1/2 E. The coast to the southward was scarcely visible +from the mast head, but land was seen to extend westward from the hill, +as far as nine or ten miles; and in order to gain a better knowledge of +what this land might be, I went on shore, taking instruments with me to +observe for the rates of the time keepers. + +The hill proved to be a mass of calcareous rock, whose surface was cut +and honeycombed as if it had been exposed to the washing of a surf. It +was the highest land we had seen in Carpentaria, after having followed +one hundred and seventy-five leagues of coast; nor was any land to be +distinguished from the top of the hill which had an equal degree of +elevation; yet it did not much exceed the height of the ship's mast head! +The land round it proved to be an island of five miles long; separated +from other land to the west by a channel of nearly two miles in width. +The wide opening between this land and the low coast to the southward, I +take to have been what is called Maatsuyker's River in the old chart; and +that the island, which Tasman, or whoever made the examination, did not +distinguish well from being too far off, is the projecting point marked +on the west side of that river. Maatsuyker was one of the counsellors at +Batavia, who signed Tasman's instructions in 1644; but as there is no +river here, his name, as it stands applied in the old chart, cannot +remain. I would have followed in the intention of doing him honour, by +transferring his name to the island, but Maatsuyker's Isles already exist +on the south coast of Van Diemen's Land; I therefore adopt the name of +Sweers, another member of the same Batavia council; and call the island +at the entrance of the supposed river, _Sweers' Island_. The hill +obtained the name of _Inspection Hill_; and after taking bearings from +it, I rowed into the channel which separates Sweers' Island from the +western land; and finding the shelter to be good, the bottom soft, and +soundings regular between 3 and 6 fathoms, the shores on each side were +searched for fresh water, with a view to filling up the holds there and +caulking the ship, before proceeding further in the examination of the +Gulph: the search, however, was unsuccessful. + +In Torres' Strait, when running with a fresh side wind, the ship had +leaked to the amount of ten inches of water per hour. and in some hours +the carpenters had reported as much as fourteen; but no anchorage, +adapted to the purpose of caulking the bends, had presented itself until +our arrival here. Before going on shore, I had left orders for the ship +to be put on a careen, and the carpenters began upon the larbord side. In +the course of their work two planks were found to be rotten, and the +timber underneath was in no better state; it was therefore desirable to +find a place where the holds could be completed with water, and the +botanists and myself find useful employment for a few days, whilst the +deficiencies were repairing. Such a place, it was reasonable to expect, +the opening to the westward would afford; and the carpenters having +patched up the bad part by the evening of the 18th [THURSDAY 18 NOVEMBER +1802], and another set of observations for the time keepers being +obtained, we were then ready to proceed in the examination. + +[NORTH COAST. WELLESLEY'S ISLANDS.] + +FRIDAY 19 NOVEMBER 1802 + +Next morning at sunrise, we steered up the opening with a land wind at S. +S. E.; and until ten o'clock, when we had reached the furthest part of +the western land seen from Inspection Hill, the soundings were between 6 +and 3 fathoms, reduced to low water. This land proved to be an island of +ten or eleven miles long, and I have given it the name of Bentinck, in +honour of the Right Hon. LORD WILLIAM BENTINCK; of whose obliging +attention, when governor of Madras, I shall hereafter have to speak in +praise. To the north-west of Bentinck's Island, several small isles came +in sight; but a northern sea breeze having set in, we kept on our western +course for the low main land, which trended here north-westward. At one +o'clock the diminution of depth to 21/2 fathoms, obliged us to tack; the +main being four miles distant, and the eastern extreme of the nearest +island bearing N. 3 deg. W., two leagues: this was named _Allen's Isle_, +after the practical miner of the expedition. In working to windward, the +water was found to be shallow in almost every direction; and the deepest +being at three or four miles from the south-west point of Bentinck's +Island, the anchor was there dropped in 41/2 fathoms, muddy bottom. + +SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER 1802 + +In the morning we steered towards Allen's Isle, with the whale boat +ahead; and anchored one mile and a half from its south-east end, in 31/2 +fathoms, mud. Our latitude here was 17 deg. 5', longitude 139 deg. 26'; and +azimuths taken with the surveying compass, when the head was N. by E., +gave variation 2 deg. 49', or 3 deg. 15' east, corrected. I went on shore with +the botanical gentlemen, in order to take bearings, and explore further +up the opening. + +Allen's Isle is between four and five miles in length, and though +generally barren, there are bushes and small trees upon it, and some +tolerable grass. It is altogether low land; but the south-east end is +cliffy, and within two cables length of it there is 4 fathoms; no fresh +water was found near the shore, nor any place where casks could be +conveniently landed. After taking a set of bearings I left the gentlemen +to follow their pursuits, and rowed north-westward, intending to go round +the island; but an impassable reef extended so far out, that the project +was given up; and after taking angles from one of the rocks, I went +eastward to a smaller island two miles off, where several Indians where +perceived. The water was too shallow for the boat to get near them; but +we landed at a little distance, and walked after three men who were +dragging six small rafts toward the extreme northern rocks, where three +other natives were sitting. + +These men not choosing to abandon their rafts, an interview was +unavoidable, and they came on shore with their spears to wait our +approach. One of us advanced towards them, unarmed; and signs being made +to lay down their spears, which were understood to mean that they should +sit down, they complied; and by degrees, a friendly intercourse was +established. They accepted some red worsted caps and fillets, as also a +hatchet and an adze, the use of which being explained, was immediately +comprehended. In return, they gave us two very rude spears, and a +_womerah_, or throwing stick, of nearly the same form as those used by +the natives of Port Jackson. + +The rafts consisted of several straight branches of mangrove, very much +dried, and lashed together in two places with the largest ends one way, +so as to form a broad part, and the smaller ends closing to a point. Near +the broad end was a bunch of grass, where the man sits to paddle; but the +raft, with his weight alone, must swim very deep; and indeed I should +scarcely have supposed it could float a man at all. Upon one of the rafts +was a short net, which, from the size of the meshes, was probably +intended to catch turtle; upon another was a young shark; and these, with +their paddles and spears, seemed to constitute the whole of their earthly +riches. + +Two of the three men were advanced in years, and from the resemblance of +feature were probably brothers. With the exception of two chiefs at +Taheity, these were the tallest Indians I had ever seen; the two brothers +being from three to four inches higher than my coxswain, who measured +five feet eleven. They were not remarkable for being either stout or +slender; though like most of the Australians, their legs did not bear the +European proportion to the size of their heads and bodies. The third +native was not so tall as the other two; and he was, according to our +notions, better proportioned. Their features did not much differ from +those of their countrymen on the South and East Coasts; but they had each +of them lost two front teeth from the upper jaw. Their hair was short, +though not curly; and a fillet of net work, which the youngest man had +wrapped round his head, was the sole ornament or clothing seen amongst +them. The two old men appeared, to my surprise, to have undergone +circumcision; but the posture of the youngest, who remained sitting down, +did not allow of observation being made upon him. + +After being five minutes with them, the old men proposed to go to our +boat; and this being agreed to, we proceeded together, hand in hand. But +they stopped half way, and retreating a little, the eldest made a short +harangue which concluded with the word _jahree!_ pronounced with +emphasis: they then returned to the rafts, and dragged them towards their +three companions who were sitting on the furthest rocks. These I judged +to be women, and that the proposal of the men to go to our boat was a +feint to get us further from them; it did not seem, however, that the +women were so much afraid of us, as the men appeared to be on their +account; for although we walked back, past the rafts, much nearer than +before, they remained very quietly picking oysters. It was not my desire +to annoy these poor people; and therefore, leaving them to their own way, +we took an opposite direction to examine the island. + +This low piece of land is between one and two miles long, and from its +form received the name of _Horse-shoe Island_; there is very little soil +mixed with the sand on its surface, and except the mangrove trees upon +the shore, it bears nothing larger than bushes. We did not find any huts; +but the dried grass spread round two or three neighbouring fire places, +marked the last residence of the Indians. Near it were lying several +large spiral shells, probably the vessels in which they had brought water +from the main land; for none was found on the island, nor was there any +appearance that it could be procured. Shells and bones of turtle, some of +them fresh, were plentifully scattered around; upon the beach also there +were turtle tracks, and several of these animals were seen in the water +during the day; but it was not our fortune to take one of them. + +In returning to the ship in the evening, I steered from Horse-shoe, to +the south-east end of Allen's Isle, and sounded the channel between them; +but had only once so much as 3 fathoms. There was consequently no fit +passage this way for the ship, and the several low islets to the +north-east, precluded the expectation of finding one any where to the +west of Bentinck's Island; I therefore judged it most advisable to +return, and place the ship between Bentinck's and Sweers' Islands, until +the necessary caulking was finished. Natives had been seen on both those +islands; and this gave a hope that water might still be found to complete +the holds previously to encountering the bad weather of the north-west +monsoon, which I had been expecting to set in every day. + +SUNDAY 21 NOVEMBER 1802 + +At daylight next morning the anchor was weighed; and having to work +against foul winds, the breadth of the ship passage between Bentinck's +Island and the southern main, was ascertained and sounded; and at dusk in +the evening we anchored half a mile from the west sandy point of Sweers' +Island, in 5 fathoms, small stones and shells. This anchorage between the +two islands, though it may not be called a port, is yet almost equally +well sheltered, and I named it _Investigator's Road_; it has the +appearance of being exposed between N. N. W. and N. E. 1/2 N.; but the +rocks from each shore occupy nearly one half of the space, and the water +is too shallow in the remaining part to admit any surge to endanger a +ship. + +MONDAY 22 NOVEMBER 1802 + +Next day, a boat was sent to fish with the seine upon Sweers' Island, and +an officer went to the opposite shore to dig for water; the botanists +divided themselves into two parties, to visit both islands, and the +carpenters began caulking the starbord side of the ship. I repeated the +observations under Inspection Hill, for the rates of the time keepers; +and being informed on my return, that the midshipman of the seining boat +had discovered a small hole containing a little muddy water, with a shell +lying near it, I had the place dug out, through the sand and a stratum of +whitish clay, to the depth of ten or eleven feet. Under the clay we found +a bottom of stone and gravel, and the water then flowed in clear, and +tolerably fast. This was a great acquisition; more especially as the +spring was not far from the beach at the west point of Sweers' Island, +where the casks could be conveniently landed, and where we had had great +success in fishing. + +The gentlemen who visited Bentinck's Island, found a small lake of fresh +water at no great distance from the sea side; and it appeared that the +interior part of Sweers' Island, towards the northern end, was occupied +by swamps. This comparative abundance of water upon such low islands, and +at the end of the dry season, seemed very remarkable; it may perhaps be +attributed to the clayey consistence of the stratum immediately under the +sand, and to the gravelly rock upon which that stratum rests; the one +preventing the evaporation of the rains, and the other obstructing their +further infiltration. + +TUESDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1802 + +Early next morning the ship was removed to within two cables length of +the west point, nearer to the spring; and lieutenant Fowler was +established on shore with a party of seamen and marines, taking tents, a +seine, and other necessaries for watering the ship and supplying us with +fish. The carpenters proceeded in their work of caulking; but as they +advanced, report after report was brought to me of rotten places found in +different parts of the ship--in the planks, bends, timbers, tree-nails, +etc., until it became quite alarming [WEDNESDAY 24 NOVEMBER 1802]. I +therefore directed the master and carpenter to make a regular examination +into all such essential parts, as could be done without delaying the +service; and to give me an official report thereon, with answers to +certain queries put to them. After two days examination, their report was +made in the following terms [FRIDAY 26 NOVEMBER 1802]. + +SIR, + +In obedience to your directions we have taken with us the oldest +carpenter's mate of the Investigator, and made as thorough an examination +into the state of the ship as circumstances will permit, and which we +find to be as under: + +Out of ten top timbers on the larbord side, near the fore channel, four +are sound, one partly rotten, and five entirely rotten. + +We have seen but one timber on the larbord quarter, which is entirely +rotten. + +On the starbord bow, close to the stem, we have seen three timbers which +are all rotten. Under the starbord fore chains we find one of the +chain-plate bolts started, in consequence of the timber and inside plank +being rotten; and also a preventer eyebolt, from the same cause. + +On boring into the second futtock timbers from the main hold, close under +the beams of the lower deck on the larbord side, we find one sound and +two rotten; and on the other side, one sound and one rotten. + +On boring into one of the second futtock timbers in the cockpit, on each +side, we find it to be sound on the starbord, but on the other side +rotten: the inside plank on both sides is rotten. On boring into one +timber of a side in the after hold, we find them to be sound. + +On boring into one timber of a side from the bread room, one is sound; +but on the larbord side it is rotten. + +The stem appears to be good; but the stemson is mostly decayed. + +The lower breast hook is decayed within side. + +The transoms, sleepers, stern post, and postson are all sound. + +The ends of the beams we find to be universally in a decaying state. + +The tree-nails are in general rotten. + +From the specimens we have seen of the top-sides and bends, we expect +that the insides of them are rotten, fore and aft; but that about one +inch of the outside of the greater part is yet quite sound. + +After the above report, and upon due consideration, we give the following +answers to the four questions put to us. + +1st. The ship having before made ten inches of water an hour, in a common +fresh breeze, we judge from that, and what we have now seen, that a +little labouring would employ two pumps; and that in a strong gale, with +much sea running, the ship would hardly escape foundering; so that we +think she is totally unfit to encounter much bad weather. + +2nd. We have no doubt but that, if the ship should get on shore under any +unfavourable circumstances, she would immediately go to pieces; but with +a soft bottom and smooth water, she might touch for a short time without +any worse consequences than to another ship, if she did not heel much; +but altogether, we judge it to be much more dangerous for her to get +aground in her present state, than if she were sound. + +3rd. It is our opinion that the ship could not bear heaving down on any +account; and that laying her on shore might so far strain her as to start +the copper and butt ends, which would make her unable to swim without +vast repair. + +4th. Mr. Aken has known several ships of the same kind, and built at the +same place as the Investigator; and has always found that when they began +to rot they went on very fast. From the state to which the ship seems now +to be advanced, it is our joint opinion, that in twelve months there will +scarcely be a sound timber in her; but that if she remain in fine weather +and happen no accident, she may run six months longer without much risk. + + + We are, Sir, +To Matthew Flinders, Esq. your obedient servants, +Commander of His Majesty's John Aken, master, +sloop the Investigator. Russel Mart, carpenter. + + +I cannot express the surprise and sorrow which this statement gave me. +According to it, a return to Port Jackson was almost immediately +necessary; as well to secure the journals and charts of the examinations +already made, as to preserve the lives of the ship's company; and my +hopes of ascertaining completely the exterior form of this immense, and +in many points interesting country, if not destroyed, would at least be +deferred to an uncertain period. My leading object had hitherto been, to +make so accurate an investigation of the shores of Terra Australis that +no future voyage to this country should be necessary; and with this +always in view, I had ever endeavoured to follow the land so closely, +that the washing of the surf upon it should be visible, and no opening, +nor any thing of interest escape notice. Such a degree of proximity is +what navigators have usually thought neither necessary nor safe to +pursue, nor was it always persevered in by us; sometimes because the +direction of the wind or shallowness of the water made it impracticable, +and at other times because the loss of the ship would have been the +probable consequence of approaching so near to a lee shore. But when +circumstances were favourable, such was the plan I pursued; and with the +blessing of GOD, nothing of importance should have been left for future +discoverers, upon any part of these extensive coasts; but with a ship +incapable of encountering bad weather--which could not be repaired if +sustaining injury from any of the numerous shoals or rocks upon the +coast--which, if constant fine weather could be ensured and all accidents +avoided, could not run more than six months--with such a ship, I knew not +how to accomplish the task. + +A passage to Port Jackson at this time, presented no common difficulties. +In proceeding by the west, the unfavourable monsoon was likely to prove +an obstacle not to be surmounted; and in returning by the east, stormy +weather was to be expected in Torres' Strait, a place where the +multiplied dangers caused such an addition to be peculiarly dreaded. +These considerations, with a strong desire to finish, if possible, the +examination of the Gulph of Carpentaria, fixed my resolution to proceed +as before in the survey, during the continuance of the north-west +monsoon; and when the fair wind should come, to proceed by the west to +Port Jackson, if the ship should prove capable of a winter's passage +along the South Coast, and if not, to make for the nearest port in the +East Indies. + +SUNDAY 28 NOVEMBER 1802 + +By the 28th, the watering and wooding of the ship were completed, the +gunner had dried all his powder in the sun, and the tents and people were +brought on board. All that the carpenters could do at the ship was to +secure the hooding ends to the stem--shift some of the worst parts in the +rotten planking--and caulk all the bends; and this they had finished. The +wind being south-east on the morning of the 29th [MONDAY 29 NOVEMBER +1802], I attempted to quit the Investigator's Road by steering out to the +northward; but this being found impracticable, from the shallowness of +the water, we were obliged to beat out to the south; and so contrary did +the wind remain, that not being able to weather the reef at the +south-east end of Sweers' Island, we anchored within it on the evening of +the 30th [TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 1802]. + +I shall now sum up into one view, the principal remarks made during our +stay amongst these islands. The stone most commonly seen on the shores is +an iron ore, in some places so strongly impregnated, that I conceive it +would be a great acquisition to a colony fixed in the neighbourhood. +Above this is a concreted mass of coral, shells, coral sand, and grains +of iron ore, which sometimes appears at the surface, but is usually +covered either with sand or vegetable earth, or a mixture of both. Such +appeared most generally to be the consistence of all the islands; but +there are many local varieties. + +The soil, even in the best parts, is far behind fertility; but the small +trees and bushes which grow there, and the grass in some of the less +covered places, save the larger islands from the reproach of being +absolutely sterile. The principal woods are _eucalyptus_ and _casuarina_, +of a size too small in general, to be fit for other purposes than the +fire; the _pandanus_ grows almost every where, but most abundantly in the +sandy parts; and the botanists made out a long list of plants, several of +which were quite new to them. + +We saw neither quadruped nor reptile upon the islands. Birds were rather +numerous the most useful of them were ducks of several species, and +bustards and one of these last, shot by Mr. Bauer, weighed between ten +and twelve pounds, and made us an excellent dinner. The flesh of this +bird is distributed in a manner directly contrary to that of the domestic +turkey, the white meat being upon the legs, and the black upon the +breast. In the woody parts of the islands were seen crows and white +cockatoos; as also cuckoo-pheasants, pigeons, and small birds peculiar to +this part of the country. On the shores were pelicans, gulls, sea-pies, +ox-birds, and sand-larks; but except the gulls, none of these tribes were +numerous. The sea afforded a variety of fish; and in such abundance, that +it was rare not to give a meal to all the ship's company from one or two +hauls of the seine. Turtle abound amongst the islands; but it seemed to +be a fatality that we could neither peg any from the boat, nor yet catch +them on shore. + +Indians were repeatedly seen upon both Bentinck's and Sweers' Islands; +but they always avoided us, and sometimes disappeared in a manner which +seemed extraordinary. It is probable that they hid themselves in caves +dug in the ground; for we discovered in one instance a large hole, +containing two apartments (so to call them), in each of which a man might +lie down. Fire places under the shade of the trees, with dried grass +spread around, were often met with; and these I apprehend to be their +fine-weather, and the caves their foul-weather residences. The fern or +some similar root, appears to form a part of their subsistence; for there +were some places in the sand and in the dry swamps, where the ground had +been so dug up with pointed sticks that it resembled the work of a herd +of swine. + +Whether these people reside constantly upon the islands, or come over at +certain seasons from the main, was uncertain; canoes, they seemed to have +none, but to make their voyages upon rafts similar to those seen at +Horse-shoe Island, and of which some were found on the shore in other +places. I had been taught by the Dutch accounts to expect that the +inhabitants of Carpentaria were ferocious, and armed with bows and arrows +as well as spears. I found them to be timid; and so desirous to avoid +intercourse with strangers, that it was by surprise alone that our sole +interview, that at Horse-shoe Island, was brought about; and certainly +there was then nothing ferocious in their conduct. Of bows and arrows not +the least indication was perceived, either at these islands or at Coen +River; and the spears were too heavy and clumsily made, to be dangerous +as offensive weapons: in the defensive, they might have some importance. + +It is worthy of remark, that the three natives seen at Horse-shoe Island +had lost the two upper front teeth; and Dampier, in speaking of the +inhabitants of the Northwest Coast, says, "the two front teeth of the +upper jaw are wanting in all of them, men and women, old and young." +Nothing of the kind was observed in the natives of the islands in Torres' +Strait, nor at Keppel, Hervey's, or Glass-house Bays, on the East Coast; +yet at Port Jackson, further south, it is the custom for the boys, on +arriving at the age of puberty, to have _one_ of the upper front teeth +knocked out, but no more; nor are the girls subjected to the same +operation. At Twofold Bay, still further south, no such custom prevails, +nor did I observe it at Port Phillip or King George's Sound, on the South +Coast; but at Van Diemen's Land it seems to be used partially, for M. +Labillardiere says (p. 320 of the London translation), "we observed some, +in whom one of the middle teeth of the upper jaw was wanting, and others +in whom both were gone. We could not learn the object of this custom; but +it is not general, for the greater part of the people had all their +teeth." The rite of circumcision, which seemed to have been practised +upon two of the three natives at Horse-shoe Island, and of which better +proofs were found in other parts of the Gulph of Carpentaria, is, I +believe, novel in the history of Terra Australis. + +On Sweers' Island, seven human skulls and many bones were found lying +together, near three extinguished fires; and a square piece of timber, +seven feet long, which was of teak wood, and according to the judgment of +the carpenter had been a quarter-deck carling of a ship, was thrown up on +the western beach. On Bentinck's Island I saw the stumps of at least +twenty trees, which had been felled with an axe, or some sharp instrument +of iron; and not far from the same place were scattered the broken +remains of an earthen jar. Putting these circumstances together, it +seemed probable that some ship from the East Indies had been wrecked +here, two or three years back--that part of the crew had been killed by +the Indians--and that the others had gone away, perhaps to the main land, +upon rafts constructed after the manner of the natives. This could be no +more than conjecture; but it seemed to be so supported by the facts, that +I felt anxious to trace the route of the unfortunate people, and to +relieve them from the distress and danger to which they must be exposed. + +The advantages to be obtained here by a ship are briefly these: shelter +against all winds in the Investigator's Road, wood for fuel, fresh water, +and a tolerable abundance of fish and turtle; for to anticipate a little +on the voyage, there are islands lying within reach of a boat from the +Road, where the turtle are not disturbed by the Indians. Should it ever +enter into the plan of an expedition, to penetrate into the interior of +Terra Australis from the head of the Gulph of Carpentaria, the +Investigator's Road is particularly well adapted for a ship during the +absence of the travellers: the season most favourable to their operations +would be in May, June, and July; but not so for the vessel, as the crew +would probably be unable to procure turtle at that time. For a similar +expedition from the opposite part of the South Coast, September, October, +and November would seem to be most proper. + +From the time of first arriving, to that of quitting Sweers' Island, the +range of the thermometer on board the ship was between 81 deg. and 90 deg., and +on shore it might be 5 deg. to 10 deg. higher in the day time; the weather was +consequently warm; but being alleviated by almost constant breezes either +from sea or land, it was seldom oppressive; and the insects were not very +troublesome. The mercury in the barometer ranged between 30.06 and 29.70 +It stood highest with the winds from the sea, between north-east and +north-west; and lowest when they blew gently off the land, between +south-east and south-west, but most so from the latter direction. On the +South Coast the winds from these points had produced a contrary effect: +the mercury there stood lowest when the northern winds blew, and highest +when they came from the southward; they coincided, however, so far, in +that the sea winds raised, and the land winds depressed the mercury, the +same as was observed at Port Jackson on the East Coast. + +The _latitude_ of Inspection Hill, from several single and two double +observations, was 17 deg. 8' 15" S. + +_Longitude_ from forty-two sets of lunar distances taken by lieutenant +Flinders, the particulars of which are given in Table III. of the +Appendix No. I. to this volume, 139 deg. 44' 52" E. + +The rates of the time keepers were deduced from morning's altitudes, +taken with a sextant and artificial horizon at the shore under Inspection +Hill, from Nov. 16 to 29; and the mean rates during this period, with the +errors from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the 30th, were as under: + + +Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 16' 29.51" and losing 14.74" per day. +Earnshaw's No. 520, slow 3h 52' 19.70" and losing 20.01" per day. + + +The longitude given by the time keepers, with the rates from Upper Head +in Broad Sound, on our arrival Nov. 16, was by + + +No. 543, 140 deg. 6' 35.2" east. +No. 520, 139 deg. 47' 42.2" east. + + +No. 520 therefore differed very little to the east of the lunar +observations, and the first day's rate was almost exactly the same as +that with which we had quitted Upper Head; whilst No. 543 differed +greatly, both in longitude and rate. A similar discordance had been +noticed at the Cumberland Island, marked _l2_, twenty days after leaving +Upper Head; No. 520 then differed only 1' 1.2" from the survey, but No. +543 erred 7' 2.2" to the east. I have therefore been induced to prefer +the longitude given by No. 520, to the mean of both time keepers; and +accordingly, the positions of places before mentioned or laid down in the +charts, between Upper Head and Sweers' Island, including Torres' Strait, +are from this time keeper alone; with such small correction equally +proportioned; as its error from the lunars, 2' 50.2" to the east in +fifty-two days, made necessary. + +No. 543 had undergone some revolution on the passage, but seemed at this +time to be going steadily; whereas No. 520, which had kept its rate so +well, now varied from 18.79" to 25.39", and ceased to be entitled to an +equal degree of confidence. + +Mean _dip_ of the south end of the needle, observed upon the west point +of Sweers' Island, 44 deg. 27'. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite in the same place, 4 deg. 7' E. + +_Variation_ of the surveying compass in the Road, 2 deg. 28' with the ship's +head E. N. E, and 4 deg. 30' with the head northward; the mean corrected to +the meridian, will be 4 deg. 31' E. + +In bearings taken on the east side of Bentinck's Island, the variation +appeared to be a full degree greater than on the west side of Sweers' +Island. + +The _tides_ in the Investigator's Road ran N. N. E. and S. S. W., as the +channel lies, and their greatest rate at the springs, was one mile and a +quarter per hour; they ran with regularity, but there was only one flood +and one ebb in the day. The principal part of the flood came from N. N. +E.; but according to lieutenant Fowler's remarks on shore, between the +23rd and 27th, it was high water three hours after the opposite tide had +set in; or about _three hours and a quarter before_ the moon came to the +meridian. At the Prince of Wales' Islands, and at Coen River, it had also +appeared that the tide from south-west made high water. The time here +happened between 81/2h and 111/2h at night, from the 23rd to the 27th; but +whether high water will always take place at night, as it did at King +George's Sound on the South Coast, I cannot be certain. About twelve feet +was the greatest rise, which I apprehend would be diminished to eight, at +the neap tides. + +CHAPTER VII. + +Departure from Sweers' Island. +South side of C. Van Diemen examined. +Anchorage at Bountiful Island: turtle and sharks there. +Land of C. Van Diemen proved to be an island. +Examination of the main coast to Cape Vanderlin. +That cape found to be one of a group of islands. +Examination of the islands; their soil, etc. +Monument of the natives. +Traces of former visitors to these parts. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +[NORTH COAST. WELLESLEY'S ISLANDS.] + +WEDNESDAY 1 DECEMBER 1802 + +(Atlas, Plate XIV.) + +On the 1st of December we got under way, and passed the reef at the +south-east end of Sweers' Island. I wished to run close along the north +side of this, and of Bentinck's Island, and get in with the main land to +the west; but the shoal water and dry banks lying off them presented so +much impediment, that we steered north-westward for land which came in +sight in that direction. At noon, the land was distant six or seven +miles, and appeared to be the inner part of that great projection of the +main, represented in the old chart under the name of _Cape Van Diemen_; +but the rocky nature of the shore and unevenness of the surface were so +different from the sandy uniformity of the continent, that I much doubted +of its connexion. Our situation at this time, and the bearings taken were +as under: + +Latitude, observed to the north and south, 16 deg. 48' 29" +Land of Cape Van Diemen, N. 70 deg. W. to 25 W. +A piece apparently separated, N. 18 W. to 11 E. +Bentinck's I., highest part at the north end, S. 15 E. + +A smoke was rising in the direction of Horse-shoe Island, but no land was +there visible. + +We had a light breeze at E. by N., and steered westward along the rocky +shore, at the distance of two or three miles, till five in the evening; +when the breeze having shifted to S. W., we tacked and came to an anchor +in 6 fathoms, mud and shells. The land was then distant three miles, and +extended from N. 61 deg. E. to a point with a clump of high trees on it, +which appeared to be the south-west extremity of the northern land and +bore N. 84 deg. W. Whether the space between it and the main near Allen's +Isle were the entrance of an inlet, or merely a separation of the two +lands, could not be distinguished; but the tide set W. by S., into the +opening, and there was a low island and many rocks in it. From an +amplitude at this anchorage, the variation was 3 deg. 16' east, corrected to +the meridian, nearly the same as at Allen's Isle, five leagues to the +south; and a full degree less than in the Investigator's Road. + +THURSDAY 2 DECEMBER 1802 + +At five next morning we steered for the opening, with light, variable +winds. On each side of the low island and rocks there seemed to be +passages leading into a large spread of water, like the sea; and our +course was directed for the northernmost, until the water shoaled to 21/2 +fathoms and we tacked to the southward. The south-west point of the +northern land then bore N. 74 deg. W. four miles, and the north end of +Allen's Isle was seen from the mast head, bearing S. 3 deg. W. five leagues; +but that part of the opening between them, not occupied by the main land, +seemed to be so choaked with rocks that there was little prospect of a +passage for the Investigator. This being the case, and the wind becoming +unfavourable to the search, we steered back eastward, along the shore; +and at eight in the evening, anchored near the furthest part yet seen in +that direction, in 61/2 fathoms sand and shells. + +FRIDAY 3 DECEMBER 1802 + +At daylight, the piece of hilly land before judged to be an island, and +which still appeared so, bore N. 86 deg. to 28 deg. W., two or three miles, with +some nearer rocks lying in front; the northern land extended from behind +it to N. 32 deg. E., and we followed its course at the distance of five, and +from that to two miles off shore. At noon we approached the eastern +extremity, and saw a small island two leagues further out, one of three +laid down in the old chart near Cape Van Diemen; it is thickly covered +with wood, principally of that softish, white kind, whence it obtained +the name of _Isle Pisonia_. Another and a larger island afterwards opened +from the cape; but this could not be one of the three, for it lies so +close, that Tasman, or whoever discovered these parts, would scarcely +have observed the separation; and in fact, the other two isles presently +came in sight to the southward, nearly in the situation assigned to them. +The wind being unfavourable to doubling the cape, we bore away for the +two islands; and soon after four o'clock, anchored on the south-east side +of the outermost, in 61/2 fathoms, good holding ground. + +Turtle tracks were distinguished on the beach as we rounded the +north-east point, and afforded us the pleasurable anticipation of some +fresh food. We had explored tropical coasts for several months, without +reaping any one of the advantages usually attending it, and been +frequently tantalized with the sight of turtle in the water, and of bones +and shells round the fire places on shore; but we now hoped to have found +a place where the Indians had not forestalled us, and to indemnify +ourselves for so many disappointments. + +In rowing to the Island, we carried 5 fathoms nearly close to the beach. +Several turtle were swimming about, and some perceived above high-water +mark, which we ran to secure, but found them dead, and rotten; they +appeared to have fallen on their backs in climbing up a steep part of the +beach, and not being able to right themselves, had miserably perished. I +walked the greater part of the length of the island; and from the highest +hillock set the eastern extreme of the island close to Cape Van Diemen, +at N. 343/4 deg. W., and Isle Pisonia from N. 223/4 deg. to 191/2 deg. W. + +During my absence from the boat, the impatient crew, not waiting for the +turtle to come on shore, had been attacking them in the water; and had +caught three large ones, and broken my harpoon. They had also been +scratching out some of the holes, of which the upper part of the sandy +beach was full; from one they filled a hat with turtles eggs, and from +another took a swarm of young ones, not broader than a crown piece, which +I found crawling in every part of the boat. It was then past sunset, and +numbers of turtle were collected, waiting only for our departure to take +the beach; I therefore hastened to the ship, and sent lieutenant Fowler +with a party of men, to remain all night and turn them. + +SATURDAY 4 DECEMBER 1802 + +Next morning, two boats went to bring off the officer and people with +what had been caught; but their success had been so great, that it was +necessary to hoist out the launch; and it took nearly the whole day to +get on board what the decks and holds could contain, without impediment +to the working of the ship. They were found by Mr. Brown to be nearly +similar to, but not exactly the true green turtle, and he thought might +be an undescribed species. We contrived to stow away forty-six, the least +of them weighing 250 lbs, and the average about 300; besides which, many +were re-turned on shore, and suffered to go away. + +This _Bountiful Island_, for so I termed it, is near three miles long, +and generally low and sandy; the highest parts are ridges of sand, +overspread with a long, creeping, coarse grass, which binds the sand +together, and preserves it from being blown away; grass of the common +kind grows in the lower parts, and in one place there were some bushes +and small trees. The basis consists partly of a streaked, ochrous earth, +and in part of sand, concreted with particles of iron ore. Nothing +bespoke this island to have been ever before visited, whence it is +probable that the natives of the neighbouring lands do not possess +canoes; for with them, the distance of four leagues from Cape Van Diemen +would not have been too great to be passed, though too far in a tide's +way for such rafts as I saw at Horse-shoe Island. + +A kind of bustard, with a very strong bill, and not larger than a hen, +was numerous at Bountiful Island; and appeared to subsist upon the young +turtle. The effect of instinct is admirable in all cases, and was very +striking in these little amphibious creatures. When scratched out from +their holes, they no sooner saw the day light than they made for the +water, and with speed, as if conscious that the bustards were watching +them; when placed in a direction from the sea, which was done for +experiment, they turned themselves and took the straightest course to the +water side. But it is not only in the bustards, nor on land alone, that +they have enemies to fear; tiger sharks were numerous. and so voracious, +that seven were hooked along-side the ship, measuring from five to nine +feet in length. These were ready to receive such of the little animals as +escape their first enemies; and even one of the full grown turtle had +lost a semi circular piece, equal to the tenth part of its bulk, which +had been bitten out of its side; and what seemed more extraordinary, the +shell had closed, and the place was healed up. Were it not for the +immense destruction made of these animals in the different stages of +their existence, and that food must in the end fail, their fecundity is +such, that all the tropical seas and shores would scarcely afford room +for them in a few years. The number of eggs found in the females, and +there were few, if any males amongst the forty-six taken here, usually +ran from four to seven hundred; and in one weighing 459 lbs, taken +earlier in the following season, the number of eggs counted was 1940, as +recorded in lieutenant Fowler's journal; but many were not bigger, some +not so large as peas. They seem to lay from twenty to a hundred eggs at +once, and this is done many times in the season; after which they go very +little on shore. In Terra Australis, the season appears to commence in +August, and to terminate in January or February. + +The _latitude_ of our anchorage, one mile from the south-east side of +Bountiful Island, was 16 deg. 41' south. Lieutenant Flinders observed six +sets of lunar distances, which gave 139 deg. 46' 18" east _longitude_; but +the time keeper No. 543 made it 141/2' east of Inspection Hill, or in 139 deg. +591/2'. The _variation_ of the compass, from azimuth and amplitude observed +with the ship's head in the magnetic meridian, was 3 deg. 46' east; and at my +station on shore, an amplitude with the theodolite gave 3 deg. 47' east. From +a little past ten in the morning to eleven at night, the _tide_ ran half +a mile an hour to the S. W., and N. E. during the remainder of the +twenty-four hours; the first, which seemed to be the flood, was only +three hours after the moon, above six hours earlier than in the +Investigator's Road; but the time of high water by the shore might be +very different: no greater rise than five feet was perceivable by the +lead line. + +SUNDAY 5 DECEMBER 1802 + +In the morning of the 5th, we quitted Bountiful Island to resume our +examination at Cape Van Diemen; and the weather being rainy, with thunder +and lightning, and the wind fresh at N. N. E., we passed round the +smaller island, two miles to the southwest, before hauling to the +northward. At ten o'clock, Cape Van Diemen was distant three miles, and +we tacked to the east; and from that time till evening, continued to work +up between the cape and a shoal lying two leagues from it to the E. S. E. +This shoal is a narrow ridge of sand, over which we had passed in going +to Bountiful Island; but there were now breakers upon a more southern +part. It seems to be formed by different sets of tide amongst the +islands, and to be steep to; for in passing over, the soundings had been +13, 4, 5, 7, 11 fathoms, almost as quick as the lead could be heaved. At +dusk the wind had gone down, and the anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms, +sand and shells, in the following situation. + + +C. Van Diemen, the S. E. extreme, dist. 3 miles, S. 75 deg. W. +The island close to it, N. 57 deg. to 21 W. +Isle Pisonia, distant 3 miles, N. 55 to 61 E. +Bountiful I., station on the green hillock, S. 40 E. + + +That part of Cape Van Diemen above set, is in latitude 16 deg. 32' south, and +longitude 139 deg. 491/2 east. + +The tide here set N. N. E. and S. S. W., between the island close to the +cape and Isle Pisonia; and at daylight [MONDAY 6 DECEMBER 1802] we +steered for the middle of the opening. On seeing breakers ahead, the +master was sent in the whale boat to sound, and we kept more westward, +after him. There were natives upon the island nearest to the land, who +seemed to wait in expectation of being visited; but our soundings +diminishing to 3 fathoms, and the master having still less, we stood out +and were followed by the boat. The wind was then at N. E.; and Isle +Pisonia being brought to bear N. W. at nine o'clock, we tacked and +weathered it nearly a mile, carrying from 9 to 13 fathoms water. Turtle +tracks were very distinguishable upon the beach, but these prognostics, +once so much desired, did not now interest us; however, on the wind +becoming so light that we could not weather some breakers whilst the lee +tide was running, the stream, anchor was dropped in 9 fathoms, and I went +to the island with the botanical gentlemen. + +More holes were scratched in the sand here by the turtle, than even upon +the island last quitted; and several of the poor animals were lying dead +on their backs. The isle is nothing more than a high sand bank upon a +basis of coral rock, which has become thickly covered with wood, and much +resembles several of the smaller isles in Torres' Strait. There was no +trace of former visitors, though it is not more than four miles from the +island where Indians had been seen in the morning; the tides probably run +too strong in a narrow, four-fathom channel, close to Isle Pisonia, to be +encountered by their rafts. + +TUESDAY 7 DECEMBER 1802 + +Next morning, the wind was at N. E.; and after weathering a reef which +runs out three miles from the island under Cape Van Diemen, we closed in +with the land, and steered westward along it with soundings from 9 to 4 +fathoms. A low head with white cliffs was passed at nine o'clock, and +proved to be the northernmost point of this land; beyond it the coast +extended W. by S., in a long sandy beach, and the country was better +clothed with trees than on the south side. At noon we came abreast of a +low woody point, with a shoal running off, where the coast took a +south-west direction; and our situation and bearings were then as under: + + +Latitude, observed to the north., 16 deg. 26' +Longitude, from time keeper and bearings, 139 25 +Cliffy north head of this land, N. 86 E. +Woody shoal point, distant two miles, S. 35 E. +Furthest southern extreme, S. 29 W. +Islet from the mast head, distant 3 leagues, North. + + +From one o'clock till four, we steered S. S. W. past three other small +cliffy projections; and I then saw the clump of high trees on the +south-west point of this land, bearing S. 31 deg. E. six miles, the same +which had been set five days before from the inner side. Our course was +continued, to get in with the main land; but in half an hour the depth +had diminished to 21/2 fathoms, and obliged us to haul out W. by N., close +to the wind. The low main coast was then in sight from the mast head to +the south-westward, and at dusk we anchored about three leagues off, in 5 +fathoms, sandy bottom. + +No doubt remained that the land of Cape Van Diemen was an island; for it +had been circumnavigated, with the exception of about three leagues, +which the rocks and shoal water made impracticable. Its extent is +considerable, being thirty-five miles long, and the circumference near +ninety, independently of the smaller sinuosities in the coast; I did not +land upon any part, but the surface appeared to be more rocky than sandy; +and judging from the bushes and trees with which it is mostly covered, +there must be some portion, though perhaps a small one, of vegetable +soil. In any other part of the world, this would be deemed low land; but +here, where even the tops of the trees on the main scarcely exceed a +ship's mast head in elevation, it must be called moderately high; for it +may in some parts, reach three hundred feet. Several smokes and some +natives were seen, and it is reasonable to suppose there are fixed +inhabitants, but their number is probably small. + +Had not the name of Van Diemen so often occurred in Terra Australis, as +to make confusion, I should have extended it from the cape to the whole +island; but such being the case, I have taken this opportunity of +indulging my gratitude to a nobleman of high character and consideration; +who, when governor-general of British India, humanely used his efforts to +relieve me from an imprisonment which was super-added to a shipwreck in +the sequel of the voyage. This large island is therefore distinguished by +the name of _Isle Mornington_; and to the whole of the group, now +discovered to exist at the head of the Gulph of Carpentaria, I have given +the appellation of WELLESLEY'S ISLANDS. + +WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER 1802 + +In the morning of the 8th, the wind was light from the southward, and +unfavourable for closing in with the main land; but a water spout brought +the wind up from north-east, and obliged us to double reef the top sails. +At noon the squalls had mostly passed over, and the shore, which then +extended from S. E. by S. to W. S. W., was distant five miles in the +nearest part; our latitude being then 16 deg. 421/2' south, and longitude 138 deg. +49' east. We continued to steer westward till five o'clock, at nearly the +same distance from the land, and in soundings between 5 and 3 fathoms; +the wind then drew forward, and the trending of the shore being W. N. W., +we could barely lie along it. At seven, tacked for deeper water; and in +half an hour anchored in 4 fathoms, sand and shells, the land being +distant five or six miles, and the furthest extreme from the mast head +bearing N. 70 deg. W. A meridian altitude of the star _Achernar_ gave the +latitude 16 deg. 39 2/3'; and from the sun's western amplitude the variation +was 4 deg. 10', with the ship's head N. W., or 2 deg. 37' east, corrected to the +meridian. + +The main land, from Wellesley's Islands to this anchorage, is of the same +description as that along which we had previously sailed a hundred and +ninety leagues, being a very low, woody country, fronted by a sandy +beach; there are some slight wavings in the shore, but so slight, that +not any part of it could be set twice. This tedious uniformity began, +however, to be somewhat broken; for a range of low hills was perceived at +three or four leagues inland, and the sinuosities of the shore were +becoming more distinguishable: two smokes were seen during the day. + +THURSDAY 9 DECEMBER 1802 + +Our progress next morning was very little, until the sea breeze set in; +and we were then obliged, from the more northern trending of the coast, +to keep up to the wind. The soundings varied between 6 and 3 fathoms; and +at five in the evening diminished rather suddenly to 21/2, on a rocky +bottom, two or three miles from the land. We then tacked, and worked to +windward till dark, when the anchor was dropped in 41/2 fathoms upon rocky +ground covered with mud; but as there was little wind and no sea, the +anchor held. The observed latitude here, from the moon, was 16 deg. 28', and +longitude by time keeper 138 deg. 61/2' east. + +During the night, the wind came as usual off the land; and in the morning +[FRIDAY 10 DECEMBER 1802] we lay up N. by W., nearly parallel to the then +direction of the coast. At ten, the sea breeze set in at N. by W.; and +from that time until evening we worked to windward, tacking from the +shore when the depth diminished to 21/2 fathoms, and stretching in again +when it increased to 6; the distances from the land being in miles, as +nearly as might be what the depth was in fathoms, a coincidence which had +been observed in some parts on the east side of the Gulph. At sunset, a +hillock upon a projecting point bore N. 73 deg. W. four miles, and behind it +was a small opening which answered in situation to the _River Van Alphen_ +of the old chart; our last tack was then made from the shore; and at dusk +we anchored in 4 fathoms, coarse sand and gravel. Variation from +amplitude, with the head W. by N., 4 deg. 45', or corrected to the meridian, +2 deg. 38' east, nearly as on the 8th. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER 1802 + +At daylight, we steered northward with a land wind; and when the sea +breeze came, stretched W. S. W. towards the shore. + +At noon, + + +Latitude observed, 16 deg. 111/2' +Longitude by time keeper, 137 53 +The extremes of the land bore S. 21 deg. E. to 89 W. +Nearest part, dist. 3 miles, S. 35 W. +Small opening, supposed R. Van Alphen, S. 3 W. + + +This opening may be half a mile in width, but a dry sand runs across from +the west side, and left no prospect of its being accessible to the ship; +the shoal water, indeed, extended further out than usual, being caused, +probably, by a deposit of sand from the inlet. The range of low hills, +before mentioned as running behind the coast, was still perceived; but in +front, the country was low as before, and somewhat less covered with +wood. + +The direction of the coast, which had been from north to north-west the +day before, was now again W. N. W.; and after making a tack at noon, in 3 +fathoms, and stretching off for an hour, we lay along it till near eight +o'clock. At that time the depth diminished from 31/2, suddenly to 21/2 +fathoms; and before the helm was put down the ship touched upon a rock, +and hung abaft. By keeping the sails full she went off into 3 fathoms, +but in five minutes hung upon another rock; and the water being more +shallow further on, the head sails were now laid aback. On swinging off, +I filled to stretch out by the way we had come; and after another slight +touch of the keel we got into deep water, and anchored in 4 fathoms, on a +bottom of blue mud. The bad state of the ship would have made our +situation amongst these rocks very alarming, had we not cleared them so +quickly; but the water was very smooth at this time, and it could not be +perceived that any injury had been sustained. + +Our distance here from the shore was three miles. It is very low and +broken, with many dry rocks and banks lying near it; and in the space of +seven or eight miles we had counted five small openings, and behind them +some lagoons were perceived from the mast head. _The Abel Tasman's River_ +of the old chart is marked in about this situation; and however little +these shallow openings and salt lagoons resemble a river, there is no +other place to which the name could have been applied. + +I was preparing to take altitudes of the star _Rigel_, to ascertain our +longitude at this anchorage, when it was found that the time keepers had +stopped, my assistant having forgotten to wind them up at noon. In the +morning [SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER 1802] they were set forward, and altitudes of +the sun taken to find their errors from the time under this meridian. The +moon and planet Mars had been observed in the night, from which, and the +noon's observation following, the latitude of the anchorage was +ascertained to be 16 deg. 71/2'; and a projection on the west side of the R. +Van Alphen, which had been the nearest shore at the preceding noon, was +now set at S. 641/2 deg. E. From these _data_ and from the log, I ascertained +the difference of longitude, from half past ten in the morning of the +11th, when the last observations for the time keepers had been taken, to +be 20' 18"; and that this anchorage was in 137 deg. 37' 18" east. The errors +from mean Greenwich time were thence obtained; and they were carried on +as before, with the rates found at Sweers' Island, which it was to be +presumed, had undergone no alteration from the letting down, since none +had been caused by former accidents of the same kind. An amplitude taken +when the ship's head was W. N. W., gave variation 3 deg. 46', or 1 deg. 47' east, +corrected to the meridian; being nearly a degree less than on the east +side of the River Van Alphen, when the land lay to the west of the ship. + +Soon after seven o'clock the anchor was weighed; and the breeze being at +N. W., we stretched off till noon, when the observed latitude from both +sides was 16 deg. 2' 11", and the land was nine or ten miles distant; but the +only part visible from the deck was the range of low hills, two or three +leagues behind the shore. We then tacked to the westward, and kept +closing in with the coast until sunset; at which time the corrected +variation was 1 deg. 47' east, as on the preceding evening, and the following +bearings were taken. + + +Eastern extreme of the shore S. 31 deg. E. +Small opening, dist. 4 or 5 miles, S. 54 W. +Western extreme of the main, a sandy head, N. 75 W. + + +Beyond the head, much higher land than any we had passed in the gulph was +seen from aloft as far as N. W. by N. This I expected was the Cape +Vanderlin of the old chart; and if so, there ought to be a large double +bay between it and the sandy head; and in fact, no land was visible there +in a space of two points. + +Our course along the shore was prolonged till dusk, when we tacked in 31/2 +fathoms; and on getting 41/2, came to an anchor upon fine sandy ground. In +the morning [MONDAY 13 DECEMBER 1802], the wind was light from the +south-westward, and little progress was made until the sea breeze set in. +At noon, our situation was in + + +Latitude, observed to the north avid south, 15 deg. 50' 31" +Longitude by time keeper, 137 191/2 +West extreme of the sandy head, dist. 7 miles, S. 24 W. +Land of Cape Vanderlin, N. 28 deg. to S. 88 W. +Land of Cape Vanderlin, highest part, N. 56 W. +Land of Cape Vanderlin, sandy east point, dist. 6 miles, N. 47 W. +Low islet off the south end., S. 771/2 to S. 85 W. + + +Many rocks are scattered along the east side of this land; some of them +are steep, and one, which we approached within a mile soon after one +o'clock, resembled the crown of a hat. The whale boat was then sent +towards the opening, and we bore away S. W. by S. after her; but the +water shoaling fast, and looking worse ahead, we hauled out close to the +wind, and worked northward; anchoring at dusk, two or three miles from +the east point of the northern land, in 6 fathoms, coarse sand and +shells. + +The main coast on the south side of the opening had been seen extending +W. N. W., two or three leagues from the sandy head; it was low as ever, +and there was no appearance of the northern land, which was hilly and +rocky, being connected with it; and I therefore called the separated +piece _Vanderlin's Island_. Having no prospect of being able to get the +ship up the opening, we proceeded northward next morning [TUESDAY 14 +DECEMBER 1802], along the east side of the island; but the wind being +directly contrary, it was sunset before the outermost of the scattered +rocks could be weathered; soon afterward the anchor was dropped in 6 +fathoms, one mile and a quarter from the north-east point, and something +more from the outer rocks which bore S. 63 deg. E. The north point of the +island, which is the true Cape Vanderlin, bore N. 71 deg. W., and was distant +three or four miles: its utmost extremity lies in 15 deg. 341/2' south, and +137 deg. 81/2' east. + +Some Indians had been seen tracking a canoe or raft, along the east side, +and a body of thirty-five of them had been there collected, looking at +the ship. This comparatively numerous population, and the prospect there +was of this island proving more than usually interesting to the +naturalists, made me desirous of finding a secure anchorage near it; and +in the morning [WEDNESDAY 15 DECEMBER 1802] we landed at the north-east +point, which is a peninsula joined to the island by a low sandy neck, and +has three hummocks upon it, near the extremity. From the highest of these +hummocks, I set two small islands in the offing, to the north-west, where +two are laid down in the old chart; and saw more land to the west of Cape +Vanderlin, apparently a large and distinct island. The water between them +was extensive; and as it promised to afford good shelter, we returned on +board after a short examination, in order to work the ship into it. + +A hard, close-grained sand stone forms the basis of the north-east point +of Vanderlin's Island; but the hummocks and the upper rocks are +calcareous, similar to Inspection Hill at the head of the Gulph. The soil +is very sandy, and poorly clothed with vegetation; though in the more +central parts of the island the hills seemed to be moderately well +covered with wood. There were foot marks of men, dogs, and kangaroos, and +tracks of turtle near the shore; but none of the men, nor of the animals, +were seen. + +We got under way soon after ten o'clock with a breeze from the +north-westward, and were obliged to make a long stretch to sea before +Cape Vanderlin could be weathered. Towards evening we came in with a +small reef, lying N. 40 deg. E. two-and-half miles from the extremity of the +cape; and this, with the lateness of the hour, making it hazardous to run +into the new opening, we anchored at dusk, under the easternmost of the +two small islands in the offing, in 6 fathoms, coral sand and rock. The +white beach here seemed to be so favourable a situation for turtle, that +an officer with a party of men was sent on shore to watch them; but he +returned immediately, on finding the beach to be not sand, but pieces of +coral bleached white by the sun, which bore no traces of turtle. + +[NORTH COAST. PELLEW'S GROUP.] + +THURSDAY 16 DECEMBER 1802 + + +I landed early in the morning, with the botanical gentlemen, to take +bearings; and amongst them set the craggy north end of the western +island., which I call _Cape Pellew_, at S. 87 deg. W., distant three or four +miles. It lies in latitude 16 deg. 301/2', longitude 137 deg. 2', and there is a +rock lying half a mile off to the N. E.; indeed these two small isles and +another rock may be considered as also lying off, and appertaining to it. +The basis of the easternmost and largest isle was found to be the same +close-grained sand stone as at Vanderlin's Island; but the surface +consisted of loose pieces of coral, with a slight intermixture of +vegetable soil, producing a few shrubs and small bushes: there were no +traces either of men or turtle. + +On our return to the ship, we steered for the opening between the Capes +Vanderlin and Pellew; the wind was from the north-westward, and this +being now the most settled quarter for it, we anchored under the western +island, in 41/2 fathoms soft bottom, half a mile from the shore; with the +extremes bearing N. 25 deg. E. one mile, and S. 23 deg. W. two miles. An outer +rocky islet near Cape Vanderlin bore N. 70 deg. E., and a small island within +half a mile of the ship covered five points in the south-eastern quarter; +to the south there was very little land visible, but no sea was to be +feared from that side; and the sole direction in which we were not +sheltered, was between N. N. E. and E. N. E. + +The botanical gentlemen landed abreast of the ship, and lieutenant +Flinders went to commence a series of observations for the rates of the +time keepers on the small isle, thence called _Observation Island_. My +attention was attracted by a cove in the western shore, upon the borders +of which, more abundantly than elsewhere, grew a small kind of cabbage +palm, from whence it was called _Cabbage-tree Cove_. This presented the +appearance of a complete little harbour; and supposing it to afford fresh +water, was just such a place as I wished for the ship, during the time +necessary for making an examination of the islands in my whale boat. I +found the cove to run near two miles into the island, and there was a +small rill at the head; but unfortunately, the depth at the entrance was +insufficient for the ship, being no more than 2 fathoms, and in the upper +part it was too shallow even for a boat. + +FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER 1802 + +In the morning, a party of men was sent to cut wood at the nearest shore; +and there being a sort of beach, uncovered at low tide, the seine was +hauled there with some success. A small drain of fresh water ran behind +the mangroves at the back of the beach, and by cutting a rolling way to +it, our empty casks, it was thought, might be filled; but I hoped to find +a better place, and went away in the boat, as well with that object in +view as to carry on the survey. + +From the furthest part of the western island visible from the ship, I +found the shore trending S. 73 deg. W., to a point where there was an opening +out to the westward, of a mile and a half wide and of considerable depth. +About three leagues up the opening were two craggy islands; and beyond +them was more extensive land, which proved to be an island also, and from +its situation in this group was called _West Island_. The island whose +north end is Cape Pellew, and whose southern extremity I had now reached, +was called _North Island_; and the land opposite to me, which formed the +south side of the opening and seemed to be extensive, is marked with the +name of _Centre Island_ in the chart. These lands are moderately high, +and seemed to form several coves and small inlets, with promise of runs +of fresh water; but the weather was too unfavourable to make much +examination at this time, and after taking bearings from the south and +south-east points of North Island, I returned on board. + +SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER 1802 + +The wooding of the ship was carried on next day; and although the weather +remained squally, with frequent heavy rain, some further bearings were +obtained, and observations taken for the time keepers. In the morning of +the 19th [SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER 1802], the weather cleared, and I took the +ship over to Cape Vanderlin; both for the convenience of the survey, and +to give the botanical gentlemen a better opportunity of examining that +island, which appeared to be the most interesting, as it was the largest +of the group. Besides three rocky islets, lying off the west side of the +cape, there is a small island one mile to the south-west, and I sought to +anchor behind it; but being prevented by a shoal which extends southward +from the island, the anchor was dropped half a mile without side, in 41/2 +fathoms, muddy ground. + +After the latitude had been observed, and bearings taken from the island, +we crossed over in the boat to Cape Vanderlin. There was a depth of 4 to +7 fathoms between them, with a passage leading in from the north, and a +ship would lie here in perfect safety during the south-east monsoon; but +with the present north-west winds and squally weather, this otherwise +good anchorage was not equal to the place we had quitted. The highest +parts of Cape Vanderlin are hillocks of almost bare sand; on the isthmus +behind it were many shrubs and bushes, and amongst the latter was found a +wild nutmeg, in tolerable abundance. The fruit was small, and not ripe; +but the mace and the nut had a hot, spicy taste. + +There was no appearance of fresh water here, nor was the ship in a +situation safe to remain all night; so soon, therefore, as my bearings +were taken from the top of Cape Vanderlin, we returned on board, and +steered for the opening between North and Centre Islands. At dusk, the +anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms, muddy ground, a little within the +opening; where we had land at different distances all round, with the +exception of one point to the W. N. W. + +TUESDAY 21 DECEMBER 1802 + +During the two days we remained here, I examined a shallow bay on the +east side of Centre Island, and went to the westward as far as the Craggy +Isles, taking bearings from various stations. Several rills of fresh +water were found at the heads of little coves, but the depth was not +sufficient for the ship to get near any of them; and therefore we +returned to our first anchorage near Cabbage-tree Cove [WEDNESDAY 22 +DECEMBER 1802], to cut through the mangroves and get the holds completed +with water at the small run there. This duty I left to the care of the +first lieutenant, and the rates of the time keepers to be continued by +the second; and went away the same afternoon in my boat, upon an +excursion of four days, accompanied by Mr. Westall, the landscape +painter. + +The soundings we had in steering for the west point of Vanderlin's Island +and southward along the shore, will be best known from the particular +plan of this group. Bearings were taken at two chosen stations; and we +stopped in the evening, at the furthest of two small isles near the +south-west side of the island, to pass the night without disturbance from +the Indians. It then rained and blew hard, with thunder and lightning, +and the soil being sandy and destitute of wood to break off the wind, it +was with difficulty the tent could be secured; the islet had been +visited, and we found the remains of more than one turtle feast. Amongst +the bearings set from hence was a projecting part of the low main land, +at S. 191/2 deg. W. six or seven miles, and it was the furthest visible. + +THURSDAY 23 DECEMBER 1802 + +We had more moderate weather in the morning, and went on towards the +south point of Vanderlin's Island; but stopped two or three miles short +of it, at a station whence the south point and the low islet lying off +were visible, as also was the sandy head set from the ship on the 12th +and 13th; and from the bearings of these objects my survey round +Vanderlin's Island became connected. A part of the sandy main coast was +distant not more than four miles to the S. S. W., whence it extended as +far as S. 62 deg. W.; the water appeared to be too shallow for a ship to pass +between it and the island. + +A fresh wind from the north-west prevented me from going any further to +leeward; and it was with much difficulty that we rowed back to the isle +where we had passed the night. Strong squalls again came on towards +evening, and the larger isle, lying a mile to the north-west, was chosen +for our night's residence, on account of its affording some shelter; but +the lightning was so violent and close to us, that I feared to place the +tent near the trees. and was surprised in the morning, not to see half of +them shivered to pieces: the rain fell in torrents, during a part of the +night. + +FRIDAY 24 DECEMBER 1802 + +Next morning the weather was better, but the wind still adverse to my +project of going over to the south end of Centre Island; by noon, +however, we reached a low islet half way across. where I observed the +latitude 15 deg. 42 deg. 47", and took a set of bearings very useful to the +survey; and we afterwards made an attempt to get over, and succeeded. A +rocky hillock on the south-east point of Centre Island, was my next +station; and from thence we proceeded westward along the south side, to a +low islet near the south-west point, for the purpose of landing, the sun +being then set; but the islet proving to be a mere mud bank covered with +mangroves, we rowed onward to the large South-west Island, in very +shallow water; and there passed a night which, happily for the fatigued +boat's crew, turned out fine. + +SATURDAY 25 DECEMBER 1802 + +I took azimuths and some bearings in the morning, and we then proceeded +northward through a small passage between the Centre and South-west +Islands; there was 5 fathoms in the very narrow part, but no deep water +within; and without side, it was also very shoal for two or three miles. +Near the north-west point of Centre Island lies an islet and two rocks, +and from the cliffy north end of the islet another set of bearings was +taken; after which we steered eastward, sounding along the north side of +Centre Island. It was noon when we reached the north-east point, and I +observed the latitude 15 deg. 39' 35" upon the south-east end of a rocky +islet there, and took more bearings from the top; and in the afternoon, +we reached the ship. + +Very little has been said upon the islands or their productions, or upon +the various traces of native inhabitants and of former visitors found in +this, and in former boat excursions; the observations on these heads +being intended for the general and conclusive remarks upon this group. +These are now to be given; for the wooding and watering were completed on +the day after my return [SUNDAY 26 DECEMBER 1802], and the ship was then +ready to proceed in the examination of the Gulph. + +In the old Dutch chart, Cape Vanderlin is represented to be a great +projection from the main land, and the outer ends of North and West +Islands to be smaller points of it. There are two indents or bights +marked between the points, which may correspond to the openings between +the islands; but I find difficulty in pointing out which are the four +small isles laid down to the west of Cape Vanderlin; neither does the +line of the coast, which is nearly W. S. W. in the old chart, correspond +with that of the outer ends of the islands, and yet there is enough of +similitude in the whole to show the identity. Whether any change have +taken place in these shores, and made islands of what were parts of the +main land a century and a half before--or whether the Dutch discoverer +made a distant and cursory examination, and brought conjecture to aid him +in the construction of a chart, as was too much the practice of that +time--it is perhaps not now possible to ascertain; but I conceive that +the great alteration produced in the geography of these parts by our +survey, gives authority to apply a name which, without prejudice to the +original one, should mark the nation by which the survey was made; and in +compliment to a distinguished officer of the British navy, whose earnest +endeavours to relieve me from oppression in a subsequent part of the +voyage demand my gratitude I have called this cluster of islands SIR +EDWARD PELLEW'S GROUP. + +The space occupied by these islands is thirty-four miles east and west, +by twenty-two miles of latitude; and the five principal islands are from +seven to seventeen miles in length. The stone which seems to form the +basis of the group is a hard, close-grained sand stone, with a small +admixture of quartz, and in one or two instances it was slightly +impregnated with iron; calcareous, or coral rock was sometimes found at +the upper parts, but the hard sand stone was more common. Where the +surface is not bare rock, it consists of sand, with a greater or less +proportion of vegetable soil, but in no case did I see any near approach +to fertility; yet all the larger islands, and more especially the western +side of Vanderlin's, are tolerably well covered with trees and bushes, +and in some low places there is grass. + +As in most other parts of Terra Australis, the common trees here are +various species of the _eucalyptus_, mostly different from, and smaller +than those of the East and South Coasts. The cabbage palm, a new genus +named by Mr. Brown _Livistona inermis_, is abundant; but the cabbage is +too small to be an interesting article of food to a ship's company; of +the young leaves, drawn into slips and dried, the seamen made handsome +light hats, excellent for warm weather. The nutmeg was found principally +on Vanderlin's Island, growing upon a large spreading bush; but the fruit +being unripe, no accurate judgment could be formed of its quality. +Amongst the variety of other plants discovered by the naturalist, were +two shrubs belonging to the genus _Santalum_, of which the sandel wood, +used as a perfume in the East, is also one; but this affinity to so +valuable a tree being not known at the time, from the description of the +genus being imperfect, no examination was made of it with that object in +view. + +All the larger islands seem to possess the kangaroo; for though none were +seen, their foot marks were perceptible in most of the sandy places where +I landed: the species seemed to be small. In the woods were hawks, +pigeons of two kinds, and some bustards; and on the shore were seen a +pretty kind of duck and the usual sea fowl. Turtle tracks were observed +on most of the beaches, but more especially on the smaller islands, where +remains of turtle feasts were generally found. + +There were traces of Indians on all the islands, both large and small, +but the latter are visited only at times; these people seemed to be +equally desirous of avoiding communication with strangers, as those of +Wellesley's Islands, for we saw them only once at a distance, from the +ship. Two canoes found on the shore of North Island were formed of slips +of bark, like planks, sewed together, the edge of one slip overlaying +another, as in our clincher-built boats; their breadth was about two +feet, but they were too much broken for the length to be known. I cannot +be certain that these canoes were the fabrication of the natives, for +there were some things near them which appertained, without doubt, to +another people, and their construction was much superior to that on any +part of Terra Australis hitherto discovered; but their substance of bark +spoke in the affirmative. The same degree of doubt was attached to a +small monument found on the same island. Under a shed of bark were set up +two cylindrical pieces of stone, about eighteen inches long; which seemed +to have been taken from the shore, where they had been made smooth from +rolling in the surf, and formed into a shape something like a nine pin. +Round each of them were drawn two black circles, one towards each end; +and between them were four oval black patches, at equal distances round +the stone, made apparently with charcoal. The spaces between the oval +marks were covered with white down and feathers, stuck on with the yolk +of a turtle's egg, as I judged by the gluten and by the shell lying near +the place. Of the intention in setting up these stones under a shed, no +person could form a reasonable conjecture; the first idea was, that it +had some relation to the dead, and we dug underneath to satisfy our +curiosity; but nothing was found. This simple monument is represented in +the annexed plate, with two of the ducks near it: the land in the back +ground is Vanderlin's Island. + +Indications of some foreign people having visited this group were almost +as numerous, and as widely extended as those left by the natives. Besides +pieces of earthen jars and trees cut with axes, we found remnants of +bamboo lattice work, palm leaves sewed with cotton thread into the form +of such hats as are worn by the Chinese, and the remains of blue cotton +trousers, of the fashion called moormans. A wooden anchor of one fluke, +and three boats rudders of violet wood were also found; but what puzzled +me most was a collection of stones piled together in a line, resembling a +low wall, with short lines running perpendicularly at the back, dividing +the space behind into compartments. In each of these were the remains of +a charcoal fire, and all the wood near at hand, had been cut down. Mr. +Brown saw on another island a similar construction, with not less than +thirty-six partitions, over which was laid a rude piece of frame work; +and the neighbouring mangroves, to the extent of an acre and a half, had +been cut down. It was evident that these people were Asiatics, but of +what particular nation, or what their business here, could not be +ascertained; I suspected them, however, to be Chinese, and that the +nutmegs might possibly be their object. From the traces amongst +Wellesley's Islands, they had been conjectured to be shipwrecked people; +but that opinion did not now appear to be correct. + +The barometer stood here from 29.96 to 29.62 inches, being highest with +the winds at north-east, and lowest with those from the southward; in the +heavy squalls of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning from the north-west, +the mercury stood at a medium elevation. On board the ship, the average +standard of the thermometer was nearly 85 deg.. On shore it was hotter, yet +the musketoes were not very troublesome; but the common black flies, from +their extraordinary numbers and their impudence, were scarcely less +annoying than musketoes; they get into the mouth and nose, and settle +upon the face or any other part of the body, with as much unconcern as +they would alight on a gum tree; nor are they driven away easily. This +was the case on shore, and on board the ship whilst lying at anchor, and +for a day or two afterwards; but the society of man wrought a change in +the manners even of these little animals. They soon became more cautious, +went off when a hand was lifted up, and in three or four days after +quitting the land, behaved themselves orderly, like other flies; and +though still numerous on board, they gave little molestation. Dampier +found these insects equally troublesome on the North-west Coast; for he +says (Vol. I. p. 464), speaking of the natives, "Their eye-lids are +always half closed, to keep the flies out of their eyes; they being so +troublesome here, that no fanning will keep them from coming to one's +face; and without the assistance of both hands to keep them off, they +will creep into one's nostrils, and mouth too, if the lips are not shut +very close." + +Sir Edward Pellew's Group, as will be seen by a reference to the plan, +affords numerous anchorages against both the south-east and north-west +monsoon; but unless it should be within the two small isles near the +south-west side of Vanderlin's Island, where the depth was not well +ascertained, there is not a single harbour, the different bays and coves +being too shallow to admit a ship. Wood for fuel is easy to be procured; +and water may be had in December, and probably as late as April or May, +but I think not afterwards. The most accessible watering place we could +find, was at the back of the mangroves near our principal anchorage, +within the east point of North Island, where, with some trouble, our +casks were filled; and at a beach there, left dry at low water, the seine +was hauled with some success. At Vanderlin's Island there are many +beaches fit for the seine; and indeed it seemed superior to the other +islands as well for this, as for every other purpose, when a ship can lie +there; it is also the most frequented by the Indians, and may probably +have fixed inhabitants. + +The _latitude_ of Observation Island, from two meridian altitudes to the +north and south, is 15 deg. 36' 46" S. + +_Longitude_ from six sets of distances of the sun east of the moon, given +in Table IV. of Appendix No. 1, 137 deg. 6' 42"; but by the time keeper No. +543 corrected, it is preferably 137 deg. 3' 15" E. + +The rates of the time keepers were found from afternoon's altitudes in an +artificial horizon, between the 16th and 26th; and the means, with their +errors from mean Greenwich time, at noon there on the last day of +observation, were as under: + +Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 29' 11.17" and losing 14.93" per day +Earnshaw's No. 520, slow 4h 11' 37.59" and losing 28.25" per day + +This rate of No. 543 is only 0.19" more than that found at Sweers' +Island, and so far as the six sets of lunars may be relied on, the +longitude by this time keeper was not far from the truth; the letting +down on the passage therefore did not seem to have produced any +change; but in No. 520, the rate is more than 8" greater, and the +longitude was getting 11/2' per day too much to the east, as well before as +after it was let down. The coast from Sweers' to Observation Island is +consequently laid down by No. 543, with the small accelerating correction +arising from the 0.19" increase of rate in 16.4 days. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite, observed on the east side of South-west +Island, 2 deg. 22' east. + +In the bearings taken at different parts within the group, the variation +seemed to differ from 2 deg. 30' to l deg. 30'. The largest variations were on +the east sides of the islands, and the smallest on the west sides; +seeming to show an attraction of the land upon the south end of the +needle. On board the ship, when coasting along the east side of +Vanderlin's Island, and the whole group lay to the west, the variation +appeared from the bearings to be as much as 4 deg. east. + +The best observation made on the _tide_, was on the 23rd, during my boat +excursion to the south end of Vanderlin's Island. On that morning the +moon passed over the meridian at sixteen minutes past ten, and the +perpendicular movements of the tide were as follows. At seven o'clock, +when I left the shore, the tide was falling; on landing at nine it was +stationary, and appeared to be low water; at noon it rose fast, and at +three was still rising, and continued so to do, but slowly, until seven +in the evening, The tide then began to fall; but after subsiding one +foot, it rose again until ten o'clock, and had then attained its greatest +height. Low water took place therefore about an hour before, and high +water at _eleven hours and a quarter after_ the moon passed the meridian: +the rise appeared to be from four to seven feet. At Wellesley's Islands +high water had taken place an hour and a half earlier, which seems +extraordinary, if, as it necessarily must, the flood come from the +northward. I think it very probable, that the tide in both places will +follow what was observed in King George's Sound on the South Coast; where +high water, after becoming gradually later till midnight, happened on the +following day before seven in the evening, and then later as before. + +The break of three hours in the tide here, is somewhat remarkable: it was +not observed amongst Wellesley's Islands, where the tide ran twelve hours +each way; but was found to increase as we proceeded west and northward +until it became six hours, and the tides assumed the usual course. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Departure from Sir Edward Pellew's Group. +Coast from thence westward. +Cape Maria found to be an island. +Limmen's Bight. Coast northward to Cape Barrow: landing on it. +Circumnavigation of Groote Eylandt. +Specimens of native art at Chasm Island. +Anchorage in North-west Bay, Groote Eylandt; +with remarks and nautical observations. +Blue-mud Bay. Skirmish with the natives. +Cape Shield. +Mount Grindall. +Coast to Caledon Bay. +Occurrences in that bay, with remarks on the country and inhabitants. +Astronomical and nautical observations. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +MONDAY 27 DECEMBER 1802 + +(Atlas, Plate XIV.) + +At daylight of Dec. 27, we got under way from Pellew's Group; and passing +between the small isles near Cape Pellew, stretched off to sea with a +fresh breeze at W. N. W. At noon the cape bore S. 26 deg. W. four leagues, +and towards evening we weathered it, having 10 fathoms water at the +distance of five miles; the soundings afterwards diminished gradually to +41/2 fathoms, at two miles from West Island, where the anchor was dropped +on a muddy bottom, for the night. Next morning [TUESDAY 28 DECEMBER +1802], the wind being still at north-west, we again stretched out to sea; +and at noon, when the latitude was 15 deg. 24', Cape Pellew bore S. 60 deg. E. +four leagues. We were then standing south-westward; and at three o'clock, +West Isle bore from S. 74 deg. E. to about South, the last extreme being +hidden by an islet and rock distant two-and-half miles. The main coast +was in sight to the south and westward, and we stood for it until six; +the ship was then tacked to the north-east, in 3 fathoms, the shore being +three miles off, and extending from behind West Island to N. 36 deg. W. It +was low, mostly sandy, and covered with wood behind the beaches; and +except that some places on the shore were rocky, it altogether resembled +the more eastern parts of the gulph. At dusk, the anchor was let go in 6 +fathoms, mud and shells. + +WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 1802 + +A small reef was seen in the morning, two miles to the north-east of the +ship, and about seven from the coast. We passed half a mile to windward +of it with 31/2 fathoms, and stretched off to sea until noon, with the +usual north-western wind; the latitude was then 15 deg. 7', longitude 135 deg. +40', and we tacked towards the land, which was not in sight from the mast +head. At six in the evening it was distant two leagues, and the extremes +bore S. 26 deg. E. to 74 deg. W., the first being the same part which had been +set at N. 36 deg. W., the evening before. At seven, we tacked from the shore +in 31/2 fathoms, and on the water deepening to 4, anchored on coarse sandy +ground. In working along the shore next day [THURSDAY 30 DECEMBER 1802], +we met with a shoal of sand and rocks., as far as three leagues off the +land; the outer part, upon which we had less than 21/2 fathoms at noon, +lying in 15 deg. 13' south and 136 deg. 16' east. After getting clear of this +danger, we stretched off until dusk; and then anchored in 9 fathoms, grey +sand, some back hills being visible in the S. W. by W., but no part of +the low shore. + +FRIDAY 31 DECEMBER 1802 + +We had the wind at W. by S. in the morning, and stood off until noon, +nine or ten leagues from the coast; two small lumps of land were then +seen, bearing S. 53 deg. and 58 deg. W., and at the mast head they were perceived +to join, and apparently to form an island. On the wind veering to the +south and eastward we steered for it, and before sunset got to an anchor +in a small bay on its south side, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of the +island bearing N. 81 deg. E. one mile and a half, to S. 83 deg. W. three miles. +The main land was visible three or four leagues to the southward, and a +projecting part of the back hills, which at first made like a head land, +bore S. 3 deg. W. + +A similar error to that at the Capes Van Diemen and Vanderlin has been +made here in the Dutch chart, this island being represented as a +projection of the main land, and called Cape Maria. To the west of it is +marked a large bay or bight, called Limmen's Bogt, where the coast turns +north-eastward to a projecting cape without name, which has a shoal, +forty miles in length, running out from it; and between this shoal and +Cape Maria, is laid down a small island. In these particulars, the old +chart was found to be correct as to the general matter of fact, but +erroneous in the forms and positions. + +SATURDAY 1 JANUARY 1803 + +Fires were seen at night, upon the island; and early in the morning I +landed with the botanical gentlemen, to examine the productions and take +bearings. My attention was attracted by something like a native's hut, +which proved to be an ant hill composed of red earth, about eight feet +high, and formed like a haycock; the inhabitants were the same feeble +race of insect as before seen at the Prince of Wales' Islands, and the +least pressure was sufficient to crush them. From the highest hill on the +south side of the island, I set the furthest visible extremity of the +main land to the eastward, near which is a low islet, at S. 21 deg. 50' E.; +from thence it extended past the projecting part of the hills to N. 80 deg. +W., where it was lost in Limmen's Bight; but re-appearing 16 deg. further +north, it was distinguishable to N. 33 deg. W. + +The length of the island is about seven miles, N. E. and S. W., by a +variable breadth from one to four miles; and its northern extremity, to +which I continue the name of _Cape Maria_, lies in 14 deg. 50' south, and +135 deg. 531/2' east. A slaty rock seemed to form its basis; the surface is +hilly, well covered with wood, and grass grows up from amongst the loose +stones; and notwithstanding its barren soil, the appearance from the ship +was green and pleasant. That men were upon the island was shown by the +fires, and it was corroborated by the fresh prints of feet upon the sand; +but they eluded our search, and we did not find either canoes or +habitations. + +On returning to the ship at nine o'clock, we stretched southward for the +main coast, with the wind at west. When within five or six miles, the +water shoaled to 31/2 fathoms; and the ship being found to drift to leeward +with the tide, a stream anchor was dropped. There seemed to be two tides +here in the day, setting nearly east and west, but the rise and fall were +so imperceptible by the lead, that it could not be known which was the +flood. + +The west wind died away at noon, and being succeeded by a sea breeze from +the north-eastward, we steered for Limmen's Bight so long as it lasted; +and then anchored in 4 fathoms, blue mud, with the island of Cape Maria +bearing S. 56 deg. to 86 deg. E., ten or twelve miles. The main land was eight or +nine miles off, and visible all round the Bight and as far as N. 6 deg. W.; +it was low and woody, and an extensive shelving flat seemed to render it +inaccessible to a ship. + +At seven in the evening, the land wind came off in a strong squall, with +thunder, lightning, and rain; afterwards the weather cleared; and at day +light [SUNDAY 2 JANUARY 1803] we followed the line of the coast to the +northward. I wished to get as near to it as possible; but the water +shoaling to 21/2 fathoms when six or seven miles off, we ran out east, till +it deepened to 4, and then steered north-eastward, parallel to the line +of the shoal. A low rock came in sight to seaward, which I took to be the +small island laid down to the north-east of Cape Maria, but it lies +nearly north from it. At nine o'clock, when the main land was distant +seven miles and the depth 6 fathoms, + + +The low rock, distant 4 miles, bore S. 651/2 deg. E. +Station hill near C. Maria, dist. 6 leagues, S. 71/2 E. +A sloping part of the main, higher than the rest, N. 50 W. +Extreme from the mast head, North. + + +Our latitude at noon was 14 deg. 26' 29", and longitude 135 deg. 541/2'; the main +coast was seven miles off, and seen from the mast head as far as N. N. E. +Three miles to the N. 80 deg. E. there were two dry sands, and shoal water +extended from them to the north and southward, further than could be +distinguished. We had already no more than 3 fathoms; but a sea breeze +having set in at E. by S., unfavourably for going without side of the +sands, we kept on close to the wind, hoping to find a passage within +them. The depth varied between 8 and 4 fathoms, till past five o'clock, +when it diminished to 21/2, the main coast being distant five or six miles, +and the sands out of sight astern; we then tacked, and stretched E. S. E. +into 4 fathoms, and anchored at dusk on a bottom of gravel. An +observation of the moon gave the latitude here 14 deg. 19'; and the variation +from an amplitude, with the head E. by S., was 0 deg. 43' east, or corrected +to the meridian upon the principle often before mentioned, 2 deg. 44' east +for the true variation. + +There is no doubt that the dry banks seen at noon, were meant to be +represented in the Dutch chart by the great shoal to the north-east of +Cape Maria; but their direction from the cape is there too far eastward; +neither do they join to the main land, nor lie out from it more than +one-quarter of the distance marked: several turtle were seen in the +vicinity of the banks. The main coast in the northern part of Limmen's +Bight is not altogether so low as at the head; but the shoal water +extends equally far out, and even the southern head of the gulph is not +more inaccessible to ships. + +We had strong squalls of wind in the night, with rain, thunder, and +lightning, and were obliged to drop a second anchor; the wind, however, +remained in the north-east, and at daylight [MONDAY 3 JANUARY 1803] we +stood for the edge of the shoal. At seven, tacked ship in 3 fathoms; and +a breeze coming off the land soon afterward, we steered along the shore +until noon, with a good depth of water. Several pieces of distant land, +which seemed to be islands of greater elevation than usual, were then +seen, from N. by E. to E. S. E.; the main coast was about five miles off, +and the furthest part bore north from the mast head. Our latitude at this +time was 14 deg. 5', and longitude 136 deg. 6' east. + +In the afternoon, the soundings became irregular between 4 and 7 fathoms, +and the whale boat was sent ahead; but a fresh wind setting in at N. E., +the boat was called back, and in being veered astern, got filled with +water, broke adrift, and the two men were thrown out. Another boat was +lowered down to save them and I ran the ship to leeward and came to an +anchor. The whale boat was picked up, as also one of the men; but the +other, William Murray, captain of the fore top, being unable to swim, was +unfortunately lost. + +The weather remained squally, and wind unsettled during the night. In the +morning [TUESDAY 4 JANUARY 1803] our course was continued to the +northward, leaving extensive land, which I supposed to be the _Groote +Eylandt_ of the old charts, six or eight leagues on the starbord hand. +Before commencing the investigation of that island, I wished to trace the +main coast further on, and if possible, give the botanists an opportunity +of examining its productions; for it was upon the main that they usually +made the most interesting discoveries, and only once, since entering the +Gulph of Carpentaria, had we been able to land there. At seven o'clock we +edged in for the coast; and on coming into 31/2 fathoms, dropped the anchor +on a bottom of blue mud, within a mile of the shore. No part of Groote +Eylandt was in sight; but an island of considerable extent and elevation, +not noticed in the old chart, lay six or seven miles to the E. N. E.; and +I have called it BICKERTON'S ISLAND, in compliment to admiral Sir Richard +Bickerton. Between it and the main coast is an open space, from four to +six or seven miles wide, through which, to all appearance from this side, +a ship might safely pass. + +Whilst the botanical gentlemen landed abreast of the ship, I took the +whale boat to a woody islet, five miles off, close to Bickerton's Island, +the soundings across the opening in going to it, being from 3 to 7 +fathoms. A meridian observation to the north and south, placed the islet +in latitude 13 deg. 48' 30", and the points of the opening to the northward +bore N. 18 deg. E. and N. 21/2 deg. W.; this last was the furthest visible part of +the main land; and proving afterwards to be a projecting cape, I named it +_Cape Barrow_, after John Barrow. Esq., author of the interesting travels +at the Cape of Good Hope. The islet is about half a mile long, and though +many bushes and some trees grew upon it, is little more than a bed of +sand. There were holes in the beach, made by turtle; and besides other +proofs of the islet being sometimes visited by the Indians, I found four +human skulls lying at the back of the shore. + +From the woody islet I crossed over to the main land near the ship, and +took another set of bearings for the survey. Upon the shore were pieces +of bamboo, and other traces of the same foreign people of whom mention +has frequently been made; and three small huts were found, so entirely +covered with grass that no opening was left; but they were empty, and +nothing was buried underneath. On the borders of a small fresh lake the +botanists reaped a harvest of new plants, without molestation; indeed no +natives were seen any where; but several skeletons were found, standing +upright in the hollow stumps of trees; and the skulls and bones being +smeared or painted, partly red and partly white, made a very strange +appearance. Some kangaroos were perceived at a distance; and judging by +their foot-marks on the sand, they were rather numerous. The country near +the sea side is stony and barren; further back, it rises gently to a +small elevation, and seemed to be moderately well covered with grass and +wood. + +WEDNESDAY 5 JANUARY 1803 + +In the morning of the 5th we got under way, and steered eastward for +Groote Eylandt, which I now intended to circumnavigate. In passing the +south side of Bickerton's Island, we observed in it a deep bight or bay +which would afford shelter in the north-west monsoon., if there be depth +sufficient for a ship; and the hills at the back being high and woody, +there was a probability of its receiving a stream of fresh water. The +country round the entrance of the bight, had the appearance of being +sandy and sterile. + +Between the nearest parts of Groote and Bickerton's Islands is a space of +eight miles, which seemed to offer a perfectly safe passage, with +soundings, if I may judge from what we had in crossing the south side, +between 13 and 17 fathoms; nor can the rather high and woody isle, which +lies almost exactly in the middle of the opening, be considered as +presenting any obstacle. This isle, from its local position, would seem +to be the central one of three laid down in the Dutch chart between +Groote Eylandt and the main; but the latitude corresponds with the +southernmost. I call it _Connexion Island_; because my survey round +Groote Eylandt was connected by its means, and made in a great measure +independent of the time keepers. The centre of Connexion Island, from +observations at noon to the north and south, lies in 13 deg. 501/2' south; and +the longitude, deduced at three o'clock when the extremes bore N. 20 deg. W. +to 11 deg. E. four miles, would be 136 deg. 27' from the best time keeper; but +from the survey and lunar observations, 136 deg. 241/2' east should be more +correct. + +Our distance from the west side of Groote Eylandt at four o'clock, was +not quite three miles, and we then bore away southward along the shore, +in 8 to 6 fathoms water. This depth diminished gradually to 4 fathoms, +and suddenly from that to 21/2; on which we steered off into 7, and then +resumed our southern course. Soon after sunset, + + +Bickerton's island, south point, bore N. 53 deg. W. +Connexion I., the west extreme., N. 11 W. +Groote Eylandt, north-west extreme, N. 16 E. +Groote Eylandt, central hill., N. 87 E. +Groote Eylandt, a low projection, dist. 4 or 5 miles, S. 42 E. + + +In half an hour, the anchor was dropped in 11 fathoms, muddy bottom. + +At the north-west end of Groote Eylandt is a bluff head, the termination +that way of a range of woody hills from the interior, of which the +highest is what was set under the name of Central Hill. On the west side +of the island these hills do not come close to the water side, but leave +a space of increasing breadth to the southward, where the land is low, +sandy, and sterile; and even the hills, though mostly covered with wood, +had little of fertility in their appearance: the shore is partly rock, +and in part sandy beach. + +THURSDAY 6 JANUARY 1803 + +We had the wind light and variable in the morning, and proceeded to the +southward very slowly. The shore trended S. S. E., for some time; and +then turning westward to the south-west cape, it formed a bight in the +low land three or four miles back, in which there seemed to be much shoal +water. There is a sandy hill upon the south-west cape, and a rock lies +close to it; and at three or four miles off the soundings were +exceedingly irregular, jumping from 7 to 5, and 4 to 11 fathoms, on a +rocky bottom. This irregularity, and the meeting of two tides, one from +the north and another from the east, caused great ripplings in the water; +and with the light winds, retarded our progress round the cape. The +extreme south-west point lies in latitude 14 deg. 15' south, and from six +sets of lunar distances with stars east and west, the longitude would be +136 deg. 17' east; but according to the survey, 136 deg. 25' is the better +situation. An amplitude at sunset gave the variation 1 deg. 9', with the +ship's head S. E., or corrected to the meridian, 2 deg. 36' east. We anchored +at dusk in 13 fathoms, muddy bottom, five or six miles to the south of +the cape. + +[NORTH COAST. GROOTE EYLANDT.] + +SATURDAY 8 JANUARY 1803 + +On the 7th and 8th, the winds hung between S. E. and N. N. E.; and the +direction of the south side of Groote Eylandt being nearly east, it took +us those two days and part of a third, to make the examination, though +the extent be little more than twelve leagues. The land here is more +sandy than on the west side, and the trees upon the hills are more thinly +scattered and present a less agreeable foliage. No islands are laid down +near the south side in the Dutch chart; but I counted eight scattered +along it, of which the easternmost and largest is more than two miles +long; and besides these, there are several rocks. The positions of these +rocks and islets, with our courses and soundings amongst them, will be +best seen in the chart. + +SUNDAY 9 JANUARY 1803 + +In the afternoon of the 9th, we passed round the south-east rocky point +of Groote Eylandt, which lies in 14 deg. 17' south, and 137 deg. 21/2' east. The +shore then trended northward, to a small cluster of rocks and islets +three miles distant; and two miles further was another islet, behind +which we anchored in 12 fathoms, coarse sand, in a sandy bight of the +great island; but the bight being exposed to south-east winds, and +containing much foul ground, the anchorage was far from being good. + +MONDAY 10 JANUARY 1803 + +In the morning, we steered out on the north side of the islet, between it +and a low point two miles off, with a boat ahead; our soundings being 9, +6, 4, 21/2, 5, 8, and soon afterward 23 fathoms. The low point, which has +several rocks near it, lies seven or eight miles northward from the +south-east extremity of Groote Eylandt; from thence the shore trends +westward about four leagues, and forms a large bight, mostly bounded by a +sandy beach; but in the middle of it is a point with many rocks. On the +west side of the bight, two or three miles back, are the same woody hills +which seem to occupy all the middle of the island; and on this side they +terminate to the north-east in a bluff. The depth of water at noon was 19 +fathoms, and our situation and principal bearings were as under. + + +Latitude, observed to the north and south, 14 deg. 5' 31" +Longitude by time keeper and survey, 137 3 +Groote Eylandt, low eastern point, dist. 4 miles, S. 1 W. +Groote Eylandt, woody hills, the north-east bluff, N. 64 W. +Groote Eylandt, furthest visible extreme, N. 6 W. + + +We were then steering across the bight before a south-east wind; but the +depth of water becoming less, and the wind more dead on the shore, we +hauled up N. by E. for the furthest land in sight. At three o'clock, a +small opening was seen under the north-east bluff, but our distance of +three leagues was too great to distinguish it accurately. Towards +evening, when three miles from the shore, the sounding jumped from 9 to 4 +fathoms, and we tacked to the south-east; and the night promising to be +fine, anchored at dusk in 19 fathoms, mud and sand, with the north-east +point of Groote Eylandt bearing N. 33 deg. W., about seven miles (Atlas, +Plate XV.); further out lay two small islands, and a hill upon the +outermost was set at N. 10 deg. W. The latitude of this anchorage was +ascertained, from altitudes of two stars and the moon, to be 13 deg. 53 1/3' +south; and an amplitude with the ship's head N. E. by N., gave variation +2 deg. 57', or 4 deg. 4' east, corrected to the meridian. + +TUESDAY 11 JANUARY 1803 + +We had the wind at N. W. in the morning, and steered close to it on the +larbord tack, until noon; when the hill on the outer north-east island, +bore S. 891/2 deg. W., nine or ten miles. The latitude of the hill is 13 deg. 381/4', +and from six sets of distances of stars east and west of the moon, its +longitude would be 136 deg. 36'; but from the survey and more numerous +observations, it is 137 deg. 01/2' east.* After a calm the sea breeze came in, +and our course was directed for the north-east point of Groote Eylandt; +at sunset we approached a rocky islet three or four miles from the point, +and anchored under it in 61/2 fathoms, sandy ground, with the point bearing +S. 5 deg. E., and the furthest visible part, very low and sandy, S. 63 deg. W. +five or six miles. On the other side, the north-east islands extended +from N. 32 deg. E. to 39 deg. W., with many small rocks scattered along them; the +nearest of which, a split rock, was distant a short mile. + +[* The apparent error of 241/2' in the first longitude, is greater than +should exist in the mean result of six sets of distances. There is an +interval of three days in the observations of the moon at Greenwich with +which these distances were compared; and it seems probable that a great +part of the error might arise from that cause.] + +WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY 1803 + +In the morning we steered close to a N. N. W. wind, for the low sandy +point, where the shore was found to trend southward; and five or six +miles to the west there was other land, moderately high and in some +places cliffy, which took nearly a parallel direction; and the bight +between them ran so far up towards the north-east bluff of the woody +hills, that a junction with the small opening seen on the outside +appeared to be probable. A shelving spit extended out from the low point, +and on opening the bight our soundings decreased from 6 to 21/2 fathoms, +which made it necessary to tack; and the wind being adverse to passing +within the north-east islands, if indeed there be water enough for a +ship, which seemed doubtful, we steered out by the way we had come in. + +Having little wind, the isles were not passed till late in the evening, +and from the same cause not much progress was made to the westward next +day [THURSDAY 13 JANUARY 1803]; but the land was better distinguished +than before, and many straggling rocks and two islets were seen to lie +off the north end of Groote Eylandt. In the morning of the 14th [FRIDAY +14 JANUARY 1803] we weathered all these, and on the wind dying away, +anchored in 111/2 fathoms, blue mud; the outer _North-point Islet_, which +lies in 13 deg. 37' south and 136 deg. 45' east, then bore E. 3 deg. S. five miles, +and the furthest extreme of a higher cliffy island, S. 38 deg. W. three +miles. + +I went in a boat to this last island with the botanical gentlemen, +intending to take bearings from the uppermost cliffs; but the many deep +chasms by which the upper parts are intersected, made it impossible to +reach the top in the short time we had to spare, and a few bearings from +the eastern low point were all that could be obtained. This was called +_Chasm Island_; it lies one mile and a half from a low point of Groote +Eylandt, where the shore trends southward and seemed to form a bay, into +which I proposed to conduct the ship. + +We found upon Chasm Island a fruit which proved to be a new species of +_eugenia_, of the size of an apple, whose acidity of taste was agreeable; +there were also many large bushes covered with nutmegs, similar to those +seen at Cape Vanderlin; and in some of the chasms the ground was covered +with this fruit, without our being able, for some time, to know whence it +came. Several trees shot up in these chasms, thirty or forty feet high, +and on considering them attentively, these were found to be the trees +whence the nutmegs had fallen; thus what was a spreading bush above, +became, from the necessity of air and light, a tall, slender tree, and +showed the admirable power in nature to accommodate itself to local +circumstances. The fruit was small, and not of an agreeable flavour; nor +is it probable that it can at all come in competition with the nutmeg of +the Molucca Islands: it is the _Myristica insipida_ of Brown's _Prodrom. +Nov. Holl._ p. 400. + +In the steep sides of the chasms were deep holes or caverns, undermining +the cliffs; upon the walls of which I found rude drawings, made with +charcoal and something like red paint upon the white ground of the rock. +These drawings represented porpoises, turtle, kangaroos, and a human +hand; and Mr. Westall, who went afterwards to see them, found the +representation of a kangaroo, with a file of thirty-two persons following +after it. The third person of the band was twice the height of the +others, and held in his hand something resembling the _whaddie_, or +wooden sword of the natives of Port Jackson; and was probably intended to +represent a chief. They could not, as with us, indicate superiority by +clothing or ornament, since they wear none of any kind; and therefore, +with the addition of a weapon, similar to the ancients, they seem to have +made superiority of person the principal emblem of superior power, of +which, indeed, power is usually a consequence in the very early stages of +society. + +A sea breeze had sprung up from the eastward, and the ship was under way +when we returned on board at three in the afternoon. At five we hauled +round Chasm Island with 12 fathoms water, which diminished gradually as +we proceeded up the bay, to 41/2, where the anchor was dropped on a muddy +bottom; the south-west end of Chasm Island then bore N. 16 deg. E., three or +four miles, and the cliffy end of a smaller isle on the west side of the +entrance, N. 29 deg. W. two miles and a half; and except between these two +bearings, we were sheltered from all winds. The situation of this bay in +Groote Eylandt, led me to give it the name of _North-west Bay_. It is +formed on the east and south by that island; and on the west by a +separate piece of land, five or six miles long, which, in honour of the +noble possessor of Burley Park, in the county of Rutland, I named +_Winchilsea Island_; and a small isle of greater elevation, lying a short +mile to the east of the ship, was called _Finch's Island_. + +SATURDAY 15 JANUARY 1803 + +Early next morning the botanists landed on Groote Eylandt, and I went to +Finch's Island with the second lieutenant, to take bearings and +astronomical observations. From the western head, I saw that the bay +extended six or eight miles above the ship, to the southward, and that +the southern outlet, beyond Winchilsea Island, was about one mile wide; +but the whole seemed to be too shallow for any thing larger than boats. +Amongst the bearings taken from this station, those most essential to the +survey were, + + +Groote Eylandt, the woody north-west bluff, S. 56 deg. 46' W. +A distant wedge-shaped rock, the N. E. bluff, N. 59 55 W. +Chasm I., the steep west end, N. 3 51 E. + + +And from another station, half a mile to the E. S. E., I set Groote +Eylandt, the central hill, at S. 14 deg. 27' E. + +This bearing and that of the north-west bluff, formed connecting links in +the chain of longitude round the island. + +SUNDAY 16 JANUARY 1803 + +Next day the botanists landed upon Winchilsea Island, and further +astronomical observations were taken upon that of Finch; where also a +part of the ship's company went to divert themselves, and to wash their +linen; and in the evening, we prepared to quit North-west Bay. + +A close-grained sand stone, nearly resembling that of Pellew's Group, +seems to form the basis of Groote and the neighbouring islands; we found +also coral, ironstone, and quartz. In many places, quartz in almost a +crystallised state was sprinkled in grains through the sand stone, and +in others, the sand stone itself was partly vitrified. Wherever we +landed, the surface was so entirely composed of stone and sand, that the +idea of any kind of cultivation could in no wise be assimilated with it; +the hills at a little distance from the water side were, however, well +covered with wood, and it is not improbable, that there may be vallies in +the central parts of Groote Eylandt possessing some degree of fertility. +The central hill, which is six or eight hundred feet in elevation, +appeared to be not so much as three leagues from the head of North-west +Bay, and I was desirous to have made an excursion to the top, to see the +interior of the island; but the state of the ship being such as to press +us forward with all practicable haste, it was not attempted; nor did I +stop to examine particularly the head of the bay, since it appeared to be +shallow, and of little interest to navigation. + +The wood on Groote Eylandt was mostly composed of different species of +_eucalyptus_; the trees were small, and might do for fire wood and very +common purposes, but did not seem calculated for any superior use. Chasm +Island was the sole place where the nutmeg was found, though in general, +the gleanings of the botanists were tolerably fortunate. None of the +native inhabitants were seen, nor any kangaroos or other quadrupeds; and +birds seemed to be scarce. Small quantities of water, deposited in holes +of the rocks by the late rains, were useful to the seamen for washing +their clothes; but we did not find any from which a ship could be +supplied, nor were there any beaches convenient for hauling the seine. + +The _latitude_ of Finch's Island, from a meridian observation to the +north and south, is 14 deg. 43' 31" S. + +_Longitude_ from six sets of distances of the sun east of the moon, taken +by myself, 136 deg. 38' 47", and from twelve sets by lieutenant Flinders (see +Table V. of Appendix No. I), 136 deg. 23' 38"; but there being no +observations of the moon at Greenwich within two or three days, the +longitude from survey and the position of Caledon Bay afterwards fixed, +is preferred, and is 136 deg. 36' 53" E. + +_Dip_ of the south end of the needle, 39 deg. 22'. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite, 3 deg. 6' east. + +The variations of the surveying compass, from amplitudes taken near +different parts of Groote Eylandt during the circumnavigation, were +these:-- + + +Near the main, opp. the S.W. Pt., head E. by S., 0 deg. 43', cor. 2 deg. 44' E. +Near the south-west point, S. E., 1 9 , cor. 2 36 +Off the east side, N. E. by N., 2 57 , cor. 4 4 +Near the north-east isles., N. W. by W., 3 33 , cor. 1 58 +Off the north end, S. W. by W., 5 51 , cor. 4 14 + + +Whether the small variation near the north-east isles arose from any +peculiar attraction, or from some oversight in taking the amplitude, I +cannot determine; if from the latter, it would appear that the variation +is a degree and a half less on the south-west, than on the east and north +sides of Groote Eylandt. + +Scarcely any run of _tide_ was perceptible in North-west Bay, nor did the +rise appear to exceed four or five feet at any part of the island, though +it runs with some strength off the projecting points. The irregularity in +different places was such, that the time of high water could not be +ascertained; but I think there is only one full tide in the day, and that +the flood comes from the northward. + +MONDAY 17 JANUARY 1803 + +Early on the 17th we worked out of the bay, and stretched off to sea with +a W. N. W. wind; at noon the latitude was 13 deg. 27' 10", and the furthest +extreme of Chasm Island bore S. 26 deg. W. After a calm in the afternoon, the +sea breeze came in, and we steered south-westward till nine o'clock; when +a bower anchor was let go in 14 fathoms, two or three miles from the +north end of Winchilsea Island. In the morning [TUESDAY 18 JANUARY 1803] +we lay up south-west, on the starbord tack, and weathered the island, +leaving a rock one mile and a half on the other side. I wished, by a good +bearing of Connexion Island, to join the survey completely round Groote +Eylandt; and at nine o'clock it was set at S. 271/2 deg. to 47 deg. W., two +leagues. The wind then came ahead, and we tacked towards two small isles, +where the anchor was dropped at ten, one mile and a half from their south +side, in 16 fathoms, sand and shells. Our latitude here was 13 deg. 43' 42" +south, and the east side of Connexion Island bore S. 91/2 deg. W. six or seven +miles; the difference of longitude from our situation on the 5th at three +p.m., was hence ascertained to be it 1' 55" east, not differing 5" from +what was given by No. 543, but No. 520 showed 61/2' too much; the +differences of longitude by the former time keeper alone have therefore +been used round Groote Eylandt. + +I went immediately, with the botanical gentlemen, to the northern and +largest of the two sandy isles; and after observing the latitude 13 deg. 42' +17" on the south-west point, ascended the highest hillock, which, from +the clump of trees upon it, was called _Pandanus Hill_. Some of the trees +being cut down, I had a tolerably extensive view of points and islands +before passed; and saw more to the north-westward, behind Wedge Rock, all +of which the Dutch chart represents as parts of the main land. One of +these I have called _Burney's Island_, in compliment to captain James +Burney of the navy, and another _Nicol's Island_, after His Majesty's +bookseller, the publisher of this work. Beyond these was a more extensive +land, which also proved to be an island; and its form having some +resemblance to the whaddie or woodah, or wooden sword used by the natives +of Port Jackson, it was named _Isle Woodah_. A low sandy island, lying +four or five miles N. by. E. from my station, seems to be the +northernmost of the three isles laid down between Groote Eylandt and the +main; but it is placed, as are also the neighbouring lands, half a degree +too far north: Connexion Island, taking it to be the southernmost of the +three, is well fixed in latitude. + +Amongst the many bearings taken at the top of Pandanus Hill, those which +follow were the most important to the survey. + + +North-point Islet, outer extreme N. 73 deg. 15' E. +Chasm Island, N. 74 deg. 15' to N. 78 25 E. +Groote Eylandt, central hill, S. 44 30 E. +Groote Eylandt, north-west extreme, S. 9 0 E. +The ship distant 13/4 miles, S. 7 45 E. +Connexion Island, S. 8 0 to S. 22 30 W. +Bickerton's Island, S. 43 40 to N. 75 45 W. +Isle Woodah, N. 60 30 to N. 38 15 W. +Wedge Rock, steep north-east end, N. 30 45 W. +Nicol's I., steep east end, N. 26 5 W. + + +There was very little wood upon the two sandy isles, nor did they furnish +any thing new to the botanists; but they were partly covered with long +grass amongst which harboured several bustards, and I called them +_Bustard Isles_. The basis of the largest is nearly the same mixture of +sand-stone and quartz, as at North-west Bay; broken coral and sand formed +the beaches; and some fresh turtle tracks being there perceived, and the +appearance of the weather being unfavourable, it induced me to remain at +anchor all night; but only one turtle was procured. + +WEDNESDAY 19 JANUARY 1803 + +In the morning we had a north-east wind, and after passing round a shoal +which runs one or two miles from the south-west end of the Bustard Isles, +hauled up to weather Bickerton's Island; but owing to a tide setting to +leeward it was not accomplished before two in the afternoon. Soon after +three we got to anchor one mile from the south side of Burney's Island, +in 41/2 fathoms, mud and shells; and I went on shore with the botanists. + +This island is moderately high, rocky, and barren, yet thickly covered +with the _eucalyptus_ and _casuarina_. From the highest rock on the +south-east side, I took bearings of the objects in sight; and amongst +them set + + +Wedge Rock, the north extreme, at N. 83 deg. 50' E. +Chasm Island, north extreme, S. 79 55 E. +Pandanus Hill, the last station, S. 53 5 E. + + +I afterwards got through the wood, intending to set the objects lying to +the north and westward; but no clear place could be found for placing the +theodolite. A small bay was observed on the north-west side of the +island, which might be convenient for boats; and from the steep declivity +of the land round it, there seemed a probability that fresh water might +be procured at this season. The stone of this island is the same as that +of the Bustard Isles; and the Indians had visited both. A set of +azimuths, observed at the same station whence the bearings were taken, +gave variation 2 deg. 50' east; but on board the ship, with the head N. E. by +E., Mr. Flinders observed 0 deg. 23' east, with three compasses, which would +be 2 deg. 0' corrected; whence it should seem, that the stone of the island +had some attraction on the south end of the needle. + +[NORTH COAST. BLUE-MUD BAY.] + +THURSDAY 20 JANUARY 1803 + +In the morning, we steered S. W. to take up the survey of the main coast +at Cape Barrow, between which and Isle Woodah was an opening where no +land was visible; but meeting with shoal water, and the wind being light, +a stream anchor was dropped until the boat had time to sound. On her +return, we steered for the north side of the opening, with a depth which +increased from 4 fathoms to 17 off the south end of Woodah. A higher +island, two or three miles long, then showed itself to the N. N. W.; and +on the water shoaling to 31/2 fathoms, the anchor was dropped at four in +the afternoon, one mile and a half from its south side, on a bottom of +blue mud. The main land was in sight to the westward, forming a large bay +with Isle Woodah, and Bickerton's Island covered the entrance, so that +the ship was in complete shelter. + +On landing with the botanical gentlemen, I ascended a hummock at the east +end of the island, where alone the view was not impeded by wood. Many of +my former fixed points were visible from thence, and the main land was +traced round to the northward, to a hill named _Mount Grindall_, near +which was another round hill upon an island; and behind them the main +extended eastward, nearly as far as over the middle of Isle Woodah. +Amongst the numerous bearings taken from this eastern hummock, the +following six were most essential to the survey. + + +Chasm Island, the centre, S. 67 deg. 46' E. +Wedge Rock, steep north-east end, S. 59 47 E. +Cape Barrow, the eastern extreme, S. 6 50 W. +Mount Grindall, N. 13 16 W. +Round-hill Island, the top, N. 8 5 W. +Extreme of the main, over Woodah, N. 55 20 E. + + +FRIDAY 21 JANUARY 1803 + +A party of men was sent to cut wood on the following morning, and another +to haul the seine; the botanists also landed, and I went to observe the +latitude and take bearings from the west end of the island; every person +was armed, for marks of feet had been perceived, so newly imprinted on +the sand, that we expected to meet with Indians. After accomplishing my +objects, I walked with a small party round the north-west end of the +island; and then returned over the high land, through a most fatiguing +brush wood, towards the wooders and the boat. On clearing the wood, four +or five Indians were seen on a hill, half a mile to the left, and some of +the wooding party advancing towards them. The sight of us seemed to give +the natives an apprehension of being surrounded, for they immediately +ran; but our proceeding quietly down to the boat, which I did in the hope +that our people might bring on an interview, appeared to satisfy them. +The scientific gentlemen accompanied me on board to dinner; and I learned +from Mr. Westall, that whilst he was taking a sketch at the east end of +the island, a canoe, with six men in it, came over from Woodah. He took +little notice of them until, finding they saw him and landed not far off, +he thought it prudent to retreat with his servant to the wooding party. +The natives followed pretty smartly after him; and when they appeared on +the brow of the hill, Mr. Whitewood, the master's mate, and some of his +wooders went to meet them in a friendly manner. This was at the time that +the appearance of my party caused them to run; but when we left the shore +they had stopped, and our people were walking gently up the hill. + +The natives had spears, but from the smallness of their number, and our +men being armed, I did not apprehend any danger; we had, however, +scarcely reached the ship, when the report of muskets was heard; and the +people were making signals and carrying some one down to the boat, as if +wounded or killed. I immediately despatched two armed boats to their +assistance, under the direction of the master; with orders, if he met +with the natives, to be friendly and give them presents, and by no means +to pursue them into the wood. I suspected, indeed, that our people must +have been the aggressors; but told the master, if the Indians had made a +wanton attack, to bring off their canoe by way of punishment; intending +myself to take such steps on the following day, as might be found +expedient. + +At five o'clock Mr. Whitewood was brought on board, with four spear +wounds in his body. It appeared that the natives, in waiting to receive +our men, kept their spears ready, as ours had their muskets. Mr. +Whitewood, who was foremost, put out his hand to receive a spear which he +supposed was offered; but the Indian, thinking perhaps that an attempt +was made to take his arms, ran the spear into the breast of his supposed +enemy. The officer snapped his firelock, but it missed, and he retreated +to his men; and the Indians, encouraged by this, threw several spears +after him, three of which took effect. Our people attempted to fire, and +after some time two muskets went off, and the Indians fled; but not +without taking away a hat which had been dropped. Thomas Morgan, a +marine, having been some time exposed bare-headed to the sun, was struck +with a _coup-de-soleil_; he was brought on board with Mr. Whitewood, and +died in a state of frenzy, the same night. + +So soon as the master had learned what had happened, he went round in the +whale boat to the east end of the island, to secure the canoe; and +forgetting the orders I had given him, sent Mr. Lacy with the wooders +overland, to intercept the natives on that side. Their searches were for +some time fruitless; but in the dusk of the evening three Indians were +seen by the wooders, and before they could be intercepted had pushed off +in the canoe. A sharp fire was commenced after them; and before they got +out of reach, one fell and the others leaped out and dived away. A seaman +who gave himself the credit of having shot the native, swam off to the +canoe, and found him lying dead at the bottom, with a straw hat on his +head which he recognised to be his own. Whilst displaying this in +triumph, he upset the ticklish vessel, and the body sunk; but the canoe +was towed to the shore, and the master returned with it at nine o'clock. + +I was much concerned at what had happened, and greatly displeased with +the master for having acted so contrary to my orders; but the mischief +being unfortunately done, a boat was sent in the morning [SATURDAY 22 +JANUARY 1803] to search for the dead body, the painter being desirous of +it to make a drawing, and the naturalist and surgeon for anatomical +purposes. The corpse was found lying at the water's edge, not lengthwise, +as a body washed up, but with the head on shore and the feet touching the +surf. The arms were crossed under the head, with the face downward, in +the posture of a man who was just able to crawl out of the water and die; +and I very much apprehend this to have been one of the two natives who +had leaped out of the canoe, and were thought to have escaped. He was of +the middle size, rather slender, had a prominent chest, small legs, and +similar features to the inhabitants of other parts of this country; and +he appeared to have been circumcised! A musket ball had passed through +the shoulder blade, from behind; and penetrating upwards, had lodged in +the neck. + +The canoe was of bark, but not of one piece, as at Port Jackson; it +consisted of two pieces, sewed together lengthwise, with the seam on one +side; the two ends were also sewed up, and made tight with gum. Along +each gunwale was lashed a small pole; and these were spanned together in +five places, with creeping vine, to preserve the shape, and to strengthen +the canoe. Its length was thirteen and a half, and the breadth two and a +half feet; and it seemed capable of carrying six people, being larger +than those generally used at Port Jackson. + +It does not accord with the usually timid character of the natives of +Terra Australis, to suppose the Indians came over from Isle Woodah for +the purpose of making an attack; yet the circumstance of their being +without women or children--their following so briskly after Mr. +Westall--and advancing armed to the wooders, all imply that they rather +sought than avoided a quarrel. I can account for this unusual conduct +only by supposing, that they might have had differences with, and +entertained no respectful opinion of the Asiatic visitors, of whom we had +found so many traces, some almost in sight of this place. + +The body of Thomas Morgan who died so unfortunately, was this day +committed to the deep with the usual ceremony; and the island was named +after him, _Morgan's Island_. The basis stone is partly argillaceous, and +in part sand stone, with a mixture in some places of iron ore, but more +frequently of quartz. A little soil is formed upon the slopes of the +hills and in the vallies; and there, more especially at the east end of +the island, it is covered with small trees and coarse grass, which the +late rains had caused to look fresh and green; there were also some +temporary drains of fresh water. + +The _latitude_ of the hummock at the east end of Morgan's Island, is 13 deg. +271/2', and _longitude_ from the survey, 136 deg. 91/2'. Azimuths observed at the +anchorage, with three compasses and the ship's head in the magnetic +meridian, gave 2 deg. 23' east _variation_, which corresponded very well with +the bearings. The _tides_ here are very inconsiderable, and there +appeared to be only one flood and one ebb in the day; high water took +place about midnight, when the moon was a little past the lower meridian; +but whether it will always be so far behind the moon, may admit of a +doubt. + +A view of the main land to the westward, from Cape Barrow to Mount +Grindall, had been obtained from the higher parts of Morgan's Island; but +a probability still remaining that some river might fall into the bay, I +proposed to coast round it with the ship. On a breeze springing up at E. +S. E, early in the afternoon, we steered round the west end of the +island, and hauled to the northward; but meeting almost immediately with +shoal water, the course was altered for the south-west, and afterwards +for the south part of the bay; and finding no where more than 3 fathoms, +we tacked to the N. E. at dusk, and came to an anchor. The bottom here, +and in most other parts of the bay, is a blue mud of so fine a quality, +that I judge it might be useful in the manufactory of earthern ware; and +I thence named this, _Blue-mud Bay_. + +It was evident from the uniform shallowness of the water, that Blue-mud +Bay did not receive any stream of consequence, either in its south or +western part; and to the north, it seemed not to be accessible from this +side. The main land rises very gradually from the water side into the +country; and the wood upon it made a greater show of fertility than on +any borders of the Gulph of Carpentaria we had before seen. + +SUNDAY 23 JANUARY 1803 + +We got under way again at daylight; but the wind coming to blow strong +from the eastward, with rain, thunder, and lightning, were not able to +pass round the south end of Isle Woodah and get out of the bay, until the +morning of the 25th [TUESDAY 25 JANUARY 1803]. Our soundings in working +out diminished to 21/2 fathoms, near the opening between Bickerton's Island +and Cape Barrow; and it is probable that no ship passage exists there, +although I had previously found as much as 7 fathoms in the southern part +of the opening. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +After clearing Blue-mud Bay, we worked to the north-eastward; and at +eight in the evening, anchored under Nicol's Island in 51/2 fathoms, muddy +bottom, one mile from the shore, and two and a half from the low eastern +point of Isle Woodah: two large rocks and much shoal water lie between +the islands, and prevented me from seeking shelter there. In the morning +[WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY 1803] we stretched N. N. E., for the projecting +part of the main land before set at N. 55 deg. 20' E. from the eastern +hummock of Morgan's Island; and to which I have given the name of CAPE +SHIELD, in compliment to captain W. Shield, a commissioner of the navy. +There is a small bay on its south-west side, and we anchored there in 4 +fathoms, blue mud, with the outer points of the bay bearing S. 41 deg. E. and +N. 21 deg. W., each distant one mile. + +On landing with the botanists, I found the beach convenient for hauling +the seine, and ordered one to be sent from the ship, which had tolerable +success. The cape is low land, mostly covered with wood; and a sandy +hillock, perceived from the mast head about one mile behind the beach, +being the sole place whence a view was likely to be obtained, I went +there with a theodolite. No part of the main coast to the eastward could +be seen from thence beyond a low projection distant seven or eight miles, +which I named _Point Arrowsmith_; to the west my view was obstructed by +trees, but some points before set were visible, and more to the +southward; and the following, amongst many useful bearings, were taken. + + +Chasm I., centre of the highest part, S. 33 deg. 15' E. +Wedge Rock, centre, S. 5 55 W. +Nicol's I., south-east point (over the south +extreme of C. Shield, dist. 11/2 miles), S. 26 30 W. +Round-hill Island, the top, S. 89 25 W. +Point Arrowsmith, N. 62 20 E. + + +The sand hill whence these bearings were taken, stands close to the water +on the east side of Cape Shield; and directly off it, at a mile and a +half distance, lies a small island: upon the shore was found a carling of +a ships deck, of teak wood, in a decayed state. On the land side of the +hill was a small lake of fresh water, frequented by ducks, teal, and +smaller aquatic birds, several of which were shot. + +Cape Shield lies in latitude 13 deg. 193/4' south, longitude by the survey 136 deg. +23' east; it projects out six miles from the body of the land, and +appears, when seen from the south, to be an island. Two cassowaries were +seen upon it, and many tracks of men, dogs, and kangaroos. The wood is +small, and the soil sandy; but the botanists made an ample collection of +plants, some few of which made an addition to their former discoveries. + +THURSDAY 27 JANUARY 1803 + +Next morning we steered westward, with a fair wind, to explore the main +coast up to Mount Grindall, and see the northern part of Blue-mud Bay. At +three leagues from Cape Shield, we passed a projecting point to which I +gave the name of _Point Blane_, in compliment to Dr. (now Sir Gilbert) +Blane, of the naval medical board. Five miles from it to the W. S. W., +lies Round-hill Island, and after passing between them with 4 fathoms +water, I sent the boat to sound between the island and Mount Grindall, +purposing to anchor there; but the depth was too little for the ship. We +then worked up to a large bight on the west side of Point Blane; and the +water being shallow towards the head, anchored in 3 fathoms, muddy +ground, with the extremity of the point bearing S. 41 deg. E. two and a half +miles. + +An officer was sent on shore to search for fresh water and examine the +beach with a view to hauling the seine, but had no success; the +naturalist accompanied him, to botanise, and not coming down to the boat +at dusk, the officer left a man with a fire on the beach, to wait his +arrival. At ten o'clock a gun was fired, and the boat sent back; but +nothing had been heard of the naturalist, or the seaman who carried his +specimen boxes, and some apprehensions began to be entertained. Soon +after daylight [FRIDAY 28 JANUARY 1803] we had the satisfaction to see +Mr. Brown on the shore. It appeared that from one of those mistakes which +so frequently occur in thick woods and dull weather, when without a +compass, the east had been mistaken for west; and Mr. Brown reached the +water side at dusk, but on the wrong side of the point. He thought it +more prudent to remain there all night, than to re-enter the wood in the +dark; and the report of the gun having given him the true direction, he +had no difficulty in the morning. No natives were seen; but the howling +of dogs was heard not far off. + +Whilst the botanists continued to follow their pursuits upon Point Blane, +I went over in the whale-boat to Mount Grindall, with the landscape +painter; from whence, after cutting down some small trees at the top, my +view extended over all the neighbouring islands, points, and bays. +Blue-mud Bay was seen to reach further north than Mount Grindall, making +it to be upon a long point, which I also named _Point Grindall_, from +respect to the present vice-admiral of that name; further west, in the +bay, was a stream running five or six miles into the land, terminating in +a swamp, and with shoal banks and a low island at the entrance; all the +northern part of the bay, indeed, seemed to be shallow, and to have no +ship passage into it on the north side of Isle Woodah. The large bight +between Points Grindall and Blane extended two leagues above the ship, +but it did not appear to receive any stream of water; a still larger +bight, between Point Blane and Cape Shield was also visible, though not +so distinct as to speak of it particularly: the extremity of the cape +bore S. 76 deg. 15' E. An observation to the north and south, taken on the +outermost rocks, places Mount Grindall in 13 deg. 151/2' south; and the +longitude from survey is 136 deg. 6 1/3' east. Mr. Westall's sketch in the +Atlas, taken from the ship at anchor under Point Blane, will show the +appearance of this mount and of the neighbouring land. (Atlas, Plate +XVIII. View 13.) + +The top of Mount Grindall consists of the same kind of sand stone, with +particles of quartz in it, as seen at Groote Eylandt; but the rocks on +the shore are granite, and one block made a brilliant appearance from the +quantity of mica it contained. There is very little soil on the +surrounding land, the surface being either sandy or stony; it was however +mostly covered with grass and wood, and amongst the trees was a cluster +of the new species of _eugenia_, from which the boat's crew filled their +handkerchiefs with fruit, which they called apples. Two natives were +distinguished upon Round-hill Island; but none at Point Grindall, nor any +thing to show that they had been there recently: the foot-marks of dogs +and kangaroos were both recent and numerous. + +Strong squalls from the eastward, with rain, much impeded our return to +the ship in the evening; and from a continuance of the same unfavourable +weather, Point Blane could not be repassed until the afternoon of the +30th [SUNDAY 30 JANUARY 1803]. The wind was then S. E., and we worked to +windward all night, between the main coast and Isle Woodah; and not being +able to weather Cape Shield on the following day [MONDAY 31 JANUARY +1803], we ran to our former anchorage under it, and remained there for +the night. + +TUESDAY 1 FEBRUARY 1803 + +Next morning we stood out of the bay with light winds; and after being +put into some danger by them, in passing the island near Cape Shield, a +breeze sprung up at W. by S. and we proceeded in the examination of the +main coast. The situation of the ship at noon, and the bearings of the +land were as under: + + +Latitude, observed to the north and south, 13 deg. 20' 16" +Chasm I., centre of the high part, S. 16 E. +Cape Shield, the south extremity, N. 86 W. +Point Arrowsmith, dist. 6 miles, N. 18 W. +Furthest extreme visible from the deck. N. 10 E. + + +Our course was then directed N. E. by N., parallel with the coast, until +the wind veered round ahead and drove us off to the eastward; at six +o'clock Point Arrowsmith bore W. 2 deg. S., ten or eleven miles, and a round +hummock, beyond the noon's extreme, was then seen at N. 21/2 deg. E. The coast +here shows some projections on which are sandy hills, with shallow bights +between them; the hills further back, especially behind Point Arrowsmith, +are better covered with wood, but there was no appearance of fertility in +the country, nor of shelter in the bights. + +[NORTH COAST. CALEDON BAY.] + +We worked to windward all night, with a north-western breeze; and in the +morning [WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 1803] saw two islands, the outermost rather +low and flat, nearly in the situation where three are marked in the Dutch +chart. These are laid down at the entrance of an opening, of a river-like +form; and there appeared to be a wide opening behind them, the entrance +being round a projection upon which is the hummock set at N. 21/2 deg. E. in +the evening: this projection I have named CAPE GREY, in compliment to the +Hon. general Grey, lately commander of the forces at the Cape of Good +Hope. Our situation and bearings at noon were, + + +Latitude. observed to the north and south. 13 deg. 3' 41" +Longitude from survey, 136 461/2 +Furthest southern extreme, from the deck, S. 73 W. +Cape Grey, the round hummock, N. 56 W. +Cape Grey, outermost rocks near it, N. 41 W. +Outer and rather flat isle, centre, N. 3 W. + + +On the wind veering to north-east, we were enabled to weather the rocks +near Cape Grey, but not more than a quarter of a mile; the depth in +passing was 9 fathoms, and it continued between that and 11, two miles +further up the bay, where, on its falling calm, an anchor was dropped. In +the evening we ran further up, and at sunset anchored in 9 fathoms, mud +and sand, near the innermost and largest of three islands which lie in +the entrance. Around, and between these islands, were many islets and +rocks, and others were seen to the north-eastward; the bay extended to +the north-west, and was divided into two branches by a projection named +_Point Middle_, the eastern branch being defended from the sea by a +tongue of land, whose south point seemed to be connected by a reef of +rocks with the inner island. This point I have called _Point Alexander_; +and to a hill upon the furthest visible part of the coast to the +northward, the appellation of _Mount Alexander_ is given. + +THURSDAY 3 FEBRUARY 1803 + +In the morning, there being no wind to move the ship, I sent the master +up the bay with the whale boat, to search for fresh water and a secure +anchorage; and on his making the signal to follow, a little before noon, +we steered for Point Middle. A shoal was seen to extend from it, down the +bay; and the depth having diminished to 4 fathoms, we hauled up into the +eastern branch, and anchored under Point Alexander in 41/2 fathoms, muddy +bottom; our distance from the shore being one mile, and two cables length +from a bank in front of it, upon which there was only six feet water. In +this situation, the outer rocks near Cape Grey bore S 28 deg. E., and the +inner rocks from the island near Point Alexander., S. 35 deg. E.; the +intermediate angle of 7 deg. being that at which alone we were open to the +sea. Several natives were seen on the shore abreast of the ship, and +lieutenant Fowler was sent to communicate with them, and to search for +fresh water. They stayed to receive him, without showing that timidity so +usual with the Australians; and after a friendly intercourse in which +mutual presents were made, Mr. Fowler returned with the information that +fresh water was plentiful. + +FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY 1803 + +Early next morning, having given directions for two tents, a seine, and a +corporal's guard, to be sent on shore under the command of the first +lieutenant, I landed with the botanical gentlemen; the natives running +from their night residences to meet us. There were twelve middle-aged and +young men, all of whom expressed much joy, especially at seeing +_Bongaree_, our good-natured Indian from Port Jackson. On the arrival of +two other boats, the natives retreated into the wood, except two, who +assisted in hauling the seine; and the others came back by degrees, +without arms as before, and received a portion of the fish. A situation +was chosen for the tents, and confidence seeming to be established, I +went into the wood, towards some sand hills, for the purpose of taking +bearings; but whilst making the circuit of a salt swamp which lay in the +way, the natives were heard running in the wood, and calling to each +other. This happened twice, and at length a musket was fired; upon which +I returned to the tents with all expedition. + +When the botanical gentlemen had entered the wood with their attendants, +the greater part of the natives followed them; and one took an +opportunity of snatching a hatchet from the hand of a servant. The +Indians then ran off, but seeing no pursuit, nor much notice taken, soon +returned, and became more friendly than ever. Each of our party had a +native with him, walking arm in arm, and Mr. Brown's servant had two, who +paid him particular attention; so much so, that whilst one held him by +the arm, the other snatched the musket off his shoulder, and they all +again ran off; that is, all who remained, for several had previously +withdrawn themselves. A musket was fired after the thief; but he had +already got some distance, and it produced no other visible effect than +that of making him run faster. The botanists then judged it imprudent to +follow their pursuit, and returned to the tents. + +Two hours passed before any thing more was heard of the natives; some +were then seen in the wood, and an interview was obtained with two, who +being made to understand that a hatchet would be given on the musket +being returned, they went off to fetch it. In a little time it was +actually brought, with the stock broken and ramrod gone, and the hatchet +was paid; after which the natives came to the tents with confidence, and +some would have remained all night, had they been permitted. + +SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY 1803 + +This afternoon and the following morning, I took bearings from two +stations on Point Middle, and others from a sandy hummock on Point +Alexander. The natives came early to the tents, and behaved themselves +tranquilly until noon; when one of those who had been most kindly +treated, ran off with a wooding axe, and from the thickness of the +forest, eluded the pursuit made after him. The corporal and another +marine, who had run after the Indian without their hats, received a +_coup-de-soleil_, and were sent on board in a state nearly approaching to +delirium; but they happily recovered. + +Finding these people so determinately bent upon stealing every thing +within their reach, I ordered lieutenant Fowler to watch an opportunity +of seizing two of them; and after a while to release one, making him +understand that the other would be carried away in the ship, if the +stolen axe were not returned. In the evening, I went over with two of the +gentlemen to the south side of the bay; for the purpose of taking a +station upon a hill there named _Mount Caledon_, whose height exceeded +that of any other near the water side. + +We landed at dusk, at the foot of the mount; and ascended the top next +morning [SUNDAY 6 FEBRUARY 1803] before the heat of the sun became +excessive, passing in the way several streamlets which were coursing +rapidly down to the sea. The view was fully equal to what had been +anticipated, and extended to a projection half way to Point Arrowsmith on +one side, and over all the islands in the entrance to Mount Alexander on +the other. Out of thirty-nine bearings taken at this station, the +following are selected as being most essential to the survey of the +coast. + + +The tents, N. 2 deg. 50' E. +Point Alexander, the extremity, N. 60 0 E. +Outer, and rather flat isle, N. 86 deg. 15' to 88 22 E. +Mount Alexander, the top N. 37 30 E. +Cape Grey, the outer rocks near it, S. 65 5 E. +A southern projection of the coast, S. 14 8 E. + + +We returned to the ship in the afternoon, and the natives had not then +approached the tents since the theft of the axe; but next morning [MONDAY +7 FEBRUARY 1803] two of them advanced, bringing some small fruits; and on +being invited to eat fish, they sat down and were immediately seized, +some others who followed, running away on hearing their cries. In a +little time the eldest and most intelligent of them was liberated; on his +promising by signs to restore the axe, and being made to understand that +his companion would be carried off, should he fail. We observed from the +ship much running of the natives amongst the bushes, and peeping about +the tents; and least they should attempt any mischief, a spring was put +upon the cable, and a six-pounder, with grape shot, kept ready; but after +one of the prisoners was released they seemed to have less anxiety, and +several swam back across a salt creek, to their usual place of residence. + +In the evening I landed at the tents; and taking the native, a youth of +fourteen named _Woga_, into the boat, rowed to the place most frequented +by the Indians, many of whom were seen behind the bushes. Two came +forward, bringing a young girl in their arms; and by expressive signs +they offered her to Bongaree, in order to entice him on shore, for the +purpose, apparently, of seizing him by way of retaliation. We demanded +the restoration of the axe, and our prisoner seemed to use all his powers +to enforce it; but the constant answer was, that the thief _Yehangeree_, +had been beaten and was gone away; and finding no axe likely to be +brought, Woga was carried on board the ship, through a great deal of +crying, entreating, threatening, and struggling on his part. He there ate +heartily, laughed, sometimes cried, and noticed every thing; frequently +expressing admiration at what he saw, and especially at the sheep, hogs, +and cats. We had not seen any bows and arrows in the Gulph of +Carpentaria, nor in any part of Terra Australis; but some of those from +Murray's Islands being shown to Woga, he knew the use of them, and gave +their names in his language; it may therefore be true, as Burgomaster +Witsen relates, that they are used by the natives on the North-west Coast +and in the Gulph; but when he describes the bows as being "of such a +length, that one end rests on the ground when shooting," I cannot help +suspecting some exaggeration in his informer. + +TUESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 1803 + +After breakfast next morning, I took our prisoner to the tents. On +approaching the shore, he was preparing to make a spring out of the boat, +which made it necessary to bind him again, for he had been loosed on +board the ship. He struggled much, calling upon Bongaree to assist him; +but after a while, became quiet, and I left him bound to a tree, eating +rice and fish. + +A party of the gentlemen landed near the head of the bay, hoping to +botanize without interruption; but a number of natives had collected +there, two of whom advanced, and sought to entice them into the wood by +explaining how many animals might be there shot. The gentlemen were aware +of the treachery, and soon thought it advisable to return to the boat; +upon which the natives closed in upon them, with poised spears and every +appearance of intended mischief. The pointing of muskets stopped their +forwardness for a moment; but they came on again, and a shot was fired at +each of the two foremost, which put them to flight, and they were not +seen afterwards; but the gentlemen thought it unsafe to proceed in their +occupation, and returned to the ship. Neither of the two natives dropped; +but the muskets being loaded with buck shot, it was supposed that one or +both, must have been wounded. + +The second evening of Woga's captivity came, and there was no appearance +of the axe being restored; his detention, on the contrary, had caused +some annoyance to us, and mischief to his countrymen; and if persevered +in to the extent of carrying him away, might be an injury to those who +should come after us, especially to captain Baudin, whom we daily +expected to meet, according to what he had said at Port Jackson. Had the +consequences affected ourselves alone, the time of our departure was so +near that I should have been glad to have kept Woga; for he was a +sprightly lad, whom our treatment would soon have reconciled, and in any +future intercourse with his countrymen, as also in furnishing information +upon many interesting points, he might have been of service; but for the +above reason, and that it was not altogether just to do otherwise, I +determined to release the poor prisoner though the axe should not be +restored, and went to the tents for that purpose. Woga appeared to be a +little melancholy in his bondage, but upon the whole, had not fared +amiss, having been eating the greater part of the morning and afternoon. +He begged hard to be released, promising, with tears in his eyes, to +bring back the axe; and after giving him some clothing and presents, he +was suffered to depart. As far as two hundred yards, he walked away +leisurely; but then, looking firs behind him, took to his heels with all +his might, leaving us no faith in the fulfilment of his pathetic +promises. + +At this time the holds were completed with water and wood, and on the +following morning [WEDNESDAY 9 FEBRUARY 1803] the last observations for +the time keepers were taken; after which the shore establishment was +embarked, and we prepared for sea. The botanists made an excursion upon +Point Middle, and pursued their researches without disturbance; and +neither Woga nor any of his countrymen were seen during the whole day. + +It has been said, that an opening of a river-like form is laid down in +the Dutch chart, in the situation of this bay. No name is there given to +it; and as I conceive our examination to confer the right of bestowing +one, I have distinguished it by the title of CALEDON BAY, as a mark of +respect to the worthy nobleman, lately governor of the Cape of Good Hope, +after whom the mount on the south side was also named. + +There is no other safe passage into the bay than that between the islands +in the entrance and Cape Grey; which cape is remarkable for the round +hummock on its extremity, and lies in latitude 13 deg. 1' south, and +longitude 136 deg. 42' east. The western branch of the bay appeared to be +shallow, and not well sheltered, so that I did not go up it to sound; but +in the eastern branch, which is near three miles wide, there is from 4 to +3 fathoms on blue mud, up to within three-quarters of a mile of a rocky +point at the head; and the rocks of Point Alexander may there be nearly, +if not altogether brought to shut on with those of Cape Grey. Wood for +fuel was plentiful every where, and there was no difficulty in procuring +water from the ponds and holes in the low, sandy land near the shore of +Point Alexander; but from May to December, I doubt whether they would not +all be dried up, as well as the small streams which descended from Mount +Caledon. Our success with the seine was very moderate, more sea slugs, or +what we called sea cucumbers from their shape, being brought on shore +than fish; these differed from what we had seen on the reefs of the East +Coast, in being of a more firm consistence, and of a light brown or grey, +instead of a black colour: when these slugs were pressed with the foot, +they threw out a stream of water to some distance. + +The country round Caledon Bay, especially at the heads of the two +branches, is generally low land; Mount Caledon and the hills of the south +side are of granite, and this stone is found in some other parts; but at +Point Alexander the basis is a sand stone, more or less impregnated with +iron, and at Point Middle it is almost iron ore. A piece of this last +stone carried the needle of the theodolite entirely round; yet the +bearings taken from thence did not show any difference from those at +Mount Caledon, and from those upon Point Alexander, taken from a hillock +of sea sand, they did not differ more than half a degree. + +So far as our examination went the soil is poor, being either sandy or +stony, with a small mixture in some places of vegetable earth; +notwithstanding which both the grass and wood were luxuriant, owing to +the abundance of rain which had lately fallen, and to the warmth of the +climate: in the dry season, I should judge the country would be almost +burnt up. The _casuarina_ was plentiful in the sandy places, and the +_eucalyptus_ amongst the rocks, where it reached a tolerable size; the +wild nutmeg was found upon Point Middle, and there alone; our apple, the +new species of _eugenia_, grew on Point Alexander and elsewhere, and also +a few other plants bearing small fruits of little use. Foot marks of the +kangaroo were seen in different places, but none of the animals, nor +indeed any quadruped; and birds seemed to be rare, both in the woods and +on the shores. + +The natives of Caledon Bay are the same race of men as those of Port +Jackson and King George's Sound, places at nearly the two opposite +extremities of Terra Australis;* in personal appearance they were behind +some tribes we had seen, but the difference did not go beyond what a less +abundant supply of food might produce. All those who came to the tents +had lost the upper front tooth on the left side, whereas at Port Jackson +it is the right tooth which is knocked out at the age of puberty; whether +the women undergo the same operation, contrary to the usage at Port +Jackson, we had no opportunity of knowing, having seen only one female, +and that at a distance. This girl wore a small piece of bark, in guise of +a fig leaf, which was the sole approximation to clothing seen among them. +Above the elbow the men usually wore a bandage of net work, in which was +stuck a short piece of strong grass, called _tomo_, and used as a tooth +pick; but the most remarkable circumstance in their persons was, that the +whole of them appeared to have undergone the Jewish and Mahometan rite of +circumcision. The same thing was before noticed in a native of Isle +Woodah, and in two at Wellesley's Islands; it would seem, therefore, to +be general on the west side of the Gulph of Carpentaria; but with what +view it may be done, or whence the custom were received, it is not in my +power to state. No such practice was found on the South or East Coasts, +nor was it observed in the natives of the islands in Torres' Strait, who +however, go naked as the Australians. + +[* In Van Diemen's Land, according to captain Cook and succeeding +visitors, and on the North-west Coast, according to Dampier, the +inhabitants have woolly hair; in which particular they are different from +the race above mentioned. Which of them may be aborigines can be only +conjectured, until the interior of the new continent shall be explored.] + +No other weapons than spears were seen amongst these people; but they +were not unacquainted with bows and arrows. It is probable that they have +bark canoes, though none were seen, for several trees were found +stripped, as if for that purpose; yet when Bongaree made them a present +of the canoe brought from Blue-mud Bay, they expressed very little +pleasure at the gift, and did not seem to know how to repair it. + +That this bay had before received the visits of some strangers, was +evinced by the knowledge which the natives had of fire arms; they +imitated the act of shooting when we first landed, and when a musket was +fired at their request, were not much alarmed. A quantity of posts was +lying near the water, which had been evidently cut with iron instruments; +and when we inquired of the inhabitants concerning them, they imitated +with their hands the motion of an axe cutting down a tree, and then +stopping, exclaimed _Poo!_ Whence we understood that the people who cut +the wood had fire arms. This was all that could be learned from the +natives; but from the bamboos and partitions of frame work found here, +similar to those at Pellew's Group, they were doubtless the same Asiatic +nation, if not the same individuals, of whom so many traces had been seen +all the way from the head of the gulph. The propensity shown by the +natives to steal, especially our axes, so contrary to all I have known +and heard of their countrymen, is not only a proof that they had been +previously visited by people possessing iron implements, but from their +audacity it would appear, that the effect of fire arms was either not +very certain in the hands of the strangers, or had seldom been resorted +to in the punishment of aggression; and from the circumstance of the +Indians bringing us a few berries, as a recompense for the last stolen +axe, it should seem that they had been accustomed to make very easy +atonements for their thefts. I have some hope that those who may follow +us will not be robbed, at least with so much effrontery; and at the same +time, that the inhabitants of Caledon Bay will not avoid, but be desirous +of further communication with Europeans. + +I do not know that the language at any two parts of Terra Australis, +however near, has been found to be entirely the same; for even at Botany +Bay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, not only the dialect, but many words +are radically different;* and this confirms one part of an observation, +the truth of which seems to be generally admitted: that although +similarity of language in two nations proves their origin to be the same, +yet dissimilarity of language is no proof of the contrary position. The +language of Caledon Bay may therefore be totally different to what is +spoken on the East and South Coasts, and yet the inhabitants have one +common origin; but I do not think that the language is absolutely and +wholly different, though it certainly was no better understood by +Bongaree than by ourselves. In three instances I found a similarity: the +personal pronoun of Port Jackson, _gni-a_ (I), was used here, and +apparently in the same sense; when inquiry was made after the axe, the +natives replied "_Yehangeree py_," making signs of beating; and _py_ +signifies to beat, in the Port-Jackson language; the third instance was +of the lad Woga calling to Bongaree in the boat, which after he had done +several times without being answered, he became angry, and exclaimed +_Bongaree-gah!_ in a vehement manner, as Bongaree himself would have done +in a similar case. For the following list of words I am principally +indebted to Mr. Brown, naturalist to the expedition; who remarked that +the word here for eye was very nearly the same with that used, both at +King George's Sound and Port Jackson, to express the same organ. + +[* This multiplicity of tongues in the same country presents an +extraordinary contrast with the _islands_ in the Great Ocean, where, from +the Sandwich Isles near the northern tropic, to the furthest extremity of +New Zeeland in 47 deg. south, the language is almost every where the same; +and with so little difference of dialect, that the several inhabitants +have not much difficulty to understand each other.] + +[LIST OF ENGLISH WORDS AND THOSE USED BY THE PEOPLE AT CALEDON BAY +TO EXPRESS THE SAME IDEA.--not included in ebook.] + +In collecting the words some errors may possibly have been made, either +from misunderstanding the natives or from their deceiving us +intentionally; for after the trick put upon Mons. Labillardiere at the +Friendly Islands, in the words given him for the high numerals, they are +always to be suspected. + +During the week we remained in Caledon Bay, the following astronomical +observations were taken. + +_Latitude_ from three observations to the north and south, taken in a +boat astern of the ship and reduced to the tents on Point Alexander, 12 deg. +47' 16" S. + +_Longitude_ from twelve sets of distances of stars east and west of the +moon, taken on a stand by lieut. Flinders, and of which the individual +results are given in Table VI. of the Appendix No. I, 136 deg. 35' 47.5" E. + +The rates of the time keepers were found from morning's altitudes of the +sun in an artificial horizon, between Feb. 3 and 8; and the means, with +the errors from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the 9th, were as +under: + +Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 41' 0.91" and losing 16.53" per day. +Earnshaw's No. 520, slow 2h 27' 19.55" and losing 30.83" per day. + +No. 520 had been accidentally let down in Blue-mud Bay, whence its +longitude is not now noticed; that given by No. 543 on Feb. 3, with the +rate from Observation Island, was 136 deg. 43' 3.5", or 7'16" greater than +the lunars. Were a rate used, equally accelerated from that of +Observation Island to what was found in Caledon Bay, the longitude would +be 0' 55" less than the lunars; but during the twelve days occupied in +circumnavigating Groote Eylandt, it was proved that this time keeper was +keeping its former rate, and consequently the acceleration cannot here be +admitted. + +In constructing the chart of the coast and islands between Pellew's Group +and Caledon Bay, a time keeper was required only in laying down the south +and east sides of Groote Eylandt, and the main coast up to Cape Barrow; +in all the remaining parts the longitude was preserved by a connected +chain of bearings, mostly taken on shore. The time-keeper reckoning from +Observation Island, and that by survey worked back from the fixed point +in Caledon Bay, meet each other on Jan. 5 p.m. at Connexion Island; and +the difference was there found to be 2' 41", which the time keeper gave +more to the east. This may have arisen from Observation Island being laid +down in a longitude too great by that quantity, or Caledon Bay too +little, or from a small error in each; but the time keeper was not +thought entitled to such perfect confidence, as to cause an alteration to +be made in these stations. The difference of 2' 41" is therefore +corrected by applying -16.3" of longitude per day to the time keeper, +from Observation to Connexion Island; Groote Eylandt is laid down mostly +from the time keeper, with the fixed correction -2' 41" all round; and +from thence to Caledon Bay the chart is constructed from bearings and +observed latitudes. + +The mean _dip_ of the south end of the needle, observed at the tents, was +36 deg. 28'. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite, 2 deg. 20' E. + +On board the ship, at anchor off the south-west side of the inner island +at the entrance, the variation from three compasses, with the head N. W. +by W., was 2 deg. 26'; by the surveying compass alone, 2 deg. 46' east, and this, +which I consider to be the best, would be, corrected, 1 deg. 14' E. + +At my different stations on shore, the variation seemed to be between 2 deg. +and 2 deg. 20' east; except on the north-east end of the outer island in the +entrance, where it appeared to be no more than 1 deg. 30'. + +The rise of _tide_ in Caledon Bay was so small, that nothing certain +could be determined on board, either upon the quantity or the time; but +it appeared from the observations of lieutenant Fowler at the tents, that +there were two tides in the day, the rise of which varied from 3 feet 10, +to 4 feet 10 inches; and that the time of high water took place at _nine +hours and a half after_ the moon passed over and under the meridian. + +On board the ship, the range of the thermometer was from 83 deg. to 87 deg., +nearly as it had been from first entering the Gulph of Carpentaria; and +on shore it was probably 10 deg. higher. Several of our people were ill of +diarrhoeas at this time, accompanied with some fever, which was +attributed by the surgeon to the heat and the moist state of the +atmosphere; for since December, when the north-west monsoon began, not +many days had passed without rain, and thunder squalls were frequent. +Exposing the head uncovered to the sun, more especially if engaged in +strong exercise, was proved to be very dangerous here; I lost one man in +Blue-mud Bay from a want of due precaution in this particular, and at +this place two others very narrowly escaped. Musketoes were numerous and +exceedingly troublesome on shore, as also the black flies; but no +venemous reptiles were seen in our limited excursions round Caledon Bay. +The mercury in the barometer stood between 29.90 and 29.95 inches, in the +rainy weather with strong winds from the eastward; but with fine weather +and variable winds, more especially from the south and westward, it +descended to 29.80 inches. + +CHAPTER IX. + +Departure from Caledon Bay. +Cape Arnhem. +Melville Bay. +Cape Wilberforce, and Bromby's Isles. +The English Company's Islands: meeting there with vessels from Macassar. +Arnhem Bay. +The Wessel's Islands. +Further examination of the North Coast postponed. +Arrival at Coepang Bay, in Timor. +Remarks and astronomical observations. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +THURSDAY 10 FEBRUARY 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate XV.) + +At daylight in the morning of Feb. 10, we sailed down Caledon Bay, and +steered eastward along the south side of the islands lying in the +entrance. In passing the outer island I landed with the botanical +gentlemen, and took bearings from a small elevation on its north-east +end, which materially assisted in fixing the positions of the northern +islets, and extending the survey onward along the coast. + + +Cape Grey, the hummock on it, bore S. 27 deg. 13' W. +Mount Alexander, N. 11 45 W. +Furthest extreme northward, N. 13 43 E. + + +This outer island is nearly a mile long, E. by N. and W. by S., and +mostly destitute of wood; but one valley was thickly covered, and so +interlaced with vines as to be impenetrable. The latitude observed to the +north and south, at the sandy west point, was 12 deg. 52' 59" south. + +We re-joined the ship at one o'clock, and steered northward, without side +of the islets and rocks which lie scattered along the shore as far as +Mount Alexander. Amongst these are three near to each other, with +hummocks upon them, which, as in many points of view they seem to make +but one island, may probably have been meant by the northernmost of the +three isles in the Dutch chart. + +The wind had been from the southward, but on closing in with the coast at +Mount Alexander it came from N. W. by N., and edged us off a little from +the land. At sunset the shore was three or four miles distant, and + + +Mount Alexander bore S. 53 deg. W. +A hummock at the furthest extreme, N. 9 E. + + +We steered on till eight o'clock, and then anchored in 21 fathoms, blue +mud. At daylight [FRIDAY 11 FEBRUARY 1803], the shore was found to be +distant four or five miles; the furthest part then seen was near the +eastern extremity of Arnhem's Land, and this having no name in the Dutch +chart, is called CAPE ARNHEM. + + +Mount Alexander was set at S. 48 deg. W. +Two rocks under the shore, dist. 5 or 6 miles, N. 15 W. +Cape Arnhem, rising land within the extremity, N. 111/2 W. + + +From Mount Alexander to Cape Arnhem there is nine leagues of waving sandy +coast; it affords only one small opening, which is on the south side of a +cliffy point, with two islets lying off the entrance, and may probably +afford shelter for boats. + +At eight in the morning we passed Cape Arnhem, a smooth grassy projection +which rises gently from the water's edge into the country, but is no +where of much elevation; a broad rock lies near the south-eastern +extremity, and its position was ascertained to be 12 deg. 19' south, and 137 deg. +1' east. Strong ripplings of a tide or current extended some distance off +the cape, and in passing through them we had irregular soundings between +27 and 18 fathoms; beyond Cape Arnhem the shore trended N. W. by N., in +rocky points and shallow bights, but the wind being from that direction, +we could not follow it closely. The furthest land visible at noon was a +flat-topped hill which I call _Mount Saunders_, and nearer to us was a +higher and more woody hill, also flat-topped and steep at its north end, +to which is given the name of _Mount Dundas_; their bearings, and our +position at this time were as under: + + +Latitude observed, 12 deg. 121/2' +Longitude from survey and time keeper, 137 21/2 +Mount Dundas, bluff north end, dist. 8 miles, S. 85 W. +Mount Saunders, north end, N. 841/2 W. +Cape Arnhem, a rising within the extremity, S. 21 W. + + +We tacked to the westward in the afternoon, and an island came in sight, +lying to the north of the two mounts, with several rocks and islets +scattered on its north-east side. At sunset the wind died away, and a +stream anchor was dropped in 16 fathoms sandy ground; our situation being +five miles from the shore under Mount Dundas, and three from the nearest +rocky islets to the north-west. The flood tide set gently to the +westward, and induced me to suppose there might be a passage within the +island and rocks, and in the morning [SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY 1803] our +endeavours were used to reach it; but the winds being light and mostly +contrary, the evening came before we got through. An anchor was then +dropped in 4 fathoms, coarse sand, one mile and a half from the sandy +shore under Mount Saunders, and three miles from the south-west end of +the island. The passage is more than two miles wide, and our soundings in +working through it were between 41/2 and 6 fathoms on a gravelly bottom; +but afterwards we had little more in some places than 3 fathoms. + +[NORTH COAST. MELVILLE BAY.] + +Two natives, with a canoe, had been seen upon the island; and as our boat +stood that way, sounding ahead of the ship, they waved and called to the +people. The island is about five miles long, and between one and two in +breadth; it is low, mostly destitute of wood, and the shores in general +are sandy; and not being laid down in the Dutch chart, I distinguish it, +with the islets and rocks to the north and north-east, by the name of +_Melville Isles_: the south end which forms the passage, lies in 12 deg. 81/2' +south, and 136 deg. 52' east. In the opposite shore, between Mount Saunders +and Dundas, is a sandy bight where ships would be sheltered from all +winds except those at north-east, if the water be deep enough for them. +The trees upon the hills showed a dark-green foliage; but the low land, +especially under Mount Saunders, was sandy and barren, and so continued +for seven miles westward, to a low point near a woody islet. Further on, +the coast took a northern direction, and was seen from the mast head as +far as N. N. W.; but no other part could be set from the deck than the +highest of several eminences on the back land, named _Mount Bonner_, +which proved to be an useful mark in the survey. The bearings taken at +this anchorage were principally these: + + +Mount Dundas, bluff north end, S. 54 deg. E. +Woody islet, near a western sandy point, S. 62 W. +Mount Bonner, N. 82 W. +Melville Isles, the northernmost, N. 13 E. +Melville Isles, the largest, N. 83 deg. E. to East. + + +SUNDAY 13 FEBRUARY 1803 + +In the morning we steered westward, with a light air of wind at south and +a flood tide in our favour; and having passed over some ripplings near +the anchorage, our soundings became regular, increasing from 7 to 12 +fathoms. On a breeze setting in at north-west, the course was directed +towards a bight behind the woody islet; and a little before noon its +appearance became so promising, that I steered into it before the wind. +In passing the islet and sandy point we had from 10 to 7 fathoms, in an +opening of four miles wide; and a bay of considerable extent then lay +before us. In the middle of the bay were three rocks, and to the +north-east of them a headland, beyond which the water extended eastward; +we steered to pass between these till the depth diminished to 4 fathoms, +when we tacked and let go the anchor in the north-eastern part of the +bay, in 5 fathoms, muddy bottom; the sandy point at the entrance bore W. +by N., one mile and a quarter, and the largest of some granitic rocks in +front of the beach, N. by W. half a mile. + +A boat was sent to haul the seine on the beach, and I went there with the +botanical gentlemen. The depth was 5 fathoms close to the shore, even +within the rocks; and the ship might have been placed there in perfect +security, though the room was scarcely sufficient to allow of swinging at +single anchor. I called the largest of the rocks which form the +south-east side of this snug little place, _Harbour Rock_; and the sandy +point at the entrance of the bay is named _Point Dundas_. After the seine +had been hauled with good success, I walked to the extremity of the +point; and from a hillock of sand a little way back, took a set of +bearings to commence the survey, in which was included the bluff north +end of Mount Saunders at N. 74 deg. 55' E. Many foot-marks of men, dogs, and +small kangaroos were observed on the beach., but neither natives nor +quadrupeds were seen. + +MONDAY 14 FEBRUARY 1803 + +Early next morning a party of men was sent to cut wood, and the botanical +gentlemen landed on Point Dundas upon their pursuits; I went to examine +the north-eastern part of the bay, where the water extended two miles +above the ship; but the depth in it presently diminished to 21/2 fathoms, +and to 1 near the end. Beyond a low isthmus there, a piece of water was +seen communicating with the south-eastern part of the bay, and making a +peninsula of the high rocky land named _Drimmie Head_; at high water, +indeed, it is an island, for the tide then flows over some parts of the +isthmus. After taking two sets of bearings, I rowed southward along the +shore of Drimmie Head; and from a hill near the south-west extremity +obtained a good view of the bay, and saw the western coast as far +northward as a cliffy cape which was named after _William Wilberforce_, +Esq., the worthy representative of Yorkshire. The principal bearings from +hence were, + + +Car. e Wilberforce, highest part, N. 25 deg. 40' W. +Mount Bonner, N. 51 55 W. +Point Dundas, distant 2 miles, N. 52 30 W. + + +Leaving Drimmie Head, I steered over to the middlemost of the three rocks +in the bay, with a depth of water from 3 to 61/2 fathoms, on muddy ground. +These rocks lie nearly due south from Point Dundas, and I proposed to +observe the latitude on both sides from thence, whilst lieutenant +Flinders did the same at the point, that a base line for the survey might +be obtained from the difference; but the difficulty of finding a +convenient position disappointed me, and no satisfactory base was +obtained here; so that the extent of this bay in the chart is rather +uncertain. + +My course from the three rocks was directed S. S. E., for the south side +of the bay; the distance was three miles, and the depth for half the way +from 5 to 3 fathoms, but afterwards shoal. Upon some low cliffs there, +partly composed of pipe clay, a few bearings were taken; and after +walking a little way inland, to examine the country, I rowed back to a +small island near the south extremity of Drimmie Head, with soundings +mostly between 3 and 61/2 fathoms; but there is no ship passage between it +and the head. Having taken some additional bearings and looked over the +islet, I returned on board in the evening; passing in the way near a +rock, dry at half tide, but round which, at a ship's length, there is 21/2 +to 3 fathoms. + +TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 1803 + +Some further bearings and observations were taken on the 15th, and my +intention to sail on the following morning being frustrated by a fresh +wind at north-west, with unsettled weather, Messieurs Brown and Bauer +accompanied me [WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 1803] in a boat excursion to the +eastern part of the bay. We first landed at the islet near Drimmie Head, +that Mr. Brown might examine its mineralogy; and then steered three miles +eastward for a low projection covered with mangroves, growing on rocks of +strongly impregnated iron stone. Coasting along the mangrove shore from +thence northward, and after landing at one other place, we came to the +isthmus which connects Drimmie Head to the land of Point Dundas; and it +being near high water, the boat was got over the isthmus by a small +passage through the mangroves, and we reached the ship at one o'clock, +where every thing was prepared for weighing the anchor. + +This bay is unnoticed in the Dutch chart, and I name it MELVILLE BAY, in +compliment to the Right Hon. Robert Saunders Dundas, viscount Melville, +who, as first lord of the Admiralty, has continued that patronage to the +voyage which it had experienced under some of his predecessors. It is the +best harbour we found in the Gulph of Carpentaria; the entrance is from +the N. N. W., four miles wide, and free from danger; and within side, the +sole dangers not conspicuous, are a sandy spit running half a mile to the +S. S. E. from Point Dundas, and the _Half-tide Rock_. This lies half a +mile from the north-west part of Drimmie Head, and bears (true as usual), + + +From the sandy hillock within Point Dundas, S. 48 deg. 35' E. +From Harbour Rock, S. 10 39 E. + + +Melville Bay every where affords good holding ground, the bottom being +either mud or sand; and there is depth for a ship to run between the +three rocks in the middle of the bay and Drimmie Head, and steer eastward +until the head is brought to bear N. N. W., at the distance of one or two +miles; but the most convenient anchorage is just within the entrance, +between Point Dundas and Harbour Rock, where a ship may lie close to the +sandy beach in from 3 to 5 fathoms. Even within the rock there is depth +enough; and were moorings laid down, four or five sail might swing there +in perfect security. We obtained here fire wood, and a tolerable supply +of fish; and had water been wanted, it might have been obtained by +digging at the foot of the small hills to the north-east of Harbour Rock, +since a hole made there by the natives was found to contain good water. + +The stone on the north side of Melville Bay is a granitic composition of +quartz, mica, and coarse garnets; the garnets are large, and give the +stone a plum-pudding-like appearance, and when polished, it would be +beautiful: over the granite is a crust of calcareous rock in many places. +On the south side of the bay the stone is argillaceous, but frequently +mixed with ferruginous grains; and on the south-east side the rocks are +of iron ore, of which a small piece drew the needle of my theodolite 8 deg. +from the meridian. The bearings taken here were found to have been 50 deg. +wrong; but too late to ascertain whether the error arose from the +attraction of the shore, or from the needle having been placed at 310 deg. by +mistake, instead of 360 deg.. + +There did not appear to be any rich soil on the borders of the bay; but +on the south and eastern sides the country was covered with an agreeable +intermixture of grass and trees, and better adapted for cattle than any I +have seen in so low a latitude. The soil, though not deep, would produce +most things suited to the climate; for the heat and moisture do so much +for vegetation, that very little earth seems necessary to its support. On +the south side the trees are mostly different species of _eucalyptus_, +growing tall and straight, though not large; whereas on the sandy parts +of Point Dundas, a _casuarina_, of the same species as seen at Coen River +and other parts of the gulph, was most abundant, and served us for fuel. +A _santalum_, more nearly allied to the true sandel wood than any before +seen in this country, was found on the borders of the bay. + +No inhabitants were perceived, nor any fresh traces of them; but as dogs +were seen twice, it is probable the natives were watching us at no great +distance; they had visited all the places where I landed, and should +therefore seem to possess canoes. Traces of the same strangers, of whom +mention has been so often made, were found here; and amongst others were +partitions of frame work and part of a large earthen jar. Kangaroos +appeared to be rather numerous in the woods, brown doves and large white +pigeons were tolerably plentiful, and a bird nearly black, of the size +and appearance of a hen, was shot; there were also cockatoos, both black +and white, and a beautiful species of paroquet not known at Port Jackson. +The aquatic birds were blue and white cranes, sea-pies, and sand-larks. +Besides fish, our seine usually brought on shore many of the grey slugs +or sea cucumbers, but not so abundantly as in Caledon Bay. + +We were not here pestered so much with the black flies as before; but the +musketoes and sand flies were numerous and fierce. Most of the bushes +contained nests made by a small green ant; and if the bush were +disturbed, these resentful little animals came out in squadrons, and +never ceased to pursue till the disturber was out of sight. In forcing +our way amongst the underwood, we sometimes got our hair and clothes +filled with them; and as their bite is very sharp, and their vengeance +never satisfied, there was no other resource than stripping as +expeditiously as possible. + +The sun was at this time very near the zenith, which not only prevented +the latitude from being observed in the artificial horizon, but rendered +the observations from the sea horizon, to the north and south at the same +noon, liable to inaccuracies; and in consequence, our positions in this +neighbourhood may not be very correct. + +The _latitude_ of Point Dundas, from one double observation, was 12 deg. 13' +50"; but from the bearing of Mount Saunders, it is taken to be 12 deg. 13' 0" +S. + +_Longitude_ by survey from Caledon Bay, being 1' greater than by time +keepers,136 deg. 41' 40" E. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite on Harbour Rock,1 deg. 13' east. + +And except in the doubtful instance of the iron-stone shore on the +south-east side of the bay, the bearings in other parts did not differ +more than 20' from it. + +The greatest rise of _tide_ here, according to the marks on shore, did +not seem to have exceeded eight feet. High water took place nearly five +hours before, and _seven hours after_ the moon's passage over the +meridian; which is nearly two hours and a half earlier than in Caledon +Bay, as that is earlier than in Blue-mud Bay, further south in the gulph. + +[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.] + +WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 1803 + +At two in the afternoon of the 16th, the wind being moderate at N. N. W., +we worked out of Melville Bay; and anchored at dusk, five miles from the +entrance in 13 fathoms, sand and mud. Next morning [THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY +1803], in following the line of the western shore with a breeze off the +land, we passed three rocks lying out from a point under Mount Bonner; +and further on, six or seven miles short of Cape Wilberforce, there was a +small shallow opening. From the north part of this cliffy cape, a chain +of islands and rocks extends out three or four leagues to the E. N. E., +which I call _Bromby's Isles_, after my worthy friend the Rev. John +Bromby of Hull. One of these is cliffy, and two miles long; the rest are +smaller, and the whole seemed to be connected by rocks under water; but +between Cape Wilberforce and the nearest islet was a space three-quarters +of a mile wide, towards which we worked up against a fresh wind at W. N. +W. At noon, the two cliffy parts of the cape bore S. 1/4 E. and W. 1/4 N., +from one to two miles; and the latter, which is the north extremity, was +ascertained to lie in 11 deg. 52' south, and 136 deg. 33' east. + +At this time the weather became squally with much rain; but after +numberless tacks, made under double-reefed top sails and courses in the +narrow passage, with soundings from 10 to 18 fathoms, we cleared it at +two o'clock, and stretched southwestward as the main coast was found to +trend; and thus was the examination of the Gulph of Carpentaria finished, +after employing one hundred and five days in coasting along its shores +and exploring its bays and islands. The extent of the Gulph in longitude, +from Endeavour's Strait to Cape Wilberforce, is 51/2 deg. and in latitude 7 deg.; +and the circuit, excluding the numerous islands and the openings, is +little less than four hundred leagues. It will be remarked that the form +of it, given in the old charts, is not very erroneous, which proves it to +have been the result of a real examination; but as no particulars were +known of the discovery of the south and western parts, not even the name +of the author, though opinion ascribed it with reason to Tasman, so the +chart was considered as little better than a representation of fairy +land, and did not obtain the credit which it was now proved to have +merited. Henceforward, the Gulph of Carpentaria will take its station +amongst the conspicuous parts of the globe in a decided character. + +[NORTH COAST. ENGLISH COMPANY'S ISLANDS.] + +After clearing the narrow passage between Cape Wilberforce and Bromby's +Isles, we followed the main coast to the S. W.; having on the starbord +hand some high and large islands, which closed in towards the coast ahead +so as to make it doubtful whether there were any passage between them. +Under the nearest island was perceived a canoe full of men; and in a sort +of roadsted, at the south end of the same island, there were six vessels +covered over like hulks, as if laid up for the bad season. Our +conjectures were various as to who those people could be, and what their +business here; but we had little doubt of their being the same, whose +traces had been found so abundantly in the Gulph. I had inclined to the +opinion that these traces had been left by Chinese, and the report of the +natives in Caledon Bay that they had fire arms, strengthened the +supposition; and combining this with the appearance of the vessels, I set +them down for piratical Ladrones who secreted themselves here from +pursuit, and issued out as the season permitted, or prey invited them. +Impressed with this idea, we tacked to work up for the road; and our +pendant and ensign being hoisted, each of them hung out a small white +flag. On approaching, I sent lieutenant Flinders in an armed boat, to +learn who they were; and soon afterward we came to an anchor in 12 +fathoms, within musket shot; having a spring on the cable, and all hands +at quarters. + +Every motion in the whale boat, and in the vessel along-side which she +was lying, was closely watched with our glasses, but all seemed to pass +quietly; and on the return of lieutenant Flinders, we learned that they +were prows from Macassar, and the six Malay commanders shortly afterwards +came on board in a canoe. It happened fortunately that my cook was a +Malay, and through his means I was able to communicate with them. The +chief of the six prows was a short, elderly man, named _Pobassoo_; he +said there were upon the coast, in different divisions, sixty prows, and +that _Salloo_ was the commander in chief. These people were Mahometans, +and on looking into the launch, expressed great horror to see hogs there; +nevertheless they had no objection to port wine, and even requested a +bottle to carry away with them at sunset. + +The weather continued squally all night, with frequent heavy rain, and +the wind blew strong; but coming off the islands, the ship rode easily. +In the morning [FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY 1803], I went on board Pobassoo's +vessel, with two of the gentlemen and my interpreter, to make further +inquiries; and afterwards the six chiefs came to the Investigator, and +several canoes were along-side for the purpose of barter. Before noon, +five other prows steered into the road from the S. W., anchoring near the +former six; and we had more people about the ship than I chose to admit +on board, for each of them wore a short dagger or cress by his side. My +people were under arms, and the guns were exercised and a shot fired at +the request of the chiefs; in the evening they all retired quietly, but +our guns were kept ready and half the people at quarters all night. The +weather was very rainy; and towards morning [SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY 1803], +much noise was heard amongst the prows. At daylight they got under sail, +and steered through the narrow passage between Cape Wilberforce and +Bromby's Isles, by which we had come; and afterwards directed their +course south-eastward into the Gulph of Carpentaria. + +My desire to learn every thing concerning these people, and the strict +look-out which it had been necessary to keep upon them, prevented me +attending to any other business during their stay. According to Pobassoo, +from whom my information was principally obtained, sixty prows belonging +to the Rajah of Boni, and carrying one thousand men, had left Macassar +with the north-west monsoon, two months before, upon an expedition to +this coast; and the fleet was then lying in different places to the +westward, five or six together, Pobasso's division being the foremost. +These prows seemed to be about twenty-five tons, and to have twenty or +twenty-five men in each; that of Pobassoo carried two small brass guns, +obtained from the Dutch, but the others had only muskets; besides which, +every Malay wears a cress or dagger, either secretly or openly. I +inquired after bows and arrows, and the _ippo_ poison, but they had none +of them; and it was with difficulty they could understand what was meant +by the _ippo_. + +The object of their expedition was a certain marine animal, called +_trepang_. Of this they gave me two dried specimens; and it proved to be +the _beche-de-mer_, or sea cucumber which we had first seen on the reefs +of the East Coast, and had afterwards hauled on shore so plentifully with +the seine, especially in Caledon Bay. They get the _trepang_ by diving, +in from 3 to 8 fathoms water; and where it is abundant, a man will bring +up eight or ten at a time. The mode of preserving it is this: the animal +is split down one side, boiled, and pressed with a weight of stones; then +stretched open by slips of bamboo, dried in the sun, and afterwards in +smoke, when it is fit to be put away in bags, but requires frequent +exposure to the sun. A thousand trepang make a _picol_, of about 125 +Dutch pounds; and one hundred picols are a cargo for a prow. It is +carried to Timor, and sold to the Chinese, who meet them there; and when +all the prows are assembled, the fleet returns to Macassar. By Timor, +seemed to be meant Timor-laoet; for when I inquired concerning the +English, Dutch, and Portuguese there, Pobassoo knew nothing of them: he +had heard of Coepang, a Dutch settlement, but said it was upon another +island. + +There are two kinds of trepang. The black, called _baatoo_, is sold to +the Chinese for forty dollars the picol; the white, or grey, called +_koro_, is worth no more than twenty. The _baatoo_ seems to be what we +found upon the coral reefs near the Northumberland Islands; and were a +colony established in Broad Sound or Shoalwater Bay, it might perhaps +derive considerable advantage from the trepang. In the Gulph of +Carpentaria, we did not observe any other than the _koro_, or grey slug. + +Pobassoo had made six or seven voyages from Macassar to this coast, +within the preceding twenty years, and he was one of the first who came; +but had never seen any ship here before. This road was the first +rendezvous for his division, to take in water previously to going into +the Gulph. One of their prows had been lost the year before, and much +inquiry was made concerning the pieces of wreck we had seen; and a +canoe's rudder being produced, it was recognised as having belonged to +her. They sometimes had skirmishes with the native inhabitants of the +coast; Pobassoo himself had been formerly speared in the knee, and a man +had been slightly wounded since their arrival in this road: they +cautioned us much to beware of the natives.* + +[* A question suggests itself here: Could the natives of the west side of +the Gulph of Carpentaria have learned the rite of circumcision from these +Malay Mahometans? From the short period that the latter had frequented +the coast, and the nature of the intercourse between the two people, it +seems to me very little probable.] + +They had no knowledge of any European settlement in this country; and on +learning the name Port Jackson, the son of Pobassoo made a memorandum of +it as thus, (foreign characters), writing from left to right. Until this +time, that some nutmegs were shown to them, they did not know of their +being produced here; nor had they ever met with cocoa nuts, bananas, or +other edible fruits or vegetables; fish, and sometimes turtle, being all +they procured. I inquired if they knew of any rivers or openings leading +far inland, if they made charts of what they saw, or used any charts? To +all which Pobassoo answered in the negative. There was a river at Timor, +into which the ship could go; and he informed me of two turtle islands, +one of them not far to the north-west of our situation in the road; the +other would be seen from the mast head as we sailed along the shore. + +I could find no other nautical instrument amongst them than a very small +pocket compass, apparently of Dutch manufacture; by this their course is +directed at sea, without the aid of any chart or astronomical +observation. They carry a month's water, in joints of bamboo; and their +food is rice, cocoa nuts, and dried fish, with a few fowls for the +chiefs. The black _gummotoo_ rope, of which we had found pieces at Sir +Edward Pellew's Group, was in use on board the prows; and they said it +was made from the same palm whence the sweet syrup, called _gulah_, is +obtained. + +My numberless questions were answered patiently, and with apparent +sincerity; Pobassoo even stopped one day longer at my desire, than he had +intended, for the north-west monsoon, he said, would not blow quite a +month longer, and he was rather late. I rewarded his trouble and that of +his companions with several presents, principally iron tools, which they +seemed anxious to possess; and he begged of me an English jack, which he +afterwards carried at the head of his squadron. He also expressed a +desire for a letter, to show to any other ship he might meet; and I +accordingly wrote him a note to captain Baudin, whom it seemed probable +he might encounter in the Gulph, either going or returning. + +So soon as the prows were gone, the botanical gentlemen and myself +proceeded to make our examinations. The place where the ship was +anchored, and which I call _Malay Road_, is formed by two islands: one to +the S. W.. now named _Pobassoo's Island_, upon which was a stream of +fresh water behind a beach; the other to the north, named _Cotton's +Island_, after captain Cotton of the India directory. The opening between +them is nearly half a mile wide; but the water being shallow, the road is +well sheltered on the west side, and the opposite main coast lies not +further off to the east than three miles; so that N. E. is the sole +quarter whence much swell can come. I landed upon Cotton's Island; and +ascending a high cliff at the south-east end, saw Mount Saunders and the +northernmost Melville Isle over the land of Cape Wilberforce. Cotton's +Island extends six or seven miles to the north. and beyond it, to the +north-east, was another large island, which I called _Wigram's_, whose +south-east part is also a high cliff. Further off were two small isles; +and at a greater distance another, named _Truant Island_, from its lying +away from the rest. Pobassoo's Island intercepted my view to the S. W.; +but on moving back to a higher station, two other islands were seen over +it, close to each other; to the furthest and largest I gave the name of +_Inglis_, and to the nearer that of _Bosanquet_. In the west also, and +not more than three miles distant, was an island of considerable size, +which was distinguished by the name of _Astell_. The general trending of +all these islands is nearly N. E. by E., parallel with the line of the +main coast and of Bromby's Isles. In the Dutch chart, if they be marked +at all, it is as main land, and without distinctive appellation; I have +therefore applied names to each, mostly after gentlemen in the East-India +directory; and in compliment to that respectable body of men, whose +liberal attention to this voyage was useful to us and honourable to them, +the whole cluster is named the ENGLISH COMPANY'S ISLANDS. + +Amongst the bearings taken from the south-eastern cliff of Cotton's +Island, the following were most essential to the survey. + + +Ship at anchor, distant 11/4 miles, S. 41 deg. 50' W. +Mount Bonner, S. 21 12 E. +Mount Saunders, north end, S. 47 52 E. +Cape Wilberforce, N. W. cliff, N. 74 15 E. +Bromby's Isles, the largest, N. 66 deg. 39' to 69 39 E. +Wigram's Island, N. 41 45 to 15 40 E. + Moved S. 521/2 deg. W. one-third mile. +Furthest part of the main land, S. 49 5 W. +Inglis' Island, N. E. cliff, S. 53 30 W. +Bosanquet's I., N. W. extreme S. 69 5 W. + + +The Dutch chart contains an island of great extent, lying off this part +of the North Coast; it has no name in Thevenot, but in some authors bears +that of Wessel's or Wezel's Eylandt, probably from the vessel which +discovered Arnhem's Land in 1636; and from the south end of Cotton's +Island distant land was seen to the N. W, which I judged to be a part of +it; but no bearings could be taken at this time, from the heavy clouds +and rain by which it was obscured. + +From the 19th to the 22nd, the weather was frequently rainy, with thunder +and lightning; and the wind blew strong in squalls, generally between the +north and west, and made it unsafe to move the ship. During these days, +the botanical gentlemen over-ran the two islands which form Malay Road; +and I made a boat excursion to Astell's, and another to the north end of +Cotton's Island, to sound and take bearings for the survey. In the latter +excursion [TUESDAY 22 FEBRUARY 1803], three black children were perceived +on the north-east beach; and on walking that way we saw two bark huts, +and an elderly man was sitting under a tree, near them. He smiled on +finding himself discovered, and went behind a bush, when a confused noise +was heard of women and children making off into the wood; the man also +retreated up the hill, and our friendly signs were ineffectual to stop +him. In one of the huts was a net bag, containing some pieces of gum, +bone, and a broken spike nail; and against a neighbouring bush were +standing three spears, one of which had a number of barbs, and had been +wrought with some ingenuity. This I took away; but the rest of the arms, +with the utensils and furniture of the huts, consisting of the aforesaid +net bag and a shell to drink out of, were left as we found them, with the +addition of a hatchet and pocket handkerchief. + +Cotton's, Pobassoo's, and Astell's Islands, to which our examinations +were limited, are moderately high, woody land; they slope down nearly to +the water on their west sides, but on the east, and more especially the +south-east, they present steep cliffs; and the same conformation seemed +to prevail in the other islands. The stone of the upper parts is grit or +sandstone, of a close texture; but the lower part of the cliffs is +argillaceous and stratified, splitting in layers of different +thicknesses, from that of a shilling to two or three feet; and the strata +dip to the westward, about 15 deg.. On breaking some pieces out of the +cliffs, I found them curiously marked with the representation of flowers +and trees, owing, as I am told, to manganese or iron ore inserting itself +partially into the fissures. The layers are of a reddish colour, +resembling flat tiles, and might, I conceive, be used as such, almost +without any preparation; there are enough of them to cover a whole town, +and the sand stone at the top of the cliffs is equally well calculated +for building the walls of the houses. + +The upper surfaces of these islands are barren; but in the vallies, down +which ran streams of water at this time, there is a tolerable soil. One +of these vallies, at the south end of Cotton's Island, might be made a +delightful situation to a college of monks, who could bear the heat of +the climate, and were impenetrable to the stings of musketoes. Here grew +the wild nutmeg, in abundance, the fig which bears its fruit on the stem, +two species of palm, and a tree whose bark is in common use in the East +for making ropes; besides a variety of others, whose tops were overspread +with creeping vines, forming a shade to the stream underneath. But this +apparently delightful retreat afforded any thing rather than coolness and +tranquillity: the heat was suffocating, and the musketoes admitted not of +a moment's repose. + +Upon Pobassoo's Island, near the stream of water at the back of the +beach, Mr. Good, the gardener, planted four of the cocoa nuts procured +from the Malays; and also some remnants of potatoes which were found in +the ship. + +The _latitude_ of Malay Road, from two not very satisfactory +observations, was 11 deg. 533/4' S. + +_Longitude_ by the survey from Caledon Bay 136 deg. 27' E. + +From observations made on shore in the artificial horizon, the +time-keeper No. 520 was differing from its Caledon-Bay rate, 15.4" of +longitude per day, to the east, but No. 543 only 9.8"; and when the +longitude of this last is corrected by the proportion afterwards found +necessary, it will agree with the survey to less than half a mile. + +No observations were taken for the _variation_ of the compass, but I +judge it to have been about 1 deg. east, when not affected by any local +attraction. Near the north-east end of Cotton's Island, and at the +south-west point, the variation was 2 deg. _more east_ than upon the +south-east head; as if the south end of the island attracted the north +point, and the north end the south point of the needle. + +On the day of the new moon, a particular observation was made upon the +tide in Malay Road; and it was high water at ten minutes past eight in +the morning, or nearly _eight hours and a quarter after_ the moon had +passed the lower meridian; and the rise was ten feet two inches. There +were two tides in the day; but from the swinging of the ship in the road, +it appeared that the last of the ebb, as well as the whole of the flood, +came from the N. E.; an irregularity which might be caused by the shallow +passage between the two islands. + +WEDNESDAY 23 FEBRUARY 1803 + +The weather was still squally on the 23rd, but in the afternoon became +finer; and at three o'clock we steered south-westward, between the +islands and the main, with a flood-tide in our favour and the whale boat +sounding ahead. All the points of the main coast, like the western sides +of the islands, are low and rocky, and they are bordered with reef; but +we had tolerably good soundings, from 20 to 7 fathoms, in passing along +them at the distance of a mile. At dusk in the evening we came to, in 5 +fathoms muddy ground, in a place much like Malay Road; it is formed by +Inglis' and Bosanquet's Islands, and except in a space between them, of +half a mile wide, we had land at various distances all round. + +Inglis' Island forms here a pretty looking cove, in which is a woody +islet. In the morning [THURSDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1803] I sounded the cove; and +finding it to be shallow, went on, accompanied by the landscape painter, +to take bearings from the steep north-east head of the island. From +thence the main coast was visible four leagues further, extending in the +same south-western direction; at the end of it was an island of +considerable elevation, which I named _Mallison's Island_, and west of it +another, with land running at the back. The bearings which most served +to prolong the survey, were these: + + +Pobassoo's I., east cliff, in a line with Malay Road, N. 55 deg. 0' E. + Moved back S. 53 deg. W. 1/4 mile. +Mallison's I., steep south-east head, S. 38 25 W. +Mallison's I., outer of two rocks on the north-west side, S. 48 47 W. + + +We had not brought any provision in the boat; but Inglis' Island +appearing to terminate three or four miles further on, I hoped to make +the circuit, and reach the ship to a late dinner. An Indian followed +along the shore, inviting us by signs to land; but when the boat's head +was turned that way, he retreated into the wood, and we had no time to +follow, or to wait his pleasure to come down; for a good deal of delay +had been caused by the tide, and the island was found to extend several +miles further than was expected, to another steep head, from which I was +desirous to obtain a set of bearings. At five o'clock, when we reached +the head, it rained fast, which deterred me from attempting the steep +ascent, and we pushed onward; but the island, instead of terminating +here, extended four miles further in a west direction, to a low point, +where sunset and the bad weather obliged us to stop for the night. No +wood could be found to make a fire, nor had we any tent; and from the +rain, the cold, and musketoes, and our want of dinner, the night passed +uncomfortably. + +FRIDAY 25 FEBRUARY 1803 + +At day-light, I took bearings from the low south-west point, whilst +Bongaree speared a few fish. + + +Mallison's I., the high south-east head, bore S. 11 deg. 10' E. +Mallison's I., west extreme S. 11 30 W. +A probable island, dist. 5 miles, S. 47 deg. 50' W. to West. + + +The main coast was close at the back of, and perhaps joined the Probable +Island; and to the south of it were other lands, apparently insulated, +between which and Mallison's Island was an opening of four miles wide, +which I marked for our next anchorage. + +Bongaree was busily employed preparing his fish, when my bearings were +concluded. The natives of Port Jackson have a prejudice against all fish +of the ray kind, as well as against sharks; and whilst they devour with +eager avidity the blubber of a whale or porpoise, a piece of skate would +excite disgust. Our good natured Indian had been ridiculed by the sailors +for this unaccountable whim, but he had not been cured; and it so +happened, that the fish he had speared this morning were three small rays +and a mullet. This last, being the most delicate, he presented to Mr. +Westall and me, so soon as it was cooked; and then went to saunter by the +water side, whilst the boats' crew should cook and eat the rays, +although, having had nothing since the morning before, it may be supposed +he did not want appetite. I noticed this in silence till the whole were +prepared, and then had him called up to take his portion of the mullet; +but it was with much difficulty that his modesty and forbearance could be +overcome, for these qualities, so seldom expected in a savage, formed +leading features in the character of my humble friend. But there was one +of the sailors also, who preferred hunger to ray-eating! It might be +supposed he had an eye to the mullet; but this was not the case. He had +been seven or eight years with me, mostly in New South Wales, had learned +many of the native habits, and even imbibed this ridiculous notion +respecting rays and sharks; though he could not allege, as Bongaree did, +that "they might be very good for white men, but would kill him." The +mullet accordingly underwent a further division; and Mr. Westall and +myself, having no prejudice against rays, made up our proportion of this +scanty repast from one of them. + +We rowed northward, round the west end of Inglis' Island, leaving a +hummocky isle and a sandy islet to the left; but on coming to a low point +with a small island near it, the rapidity of the flood tide was such, +that we could not make head way, and were obliged to wait for high water. +I took the opportunity to get another set of bearings, and then followed +the example of the boat's crew, who, not finding oysters or any thing to +eat, had fallen asleep on the beach to forget the want of food. + +It was high water at eleven o'clock, and we then passed between the islet +and sandy point, and across two rather deep bights in Inglis' Island; and +leaving three rocks and as many small islands on the left hand, entered +the passage to the west of the ship, and got on board at two in the +afternoon. + +This island is twelve miles long, by a varying breadth of one to three +miles. Its cliffs and productions are much the same as those of Cotton's +Island; but in the south-eastern part it is higher, and the size and +foliage of the wood announced more fertility in the soil. + +The construction of my chart, and taking bearings from the north end of +Bosanquet's Island, occupied me the next day [SATURDAY 26 FEBRUARY 1803]; +astronomical observations were also taken; and it appeared that the +cliffy east end of Bosanquet's Island, a mile north of the anchorage, was +in 11 deg. 57 1/3' south, and 136 deg. 19' east. According to the swinging of the +ship in the evenings, the flood tide ceased to run at eight hours and a +half after the moon passed the upper meridian, whereas in the mornings it +ceased seven hours and a half after the moon passed below; whether the +same difference took place in the times of high water by the shore, I +cannot tell; but if the mean of the morning's and evening's tides be +taken as the time of high water, it will follow _eight hours after_ the +moon, the same nearly as in Malay Road. + +[NORTH COAST. ARNHEM BAY.] + +SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY 1803 + +In the morning of the 27th, we steered south-westward between Inglis' +Island and the main, to explore the opening on the west side of +Mallison's Island. The tide, which was in our favour, so stirred up the +soft mud, that we did not perceive a shoal until from 41/2, the depth +diminished to 21/4 fathoms, and the ship stuck fast. This was at less than +a mile from the north-east head of Inglis' Island, yet the deepest water +lay within; and towards noon, by carrying out a stream anchor, we got +there into 10 fathoms, without having suffered any apparent injury. On +the approach of low water next morning [MONDAY 28 FEBRUARY 1803], we +resumed our course, keeping nearly midway between the main coast and the +island, with soundings from 13 to 7 fathoms, muddy ground; the shores are +above two miles asunder, but the reefs from each side occupy more than +half of the open space. On clearing the south end of the passage, the +boat ahead made signal for 4 fathoms, and we tacked, but afterwards +followed till noon; heavy rain then came on, and the wind dying away, an +anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms. + +There was a rippling not far from the ship, and the master found it to be +on a narrow shoal extending north and south, which seems to have been +formed in the eddy of the tides. We got under way, on a breeze from N. W. +bringing finer weather; and at two o'clock passed over the shoal with +soundings twice in 3 fathoms, and afterwards in 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14. The +bearings taken in 3 fathoms were, + + +Inglis' Island, north-east head, N. 50 deg. E. +Inglis' Island, low south-west point, N. 15 W. +Mallison's I., high south-east head, S. 3 E. + + +At six o'clock we entered the opening, and steered south-eastward into a +vast piece of water where the land could not be seen from the mast head; +and the soundings were deep, though irregular, varying from 11 to 33 +fathoms. At half past eight, being well within the opening, we tacked +towards Mallison's Island, and came to an anchor in 15 fathoms, sand and +shells. + +TUESDAY 1 MARCH 1803 + +In the morning, our distance from the south side of the island was found +to be something above a mile, and the extremes bore N. 64 deg. W. to 39 deg. E. +In going to the shore with a party of the gentlemen I carried a good +depth all the way, there being 5 fathoms within a few yards of a little +beach where a stream of fresh water descended from the hills. A first +view of the cliffs led me to think they contained coals; but this +appearance arose from the colour of the slate, of which the lower parts +are composed. The top of the island is of sand stone, similar to the +English Company's Islands; and it seemed to be equally, or more barren +than they, and to be destitute of any rich vallies. + +My bearings were taken on the south-eastern head; but even from thence, +the land was not visible to the southward beyond a low islet surrounded +with shoals, and to the E. S. E. it was but faintly seen. The west side +of the entrance was composed of broken land, like islands, extending out +far to the northward; on the east, the space which separated Mallison's +Island from the nearest part of the main seemed to be not more than half +a mile broad, and was so filled with rocks as scarcely to admit the +passage of a boat. This part of the main land is a projecting cape, low +without side but forming a steep head within; and I have named it _Cape +Newbald_. The most essential bearings were these:-- + + +Inglis' I. station on the north-east head, N. 39 deg. 5' E. +Inglis' I. west extreme, N. 15 18 W. +Furthest western land visible, N. 26 10 W. +Probable Island, low north point, N. 39 2 W. +Low islet up the bay, dist. ten miles, S. 7 deg. to 9 13 E. + + +These bearings and the observations place the south-east head of +Mallison's Island in 12 deg. 113/4' south, and 136 deg. 8' east. + +We returned on board at eleven, and then steered eastward along the south +side of Cape Newbald; the flood tide, which set in that direction, having +induced the hope of finding a river there. The wind was light and scant, +so that we advanced principally by means of the tide; and finding it to +run against us at five in the evening, anchored in 5 fathoms, mud and +shells, eight or nine miles above the entrance of the bay, and one and a +half from a rocky point on the Cape-Newbald side. We proceeded with the +flood tide, next morning [WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 1803], in a varying depth +from 3 to 5 fathoms; and after advancing four or five miles, it was found +impossible to go further without risk of getting aground, and we +therefore came to an anchor. The land on the east side of the bay was +distant three miles, and no other than a shallow opening in the +north-east corner could be seen; a disappointment which left little to be +expected in the southern parts of the bay, to which no set of tide had +been perceived. In consequence, I gave up the intention of further +prosecuting the examination in the ship, in favour of going round in my +boat; and directed lieutenant Fowler, so soon as the botanical gentlemen +should have explored the productions on the nearest part of Cape Newbald, +to return with the ship to the entrance of the bay, and anchor near some +low cliffs on the western side, where the botanists could again pursue +their researches until my arrival. + +Mr. Bauer the natural-history painter, himself a good botanist, expressed +a wish to accompany me, and with Mr. Bell, the surgeon, we went off in +the afternoon, steering S. S. E. for a small beach in the low, woody +shore, five or six miles off. Squalls of wind with heavy rain prevented +sounding in the first half of the way; but we then had nine feet, and +nearly the same to the beach, where we landed at dusk. The wood was very +thick here, the ground swampy, and the musketoes numerous and fierce; so +that between them and our wet clothes we had very little rest. + +THURSDAY 3 MARCH 1803 + +In the morning, after bearings had been taken from a projecting part of +the ironstone shore, we steered four miles to the S. S. W., mostly in 2 +fathoms, to some low cliffs of red earth; where Mr. Bauer examined the +productions of the main land, whilst I took bearings from a small islet +or bank of iron ore, lying near it. + + +The ship at anchor, dist. 8 or 9 miles, bore N. 1 deg. 15' E. +Mallison's I., south-western cliffs, N. 50 25 W. +Low islet in the bay, centre., S. 89 30 W. + + +Seeing that the shore took a western direction about five miles further +on, we steered for the low islet; and at a mile from the land had 3, and +afterwards 5 fathoms until approaching a long sandy spit, which extends +out from the east end of the islet and was then dry. I landed upon it in +time to observe the sun's meridian altitude, which gave 12 deg. 22' 6" south, +but a passing cloud deprived me of the supplement. The islet is little +else than a bed of sand, though covered with bushes and small trees; +there were upon it many marks of turtle and of turtle feasts; and finding +the musketoes less numerous than on the main, we stopped to repose during +the heat of the day. + +In the afternoon, after taking bearings, we steered over to the south +side of the bay, four miles off, with soundings from 7 at the deepest, to +3 fathoms at a mile from the iron-stone shore. The land is low and +covered with wood, and the traces of kangaroo being numerous, the surgeon +was induced to make a little excursion into the wood, whilst I took +bearings and Mr. Bauer pursued his botanical researches. Mr. Bell found +the country to be tolerably fertile, but had no success in his hunting; +and at night we returned to the islet to sleep, hoping to procure some +turtle; but no more than three came on shore, and one only was caught, +the laying season appearing to be mostly past. + +FRIDAY 4 MARCH 1803 + +At daylight we steered for a low rocky island, seven or eight miles to +the W. N. W., where I took angles from the iron-stone rocks at its south +end, and Mr. Bauer examined the vegetable productions. To the S. S. W., +about five miles, was a woody point, on the east side of which no land +was visible; and the depth of water in coming across from Low Islet +having been as much as 10 fathoms, it left a suspicion that a river might +fall into the south-west corner of the bay, and induced me to row over to +the point. The soundings diminished from 5 to 3 fathoms; in which depth +the boat being brought to a grapnel, I found the latitude to be 12 deg. 20' +27", from observations to the north and south, and set Low Islet E. 7 deg. S. +by a pocket compass. + +From thence to the point the water was shallow, and the open space proved +to be a shoal bight, with very low land at the back. After I had taken +bearings, to ascertain the position of the point and form this side of +the bay, we returned northward, passing on the west side of the rocky +island; and the ship having arrived at the appointed station, got on +board at eight o'clock in the evening. + +SATURDAY 5 MARCH 1803 + +On laying down the plan of this extensive bay, I was somewhat surprised +to see the great similarity of its form to one marked near the same +situation in the Dutch chart. It bears no name; but as not a doubt +remains of Tasman, or perhaps some earlier navigator, having explored it, +I have given it the appellation of the land in which it is situate, and +call it ARNHEM BAY. So far as an extent of secure anchoring ground is +concerned, it equals any harbour within my knowledge; there being more +than a hundred square miles of space fit for the reception of ships, and +the bottom seemed to be every where good. Of the inducements to visit +Arnhem Bay, not much can be said. Wood is plentiful at all the shores, +and the stream which ran down the hills at Mallison's Island would have +supplied us conveniently with water, had it been wanted; but in three +months afterwards it would probably be dried up. In the upper parts of +the bay the shores are low, and over-run with mangroves in many places; +but near the entrance they may be approached by a ship, and there are +beaches for hauling the seine, where, however, we had not much success. + +We saw no other stone on the low shores than iron ore, similar to that +found in the upper part of Melville Bay, and on Point Middle in Caledon +Bay; and it seems probable, that iron runs through the space of country +comprehended between the heads of the three bays, although the exterior +shores and the hills be either granitic, argillaceous, or of sand stone. +The flat country where the iron ore is found, seems to afford a good +soil, well-clothed with grass and wood, much superior to that where +granite or sand stone prevails; this I judge from what was seen near the +heads of the bays, for our excursions inland were necessarily very +confined, and for myself, I did not quit the water side at Arnhem Bay, +being disabled by scorbutic ulcers on my feet. + +This country does not seem to be much peopled, though traces of men were +found wherever we landed; in the woods were several species of birds, +mostly of the parrot kind, and the marks of kangaroo were numerous, as at +Melville Bay. These circumstances would be in favour of any colony which +might be established in the neighbourhood; but should such a step come to +be contemplated, it would be highly necessary, in the first place, to see +what the country is in the dry season, from June to November; for it is +to be apprehended that the vegetation may then be dried up, and the +sources of fresh water almost entirely fail. + +The middle of the entrance into Arnhem Bay is in latitude 12 deg. 11' south, +and longitude 136 deg. 3' east. Azimuths taken on board the ship, when at +anchor in the north-eastern part of the bay and the head E. by N., gave +0 deg. 48' east variation, which corrected to the meridian, would be 2 deg. 31' +east; but the most allowed to the bearings on shore is 1 deg. 40', and the +least 1 deg., no greater difference being produced by the iron stone upon +which some were taken. From general observation, the time of high water +was nearly the same as in Malay Road, or about _eight hours after_ the +moon's passage, and the rise seemed to be six or eight feet. + +Before noon of the 5th we quitted Arnhem Bay, and steered northward along +the chain of islands extending out from the west side of the entrance. On +approaching the north end of Probable Island the soundings diminished to +4 fathoms, and a short tack was made to the S. E.; and the flood tide +becoming too strong to be stemmed with a light breeze, an anchor was +dropped in 17 fathoms, sand and stones. A dry reef had been set from +Mallison's Island, and should have lain about two miles S. E. from this +anchorage; but it was not seen from the ship, being probably covered by +the tide. There were two natives, with a canoe, under Probable Island, +and some others were standing on the beach; but no attempt was made to +approach the ship, nor did I send on shore to them. + +SUNDAY 6 MARCH 1803 + +In the morning we had a moderate breeze at E. S. E., and pursued the line +of the main coast and islands to the northward at the distance of three +or four miles, with soundings from 10 to 17 fathoms. Both the coast and +islands are in general so low and near to each other, that it was +difficult to say whether some were not connected; at eleven, however, we +approached two which certainly were islands, and there being a clear +passage between the surrounding reefs of a mile and a half wide, we +steered through it with 12 to 17 fathoms. The north-easternmost most, +which I have named after captain _Cunningham_ of the navy, is four or +five miles in circumference, and of moderate elevation; and lies in 11 deg. +47' south and 136 deg. 6' east by the survey. + +[NORTH COAST. WESSEL'S ISLANDS.] + +A third chain of islands commences here, which, like Bromby's and the +English Company's Islands, extend out north-eastward from the coast. I +have frequently observed a great similarity both in the ground plans and +elevations of hills, and of islands in the vicinity of each other; but do +not recollect another instance of such a likeness in the arrangement of +clusters of islands. This third chain is doubtless what is marked in the +Dutch chart as one long island, and in some charts is called Wessel's +Eylandt; which name I retain with a slight modification, calling them +WESSEL'S ISLANDS. They had been seen from the north end of Cotton's +Island to reach as far as thirty miles out from the main coast; but this +is not more than half their extent, if the Dutch chart be at all correct. + +At noon, when Cunningham's Island bore from S. 1 deg. to 26 deg. E., at the +distance of two miles, the furthest visible part of Wessel's Islands bore +N. 53 deg. E.; it was not distant, for the weather was squally with rain, and +both prevented us from seeing far and obscured the sun. To the westward, +we had land at the distance of three or four miles; and from its +north-east end, which is named _Point Dale_, three small isles with rocks +extended out to the bearing of N. 16 deg. E., which we could not weather +without making a tack. At three they were passed; and at six in the +evening the outer islet bore S. 14 deg. E., four leagues, and the most +western part of the land of Point Dale, S. 36 deg. W.; but whether this last +were an island or a part of the main, was still doubtful. + +For the last several days the wind had inclined from the eastward, and at +this time blew a steady breeze at E. by S., with fine weather; as if the +north-west monsoon were passed, and the south-east trade had resumed its +course. We had continued the survey of the coast for more than one-half +of the six months which the master and carpenter had judged the ship +might run without much risk, provided she remained in fine weather and no +accident happened; and the remainder of the time being not much more than +necessary for us to reach Port Jackson, I judged it imprudent to continue +the investigation longer. In addition to the rottenness of the ship, the +state of my own health and that of the ship's company were urgent to +terminate the examination here; for nearly all had become debilitated +from the heat and moisture of the climate--from being a good deal +fatigued--and from the want of nourishing food. I was myself disabled by +scorbutic sores from going to the mast head, or making any more +expeditions in boats; and as the whole of the surveying department rested +upon me, our further stay was without one of its principal objects. It +was not, however, without much regret that I quitted the coast; both from +its numerous harbours and better soil, and its greater proximity to our +Indian possessions having made it become daily more interesting; and +also, after struggling three months against foul winds, from their now +being fair as could be wished for prosecuting the further examination. +The accomplishment of the survey was, in fact, an object so near to my +heart, that could I have foreseen the train of ills that were to follow +the decay of the Investigator and prevent the survey being resumed--and +had my existence depended upon the expression of a wish, I do not know +that it would have received utterance; but Infinite Wisdom has, in +infinite mercy, reserved the knowledge of futurity to itself. + +[NORTH COAST. TOWARDS TIMOR.] + +(Atlas Plate I.) + +On quitting Wessel's Islands, we steered a north-west course all night, +under easy sail; having a warrant officer placed at the look-out, and the +lead hove every quarter of an hour. The soundings increased very +gradually till daylight [MONDAY 7 MARCH 1803], when we had 30 fathoms; +and no land being distinguishable, the course was then altered to W. by +S. Our latitude at noon was 10 deg. 56' 40", longitude by timekeeper 135 deg. +10'; and I judged that part of the coast seen by lieutenant McCluer, in +1791, to lie about fifty miles to the southward. This was the first land +seen by him in his course from New Guinea; and according to the +comparison afterwards made of his longitude, it should not lie more than +twelve leagues from the western part of Point Dale. + +Mr. McCluer saw some islands near the coast, and amongst others an outer +one called New Year's Isle, in latitude 10 deg. 52' south and 133 deg. 12' east, +which I purposed to visit in the hope of procuring turtle. But our +friendly trade wind gradually died away, and was succeeded by light airs +from the N. W. and S. W., by calms, and afterwards by light winds from +the north-eastward; so that it was not until daylight of the 12th +[SATURDAY 12 MARCH 1803], that the island was seen. At eleven o'clock, +lieutenant Fowler went on shore to examine the beach for traces of +turtle; but finding none recent, he returned before two, and we again +made sail to the westward. + +New Year's Isle is a bed of sand mixed with broken coral, thrown up on a +coral reef. It is four or five miles in circumference, and the higher +parts are thickly covered with shrubs and brush wood; but much of it is +over-run with mangroves, and laid under water by the tide. Fresh prints +of feet on the sand showed that the natives had either visited it very +lately, or were then upon the island; turtle also had been there, but +their traces were of an old date. The reef extends about a mile off, all +round; we had 22 fathoms very near the outer edge, and saw no other +danger. Broken land was perceived to the southward, probably the inner +isles marked by lieutenant McCluer; and six or seven leagues to the S. W. +was a part of the main, somewhat higher but equally sandy, which we +traced above half a degree to the westward. I made the _latitude_ of the +island to be 10 deg. 55' south, and _longitude_ by time keeper corrected 133 deg. +4' east; being 3' more south and 8' less east than Mr. McCluer's +position. The _variation_ of the compass, from azimuths taken twenty +leagues to the east of New Year's Isle, was 1 deg. 55' east, with the ship's +head W. N. W.; and at thirteen leagues on the west side, 1 deg. 20' with the +head N. W.; these being corrected to the meridian, will be 0 deg. 23' and 0 deg. +12' east. The _tide_ ran strong to the N. W. whilst it was ebbing by the +shore, so that the flood would seem to come from the westward; whereas in +the neighbourhood of Cape Arnhem the flood came mostly from the opposite +direction: whether this change were a general one, or arose from some +opening to the S. E. of New Year's Isle, our knowledge of the coast was +too imperfect to determine. + +We had continued to have soundings, generally on a muddy bottom, from the +time of quitting Wessel's Islands; nor did they vary much, being rarely +less than 25, and never more than 35 fathoms. On the 13th [SUNDAY 13 +MARCH 1803] at noon we had 34 fathoms, being then in 10 deg. 41' south and +132 deg. 40' east, and the coast still in sight to the southward. The winds +then hung in the southern quarter, being sometimes S. W., and at others +S. E., but always light; and I steered further off the land, in the hope +of getting them more steady. Our soundings gradually increased until the +18th, when the depth was 150 fathoms in latitude 9 deg. 47' and longitude +130 deg. 17'; at midnight we had no ground at 160, but next morning [SATURDAY +19 MARCH 1803] the coral bottom was seen under the ship, and we tacked +until a boat was sent ahead; from 7 fathoms on the bank, the soundings in +steering after the boat increased to 9, 10, 13, and suddenly to 92 +fathoms. + +This small bank appeared to be nearly circular, and about four miles +round; it lies in latitude 9 deg. 56', longitude 129 deg. 28' and as I judge, +about twenty-five leagues from the western extremity of the northern Van +Diemen's Land. In some of the old charts there are shoals marked to a +considerable distance from that cape; and it seems not improbable, that a +chain of reefs may extend as far out as the situation of this bank. We +afterwards had soundings at irregular depths, from 30 to 100 fathoms, +until the evening of the 26th [SATURDAY 26 MARCH 1803], in 10 deg. 38' south +and 126 deg. 30' east; in which situation they were lost. (Atlas, Plate XVI.) + +The winds had hung so much in the south-west, and retarded our passage as +well as driven us near to the island Timor, that I judged it advisable to +obtain refreshments there for my ship's company; under the apprehension +that, as the winter season was fast advancing on the south coast of Terra +Australis, the bad state of the ship might cause more labour at the pumps +than our present strength was capable of exerting. Some of the smaller +articles of sea provision., such as peas, rice, and sugar, which formed a +principal part of our little comforts, were also become deficient, in +consequence of losses sustained from the heat and moisture of the +climate, and leakiness of the ship's upper works; and these I was anxious +to replenish. + +Coepang is a Dutch settlement at the south-west end of Timor and the +determination to put in there being made, I revolved in my mind the +possibility of afterwards returning to the examination of the north and +north-west coasts of Terra Australis, during the winter six months, and +taking the following summer to pass the higher latitudes and return to +Port Jackson. There was little chance of obtaining salt provisions at +Coepang, but there might be a ship or ships there, capable of furnishing +a supply, and by which an officer might be conveyed to England; for it +was a necessary part of my project to despatch lieutenant Fowler to the +Admiralty, with an account of our proceedings, and a request that he +might return as speedily as possible, with a vessel fit to accomplish all +the objects of the voyage; and I calculated that six months employed upon +the North and North-west Coasts, and the subsequent passage to Port +Jackson, would not leave much more than the requisite time for refreshing +the ship's company before his arrival might be expected. It is to be +observed, that the ship had leaked very little in her sides since the +caulking done at the head of the Gulph; and the carpenter being now +directed to bore into some of the timbers then examined, did not find +them to have become perceptibly worse; so that I was led to hope and +believe that the ship might go through this service, without much more +than common risk, provided we remained in fine-weather climates, as was +intended. + +MONDAY 28 MARCH 1803 + +On the 28th, being then in 10 deg. 36' south, and 125 deg. 47' east, the high +land of Timor was seen bearing N. 61 deg. W., at the distance of thirty, or +perhaps more leagues; but no soundings could be obtained with 90, nor in +the evening with 160 fathoms. Next day [TUESDAY 29 MARCH 1803], the light +south-west wind suddenly veered to S. E., and blew fresh; and from its +dying away at sunset was evidently a sea breeze attracted by the land, +which, however, was forty miles off in its nearest part. Our latitude on +the 30th [WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH 1803] was 10 deg. 37' 13", longitude 124 deg. 181/2', +and the land, mostly high mountains, extended from N. N. E. 1/2 E. to W. N. +W., the nearest part was distant seven or eight leagues, but we still had +no soundings. The island Rottee is reckoned tolerably high land, but must +be greatly inferior to Timor; since the round hill at its eastern end was +not seen from the mast head till four this afternoon, when its distance +was little more than fifteen leagues. We carried all sail for the strait +between the two islands till midnight, and then had soundings in 120 +fathoms, muddy ground; an hour and a half afterwards the land was close, +and the depth no more than 10 fathoms, upon which we hauled off till +morning. + +THURSDAY 31 MARCH 1803 + +At daylight, the north-east point of Rottee was distant two miles, and we +steered along the shore, looking for boats and people to obtain +intelligence, and if possible some refreshments; but none were seen, +although we passed close to a deep and well-sheltered cove. At ten +o'clock, when the sandy north point of Rottee was distant one mile and a +half, we hauled up north-eastward, across the passage of about six miles +wide, between it and the northern lands; for the purpose of entering +Samow Strait, which was then open, and of which Mr. Westall took the view +given in the Atlas (Plate XVIII, last View). The south-west point of +Timor is surrounded by a reef, which extends from half a mile to a mile +off, and runs some distance up the strait; both sides of the entrance are +low land, yet at eleven o'clock we had no ground between them with 75 +fathoms. The width of the entrance is three miles and a half, and +continues nearly the same upwards, with a depth of 36 or more fathoms, +and no dangers in it, other than the reef before mentioned. From the +observations at noon, the extreme south-west point of Timor lies in 10 deg. +22' south, and longitude by survey back from Coepang, 123 deg. 29' east; +captain Cook places it in 10 deg. 23' and 123 deg. 55', and calls it the south +point, but there is a sloping projection, three leagues to the eastward, +which I set in a line with it at E. 2 deg. S. + +[NORTH COAST. COEPANG BAY.] + +Two vessels were lying under the north-east end of Samow; and on our +ensign and pendant being hoisted, the one showed American, and the other +Dutch colours. An officer was sent to them for information, as well of +the propriety of going into Coepang Bay at this season, as of the +political state of Europe; for although the intelligence of peace had +arrived before we left Port Jackson, it seemed to be doubtful how long it +might last. On his return with favourable intelligence, I steered through +the northern outlet of the strait, which is not more than a mile and a +half wide, but so deep that 65 fathoms did not reach the bottom; and at +four o'clock the anchor was let go in 17 fathoms, muddy ground, half a +mile from the shore, with the flag staff of Fort Concordia bearing S. S. +E. + +I sent the second lieutenant to present my respects to the Dutch +governor, and inform him of our arrival and wants, with an offer of +saluting the fort provided an equal number of guns should be returned; +and the offer being accepted, mutual salutes of thirteen guns passed, and +the same evening we received a boat load of refreshments. Next day +[FRIDAY 1 APRIL 1803], I went with three officers and gentlemen to wait +upon _Mynheer Giesler_, the governor, who sent the commandant of the fort +and surgeon of the colony to receive us at the water side. The governor +did not speak English, nor I any Dutch; and our communications would have +been embarrassed but for the presence of captain Johnson, commander of +the Dutch brig, who interpreted with much polite attention. + +Coepang is dependant on Batavia for a variety of articles, and amongst +others, for arrack, rice, sugar, etc. Mr. Johnson had arrived not long +before with the annual supply, yet I found some difficulty in obtaining +from the governor the comparatively small quantities of which we stood in +need; and I had no resource but in his kindness, for there were no +merchants in Coepang, nor any other who would receive bills in payment. +Having made an agreement for the provisions, I requested permission for +our botanists and painters to range the country, which was readily +granted; with a caution not to extend their walks far from the town, as +they might be there liable to insults from the natives, over whom the +governor had no power. + +We were occupied nearly a week in completing our water, which was brought +on board in Malay boats, and in obtaining and stowing away the +provisions. [SUNDAY 3 APRIL 1803] The governor, with captain Johnson and +two other gentlemen were entertained on board the Investigator, and +received under a salute; and the day before we proposed to sail [THURSDAY +7 APRIL 1803], I went with some of my principal officers and gentlemen to +dine with the governor, the fort firing a salute on our landing; and it +is but justice to Mr. Giesler and the orders under which he acted, to +say, that he conducted himself throughout with that polite and respectful +attention, which the representative of one friendly nation owes to that +of another. + +A part of the ship's company was permitted to go on shore so soon as our +work was completed; and two men, my Malay cook and a youth from Port +Jackson, being absent in the evening, the town was searched for them, but +in vain. We got under way early next morning [FRIDAY 8 APRIL 1803], +before the sea breeze set in, and stood off and on until lieutenant +Fowler again went after the men. On his return without success, we +stretched out of the bay; but the wind being light, and the governor +having promised to send off the men, if found before the ship was out of +sight, I still entertained a hope of receiving my deserters. + +Timor is well known to be one of the southernmost and largest of the +Molucca Islands. Its extent is more considerable than the charts usually +represent it, being little less than 250 miles in a north-eastern +direction, by from thirty to sixty in breadth. The interior part is a +chain of mountains, some of which nearly equal the peak of Teneriffe in +elevation; whilst the shores on the south-east side are represented to be +exceedingly low, and over-run with mangroves. Gold is said to be +contained in the mountains, and to be washed down the streams; but the +natives are so jealous of Europeans gaining any knowledge of it, that at +a former period, when forty men were sent by the Dutch to make search, +they were cut off. In the vicinity of Coepang, the upper stone is mostly +calcareous; but the basis is very different, and appeared to me to be +argillaceous. + +The original inhabitants of Timor, who are black but whose hair is not +woolly, inhabit the mountainous parts, to which they appear to have been +driven by the Malays, who are mostly in possession of the sea coast. +There were formerly several Portuguese establishments on the north side +of the island, of which Diely and Lefflow still remained; but these have +all gradually declined, and the governor of Diely was now said to be the +sole white Portuguese resident on the island. The Dutch territory at +Coepang did not extend beyond four or five miles round Fort Concordia; +and the settlement affording no other advantage to the Company than that +of keeping out other nations, it seemed to be following, with accelerated +steps, the ruin of their affairs. During the war which terminated in +1801, the communication with Batavia was interrupted, and the town taken +by the English forces; an insurrection was raised by the half-cast +people, and some of the troops left as a garrison were massacred, and the +rest abandoned the island. During these troubles the town had been set on +fire; and at this time, all the best houses were in ruins. The few troops +kept by the Dutch were mostly Malays, some of the officers even, being +mulattos; and the sole person amongst them, who had any claim to +respectability, was a Swiss who had the command of Fort Concordia, but +with no higher rank that that of serjeant-major. Besides the governor and +two or three soldiers, I saw only two European residents at Coepang; one +was the surgeon of whom captain Bligh speaks so handsomely in his +narrative, the other a young gentleman named Viertzen, who had lately +arrived. + +Coepang has little other trade than with Batavia. Sandel wood, bees-wax, +honey, and slaves, are exported; and rice, arrack, sugar, tea, coffee, +beetel nut, and the manufactures of China, with some from India and +Europe, received in return; and the duties upon these were said to +suffice the expense of keeping up the establishment. A vessel laden with +ammunition, clothing, and other supplies for the troops, is annually sent +from Batavia; but what may be called the trade of Coepang, is mostly +carried on by the Chinese, some of whom are settled in the town, and have +intermixed with the Malays. + +Coepang Bay is exposed to the westward; but from the beginning of May to +the end of October, the anchorage is secure; and there is little to +apprehend from north-west winds after the middle of March, or before the +middle of November; but the standing regulations of the Dutch company +were, that until the first of May their vessels should lie under the +north-east end of Pulo Samow, about five miles from Coepang; although +Babao Road on the north side of the bay, of which Dampier speaks, was +said to be a more secure and convenient anchorage. The commander of the +American ship Hunter had gone under Samow, because he found the Dutch +brig there; and although assured there was almost nothing to be +apprehended in the bay, he feared to come up till encouraged by our +example. + +This ship was upon a trading speculation, and the commander was buying +here sandel wood and bees-wax. For the best kind of wood he paid twenty +dollars per picol, for the inferior sort thirteen, and seven dollars for +the refuse; and bees-wax cost him twenty-five dollars. Upon all these he +expected to make three hundred per cent. at Canton, besides the advantage +of paying for them with cutlasses, axes, and other iron tools, at an +equally great advance; he reported, however, that iron was still more +valuable at Solor, Flores, and the neighbouring islands; and that +supplies of fresh provisions were more plentiful. The usual profits of +trade here, seemed to be cent. per cent. upon every exchange; and this +the commander of the Hunter proposed to make many times over, during his +voyage. At Solor he had bought some slaves for two muskets each, which +muskets he had purchased at the rate of 18s. in Holland, at the +conclusion of the war; these slaves were expected to be sold at Batavia, +for eighty, or more probably for a hundred dollars individually, making +about thirty capitals of the first price of his muskets. If such +advantages attend this traffic, humanity must expect no weak struggle to +accomplish its suppression; but what was the result of this trading +voyage? That the commander and his crew contracted a fever at Diely, and +nearly the whole died before they reached Batavia. + +Spanish dollars were rated at 5s. 4d. according to the Dutch company's +regulations, but their currency at Coepang was sixty stivers or pence; +whence it arose that to a stranger receiving dollars, they would be +reckoned at 5s. 4d. each, but if he paid them it was at 5s. Besides +dollars, the current coins were ducatoons, rupees, and doits, with some +few gold rupees of Batavia; but the money accounts were usually kept in +rix dollars, an imaginary coin of 4s. + +I made many inquiries concerning the Malay trepang fishers, whom we had +met at the entrance of the Gulph of Carpentaria, and learned the +following particulars. The natives of Macassar had been long accustomed +to fish for the trepang amongst the islands in the vicinity of Java, and +upon a dry shoal lying to the south of Rottee; but about twenty years +before, one of their prows was driven by the north-west monsoon to the +coast of New Holland, and finding the trepang to be abundant, they +afterwards returned; and had continued to fish there since that time. The +governor was of opinion, that the Chinese did not meet them at +Timor-laoet, but at Macassar itself, where they are accustomed to trade +for birds nests, trepang, sharks fins, etc.; and it therefore seems +probable that the prows rendezvous only at Timor-laoet, on quitting +Carpentaria, and then return in a fleet, with their cargoes. + +The value of the common trepang at Canton, was said to be forty dollars +the picol, and for the best, or black kind, sixty; which agrees with what +I had been told in Malay Road, allowing to the Chinese the usual profit +of cent. per cent. from Macassar to their own country. + +About ten days before our arrival, a homeward-bound ship from India had +touched at Coepang; and had we been so fortunate as to meet with her, it +might have enabled me to put in execution the plan I had formed of +sending an officer to England, and returning to the examination of the +north and north-west coasts of Terra Australis. This plan was now +frustrated; and the sole opportunity of writing to Europe was by captain +Johnson, who expected to sail for Batavia in May, and promised to forward +our letters from thence. I committed to his care an account of our +examinations and discoveries upon the East and North Coasts, for the +Admiralty; with the report of the master and carpenter upon the state of +the ship, and the information I had obtained of the trepang fishery. + +Our supplies for the ship, procured at Coepang, were rice, arrack, sugar, +and the palm syrup called _gulah_; with fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables +during our stay, and for ten days afterwards. The animal food consisted +of young _karabow_, a species of buffalo, and of small pigs and kids; the +karabow being charged at eight, the pigs at five, and kids at two rix +dollars each. Vegetables were dear and not good, and for many of the +fruits we were too early in the season; but cocoa-nuts, oranges, limes, +bananas, and shaddocks were tolerably plentiful. Tea, sugar candy, and +some other articles for our messes, were purchased at the little shops +kept by the Chinese-Malays; and poultry was obtained along-side by +barter. + +To judge from the appearance of those who had resided any length of time +at Coepang, the climate is not good; for even in comparison with us, who +had suffered considerably, they were sickly looking people. Yet they did +not themselves consider the colony as unhealthy, probably from making +their comparison with Batavia; but they spoke of Diely, the Portuguese +settlement, as very bad in this respect. Captain Baudin had lost twelve +men from dysentery, during his stay at Coepang, and I found a monument +which he had erected to his principal gardener; but it was even then +beginning to decay. + + +The _latitude_ of our anchorage, three-fifths of a mile to the north of +Fort Concordia, was 10 deg. 8' 2" from seven meridian altitudes of the sun; +but these being all taken to the north, I consider it to be more +correctly, 10 deg. 81/2' S. + +_Longitude_ of the anchorage and fort, from fifty four sets of lunar +distances, of which the particulars are given in Table VII. of the +Appendix No. I., 123 deg. 35' 46" E. + +Lieutenant Flinders took altitudes from the sea horizon, between April 1 +p.m. and 8 a.m., for the rates of the time keepers; the mean of which, +with the errors from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the last day of +observation, were as under: + +Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 57' 14.56", and losing 16.73", per day, +Earnshaw's No. 520, fast 1h 57' 19.28", and losing 33.99", per day; + +the rate of No. 543 differing only 0.2" from that with which we had left +Caledon Bay. The longitude given by this time keeper on April 1, p.m., +with the Caledon rate, was 123 deg. 39' 8.4" east, or 3' 22" more than the +lunars; and when the Caledon rate is accelerated, the difference is only +2' 31/2" east. This quantity, if the longitudes of Caledon and Coepang Bays +be correct, is the sum of the irregularities of No. 543, during the +fifty-one days between one station and the other. The time keeper No. 520 +had been let down on the passage, and its rate being now more than 3" +greater than at Caledon Bay, its longitude was not attended to at this +time. + +In laying down the coasts and islands of Arnhem's Land, the bearings and +observed latitudes were used, with very little reference to the time +keepers; but No. 543, when corrected, did not differ so much from the +survey as 1' in twenty-five days. The rest of the track, from Wessel's +Islands to Coepang, is laid down by this time keeper with the accelerated +rate, and the application of a proportional part of 2' 31/2", its +irregularity during fifty-one days. + +_Variation_ of the surveying compass, 0 deg. 46' west, observed when the +ship's head was E. S. E., or corrected to the meridian, 0 deg. 37' east; but +this variation seems to apply only to Coepang Bay; for about two degrees +to the eastward it was 1 deg. 4' west, corrected, and one degree to the +south-west it was 1 deg. 41' west. + +The flood _tide_ comes from the southward, through Samow Strait, and +rises from three to nine or ten feet; high water usually took place as +the moon passed under and over the meridian, but the winds make a great +difference both in the time and rise of the tide. + +CHAPTER X. + +Departure from Timor. +Search made for the Trial Rocks. +Anchorage in Goose-Island Bay. +Interment of the boatswain, and sickly state of the ship's company. +Escape from the bay, and passage through Bass' Strait. +Arrival at Port Jackson. +Losses in men. +Survey and condemnation of the ship. +Plans for continuing the survey; +but preparation finally made for returning to England. +State of the colony at Port Jackson. + +[FROM TIMOR. TOWARDS CAPE LEEUWIN.] + +FRIDAY 8 APRIL 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate XVI.) + +When we stretched out of Coepang Bay on the 8th of April, the wind was +light from the westward; in the afternoon we tacked towards Pulo Samow, +hoping that a canoe seen under the land might have the two deserters on +board; but this not being the case, they were given up. At six in the +evening, when we stood off, the town of Coepang bore S. 60 deg. E., six or +seven miles, and the north point of Samow distant one mile, with the +north-west extremity behind it, S. 70 deg. W. In this situation the depth was +74 fathoms, and soon afterwards 130 did not reach the bottom. + +During the night the breeze veered to the south and eastward, and in the +morning [SATURDAY 9 APRIL 1803] to north-east, and we coasted along the +west side of Samow, four or five miles off, without getting soundings; it +is woody, hilly land, but not mountainous, and toward the south end is +quite low. A woody islet, called Tios in the charts, lies off the +south-west point, which is the sole thing like danger on the west side of +Samow; but the tides run strong here, and make ripplings which at first +alarm, from their great resemblance to breakers. + +SUNDAY 10 APRIL 1803 + +It was evening on the 10th before we had any regular wind; it then sprung +up from the southward, and at six, when we made sail, + + +Samow, north-west point, bore N. 48 deg. E. +Tios, dist. 5 miles, the south extreme, S. 60 E. +Rottee, furthest visible parts, S. 511/2 deg. E. to 18 W. + + +The island Sauw, or Savu came in sight to the westward next morning +[MONDAY 11 APRIL 1803], and also a small isle called Douw or Dowa, lying +off the west end of Rottee; at noon, when our latitude was 10 deg. 37' 22" +and longitude 122 deg. 351/2', + + +Savu bore from the mast head, N. 76 deg. to 88 deg. W. +Rottee, furthest visible parts, S. 84 to 45 E. +Dowa, distant ten miles, S. 35 to 20 E. + + +We tried for soundings with 230 fathoms of line, without finding ground; +and it should appear that there is no bottom amongst these islands at any +reasonable depth, unless very near the shores. + +The wind was still light; and on the following day [TUESDAY 12 APRIL +1803] we had rain, thunder, and lightning. Savu was seen in a clear +interval towards evening, bearing N. 3 deg. W., and another piece of land, +apparently Benjoar, was perceived from the mast head to the N. N. W.; +this was the last sight we had of these islands, for the breeze freshened +up from the eastward, and at noon next day [WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL 1803] our +latitude was 12 deg. 20' south. + +Having been disappointed in procuring salt provisions and the means of +sending an officer to the Admiralty from Coepang, I had necessarily given +up the project of going back to the north coast of Terra Australis; but +since the decay of the ship did not appear to have advanced so rapidly as +was expected, I judged there would not be much hazard in taking this +opportunity of executing the article of my instructions, which directed +me "to examine as particularly as circumstances would allow, the bank +which extends itself from the Trial Rocks towards Timor." (Atlas, Plate +I.) Upon what authority the bank was thus described, I had no +information; but that it did not reach so far as either Timor or Rottee, +was proved by our having passed the west end of the latter island and +sounded with more than 200 fathoms without finding bottom. It seemed to +me probable, that if such a bank existed and had any connexion to the +north-east, it was more likely to be with the Sahul Shoal than with +Timor; and I therefore steered a course to get upon the line between the +two; proposing afterwards to run westward, across the line of direction +from the Rocks to Timor, so as in either case to fall in upon the bank. + +We sounded every two hours, and hove to three times a day, to get a +greater depth; and in this way ran S. W. until the 16th [SATURDAY 16 +APRIL 1803] at noon, to latitude 16 deg. 15' and longitude 116 deg. 45', without +finding bottom with from 100 to 240 fathoms of line. Our course was then +W. by S., sounding in the same manner, until the 21st [THURSDAY 21 APRIL +1803] in the morning, to latitude 17 deg. 45' and longitude 107 deg. 58', but +equally without success as to the bank; and I then hauled to the wind at +S. E,. in order to make the rocks themselves. + +The Trial Rocks obtained their name from the English ship Trial, which +was lost upon them in 1622; but their exact situation seemed not to be +well known. Mr. Dalrymple had published a sketch of them upon the +authority of a Dutch sloop, apparently sent from Batavia expressly for +their examination; and in this they are described to lie in 19 deg. 30' +south, eighty leagues from the coast of New Holland; but Arrowsmith in +his large chart of the South Sea, laid the Trial Rocks down in 20 deg. 40' +south, and 104 deg. 30' east, or near double the distance from the coast. The +soundings of two East-Indiamen near the rocks, given in the South-Sea +chart, stamped this last position with an authority which decided my +opinion in its favour, and I accordingly steered for it. + +Dull weather, with frequent heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, had +prevailed from the time of leaving Coepang, and it produced the same +effect upon the health of the ship's company as similar weather had +before done in the Gulph of Carpentaria; for we had at this time ten men +in the sick list with diarrhoea, and many others were slightly affected. +It seemed possible that the change of food, from salt provisions to the +fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables of Timor--a change by which I hoped to +banish every appearance of scurvy, might have had an influence in +producing the disease; and if so, it was avoiding Scylla to fall upon +Charybdis, and was truly unfortunate. + +SATURDAY 23 APRIL 1803 + +At noon of the 23rd, we had reached the latitude 20 deg. 50', and were in +longitude 105 deg. 13' east, without having had soundings at 100 fathoms; I +then steered a west course, lying to from eight in the evening till +daylight; and at the following noon [SUNDAY 24 APRIL 1803] we observed in +20 deg. 49' south, and the longitude was 103 deg. 49' east. This was more than +half a degree to the west of Mr. Arrowsmith's position, and we neither +had soundings at 140 fathoms, nor any thing in sight to betoken the +vicinity of land; I therefore ran N. W. to get somewhat to the north of +the latitude 20 deg. 40', and at dusk hauled up to the wind, as near to east +as the ship could lie, to make further search in that direction. + +On the 25th, some tropic birds were seen; and the next day [TUESDAY 26 +APRIL 1803], when our latitude was 20 deg. 36' and longitude 104 deg. 55', there +were several birds of the petrel kind about the ship; very vague signs of +land, it is true, but still they gave us hopes; and once we were +flattered with the appearance of breakers, and bore away for them, but it +was a deception. We continued to stretch eastward all the next day +[WEDNESDAY 27 APRIL 1803]; but the wind having veered from south to S. +E., a good deal of northing was made with it; and having reached the +latitude 19 deg. 53' and longitude 106 deg. 41', without finding bottom, or any +more signs of land, I tacked to the S. S. W. and gave up the search. + +It should appear from our examination, that the Trial Rocks do not lie in +the space comprehended between the latitudes 20 deg. 15' and 21 deg. south, and +the longitudes 103 deg. 25' and 106 deg. 30' east. That they exist, does not seem +to admit of a doubt, and probably they will be found near the situation +assigned to them by the Dutch sloop; but no bank can extend in a line +from thence at all near to Timor. The variations of the compass observed +during our search for the Trial Rocks, were 3 deg. west with the head N. W., +5 deg. 11' at E. by S., and 5 deg. 38' at E. S.E.; and the mean, corrected to the +meridian, will be 3 deg. 43' west, in 20 deg. 33' south and 104 deg. 20' east +longitude. + +From the 27th of April we steered eight days to the S. S. W., mostly with +south-eastern winds; they were sometimes light, but occasionally fresh, +and at these times the ship made five inches of water in the hour. The +diarrhoea on board was gaining ground, notwithstanding all the attention +paid to keeping the ship dry and well aired, and the people clean and as +comfortable as possible. Some of the officers began to feel its attack; +and in order to relieve them and the people, now that we had no +expectation of meeting danger, I directed the ship's company to be +divided into three watches, and put the officers to four; giving Mr. +Denis Lacy, master's mate, the charge of acting lieutenant in the fourth +watch. + +THURSDAY 5 MAY 1803 + +On May 5, in latitude 26 deg. 24' and longitude 103 deg. 21', the south-east wind +died away, and a breeze sprung up from the opposite quarter, which veered +afterwards to the S. W., blowing fresh with squally, moist weather. Our +course was then directed for Cape Leeuwin, with the wind usually a-beam; +the sea being too high for the ship to make good way any nearer. In this +passage we were accompanied by several petrels, and amongst them by the +albatross, the first of which had been seen in the latitude 23 deg. + +FRIDAY 13 MAY 1803 + +On the 13th, we had reached the parallel of Cape Leeuwin, and were +steering E. by S., to make it. At six in the evening, tried for soundings +with 180 fathoms, without finding ground; but after running S. 67 deg. E. +twenty-six miles, we had 75 fathoms, fine white sand; and at daylight +[SATURDAY 14 MAY 1803] the land was seen, bearing N. 23 deg. to 52 deg. E. about +eight leagues. (Atlas, Plate II.) The soundings should therefore seem not +to extend more than ten or twelve leagues to the west, or but little +further than the land will be visible in fine weather. + +Our latitude at noon was 34 deg. 43', and the land of Cape Leeuwin bore from +N. 2 deg. to 22 deg. E.; the uncorrected longitude of the time keepers from Timor +made the cape four or five leagues to the east of the position before +ascertained, but when corrected, the difference was too small to be +perceptible. At six in the evening we had 40 fathoms, coral bottom, at +seven leagues from Point D'Entrecasteaux; but the weather was too thick +to take any bearings which might improve my former survey. We steered +along the coast at the distance of seven or eight leagues, with a fresh +breeze and a strong current in our favour; and on the next day [SUNDAY 15 +MAY 1803] at noon I set land, which had the appearance of Bald Head, at +N. 31 deg. W., distant about five leagues. Mount Gardner and Bald Island were +distinguished in the afternoon; but the land was visible at times only, +from the haziness of the weather. + +[FROM TIMOR. ARCHIPELAGO OF THE RECHERCHE.] + +My intention in coming so near the South Coast, was to skirt along the +outer parts of the Archipelago of the Recherche, which had before been +seen imperfectly; and to stop a day or two in Goose-Island Bay, for the +purposes of procuring geese for our sick people, seal oil for our lamps, +and a few casks of salt from the lake on Middle Island. It was night +[MONDAY 16 MAY 1803] when we approached the archipelago, and I therefore +steered to make Termination Island, which is the outermost part; at four +in the morning of the 17th [TUESDAY 17 MAY 1803], it was seen about two +leagues to the N. E, and we had 62 fathoms on a bottom of white sand. +Mondrain Island was set at daylight, and the positions of many other +places were either verified or corrected, during the run to noon; at that +time we had 45 fathoms, and a reef was seen which may probably be that +marked _Vigie_, in the French chart, and is the more dangerous from the +sea breaking upon it only at times. No observation was obtained for the +latitude, but it should be 34 deg. 13' south, from the following bearings +then taken. + + +Western Twin, N. 5 deg. W. +A nearer isle, surrounded with breakers, N. 3 E. +Cape Arid, top of the mount on it, N. 53 E. +Middle I., highest top of the mount, N. 661/2 E. +Douglas's Isles, two appearing in one, N. 80 E. +High breakers, distant 6 miles, S. 42 E. + + +At one o'clock in steering for Douglas's Isles, a single breaker was seen +right ahead of the ship, lying six miles N. E. 1/2 N. of the former +dangerous reef, and about eight from the isles, in a W. by 1/2 S. +direction. We passed to the northward of it, having no ground at 25 +fathoms; and as we approached to do the same by the isles, Mr. Charles +Douglas, the boatswain, breathed his last; and I affixed his name to the +two lumps of land, which seemed to offer themselves as a monument to his +memory. We hauled up close along the east side of Middle Island with the +wind at west; and at six in the evening anchored in Goose-Island Bay, in +12 fathoms, fine sand, one-third of a mile from the middle rock. and +nearly in a line between it and the north-east point of Middle Island. + +WEDNESDAY 18 MAY 1803 + +In the morning, a party of men was sent to kill geese and seals upon the +rocky islets to the eastward, and another upon Middle Island to cut wood +and brooms. There was now so much more surf upon the shores of the bay +than in January of the former year, that we could not land at the eastern +beach, behind which lies the salt lake; I therefore went with the master +to the middle beach, and being scarcely able to get out of the boat from +scorbutic sores, sent him to examine the lake and make choice of a +convenient place for filling some casks; but to my surprise he reported +that no good salt could be procured, although it had been so abundant +before, that according to the testimony of all those who saw the lake, it +would have furnished almost any quantity: this alteration had doubtless +been produced by the heavy rains which appeared to have lately fallen. I +caused a hole to be dug in a sandy gully, in order to fill a few casks of +water, thinking it possible that what we had taken in at Timor might have +been injurious; but the water was too salt to be drinkable, although +draining from land much above the level of the sea. This may afford some +insight into the formation of salt in the lake; and it seems not +improbable, that rock salt may be contained in some part of Middle +Island. + +We remained here three days, cutting wood, boiling down seal oil, and +killing geese; but our success in this last occupation was very inferior +to what it had been in January 1802, no more than twelve geese being now +shot, whereas sixty-five had then been procured. Mr. Douglas was interred +upon Middle Island, and an inscription upon copper placed over his grave; +William Hillier, one of my best men, also died of dysentery and fever +before quitting the bay, and the surgeon had fourteen others in his list, +unable to do any duty. At his well-judged suggestion, I ordered the +cables, which the small size of the ship had made it necessary to coil +between decks, to be put into the holds, our present light state +permitting this to be done on clearing away the empty casks; by this +arrangement more room was made for the messing and sleeping places; and +almost every morning they were washed with boiling water, aired with +stoves, and sprinkled with vinegar, for the surgeon considered the +dysentery on board to be approaching that state when it becomes +contagious. + +SATURDAY 21 MAY 1803 + +At daylight of the 21st, having a fresh breeze at N. W., we prepared to +depart, and hove short; but the ship driving before the sails were +loosed, and there being little room astern, a second bower was dropped +and a kedge anchor carried out. This last not holding after the bowers +were weighed, a stream anchor was let go; and before the ship brought up, +it was again necessary to drop the best bower. At this time we were not +more than a cable's length from the rocks of Middle Island; and the ship +being exposed to great danger with the least increase of wind, we got a +spring on the stream cable and began to heave on the best bower. In the +mean time the ship drove with both anchors ahead, which obliged me, on +the instant, to cut both cables, heave upon the spring, and run up the +jib and stay-sails; and my orders being obeyed with an alacrity not to be +exceeded, we happily cleared the rocks by a few fathoms, and at noon made +sail to the eastward. + +This example proved the anchorage in the eastern part of Goose-Island Bay +to be very bad, the sand being so loose as not to hold the ship with two +anchors, though the water was smooth and the wind not more than a +double-reefed-top-sail breeze; yet further westward, between Goose Island +and the west beach, our anchor had held very well before. The most secure +situation should seem to be off the east end of the middle beach, between +it and the rock, in 4 or 5 fathoms; but I cannot answer for the ground +there being good, though to all appearance it should be the best in the +bay. + +The _latitude_ observed from an artificial horizon on the middle beach +was 34 deg. 5' 23" south; and the _longitude_ of the place of observation, a +little east of that before fixed by the time keepers from King George's +Sound, (Vol. I.), will be 123 deg. 9' 37.6" east. Mr. Flinders took three +sets of altitudes between the 18th p.m. and 21st a.m., from which the +rates of the time keepers, and their errors from Greenwich time at noon +there of the 21st, were found to be as under; + +Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 3h 10' 59.53" and losing 19.63" per day. +Earnshaw's No. 520, fast 1h 31' 54.28" and losing 34.07" per day. + +At the first observation, the longitudes deduced from the Coepang rates +were, by + +No. 543--123 deg. 33' 37.5" east, +No. 520--123 25 22.5 east; + +the mean of which is 19' 52.4" more than what I consider to be the true +longitude, but on using rates equally accelerated from those at Coepang +to what were found above, the error becomes reduced to 12' 11.6" east; +which is the sum of the apparent irregularity of the time keepers from +April 8 to May 18, or in 40.2 days. The corrections applied to the +longitude during the last passage, are therefore what arise from the +equal acceleration of the rates, and from the proportional part of the +12' 11.6" of irregularity; and when thus corrected, the time keepers did +not appear to differ at Cape Leeuwin and Mount Gardner more than 1' from +the longitude of the former year. + +[SOUTH COAST. TOWARDS PORT JACKSON] + +SATURDAY 21 MAY 1803 + +On clearing Goose-Island Bay we steered eastward, with cloudy weather and +a fresh breeze which veered to S. S. W. A small round island, with two +rocks on its north side, was discovered in the south-eastern part of the +archipelago, and also a reef; neither of which I had before seen, nor are +they noticed by admiral D'Entrecasteaux. At 3h 40' the following bearings +were taken: + + +Cape Arid, top of the mount, N. 741/2 deg. W. +Cape Pasley, N. 26 W. +Two south-east isles, S. 19 W. +Reef, distant 4 or 5 miles, S. 16 E. +Small round isle, dist. 4 or 5 leagues, N. 88 E. + + +We passed within three miles of the round isle at dusk, and saw no other +danger near it than the two rocks, which are very distinguishable; the +weather was squally, but as I did not expect to meet with any more +dangers, we kept on, steering seven points from the wind all night, with +the precaution of having a warrant officer at the lookout. In the way to +Bass' Strait I wished to have completed the examination of Kangaroo +Island, and also to run along the space of main coast, from Cape +Northumberland to Cape Otway, of which the bad weather had prevented a +survey in the former year; but the sickly state of my people from +dysentery and fever, as also of myself, did not admit of doing any thing +to cause delay in our arrival at Port Jackson. + +MONDAY 23 MAY 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate III.) + +In the afternoon of the 23rd, being in latitude 35 deg. 10' and longitude +128 deg. 54', the variation was observed with three compasses to be 4 deg. 58' +west, when the ship's head was at magnetic east; this corrected, will be +1 deg. 46' west, agreeing with the observations on each side of this +longitude in sight of the coast. On the 26th [THURSDAY 26 MAY 1803], in +37 deg. 53' south and 135 deg. 48' east, with the head S. E. by E., the variation +was 1 deg. 33' west, or 1 deg. 17' east corrected; and in the same longitude at +the head of Port Lincoln, we had found 1 deg. 39' east. This day James +Greenhalgh, sergeant of marines, died of the dysentery; a man whom I +sincerely regretted, from the zeal and fidelity with which he had +constantly fulfilled the duties of his situation. + +The winds continued to blow strong, usually between South and W. S. W.; +but the ship did not at any time leak more than five inches an hour. On +the 29th [SUNDAY 29 MAY 1803], when approaching Bass' Strait, the breeze +died away, and after some hours calm sprung up from the northward; next +day at noon [MONDAY 30 MAY 1803], our latitude was 40 deg. 25 1/3', longitude +143 deg. 8', and we sounded with 98 fathoms, no ground (Atlas, Plate VI). At +two o'clock the south end of King's Island was in sight; and at 4h 40', +when it bore N. 5 deg. to 35 deg. E, a small island was seen from the mast head, +bearing E. by S., which I at first judged must be Albatross Island; but +as no other could be seen more southward, it was probably the Black +Pyramid of Hunter's Isles, discovered in the Norfolk sloop. I much wished +to fix its relative situation to King's Island; but night coming on, the +bearing of S. 5 deg. W., in which this pyramidal lump was set at ten o'clock +with the assistance of a night glass, was the best point of connexion to +be obtained. The southern extremity of King's Island lies nearly in 40 deg. +7' south and 143 deg. 53' east; and by our run from 4h 40' to ten o'clock, +corrected for a tide setting to the south-westward, this lump of land, +which I believe to have been the Black Pyramid, will be 29' or 30' of +longitude more east: its latitude made in the Norfolk was 40 deg. 32' south. + +The wind blew fresh at north, and the ship could barely lie a course to +clear Albatross Island, yet we passed without seeing it, though there was +moonlight; so that supposing it was the Black Pyramid we had set at ten +o'clock, the tide, which I calculated to turn about that time, must have +run strong to the N. E. Our least sounding between King's Island and +Hunter's Isles was 28 fathoms, on red coral sand, nine or ten miles to +the south, as I judge, of Reid's Rocks; but they were not seen, nor have +I any certain knowledge of their position. They are laid down in the +chart partly from the journal of lieutenant Murray, who saw them in going +from the Bay of Seals to Three-hummock Island; but principally from a +rough sketch of Mr. Bass, then commander of the brig Venus, who appears +to have seen King's Island, Reid's Rocks, and the Black Pyramid, all at +the same time. + +It was a great mortification to be thus obliged to pass Hunter's Isles +and the north coast of Van Diemen's Land, without correcting their +positions in longitude from the errors which the want of a time keeper in +the Norfolk had made unavoidable; but when I contemplated eighteen of my +men below, several of whom were stretched in their hammocks almost +without hope, and reflected that the lives of the rest depended upon our +speedy arrival in port, every other consideration vanished; and I carried +all possible sail, day and night, making such observations only as could +be done without causing delay. + +TUESDAY 31 MAY 1803 + +At day break, land was seen from the mast head bearing S. W. by S., +probably Three-hummock Island; and at noon our + + +Latitude observed was 39 deg. 5 1/3' +Wilson's Promontory, the S. W. part, bore N. 16 1/2 E. +Curtis' largest Isle, the top, N. 51 E. + + +Kent's Group came in sight in the evening; and a little before nine +o'clock the centre of the larger isles was set at N. by E, when the +Pyramid was distant four miles bearing S. 1/2 W. At eleven, we passed +sufficiently near to the new rock, lying four leagues to the E. S. E. of +the group, to hear the growling of the seals; and land, apparently the +Sisters, was distinguished soon afterward in the S. E., but too +imperfectly to be known. A set of bearings here would have been +essentially useful in fixing the relative positions of these lands, which +remained in some degree doubtful; but I dared not lose an hour's fair +wind to obtain them. + +THURSDAY 2 JUNE 1803 + +On the 2nd of June we lost John Draper, quarter master, one of the most +orderly men in the ship; and it seemed to be a fatality, that the +dysentery should fall heaviest on the most valuable part of the crew. The +wind had then veered against us, to the N. E., as it had done the year +before in nearly the same situation; and it should seem that the +direction of the coast influences it to blow either from N. E. or S. W. +The weather was so hazy, that the hills at the back of the Long Beach +were not seen till the evening of the 3rd; and on the 4th [SATURDAY 4 +JUNE 1803] they were still visible, about twenty leagues to the N. 31 deg. W. +A fair breeze sprung up in the night; and at noon next day, the land from +Cape Howe northward extended from S. 65 deg. to N. 72 deg. W., and a hill which +appeared to be the highest of those behind Two-fold Bay, bore W. 1 deg. S.; +our latitude was then 37 deg. 13', and longitude by time keepers 150 deg. 44' +east. + +We steered a due north course, closing a little in with the land; at +sunset [MONDAY 6 JUNE 1803] Mount Dromedary bore N. 45 deg. W., and at eight +next morning it was seen bearing S. 30 deg. W., at the distance of twenty +leagues, although the weather was hazy (Atlas, Plate VIII). The shore was +five miles off at noon, when the observed latitude was 35 deg. 17'; the outer +part of Cape George bearing N. 32 deg. E., about eight miles, and the Pigeon +House S. 77 deg. W. We passed the cape at the distance of two miles, having +then but light winds; and at dusk, Bowen's Isle in the entrance of +Jervis' Bay was set at N. 51 deg. W. Hat Hill was abreast of the ship at noon +next day; but the wind had then veered to the northward, and we beat up +until the following noon [WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE 1803] with little advantage, +our situation being then in + + +Latitude observed. 34 deg. 21 2/3' +Longitude by time keepers corrected, 151 12 1/2 +Hat Hill bore S. 701/2 W. +Saddle Hill, on Red Point, S. 53 W. +Point Bass, S. 33 W. +North extreme, near C. Solander., N. 3 W. +Nearest shore, distant 8 or 9 miles, N. 72. W. + + +[EAST COAST. PORT JACKSON] + +Whilst beating against this foul wind the dysentery carried off another +seaman, Thomas Smith, one of those obtained from governor King; and had +the wind continued long in the same quarter, many others must have +followed. Happily it veered to the southward at midnight, we passed +Botany Bay at three in the morning [THURSDAY 9 JUNE 1803], and at +daybreak tacked between the heads of Port Jackson, to work up for Sydney +Cove. I left the ship at noon, above Garden Island, and waited upon His +Excellency governor King, to inform him of our arrival, and concert +arrangements for the reception of the sick at the colonial hospital. On +the following day [FRIDAY 10 JUNE 1803] they were placed under the care +of Thomas Jamison, Esq., principal surgeon of the colony; from whom they +received that kind attention and care which their situation demanded; but +four were too much exhausted, and died in a few days. The first of them +was Mr. Peter Good, botanical gardener, a zealous, worthy man, who was +regretted by all. + +Lieutenant Murray had arrived safely with the Lady Nelson, after a +somewhat tedious passage from the Barrier Reefs; he made himself an +anchor of heavy wood on the coast, for fear of accident to his sole +remaining bower, but fortunately had no occasion to use it. Besides the +Lady Nelson, we found lying in Sydney Cove H. M. armed vessel Porpoise, +the Bridgewater extra-Indiaman, the ships Cato, Rolla, and Alexander, and +brig Nautilus. The Geographe and Naturaliste had not sailed for the South +Coast till some months after I left Port Jackson to go to the northward, +and so late as the end of December, captain Baudin was lying at King's +Island in Bass' Strait; it was therefore not very probable that he should +reach the Gulph of Carpentaria by the middle of February, when I had +finished its examination, nor even at the beginning of March, when the +south-west monsoon would set in against him. + +We found also at Port Jackson Mr. James Inman (the present professor of +mathematics at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth), whom the Board of +Longitude had sent out to join the expedition as astronomer, in the place +of Mr. Crosley who had left us at the Cape of Good Hope. To this +gentleman's care I committed all the larger astronomical instruments, and +also the time keepers, after observations had been taken to compare their +longitudes with that of Cattle Point. The results obtained on the 10th +a.m., with the Goose-island-Bay rates, were, + + +From No. 543, 151 deg. 18' 41" east. +From No. 520, 151 16 22 east. + + +Cattle Point having been settled in 151 deg. 11' 49" (see Vol. I.), the mean +error of the time keepers was 5' 42.5" to the east; and as I have no +means to form an accelerating correction to the Goose-Island Bay rates, +the 5' 42.5" of error has been equally apportioned throughout the twenty +days between the two stations. + +In order to re-establish the health of the ship's company, I contracted +for a regular supply of vegetables and fresh meat; and such was the +favourable change in the state of the colony in one year, that the meat, +pork one day and mutton another, was obtained at the average price of +10d. per pound, which before, if it could have been obtained, would have +cost nearly double the sum. On my application to the governor, the +commissary was ordered to supply us with two pipes of port wine; and a +pint was given daily to all those on board, as well as on shore, whose +debilitated health was judged by the surgeon to require it. + +The arrangements being made which concerned the health of the ship's +company, I inclosed to the governor the report of the master and +carpenter upon the state of the ship when in the Gulph of Carpentaria; +and requested that he would appoint officers to make a survey of her +condition. A plank was ripped off all round, a little above the water's +edge; and on the 14th, the officers appointed by His Excellency made the +survey, and their report was as follows: + + +Pursuant to an order from His Excellency Philip Gidley King, esquire, +principal commander of His Majesty's ship Buffalo. + +We whose names are hereunto subscribed, have been on board His Majesty's +ship Investigator, and taken a strict, careful, and minute survey of her +defects, the state of which we find to be as follows. + +One plank immediately above the wales being ripped off all round the +ship, we began the examination on the larbord side forward; and out of +ninety-eight timbers we find eleven to be sound, so far as the ripping +off of one plank enables us to see into them, ten of which are amongst +the aftermost timbers. Sixty-three of the remaining timbers are so far +rotten as to make it necessary to shift them; and the remaining +twenty-four entirely rotten, and these are principally in the bow and the +middle of the ship. + +On the starbord side forward we have minutely examined eighty-nine +timbers, out of which we find only five sound; fifty-six are so far +decayed as to require shifting, and the remaining twenty-eight are +entirely rotten. The sound timbers are in the after part of the ship, and +those totally decayed lie principally in the bow. + +The stemson is so far decayed, principally in its outer part, as to make +it absolutely necessary to be shifted. + +As far as we could examine under the counter, both plank and timbers are +rotten, and consequently necessary to be shifted. + +We find generally, that the plank on both sides is so far decayed as to +require shifting, even had the timbers been sound. + +The above being the state of the Investigator thus far, we think it +altogether unnecessary to make any further examination; being unanimously +of opinion that she is not worth repairing in any country, and that it is +impossible in this country to put her in a state fit for going to sea. + +And we do further declare, that we have taken this survey with such care +and circumspection, that we are ready, if required, to make oath to the +veracity and impartiality of our proceedings. + +Given under our hands on board the said ship in Sydney Cove, this 14th +June 1803. + +(Signed) W. Scott, Commander of H. M. armed vessel Porpoise. + +E. H. Palmer, Commander of the Hon. East-India-Company's extra ship +Bridgewater. + +Thomas Moore, Master builder to the Territory of New South Wales. + + + +I went round the ship with the officers in their examination, and was +excessively surprised to see the state of rottenness in which the timbers +were found. In the starbord bow there were thirteen close together, +through any one of which a cane might have been thrust; and it was on +this side that the ship had made twelve inches of water in an hour, in +Torres' Strait, before the first examination. In the passage along the +South Coast, the strong breezes were from the southward, and the starbord +bow being out of the water, the leaks did not exceed five inches; had the +wind come from the northward, the little exertion we were then capable of +making at the pumps could hardly have kept the ship up; and a hard gale +from any quarter must have sent us to the bottom. + +The Investigator being thus found incapable of further service, various +plans were suggested, and discussed with the governor, for prosecuting +the voyage; but that which alone could be adopted without incurring a +heavy expense to government, was to employ the armed vessel Porpoise; and +as this ship was too small to carry all my complement, with the necessary +provisions, to put the remainder into the Lady Nelson, under the command +of my second lieutenant. Both vessels were at this time required for a +few weeks colonial service to Van Diemen's Land; and my people not being +in a state to fit out a new ship immediately, our final arrangements were +deferred until their return. I took this opportunity of making an +excursion to the Hawkesbury settlement, near the foot of the back +mountains; and the fresh air there, with a vegetable diet and medical +care, soon made a great alteration in the scorbutic sores which had +disabled me for four months; and in the beginning of July I returned to +the ship, nearly recovered. The sick in the hospital were also +convalescent, and some had quitted it; but one or two cases still +remained doubtful. + +4 JULY 1803 + +On the 4th, the Porpoise arrived from Van Diemen's Land, and I requested +the governor would order her to be surveyed, that it might be duly known +whether she were, or could be in a short time made, capable of executing +the service which remained to be done. I had heard some reports of her +being unsound; and it seemed worse than folly to be at the trouble and +expense of fitting out a ship which, besides causing a repetition of the +risk we had incurred in the Investigator, might still leave the voyage +unfinished. His Excellency, with that prompt zeal for His Majesty's +service which characterised him, and was eminently shown in every thing +wherein my voyage was concerned, immediately ordered the survey to be +made; and it appeared that, besides having lost part of the copper which +could not be replaced, the repairs necessary to make her fit for +completing what remained of the voyage, could not be done in less than +twelve months; and even then this ship was, from her small size and sharp +construction, very ill adapted to this service. Other arrangements were +therefore suggested; and I received the following letter of propositions +from the governor. + + +Government House, Sydney, July 10, 1803. + +I inclose the report of the survey on the Porpoise, and am much concerned +that the repairs and alterations of that ship will re quire so much time +to complete her fit for the service you have to execute. This being the +case, I can see no other alternatives than the following: + +1. To wait the Porpoise being repaired and refitted. + +2. To purchase the Rolla, and fit her. + +3. To take the Lady Nelson and colonial schooner Francis. + +4. Wait for the Buffalo's return from India, which will be about the next +January; or + +5. Return to England and solicit another ship to complete what you have +so successfully begun. + +On the first point, you will be the best able to determine how far it +would be advisable to wait so long a time for the Porpoise's repairs, nor +do I think they can be completed in a less time here. + +The builder and your carpenter report to me, that the Rolla cannot be put +into the least convenient state to receive your establishment, stores, +and provisions, in less than six months. It must also be considered that +she grounded on the Brake with a full cargo; from which cause, some +defects may appear to render her useless in a shorter period than you can +finish your voyage. Added to which, I do not consider myself justified in +assuming the responsibility of giving L11,550. for little more than the +hull, masts, and rigging of that ship; nor will the master, as he informs +me, take less. + +If you think the Lady Nelson and Francis schooner equal to execute what +you have to finish, they are at your service. The latter being absent +getting coals and cedar, I cannot say what state she may be in; although +she will require considerable repairs to make her fit for a long voyage. + +The Buffalo is now inspecting the islands to the eastward of Java, to +ascertain whether breeding stock can be procured among them. That service +performed, she proceeds to Calcutta for a cargo of cows, and may be +expected about January, when she may want some repairs, and of course +fitting. It is my intention, if you do not fix on her, to profit by your +discovery in stocking this colony with breeding animals, by the safe and +expeditious channel you have opened through Torres' Strait. + +If you do not consider waiting for the Porpoise's repairs advisable, it +is my intention to send her to England by a summer's passage round Cape +Horn; which it is thought she may perform in her present state. But +should you conceive it may ultimately forward the service you are +employed on, to go to England in her, leaving this port when you judge +proper, and taking the route most conducive to perfectioning any part of +the surveys you have commenced; I shall direct the commander of that ship +to receive you and as many of your officers and people as can be +accommodated, as passengers; and to follow your directions and give you +every assistance in every circumstance connected with the execution of +the orders you have received from my Lords Commissioners of the +Admiralty. + +You will, Sir, have the goodness to consider of the above and whatever +the result of your deliberation may be, I will most cheerfully give my +concurrence and assistance; knowing that your zealous perseverance in +wishing to complete the service you have so beneficially commenced, could +only be impeded by unforeseen and distressing circumstances; but which I +hope, for the benefit of science and navigation, will only be a temporary +delay. + +I am, etc. + +(Signed), Philip Gidley King. + + + +Each of the plans proposed in the governor's letter were attended with +one common disadvantage: a delay in the completion of the surveys. +Against the last proposition there did not seem to be any other +objection; but the four first included so many more inconveniences and +difficulties, either to the voyage, or to the colony, that I saw the +necessity of concurring with the governor's opinion; notwithstanding the +reluctance I felt at returning to England without having accomplished the +objects for which the Investigator was fitted out. My election was +therefore made to embark as a passenger in the Porpoise; in order to lay +my charts and journals before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, +and obtain, if such should be their pleasure, another ship to complete +the examination of Terra Australis. The last service I could render to +the colony with the Investigator and my people, was to lay down an +additional pair of moorings in Sydney Cove; and that done, we left the +ship as a storehouse hulk on the 21st, and prepared for our voyage to +England. + +The Porpoise was commanded by Mr. William Scott, a senior master in the +navy; but he and the greater part of his people having expressed a wish +to be discharged, it was complied with; and the command was given to Mr. +Fowler, first lieutenant of the Investigator, and another crew of +thirty-eight men selected from the ship's company. In disposing of the +other officers and people their several inclinations were consulted. The +surgeon took his passage in the Bridgewater to India, the gunner remained +charged with the care of the Investigator's stores, and Mr. Evans, +master's mate, was left sick at the hospital; Messrs. Brown, Bauer, and +Allen stayed at Port Jackson to prosecute their researches in natural +history, until my arrival with another ship, or until eighteen months +should expire without their having received intimation that the voyage +was to be continued; nine men were discharged at their own request, and +the twenty-two remaining officers and men, including myself, embarked in +the Porpoise as passengers. + +Of the nine convicts who had been received into the Investigator, one had +died; another had behaved himself so improperly, that I could not +recommend him to the governor; and the remaining seven were fully +emancipated by His Excellency from their sentence of transportation, +their conduct having been such throughout, as to receive my approbation. +Four of these were entered into the complement of the Porpoise; but I am +sorry to add, that the subsequent behaviour of two was different to what +it had been when their liberty was at stake, and that a third was +condemned to the hulks not very long after he reached England. + +Being about to take leave of Port Jackson, it might be expected that I +should give some account of our colony there, and could this voyage have +appeared in due time, a chapter would have been devoted to it; but a much +later account being now before the public, dispenses me from speaking of +it in other than a few general terms. In 1803, it was progressively +advancing towards a state of independence on the mother country for food +and clothing; both the wild and tame cattle had augmented in a proportion +to make it probable that they would, before many years, be very abundant; +and manufactures of woollen, linen, cordage, and leather, with breweries +and a pottery, were commenced. The number of inhabitants was increasing +rapidly; and that energetic spirit of enterprize which characterises +Britain's children, seemed to be throwing out vigorous shoots in this new +world. The seal fishery in Bass' Strait was carried on with ardour--many +boats were employed in catching and preparing fish along the +coast--sloops and schooners were upon the stocks--various detached +settlements were in a course of establishment, and more in project. And +all this, with the commerce carried on from Sydney to Parramatta and the +villages at the head of the port, and to those on the rivers falling into +Broken and Botany Bays, made the fine harbour of Port Jackson a lively +scene of business, highly interesting to the contemplator of the rise of +nations. + +In Sydney and Parramatta, houses of stone or brick were taking place of +wood and plaster; a neat church was built in the latter, and one +commenced in the former place; wharfs were constructing or repairing--a +stone bridge over the stream which runs through the town of Sydney was +nearly finished--and the whiskey, chariot, and heavy-laden waggon were +seen moving on commodious roads to different parts of the colony. In the +interior the forests were giving way before the axe, and their places +becoming every year more extensively occupied by wheat, barley, oats, +maize, and the vegetables and fruits of southern Europe; but the +following extract from the official returns in 1803, the fifteenth year +after the establishment of the colony, will show its progress in a more +ostensible manner. + + +Lands employed by government, +or granted to individuals 125,476 acres. +Quantity cleared of wood, 16,624 +Ditto, sown with wheat, 7,118 Last ann. increase 2,165 +Ditto, sown with barley, maize, etc. 5,279 +Average produce of wheat lands +throughout the colony, 18 bushels/acre. + +No. of horned cattle domesticated, 2,447 Last increase 594 +No. of Sheep, 11,232 2,614 +No. of Hogs, 7,890 3,872 +No. of Horses, 352 65 + +The number of wild horned cattle was supposed to exceed that of +the tame, and to increase faster. +Europeans of every description, +resident in New South Wales, 7,134 +Of which were victualled by government, 3,026 +Number of inhabitants at Norfolk Island, 1,200 + + + +Amongst the obstacles which opposed themselves to the more rapid +advancement of the colony, the principal were, the vicious propensities +of a large portion of the convicts, a want of more frequent communication +with England, and the prohibition to trading with India and the western +coasts of South America, in consequence of the East-India-Company's +charter. As these difficulties become obviated and capital increases, the +progress of the colonists will be more rapid; and if the resources from +government be not withdrawn too early, there is little doubt of New South +Wales being one day a flourishing country, and of considerable benefit to +the commerce and navigation of the parent state. + +CHAPTER XI. + +Of the winds, currents, and navigation along the east coast of Terra +Australis, both without and within the tropic; also on the north coast. + +Directions for sailing from Port Jackson, through Torres' Strait, towards +India or the Cape of Good Hope. + +Advantages of this passage over that round New Guinea. + +[EAST COAST. WINDS AND CURRENTS.] + +On completing the first portion of the voyage, I entered into an +explanation of the winds and currents which had been found to prevail +upon the south coast of Terra Australis; and to obtain greater +perspicuity and connection, I there anticipated upon the second portion +so far as those subjects required. This plan of assembling at the end of +each book such general observations upon the coast immediately before +examined as could not enter conveniently into the narrative, seeming +liable to no material objection, I shall follow it here; and conclude +this second part of the voyage with a statement of the winds and currents +which appear to prevail most generally along the East and North Coasts; +adding thereto such remarks, more particularly on Torres' Strait, as may +tend to the safety of navigation. This statement will include the +information gained in a subsequent passage, for the reasons which +influenced me in the former account; and the reader must not be +surprised, should he remark hereafter that I did not, in that passage, +follow very closely the directions here given; for besides that my +information was then possessed only in part, the directions are intended, +not for vessels seeking dangers, which was partly my object, but for +those desirous only of navigating these distant shores with expedition +and safety. + +The East Coast, with respect to winds and currents, requires a division, +the part beyond the tropic of Capricorn being placed under different, and +almost opposite circumstances, to that within, or close to it. (Atlas, +Plate I.) + +From Cape Howe, where the South Coast terminates and the East commences, +to Sandy Cape, within a degree of the tropic, the south-east trade most +generally prevails in the summer season, from the beginning of October to +the end of April; and produces sea and land breezes near the shore, with +fine weather. There are however many occasional intermissions, especially +in the southern parts, wherein gales from South or S. W., and strong +breezes between North and N. E., bring heavy rain, with thunder and +lightning; but these are usually of short duration. A sultry land wind +from the N. W. in the summer, is almost certainly followed by a sudden +gust from between S. E. and S. S. W., against which a ship near the coast +should be particularly guarded; I have seen the thermometer descend at +Port Jackson, on one of these occasions, from 100 deg. to 64 deg. in less than +half an hour. + +In the winter season, from May to September, the western winds are most +prevalent, and generally accompanied with fine weather; the gales then +blow from the eastward, between north-east and south, and bring rain with +them; indeed there is no settled weather in the winter, with any winds +from the sea, and even between north-west and north there is frequent +rain, though the wind be usually light in those quarters. It is however +to be understood, that the sea and land breezes in the summer are more +regular near the tropic; and that the winter winds partake more of the +south-east trade than they do from latitude 30 deg. to Cape Howe. + +It is a fact difficult to be reconciled, that whilst the most prevailing +winds blow from S. E. in summer, and S. W. in winter, upon this +extra-tropical part of the East Coast, the current should almost +constantly set to the south; at a rate which sometimes reaches two miles +an hour. Its greatest strength is exerted near to the points which +project most beyond the general line of the coast; but the usual limits +of its force may be reckoned at from four, to twenty leagues from the +land. Further out, there seems to be no constancy in the current; and +close in with the shore, especially in the bights, there is commonly an +eddy setting to the northward, from a quarter, to one mile an hour. It is +in the most southern parts that the current runs strongest, and towards +Cape Howe it takes a direction to the eastward of south; whereas in other +places, it usually follows the line of the coast. + +This exposition of the winds and currents beyond the tropic, points out +the advantage of keeping at not more than three or four leagues from the +land, when sailing northward and intending to touch on the coast; but in +the winter season this must be done with caution, because gales then +often blow from the eastward. A marine barometer will here be of signal +advantage. If the weather be tolerably fine, and the mercury do not stand +above 30 inches, there is no probability of danger; but when the mercury +much exceeds this elevation and the weather is becoming thick, a gale is +to be apprehended; and a ship should immediately steer off, until it is +seen how far the wind veers to blow dead on the coast. With respect to a +rise and fall in the marine barometer, it may be taken as a general rule +upon this East Coast, that a rise denotes either a fresher wind in the +quarter where it then may be, or that it will veer more to seaward; and a +fall denotes less wind or a breeze more off the land; moreover, the +mercury rises highest with a south-east, and falls lowest with a +north-west wind; and north-east and south-west are points of mean +elevation. + +The shelter for ships which may be caught so suddenly as not to be able +to clear the land, are these: Two-fold Bay, for vessels of four-hundred +tons and under; Jervis and Botany Bays, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay; +Port Hunter for brigs and small craft; Port Stephens; Shoal Bay for +vessels not exceeding fifty tons; Glass-house Bay; and lastly Hervey's +Bay, by going round Break-sea Spit. All these places will be found in +Plates VI, VIII, IX, and X. of the Atlas, with particular plans of the +entrances to some of them. Directions for Port Jackson, and Botany and +Broken Bays are given by captain Hunter in his voyage; and they may be +found in Horsburgh's _East-India Directory_, Part II, p. 465-468. +Two-fold Bay is described in the Introduction to this voyage, and mention +made of Jervis, Shoal, Glass-house, and Hervey's Bays. + +A ship sailing along this coast to the southward, should not, to have the +advantage of the current, come nearer than five or six leagues unless to +the projecting points; and if the distance were doubled, so as to have +the land just in sight, an advantage would be found in it; and such an +offing obviates the danger of the gales. + +Whilst western winds prevail on the southern parts of the East Coast, the +south-east trade blows with most regularity within, and close to the +tropic, producing sea and land breezes near the shore, and serenity in +the atmosphere; and the further we go northward the longer does this fine +weather last, till, near Cape York, it commences with the month of April, +probably even March, and extends to the middle or end of November. How +the winds blow from November to April, I have no experience; but there is +great reason to believe that they come from the northward, and make the +wet season here, whilst dry weather prevails beyond the tropic. In Broad +Sound and Shoal-water Bay we had more northern winds than any other, in +the month of September; but these appeared to be altogether local, caused +by the peculiar formation of the coast; for they did not bring any rain, +though it was evidently near the end of the dry season, and we found the +south-east trade wind before losing sight of the land. + +[NORTH COAST. WINDS AND CURRENTS.] + +The North Coast appears to have the same winds, with a little exception, +as the tropical part of the East Coast. From March or April to November, +the south-east trade prevails; often veering, however, to east, and even +north-east, and producing fine weather, with sea and land breezes near +the shore. At the head of the Gulph of Carpentaria, the north-west +monsoon began to blow at the end of November; but further westward, at +the northern Van Diemen's Land, I apprehend it will set in at the +beginning of that month, and continue till near the end of March. This is +the season of heavy rains, thunder, and lightning, and should seem, from +our experience, to be the sickly time of the year. + +It is thought to be a general rule, that a monsoon blowing directly in +from the sea, produces rain, and from off the land, fine weather, with +sea and land breezes; this I found exemplified on the west side of the +Gulph of Carpentaria, where the rainy north-west monsoon, which then came +off the land, brought fine weather: the rain came with eastern winds, +which set in occasionally and blew strong for two or three days together. +It seems even possible, that what may be the dry season on the North +Coast in general, may be the most rainy on the west side of the Gulph; +but of this I have doubts. + +According to Dampier, the winds and seasons on the north-west coast of +Terra Australis are nearly the same as above mentioned upon the North +Coast; but he found the sea and land breezes, during the south-east +monsoon, to blow with much greater strength. + +In speaking of the currents, I return to the tropical part of the East +Coast. Within the Barrier Reefs, it is not the current, for there is +almost none, but the tides which demand attention; and these, so far as +they came under my observation, have been already described, and are +marked on the charts. At a distance from the barrier there is a current +of some strength, at least during the prevalence of south-east winds; but +instead of setting southward, as I have described it to do from Sandy +Cape to Cape Howe, the current follows the direction of the trade wind, +and sets to the north-west, with some variation on either side, at the +rate of half a mile, and from thence to one mile an hour. This I found to +continue amongst the reefs of Torres' Strait, nearly as far as Murray's +Islands; but from thence onward through the strait, its direction in +October was nearly west, something more than half a mile; and so +continued across the Gulph of Carpentaria to Cape Arnhem, with a little +inclination toward the south. + +Along the north coast of Terra Australis, the current seems to run as the +wind blows. In March, before the south-east monsoon was regularly set in, +I found no determinate current until the end of the month, when Timor was +in sight, and it then set westward, three quarters of a mile an hour; but +in the November following, I carried it all the way from Cape Arnhem, as +captain Bligh had done from Torres' Strait in September 1792; the rate +being from half a mile to one mile and a quarter in the hour. + +The navigation along the tropical part of the East Coast, within the +Barrier Reefs, is not likely to be soon followed, any more than that +round the shores of the Gulph of Carpentaria; nor does much remain to be +said upon them, beyond what will be found in this Book II, and in the +charts; and in speaking of the outer navigation, my remarks will be more +perspicuous and useful if I accompany a ship from Port Jackson, through +Torres' Strait; pointing out the courses to be steered, and the +precautions to be taken for avoiding the dangers. It is supposed that the +ship has a time keeper, whose rate of going and error from mean Greenwich +time have been found at Sydney Cove, taking its longitude at 151 deg. 11' 49" +east; and that the commander is not one who feels alarm at the mere sight +of breakers: without a time keeper I scarcely dare recommend a ship to go +through Torres' Strait; and from timidity in the commander, perhaps more +danger is to be anticipated than from rashness. The best season for +sailing is June or July; and it must not be earlier than March, nor later +than the end of September. + +[NORTH COAST. SAILING DIRECTIONS.] + +On quitting Port Jackson, the course to be steered is N. E. by E. by +compass, to longitude about 1551/2 deg., when the land will be fifty leagues +off; then North, also by compass, as far as latitude 24 deg.. Thus far no +danger lies in the way; but there is then the _Cato's Bank_, a dry sand +frequented by birds and surrounded with a reef (Atlas, Plate X), and +further northward is _Wreck Reef_, both discovered in the future part of +this voyage. Wreck Reef consists of six distinct patches of coral, +extending twenty miles east and west; upon four of them there are dry +banks, also frequented by birds, and the easternmost bank is covered with +wiry grass and some shrubs, and is called _Bird Islet_. Their situations +are these: + + +Cato's Bank 23 deg. 6' south, 155 deg. 23' east +Bird Islet 22 111/2 155 27 + + +The bearing and distance of these dangers must be successively worked, +and a course steered so as to leave them half a degree to the westward; +but for fear of an error in the time keeper the latitude 23 deg. 20' should +not be passed in the night. It is better to make short tacks till +daylight, than to heave to; and allowance should be made for a probable +current of one mile an hour to the north-west. A good lookout must be +constantly kept; and a confidential officer should now go to the masthead +every two hours in the day and to the fore yard at night, to listen as +well as look; for in dark nights the breakers may often be heard before +they can be seen. It will not be amiss, if the time of the day be +favourable, to make Bird Islet, which is well settled, in order to see +how the longitude by time keeper agrees; and should it err, the +difference, or more, must be added to, or subtracted from its future +longitudes; for it is most probable that the error will continue to +augment the same way, more especially if the time keeper be a good one. + +[TORRES STRAIT. SAILING DIRECTIONS.] + +(Atlas, Plate I.) + +Having passed Wreck Reef, there are no other _known_ dangers near the +route for Torres' Strait, till we come to _Diana's Bank_; but as others +may exist, it will be prudent to lie to, or preferably to make short +tacks in the night, during the rest of the passage to the Strait. In +light nights, however, and moderate weather, there would be not much risk +in closely following the Cumberland's track, carrying no more sail than +will allow of the ship being conveniently hauled to the wind; but if an +unusual number of boobies and gannets be seen in the evening, there is +strong suspicion of a bank and reef being near; and the direction which +the birds take, if they all go one way as is usual in an evening, will +nearly show its bearing. The longitude of Diana's Bank, according to M. +de Bougainville, is 151 deg. 19' from Greenwich; but his longitude at the New +Hebrides, some days before, was 54' too far east, according to captain +Cook; and it is therefore most probable, that Diana's Bank lies in 15 deg. +41' south, 150 deg. 25' east. + +I should steer, after passing Wreck Reef, so as to go a full degree to +the east of this position; and having so done, the next object of +attention is the Eastern Fields, reefs which lie a degree from those +where Torres' Strait may be said to commence. The position to be worked +is, Eastern Fields (Atlas, Plate XIII), north-east end, 10 deg. 2' south, +145 deg. 45' east; and from this I would pass half a degree to the eastward. +But if the Strait should be attempted without a time keeper, it will be +advisable for a ship to make that part of New Guinea lying in about 10 deg. +south and 1473/4 deg. east, which may be seen as far as twelve or fifteen +leagues in clear weather; and having corrected the dead-reckoning +longitude by this land, to allow afterwards eighteen miles a day for a +current setting to the W. N. W. The best latitude for passing the Eastern +Fields, is 9 deg. 45' to 50', steering a W. by S. course, by compass; and it +will afterwards be proper, so long as there is daylight and no reefs +seen, to carry all sail for the Pandora's Entrance, which is the best +opening yet known to the Strait. It is formed by reefs, and is eleven or +twelve miles wide, and lies, Pandora's Entrance, the middle, in 9 deg. 54' +S., 144 deg. 42' E. and it is very possible, if the Eastern Fields be passed +in the morning, to get through without seeing the breakers, and obtain a +sight of Murray's Islands before dark. But it is most probable that reefs +will be first met with; and should the latitude of the ship be then +uncertain, even to 5', the wind must be hauled until an observation can +be had, for it is by the latitude alone that the first reefs can be +distinguished one from the other. + +The reefs being in sight and the latitude known, a ship will steer for +the Pandora's Entrance, if she can fetch it; but if too much to the +north, she may pass round the north end of Portlock's Reef, and haul up +S. W. for Murray's Islands, which are visible eight or ten leagues from +the deck in fine weather. (See View No. 10 in Plate XVIII. of the Atlas.) +It is best to approach these islands from the N. E. by N., following the +Investigator's track, and to anchor the first night on the north side of +the largest island, or otherwise under the reefs which lie to the +north-east; but if neither can be reached before dark, haul to the wind +and make short trips till daylight, in the space between these reefs and +Portlock's Reef. + +Murray's Islands should not be passed, or quitted if the ship have +anchored there, later than ten or eleven o'clock in the morning; because +the sun will be getting ahead and obscure the sight before another good +anchorage can be secured. On passing the islands, keep the reef which +lies five miles to the north about a mile on the starbord hand, steering +W. 1/2 S. by compass, with a boat ahead; for in this part there are many +tide ripplings scarcely to be distinguished from the reefs. Having passed +the ripplings, haul a point more to the southward; and after having run +eight or ten miles, from the time that the largest island bore south, +there will be very few reefs to the northward, and Darnley's Island will +be seen. On the larbord hand there will be a great mass of reefs: and +these it is necessary to follow at the distance of two or three miles, +steering mostly W. S. W., and gradually more southward as they are found +to trend. Some small patches will occasionally be met with; but having +the boat to go ahead, and the commander, or a careful officer looking out +aloft, the Investigator's track between them may be safely followed. The +leading mark in all this part of the course, is the line of the great +south-eastern reefs; and the situation of the ship may be known at any +time, by laying down cross bearings of Murray's and Darnley's Islands on +the chart, allowing, if the ship's head be westward and the compass on +the top of the binnacle, 5 deg. of east variation. + +Several low, woody isles will come in sight ahead, or on the starbord +bow; and before reaching the end of the south-eastern reefs, _Hay-way +Island_, which is the southernmost of them, will be seen to the +southwest; and here I would recommend the ship to anchor for the night. +If this island can be passed, however, before three in the afternoon, and +the sun do not obscure the sight, she may push on south-westward till an +hour before sunset; and anchor under the lee of any of those sand banks +which lie in the route, the ground being better here than in the eastern +part of the Strait. + +From Half-way Island, continue to follow the Investigator's track, +steering S. W. to S. W. by W. by compass, as the small reefs and banks +will allow; and here there is no necessity for a boat to be kept ahead. +The flat top of one of the York Isles, called Mount Adolphus by captain +Bligh, will be the first high land seen, and afterwards Mount Ernest; the +cross bearings of which will show the situation on the chart, until the +Double Isle, which makes as two small hummocks, comes in sight. Steer +then for Double Isle, pass on the north side, and haul south-westward for +Wednesday Island, which will be three leagues distant. Pass it also on +the north side, about one mile, and the same by Hammond's Island, which +lies next to it. There will be an extensive reef on the starbord hand, +but the smallest distance between it and the islands is above two miles; +and a W. S. W. course by compass, will lead fair through the passage, +with soundings from 9 to 6 fathoms. Booby Isle will presently be seen +a-head, appearing at first like a white sand bank; it may be passed +within a mile or two on either side, and is the last of the dangers, if +it can be classed under them, of Torres' Strait. A ship should afterwards +steer, by compass, W. by S. thirty or forty miles; and the course may +then be directed for any part of the world. + +In case the approach of night, or any other circumstance should make it +desirable, shelter may be had under the Prince of Wales' Islands, or +under Booby Isle; and if a boat be sent on shore at dusk to Booby Isle, +many birds, and perhaps some turtle' may be procured. + +This passage through Torres' Strait will occupy from three to five days, +according to the freshness of the south-east trade, and the degree of +caution which a commander may see necessary to employ.* He will, of +course, sound continually, though it have not been specified; and keep a +boat ahead with sounding signals, from the time of passing Murray's Isles +till Half-way Island is in sight, and wherever else there appears to him +a necessity. Should he miss the Investigator's track in any part, which +is very possible, there is no occasion for alarm; most, if not all the +inner reefs have deep channels through them at every four or five miles, +and by these he may regain the track, with the assistance of his boat. + +[* The most expeditious passage known to have been made through the +Strait, previously to the Investigator, was that of captains Bligh and +Portlock, in nineteen days; the account of which, as also, that of +Messrs. Bampton and Alt in the Introduction, a commander should +previously read with the chart before him; and if he do the same with the +passage of the Investigator, in Chapter V. of this Book II., and that of +the Cumberland in Chapter III. following, he will have a tolerably +correct notion of the dangers in Torres' Strait, and of the advantage in +pursuing the route above described.] + +The following precautions must not be neglected: a strict and constant +look-out at the mast head, by the commander or his most confidential +officer, all the time that the ship is amongst the reefs--not to pass +Murray's Islands without seeing them, since they are the leading mark for +getting into the proper track--and on anchoring there, or at any other +inhabited island, a strict watch must be kept on the natives, who will +come off in canoes to barter a few cocoa-nuts, plantains, and their arms, +for hatchets and other iron ware. No boat should be sent to an island +where there are inhabitants; but if distress make it necessary, two or +three should go together, well armed; for they will certainly be +attacked, if the Indians have been able to lay a plan and collect their +strength. A British seaman will, at the same time, studiously avoid all +cause of quarrel with these poor misguided people, and not fire upon them +but where self-defence makes it indispensable. + +Most of the dry sands and the uninhabited islands in the Strait appear to +be frequented by turtle; and in the month of August, September, or later, +it is probable some might be taken by landing a party of men, who should +silently watch for their coming on shore at dusk. I do not know the kind +of turtle most common in the Strait; at Booby Isle they were hawkes-bill, +which furnish the finest tortoise shell, but are small and not the best +for food. + +The advantage in point of time, which this route presents to a ship bound +from the Great Ocean to India, or to the Cape of Good Hope, will be best +seen by a statement of two passages made at the same season; the one by +Torres' Strait, the other round New Guinea. + +I sailed from Port Jackson in company with the Bridgewater, an extra +East-Indiaman; and we made Wreck Reef in eight days. From thence the +Bridgewater steered round Louisiade, through Bougainville's Strait, +Dampier's Strait, Pitt's Passage, and the Strait of Salayer; and arrived +at Batavia in _eighty-eight days_. I left Wreck Reef some time afterward, +in a small schooner of twenty-nine tons; took ten days to reach Torres' +Strait, three to pass through it, seventeen to reach Coepang Bay, and ten +more to pass the longitude of Java Head. Adding to these the eight days +to Wreck Reef, the passage from Port Jackson to Java Head was +_forty-eight days_, including various deviations and stoppages for +surveying; and it was principally made in a vessel which sailed no more +than four or five knots, when the Bridgewater would have gone six or +eight. The difference, nevertheless, in favour of Torres' Strait, was +forty days; so that it seems within bounds to say, that in going from +Port Jackson to India or the Cape of Good Hope, it offers an advantage +over the northern route of six weeks; and of four weeks in going from the +more eastern parts of the Great Ocean. In point of safety, I know not +whether Torres' Strait have not also the advantage; for although it be +certainly more dangerous than any one of the eastern passages, it is +doubtful whether it be more so than a four or six weeks extra navigation +amongst the straits and islands to the east and north of New Guinea, +where some new shoal, bank, or island is discovered by every vessel going +that way. For myself, I should not hesitate to prefer Torres' Strait, +were it only on this account; considering the long continuance of the +danger in one case, as being more than a counterbalance to the superior +degree of it in the other. + +With respect to a passage through Torres' Strait in the opposite +direction--from the Indian Sea to the Great Ocean--it has not, to my +knowledge, been attempted; and I have some doubt of its practicability. A +ship would have an advantage in entering the strait by its least +dangerous side; but as the passage could be made only in December, +January, or February, the rainy squally weather which probably will then +prevail, would augment the danger from the reefs ten fold. The experiment +is therefore too hazardous for any except a ship on discovery; whose +business it is to encounter, and even to seek danger, when it may produce +any important benefit to geography and navigation. + +BOOK III. + +OCCURRENCES FROM THE TIME OF QUITTING PORT JACKSON, IN 1803, +ARRIVING IN ENGLAND IN 1810. + +CHAPTER I. + +Departure from Port Jackson in the Porpoise, +accompanied by the Bridgewater and Cato. +The Cato's Bank. +Shipwreck of the Porpoise and Cato in the night. +The crews get on a sand bank; where they are left by the Bridgewater. +Provisions saved. +Regulations on the bank. +Measures adopted for getting back to Port Jackson. +Description of Wreck-Reef Bank. +Remarks on the loss of M. de La Perouse. + +[EAST COAST. PORT JACKSON] + +1803 + +The third volume of my log book and journal having been lost in the +events which succeeded the decay of the Investigator, I have had recourse +to a memorandum book and to officers journals to supply the dates and +leading facts contained in the first three chapters following; +fortunately, my bearings and the astronomical observations taken by +lieutenant Flinders and myself were preserved, as also were the rough +charts, with one exception; so that there are few cases where this +department of the voyage will have materially suffered. There are, +however, many circumstances related in these chapters, which either do +not enter at all, or are slightly mentioned in the officers journals; for +these, my public papers and copies of letters have principally furnished +materials, and a tolerably faithful memory has supplied the rest. It +seemed necessary to explain this, that the reader may know to what the +deficiencies and abridgments in some parts of these chapters are to be +attributed; and this being premised, I resume the narrative of our +preparations for returning to England. + +20 JULY 1803 + +On July 20, lieutenant Fowler quitted the Investigator, with the crew +selected for him, and took the command of His Majesty's armed vessel +_Porpoise_; and on the following day I went on board with the rest of my +officers and people, to go with him as passengers. Amongst other +preparations for the voyage, a green house was set up on the quarter deck +of that ship; and the plants collected in the Investigator from the +south, the east, and north coasts of Terra Australis were deposited in +it, to be conveyed to His Majesty's botanical garden at Kew; and as we +had had the misfortune to lose the gardener of the expedition, and Mr. +Brown, the naturalist, remained behind, a man from Port Jackson was +engaged to take care of the plants during the passage. + +The examination of Torres' Strait was one of the most important articles +of my instructions which had been executed only in part; and although I +could not pretend to make any regular survey in the Porpoise, it was yet +desirable to pass again through the strait, and lay down as many more of +its dangers as circumstances would admit; and this being represented to +governor King, the following paragraph was made an article in lieutenant +Fowler's orders. + +"The objects which captain Flinders will have to finish in his route +through Torres' Strait, requires that he should be assisted with boats, +people, and have the entire direction of the ship as to the courses she +is to steer, making and shortening sail, anchoring, and every other +prompt attention to his directions as connected with his survey. You are +therefore further required to comply with every direction he may give +you, to enable him to execute the orders of my Lords Commissioners of the +Admiralty; and as it will be necessary that the most expeditious route +should be followed, for the purpose of ascertaining the length of time it +will take to make the voyage from hence to England, by Torres' Strait, +and to enable captain Flinders to be in England as early as possible, you +will take especial care to lose no time in getting to England by the +route captain Flinders may indicate." + +AUGUST 1803 + +In the beginning of August, the Porpoise was nearly ready to sail; and +two ships then lying in Sydney Cove, bound to Batavia, desired leave to +accompany us through the Strait. These were the Hon. East-India-Company's +extra-ship Bridgewater, of about 750 tons, commanded by E. H. Palmer, +Esq., and the ship Cato of London, of about 450 tons, commanded by Mr. +John Park. The company of these ships gave me pleasure; for if we should +be able to make a safe and expeditious passage through the strait with +them, of which I had but little doubt, it would be a manifest proof of +the advantage of the route discovered in the Investigator, and tend to +bring it into general use. On the 10th [WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST 1803] I took +leave of my respected friend the governor of New South Wales, and +received his despatches for England; and lieutenant Fowler having given a +small code of signals to the Bridgewater and Cato, we sailed out of Port +Jackson together, at eleven o'clock of the same morning, and steered +north-eastward for Torres' Strait. + +Mr. Inman had re-delivered to me the two time-keepers, with a table of +their rates deduced from equal altitudes, but the No. 543 had gone so +very irregularly, as not to be entitled to any confidence; the error of +No. 520 from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the 2nd, and its rate +of going during the twenty-five preceding days were as under: + +Earnshaw's No. 520, fast, 0h 49' 54.85" and losing 33.38" per day. + +[EAST COAST. STEERING NORTHWARD.] + +(Atlas, Plate I.) + +The winds were light, and mostly from the eastward during the first two +days of our quitting Port Jackson; and not being able to get far enough +from the land to avoid the southern current, it had retarded us 35' on +the 12th at noon [FRIDAY 12 AUGUST 1803], when the islands of Port +Stephens were in sight. On the following day the wind became more steady +in the south-western quarter, and as our distance from the land +increased, the current abated; and on the 15th, when the latitude was 27 deg. +27', longitude 156 deg. 22', and distance from the coast about fifty leagues, +the set was something in our favour. The wind was then at south, and our +course steered was north for twenty-four hours, then N. by W.; and on the +17th at noon [WEDNESDAY 17 AUGUST 1803] we were in latitude 23 deg. 22', +longitude 155 deg. 34', and had the wind at S. E. by S. (Atlas, Plate X.) + +Soon after two o'clock, the Cato being some distance on our larbord +quarter made the signal for seeing land. This proved to be a dry sand +bank, which bore S. S. W. about three leagues; and the Porpoise sailing +faster than the other ships, they were directed to keep on their course +whilst we hauled up to take a nearer view of the bank. At three o'clock, +when it bore S. by E. five or six miles, we hove to and sounded but had +no bottom at 80 fathoms. The _Cato's Bank_, for so it was named, is small +and seemed to be destitute of vegetation; there was an innumerable +quantity of birds hovering about, and it was surrounded with breakers; +but their extent seemed very little to exceed that of the bank, nor could +any other reef near it be discovered. The situation was ascertained to be +nearly 23 deg. 6' south, and 155 deg. 23' east; and we then made sail after the +Bridgewater and Cato, to take our station ahead of them as before. + +Some apprehensions were excited for the following night by meeting with +this bank but as it was more than two degrees to the eastward of the +great Barrier Reefs, we thought it unconnected with any other, like the +two discovered by captain Ball and Mr. Bampton, further towards the north +end of New Caledonia. I had, besides, steered for Torres' Strait in the +Investigator, from reefs several degrees to the westward, without meeting +with any other danger than what lay near the Barrier or belonged to the +Strait; and by the time we had rejoined the ships in the evening, the +distance run from the bank was thirty-five miles, and no other danger had +been descried. It did not therefore seem necessary to lose a good night's +run by heaving to; and I agreed with lieutenant Fowler, that it would be +sufficient to make the signal for the ships to run under easy, working +sail during the night--to take our usual station ahead--and to charge one +of the Investigator's warrant officers with the look-out on the fore +castle. These precautions being taken, and the top sails double reefed, +our course was pursued to the N. by W., with a fresh breeze and cloudy +weather; and at eight o'clock the lead was cast, but no bottom found at +85 fathoms. The Bridgewater was then about half a mile on the starbord, +and the Cato a mile on the larbord quarter; and their distance seeming to +increase at nine, when our rate of going was eight knots, the fore sail +was hauled up to keep them in sight: wind then at S. E. by E. + +[EAST COAST. WRECK REEF.] + +In half an hour, and almost at the same instant by the Investigator's +carpenter on the fore castle, and the master who had charge of the watch +on the quarter deck--breakers were seen ahead. The helm was immediately +put down, with the intention of tacking from them; but the Porpoise +having only three double-reefed top sails set, scarcely came up to the +wind. Lieutenant Fowler sprang upon deck, on hearing the noise; but +supposing it to be occasioned by carrying away the tiller rope, a +circumstance which had often occurred in the Investigator, and having no +orders to give, I remained some minutes longer, conversing with the +gentlemen in the gun room. On going up, I found the sails shaking in the +wind, and the ship in the act of paying off; at the same time there were +very high breakers at not a quarter of a cable's length to leeward. In +about a minute, the ship was carried amongst the breakers; and striking +upon a coral reef, took a fearful heel over on her larbord beam ends, her +head being north-eastward. A gun was attempted to be fired, to warn the +other vessels of the danger; but owing to the violent motion and the +heavy surfs flying over, this could not be done immediately; and before +lights were brought up, the Bridgewater and Cato had hauled to the wind +across each other. + +Our fore mast was carried away at the second or third shock; and the +bottom was presently reported to be stove in, and the hold full of water. +When the surfs permitted us to look to windward, the Bridgewater and Cato +were perceived at not more than a cable's length distance; and +approaching each other so closely, that their running aboard seemed to us +inevitable. This was an aweful moment; the utmost silence prevailed; and +when the bows of the two ships went to meet, even respiration seemed to +be suspended. The ships advanced, and we expected to hear the dreadful +crash; but presently they opened off from each other, having passed side +by side without touching; the Cato steering to the north-east, and the +Bridgewater to the southward. Our own safety seemed to have no other +dependence than upon the two ships, and the exultation we felt at seeing +this most imminent danger passed, was great, but of short duration; the +Cato struck upon the reef about two cables length from the Porpoise, we +saw her fall over on her broad side, and the masts almost instantly +disappeared; but the darkness of the night did not admit of +distinguishing, at that distance, what further might have happened. + +Turning our eyes toward the Bridgewater, a light was perceived at her +mast head, by which we knew she had cleared the reef; and our first +sensations were, that the commander would certainly tack, and send boats +to our assistance; but when a little reflexion had enabled us to put +ourselves in his place, it became evident that he would not choose to +come so near the reef in the night, blowing fresh as it did; and still +less to send his boats and people into the breakers, to their certain +destruction. + +The Porpoise had very fortunately heeled towards the reef so that the +surfs which struck against her turned-up side, flew over without washing +any thing off the decks; and the smooth appearance of the water under the +lee, afforded a prospect of being able to get the boats out on that side. +The experiment was tried with a small four-oared gig, and succeeded; but +a six-oared cutter was jerked against the sheet anchor by the violence of +the shocks, and being stove, was filled with water. + +It was by no means certain how long the ship, being slightly built and +not in a sound state, might hold together; it was therefore deemed +expedient to lighten her, that she might drive further up the coral bank +and lie more easily. On sounding, the depth was found to be 17 fathoms on +the windward side, but no more than a few feet on the reef; and Mr. +Fowler ordered the main and mizen masts, and the starbord anchor to be +cut away; but on my suggesting to him the possibility of driving over the +reef, with the rise of tide, and sinking in deep water as the Pandora had +done, the lightening of the ship was not prosecuted further. + +Beyond the smooth water close under the lee, there was a line of +breakers, and further on the sea appeared to be tranquil; it therefore +seemed probable that boats might approach the ship on that side, and if +this information could be conveyed to captain Palmer of the Bridgewater, +that something might be speedily done towards saving the crew; and as it +was likely that my influence with him might be greatest, and being a +passenger in the Porpoise no charge made my presence on board immediately +necessary, I proposed to make the attempt in the gig, to which Mr. Fowler +assented. The boat being obliged to lie at a little distance from the +ship, to prevent being stove, I jumped over-board and swam to her; and we +pushed through the breakers to the smooth water, receiving two or three +surfs by the way, from which we hardly escaped sinking. On examining into +the condition of the boat, I found nothing to bale out the water, and +only two oars which did not belong to it; and instead of the proper crew +of four men, there were only three; but under the thwarts were stowed +away three others, the armourer, a cook, and a marine, who did not know +how to handle an oar. These last were set to baling with their hats and +shoes, and we rowed towards the Bridgewater's light, keeping under the +lee of the breakers. That ship was standing from us, and I saw that any +attempt to get nearer before she tacked would be fruitless; and even +afterwards, it was much to be doubted whether, with two awkward oars and +an overloaded boat, we could make any way against the sea on the windward +side of the reef; I therefore determined to remain under the lee of the +breakers until she should approach, and to lie near the Porpoise; that in +case of her going to pieces before morning, we might save some of the +people. In rowing back we met the cutter, which the men in her, having +got the leak partly stopped, had pushed off without an officer, and were +going they scarcely knew whither; they furnished us with a third oar, and +I desired them to keep close to the gig, near the wreck, until morning. +We found the bottom here to be coral rock, and the water so shallow, that +a man might stand up in many places without being over head. + +I wished to have got on board the ship, to let them know of the boats +being safe and what we had discovered of the reef; but the breakers +between us, and the darkness of the night cut off all hope of +communication before morning. They burned blue lights every half hour, as +a guide to the Bridgewater; but her light was lost to us in the boats at +eleven o'clock, and after two in the morning [THURSDAY 18 AUGUST 1803] it +was no longer seen from the Porpoise. At that time it appeared to be low +water, and the ship lay so much more quiet than before, that the +apprehension of her going to pieces before daylight had much subsided; to +be prepared, however, for the next flood, Mr. Fowler employed his people +during the night in making a raft of the spare top masts, yards, etc., +with short ropes all round it, by which the people might hold on; and a +cask of water, with a chest containing some provisions, a sextant, and +the Investigator's log books, were secured upon the raft. + +In the small gig we were quite drenched, the south-east wind blew fresh +and cold., and the reflexions excited by the great change so suddenly +made in our situation. with the uncertainty of what had befallen the Cato +and even the Bridgewater, did not tend to make this long night pass more +agreeably. My thoughts were principally occupied in devising plans for +saving ourselves, under the apprehension that we might see no more of the +Bridgewater; but not to discourage the people, I spoke of every body +getting on board that ship in the morning, and of continuing our voyage +to England, as not at all doubtful. + +Of the poor Cato, we could neither see nor hear any thing. It appeared +that captain Park, when meeting the Bridgewater on opposite tacks, +stopped setting his main sail and bore away to leeward had he persevered, +both ships must have come upon the reef together; but by his presence of +mind on this occasion, the Bridgewater weathered the breakers and escaped +the impending danger. When the Cato struck the reef, it was upon the +point of a rock, under the larbord chess tree; and she fell over to +windward, with her decks exposed to the waves. In a short time the decks +and holds were torn up, and every thing washed away; and the sole place +left, where the unfortunate people could hope to avoid the fury of the +sea, was in the larbord fore channel, where they all crowded together, +the greater part with no other covering than their shirts. Every time the +sea struck the Cato, it twisted her about upon the rock with such violent +jerks, that they expected the stern, which was down in the water, would +part every moment. In this situation, some lashing themselves to the +timber heads, others clinging to the chain plates and dead eyes, and to +each other, captain Park and his crew passed the night; their hope being, +that the fore castle of the ship might hold upon the rock till morning, +and that the Bridgewater would then send her boats to save them. From the +Porpoise they entertained no hope; and until the signal lights were seen, +they thought her gone to pieces. + +At the first dawning of day, I got on board the Porpoise by the help of +the fallen masts. Every body was in good spirits at seeing the ship hold +together so well, and finding the boats safe; for the gig, with all in +her, had been given up for lost, some one having thought he saw her sink +in the breakers. With the daylight appeared a dry sand bank, not more +than half a mile distant, sufficiently large to receive us all with what +provisions might be got out of the ship; and the satisfaction arising +from this discovery was increased by the Bridgewater being perceived +under sail, and though distant, that she was standing towards the reef. +On the other side, the appearance of the poor Cato, with the people +waving to us from the bowsprit and fore castle, the only parts above +water, was truly distressing. + +The reef seemed to be a mile in breadth, and it extended in an east and +west direction to a distance beyond what could be distinguished from the +Porpoise's deck; but there were in it several wide, and apparently deep +openings, by which the Bridgewater might run to leeward, and there anchor +or lie to, whilst sending her boats to our assistance. Having made these +remarks, I left Mr. Fowler and his people getting up water and +provisions; and went to the bank for the purpose of being ready to go off +in the gig so soon as that ship should be near enough, and pointing out +to captain Palmer the means by which he might take on board the two crews +and what else might be saved; but he went upon the other tack soon +afterward, and no more was seen of him during the day. + +A number of sea-birds eggs scattered over the bank, showed that it was +above high-water mark, and I sent the gig back with this intelligence to +lieutenant Fowler. Seeing that the Bridgewater did not approach, he +ordered the boat to lie opposite to the Cato; and captain Park and his +men, throwing themselves into the water with any pieces of spar or plank +they could find, swam to her through the breakers; and were then taken to +the Porpoise where they received food and some clothing. Several were +bruised against the coral rocks, and three young lads were drowned. One +of these poor boys, who, in the three or four voyages he had made to sea, +had been each time shipwrecked, had bewailed himself through the night as +the persecuted Jonas who carried misfortune wherever he went. He launched +himself upon a broken spar with his captain; but having lost his hold in +the breakers, was not seen afterwards. + +At low water, which happened about two o'clock, the reef was dry very +near to the Porpoise, and both officers and men were assiduously employed +in getting upon it provisions and their clothes; they were brought from +thence by the boats, for the depth was several feet at a distance round +the bank. Before dark, five half hogsheads of water, some flour, salt +meat, rice, and spirits were landed, with such of the pigs and sheep as +had escaped drowning; and every man from both ships had got on shore. +Some of the Cato's sailors appeared in officers uniforms, given to them +in the Porpoise; and I was pleased to see that our situation was not +thought so bad by the people, as to hinder all pleasantry upon these +promotions. Those who had saved great coats or blankets shared with the +less fortunate, and we laid down to sleep on the sand in tolerable +tranquillity, being much oppressed with fatigue; and except from those of +the Cato's men who had been bruised or cut by the rocks, there was not a +complaining voice heard on the bank. + +The Porpoise's two cutters and the gig were hauled up to high-water mark; +but the latter not having been well secured, and the night tide rising +higher than was expected, it was carried away, to our great loss. In the +morning [FRIDAY 19 AUGUST 1803], we had the satisfaction to see the ship +still entire, and thrown higher up the reef; the Cato had gone to pieces, +and all that remained was one of the quarters, which had floated over the +front ledge of the reef, and lodged near our bank. Of the Bridgewater +nothing could be seen; and many fears were entertained for her safety. + +For the better preservation of discipline, and of that union between the +crews of the Porpoise and Cato and passengers of the Investigator, so +necessary in our circumstances, it was highly expedient that they should +be put on the same footing and united under one head. The Porpoise was +lost beyond a possibility of hope, and the situation of the commander and +crew thereby rendered similar to that of their passengers; I therefore +considered myself authorised and called upon, as the senior officer, to +take the command of the whole; and my intention being communicated to +lieutenant Fowler, he assented without hesitation to its expediency and +propriety, and I owe to captain Park a similar acknowledgement. The +people were then assembled upon the top of the bank; and I informed the +seamen of the Cato, one or two of whom had shown signs of discontent at +being ordered to work, that as they doubtless expected to be fed from our +provisions, so they must exert themselves to save as much as possible;* +and although they were not in the King's pay, yet as a magistrate acting +within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty, I would punish all deviations +from obedience and good conduct in them, the same as amongst our own +seamen. I ordered the Cato's men, who had saved nothing, to be quartered +in the messes of our people, in the proportion of one to three; and +directed lieutenant Fowler, who had charge of the provisions, to victual +all alike. The surgeon of the Porpoise was ordered to examine the +wounded, and give in a list of those really incapable of duty; and a +large party, consisting of as many men as the two cutters could contain, +went off to the wreck under the command of Mr. Fowler, to disembark +provisions and stores. + +[* When a merchant ship is lost, the seamen not only cease to be in pay, +but lose all wages due to them after the last delivery of the cargo; and +the sole interest they have to save the stores, even of their own ship, +is for the preservation of themselves, or the prospect of being rewarded +by the owners or insurers.] + +A top-sail yard was set up and secured as a flag staff on the highest +part of the bank, and a large blue ensign hoisted to it with the union +downward, as a signal to the Bridgewater. We expected, if no accident had +happened, that she would come to relieve us from our critical situation +so soon as the wind should be perfectly moderate; but I judged it most +prudent to act as if we had no such resource, and this was justified by +the event. Captain Palmer had even then abandoned us to our fate, and +was, at the moment, steering away for Batavia, without having made any +effort to give us assistance. He saw the wrecks, as also the sand bank, +on the morning after our disaster, and must have known that the reef was +not all connected, since it is spoken of by him as lying in patches; but +he did not seek to ascertain whether any of the openings were passable +for the Bridgewater, and might enable him to take those on board who had +escaped drowning. He bore away round all; and whilst the two hapless +vessels were still visible from the mast head, passed the leeward +extremity of the reef, and hove to for the night. The apprehension of +danger to himself must then have ceased; but he neither attempted to work +up in the smooth water, nor sent any of his boats to see whether some +unfortunate individuals were not clinging to the wrecks, whom he might +snatch from the sharks or save from a more lingering death; it was safer, +in his estimation, to continue on his voyage and publish that we were all +lost, as he did not fail to do on his arrival in India.* + +[* Against a British seaman filling a respectable situation, these are +heavy charges; but Mr. Palmer is himself the authority. The following +extracts from his account are taken from a Calcutta paper, the _Orphan_ +of Feb. 3, 1804. + +The Bridgewater, he says, "was just beginning to draw off, when the +Porpoise was scarcely a ship's length to leeward, settling with her head +towards us, and her broadside upon the reef; her foremast was gone and +the sea breaking over her. At this moment we perceived the Cato within +half a cable's length, standing stem on for us. I hailed to put their +helm a-starboard, by which means she just cleared us, and luffed up under +our stern; had she fallen on board of us the consequences must have been +dreadful indeed." On the 18th, "When the day was broke, we had the +mortification to perceive the Cato had shared the fate of the Porpoise; +the bow and bow sprit of the latter only at intervals appearing through +the surf. (The Porpoise and Cato were mistaken for each other.) The +latter lay with her bottom exposed to the sea, which broke with +tremendous fury over her; not a mast standing. Finding we could not +weather the reef, and that _it was too late had it been in our power to +give any assistance_; and still fearing that we might be embayed or +entangled by the supposed chain or patches; all therefore that remained +for us to do was either by dint of carrying sail to weather the reef to +the southward, (meaning the Cato's Bank,) or, if failing in that, to push +to leeward and endeavour to find a passage through the _patches of reef_ +to the northward. At ten a.m., we found by chronometer we had got +considerably to the westward; and that it would be impossible, with the +wind as it was then blowing strong from the S. E. with a heavy sea, to +weather the southern reef; we therefore determined, while we had the day +before us, to run to the westward of the northern reef." + +"At two p.m. we got sight of the reef bearing N. N. E. At five p.m. _we +could perceive the wrecks, and ascertained the westernmost extent of the +reef_ to lay in 155 deg. 42' 30" east longitude." + +"_After passing the reef we lay too for the night_; and in the morning we +lost sight cc of it, having drifted to the northward." + +Such is the substantial part of Mr. Palmer's account, omitting his own +fears and congratulations, and his "most painful reflexions on the +sufferings of the shipwrecked." Nothing is said of the sand bank; but I +have been favoured with a copy of the journal of Mr. Williams, third mate +of the Bridgewater, and the following passages are taken from it. + +"At half past seven a.m. (Aug. 18.) saw the reef on our weather bow, and +from the mast head we saw the two ships, and to leeward of them a _sand +bank_. The weather abated much, we set all our sails, and every man +rejoiced that they should have it in their power to assist their +unfortunate companions; as there was every probability of our going +within two miles of the reef. The morning threatened; but before the wind +increased we had time to satisfy ourselves if there were any still in +existence; we had nothing to apprehend but what could be seen before we +approached so near. The ships were very distinctly to be seen from aloft, +and also from the deck; but instead of rendering them any succour, the +captain ordered the ship to be put on the other tack, and said it was +impossible to render them any relief. What must be the sensations of each +man at that instant? Instead of proceeding to the support of our +unfortunate companions, to leave them to the mercy of the waves, without +knowing whether they were in existence, or had perished! From the +appearance of the wrecks, there was every probability of their existing; +and if any survived at the time we were within sight, what must have been +their sensations on seeing all their anxious expectations of relief +blasted." + +"Until our arrival at Bombay, nothing particular occurred, except my +being sent on shore at Tillicherry with the account of the loss of the +Porpoise and Cato; an account that served for the moment to blind the +people. In executing this service, I did, for the first time to my +knowledge, neglect my duty, and gave a contrary account; but for this +reason--I was convinced that the crews of those ships were on the reefs, +and that this was an erroneous account made by captain Palmer to excuse +his own conduct. I left it on shore for the perusal of the inhabitants, +after relating the story as contrary as possible. This was the cause of +many words; and at length ended with my quitting the ship, and forfeiting +my wages and a part of my clothes." + +Such was the conduct of Mr. Palmer towards His Majesty's ship Porpoise, +and towards the Cato which had given way in the moment of danger that he +might be saved. But the officers and crews of the Porpoise and Cato +reached England in safety; whilst captain Palmer and the Bridgewater, who +left Bombay for Europe, have not been heard of, now for many years. How +dreadful must have been his reflexions at the time his ship was going +down! Lieutenant Tucker of the navy, who was first officer of the +Bridgewater, and several others as well as Mr. Williams, had happily +quitted the ship in India.] + +The wind blew fresh from the south-eastward on the 18th, and 19th, but on +the two following days it was moderate with fine weather; we worked hard +on board the Porpoise, and by the 22nd [MONDAY 22 AUGUST 1803] had got +most of the water and provisions secured in a large tent made with spars +and sails; each mess of officers and men had also their private tent; and +our manner of living and working had assumed the same regularity as +before the shipwreck. One of the men whose liberty governor King had +granted at my request, being guilty of disorderly conduct, the articles +of war were publicly read, and the man punished at the flag staff. This +example served to correct any evil disposition, if such existed; the men +worked cordially together, and in all respects we preserved the same +discipline and order as on board His Majesty's ships. + +Our prospects of receiving succour from the Bridgewater having become +very feeble, after two days of moderate weather had elapsed, I called a +council of all the officers, to deliberate upon the best means of +relieving ourselves from the precarious situation in which our +misfortune, and captain Palmer's want of energy and humanity had left us +exposed; and it was finally determined, that an officer and crew in the +largest of the two six-oared cutters, should endeavour to get to Sandy +Cape, sixty-three leagues distant, and from thence along the coast to +Port Jackson; and pray His Excellency, the governor, to send vessels to +carry us either back to that port or on towards England. But as the safe +arrival of the cutter at that season of the year, when strong winds +usually prevail from the southward, was a subject of much apprehension; +it was resolved that two decked boats, capable of transporting every +person remaining on the bank, except one officer and boat's crew, should +be immediately laid down by the carpenters, to be built from what was +already and might be still further saved from the wreck; and that, if the +officer in the cutter did not return with assistance in two months, the +boats should then, or as soon after as they could be ready to sail, +proceed to Port Jackson. The first and principal means, however, through +which our deliverance was to be expected, being the safe arrival of the +cutter, the choice of an officer to conduct her was next considered. +Lieutenant Fowler proposed, and it seemed to be the general wish, that I +should undertake the execution of the task; and being satisfied that the +preservation of order on the bank, and the saving of the stores would be +left in good hands, the hope of being instrumental to the general safety +induced me readily to comply. But to provide against sickness and the +various accidents which might arise from the natives of the coast or +otherwise, it was necessary that two officers should be in the boat; and +captain Park of the Cato being desirous of returning to Port Jackson, to +make the necessary statements relative to the loss of his ship, he was +appointed my second with the general approbation. + +The smaller cutter with an officer, his second, and a boat's crew, I +proposed should remain with the stores, and in charge of my charts and +books for a few weeks longer than the two months; and then go to Port +Jackson also, should no vessel arrive before that time. This precaution +was necessary, lest any unforeseen occurrence should delay my return to +the bank beyond two months, though not prevent it altogether; that the +charts, journals, and papers might still be found there, to be taken on +to England if wanted. I designed my brother, lieutenant Flinders, for +this service; but Mr. Fowler claiming it as the post of honour, I too +much respected the principle that influenced him not to accede to his +request; and therefore ordered, that the former officer and Mr. John +Aken, master of the Investigator, should take charge of the decked boats, +with a master's mate in each capable of conducting them to Port Jackson, +should illness or any accident happen to either of the officers. + +TUESDAY 23 AUGUST 1803 + +By the evening of the 23rd, the Porpoise was well nigh emptied of all the +most essential things; and on a survey being made, there was found +sufficient water and provisions on the bank to serve ninety-four men, +which was our number, for three months, even at full +allowance; although many casks were stove in the hold by the bulging of +the larbord side, and much dry provisions spoiled by the salt water. The +principal contents of the warrant officers store rooms, as well as the +sails., rigging, and spars, were also on shore. My books, charts, and +papers had suffered much damage, from the top of the cabin being +displaced when the mizen mast fell; all such papers as chanced to be +loose on the night of the shipwreck were then washed away by the surfs, +and amongst them a chart of the west side of the Gulph of Carpentaria and +part of the North Coast, upon which I had been occupied in the afternoon. +Part of my small library shared the same fate; but the rest of the +charts, with my log and bearing books and astronomical observations were +all saved, though some of them in a wet and shattered state. The rare +plants collected on different parts of the south, the east, and north +coasts of Terra Australis, for His Majesty's botanic garden at Kew, and +which were in a flourishing g state before the shipwreck., were totally +destroyed by the salt water; as were the dried specimens of plants. +Fortunately, the naturalist and natural-history painter, who remained at +Port Jackson, had put on board only a small part of their collection of +specimens; the great mass, with the preserved birds, quadrupeds, and +insects being kept for a future opportunity. Mr. Westall. the landscape +painter, had his sketches and drawings wetted and partly destroyed in his +cabin; and my little collection in mineralogy and conchology was much +defaced, and one-half lost. + +THURSDAY 25 AUGUST 1803 + +The carpenters were employed until the evening of the 25th, in preparing +the cutter for her intended expedition; and the rest of the people in +adding to the stores on the bank. As the Porpoise became lighter, the sea +threw her higher up on the reef, and she was much shaken; but we hoped +the timbers and beams would hold together, at least until the next spring +tides, and that every thing would be got out. Of the Cato, nothing but a +few scattered fragments had remained for several days before. + +Before leaving Wreck Reef, it will be proper to say something of the sand +bank to which we were all indebted for our lives; and where the greater +part of the officers and people were to remain in expectation of my +return from Port Jackson. In the annexed view of it, Mr. Westall has +represented the corals above water, to give a better notion of their +forms and the way they are seen on the reefs; but in reality, the tide +never leaves any considerable part of them uncovered. The length of the +bank is about one hundred and fifty fathoms, by fifty in breadth, and the +general elevation three or four feet above the common level of high +water; it consists of sand and pieces of coral, thrown up by the waves +and eddy tides on a patch of reef five or six miles in circuit; and being +nearly in the middle of the patch, the sea does no more, even in a gale, +than send a light spray over the bank, sufficient, however, to prevent +the growth of any other than a few diminutive salt plants. On its north +and north-west sides, and at one or two cables length from the reef, +there is from 18 to 25 fathoms on a bottom of coral sand; where the +Bridgewater might have anchored in safety, so long as the wind remained +between S. W. and E. S. E., and received every person from the wrecks, +with provisions for their subsistence. The latitude of the bank was found +to be 22 deg. 11' south, and longitude by the time keeper No. 520, reduced up +from an observation on the afternoon preceding the shipwreck, 155 deg. 3'; +but this was afterwards found to require correction. This excellent time +keeper did not seem to have been affected by the violent motion of the +ship; but No. 513 stopped, and Arnold's watch No. 1736 was spoiled by the +salt water. + +In searching for something wherewith to make a fire on the first night of +our landing, a spar and a piece of timber, worm eaten and almost rotten, +were found and burnt. The timber was seen by the master of the Porpoise, +who judged it to have been part of the stern post of a ship of about four +hundred tons; and I have thought it might, not improbably, have belonged +to _La Boussole_ or _L'Astrolabe_. Monsieur de la Perouse, on quitting +Botany Bay, intended to visit the south-west coast of New Caledonia; and +he might have encountered in the night, as we did, some one of the +several reefs which lie scattered in this sea.* (Atlas, Plate I.) Less +fortunate than we were, he probably had no friendly sand bank near him, +upon which his people might be collected together and the means of +existence saved out of the ships; or perhaps his two vessels both took +the unlucky direction of the Cato after striking, and the seas which +broke into them carried away all his boats and provisions; nor would La +Perouse, his vessels, or crews be able, in such a case, to resist the +impetuosity of the waves more than twenty-four hours. If such were the +end of the regretted French navigator, as there is now but too much +reason to fear, it is the counterpart of what would have befallen all on +board the Porpoise and Cato, had the former ship, like the Cato, fallen +over towards the sea instead of heeling to the reef. + +[* La Perouse says, in his letter to M. de Fleurieu, dated Feb. 7, 1789 +from Botany Bay, "You will doubtless be glad to learn, that I have not +allowed this misfortune (the massacre of captain De l'Angle and eleven +others at the Navigator's Isles) to derange the plan of the remaining +part of my voyage." This plan, as expressed in a preceding letter of +Sept. 7, 1787, at Avatscha, was to "employ six months in visiting the +Friendly Islands to procure refreshments, _the south-west coast of New +Caledonia_, the island of Santa Cruz of Mendana, the southern coast of +the land of the Arsacides, with that of Louisiade as far as New Guinea." +_Voyage of La Perouse_, Translation, London, 1799, VOL. II. p. 494-5, +502-3. As La Pe/rouse did not reach the Friendly Isles, it is probable +that he began with New Caledonia; and that upon the south-west coast, or +in the way to it, disaster befel him.] + +An opinion that La Perouse had been lost in this neighbourhood, induced +me when examining the main coast to seek carefully at every place, +amongst the refuse thrown upon the shores, for indications of shipwreck +to windward; and could the search have been then prosecuted to the 15th, +or 12th degree of latitude, I am persuaded it would not have been in +vain. Besides the extensive reefs which skirt the western side of New +Caledonia, and the Barrier Reefs on the opposite coast of New South +Wales, we are now acquainted with the six or eight following distinct +banks of coral in the sea between them, exclusive of Wreck Reef and the +Cato's Bank. + +Two reefs discovered by Bougainville. +Bature de Diane, by the same. +Two reefs further westward, by the Investigator. +Booby Shoal, towards New Caledonia, by captain H. L. Ball. +Bellona's Shoal, by the ship of that name. +Bampton's Shoal, an extensive reef with two small islands. + +There are also the islets and shoals seen by the ship Sovereign, which +are probably a part of those that extend so far from the northwest end of +New Caledonia; and all these, with some others further northward, lie in +the space comprehended between Louisiade and New Guinea on the north--New +Caledonia to the east--New South Wales to the west--and a line drawn from +Sandy Cape to the Isle of Pines on the south. Few ships have passed +through this sea without making the discovery of some new bank of coral; +and it is probable that several other patches of reef, yet unknown, will +be found in it, especially on the Caledonian side. This space might be +very appropriately called the _Corallian Sea_. + +CHAPTER II. + +Departure from Wreck-Reef Bank in a boat. +Boisterous weather. +The Coast of New South Wales reached, and followed. +Natives at Point Look-out. +Landing near Smoky Cape; and again near Port Hunter. +Arrival at Port Jackson on the thirteenth day. +Return to Wreck Reef with a ship and two schooners. +Arrangements at the Bank. +Account of the reef, with nautical and other remarks. + +[EAST COAST. IN THE BOAT.] + +FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate X.) + +On August 26, the largest cutter being ready for her expedition, was +launched and named the _Hope_. The morning was fine, and wind light from +the southward; and notwithstanding the day, which in the seaman's +calendar is the most unfortunate of the whole week to commence a voyage, +I embarked for Port Jackson with the commander of the Cato. We had a +double set of rowers, making in all fourteen persons, with three weeks +provisions and two half hogsheads of water; so that the Hope was loaded +rather too deeply. At eight in the morning, we pushed off amidst the +cheers and good wishes of those for whom we were going to seek relief; an +ensign with the union downward, had hitherto been kept hoisted as a +signal to captain Palmer of our distress; but in this moment of +enthusiasm a seaman quitted the crowd, and having obtained permission, +ran to the flag staff, hauled down the ensign, and rehoisted it with the +union in the upper canton. This symbolical expression of contempt for the +Bridgewater and of confidence in the success of our voyage, I did not see +without lively emotions. + +We made sail to the westward under the lee of the reef, and passed two +openings in it of nearly a mile wide. The second league brought us +abreast of a dry sand bank, smaller than that quitted; and at noon we +came to a third, lying ten miles west of Wreck-Reef Bank. Having then +lost the breeze, we stopped to cook our dinner on shore; and in the mean +time I shot as many noddies as would give all the boat's crew a meal. On +quitting this third bank, which is near the western extremity of Wreck +Reef, we crossed into the open sea; and a breeze springing up at +south-east, made sail towards Sandy Cape. Many hump-backed whales were +playing about the boat during the whole time we remained under the lee of +the reef, but they did not follow us further. + +Nothing but clear water was visible at sunset, nevertheless we ran +cautiously in the dark, looking out for breakers; the night was fine, and +we made good progress by means of the oars, at which the twelve men took +watch and watch, as Mr. Park and myself did at the helm: it was for this +purpose, and to guard against accidents, that I had taken so many men in +the boat. + +SATURDAY 27 AUGUST 1803 + +At day break the wind was E. S. E., and no land in sight; the boat was +going four knots, and at noon our latitude by log was 23 deg. 6' and the +distance made from Wreck-Reef Bank, ninety miles. The wind freshened in +the afternoon, and a cross sea rose which obliged us to reef the sails, +and made the boat very wet. At four we close reefed and hauled to the +wind, but this was not enough; the increased hollowness of the waves +caused the boat to labour so much, that every plunge raised an +apprehension that some of the planks would start from the timbers. Having +no other resource, we emptied one of the two casks of water, threw +over-board the stones of our fire place and wood for cooking, as also a +bag of pease and whatever else could be best spared; the boat was then +somewhat more easy; and before dark, the hollow swell had so far subsided +that we kept two points from the wind, and again went along in tolerable +tranquillity. + +This hollow sea was probably caused by a weather tide setting out of some +passage between the reefs to the north-westward; and the succeeding +smooth water by the tide having turned to leeward, or otherwise from the +boat having passed across the stream; it is at least certain, that the +southern part of the Barrier Reefs, seen by captain Swain of the ship +Eliza, was somewhere to the north-west of our situation at that time. To +avoid all these reefs, and to counteract the effect of a north-western +current, I kept a S. S. W. course all the following night. + +SUNDAY 28 AUGUST 1803 + +We had fine weather next morning, with a moderate breeze at north-east; +and at noon, the distance run in the preceding twenty-four hours was +ninety-one miles by the log, and the observed latitude 24 deg. 53' south: the +lead was put over-board., but no bottom found at 50 fathoms. Our +situation being to the south of Sandy Cape, we steered a point more west, +in the hope of seeing the land before night; it being my intention to +keep near the coast from thence to Port Jackson, that by landing, or +running the boat on shore, we might escape foundering at sea should a +gale of wind come on. At sunset, the land was visible to the westward at +the distance of four or five leagues, and we then hauled up south, +parallel to the coast; the night was fine, the wind light and fair, and +at daylight [MONDAY 29 AUGUST 1803] the tops of the hills were seen in +the west, at the same distance as before. Our latitude at noon was 26 deg. +22', and a high hummock upon the land, somewhere between Double-island +Point and Glass-house Bay, bore W. 3/4 N. + +(Atlas, Plate IX.) + +Our favourable breeze died away in the afternoon, and we took to the +oars; it however sprung up again from the northward, and brought us +within sight of Cape Moreton at sunset. Towards midnight the weather +became squally with heavy rain, and gave us all a thorough drenching; but +the wind not being very strong in these squalls, our course was still +pursued to the southward. After the rain ceased the wind came at S. S. +W.; and the weather remaining unsettled, we tacked at daylight [TUESDAY +30 AUGUST 1803] to get close in with the land, and at noon anchored under +Point Look-out. This was only the fourth day of our departure from Wreck +Reef, and I considered the voyage to be half accomplished, since we had +got firm hold of the main coast; for the probability of being lost is +greater in making three hundred miles in an open boat at sea, than in +running even six hundred along shore. It would have added much to our +satisfaction, could we have conveyed the intelligence of this fortunate +progress to our shipmates on the bank. + +The necessity for a supply of fresh water was becoming urgent, for our +remaining half hogshead was much reduced. There were about twenty Indians +upon the side of a hill near the shore, who seemed to be peaceably +disposed, amusing us with dances in imitation of the kangaroo; we made +signs of wanting water, which they understood, and pointed to a small +rill falling into the sea. Two of the sailors leaped over-board, with +some trifles for the natives and one end of the lead line; with the other +end we slung the empty cask, which they hauled on shore and filled +without molestation. A shark had followed them to the beach; and fearing +they might be attacked in returning, we got up the anchor and went to a +place where the surf, though too much to allow of the boat landing, +permitted us to lie closer. The cask of water, a bundle of wood, and the +two men were received on board without accident; the natives keeping +aloof during the whole time, and even retiring when our people +approached, though they were without arms and naked. It is probable that +the Indians were astonished at the comparison between the moderately +white skins of the sailors and their own, and perhaps had heard of my +expedition to Glass-house Bay in 1799, in which I had been provoked to +make one of them feel the effect of our arms; and had they attempted any +thing against my two men, we were prepared to have given them a volley +from the boat which would probably have been a fearful confirmation of +the truth of the report; but happily for both parties, we were not +reduced to the necessity. + +On rowing to Point Look-out, to continue the voyage, I found the wind so +fresh from the southward that the greatest fatigue at the oars could +advance us little; we therefore ran to leeward of two rocks, lying a mile +and a half north-west from the extremity of the point; and having +anchored there, arranged the boat so as that every person might take a +better night's rest than we had hitherto been able to enjoy. + +WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 1803 + +At daylight, the wind being light and variable, we proceeded along the +coast by using both sails and oars. The weather was dull, and prevented +an observation at noon for the latitude; but a sight of Mount Warning at +dusk showed that our progress was equal to expectation. We then had a +gentle breeze from the north-eastward; and at ten o'clock, passed close +to a projection of land which I supposed to be Point Danger, without +seeing any breakers; it is therefore probable, that the reef laid down by +captain Cook does not join to the land, for we kept a good look out, and +the night was tolerably fine. + +THURSDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +At five on the following morning we passed Cape Byron, with a breeze at +north-west, and at noon had made a hundred miles by our reckoning from +Point Look-out; the observed latitude was then 29 deg. 16', and the land near +Shoal Bay was three leagues distant. We continued steering to the +southward, in high spirits at being so favoured by the northern winds, +which there was so little reason to expect; and at eight in the evening +reached abreast of the Solitary Isles. Smoky Cape was in sight next +morning [FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 1803]; but the wind coming round to south, +and blowing fresh with thick weather, we tacked towards the shore; and at +noon landed behind a small ledge of rocks, about three leagues short of +the Cape. The distance run these twenty-four hours was eighty five miles, +and the southwardly current had moreover given its assistance. + +This ledge of rocks lies on the north side of a point upon which there +are some hummocks; and on ascending the highest, I saw a lagoon into +which the tide flowed by a narrow passage on the inner side of the point. +The _pandanus_ grows here; and as it was a tree unknown to Bongaree, this +latitude (about 30 deg. 45') is probably near its southern limit. We took in +a supply of fuel and gathered some fine oysters, and the wind dying away +to a calm in the afternoon, rowed out for Smoky Cape; but on reaching +abreast of it the wind again rose ahead; and at one in the morning we +anchored in a small bight at the extremity of the Cape, and remained +until daylight. + +SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +The wind was still contrary on the 3rd, nevertheless we stood out and +beat to the southward until four in the afternoon; when the sea having +become too high for the boat, we anchored under the lee of a small +projecting point, eight or ten leagues to the south of Smoky Cape; which +distance had been gained in about ten hours, principally by means of the +current. + +SUNDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +On the 4th, we again attempted to beat to the southward; but the wind +being light as well as foul, and the sea running high, not much was +gained; at noon the weather threatened so much, that it became necessary +to look out for a place of shelter, and we steered into a bight with +rocks in it, which I judge to have been on the north side of Tacking +Point. At the head of the bight is a lagoon; but the entrance proving to +be very shallow, and finding no security, we continued on our voyage; +trusting that some place of shelter would present itself, if obliged to +seek it by necessity. Towards evening the wind and weather became more +favourable; in the morning [MONDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 1803] the Three Brothers +were in sight; and at noon I observed the latitude 31 deg. 57', when the +middlemost of these hills bore N. N. W. and our distance off shore was +two or three leagues. + +(Atlas, Plate VIII.) + +At this time the wind blew a moderate sea breeze at E. S. E, Cape Hawke +was seen soon afterward, and at eight in the evening we steered between +Sugar-loaf Point and the two rocks lying from it three or four miles to +the south-east. At four next morning [TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 1803], passed +the islands at the entrance of Port Stephens, and at noon the Coal Island +in the mouth of Port Hunter bore N. W. by N.; the wind then shifted more +to the southward, with squally weather, and both prevented the boat from +lying along the coast and made it unsafe to be at sea. After struggling +till four in the afternoon, with little advantage, we bore up to look for +shelter behind some of the small projecting points; and almost +immediately found it in a shallow cove, exposed only to the +north-eastward. This was the eleventh day of our departure from Wreck +Reef, and the distance of Port Jackson did not now exceed fifty miles. + +At this place we slept on shore for the first time; but the weather being +squally, rainy, and cold, and the boat's sails our best shelter, it was +not with any great share of comfort; a good watch was kept during the +night, but no molestation was received from the natives. Notwithstanding +our cramped-up position in the boat, and exposure to all kinds of +weather, we enjoyed excellent health; one man excepted, upon whom the +dysentery, which had made such ravages in the Investigator, now returned +with some violence. + +[EAST COAST. PORT JACKSON.] + +WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +A cask of water was filled on the morning of the 7th, and our biscuit +being all expended or spoiled, some cakes were baked in the ashes for our +future subsistence. At eleven o'clock, the rain having cleared away, we +stood out to the offing with light baffling winds, and towards evening +were enabled to lie along the coast; but the breeze at south-east not +giving much assistance, we took to the oars and laboured hard all the +following night, being animated with the prospect of a speedy termination +to our voyage. The north head of Broken Bay was in sight next morning +[THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 1803], and at noon the south head was abreast of +the boat; a sea breeze then setting in at E. N. E., we crowded all sail +for Port Jackson, and soon after two o'clock had the happiness to enter +between the heads. + +The reader has perhaps never gone 250 leagues at sea in an open boat, or +along a strange coast inhabited by savages; but if he recollect the +eighty officers and men upon Wreck-Reef Bank, and how important was our +arrival to their safety, and to the saving of the charts, journals, and +papers of the Investigator's voyage, he may have some idea of the +pleasure we felt, but particularly myself, at entering our destined port. + +I proceeded immediately to the town of Sydney, and went with captain Park +to wait upon His Excellency governor King, whom we found at dinner with +his family. A razor had not passed over our faces from the time of the +shipwreck, and the surprise of the governor was not little at seeing two +persons thus appear whom he supposed to be many hundred leagues on their +way to England; but so soon as he was convinced of the truth of the +vision before him, and learned the melancholy cause, an involuntary tear +started from the eye of friendship and compassion, and we were received +in the most affectionate manner. + +His Excellency lost no time in engaging the ship Rolla, then lying in +port, bound to China, to go to the rescue of the officers and crews of +the Porpoise and Cato; I accompanied the governor on board the Rolla a +day or two afterwards, and articles were signed by which the commander, +Mr. Robert Cumming, engaged to call at Wreck Reef, take every person on +board and carry them to Canton, upon terms which showed him to take the +interest in our misfortune which might be expected from a British seaman. +The governor ordered two colonial schooners to accompany the Rolla, to +bring back those who preferred returning to Port Jackson, with such +stores of the Porpoise as could be procured; and every thing was done +that an anxious desire to forward His Majesty's service and alleviate +misfortune could devise; even private individuals put wine, live stock, +and vegetables, unasked, on board the Rolla for the officers upon the +reef. + +My anxiety to get back to Wreck Reef, and from thence to England with the +greatest despatch, induced the governor to offer me one of the schooners +to go through Torres' Strait and by the most expeditious passage to +Europe; rather than take the long route by China in the Rolla. This +schooner was something less than a Gravesend passage boat, being only of +twenty-nine tons burthen; and therefore it required some consideration +before acceding to the proposal. Her small size, when compared with the +distance from Port Jackson to England, was not my greatest objection to +the little Cumberland; it was the quickness of her motion and the want of +convenience, which would prevent the charts and journal of my voyage from +being prepared on the passage, and render the whole so much time lost to +this important object. On the other hand, the advantage of again passing +through, and collecting more information of Torres' Strait, and of +arriving in England three or four months sooner to commence the outfit of +another ship, were important considerations; and joined to some ambition +of being the first to undertake so long a voyage in such a small vessel, +and a desire to put an early stop to the account which captain Palmer +would probably give of our total loss, they proved sufficient inducements +to accept the governor's offer, on finding his vessel had the character +of being a strong, good little sea boat. + +The Cumberland was at that time absent up the river Hawkesbury, and the +Francis, the other schooner, was lying on shore and could not be got off +before the following spring tides; on these accounts, and from the Rolla +not being quite fitted, it was thirteen days after my arrival in the boat +before the whole could be ready to sail. This delay caused me much +uneasiness, under the apprehension that we might not arrive before our +friends at the reef, despairing of assistance, should have made some +unsuccessful attempt to save themselves; and this idea pursued me so +much, that every day seemed to be a week until I got out of the harbour +with the three vessels. + +Governor King's answer to my communication respecting the shipwreck of +the Porpoise and Cato, and the orders under which I acted in embarking in +the Cumberland, are contained in the following letter. + +Sydney, New South Wales., Sept. 17, 1803. + +Sir, + +In acknowledging the receipt of yours with its inclosure of the 9th +instant, whilst I lament the misfortune that has befallen the Porpoise +and Cato, I am thankful that no more lives have been lost than the three +you mention. I have every reason to be assured that no precaution was +omitted by lieutenant Fowler and yourself to avoid the accident, and I am +equally satisfied with your account of the exertions of the officers and +men after the loss of the ships, both for the preservation of the stores +and maintaining order in their present situation; nor can I sufficiently +commend your voluntary services and those who came with you, in +undertaking a voyage of 700 miles in an open boat, to procure relief for +our friends now on the bank; and I hope for the honour of humanity, that +if the Bridgewater be safe, the commander may be able to give some +possible reason for his not ascertaining whether any had survived the +shipwreck, as there appears too much reason to believe he has persuaded +himself all perished. + +No time has been lost in prevailing upon the master of the Rolla, bound +to China, to take on board the officers and seamen now on the reef, +belonging to the Porpoise and Investigator, and carrying them to Canton +whither he is bound; on the conditions expressed in the agreement entered +into with him by me, and which you have witnessed. For that purpose I +have caused a proportion of all species of provisions to be put on board +at full allowance, for seventy men for ten weeks from the reef; I shall +also give to lieutenant Fowler the instructions for his conduct which I +have communicated to you, and direct him to consult with you on the +measures to be adopted by him for executing those instructions, as far as +situation and events may render them practicable. + +And as you agree with me that the Cumberland, colonial schooner of +twenty-nine tons, built here, is capable of performing the voyage to +England by way of Torres' Strait, and it being essential to the +furthering His Majesty's service that you should reach England by the +most prompt conveyance with your charts and journals, I have directed the +commissary to make that vessel over to you, with her present furniture, +sails, etc; and to complete her from the stores of the Investigator with +such other articles as you may require, together with a proportion of +provisions for six months, for ten officers and men. And on your arrival +at Wreck Reef you will select such officers and men as you may judge +necessary, lieutenant Fowler having my orders on that head. + +After having given every assistance to get the people and as many stores +as can be taken on board the Rolla, and given the commander of the +Francis schooner such orders as circumstances may require, for bringing +those who may choose to be discharged from the service and as many stores +as she can bring, you will then proceed to England by the route you may +judge most advisable and beneficial for His Majesty's service. On your +arrival in London you will deliver my letters to the Admiralty and the +principal secretary of state for the colonies. + +In case any unforeseen circumstances should prevent the accomplishment of +the voyage in the Cumberland, you will take such measures as may appear +most conducive to the interest of His Majesty's service, either by +selling the vessel, or letting her for freight at the Cape or elsewhere, +if any merchants choose to send proper officers and men to conduct her +back; and in the event of your being obliged to dispose of her, you will +account with His Majesty's principal secretary of state for the colonies +for the proceeds. + +I am, etc., + +(Signed) Philip Gidley King. + +[EAST COAST. TOWARDS WRECK REEF.] + +The small size of the Cumberland made it necessary to stop at every +convenient place on the way to England, for water and refreshment; and I +proposed Coepang Bay in Timor, Mauritius, the Cape of Good Hope, St. +Helena, and some one of the Western Isles; but governor King objected to +Mauritius, from not wishing to encourage any communication between the +French colonies and Port Jackson; and also because he had understood that +hurricanes often prevailed in the neighbourhood of that island, about the +time of year when I should be passing; he left this matter, however, to +be decided by necessity and my judgment, and gave me two letters for the +governor of Mauritius, to be forwarded from the Cape, or by the best +opportunity. At those places in the Indian Seas where I might stop, he +requested me to make inquires into the facility of obtaining cattle for +his colony, with the price and the traffic with which they might be best +procured; and to send this information by any ship bound to Port Jackson. + +WEDNESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +Every thing being prepared for our departure, I sailed out of the harbour +in the Cumberland on the 21st at daylight, with the Rolla and Francis in +company. Mr. Inman, the astronomer, had taken a passage in the Rolla with +his instruments; and of the thirteen persons who came with me in the +boat, captain Park and his second mate were on board that ship, and the +boatswain of the Investigator with the ten seamen composed my crew in the +schooner. We had a fresh breeze at south-east, and the Cumberland +appeared to sail as well as could be expected; but the wind becoming +stronger towards night, she lay over so much upon the broad side that +little sail could be carried; and instead of being tight, as had been +represented, her upper works then admitted a great deal of water. Next +morning [THURSDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 1803], the wind having rather increased +than diminished, I found we should soon be obliged to lie to altogether, +and that if we passed Port Stephens there was no place of shelter for a +long distance where the schooner could be saved from drifting on shore; +the signal was therefore made to tack, and at dusk the Rolla and Francis +ran into Port Stephens. Not being able to reach so far, I anchored in a +small bight under Point Stephens, in very bad plight; the pumps proving +to be so nearly useless, that we could not prevent the water from half +filling the hold; and two hours longer would have reduced us to baling +with buckets, and perhaps have been fatal. This essay did not lead me to +think favourably of the vessel, in which I had undertaken a voyage half +round the globe. + +FRIDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +Next morning I joined the Rolla and Francis; and it being then calm, we +did not quit Port Stephens until the afternoon. At night the wind again +blew strong from the south-east; but the desire to arrive at Wreck Reef +overcoming my apprehensions, the schooner was made snug and we +persevered. Our inability to carry sail was so much the more provoking, +that this wind was as fair as could be wished; but whilst the Cumberland +could scarcely bear a close-reefed main sail and jib without danger of +oversetting, the Rolla went along under double-reefed top sails in great +tranquillity; and to avoid parting company was obliged to keep her +courses up, and to back a top sail from time to time. + +SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate X.) + +The wind moderated next day, and allowed us to make better progress. It +afterwards veered round to the north-east, and prevented us from fetching +more than ten miles to the east of the reef by Mr. Inman's time keeper, +when we came into the proper latitude. We bore away for it, however, on +Oct. 1 [SATURDAY 1 OCTOBER 1803], and ran more than a degree to the west; +when finding no reef or bank, it appeared that we must have been +something to the west of Wreck Reef when the time keeper showed ten miles +to the eastward. This obliged us to work back again, and it was not till +the 7th [FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER 1803] that we got sight of the ensign upon the +top of the bank.* + +[* The want of my journal has prevented me from stating any particulars +of this passage very correctly; but I have lately obtained a sight of Mr. +Inman's observations, and it appears from them that his time keeper +(Kendal's No. 45) erred 31' to the east on Oct. 1, and that on the 2nd +a.m. our corrected longitude was 153 deg. 52'. We ran westward till that +evening, and must therefore have gone to about 153 deg. 25', or 1 deg. 54' west +of Wreck-Reef Bank; and as no dangers were seen, this shows how +completely the Reef is separated from the great Barrier of the coast; a +point which it is of some importance to have ascertained.] + +[EAST COAST. WRECK REEF.] + +It was six weeks on this day that I had quitted the reef in the boat, for +the purpose of seeking the means to relieve my officers and people. The +bank was first seen from the Rolla's mast head, and soon afterward two +boats were perceived under sail; and advancing nearer, we saw one boat +make for the Rolla and the other returning to the bank. The Porpoise had +not yet gone to pieces; but was still lying on her beam ends, high up on +the reef, a frail, but impressive monument of our misfortune. + +In the afternoon I anchored under the lee of the bank, in 18 fathoms +coral sand, and a salute of eleven guns from it was immediately fired, +the carronades of the Porpoise having been transported from the wreck. On +landing, I was greeted with three hearty cheers, and the utmost joy by my +officers and people; and the pleasure of rejoining my companions so amply +provided with the means of relieving their distress, made this one of the +happiest moments of my life. + +The two boats we had seen, were the Porpoise's remaining cutter and a new +boat constructed during my absence; it was just completed, and lieutenant +Fowler had this morning gone out to try its sailing against the cutter. +My safe arrival at Port Jackson became a subject of much doubt after the +first month; and they had begun to reconcile their minds to making the +best use of the means they possessed to reach some frequented port. The +Rolla's top-gallant sail was first seen in the horizon by a man in the +new boat, and was taken for a bird; but regarding it more steadfastly, he +started up and exclaimed, d--n my bl--d what's that! It was soon +recognised to be a sail, and caused a general acclamation of joy, for +they doubted not it was a ship coming to their succour. Lieutenant +Flinders, then commanding officer on the bank, was in his tent +calculating some lunar distances, when one of the young gentlemen ran to +him, calling, "Sir, Sir! A ship and two schooners in sight!" After a +little consideration, Mr. Flinders said he supposed it was his brother +come back, and asked if the vessels were near? He was answered, not yet; +upon which he desired to be informed when they should reach the +anchorage, and very calmly resumed his calculations: such are the varied +effects produced by the same circumstance upon different minds. When the +desired report was made, he ordered the salute to be fired, and took part +in the general satisfaction. + +My plan of proceeding at the reef having been arranged on the passage, I +immediately began to put it in execution. The people were assembled on +the bank, and informed that such as chose to be discharged from the +service might return to Port Jackson in the Francis schooner; and that +the rest would be taken on board the Rolla and carried to China, with the +exception of ten officers and men whom I named, to go to England with me +in the Cumberland, if they would risk themselves in so small a vessel; +for notwithstanding what had been discovered of the bad qualities of the +schooner, I determined to proceed, at least so far as to reach some port +where a passage might be procured in a better vessel without losing time. +The determinations of all were required to be given on the following day; +and in the mean time we began to take on board the few stores necessary +to complete the Cumberland for our voyage, and especially to fill the +holds with water, of which there was yet a good quantity remaining on the +bank. + +MONDAY 10 OCTOBER 1803 + +On the 10th, three days after our arrival, the Rolla had received the +people destined for her, with part of the provisions and stores; and the +Cumberland was ready to sail. All those whom I had named, with the +exception of my clerk, volunteered to go in the schooner; viz., Mr. John +Aken, master, and Mr. Edward Charrington, boatswain of the Investigator, +my servant, and seven chosen seamen. A cask containing what had been +saved of my specimens of mineralogy and conchology was taken on board, as +also the charts, books, and papers of every kind, with the instruments +received from the Navy Board and the sole time keeper which had not +stopped. + +Mr. Denis Lacy, master's mate of the Investigator, desiring to return to +Port Jackson, he was charged with my letter to His Excellency governor +King; and I gave him an order to command the new boat. It was about the +size of the Cumberland, had a deck, and was called the _Resource_; and we +manned her with a part of those people whose choice led them back to Port +Jackson. I ordered Mr. James Aikin, commander of the Francis, and Mr. +Lacy, to take on board for the colony as much of the stores as they +should be able; and on their arrival, to make a statement to the governor +of the condition in which they might leave the Porpoise, and what +remained on the bank. + +The officers journals, which were to be sent to the Admiralty at the +conclusion of the voyage, had not been demanded at the time of our +shipwreck; lieutenant Fowler was therefore directed to take all that were +saved belonging to the officers embarked with him in the Rolla; and lest +any accident should happen to the Cumberland, I committed to his charge a +copy of four charts, being all of the East and North Coasts which there +had been time to get ready; with these he took a short letter to the +secretary of the Admiralty, and one to the Victualling Board inclosing +such vouchers as had been saved from the wreck. To Mr. Inman I gave the +remaining instruments belonging to the Board of Longitude, reserving only +a time keeper and a telescope; the large and most valuable instruments +had very fortunately been delivered to him before we had sailed from Port +Jackson in the Porpoise. + +These matters being arranged, I pressed captain Cumming to depart, +fearing that a change of wind might expose the Rolla to danger; but +finding him desirous to take off more provisions and stores, I made sail +for a bank or rather islet seven miles distant at the eastern extremity +of Wreck Reef, for the purpose of collecting seabirds eggs, and if +possible taking a turtle. The Rolla joined on the following day [TUESDAY +11 OCTOBER 1803], and I went on board to take leave of Messrs. Fowler and +Flinders and the other officers and gentlemen; at noon we parted company +with three cheers, the Rolla steering north-eastward for China, whilst my +course was directed for Torres' Strait. + +With the time keeper, Earnshaw's No. 520, I had received from lieutenant +Flinders an account of its error from mean Greenwich time at noon there +Oct. 6, and its rate of going during the fourteen preceding days, which +were as under. + +No. 520, slow 0h 9' 49.35" and losing 34.13" per day. + +The _latitude_ of Wreck-Reef Bank was ascertained from eight meridian +observations from the sea, and four from an artificial horizon: the mean +of the latter, which are considered the best, is 22 deg. 11' 23" S. + +_Longitude_ from sixty sets of lunar distances, of which the individual +results are given in Table VIII. of the Appendix No. I. to this volume, +155 deg. 18' 50.5" E. + +The longitude of the bank, as given by Earnshaw's No. 520 on Aug. 28, +eleven days after the shipwreck, was 155 deg. 4' 14.6" with the Port Jackson +rate, or 14' 35.9" less than the lunar observations. In laying down the +Porpoise's track on the chart, this error has been corrected by an equal +proportion, according to the time of each observation for the longitude. + +Mr. Flinders deduced the _variation_ of the compass from observing the +sun's magnetic azimuth a. m. and p. m., when equal altitudes were taken, +and comparing the mean azimuth at corresponding altitudes with the true +meridian; this method is probably not the best, and the results from two +compasses differed considerably; Walker's compass, marked No. 1, giving +9 deg. 17' east from ten observations, and that marked No. 2, 13 deg. 54' from +five observations. The first is undoubtedly the best, though possibly not +very correct. + +There are here two regular _tides_ daily, and it was high water on the +day of full moon at 8h 50' in the morning; the rise was six feet two +inches, but the night tide will probably reach to eight, or perhaps nine +feet at the height of the springs. + +Some account was given of Wreck-Reef Bank before quitting it in the boat, +but I had not then acquired a knowledge of the whole extent of the reef. +It is about twenty miles long, and from a quarter, to one mile and a half +in breadth; and consists of many distinct patches of different +magnitudes, the six principal of which are from four to eight or ten +miles in circuit. They are separated by channels of one mile to near a +league in width; and in the two easternmost I found from 8 to 10 fathoms, +and nothing to prevent a ship passing through in a case of necessity. +Four of the six larger patches have each a sand bank near the middle, +which do not appear to have been lately covered by the tide; and they are +now more or less frequented by sea birds, such as noddies, boobies, +tropic, and man-of-war birds, gannets, and perhaps some others. Of these +four banks, two lie to the west and one to the east of that near which +our ships struck; but the eastern bank is the most considerable, and most +frequented by birds; turtle also land there occasionally, and this bank +was not improperly called _Bird Islet_, being now covered with coarse +grass, some shrubs, and a soil to which the birds are every day making an +increase. + +Bird Islet being to windward of, and only seven miles distant from our +bank, it was frequently visited by the gentlemen during my absence. +Besides sea birds of the species already mentioned, they procured many +thousand eggs; and also four turtle, of which one weighed 459 pounds, and +contained so many eggs, that lieutenant Fowler's journal says no less +than 1940, large and small, were counted. These supplies, with shell fish +gathered from the reef, and fish, were a great resource, and admitted of +a saving in the salt provisions; as the occasional rains, from which +several casks were filled, did of their fresh water. The _trepang_ was +found on Wreck Reef, and soup was attempted to be made of it; but whether +our cooks had not the method of stewing it down, or that the trepang is +suited only to the vitiated taste of the Chinese, nothing good was +produced + +Oats, maize, and pumpkin seeds were planted upon Wreck-Reef Bank, as also +upon Bird Islet; and the young plants had come up, and were in a +tolerably flourishing state; some of these may possibly succeed upon the +islet, but upon the bank it is scarcely to be hoped. The cocoa nut is +capable of resisting the light sprays of the sea which frequently pass +over these banks, and it is to be regretted that we had none to plant +upon them. A cluster of these majestic and useful palms would have been +an excellent beacon to warn mariners of their danger; and in the case +where darkness might render them unavailing in this respect, their fruit +would at least afford some salutary nourishment to the shipwrecked +seamen. The navigator who should distribute ten thousand cocoa nuts +amongst the numerous sand banks of the Great Ocean and Indian Sea, would +be entitled to the gratitude of all maritime nations, and of every friend +to humanity. I may be thought to attribute too much importance to this +object in saying, that such a distribution ought to be a leading article +in the instructions for any succeeding voyage of discovery or +investigation to these parts; but it is from having suffered ourselves +that we learn to appreciate the misfortunes and wants of others. and +become doubly interested in preventing or relieving them. "The human +heart," as an elegant author observes, "resembles certain medicinal +trees. which yield not their healing balm until they have themselves been +wounded."* + +[* Le coeur est comme ces sortes d'arbres, qui ne donnent leur baume pour +les blessures des hommes que lorsque le fer les a blesses eux-memes. +Chateaubriant's _Genie de Christianisme, Episode d' Attala_.] + +CHAPTER III. + +Passage in the Cumberland to Torres' Strait. +Eastern Fields and Pandora's Entrance. +New channels amongst the reefs. +Anchorage at Half-way Island, and under the York Isles. +Prince of Wales's Islands further examined. +Booby Isle. +Passage across the Gulph of Carpentaria. +Anchorage at Wessel's Islands. +Passage to Coepang Bay, in Timor; and to Mauritius, +where the leakiness of the Cumberland makes it necessary to stop. +Anchorage at the Baye du Cap, and departure for Port Louis. + +[EAST COAST. TOWARDS TORRES' STRAIT] + +TUESDAY 11 OCTOBER 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate I.) + +On parting from the Rolla, at noon Oct. 11, off Bird Islet, our course +was steered N. N. W. by compass for Torres' Strait. At eight in the +evening we had run thirteen leagues from Wreck Reef, without seeing any +danger; but I thought it advisable to lie to in the night, until the +distance was further increased. We made sail again at five in the morning +[WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER 1803], and at noon were in 20 deg. 46' south and 155 deg. +2' east. During the two following days and nights, our course by compass +was N. W. by N., and afterwards N. W.; and on the 15th [SATURDAY 15 +OCTOBER 1803] at noon we had reached the latitude 15 deg. 29' and longitude +151 deg. 24', the current having set, upon the average of four days, 3/4 of a +mile an hour to the W. N. W. This situation was a little to the north, +and about one degree to the east of Bougainville's Bank of Diana, and the +tropic birds, petrels, and boobies seen every day were this evening more +numerous, especially the boobies; they most probably belonged to Diana's +Bank, but lest some other might lie in our way, we hauled to the wind at +eight o'clock. The little Cumberland was still very leaky at such times +as the wind came more on the side and caused her to lie over; and the +pumps were so bad that a fourth part of the day was frequently required +at them to keep her free, and they were becoming worse from such constant +use. + +SUNDAY 16 OCTOBER 1803 + +Our north-west course was resumed at five in the morning, and continued +without interruption, or sight of any danger, to the 19th [WEDNESDAY 19 +OCTOBER 1803] at noon, when the latitude was 10 deg. 53' south, and longitude +by time keeper 147 deg. 6' east; the current had set above 3/4 of a mile an +hour to the N. 60 deg. W., and we had every day seen boobies, noddies, tropic +birds, and some gulls. At four in the afternoon the course was altered +one point more west, in order to make the Eastern Fields (Atlas, Plate +XIII), whose extent to the southward, not having been seen in the +Investigator, I wished now to ascertain. The breakers came in sight at +eight next morning [THURSDAY 20 OCTOBER 1803], and we hauled up to pass +round their south end; but the wind being scant for going to windward of +all, and the small gap before seen in the middle appearing to be passable +for the Cumberland, we bore up for it. The depth at less than a quarter +of a mile off was 40 fathoms, then 6, 7, 4 in the centre of the opening, +8, and no ground with the hand line; this front reef seeming to be a mere +ledge of coral, which extended N. N. E. and S. S. W.; and that part of +the opening in it where the sea did not break, is about one mile wide. +Immediately on getting through, altitudes were taken for the time keeper; +and the longitude, reduced to the north-east extremity of the Eastern +Fields, was 145 deg. 441/2' east, or about 1' less than what had been found in +the Investigator from Broad Sound. In steering W. N. W., two small +patches of reef were left to the south and one to the north, about five +miles from the opening; other reefs then came in sight ahead and on each +bow; and after sounding in 34 fathoms coral sand, and observing the +latitude 10 deg. 2 1/3', we passed through a narrow channel between them, +having no ground at 7 fathoms. At one o'clock, the western extremity of +these reefs bore S. 16 deg. E. two miles, and others were seen in the horizon +extending from N. W. to W. S. W.; we passed close round the north end of +these; but the single breaker laid down the year before, and which should +lie about five miles to the N. N. E., was not perceived. At three +o'clock, in steering westward, the last reefs were out of sight astern; +and nothing more had been seen at seven, when we hauled to the wind for +the night. An amplitude observed at sunset, with the schooner's head W. +by S., gave 6 deg. 2' east variation. + +FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 1803 + +We tacked every two or three hours, until daylight; and then bore away W. +S. W. by compass, to make the south side of the Pandora's Entrance, which +I had not seen in the Investigator. Soon after eight o'clock, breakers +came in sight; and we stood off and on till noon, to fix their latitude +and longitude, and ascertain our position with respect to Murray's +Islands before entering the Strait. The sun was vertical and therefore +difficult to be observed; but in taking Mr. Aken's observation on one +side and mine on the other, which differed only 31/2', the mean latitude +10 deg. 01/2', could not be far wrong. The reef in sight was shown by this +observation to be on the south side of the Pandora's Entrance, as I +wished; and its north end will lie in 10 deg. 59' south, and longitude by the +time keeper 144 deg. 40' east. We bore away so soon as the observation was +obtained, and in passing close round the north end, got soundings at two +casts, in 7 and 5 fathoms. + +This reef lies N. N. E. and S. S. W., and is about seven miles long with +a breadth from one to three miles; its form is nearly that of a boot, and +the outer edges are probably dry at low tide; but there was a +considerable space within, where the water looked blue, as if very deep. +The origin of that class of islands which abound in the Great Ocean, +under the names of Bow, Lagoon, etc., may here be traced. The exterior +bank of coral will, in the course of years, become land, as in them; +whilst the interior water will preserve its depth to a longer period, and +form a lagoon, with no other outlet than perhaps one or two little +openings for canoes or boats. In Mr. Dalrymple's chart of the Pandora's +track, there is a dry bank marked on the north-west part of the reef; but +this commencement of the metamorphosis was not visible to us, probably +from its being covered by the tide, for it was then near high water. In +some future age, when Boot Island shall be visited, this little remark, +it it live so long, may be of some interest to the geographer. + +[NORTH COAST. TORRES' STRAIT.] + +I hauled up under the lee side of the reef, intending to anchor and go in +a boat to sound the deep water within; but not finding any ground with 70 +fathoms at a mile off, we bore away at two o'clock to make Murray's +Islands. At three, breakers were seen four or five miles to the +southward, and others, perhaps on the same reef, about three miles W. S. +W. from them; in half an hour the largest of Murray's Islands came in +sight to the W. by N.; and our course being continued to six o'clock, the +centre then bore N. 78 deg. W. nearly four leagues, but the front reefs, +which could not be more than half that distance in the same direction, +were not visible. We then hauled to the wind, and stood off and on till +daylight [SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER 1803], when the largest island bore W. by +S. + +Murray's Islands may be considered as the key to the best passage yet +known through Torres' Strait, and my route to them in the Investigator +being circuitous, I wished to ascertain whether a more direct track might +not be found; we therefore steered to make the north-eastern reefs, and +on coming in with the breakers, ran along their south side at the +distance of one or two miles. At half past seven, the termination of +these reefs bore N. N. W.; but another reef, which extended far to the +south, had for some time been in sight, and a dry sand on its north end +now bore S. W. by W. one mile. In the opening between them was a small +patch of coral, and several green spots in the water round it; but there +appearing to be room for the Cumberland to pass on the north side, I +ventured through, sounding in 20 and 23 fathoms without finding bottom. + +This opening is a mile wide, and lies five or six miles, nearly E. N. E., +from the largest of Murray's Islands; it would consequently be more +direct to pass through it than to follow the Investigator's track round +the north-eastern reefs; but from the narrowness of the opening and the +many green spots where the depth is unknown to me, I dare not recommend +it to a ship, though very practicable for small vessels in fine weather. +The dry bank on the south side of the opening will probably be covered at +three-quarters flood. + +After clearing the passage, I steered W. N. W. to avoid going near +Murray's Islands, lest the small size of the Cumberland should tempt the +Indians to make an attack; this they were likely to do if the opportunity +offered, and many were standing on the shore with their canoes seemingly +in readiness. At 8h 50' the large island bore S. 6 deg. E. to 13 deg. W., three +or four miles; and our position in longitude being very nearly the same +with that of my former anchorage, altitudes were taken for the time +keeper. The result, when corrected, was 144 deg. 2' 0" east, and in the +Investigator it had been 144 deg. 2' 58", being a difference scarcely worth +notice. When it is considered that Wreck Reef, whence the Cumberland's +departure was taken, and Coepang in Timor, by which the longitude is +corrected, are laid down from observations wholly distinct from those at +Upper Head and Sweers' Island, which regulated the Investigator's +longitude, this near coincidence will be thought remarkable; and it must +also be allowed to show, that an equally accelerated rate and +supplemental correction are improvements on the ordinary management of +time keepers. + +At this time, the large reef to the north of Murray's Islands was distant +one or two miles, and we steered westward along it, to get into my former +track; but the man at the mast head saying that the water was +discoloured, and that he did not think there was any passage in the +direction we steered, I thought myself deceived in the distance of the +island; and the schooner was hauled up two points to the southward, where +the appearance was better. It became evident, however, that the +discoloured water was in the same ripplings of tide through which the +Investigator had passed without finding bottom at 30 fathoms; and no +doubt it was from these ripplings that the discolouring arose. + +At ten o'clock, the top of the largest island bore S. 74 deg. E. five or six +miles, we had reefs at the distance of half a mile to a mile on each +beam, and I then found that we were to the south of the Investigator's +track; but the channel being clear ahead, and taking a direction nearly +straight for Cape York, I steered onward, being rather pleased than sorry +at having thus got by accident into a new route. Darnley's Island was +seen from the mast head before eleven; and when the top of Murray's +Island bore E. 1 deg. S. it was set at N. N. W., the depth being then 52 +fathoms on a bottom of small stones, coral, and shells. The great line of +reefs which had been kept on the larbord beam of the Investigator, was +now on the starbord beam of the schooner; but we had also a great mass of +reefs on the other side, forming between them a kind of channel from two +to four miles broad, leading south-westward. We ran on at the rate of +five knots until noon, when the depth was 25 fathoms, soft sand, and our +situation as under, + + +Latitude observed to the south, 9 deg. 581/2' +Longitude brought on, 143 45 +Murray's I., top of the largest, N. 78 E. +Murray's I., south-westernmost, N. 82 E. + + +The channel was now five or six miles wide, and no interruption yet +appeared; but breakers were seen a-head before two o'clock, and seemed to +connect the reefs to leeward with those on the weather side; and there +being a small opening on the starbord beam, we bore away north-west +through it, towards the Investigator's track. Other reefs, however, +obstructed the way, upon one of which was a dry bank; and seeing a sort +of middle channel within them, we hauled up W. by S. into it, and +afterwards S. W. The sea did not break upon these reefs, and the sun +being on the starbord bow, prevented us from knowing how they lay to +leeward. At four, the coral bottom was seen under the schooner, and the +depth was no more than 2 fathoms; we tacked immediately, and in ten +minutes were able to weather the end of the reef at the outlet of the +middle channel, where no obstruction appeared; but a bank, probably not +of coral, was found to run across, and in passing over it we had 3, 11/2, +2, 3, 8 fathoms, and in five minutes 22 on a soft bottom. A swell was +then perceived coming from E. S. E., which showed that the weather reefs +also there terminated; it even implied that the waves had no obstruction +for many miles, probably as far as the great outer reef seen by the +Pandora. + +Half-way Island came in sight as soon as the middle channel was cleared, +and we steered west, carrying all sail to reach it before dark. In +passing round the north end of its reef at sunset, we had 18 fathoms, and +presently anchored in 20, with the centre of the island bearing S. by E. +1/2 E. one mile, and the reef from E. 1/2 S. to S. W. by S. Next morning at +daylight [SUNDAY 23 OCTOBER 1803], Mr. Aken went on shore to bring off +some shells of the large cockle (_chama gigas_), which the Indians place +under the pandanus trees to catch water, and on his return at eight +o'clock, we resumed our course to the south-westward, passing between +some dry sands before seen in the Investigator. I then kept up more +southward to fetch the York Isles, and this took us between two other +sands surrounded with small reefs. There were many birds, and a pole was +standing up on the northern bank; and the wind becoming very light, an +anchor was dropped in 14 fathoms under the west side, and I went on +shore. + +This bank or key was very little above high water; but a young pandanus +had been planted on the top and surrounded with a circle of stones, +apparently to protect it from the turtle, whose tracks were fresh on the +sand. It appeared from thence, that the Indians come here at times; and +this tree had been planted with a view, most probably, to obtain fresh +water by the same means as at Half-way Island. The latitude of the bank, +according to Mr. Aken's meridian observation, is 10 deg. 18' south, longitude +by the time keeper 143 deg. 6' east, and there is a similar bank lying two or +three miles to the southward. + +On my return the south-east trade had freshened up, and we steered S. W. +by compass, in soundings from 13 to 11 fathoms, soft ground. Some of the +small woody isles before laid down, were seen to the north-westward, but +nothing else till four o'clock; the high flat-topped York Isle then came +in sight, and at six the following bearings were set. + + +Mount Adolphus, the flat top, S. 33 deg. W. +Two rocks on its south side, S. 17 W. +Western York Isle, the north end, S. 69 W. +A low distant isle (from the mast head), S 1/2 E. + + +I purposed anchoring between the flat-topped island and the western isle; +but several rocks being seen there, and the night coming on, we bore away +to leeward of the rocks and came to in 13 fathoms, soon after seven +o'clock. The tide was setting to the westward, and so continued till +half past nine, when it turned to the east, and ran till half past +three in the morning [MONDAY 24 OCTOBER 1803]; if the rise by the +shore corresponded with the stream, it was high water _three hours +and a half after_ the moon's passage; which would be five hours later +than at Murray's Islands, and one hour earlier than it had appeared to be +at those of the Prince of Wales (see Ch. V, 1 November). A fresh breeze +from south-east raised a swell here, but the anchor held all night; and +before getting under way next morning, I set the following bearings of +the land. + + +Flat-topped I., distant three miles S. 42 deg. to 2 deg. E. +Flat-topped I., centre of Mount Adolphus, S. 32 E. +C. York, outer of three islets near the E. extreme, S. 2 E. +Western York I., distant 11/2 miles S. 18 to 88 W. +Northern double I., imperfectly from aloft, N. W. by W.1/2 W. + + +On passing the north end of the western isle at seven o'clock, I took +altitudes for the time keeper, and from thence deduced the longitude of +Mount Adolphus to be 142 deg. 40' east; we then hauled up for Cape York, with +soundings between 14 and 10 fathoms, leaving on the starbord hand a rock +which lies S. 78 deg. W. five miles from the north end of the western isle. +At half past eight, two rocks close to the northern extremity of the Cape +were distant four or five miles, the Prince of Wales's Islands were +coming in sight, and the following bearings were taken. + + +Western York Isle, north end, N. 70 deg. E. +C. York, north extreme, S. 58 E. +C. York, hill at the north-west extreme, S. 11 W. +Possession Isle, apparently, of capt. Cook, S. 26 deg. to 33 W. +Northern double Isle, centre, North. + + +On the largest of the Prince of Wales' Islands was a hill forming +something like two horns at the top; we steered a direct course for this +hill, and perceived a bight or opening two miles to the south of it, by +which the sea may probably have a communication with the water before +observed within the great island. From abreast of Horned Hill we followed +the line of the shore northward, in soundings from 4 to 7 fathoms at one +or two miles off; and soon after ten o'clock hauled west into the opening +between this land and Wednesday Island, to pass through the middle of the +group. Our soundings were variable between 5 and 3 fathoms, until +approaching Hammond's Island; when there not appearing to be depth enough +on its south side, I steered out northward, leaving a rock on the +starbord hand within which there was only 2 fathoms. + +This rock seems to be the small, dark-coloured island described by Mr. +Hamilton as being near the centre of Sandwich Sound (see Introduction); +and if so, Wolf's Bay, in which he says there is from 5 to 7 fathoms and +commodious anchorage for shipping, should be that inclosed piece of water +seen from the top of Good's Island; but to me at this time, there did not +appear to be any ship passage into it from the northward. An island lies +at the entrance, and on its west side the depth may probably be more +considerable. + +On getting out from between Wednesday and Hammond's Islands, we steered +along the south side of the great north-western reef; and at noon our +observation and bearings were as under. + + +Latitude observed to the north, 10 deg. 31' +Hammond's I., the north rock dist. 2 miles, N. 73 E. +Good's I., former station on the S. W. hill, S. 23 W. +Hawkesbury I., the highest part, N. 14 W. + + +Booby Isle was in sight from the mast head at one o'clock, bearing nearly +W. S. W.; and soon after three we anchored one mile to leeward of it, in +7 fathoms, soft sand. A boat was sent on shore, which presently came back +loaded with boobies; and fresh turtle tracks having been perceived, the +crew returned to watch, and at midnight we received five turtle. These +appeared to be of the species called hawkes-bill; the shells and skins, +as also their fat, were of a red tinge, and they had longer necks than +the turtle procured at Wellesley's Islands, to which they were much +inferior, both in size and quality. + +When entering the Gulph of Carpentaria in the Investigator, I had +remarked what appeared to be a considerable error in the relative +positions of Booby Isle and the flat-topped York Island, as they are laid +down by captain Cook; and to obtain more certainty, the longitude of the +flat top had been observed this morning from the time keeper, and I +anchored here this afternoon to do the same by Booby Isle. The result +showed the difference of longitude between them to be 431/2', differing +less than 1' from what had been deduced in the Investigator, whereas, by +captain Cook, they are placed 63' asunder. The high respect to which the +labours of that great man are entitled, had caused me to entertain some +doubt of the reality of this error until the present verification. It is +to be wholly ascribed to the circumstance of his not having had a time +keeper in his _first_ voyage; and a more eminent proof of the utility of +this valuable instrument cannot be given, than that so able a navigator +could not always avoid making errors so considerable as this, when +deprived of its assistance. + +A meridian altitude of the moon placed Booby Isle in latitude 10 deg. 36' +south; and the longitude from a medium of the Investigator's and +Cumberland's time keepers, was 141 deg. 561/2' east. A morning's amplitude +taken after quitting the isle when the schooner's head was W. by S., gave +the uncorrected variation 5 deg. 38' east. + +TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER 1803 + +At daybreak next morning, having a fresh trade wind, we steered W. by S. +by compass, the soundings increasing gradually from 7 fathoms to 13 at +noon, when our latitude was 10 deg. 38' and longitude 141 deg. 17'. No reefs or +other dangers had been seen to the west of Booby Isle; nor were any met +with in steering across the Gulph of Carpentaria towards Cape Wilberforce +(Atlas, Plate XIV), though many birds, principally boobies, were seen +every day. We ran in the night, with the precaution of heaving to every +four hours, to sound; the depth was from 30 to 36 fathoms on a muddy +bottom, nearly all across the Gulph. + +FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER 1803 + +(Atlas, Plate XV.) + +On 28th at two in the morning, Cape Wilberforce being seen directly +ahead, we hove to in 18 fathoms till daylight; the south-east extreme of +the cape then bore S. 54 deg. W, and the largest of Bromby's Isles was two +miles distant to the northward. After making some short tacks, we passed +through between the two outer isles, with soundings from 6 to 11 fathoms; +and at ten o'clock, when clear of the passage, the bearings of the +nearest lands were as under: + + +Bromby's I., the largest, cliffy S. E. end, S. 34 deg. W. +Bromby's I., outermost, highest part, dist. 11/4 m., S. 50 E. +Truant Isle, centre, N. 37 E. +Two islets, dist. 5 miles, centres, N. 24 deg. and 32 W. +Wigram's Island, extremes, N. 55 to S. 87 W. + + +The longitude of our situation according to the positions laid down in +the Investigator, would be 136 deg. 41' 10", and the time keeper now gave +136 deg. 42' 12". It was principally for the sake of comparing the two +longitudes, that I made the land near Cape Wilberforce. + +[NORTH COAST. WESSEL'S ISLANDS.] + +We steered northward for the two islets, and at noon, when the latitude +from an observation to the south was 11 deg. 43', but from bearings 11 deg. 42', +they were distant three quarters of a mile to the W. by S.; these islets +had been set from the south-east head of Cotton's Island at N. 42 deg. 35' to +45 deg. 5' E., and that head was now seen bearing S. 451/4 deg. W. At one o'clock +the Wessel's Islands came in sight, and I hauled more up, wishing to +ascertain their extent to the northward; but the wind being at E. N. E, +we could not pass to windward before dark, and therefore steered for an +opening between the two outer islands. There were strong ripplings and +whirlpools of tide at the entrance of the opening, with very variable +soundings between 5 and 16 fathoms; and finding we could not get through +in time, the sun being then near the horizon, an anchor was dropped near +a small beach on the north side, in 4 fathoms, out of the set of the +tides. + +SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER 1803 + +Next morning I landed on the northern island, to take bearings and search +for water, and the boat's crew had axes to cut some fire wood. Four or +five Indians made their appearance, but as we advanced they retired; and +I therefore left them to themselves, having usually found that to bring +on an interview with the Australians, it was best to seem careless about +it. A Malay prow had been thrown on the beach, and whilst the boat's crew +was busied in cutting up the wreck for fuel, the Indians approached +gradually, and a friendly intercourse took place; but as no water could +be found, and time was more precious than the company of these people, +they were presented with our axes after the work was done, and we got +under way soon after ten o'clock. + +This island appears to be the outermost of the chain called Wessel's +Islands, which extend thirteen leagues in a north-east direction from the +main land near Point Dale. It seemed to be eight or nine miles in length, +by about five in breadth; the southern part is sandy and sterile, but +some trees are produced; and I saw kangaroos of a small kind, too lean to +be worth the pursuit their shyness required. The natives are of the same +colour and appearance as in other parts of Terra Australis, and go +equally naked; their presence here showed the south end of the island to +be not wholly destitute of fresh water; but in the limited search we had +time to make, none could be found, though traces of torrents denoted the +falling of heavy rains in some part of the year. The island to the +south-west, which is of somewhat greater extent, though less in +elevation, had much the same appearance. + +A distance of two miles between the islands seems to present a fair +opening; but there is a reef of low rocks on the west side, and the +ripplings and whirlpools caused by the meeting of the tides take away the +command of a vessel in light winds; so that, although I went through +safely in the Cumberland, the passage can be recommended to a _ship_ only +in a case of necessity. The latitude of our anchorage under the northern +island, from a supplement of the moon's meridian altitude, was 11 deg. 24 +2/3' south; and the longitude by time keeper, from altitudes of the star +_Altair_, 136 deg. 281/2' east, but it is placed in 1' less, conformably to the +positions fixed in the Investigator. A head land seen in latitude 11 deg. +18', was probably the northern extremity of this island, and of the whole +chain; at least nothing beyond it could be perceived. + +[NORTH COAST. TOWARDS TIMOR.] + +In steering out of the channel we were carried near the western rocks by +the tide; but the water was deep, and a breeze soon took the schooner out +of its influence. At noon our observed latitude was 11 deg. 21', the northern +island bore N. 67 deg. to S. 48 deg. E, and the furthest part of the southern +land S. 5 deg. W.; the wind was light at north-east, and until midnight we +steered north-west to get off the coast; our course was then more +westward towards Timor, where I proposed to stop for a supply of water +and provisions. (Atlas, Plate I.) + +NOVEMBER 1803 + +A moderate trade wind, coming generally from S. E. in the first part, and +E. N. E. in the latter part of the day, carried us to the longitude of +the northern Cape Van Diemen; beyond that, the winds were light and +variable, and frequently at south-west, which alarmed me lest the +unfavourable monsoon should set in before we could get far enough to be +out of its influence. Nov. 6 at noon [SUNDAY 6 NOVEMBER 1803], our +latitude was 9 deg. 28' south, longitude 127 deg. 12' east (Atlas, Plate XVI), +and I was surprised to see already the high land of Timor extending from +N. 1/2 W. to W. N. W.; the first was probably the north-east extremity of +the island, and distant about twenty-three leagues, but the high land in +the latter bearing could scarcely be nearer than thirty-five leagues. +This distance, with ten feet elevation of the eye on the schooner's deck, +would give the height to be more than 9000 feet, had it been seen in the +horizon, but it was perceptibly above, and this land is therefore +probably not much inferior to the peak of Teneriffe. I did not measure +its altitude above the horizon with a sextant, or the elevation might +have been more nearly ascertained. + +The westward current had hitherto not exceeded half a mile an hour; but +the next day it was one mile, and on the day following [TUESDAY 8 +NOVEMBER 1803] one and a quarter to the W. S. W. We had then regained the +trade wind, and our situation at noon was 10 deg. 31/2' south and 125 deg. 15' +east; the northern part of Timor was obscured by haze, the nearest land +visible bore N. 75 deg. W. about eight leagues, and the southern extreme W. +5 deg. S. On the 9th [WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER 1803], the round hill upon Rottee +came in sight, and bore S. 78 deg. W. at noon, when our latitude was 10 deg. 321/4' +south and longitude 124 deg. 0' east. We carried all sail to gain Samow +Strait before dark; but it was eight o'clock when we hauled round the low +south-west point of Timor, in soundings from 6 to 14 fathoms, within a +quarter of a mile of the reef. There were lights on both shores, which +were useful in directing our course up the strait; but having +unfavourable winds, the northern outlet was not quite reached at noon +next day [THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER 1803]; and it was near five in the evening +before we anchored abreast of Fort Concordia. This was the thirtieth day +of our departure from Wreck Reef, and two days might be deducted from +them for the deviations and stoppages made for surveying; the indifferent +sailing of the schooner was also against making a quick passage, for with +all the sail we could set, so much as six knots was not marked on the log +board; yet notwithstanding these hindrances, and the much greater of my +six-weeks voyage in the boat to Port Jackson and twelve days stay at +Wreck Reef, the Bridgewater had arrived at Batavia only four days before +we anchored in Coepang Bay. Had not the unfortunate accident happened to +the Porpoise, I have little doubt that we could, with the superior +sailing of that ship, have reached the longitude of Java Head on the +fortieth, perhaps on the thirty-fifth day of our departure from Port +Jackson. + +[AT TIMOR. COEPANG BAY.] + +Mynheer Geisler, the former governor of Coepang, died a month before our +arrival, and Mr. Viertzen at this time commanded. He supplied us with +almost every thing our situation required, and endeavoured to make my +time pass as pleasantly as was in his power, furnishing me with a house +near the fort to which I took the time keeper and instruments to +ascertain a new rate and error; but my anxious desire to reach England, +and the apprehension of being met by the north-west monsoon before +passing Java, induced me to leave him as soon as we could be ready to +sail, which was on the fourth day. The schooner had continued to be very +leaky whenever the wind caused her to lie over on the side, and one of +the pumps had nearly become useless; I should have risked staying two or +three days longer, had Coepang furnished the means of fresh boring and +fitting the pumps, or if pitch could have been procured to pay the seams +in the upper works after they were caulked; but no assistance in this way +could be obtained; we however got a leak stopped in the bow, and the +vessel was afterwards tight so long as she remained at anchor. + +Mr. Viertzen informed me that captain Baudin had arrived at Coepang near +a month after I had left it in the Investigator, and had sailed early in +June for the Gulph of Carpentaria; and I afterwards learned, that being +delayed by calms and opposed by south-east winds, he had not reached Cape +Arnhem when his people and himself began to be sickly; and fearing that +the north-west monsoon might return before his examination was finished, +and keep him in the Gulph beyond the extent of his provisions, he +abandoned the voyage and steered for Mauritius in his way to Europe. + +The situation of Fort Concordia is considered to be 10 deg. 91/4' south and +123' 35' 46" east, according to the observations made in the Investigator +(see Ch. IX). I took altitudes with a sextant and artificial horizon on +the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th, for the rate of the time keeper, which, +with its error from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the last day of +observation, was found to be as under: + +Earnshaw's No. 520, slow 0h 32' 59.91" and losing 36.74" per day. + +From the first observation on the 11th p.m., the longitude given with +the rate from Wreck Reef, was 123 deg. 48' 34", or 12' 48" too far east; but +on using a rate equally accelerated from that found at Wreck Reef to this +at Coepang, the time keeper will differ only 0' 40" to the east, which is +the presumable amount of its irregularities between Oct. 6 at noon and +Nov. 11 p.m., or in 36.2 days. The longitudes of my track from Wreck Reef +to Timor have been corrected agreeably to the accelerated rate, with the +further allowance of a part of the supplemental error 0' 40", +proportionate to the time of each observation; but in Torres' Strait, the +situations are fixed from a medium of the longitudes so obtained and of +those of the Investigator with the corrections specified in Ch. VI., +preceding; the difference between them no where exceeding 11/2' of +longitude. + +[FROM TIMOR. TOWARDS MAURITIUS.] + +MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER 1803 + +On the evening of the 14th we sailed from Coepang, and having passed +round the north end of Pulo Samow, steered south-westward with a fair +breeze; but the wind being light, and afterwards veering to S. S. W., our +progress was slow. At sunset on the 16th [WEDNESDAY 16 NOVEMBER 1803], +the island Savu was seen to the N. W. by N., and next morning [THURSDAY +17 NOVEMBER 1803] at six o'clock, the following bearings were taken. + + +Savu., the highest part, N. 39 deg. E. +Benjoar, a round hill on it, N. 22 E. +A rocky islet, distant 3 leagues, N. 48 W. + + +At noon, the rocky islet bore N. 63 deg. E., and its position was ascertained +to be 10 deg. 491/2' south and 122 deg. 49' east. A small low island is laid down +by admiral D'Entrecasteaux, about three leagues to the north-west of this +position, and had been previously seen by captain Cook in 1770; it seems +possible that these may be one and the same island, for the situation in +D'Entrecasteaux's chart is marked _doubtful_; but they are both laid down +in Plate XVI., and such additions made to what little could be +distinguished of Savu and Benjoar, as D'Entrecasteaux, Cook, Bligh. and +Dalrymple could furnish. + +It was my intention on quitting Timor, if the leaky condition of the +schooner and the north-west monsoon did not oppose it, to pass southward +of all the Sunda Islands and direct for the Cape of Good Hope; but if +impeded, to run through some one of the eastern straits, get into the +north-east monsoon, and make for Batavia, or any port where the vessel +could be repaired. The veering of the wind to the westward of south, +accompanied by a swell and the occasional appearance of lightning in the +north-western quarter, made me apprehensive of being forced to this +latter plan; and we prepared a boarding netting to defend us against the +Malay pirates, with which the straits between Java and Timor were said to +be infested; the wind however came back to the eastward, although the +south-west swell continued, and we had frequent rain with sometimes +thunder and lightning. + +FRIDAY 25 NOVEMBER 1803 + +On the 25th, our latitude was 12 deg. 48' and longitude 103 deg. 6', which was +past the meridian of Java Head, and beyond the ordinary limits of the +north-west monsoon. The schooner was leaky, more so than before, and the +pumps were getting worse; but hoping to reach the Cape of Good Hope, I +had wholly given up the idea of Batavia as lying too far out of the +track; Mauritius besides was in the way, should the vessel become +incapable of doubling the Cape without repairs. + +Our course by compass was W. by S. for three days, and afterwards W. S. +W., with fresh south-eastern breezes and cloudy weather; but in the upper +regions of the atmosphere the wind was unsettled, showers of rain were +frequent, and it appeared that we were only just in time to save our +passage. On the 4th of December, in 19 deg. 2' south and 83 deg. 50' east, we had +a good deal of following sea from the eastward, whilst the ground swell +came from the south-west; and the jumble caused by these different +movements in the water made the vessel labour exceedingly. I varied the +course a point on either side, to keep the wind in the easiest direction; +but during this and the following day the leaks augmented so much, that +the starbord pump, which was alone effective, was obliged to be worked +almost continually, day and night; and had the wind been on the starbord +side, it is doubtful whether the schooner could have been kept above +water. + +This state of things made it necessary to take into serious consideration +the propriety of attempting the passage round the Cape of Good Hope, +without first having the vessel caulked and the pumps fresh bored and +fitted. Should a western wind meet the current setting round the Cape, +and it was to be expected, there would be much more sea running than we +had yet encountered; and with a fresh wind on the starbord side, which +might probably occur, the remaining pump would not touch the water until +the hold was half full; there was moreover cause to fear, that it also +would soon become ineffective from constant use. After turning these +circumstances over in my mind for a day or two, and considering what else +might be urged both for and against the measure, I determined to put in +at Mauritius; and on the 6th in the evening [TUESDAY 6 DECEMBER 1803], +altered the course half a point for that island, to the satisfaction of +the people. + +[AT MAURITIUS. BAYE DU CAP.] + +In the orders from governor King, the ports to be touched at on the way +to England were left to my own choice; but when Mauritius had been +mentioned amongst others in conversation, the governor had objected to +it, both on account of the hurricanes in that neighbourhood, and from not +wishing to encourage a communication between a French colony and a +settlement composed as is that of Port Jackson. It was these +considerations which had made me hesitate to take the step, though the +necessity for it was pressing; and as, in the case of accident happening +to the schooner, I might be called to answer before a court martial for +going in opposition to the wish of a superior officer, it seemed proper +to state in my journal all the reasons which had any influence on my +decision. This journal is not in my possession; but notes of the +statement were made whilst the recollection of it was strong, and the +following was the substance and not far from the words. + +1. The necessity of caulking the schooner and refitting the pumps before +attempting to double the Cape, were stated nearly as above; to which was +added a hope of obtaining a passage in a ship where my defaced charts and +journals, which remained untouched from the time of the shipwreck, might +be put into a state to be laid before the Admiralty on arriving in +England. In the case of meeting with such a passage, I intended to let +the Cumberland for freight back to Port Jackson, or to sell her, +agreeably to the authority given me in governor King's orders. + +2. Considering the proximity of Mauritius to the western coasts of Terra +Australis, which remained to be examined, I was desirous to see in what +state it had been left by the revolution, and to gain a practical +knowledge of the port and periodical winds; with a view to its being used +in the future part of my voyage as a place of refitting and refreshment, +for which Port Jackson was at an inconvenient distance. It was also +desirable to know how far Mauritius, and its dependencies in Madagascar +which I knew to abound in cattle, could be useful to Port Jackson in +supplying it with breeding stock; an object concerning which the governor +had expressed anxiety for information from any place on the east side of +the Cape of Good Hope. + +3. The two letters from governor King to general Magallon, governor of +Mauritius, instead of being forwarded from the Cape might be delivered in +person. + +4. I was a stranger to what had passed in Europe for nearly twelve +months, and there was consequently a possibility that war might again +have broken out; my passport from the French government would be good at +Mauritius, but in going to the Cape, it was uncertain what attention the +Dutch governor might pay to the orders of the first consul of France; and +as promoters and encouragers of science, the character of the nation was +not so high as to give me great expectation on that head. Mauritius was +therefore much more certain than the Cape, since the necessary succour +would be there obtained even in case of war; whereas at the Cape there +might be a risk of losing my charts and journals and of being made a +prisoner. + +These reasons for stopping at Mauritius as we passed by it, in addition +to the necessity arising from the state of the schooner, were written in +my rough journal for reference, without any idea of their being +criticised, or even seen by any other than myself; and I have been +particular in detailing them, on account of the unexpected occurrences +with which they became connected. + +FRIDAY 9 DECEMBER 1803 + +On the evening of the 9th, a ship was seen to the northward, and we +sought to speak her for information; but night coming on the sight of her +was lost, and we resumed our western course. I had no chart of Mauritius, +nor other description than what is contained in the third edition of the +Encyclopedia Britannica; this informed me that Port Louis was on the +north-west side of the island, but not of the route usually taken to +reach it; and the prevailing wind being south-east, it seemed to be a +matter of indifference; I therefore steered to make the middle of the +island, intending to go by the north or south sides as the wind might +happen to favour most. On the 15th [THURSDAY 15 DECEMBER 1803] before +daylight, the land was seen, and the wind being E. by S. we hauled to the +northward. When the day broke the island was seven or eight miles off, +and bore from S. 42 deg. to N. 51 deg. W.; but there was a distant round lump, +whether connected with it did not appear, which bore N. by W.; and +finding the schooner could not clear it, from the sea running high and +current setting to leeward, we veered round and steered southward along +the edge of a reef which extends four or five miles from this part of the +island. Soon after eight o'clock we passed three flat rocks within the +reef, lying, as I now suppose, at the entrance of Port Bourbon; the +extremes of the island then bore N. 1 deg. to S. 69 deg. W., and a steep point N. +39 deg. W. five or six miles. + +In steering westward along the shore, looking out for boats or vessels to +gain information, a flag was seen upon one of the hills; our colours were +then hoisted, and afterwards a French jack at the fore-top-mast head, as +a signal for a pilot. At noon, the observed latitude was 20 deg. 34' south, +and the extremes of the island bore N. 54 deg. E. to 61 deg. W. There was a small +town bearing N. by E. two or three miles, from whence a schooner had come +out, and being ahead we made sail to speak her; but she hauled in towards +the shore until we had passed, and then stood after us. On our heaving +to, the schooner again steered for a place where some vessels were seen +at anchor, and I began to take her movements as an intimation that we +should go in there for a pilot; accordingly we followed her through a +narrow pass in the reefs, and anchored in 21/2 fathoms, in a small reef +harbour which I afterwards understood was called the _Baye du Cap_. + +If the schooner's actions were strange before, those of the people were +now more so; for no sooner was their anchor dropped, than without furling +the sails they went hastily on shore in a canoe, and made the best of +their way up a steep hill, one of them with a trunk on his shoulder. They +were met by a person who, from the plume in his hat, appeared to be an +officer, and presently we saw several men with muskets on the top of the +hill; this gave another view of the schooner's movements, and caused me +to apprehend that England and France were either at war or very near it. +To induce some person to come on board, I held up the letters for general +Magallon, the governor; but this being to no purpose, Mr. Aken went on +shore in our little boat, taking with him the letters and French +passport; in a short time he returned with the officer and two others, +and I learned to my great regret that war was actually declared. + +The officer, whose name was _Dunienville_, spoke a little English; he +asked if I were the captain Flinders mentioned in the passport, whether +we had been shipwrecked, and to see my commission. Having perused it, he +politely offered his services, inquired what were our immediate wants, +and invited me to go on shore and dine with him, it being then near three +o'clock. I explained my wish to have a pilot for Port North-West (the +name at that time for Port Louis), since it appeared no reparations could +be done in the little bay, and requested to have a cask or two of water. +The pilot was promised for the next day, and Mons. Dunienville sent a +canoe for our empty casks and the master of the French schooner to moor +the Cumberland in a secure place. + +My passport was in French, and being a stranger to the language, I had +had its general purport explained on first receiving it from the +Admiralty; but from that time, and more especially after the +preliminaries of peace had reached Port Jackson, the passport had +scarcely been looked at, and my knowledge of its contents was very +imperfect. When the officer was gone, I set myself to consider it +attentively; and so far as I could make out, it seemed to be solely for +the Investigator, and without provision for any other vessel in which the +loss of the ship, or her incapacity to pursue the voyage might oblige me +to embark. The intention, no doubt, was to protect the voyage generally, +and not the Investigator in particular; but it appeared that if the +governor of Mauritius should adhere to the letter of the passport and +disregard the intention, he might seize the Cumberland as a prize; and +the idea of being detained even a week more than necessary was +intolerable. I inquired of the pilot whether the Cape of Good Hope +belonged to the Dutch or English; almost determining, should it not have +been given up before the war commenced, to attempt the passage at all +risks, rather than incur the hazard of being stopped; but the Cape was in +the hands of the Dutch. + +An hour after M. Dunienville had been gone, we saw him returning with +another officer who proved to be his superior in rank; and they had with +them a gentleman who spoke English intelligibly. My passport and +commission were demanded in a rough manner, and after the officer had +examined them with the assistance of his interpreter, he observed that +the passport was not for the Cumberland, and required an explanation; +having received it, he said it was necessary that both commission and +passport should be sent to the governor, and that I should remain with +the vessel till an answer was returned. To this arrangement I objected, +alleging that since war was declared, these papers were my sole +protection and could not be given up; but if copies would do they might +be taken. It was at length settled, that I should go over land to Port +Louis with the passport and commission, and that Mr. Aken should be +furnished with a pilot and bring the schooner round after me. + +I was conducted to the house of M. Dunienville, about a mile distant, to +be ready to set off on horseback early next morning. The gentleman who +interpreted informed me on the way, that general Magallon was at Bourbon, +having been lately superseded by general De Caen, an officer of the +French revolution. M. Dunienville had been a lieutenant of the navy and +knight of St. Louis under the old government, and was then major of the +district of _La Savanne_; but the other officer, M. Etienne Bolger, had +lately been appointed commandant over his head, by the new governor. + +My reception at the major's house was polite and hospitable; and at dawn +of day [FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER 1803] I rose to set off with my host for Port +Louis, according to the plan settled over night. It appeared, however, +that he first expected some orders from the commandant; and at ten +o'clock becoming impatient of the delay, I requested to know whether it +were, or were not intended to go overland? Major Dunienville seemed to be +hurt that the agreement had not been kept; but the direction was taken +out of his hands, and not having received final orders he could do +nothing. I then returned to the Cumberland, with the intention of sailing +either with or without a pilot; but a wind favourable for quitting the +bay being not expected before four o'clock it induced me to accept the +major's pressing invitation to dine at his house, where four or five +strangers were assembled. Before dinner was over, an order came to him +from the commandant _to permit the departure of the schooner he had +stopped_; and at five o'clock the pilot being on board, we stood out from +the reefs in one of those squalls which come off the land at that hour in +the summer season. + +This little Baye du Cap lies about four miles east from Cape Brabant, a +headland at the south-west extremity of the island. The shelter is formed +by coral reefs, through which a small river falling into the bay has kept +open a passage of about a cable's length wide, with a depth of 3 fathoms +close to the eastern breakers; within side there appeared to be anchorage +for six or eight small vessels, in from 2 to 3 fathoms; but on account of +the flurries of wind which come down the gullies and off the precipices, +it is necessary to moor head and stern. Mr. Aken found the latitude from +an indifferent observation to be 20 deg. 291/2' south. + +At seven in the evening we passed round Cape Brabant, and the pilot then +kept north-eastward, close along the reefs under the high land; although +by so doing we were frequently becalmed, and sometimes had strong +flurries which made it necessary to take in all sail; but it appeared +that he was afraid of being driven off the island. At eight in the +morning [SATURDAY 17 DECEMBER 1803], the mast heads of the vessels in +Port Louis were in sight, and there was a large ship lying without side +which I hoped might be _Le Geographe_. Major Dunienville had informed me +that this ship had been some time at Mauritius, and so far as he knew, +was still at the port, though upon the eve of sailing for Europe. Captain +Baudin died soon after his arrival, and Mons. Melius, who had been first +lieutenant of Le Naturaliste when at Port Jackson, then commanded. + +During this passage to Port Louis, my mind was occupied in turning over +all the circumstances of my situation, and the mode of proceeding likely +to be adopted by the new governor. The breaking out of the war, the +neglect of providing in the passport for any such case as that in which I +stood, and the ungracious conduct of the commandant at the Baye du Cap, +gave me some apprehensions; but on the other hand, the intention of the +passport to protect the persons employed in the expedition, with their +charts and journals, must be evident; and the conduct of a governor +appointed by the first consul Bonaparte, who was a professed patron of +science, would hardly be less liberal than that of two preceding French +governments to captain Cook in the American, and captain Vancouver in the +last war; for both of whom protection and assistance had been ordered, +though neither carried passports or had suffered shipwreck. These +circumstances, with the testimony which the commanders of the Geographe +and Naturaliste had doubtless given of their treatment at Port Jackson, +seemed to insure for me the kindest reception; and I determined to rest +confident in this assurance, and to banish all apprehension as derogatory +to the governor of Mauritius and to the character of the French nation. + +CHAPTER IV. + +Arrival at Port Louis (or North-West) in Mauritius. +Interview with the French governor. +Seizure of the Cumberland, with the charts and journals of the +Investigator's voyage; and imprisonment of the commander and people. +Letters to the governor, with his answer. +Restitution of some books and charts. +Friendly act of the English interpreter. +Propositions made to the governor. +Humane conduct of captain Bergeret. +Reflections on a voyage of discovery. +Removal to the Maison Despeaux or Garden Prison. + +[AT MAURITIUS. PORT LOUIS.] + +SATURDAY 17 DECEMBER 1803 + +At four in the afternoon of Dec. 17, we got to an anchor at the entrance +of Port Louis, near the ship which I had hoped might be Le Geographe; but +captain Melius had sailed for France on the preceding day, and this +proved to be L'Atalante frigate. + +The peculiarity of my situation, arising from the renewal of war and +neglect in the passport to provide for any accident happening to the +Investigator, rendered great precaution necessary in my proceedings; and +to remove as much possible, any doubts or misconceptions, I determined to +go immediately with my passport and commission to the French governor, +and request his leave to get the necessary reparations made to the +schooner; but learning from the pilot that it was a regulation of the +port for no person to land before the vessel had been visited by the +officer of health, it was complied with. At five the boat came +along-side; and having answered some general questions proposed in good +English, I went into the boat in my frock uniform, and was conducted to +the government house by an officer of the port and an interpreter. These +gentlemen, after speaking with an aide-de-camp, told me that the +captain-general was at dinner, and we must return in an hour or two; and +they took me to a shady place which seemed to be the common lounge for +the officers connected with the port. There were some who spoke English, +and by way of passing the time, they asked if I had really come from +Botany Bay in that little vessel; whether a corvette, sent out the night +before to observe my motions, had been seen; and if I had not sent a boat +on shore in the night? Others asked questions of monsieur Baudin's +conduct at Port Jackson, and of the English colony there; and also +concerning the voyage of monsieur Flinedare, of which, to their surprise, +I knew nothing, but afterwards found it to be my own name which they so +pronounced. + +In two hours we again went to the government house, and the officers +entered to render their account, leaving me at the door for half an hour +longer. At length the interpreter desired me to follow him, and I was +shown into a room where two officers were standing at a table; the one a +shortish thick man in a laced round jacket, the other a genteel-looking +man whose blood seemed to circulate more tranquilly. The first, which was +the captain-general De Caen, fixed his eyes sternly upon me, and without +salutation or preface demanded my passport, my commission! Having glanced +over them, he asked in an impetuous manner, the reason for coming to the +Isle of France in a small-schooner with a passport for the Investigator? +I answered in a few words, that the Investigator having become rotten, +the governor of New South Wales had given me the schooner to return to +England; and that I had stopped at the island to repair my vessel and +procure water and refreshments. He then demanded the order for embarking +in the schooner and coming to the Isle of France; to which my answer was, +that for coming to the island I had no order, necessity had obliged me to +stop in passing--my order for embarking in the Cumberland was on board. +At this answer, the general lost the small share of patience of which he +seemed to be possessed, and said with much gesture and an elevated +voice--"You are imposing on me, sir! (_Vous m'en imposez, monsieur!_) +It is not probable that the governor of New South Wales should send away +the commander of an expedition on discovery in so small a vessel!--" He +then gave back my passport and commission, and I made a motion to follow +the interpreter out, but was desired to stop a little. In a few minutes +the interpreter returned with a military officer, to whom some orders not +explained to me were given, and I was desired to follow them; when going +out the captain-general said in a softer tone something about my being +well treated, which I could not comprehend. + +In the way to the wharf, I inquired of the interpreter where they were +taking me? He said, on board the schooner, and that they had orders to +bring my books and papers on shore; in effect, they took all the charts, +papers, and journals relating to my voyage, as also the Port-Jackson +letters and packets, both public and private; and having put them into a +trunk which was sealed by me at their desire, they made out a report +(_proces verbal_) of their proceedings, and requested me to sign it with +them. The preamble of this report set forth something upon the suspicions +excited by my appearance at the Isle of France, with the +captain-general's opinion thereon; I therefore refused to sign it, but +certified at the bottom, that all the charts, journals, and papers of the +voyage, together with all the letters on board the schooner had been +taken. + +The conduct of these gentlemen being polite, I expressed to them my +sentiments of general De Caen's manner of receiving me, and the injustice +of taking away the papers of a voyage protected by a passport from the +French government; and added, that the captain-general's conduct must +alter very much before I should pay him a second visit, or even set my +foot on shore again. The interpreter hoped I would go on shore with them, +for the general had ordered a lodging to be provided for me; and that, in +fact, they had orders to take me there. I looked at him and at the +officer, who was one of the aides-de-camp--What! I exclaimed in the first +transports of surprise and indignation--I am then a prisoner! They +acknowledged it to be true; but said they hoped it would last only a few +days, until my papers were examined; and that in the mean time, +directions had been given that I should want for nothing. + +Mr. Aken was also to go on shore; and whilst we put a few clothes +together in a trunk, several black men, under the direction of another +pilot, were warping the schooner up into the port. At one in the morning +[SUNDAY 18 DECEMBER 1803] the officers took us into their boat, leaving +the Cumberland, with Mr. Charrington and the crew, under a guard of +soldiers. + +We were conducted to a large house in the middle of the town, and through +a long dark entry, up a dirty stair case, into the room destined for us; +the aide-de-camp and interpreter then wished us a good night, and we +afterwards heard nothing save the measured steps of a sentinel, walking +in the gallery before our door. The chamber contained two truckle beds, a +small table and two rush-bottomed chairs; and from the dirty appearance +of the room I judged the lodging provided for us by the general to be one +of the better apartments of a common prison; there were, however, no iron +bars behind the lattice windows, and the frame of a looking-glass in the +room had formerly been gilt. It seemed to me a wiser plan to leave the +circumstances to develop themselves, rather than to fatigue ourselves +with uncertain conjectures; therefore, telling Mr. Aken we should +probably know the truth soon enough, I stripped and got into bed; but +between the musketoes above and bugs below, and the novelty of our +situation, it was near daybreak before either of us dropped asleep. + +At six o'clock, I was awakened by two armed grenadiers entering the room. +The one said some words to the other, pointing to us at the same time, +and then went out; and he that remained began walking backward and +forward between our beds, as a sentinel on his post, without seeming to +pay great attention to us. Had there been curtains, I should have tried +to regain my slumber; but not being able to sleep in such company, I rose +and awoke my companion, who seeing the grenadier and not at first +recollecting our situation, answered in a manner that would have diverted +me at any other time. The sentinel did not prevent us speaking together; +and on looking out at the window, we found that it was in reality a +tavern where they had placed us, though a very dirty one; it bore the +name of _Cafe Marengo_. A breakfast was brought at eight, and dinner at +twelve, and we eat heartily; good bread, fresh meat, fruit, and +vegetables being great rarities. + +At one o'clock, the aide-de-camp, whom I learned to be lieut. colonel +Monistrol, came to the tavern and desired me to accompany him to the +general; and being shown into an office, a German secretary, who spoke +some English, put various questions to me from a paper, in substance +nearly as follows. How it was that I appeared at the Isle of France in so +small a vessel, when my passport was for the Investigator? What was +become of the officers and men of science who made part of the +expedition? Whether I had any knowledge of the war before arriving? Why +cartel colours had been hoisted, and a vessel chased in sight of the +island? What were my objects for putting into Port North-West, and by +what authority? The orders from governor King, relating to the +Cumberland, were also demanded, and carried to the captain-general with +my answers to the above questions; and soon afterward to my surprise, an +invitation was brought me to go to the general's table, his dinner being +then served up. This invitation was so contrary to all that had hitherto +passed, and being unaccompanied with any explanation, that I at first +thought it could not be serious, and answered that I had already dined; +but on being pressed to go at least to the table, my reply was, that +"under my present situation and treatment it was impossible; when they +should be changed, when I should be set at liberty, if His Excellency +thought proper to invite me, I should be flattered by it, and accept his +invitation with pleasure." It had indeed the air of an experiment, to +ascertain whether I were really a commander in the British navy; and had +the invitation been accepted without explanation or a change of +treatment, an inference might have been drawn that the charge of +imposture was well founded; but in any case, having been grossly insulted +both in my public and private character, I could not debase the situation +I had the honour to hold by a tacit submission. When the aide-de-camp +returned from carrying the above reply, he said that the general would +invite me when set at liberty; but nothing was offered in the way of +explanation. + +A paper containing the questions of the German secretary with my answers, +was required to be signed, but this being in French, I objected as not +understanding it; a translation was therefore to be made, and the letter +of governor King respecting the Cumberland was to be put into French for +the captain-general. Extracts from my journal, showing the necessity of +quitting the Investigator, were moreover desired, and also my reasons at +full length for stopping at the Isle of France, instead of going to the +Cape of Good Hope; it being necessary, they said, for the general to +transmit these to the French government, to justify himself for granting +that assistance to the Cumberland which had been ordered for the +Investigator. It was already night, and the excessive heat, with being +kept six hours answering questions, was very fatiguing; I therefore took +the third volume of my rough log book, which contained the whole of what +they desired to know, and pointing out the parts in question to the +secretary, told him to make such extracts as should be thought requisite. +I then requested to be shown back to the tavern, also that the sentinel +might be taken out of our room, and Mr. Aken be permitted to return on +board the schooner to keep order; to which the aide-de-camp brought for +answer, that it was then too late to make new arrangements, but His +Excellency would see me in the morning. All the books and papers, the +third volume of my rough log book excepted, were then returned into the +trunk and sealed as before; and I was reconducted to my confinement +between eight and nine o'clock. + +MONDAY 19 DECEMBER 1803 + +Next morning, the sentinel in our chamber was ordered to take his station +without side; and in the afternoon M. Bonnefoy, the interpreter, came to +say that business prevented the captain-general from seeing me before the +following day. Mr. Aken had permission to go on board the schooner under +the conduct of an officer; but not being allowed to remain, he brought +away the time keeper, with my sextant and artificial horizon; and we +commenced a series of observations for a new error and rate, ready +against the day of our departure. + +TUESDAY 20 DECEMBER 1803 + +Mr. Charrington came from the schooner on the 20th to inform me, that the +seamen were committing many irregularities, taking spirits out of my +cabin and going on shore as they pleased; the French guard seeming to +take little or no cognisance of their actions. At one o'clock the +interpreter and a military officer took me to the government house, and I +expected to have an interview with the general and a termination put to +our confinement. They showed me into the secretary's office, and +requested a copy of my passport and commission; and having made out one +myself and signed them both, the interpreter then said the general was +busy and could not see me that day; and I was taken back without learning +when he would be at liberty, or what was intended to be done. + +As yet I was unable to comprehend any thing of the captain-general's +conduct; but however great my indignation at seeing my liberty and time +thus trifled with, it was to be feared that in writing to him for an +explanation, before seeing what turn the affair would take, might be +productive of more harm than good. The disorders on board the schooner, +however, requiring immediate correction, I wrote a note to inform him of +them; requesting at the same time, that Mr. Aken might remain in the +Cumberland, and that the caulking of the vessel's upper works and fresh +boring of the pumps might be commenced, these being the principal objects +for which I had stopped at the island. In the evening the interpreter +called to say, that the corporal of the guard on board the schooner had +been punished for neglecting his orders; that one of the sailors, a +Prussian, being found on shore had been put into the guard house, and +that an answer would be given to my note in the morning [WEDNESDAY 21 +DECEMBER 1803]. In effect, the interpreter then came with +lieutenant-colonel Monistrol, and explained to me a paper to the +following purport. + +That the captain-general being convinced from the examination of my +journal, that I had absolutely changed the nature of the mission for +which the First Consul had granted a passport, wherein I was certainly +not authorised to stop at the Isle of France to make myself acquainted +with the _periodical winds, the port, present state Of the colony, etc._ +That such conduct being a violation of neutrality, he ordered colonel +Monistrol to go on board the Cumberland, and in my presence to collect +into one or more trunks all other papers which might add to the proofs +already acquired; and after sealing the trunks, I was to be taken back to +the house where my suspicious conduct had made it necessary to confine me +from the instant of arriving in the port. It was further ordered, that +the crew of the schooner should be kept on board the prison ship; and +that an inventory should be taken of every thing in the Cumberland, and +the stores put under seal and guarded conformably to the regulations.* + +[* The following is a copy of the order, as given to me by the +interpreter and certified by colonel Monistrol (In French, not included +here. Ebook editor.)] + +Such was the answer given to my request for the repairs of the schooner +to be commenced. In compliance with their order the officers took me on +board, and the remaining books and papers, whether relating in any way to +the Investigator's voyage or not, even to letters received from my family +and friends during several years, were all taken away, locked up in a +trunk, and sealed. Mr. Aken and myself were allowed to take our clothes, +but the officers dared not venture to let me have any printed books; I +must however do colonel Monistrol and M. Bonnefoy the justice to say, +that they acted throughout with much politeness, apologizing for what +they were obliged by their orders to execute; and the colonel said he +would make a representation to the captain-general, who doubtless lay +under some mistake. + +This turn to my affairs surprised, and at first stunned me. The single +circumstance about which I had entertained the least apprehension, was +the neglect in my passport of providing for any other vessel than the +Investigator; but from this order of the captain-general, I found myself +considered in the light of a spy; my desire to know how far Mauritius +could be useful as a place of refitment in the future part of my +voyage--a desire formed and expressed in the belief of its being a time +of peace, was made a plea for depriving me of liberty and the result of +more than two years of risk and labour. The sensations raised by this +violation of justice, of humanity, and of the faith of his own +government, need not be described; they will be readily felt by every +Englishman who has been subjected, were it only for a day, to French +revolutionary power. On returning to my place of confinement, I +immediately wrote and sent the following letter, addressed to His +Excellency the captain-general De Caen, governor in chief, etc. etc. etc. +Isle of France. + +Sir, + +From your order, which was explained to me this morning, I find that the +plea for detaining me is not now that I do not appear with the +Investigator, according to _the letter_ of my passport from the first +consul of France; but that I have violated the neutrality therein +required by having given in my journal, as an additional reason for +putting into this port, that "it would enable me to acquire a knowledge +of the periodical winds, and of the present state of the French colony; +how far it or its dependencies in Madagascar might be useful to Port +Jackson, and how far it would be a convenient place for me to touch at in +my future expected voyage:" I quote from memory only, my journal being in +your possession. How this remark, made upon the supposition of our two +nations being at peace, can be a breach of neutrality, I acknowledge +myself unable to discover. Nothing can, in my opinion, add to the +propriety of the intentions with which I put into this port, but I shall +justify it by the example of your own nation; and to do so, it is only +necessary for me to refer to the instructions which preface the published +voyage of the unfortunate La Perouse, by the judicious Fleurieu. Your +Excellency will there see, that the much lamented navigator was ordered +to make particular observations upon the trade, manufactures, strength, +situation, etc. of every port where he might touch; so that, if the +example of your own nation be taken as a standard of propriety, the plea +for making me a prisoner is altogether untenable. Upon the supposition +even of its being war, and that I knew it and still intended to make the +observations expressed in my journal; upon this incorrect and worst +supposition I have, I think, an example of similar conduct in your own +nation; unless you can assure me that the captains Baudin and Hamelin +made no such remarks upon Port Jackson, for it was a declared war at the +time they lay in that port. But were they forbidden to make such remarks +and notes upon the state of that English colony? Upon its progress, its +strength, the possibility of its being attacked with advantage, and the +utility it might afford to the French nation? I tell you, general De +Caen, No. The governor in chief at Port Jackson knew too well the dignity +of his own nation, either to lay any prohibition upon these commanders, +or to demand to see what their journals might contain. + +I shall next appeal to you as being the representative in this place of a +great nation, which has hitherto shown itself forward to protect and +encourage those sciences by which the knowledge of mankind is extended or +their condition ameliorated. Understand then, Sir, that I was chosen by +that patron of science sir Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society +of London, and one well known by all the literati throughout the world, +to retrace part of the track of the immortal captain Cook--to complete +what in New Holland and its neighbourhood he had left unfinished--and to +perfect the discovery of that extensive country. This employment, Sir, as +it was congenial to my own inclinations, so I pursued it with avidity; +upon it, as from a convex lens, all the rays of knowledge and science +which my opportunities have enabled me to collect, were thrown. I was +unfortunate in that my ship decayed before the voyage was completed; but +the captain-general at Port Jackson, who is also the senior naval officer +there, was so sensible of the importance of the voyage and of the zeal +with which I had pursued it (for the truth of which I appeal to his +letters now in your possession), that he gave me a colonial ship of war +to transport me with my officers, charts, etc. to England, that I might +obtain another ship in which the voyage might be completed. In this +second ship I was a passenger; and in her, shipwreck and the loss of +charts which had cost me much labour and many risks to make perfect, were +added to my first misfortune; but my zeal suffered no abatement. I +returned to Port Jackson (734 miles) in an open boat, and got a merchant +ship which was bound to China, hired to carry my officers and people to +England by that circuitous route; but desirous of losing no time, I took +a small schooner of twenty-nine tons, a mere boat, in order to reach +England by a nearer passage, and thus gain two or three mouths of time in +the outfit of my future expected ship; making my own case and safety to +stand in no competition with the great object of forwarding my voyage. +Necessity, and not inclination, obliged me to put in at the Isle of +France in my route. + +Now, Sir, I would beg to ask you whether it becomes the French nation, +independently of all passport, to stop the progress of such a voyage, and +of which the whole maritime world are to receive the benefit? How +contrary to this was her conduct some years since towards captain Cook! +But the world highly applauded her conduct then; and possibly we may +sometime see what the general sentiment will be in the present case. + +I sought protection and assistance in your port, and I have found a +prison! Judge for me as a man, Sir--judge, for me as a British officer +employed in a neutral occupation--judge for me as a zealous +philanthropist, what I must feel at being thus treated. + +At present I quit the subject with the following requests: that I may be +permitted to have my printed books on shore; and that my servant may be +allowed to attend me in my apartment. + +With all the respect due from my situation to the captain-general, + +I am +From my confinement, +Your Excellency's obedient servant, +Dec. 21, 1803. +Matthew Flinders. + +The lapse of several years has enabled me to consider the transactions of +this period under different views, to regard them with almost the +coolness of an uninterested observer; and I see the possibility that a +dispassionate reader may accuse me of taking too high a position, and +using too warm a style--in rather giving way to the dictates of feeling +than dwelling upon the proofs of my innocence; perhaps also, he may +accuse me of vanity, in seeking to enhance my own zeal and claims. +Without attempting to controvert these censures, I beg him to consider +all the circumstances of my situation: my voyage, shipwreck, and anxiety +to pursue the steps of our celebrated navigators. Let him suppose himself +to have executed so much of the same task, escaped the same dangers; and +under the influence of powerful motives to reach England with expedition, +to be arrested on the way, his misfortunes either not heeded or converted +into proofs of delinquency, and himself treated as a spy; and this is +done by the representative of a government which had promised assistance +and protection, and moreover owed him a return for the kind treatment +recently experienced by Frenchmen in the port from whence he came. Let +him suppose himself writing to his oppressor with these various +recollections crowding on his imagination; and the allowances he would +then desire for himself, I request of him to make for me. + +THURSDAY 22 DECEMBER 1803 + +On the day following the transmission of the letter, my servant was +brought on shore from the prison ship, where he left Mr. Charrington and +the seamen closely confined; but no answer was returned either on the +22nd or 23rd, nor did we hear any thing that could give an insight into +what further was intended to be done. We suffered much from the heat of +the weather and want of fresh air; for the town of Port Louis is wholly +exposed to the rays of the sun, whilst the mountains which form a +semicircle round it to the east and south, not only prevent the trade +wind from reaching it, but reflect the heat in such a manner, that from +November to April it is almost insupportable. During this season, the +inhabitants whose affairs do not oblige them to remain, fly to the higher +and windward parts of the island; and the others take the air and their +exercise very early in the morning and late in the evening. We who were +shut up in the middle of the town, and from having been three months +confined to a vessel of twenty-nine tons were much in need of exercise, +could not but feel the personal inconveniences of such a situation in +their full rigour; and the perturbation of mind, excited by such unworthy +treatment, did not tend to alleviate their effects on our health. But the +heat and want of fresh air were not the worst evils. Our undefended +pallet beds were besieged by swarms of bugs and musketoes, and the bites +of these noxious insects upon bodies ready to break out with scurvy, +produced effects more than usually painful and disagreeable. Being almost +covered with inflamed spots, some of which had become ulcers on my legs +and feet, I wrote to the captain-general, requesting the assistance of a +surgeon; and also to know under what limitations he would allow me to +write to the Admiralty of Great Britain, and to my family and friends; +but the main subject was left untouched, in expectation of an answer to +the former letter. + +In the afternoon, one of the aides-de-camp said that His Excellency did +not prevent me from writing to whom I pleased; but that my letters must +be sent open to the town major, who would forward them to their address. +The same evening a surgeon, who did not speak English, came to our room; +next morning [SATURDAY 24 DECEMBER 1803] he returned with the +interpreter, and finding the ulcers to be scorbutic, ordered me, in +addition to his dressings, to drink plentifully of lemonade and live upon +fruit and vegetables. Their visit was repeated on the following day +[SUNDAY 25 DECEMBER 1803]; but nothing transpired relative to the +general's intentions, nor to any answer proposed to be given to my letter +of the 21st; and I therefore wrote another in the following terms. + +Sir, + +From whatever cause it may be that I have received no answer to my letter +of the 21st last, I shall yet continue to do my duty to my government and +the cause of discovery, by pointing out every circumstance that may have +a probability of inducing you to liberate my people, my vessel, and +myself. + +A former letter showed, that upon the principles adopted in voyages of +discovery by your own nation, the plea for detaining me a prisoner was +untenable; and also that independently of any passport, it ill became the +French nation to stop the prosecution of a voyage of discovery, +especially one carried on with the zeal that mine has hitherto been. In +this letter I shall endeavour to point out another circumstance, at least +as important as the former, so far as regards the injustice of my +detainer. In this point of view then, Sir, I shall admit, that to make +any remarks upon a port which might enable either myself or others to +come into it again with more facility, or which might give information +concerning the refreshments and articles of commerce to be procured at +it, is, although made in time of peace, a crime; and consequently, that +if La Perouse executed his instructions, he was no better than a spy at +the different ports where he put in. Let this, Sir, for the moment be +admitted; and I ask what proofs you have that I have made such remarks? +You will probably say, I _intended_ to make them. True, but intention is +not action. I might have altered my intentions on coming into the port, +and finding our two nations to be at war: you cannot know what alteration +a knowledge of the war might have made in my sentiments. We do indeed +judge much of the merit or demerit of an action by the intention with +which it is performed; but in all cases there must be an action performed +to constitute any certain merit or demerit amongst men. Now in my case +there appears to have been intention only; and even this intention I have +before shown to be consistent with the practice of your own nation, and I +believe of all nations. + +As it appears that Your Excellency had formed a determination to stop the +Cumberland, previously even to seeing me, if a specious pretext were +wanting for it, it would have been more like wisdom to have let me alone +until the eve of sailing, and then to have seized my journal; where it is +possible something better than _intention_ might have been fixed upon as +a cause for making me a prisoner. This would have been a mean action, and +altogether unworthy of you or your nation; but it might have answered +your purpose better than the step now taken. I say there appears to have +been a previous determination to stop the Cumberland, and from this +cause; that on the first evening of my arrival, and before any +examination was made into my papers (my commission and passport +excepted), you told me impetuously that I was _imposing upon you_. Now I +cannot think that an officer of your rank and judgment could act either +so ungentlemanlike, or so unguardedly, as to make such a declaration +without proof; unless his reason had been blinded by passion, or a +previous determination that it should be so, _nolens volens_. In your +order of the 21st last it is indeed said, that the captain-general has +acquired conviction that I am the person I pretend to be, and the same +for whom a passport was obtained by the English government from the First +Consul; it follows then, as I am willing to explain it, that I _am not_ +and _was not_ an impostor. This plea was given up when a more plausible +one was thought to be found; but I cannot compliment Your Excellency upon +this alteration in your position, for the first, although false, is the +most tenable post of the two. + +Trusting that upon a due consideration of all the circumstances, you will +be pleased to fulfil the intention for which the passport was given, I +have the honour to be, + +From my confinement, +Your Excellency's obedient servant, +Dec. 25, 1803. +Matthew Flinders. + +In the evening, a letter was brought me by a soldier from general De +Caen, and the haste with which it had been sent inspired favourable +hopes; I did not expect the visit of the interpreter until the following +day, and therefore attempted to decipher the letter by the help of a +French dictionary, with a degree of anxiety which its contents were but +little calculated to satisfy: it was as follows. + +I did not answer your letter of the 21st December, Sir, because it was +useless to commence a debate here between you and me, upon the motives +well or ill founded from which I took upon myself to stop the Cumberland +until further orders. On the other hand, I should have had too much +advantage in refuting your assertions, notwithstanding the reasonings and +quotations with which you have adorned them. + +I was still willing to attribute the unreserved tone you had used in that +letter, to the ill humour produced by your present situation. I was far +from thinking that after having seriously reflected upon the causes and +circumstances, you should take occasion from a silence so delicate to go +still further; but your last letter no longer leaves me an alternative. + +Your undertaking, as extraordinary as it was inconsiderate, to depart +from Port Jackson in the Cumberland, more to give proof of an officious +zeal, more for the private interests of Great Britain than for what had +induced the French government to give you a passport, which I shall +unfold at a proper opportunity, had already given me an idea of your +character; but this letter overstepping all the bounds of civility, +obliges me to tell you, until _the general opinion judges of your faults +or of mine_, to cease all correspondence tending to demonstrate the +justice of your cause; since you know so little how to preserve the rules +of decorum.* + +[The text of the letter, in French, was set out in the book, but is not +set out in this ebook.] + +The accusation of not preserving the rules of decorum, seemed not a +little extraordinary from one who had kept me above two hours in the +street when I had gone to wait upon him, and who had qualified me with +the title of impostor without examination; but it seemed that any act of +aggression on the part of the general was to meet only with submission +and respect. Embarrassment sheltering itself under despotic power, was +evident in this letter; but it gave no further insight into the reasons +for making me a prisoner, and consequently no opportunity of vindicating +my innocence. It therefore seemed wisest, seeing the kind of man with +whom I had to deal, to follow his directions and leave the main subject +to the operation of time; but to take off my mind from dwelling too +intensely upon the circumstance of being arrested at such a conjuncture, +I determined to employ it in forwarding my voyage, if an application for +the necessary papers should be attended with success. + +MONDAY 26 DECEMBER 1803 + +Having obtained a translation of the general's letter from the +interpreter, who came next morning in company with the surgeon, I wrote +to request, + +1st. My printed books from the schooner. + +2nd. My private letters and papers out of the secretary's office. + +3rd. To have two or three charts and three or four manuscript books, for +the purpose of finishing the chart of the Gulph of Carpentaria; adding in +explanation, that the parts wanting were mostly lost in the shipwreck, +and I wished to replace them from my memory and remaining materials +before it were too late. For these a receipt was offered, and my word +that nothing in the books should be erased or destroyed; but I wished to +make additions to one or two of the books as well as to the charts, and +would afterwards be ready to give up the whole. + +4th. I represented a complaint from my seamen, of being shut up at night +in a place where not a breath of air could come to them; which, in a +climate like this, must be not only uncomfortable in the last degree, but +very destructive to European constitutions. Also, that the people with +whom they were placed were affected with that disagreeable and contagious +disorder the itch; and that their provisions were too scanty, except in +the article of bread, the proportion of which was large, but of a bad +quality. + +An answer was given on the same day by one of the general's +aides-de-camp, who said that orders had been given for the delivery of +the books and papers; that the place where the seamen were kept was very +wholesome; and as to the provisions, that orders had been given on my +arrival for the people of the Cumberland to be treated as French seamen +in actual service; that he would inquire whether any thing contrary had +been done, which he did not think, but in that case it should be set +right. + +TUESDAY 27 DECEMBER 1803 + +At noon next day colonel Monistrol and M. Bonnefoy called, and a trunk +was brought from on board the schooner, containing a part of my printed +books. The colonel seemed to be sorry that my letters to the general had +been couched in a style so far from humble, and to think that they might +rather tend to protract than terminate my confinement; on which I +observed, believing him to be in the general's confidence, that as my +demand was to obtain common justice, an adulatory style did not seem +proper, more especially when addressed to a republican who must despise +it: my rights had been invaded, and I used the language natural to a man +so circumstanced. Had favours been wanted, or there had been any thing to +conceal, my language would probably have been different; but of all +things I desired that the strictest scrutiny should be made into my +papers, and that it should be confronted with any examination they might +choose to make of myself or people. The colonel and interpreter, either +from politeness or conviction, did not disagree with these sentiments, +but repeated that a different mode of writing might have answered better; +it appeared indeed, from their conversation, that French republicanism +involved any thing rather than liberty, justice, and equality, of which +it had so much boasted. + +So soon as the two gentlemen were gone, I took out my naval signal book +from the trunk and tore it to pieces; the private signals had been lost +in the shipwreck, so that my mind was now freed from apprehensions which +had given much inquietude. + +WEDNESDAY 28 DECEMBER 1803 + +On the 28th, M. Chapotin, the surgeon, called as usual with the +interpreter. He said that air and exercise were necessary to the +re-establishment of my health, and that so soon as I should be able to +walk out, it would be proper to apply to the general for a permission; +and on my objecting to ask any thing like a personal favour, he promised +with some degree of feeling to take the application on himself. + +No mention was made this day of the books and papers, to be delivered +from the sealed trunks; but next morning [THURSDAY 29 DECEMBER 1803] I +was conducted to the government house, and took out all my private +letters and papers, the journals of bearings and astronomical +observations, two log books, and such charts as were necessary to +completing the Gulph of Carpentaria; for which a receipt was required, +without any obligation to return them. The third log book, containing +transactions and remarks in different vessels during the preceding six +months, was important to me on many accounts, and especially for the +observations it contained upon Torres' Strait and the Gulph; but it was +said to be in the hands of the general, who could not be disturbed, and +two boxes of despatches from governor King and colonel Paterson had been +taken away. All the other books and papers, including my passport, +commission, etc., with some accounts from the commissary of New South +Wales and many private letters from individuals in that colony, were +locked up in a trunk and sealed as before. + +SATURDAY 31 DECEMBER 1803 + +On the 31st. I sent to the town major's office an open letter addressed +to the secretary of the Admiralty, giving a short account of my +embarkation and shipwreck in the Porpoise, voyage in the Cumberland, and +situation in Mauritius; with two private letters, and a request that they +might be forwarded by the first opportunity. Next day [SUNDAY 1 JANUARY +1804] the receipt of them was acknowledged, and a promise given to inform +me of the means by which they should be sent, and it was done +accordingly; but not one of the letters, or of their duplicates, was ever +received. + +Having calculated with Mr. Aken the observations previously taken for the +rate of the time keeper,* I now worked earnestly upon the chart of the +Gulph of Carpentaria; and this employment served to divert my chagrin, +and the indignation which, however useless it might be, I could not but +feel at the author of our imprisonment. The want of my log book, however, +was a great obstacle to laying down the parts seen in the Cumberland; and +nothing more having been said of it, a short letter was written to +general De Caen on the 5th, reminding him that the log was necessary to +the construction of my charts, and that only a small part of the printed +books had yet been delivered. A verbal answer was brought by the +interpreter, and two days afterward the books came from the schooner; but +respecting the log no answer was made. + +[* The rate from December 19 to 25, was 36.9" losing, or only 0.16" more +than that previously found at Coepang in Timor; but the longitude deduced +from the first observation with the Coepang rate, was 57 deg. 40' 40.5", or +10' 43.5" greater than afterwards obtained from twenty-seven sets of +lunar distances. In laying down the track from Timor, this error has been +equally distributed throughout the thirty five days between November 14 +and December 19, 1803.] + +The sentinel placed at the door of our chambers (for we had a few days +before obtained a second, with musketo curtains to our beds), became +unusually strict at this time, scarcely allowing the master of the +tavern, or even the interpreter or surgeon to see us; and one day, +hearing me inquire the name of some dish in French from the slave who +waited at dinner, the sentinel burst into the room and drove away the +poor affrighted black, saying that we were not to speak to any person. +Previously to this, a Dutch, a Swiss, a Norwegian, and two American +gentlemen had called; but except the Swiss, who found means to bid us +good day occasionally without being noticed, not one came a second time, +for fear of being held in a suspicious light by the government; and now, +the surgeon and interpreter were not admitted without a written order. +Two applications had been made by the surgeon in my behalf, to walk in +the fields near the town; the last was personally to the captain-general, +but although he might have caused a sentinel to follow, or a whole guard +if thought necessary, an unqualified refusal was given to M. Chapotin's +humane request. + +We were lodged and supplied with meals in the tavern at the public +expense; but having lost part of our clothes in the shipwreck, and +distributed some to those of our companions who had saved nothing, both +Mr. Aken and myself were much in want of linen and other necessaries; and +after the few dollars I chanced to have about me were gone, we knew not +how to pay for our washing. All strangers being refused admittance took +away the chance of negotiating bills, for the surgeon spoke no English +and the interpreter always avoided the subject; one morning however, +having previously ascertained that it would not give umbrage, the +interpreter offered to attempt the negotiation of a bill drawn upon the +commissioners of the navy; but the sentinel, seeing him take a paper, +gave information, and M. Bonnefoy was scarcely out of the room when a +file of soldiers made him prisoner; nor, although a public officer, was +he liberated until it was ascertained that he acted with permission, and +had received no other paper than the bill. In the evening he brought the +full sum, at a time when bills upon England could obtain cash with +difficulty at a discount of thirty per cent. It was the chevalier +Pelgrom, who filled the offices of Danish and Imperial consul, that had +acted thus liberally; and he caused me to be informed, that the fear of +incurring the general's displeasure had alone prevented him from offering +his assistance sooner. + +Although Mr. Aken and myself were strictly confined and closely watched, +my servant was left at liberty to go upon my commissions; and once a week +I sent him on board the prison ship, to take Mr. Charrington and the +seamen a basket of fruit and vegetables from the market. They had always +been permitted to walk upon deck in the day time, and latterly been +sometimes allowed to go into the town, accompanied by a soldier; and +since from all we could learn, the final decision of the captain-general +was yet in suspense, I augured favourably of the result from this +relaxation towards the men. My hopes became strengthened on the 14th, by +learning from M. Bonnefoy that it was believed we should be permitted to +walk out, and perhaps depart altogether, so soon as three Dutch ships +commanded by rear-admiral Dekker should have sailed. These ships were +loaded with pepper from Batavia, and bound to Europe; and it seemed +possible that one reason of our detention might be to prevent English +ships gaining intelligence of them by our means; but this could be no +excuse for close imprisonment and taking away my charts and journals, +whatever it might be made for delaying our departure. + +Finding it impossible to obtain the third volume of my log book, the +charts of Torres' Strait and the Gulph of Carpentaria were finished +without it; fortunately the journal kept by Mr. Aken in the Cumberland +had not been taken away, and it proved of great assistance. Our time +passed on in this manner, hoping that the Dutch ships would sail, and +that general De Caen would then suffer us to depart, either in the +Cumberland or some other way; the surgeon came almost daily, on account +of my scorbutic sores, and the interpreter called frequently. I was +careful not to send out my servant often, for it appeared that he was +dogged by spies, and that people were afraid of speaking to him; the +surgeon and interpreter were almost equally cautious with me, so that +although in the midst of a town where news arrived continually from some +part of the world, every thing to us was wrapped in mystery; and M. +Bonnefoy afterwards acknowledged, in answer to a direct question put to +him, that an order had been given to prevent us receiving any +intelligence. + +On the 29th, admiral Dekker sailed with his three ships; and whilst +anxiously expecting some communication, the interpreter called to inform +me that an order had been given for the schooner to be moved up the +harbour, and the stores to be taken out; and he wished to know if Mr. +Aken should be present at making the inventory. I asked what was to be +done with us--with my books and papers? To which he answered by a shrug +of the shoulders: he had come only for the purpose of executing his +order. On each of the two following days Mr. Aken was taken down to the +schooner; for he accepted the proposition to accompany the officers for +the sake of the walk, and in the hope of obtaining some intelligence. He +found the poor Cumberland covered with blue mold within side, and many of +the stores in a decaying state, no precautions having been taken to +preserve her from the heat or the rains; the French inventory was +afterwards brought to him to be signed, but he refused it with my +approbation. + +FEBRUARY 1804 + +This new proceeding seemed to bespeak the captain-general to have finally +taken his resolution to keep us prisoners; and my disappointment at +seeing it, instead of receiving back my books and papers and permission +to depart, was extreme. In the hope to obtain some information I wrote a +note on the 3rd, to solicit of His Excellency the honour of an audience; +and five days having elapsed without an answer, the interpreter was +requested to deliver a message to the same effect. He presently returned +with the concise answer, _No_; but afterwards told me in conversation +that the general had said, "captain Flinders might have known that I did +not wish to see him, by not giving an answer to his note. It is needless +for me to see him, for the conversation will probably be such as to +oblige me to send him to the tower." + +My intention in requesting the audience was to have offered certain +proposals to the general's consideration, and if possible to obtain some +explanation of the reasons for a detention so extraordinary, and now +protracted beyond six weeks; and being disappointed in this, a letter was +written on the 12th, containing the following propositions. + +1st. If your Excellency will permit me to depart with my vessel, papers, +etc., I will pledge my honour not to give any information of the Isle of +France or any thing belonging to it, for a limited time, if it be thought +that I can have gained any information; or if judged necessary, any other +restrictions can be laid upon me. If this will not be complied with, I +request, + +2nd, to be sent to France. + +3rd. But if it be indispensable to detain me here, I request that my +officer and people may be permitted to depart in the schooner; as well +for the purpose of informing the British Admiralty where I am, as to +relieve our families and friends from the report which will be spread of +the total loss of the Porpoise and Cato, with all on board. Mr. Aken can +be laid under what restrictions may be deemed requisite; and my honour +shall be a security that nothing shall be transmitted by me, but what +passes under the inspection of the officer who may be appointed for that +purpose. + +In case of refusing to adopt any of these modes, by which my voyage might +proceed without possibility of injury to the Isle of France, I then +reminded His Excellency that since the shipwreck of the Porpoise, six +months before, my people as well as myself had been mostly confined +either upon a small sand bank in the open sea, or in a boat, or otherwise +on board the Cumberland where there was no room to walk, or been kept +prisoners as at that time; and that I had not previously recovered from a +scorbutic and very debilitated state, arising from eleven months exposure +to great fatigue, bad climate, and salt provisions. After noticing my +scorbutic sores, and his refusal of the surgeon's application for me to +walk out, it was added--The captain-general best knows whether my conduct +has deserved, or the exigencies of his government require, that I should +continue to be closely confined in this sickly town and cut off from +society; but of no part of this letter was any notice taken. + +Two days before, I had been favoured with a visit from captain Bergeret +of the French navy, who had commanded _La Virginie_ frigate when taken by +Sir Edward Pellew, and of whose honourable conduct in the affair of Sir +W. Sydney Smith's imprisonment, public mention had been made in England. +This gentleman sat some time conversing upon my situation, which he +seemed desirous to ameliorate; he said that "the general did not consider +me to be a prisoner of war, and that my confinement did not arise from +any thing I had done." From what then did it arise? At this question he +was silent. He regretted not to have been in town on my arrival, +believing it would have been in his power to have turned the tide of +consequences; and obligingly offered to supply me with money, if in want. + +During a fortnight from this time, no incident occurred worth notice. My +scorbutic sores being much better, the surgeon came but seldom; and the +visits of the interpreter being less frequent than before, our solitude +was rarely interrupted. The Gulph of Carpentaria and Torres' Strait being +finished, my time had since been employed in writing an explanatory +memoir upon the latter chart; Mr. Aken was occupied in copying the +journal of bearings for the Admiralty, and my servant in transcribing the +two first volumes of the log, which had been torn and defaced in the +shipwreck; so that our time did not pass wholly in vain. It was the +completion of the charts, however, that I had most at heart; and although +the success of an application for more materials were very doubtful, an +essay to obtain them was made on the 27th, in the following letter to the +captain-general. + +Sir, + +The term of my imprisonment being lengthened out much beyond my +expectation, puts me under the necessity of making another application to +Your Excellency for more books and charts, that I may still proceed in +completing the account of my observations and discoveries. If the whole +were put into my possession it would be of much service to my labour, and +save Your Excellency from being troubled with any further application on +this head; but if this will not be complied with, I beg to make a small +selection from them, which will principally consist of a roll of charts. +I am not however to deceive Your Excellency--this roll contains the +greater part of my original fair charts, and I am desirous to have them +principally for the purpose of making an abridgment of my discoveries +upon a single sheet. With all due consideration, I am + +Your Excellency's prisoner, + +Matthew Flinders. + +This letter was no more fortunate than the last, and it seemed that +general De Caen had determined upon giving me no answer to any thing. + +The Admiral Aplin, an extra-indiaman outward bound, on board of which +were several officers of the army and four ladies, had been brought in as +a prize; the ladies with their husbands were suffered to remain at a +tavern in the town, at the instance of captain Bergeret, by whose +privateer, La Psyche, they had been taken; the others were sent to a +house at a little distance in the country, where all the English officers +had been a short time confined. I ventured to send my servant to the +tavern, to inquire after my countrymen and women; and they obligingly +furnished me with magazines, newspapers, and a Steele's list of the navy, +up to August 1803, which in such a place, and after so long an ignorance +of what was passing in England, were highly acceptable. + +MARCH 1804 + +On March 1, the interpreter made a personal application to general De +Caen concerning the books and charts mentioned in my last letter; to +which he received for answer, that so soon as the governor was a little +freed from business he would attend to this request. I asked M. Bonnefoy +to give me his opinion of what was likely to be done with us? He replied +that we should probably be kept prisoners so long as the war lasted, but +might perhaps have permission to live in some interior part of the +island, and liberty to take exercise within certain limits. This opinion +surprised me; but I considered it to be that of a man unacquainted with +the nature of a voyage of discovery, and the interest it excites in every +nation of the civilised world, and not the least in France. To be +liberated in an honourable manner by an order of the French government, +so soon as it should be informed of my detention, appeared to be certain; +for whatever colour general De Caen might give to his proceedings, it +could not be disguised that he had arrested the commander of a voyage +bearing a French passport, and had taken from him his charts, journals, +and vessel; but as yet I could not be persuaded that the general would +risk the displeasure of his government, and particularly of the first +consul Bonaparte, by whose order my passport had been given, and who had +professed himself to be a patron of science. A voyage of discovery +undertaken upon liberal principles, and carried on with zeal, tempered +with humanity towards the inhabitants of the countries visited, seemed to +me an object to interest every person, of whatever nation or profession. +The philosopher, or man of general science would see his knowledge of the +globe, and of man, its principal inhabitant, so much the object of such a +voyage, that he might consider it as undertaken for his gratification; +and he who professed a particular branch, whether of natural philosophy +or natural history, would expect so many new observations and discoveries +in his favourite pursuit, that the voyagers could not fail to have his +best wishes for their success. A professor of the fine arts might expect +new and striking subjects to be brought to light, upon which to exercise +his genius and display his powers; the merchant and manufacturer would +anticipate fresh aids to their industry, and new markets for its produce; +and the seaman, from such a voyage, would expect the discovery of new +passages and harbours, to which he might have recourse either for +convenience or safety; and he would also see in it the adoption of the +best means for advancing his art to perfection. The philanthropist and +zealous Christian would have delight in observing the blessings of +civilization thus continually extending themselves, and in seeing new +fields opened in which to sow the seeds of righteousness; and even the +man without profession, science, or zeal, the perfectly idle, could not +be without interest in a voyage of discovery, since the gratification of +curiosity is an object of at least as much concern with them as with any +other class of men. Considering, thus, a voyage for the investigation of +new countries as of extensive interest and importance, it was with +difficulty I could be convinced that there were people who thought it of +none; or of so little, that the putting a stop to it, imprisoning the +commander and seizing his charts and papers, required no more +consideration than if it were a common voyage. To be kept a prisoner so +long as the war should last, did not therefore enter into my conception +as within the bounds of probability, but it is the failing of men of all +professions to over-rate the importance of that which they have +themselves adopted, and into this error it will probably be thought I had +fallen with respect to voyages of discovery. + +We had a second visit on the 6th from captain Bergeret, to whom the +passengers of the Aplin, and particularly the married gentlemen, were +indebted for much attention and indulgence. He seemed to think that +nothing could at this time be able to procure our release, but that we +might perhaps be permitted to live in the country; and he promised to +interest himself in it, so soon as a proper time and opportunity could be +found for speaking to the captain-general. + +The season was arrived in which, should we be set at liberty, it would be +too late to attempt a passage round the Cape of Good Hope in the +schooner, and before the return of another year, the stores, and perhaps +the vessel itself might be rotten; and having no hope to obtain an answer +to a letter, I requested M. Bonnefoy to make an application to the +general for permission to sell the Cumberland. Ten days afterward the +interpreter informed me, that general De Caen had spoken to him of my +wish to live in the country, which had been made known to him by captain +Bergeret; and he desired him to tell me, "to have a little patience, he +should soon come to some determination upon my affair;" being spoken to +upon the sale of the Cumberland, his reply was, "a little patience, it is +time enough yet;" and when the charts and books for which I had applied +on Feb. 27 were mentioned, he still gave the same answer. + +My people were brought on shore on the 23rd, with other British subjects +from the prison ship, in order to be sent to a district called Flacq, on +the east side of the island; and this circumstance confirmed my suspicion +that it was not intended to liberate us until orders were received from +France. Mr. Charrington, the boatswain, was permitted to speak to me in +the presence of an officer before their departure; and after learning the +condition of the poor prisoners, I recommended him to keep our people as +clean in their persons and regular in their conduct as circumstances +would permit; and not to attempt any escape, since we must be liberated +in six or eight months by order of the French government. One of them, +the Prussian who had behaved so ill, had gone away in the Spanish frigate +Fama, by permission of the French; the others had been kept strictly on +board the prison ship after the departure of the three Dutch men of war. +Although several prizes had been brought in, the number of English +prisoners was inconsiderable; owing to some of the vessels being manned +with lascars who were not confined and in part to the sailors having been +induced to enter on board the French privateers, for the sake of +obtaining more provisions and to avoid being kept in irons. + +I had hitherto forborne to write any letters to England, whether public +or private, but what passed open through the office of the town major, +that no plea, even what arbitrary power could construe into such, might +be taken for continuing our imprisonment; but the arrival of letters thus +sent being exceedingly problematical, and my hope of liberation from +general De Caen having disappeared, the motive for this forbearance had +ceased to exist. An account was therefore written to the secretary of the +Admiralty of my arrival, reception, and treatment in Mauritius, inclosing +copies of all the letters written or received; that my Lords +Commissioners might be enabled to take proper measures for obtaining our +liberty and the restitution of my charts and journals; especial care was +taken at the same time, to avoid the mention of any thing which could be +thought to infringe on the passport, as much as if it had remained +inviolate on the part of general De Caen. This letter was inclosed to a +friend in London, and sent by the way of America; and I afterwards +learned from the public papers that it was received in the August +following. + +The end of March had arrived, and nothing more was said of our permission +to reside in the country; and being most heartily weary of close +confinement, I requested to be removed to the same place with the British +officers, prisoners of war; the house where they were kept being +described to be large, and surrounded with a wall inclosing about two +acres of ground, within which the prisoners were allowed to take +exercise. On the 30th colonel Monistrol came to confer on the subject, +and next day conducted me to the house for the purpose of choosing two +rooms. He said on the way that the house was originally built by a +surgeon named Despeaux, and now hired by the government at twenty-five +dollars per month to accommodate the English gentlemen; that it was very +spacious, and had formerly lodged the ambassadors sent by Tippoo Sultaun +to this island; I found it to be situate about a mile north-east from our +tavern in the middle of the town, and enjoying a fresh air which, in +comparison with our place of confinement, made me think it a paradise. +After the unpleasant task of selecting two rooms, which colonel +Monistrol, ordered to be vacated by the officers who were in possession, +he returned with me to the town; and promised at parting to speak again +to the captain-general concerning my charts and books. + +This little walk of a mile showed how debilitating is the want of +exercise and fresh air, for it was not without the assistance of colonel +Monistrol's arm, that I was able to get through it. Conveyances were sent +in the evening for our trunks, and we took possession of our new prison +with a considerable degree of pleasure; this change of situation and +surrounding objects producing an exhilaration of spirits to which we had +long been strangers. + +CHAPTER V. + +Prisoners in the Maison Despeaux or Garden Prison. +Application to admiral Linois. +Spy-glasses and swords taken. +Some papers restored. +Opinions upon the detention of the Cumberland. +Letter of captain Baudin. +An English squadron arrives off Mauritius: its consequences. +Arrival of a French officer with despatches, and observations thereon. +Passages in the Moniteur, with remarks. +Mr. Aken liberated. +Arrival of cartels from India. +Application made by the marquis Wellesley. +Different treatment of English and French prisoners. +Prizes brought to Mauritius in sixteen months. +Departure of all prisoners of war. +Permission to quit the Garden Prison. +Astronomical observations. + +[AT MAURITIUS. GARDEN PRISON.] + +APRIL 1804 + +We lost no time in exploring our new place of confinement, and in making +acquaintance with our fellow prisoners. These were major Shippard and Mr. +W. H. Robertson, who had come from India during the peace on account of +their health, and been detained; the captains Mathews, Dansey, and Loane, +and Mr. McCrae of the Indian army, taken in the Admiral Aplin; and +Messrs. Dale and Seymour of H. M. frigate La DeDaigneuse, who having been +sent with a prize to Bombay had fallen in with the corvette Le Belier, +and been brought to Mauritius. The officers of merchant ships, at first +confined in the Garden Prison, had a few days before been sent out to +Flacq; and the four remaining officers of the army taken in the Aplin, +were allowed, at the intercession of captain Bergeret, to dwell with +their wives at a plantation in the quarter of Pamplemousses, about six +miles from the port. + +M. Bonnefoy, the interpreter, continued to visit us occasionally; and +gave some useful assistance in forming our little establishment, by +procuring the restitution of a part of my private property left in the +Cumberland, and obtaining a permanent permission for my servant to pass +the sentinel at the gate. Our lodging and table in the Cafe Marengo had +been defrayed by the government; and during the first month, six dollars +per day, being two for each person, had been charged; but the _prefet_, +thinking this too much, had fixed the allowance at 116 dollars per month, +for which the tavern keeper agreed to supply us nearly as before. On +being removed to the Garden Prison, the interpreter informed me with some +degree of shame, that a further reduction of eleven dollars per month had +been ordered, to go towards paying the rent of the house; which is +perhaps the first instance of men being charged for the accommodation of +a prison. + +Towards the middle of the month, rear-admiral Linois came into port after +his unsuccessful attempt upon our China fleet, the same in which my +officers and people were passengers. As I believed the want of nautical +information, and especially upon the usages adopted towards voyages of +discovery, had materially contributed to the extraordinary proceedings of +general De Caen, it seemed probable that an examination of my conduct and +papers by the rear-admiral might clear up the affair; and this hope, with +the character of the admiral as an upright and humane man, induced me to +write to him. I described the leading circumstances of my voyage, and +situation at that time; and said, "I should willingly undergo an +examination by the captains of your squadron, and my papers would either +prove or disprove my assertions. If it be found that I have committed any +act of hostility against the French nation or its allies, my passport +will become forfeited, and I expect no favour; but if my conduct hath +been altogether consistent with the passport, I hope to be set at +liberty, or at least to be sent to France for the decision of the +government." Admiral Linois had the politeness to return an immediate +answer; but said, that not being in the port at the time of my arrival, +it belonged to the captain-general to appreciate the motives of my +stopping at the Isle of France, and to determine the time of my momentary +detention. "Nevertheless Sir," he added, "believe, that taking an +interest in your situation, I shall have the honour to speak to the +captain-general concerning it; and shall be flattered in contributing to +your being set at liberty." Unfortunately a difference arose between the +admiral and general De Caen; and the answer given to the application was, +that my case having been submitted to the French government, his request +could not be complied with. + +Captain Halgan of the French corvette Le Berceau, having been in England +during the short peace and heard my voyage there mentioned, as well as by +the officers of Le Geographe, did me the favour of a visit more than +once. He testified a lively interest in my situation, and offered +pecuniary assistance if wanted; and being afterwards ordered to France, +applied for me to be sent on board his ship; which being refused, he +obligingly took a letter to captain Melius of Le Geographe, and two +others for England which were punctually sent. In May [MAY 1804] I +addressed a letter to His Excellency the marquis Wellesley, +governor-general of British India, giving an account of my imprisonment. +The character of general De Caen permitted but little hope to be +entertained from the interference of His Lordship, but it seemed proper +to acquaint him with the circumstances; and it was possible that some +unforeseen occurrence might put it in the power of the marquis to demand +my liberty in a way not to be refused: in all these letters I continued +to adhere most scrupulously to the line of perfect neutrality indicated +by the passport. + +A detention of some months longer, until orders should arrive from +France, appeared now to be inevitable, and the captain-general, by +withholding the charts, papers, and log book, seemed to desire that +nothing should take off my attention from feeling the weight of his +power; but both Mr. Aken and myself contrived to pass some months neither +uselessly nor disagreeably. We associated at table with Mr. Robertson and +the two young gentlemen of the Dedaigneuse, by which our society was +enlivened; and between the employments of copying my bearing book and +defaced journals, making some astronomical observations, reading, and the +amusements of music, walking in the inclosure, and an old billiard table +left in the house, the days passed along rather lightly than otherwise. A +prisoner or two were occasionally added to our number from the prizes +brought in; but when amounting to six or eight, they were marched off to +join the other merchant officers at Flacq. The seamen there were kept +closely confined; but the officers enjoyed some share of liberty, and +were as happy as they could make themselves upon fourteen dollars a +month, in a place where the necessaries of life were exorbitantly dear; +the hospitality of the French families in the neighbourhood, however, +aided them considerably, and they spoke of the kindness and attention +received in high terms. + +JUNE 1804 + +On June 1, captain Neufville, the officer commanding the guard over the +Prison, demanded all the spy-glasses in our possession; at the same time +promising that each should be returned when the owner had permission to +quit the island, and threatening those with close confinement in the +tower, by whom any glass should be concealed. There was no cause to doubt +the authority captain Neufville had to make the threat, but it should +seem he had none to promise the restitution of the glasses; for I saw all +the officers depart, and to the best of my knowledge not one of them +could obtain their own. When Mr. Robertson quitted the island, and he was +one of the first, his spy-glass was not to be found. The French gentleman +to whom he delegated his claim, wrote to the town major upon the subject; +and the answer was, that all arms and instruments taken from prisoners of +war were the lawful property of the captors, as a reward for their +courage; that for himself, he had not taken advantage of this right, but +had given the glass in question to an officer of La Semillante, to be +used against the enemies of his country. This answer not appearing +satisfactory, the gentleman replied that he did not understand how a +spy-glass, belonging to a surgeon, as Mr. Robertson was, could be +construed into arms or instruments of war. The owner had come to the +island on account of his health, previously to the war, and been +detained, therefore no extraordinary courage had been displayed in his +case; and as these circumstances must have been forgotten by the major, +he hoped the glass would be restored according to promise. To this no +answer was returned; and whether all the glasses were given away, or how +disposed of I did not learn, but had to regret the loss of two. + +To the measure of taking away our spy-glasses was added that of nailing +up the door leading to the flat roof of the house. At sunset the sentinel +was accustomed to quit the outer gate, and to be posted before the door +of the prison to prevent any person going into the inclosure after that +time; then it was that a walk upon the roof, after the heat of the day +was passed, became a real pleasure; but of this we were now deprived.* On +the following day a demand was made by a serjeant of invalids, who lived +in the house as police officer, of the swords and all other arms in +possession of the prisoners, and of mine amongst the rest; but not +choosing to deliver up my sword in this manner, I addressed a short +letter to the captain-general, representing that it was inconsistent with +my situation in His Britannic Majesty's service to do so; I was ready to +deliver it to an officer bearing His Excellency's order, but requested +that officer might be of equal rank to myself. In a week captain +Neufville called to say, that it was altogether a mistake of the serjeant +that my arms had been asked for, and he was sorry it had taken place; had +the captain-general meant to demand my sword, it would have been done by +an officer of equal rank; but he had no intention to make me a prisoner +until he should receive orders to that effect. The explanation attending +this apology seemed to be strange; and the next time captain Neufville +came to the house I observed to him, that it appeared singular, after +having been confined six months, to be told I was not a prisoner, and +asked him to explain it. He said, no certainly, I was not a prisoner--my +sword had not been taken away; that I was simply detained for reasons +which he did not pretend to penetrate, and put under _surveillance_ for a +short period. + +[* It being afterward suspected, and not without reason, that some of the +gentlemen had forced the door, we were officially informed that the +sentinels had received orders to shoot any one who might be seen on the +roof; this produced greater circumspection, but the pleasure of the walk +and having a view of the sea was such, that it did not wholly remedy the +evil.] + +In this affair of the sword I thought myself rather handsomely treated; +but about three months afterward, one of the lower officers of the staff +came to demand it in the name of the town major, by order of the +captain-general. When told the circumstances which had occurred upon the +same subject, he said the general had consented to my wish at that time, +but had since altered his mind; and upon the promise of sending an +officer of equal rank, he said there was no officer of the same rank at +that time in readiness--that colonel D'Arsonval (the town major) would +himself have come had he not been engaged. I might, by a refusal, have +given the officer the trouble of searching my trunks, and perhaps have +received some further degradation; but since the order had come from the +general, who had broken his word, my sword was delivered, with the +observation that I should not forget the manner of its being taken. The +officer described himself as _lieutenant-adjutant de place_; he conducted +himself with politeness, and did not ask if I or Mr. Aken had any other +weapons. + +A seaman of the Cumberland and another prisoner from Flacq made their +appearance one morning behind the wall of our inclosure. They had come to +make a complaint of the scantiness of their provisions; for besides +bread, they had only six ounces of meat or fish in the day, without salt +or vegetables, which afforded them but a poor dinner and was their only +meal in twenty-four hours. Several petitions and complaints had been made +to the officer who had charge of them, but without effect; and they at +length resolved that two of their number should escape out of the prison, +and go to the _prefet_ to make their complaint. It was to be feared that +they would be considered as prisoners attempting to escape, if found +openly in the town; and therefore, after giving them money to satisfy +their immediate hunger, my servant was sent with them and a note to the +interpreter, requesting he would be good enough to take them to the town +major's office, where they might tell their story; and the result was, +that they were put on board the prison ship, and kept in irons for +several weeks. Mr. Charrington, my boatswain, had hitherto been treated +as a common seaman; but through the obliging mediation of M. Bonnefoy, +the allowance and portion of liberty granted to mates of merchant ships +were obtained for him; and by two or three opportunities I sent tea and a +few dollars to the seamen, on finding they were so miserably fed. + +In the middle of this month, two of the officers who had resided with +their wives at Pamplemousses, obtained permission to go on their parole +to India, through the interest of captain Bergeret. This worthy man had +frequently come to the Garden Prison, and at this time undertook to apply +to the captain-general for my books and papers, and for Mr. Aken and +myself to be removed to Pamplemousses. + +JULY 1804 + +On the 2nd of July he called early with information of having succeeded +in both applications; he had even ventured to propose my being sent to +France, but to this it was answered, that the affair being submitted to +the decision of the government, I must remain until its orders were +received. + +In a few days M. Bonnefoy conducted me to the secretary's office, and I +took out of the sealed trunk all the books, charts, and papers which +required any additions, or were necessary to the finishing of others; as +also a bundle of papers containing my passport +commission, etc., and the shattered accounts of the Investigator's +stores. For these a receipt was required, the same as before; but the +third volume of my log book, for which so many applications had been +made, was still refused. Word had been sent me privately, that _the trunk +had been opened and copies taken of the charts_, but to judge from +appearances this was not true; and on putting the question to colonel +Monistrol, whether the trunk or papers had been disturbed, he answered by +an unqualified negative. In regard to our living in the country, the +general had said to captain Bergeret, "he should think further upon it;" +and this we were given to understand must be considered as a retraction +of his promise: a second example of how little general De Caen respected +his own word. + +Charles Lambert, Esq., owner of the Althaea indiaman, brought in some +time before as a prize, having obtained permission to go to England by +the way of America, and no restriction being laid upon him as to taking +letters, had the goodness to receive a packet for the Admiralty, +containing copies of the charts constructed here and several other +papers. + +AUGUST 1804 + +In August I found means of sending to India, for Port Jackson, a letter +addressed to governor King; describing my second passage through Torres' +Strait, and the bad state of the Cumberland which had obliged me to stop +at Mauritius, with the particulars of my imprisonment and the fate of his +despatches. This letter was received in the April following, and extracts +from it were published in the Sydney gazette; wherein was made a +comparison between my treatment in Mauritius and that of captain Baudin +at Port Jackson, as described by himself and captain Melius. This account +was copied into the _Times_ of Oct. 19, 1805, whence it afterwards came +to my knowledge. + +One advantage of being confined in the Garden Prison rather than at the +Cafe Marengo, was in the frequency of visitors to one or other of the +prisoners; permissions were required to be obtained from the town major, +but these were seldom refused to people of respectability. In this manner +we became acquainted with all the public news, and also with the opinions +entertained in the island upon the subject of my imprisonment. Those who +knew that I had a passport, and was confined upon suspicion only, thought +the conduct of the captain-general severe, impolitic, and unjust; and +some who pretended to have information from near the fountain head, +hinted that if his invitation to dinner had been accepted, a few days +would have been the whole of my detention. Others understood my passport +and papers to have been lost in the shipwreck, and that it was uncertain +whether I were the commander of the expedition on discovery or not; +whilst many, not conceiving that their governor could thus treat an +officer employed in the service of science without his having given some +very sufficient cause, naturally enough made a variety of unfavourable +conjectures, and in due time, that is, when these conjectures had passed +through several hands, reports were in circulation of my having chased a +vessel on shore on the south side of the island--of soundings and surveys +of the coast found upon me--and of having quarrelled with the governor of +New South Wales, who had refused to certify on my passport the necessity +of quitting the Investigator and embarking in the Cumberland; and this +last seemed to have acquired credit. I will not pretend to say, that +general De Caen had any part in propagating these reports, for the +purpose of satisfying the curiosity of an inquisitive public and turning +its attention from the truth, though far from thinking it improbable; be +that as it may, the nature of my voyage, our shipwreck, the long passage +made in the little Cumberland, and our severe imprisonment, had excited a +considerable degree of interest; and I was told that this imprisonment +had been mentioned in an anonymous letter to the captain-general, as one +of the many tyrannical acts committed in the short time he had held the +government of the island. + +One of the persons who asked permission to see me, was M. Augustin +Baudin, brother of the deceased commander of Le Geographe; he testified +the grateful sense his brother had always entertained of the generous +reception and great assistance received from governor King at Port +Jackson, and expressed his own regret at not being able to do any thing +for my release. On learning from him that a letter still existed, written +by captain Baudin to a member of the tribunal of appeal in Mauritius, I +succeeded in obtaining an extract, of which the following is an exact +translation. + +On board Le Geographe, New Holland, +Port Jackson, the 3rd December, 1802. + +After having traversed the sea in different directions for nine months +after leaving Timor, I came to Port Jackson to pass the winter. The +scurvy had then made such rapid progress, that I had no more than twelve +men fit for duty when I arrived in this colony. The succours which were +lavishly bestowed, the affectionate and obliging cares of governor King, +his unremitting conduct and proceedings beyond example, every thing in +fine, has concurred to make the effects of this disorder less fatal than +the first (a dysentery contracted at Timor), although the cause was not +less serious. I cannot pass in silence an act of humanity to which our +situation gave rise. These are the facts. + +On our arrival at Port Jackson, to the number of a hundred and seventy +persons, the resources in corn were far from abundant; a great inundation +and the overflowing of the River Hawkesbury, having in part destroyed the +harvest which was upon the eve of being got in, and the following one +being distant and uncertain, was not a fortunate circumstance for us. +Nevertheless we were made perfectly welcome, and so soon as our present +and future wants were known, the ration given daily to the inhabitants +and the garrison was reduced one-half. The governor and the civil and +military officers set the example of this generosity, which was +immediately followed by the others. We were not only strangers, but still +at war, for the news of the peace was not yet known. + +The original extract in my possession, is certified to be true by the +gentleman to whom the letter was addressed. Its contents afford a +contrast to the proceedings of the governor of Mauritius, too striking to +require any comment. + +Amongst the acquaintances formed whilst in the Garden Prison, the most +agreeable, most useful, and at the same time durable, was that of a young +French merchant; a man well informed, a friend to letters, to science, +and the arts; who spoke and wrote English, and had read many of our best +authors. To him I am principally indebted for having passed some +agreeable days in prison, and his name therefore merits a place in this +history of the misfortune which his friendship contributed to alleviate; +nor am I the sole English prisoner who will mention the name of _Thomas +Pitot_ with eulogium. + +On the 27th, an English squadron consisting of two ships of the line and +two frigates, under the command of captain John Osborn, arrived to cruise +off the island. + +SEPTEMBER 1804 + +Some days afterward, my boatswain and six of the merchant officers, +prisoners at Flacq, made their escape to one of the ships. The +captain-general, in a paroxysm of rage, ordered the officer commanding at +Flacq to be dismissed, and every Englishman in the island, without +distinction, to be closely confined; neither paroles of honour, nor +sureties, nor permissions previously given to depart, being respected. +Six were brought to the Garden Prison, of whom the captains Moffat and +Henry from Pamplemousses were two, and their wives followed them. The +seamen and remaining officers from Flacq passed our gate under a strong +guard, and were marched to an old hospital about one mile on the +south-west side of the town; where the seamen were shut up in the lower, +and the officers in the upper apartment, there being only two rooms. + +The arrival of the squadron gave the prisoners a hope of being released, +either from a general exchange, or for such Frenchmen as our ships might +take whilst cruising off the island; even Mr. Aken and myself, since our +swords had been taken away, conceived some hopes, for we were then +prisoners according to the definition of M. Neufville. There was, +however, no intercourse with the squadron until the 19th, on which, and +the two following days, a frigate was lying off the port with a flag of +truce hoisted, and boats passed and repassed between her and the shore. +Our anxiety to know the result was not a little; and we soon learned that +captain Cockburne of the Phaeton had come in for the purpose of seeing +general De Caen; but on entering the port he had been met, blindfolded, +and taken on board the prison ship, which was also the guard ship; that +finding he could not see the general, and that no officer was sent to +treat with him, he left a packet from captain Osborn and returned in +disgust. His mission, we were told, was to negotiate an exchange of +prisoners, particularly mine; but in the answer given by general De Caen +it was said, that not being a prisoner of war, no exchange for me could +be accepted; nor did any one obtain his liberty in consequence. + +OCTOBER 1804 + +Few persons were admitted to the Garden Prison during the presence of the +English squadron; but it did not prevent captain Bergeret and M. Bonnefoy +from coming occasionally. In the end of October I learned with much +regret, that the interpreter had been dismissed from his employment, in +consequence of having carried only one copy of the same newspaper to +general De Caen, when two had been found in an American vessel which he +had boarded off the port, according to custom; the other had been +communicated to some of his friends, which was deemed an irremissible +offence. This obliging man, to whom I was under obligations for many acts +of attention and some of real service, feared to ask any future +permission to visit the Garden Prison. + +Admiral Linois arrived from a cruise on the 31st, with three rich prizes, +and got into Port Bourbon unimpeded by our ships, which were off another +part of the island; and the same evening commodore Osborn quitted +Mauritius. Mr. Robertson and Mr. Webb of the Aplin were now permitted to +go to England by the way of America [NOVEMBER 1804]; and I took the good +opportunity of sending by the first of these gentlemen a copy of the +general chart of Terra Australis, comprehending the whole of my +discoveries and examinations in abridgment, and a paper on the magnetism +of ships addressed to the president of the Royal Society.* Four officers +of the army also obtained permission to go to India, on condition of +returning, should four French officers whose names were specified, be not +sent back in exchange; and two other gentlemen left the Garden Prison, +and the island soon afterward. In lieu of these, were sent in captain +Turner and lieutenant Cartwright of the Indian army, and the officers of +the Princess Charlotte indiaman. + +[* This paper was read before the Society, and published in the +Transactions of 1805, Part II.] + +By information received from the Grande-Riviere prison, where the +merchant officers and the seamen were confined, it appeared that my six +remaining people, and no doubt many others, were very miserable and +almost naked; having been hurried off suddenly from Flacq, and compelled +to leave their few clothes behind. On this occasion I addressed the +captain-general on the score of humanity, intreating him either to order +their clothes to be restored, or that they should be furnished with +others; and on the same day an answer was returned in the most polite +manner by colonel D'Arsonval, saying that an order had been given for all +the prisoners to be fresh clothed, and their wants supplied. Six weeks +afterward, however, finding that the poor seamen remained in the same +naked state as before, I wrote to remind the town major of what he had +said; requesting at the same time, if it were not intended to give these +unfortunate men any clothing, that Mr. Aken might be permitted to visit +them, in order to relieve their urgent necessities from my own purse. No +answer was returned to this letter, but it produced the desired effect. + +DECEMBER 1804 + +My hopes of a speedy liberation by an order of the first consul became +weakened in December, on seeing nothing arrive to confirm them after a +whole year's imprisonment. On the 17th I wrote to remind the +captain-general that one year had elapsed; and requested him to consider +that the chance of war rendered the arrival of despatches uncertain--that +I was suffering an irretrievable loss of time, and very severely in my +health, advancement, and every thing that man holds dear; I begged him to +reflect, that the rights of the most severe justice would be ensured by +sending me to France, where the decision of my fate was remitted; and +where, should the judgment of the French government be favourable, it +could be immediately followed by a return to my country and family, and +the resumption of my peaceable labours. No answer being given at the end +of a week, a second letter was sent, inclosing a copy of the extract from +captain Baudin; and His Excellency was requested to compare the treatment +of the French commander at Port Jackson with what I had received at +Mauritius, and at least to give Mr. Aken and myself the liberty of some +district in the island where we might take exercise, and find the +amusement necessary to the re-establishment of our health; but neither of +these letters obtained any reply, or the least notice. + +Mr. Aken had been removed to the hospital in September, and after a stay +of six weeks had returned, more from finding himself so ill accommodated +and fed than from the improvement in his health. He now declined rapidly; +[JANUARY 1805] and my own health was impaired by a constitutional +gravelly complaint to which confinement had given accelerated force, and +by a bilious disorder arising partly from the same cause, from the return +of hot weather, and discouraging reflections on our prospects. We were +therefore visited by Dr. Laborde, principal physician of the medical +staff, who judged the air and exercises of the country to be the most +certain means of restoration; and in order to our procuring them, he gave +a certificate which I sent to general De Caen through colonel Monistrol, +then become town major. No answer was returned; but after some days it +was told me that Dr. Laborde had received a message from the general, +desiring him not to interfere with matters which did not concern him; and +this was the sole mark of attention paid to his certificate or to our +situation.* + +[* The doctor had said in his certificate, "J'estime qu'il faut prevenir +'augmentation de ses maux; et en le secourant apropos, c'est assurer la +conservation d'un homme dont les travaux doivent servir aux progres des +sciences, et a 1'utilite de ses semblables."] + +Being thus disappointed in every attempt to procure an amelioration for +my companion and myself, I sought the means of dispensing with the +captain-general's humanity. I rose very early, and took much exercise in +our inclosure before the heat of the sun, became too powerful; and +applied closely to the charts and accounts of my voyage, which ill health +and a languid melancholy had for some time caused to be neglected. By +perseverance in these means, my disorders were at least prevented from +becoming worse; but more particularly I acquired a tranquil state of +mind, and had even the happiness of forgetting general De Caen, sometimes +for days together. The strength of my companion was too much exhausted +for such a regimen; and he was obliged to return to the hospital, being +so much reduced that there was reason to fear for his life. + +Several military and merchant officers obtained permissions at this time +to depart on parole, some to India, others to America; which furnished +opportunities of writing many letters. I addressed one to admiral +Rainier, the commander in chief of His Majesty's ships in India, upon the +subject of my detention; and another to lord William Bentinck, governor +of Madras, in favour of two relations of my friend Pitot, who were +prisoners under his government; and it is with much gratitude to His +Lordship that I add his more than compliance with the request: he not +only set the two prisoners at liberty, but used his endeavours to procure +my release from general De Caen. + +On the 29th, an American vessel arrived from France with many passengers, +and amongst them monsieur Barrois, the brother-in-law of the general. He +was charged with despatches; and I was told upon good authorities that he +had been sent to France in Le Geographe upon the same service, in +December 1803. The knowledge of this fact gave an insight into various +circumstances which took place at, and soon after my arrival at +Mauritius. Le Geographe having an English passport, was equally bound +with myself to observe a strict neutrality; and the conveyance of an +officer with public despatches in time of war was therefore improper. +Common report said, that captain Melius objected to it, as compromising +the safety of his ship and results of the voyage; but on its being known +from the signals that an English vessel was on the south side of the +island, M. Barrois embarked secretly, and the ship was ordered off the +same evening. Hence I missed seeing her, and was arrested on arriving at +Port Louis without examination; and hence it appeared to have been, that +an embargo was immediately laid on all foreign ships for ten days, that +none of our cruisers might get information of the circumstance and stop +Le Geographe; hence also the truth of what was told me in the Cafe +Marengo, that _my confinement did not arise from any thing I had done_. + +Such was the respect paid by general De Caen to the English passport; and +how little sacred he held that given by his own government for the +protection of the Investigator's voyage, will in part have already +appeared. The conduct of the British government and its officers in these +two cases was widely different. In consequence of the English passport, +the Geographe and Naturaliste were received at Port Jackson as friends, +and treated with the kindness due to their employment and distressed +situation, as will satisfactorily appear from M. Peron's account of their +voyage; and with regard to the French passport, it may be remembered that +the Admiralty directed me, on leaving England, not even to take letters +or packets other than such as might be received from that office, or that +of the secretary of state; and the despatches sent from those offices +were to governor King alone, and related solely to the Investigator's +voyage. I was ordered to stop at Madeira and the Cape of Good Hope, but +neither to the officers commanding His Majesty's land or sea forces at +one, nor at the other place was any despatch sent; although no +opportunity of writing to the Cape had for some time presented itself. + +FEBRUARY 1805 + +The return of M. Barrois gave a reasonable hope that the captain-general +might have received orders concerning me, and that some thing would be +immediately determined; but a whole month passed in silence as so many +others had before done. It was reported, however, as having come from the +general, that the council of state had approved of the precautions he had +taken; but whether it had decided upon my being set at liberty, sent to +France, or continued a prisoner, was not said. + +There were at this time only six officers in the Garden Prison, Mr. Aken +being still at the hospital; lieutenant Manwaring of the Bombay marine, +before commander of the Fly packet, with two of his officers had +possession of one part of the house, and Messrs. Dale and Seymour, +midshipmen of the Dedaigneuse, lived with me in the other. These two +young gentlemen, the first in particular, aided me in making copies of +charts and memoirs, in calculating astronomical observations, etc.; and I +had much pleasure in furnishing them with books and assisting their +studies. + +MARCH 1805 + +In the beginning of March, I was surprised to see in the official gazette +of the French government, the Moniteur of July 7, 1804, a long letter +from Dunkirk addressed to the editor; containing many particulars of my +voyage, praising the zeal with which it had been conducted, and +describing my detention in Mauritius as a circumstance which had +originated in a mistake and was understood to be terminated. In the +succeeding Moniteur of the 11th, some observations were made upon this +letter on the part of the government, which afforded some insight into +what was alleged against me; and these being important to the elucidation +of general De Caen's policy, a translation of them is here given. + +MONITEUR, No. 292. + +Wednesday 22 Messidor, year 12; or July 11, 1804. + +In a letter from Dunkirk, addressed to the editor of the Moniteur, and +inserted in the paper of the 18th of this month, No. 288, we read an +account of the voyage of Mr. Flinders, an English navigator, who arrived +at the Isle of France the 24 Frimaire last, in the schooner Cumberland. +The author of the letter in the Moniteur says, that Mr. Flinders, _"not +knowing of the war, stopped at the Isle of France which was in his route, +to obtain water and refreshments: that some secret articles in his +instructions gave rise to suspicions upon which the captain-general at +first thought it his duty to detain him prisoner; but that, nevertheless, +the passports he had obtained from the French government and all other +nations, the nature even of his expedition which interested all civilized +people, were not long in procuring his release."_ + +The fact is, that Mr. Flinders not knowing of, but suspecting the war, +ventured to come to the Isle of France; where having learned its +declaration, he doubted whether the passport granted him by the French +government in the year 9, would serve him. In reality, the passport was +exclusively for the sloop _Investigator, of which it contained the +description_; and it is not in the Investigator that he has been +arrested, but in the Cumberland. + +The same passport did not permit Mr. Flinders to stop at French colonies +but on condition that he should not deviate from his route to go there; +and Mr. Flinders acknowledges in his journal that he deviated +voluntarily, (for the Isle of France was not in his passage, as the +author of the above cited letter says). In fine, the passport granted to +Mr. Flinders did not admit of any equivocation upon the objects of the +expedition for which it was given: but we read in one part of his +journal, _that he suspected the war_; and in another, _that he had +resolved to touch at the Isle of France, as well in the hope of selling +his vessel advantageously, as from the desire of knowing the present +state of that colony, and the utility of which it and its dependencies in +Madagascar could be to Port Jackson._ + +As the passport given by the French government to Mr. Flinders, an +English navigator, was far from admitting an examination of that nature +in a French colony; it is not at all surprising that the captain-general +of that colony has arrested him; and nothing announces as yet, that he +has thought it necessary to release him. + +An elaborate refutation of these trifling, and in part false and +contradictory charges, will not, I should hope, be thought necessary. By +turning to Chapter 3 (December), and comparing my reasons for putting in +at Mauritius with what the Moniteur says, it will be seen that the +necessity of the measure, arising from the bad state of the Cumberland, +is kept wholly out of sight; and that in giving the subordinate reasons, +there is much omission and misrepresentation. The charges, even as they +stand in the Moniteur, amount to nothing, if my suspicion of the war be +taken away; and it has no other foundation than that, being a stranger to +what had passed in Europe for twelve months, I thought there was a +possibility of war between England and France; and thence deduced an +additional reason for stopping at Mauritius where my passport would be +respected, in preference to going on to the Cape of Good Hope where it +might not. This suspicion, which is twice brought forward, is moreover +contradicted by inference, in the Moniteur itself. It says, "Mr. Flinders +not knowing of, but suspecting the war, ventured to come to the Isle of +France; where having learned its declaration, he doubted whether the +passport would serve him." Now it is not credible, that with such a +suspicion, and being aware, consequently, of the great importance of the +passport, I should wait until arriving at the island before seeking to +know its particular contents; but going to Mauritius under the belief of +peace, and finding war declared, an examination of the passport was then +natural. It is true that I did then entertain some apprehensions, from +not finding any provision made for another vessel in case of shipwreck or +other accident to the Investigator; but my confidence in the justice and +liberality of the French government overcame them; and had general +Magallon remained governor, this confidence would most probably have been +justified by the event. + +How my reasons for stopping at Mauritius were worded in the log book, I +certainly do not remember correctly, nor how far they were accompanied +with explanations; and particular care has been taken to prevent me +giving the words themselves; but is it possible to suppose, that +suspecting the war and entertaining inimical designs, I should have +inserted this suspicion and these designs in my common journal? Or that, +having done so, the book would have been put into the hands of general De +Caen's secretary, and these very passages pointed out for him to copy? +Yet the reasons alleged in the Moniteur, to be true, require no less. + +The assertion that I acknowledge to have deviated _voluntarily_ from my +route, for the Isle of France was not in my passage--if voluntarily mean, +_without necessity_, must be false altogether. I had intended to pass the +island without stopping, and probably said so; but that the intention was +altered voluntarily, could not have been said, for the _necessity_ +arising from the bad state of the schooner was alleged for it. Whether +Mauritius be in the passage from Timor to the Cape of Good Hope, any +seaman or geographer who knows the trade winds, can tell: it is as much +in the passage as is the Cape in going from Europe to India. The above +assertion induced me to examine captain Cook's track from Timor to the +Cape, as it is traced upon Arrowsmith's general chart, and to measure the +distance from a certain part of it to Port Louis, and from thence to +regain the track really made; and I found that his distance would not +have been increased so much as _one hundred miles_; or less than the half +of what ships augment their distance by stopping at Table Bay, in their +route to India. It may perhaps be said, that my _voluntary_ deviation and +the island not being in the passage, apply only to my intention of +passing Mauritius and then changing it. If so, the assertion could only +be made for superficial readers, and contains nothing; such, in fact, are +all the charges when duly examined, not excepting the pretence that the +passport was _exclusively for the Investigator_; and more has already +been said upon them than is due to their real importance. + +These Moniteurs, however, informed me of two material circumstances--that +there was at least one person in France who viewed my detention in its +true light, and that the government had either been deceived by the +representations of general De Caen, or coincided with his views from some +secret motive; consequently, that too much reliance ought not to be +placed in an early liberation by its orders. I then determined to write +to monsieur De Fleurieu, author of the instructions to La Perouse, etc., +and counsellor of state, who might be supposed to interest himself in my +voyage; and annexed to the letter copies of papers showing the reception +given to the French ships at Port Jackson, and the necessity which had +forced me to stop at Mauritius; and begged him in the name of humanity +and the sciences, to use his influence that I might either be permitted +to continue the voyage, or otherwise be ordered to France for +examination. My worthy friend Pitot wrote to the same effect, to M. De +Bougainville, the navigator and counsellor of state--to M. De la Lande, +the astronomer--to M. Chaptal, minister of the interior--and to M. +Dupuis, counsellor of state; and admiral Linois had the goodness to write +to M. De Fleurieu in favour of my request. At the same time I wrote to +the secretary of the Admiralty, inclosing a copy of the first letter; and +all these being sent away in duplicate, by opportunities which occurred +soon afterward, every step seemed to have been taken that could afford +any hope of liberty and the restitution of my books and papers. + +APRIL 1805 + +The fate of my officers and people on board the Rolla had been a subject +of some anxiety; but about this time I had the satisfaction to learn from +the public papers, that they had arrived safely in England; that +lieutenant Fowler and the officers and company of the Porpoise had been +honourably acquitted of all blame for the loss of the ship, and that Mr. +Fowler had much distinguished himself in the action between the China +fleet and admiral Linois' squadron. + +MAY 1805 + +Permissions being granted to several prisoners to go away on their parole +in American vessels, Mr. Aken, who still remained at the hospital, +conceived hopes that his might pass amongst the rest, if he applied. In +this notion I encouraged him, since my own prospects were so obscure; and +recommended that his plea should turn wholly upon his long-continued ill +health, and to say nothing of his connexion with me. The application was +made accordingly; and on the 7th, he came to the Garden Prison with the +unexpected information of being then at liberty to depart, on giving his +parole "not to serve against France or its allies, until after having +been legally exchanged;" that is, as a _prisoner of war._ + +It seemed doubtful whether this permission had been granted from motives +of humanity, from forgetfulness, or from some new plan having been +adopted; the general might possibly have received orders, permitting him +to dispose of us as he should think proper, and have no objection to +getting rid of me also, as a prisoner of war, provided an application +gave him the opportunity. In this uncertainty of what might be his +intentions, I wrote to colonel Monistrol, requesting him to state the +length of my imprisonment and ill health; and to move His Excellency to +let me depart on parole, or in any other way he should judge proper; but +it appeared after waiting several days, that the colonel foreseeing the +request could answer no purpose, had not laid it before the +captain-general. I then resolved to make good use of the opportunity +presented by Mr. Aken's departure, and from this time to that of his +sailing, was fully occupied in making up my despatches; and Mr. Aken's +health being improved, he took up his residence in the Garden Prison for +the purpose of giving his assistance. + +Besides a general chart of Terra Australis, showing the whole of my +discoveries, examinations and tracks in abridgment, this packet for the +Admiralty contained nine sheets upon a scale of four inches to a degree +of longitude, and three sheets of particular parts in a larger size; also +five chapters of a memoir explanatory of their construction, of the +changes in the variation on shipboard, etc.; an enlarged copy of my log +book, with remarks and astronomical observations from the commencement of +the voyage to quitting the north coast of Terra Australis in March 1803; +and a book containing all the bearings and angles which entered into the +construction of the charts. The time keeper, with the mathematical and +nautical instruments belonging to the Navy Board were also sent; and in +fine, either the original or a copy of every thing in my possession which +related either to the Investigator or the voyage. + +Mr. Campbell, commander of the American ship James, bound to New York, +liberally gave Mr. Aken and some other prisoners a passage free of +expense;* and the paroles they were required to sign laying no other +injunction than that of not serving until legally exchanged, the books. +etc. above mentioned, with many letters both public and private, were +safely embarked; and on the 20th in the evening, the ship got under sail, +to my great satisfaction. Of the ten officers and men who had come with +me to Mauritius, only four now remained; one was in the hospital with a +broken leg, another with me in the Garden Prison, and two were shut up at +the Grande Riviere. A seaman had been allowed to go with Mr. Aken in the +James, and all our endeavours were used to obtain permission for the two +in prison to embark also, but without effect; about a month afterwards, +however, they were suffered to enter on board an American ship, at the +request of the commander. + +[* It gives me pleasure to say, that almost the whole of the American +commanders were ready to accommodate the English prisoners who, from time +to time, obtained leave to depart, and the greater number without any +other expense than that of laying in provisions for themselves; some were +received on board as officers for wages, and others had a table found for +them without any specified duty being required. In most cases these were +beneficent actions, for, as will readily be imagined, the greater part of +the prisoners had no means of obtaining money in Mauritius; the military +officers, however, and those who had money at their disposal, were +required to pay for their passages, and in some cases, dear enough.] + +JUNE 1805 + +On June 4, a fortnight after Mr. Aken had sailed, captain Osborn again +came off the island, with His Majesty's ships Tremendous, Grampus, Pitt, +and Terpsichore; and an embargo on all foreign vessels was, as usual, the +immediate consequence. On the 23rd, the ship Thetis arrived from Bengal +under cartel colours, having on board captain Bergeret, with such of his +officers and people as had not been killed in the action he had sustained +against our frigate the St. Fiorenzo. This arrival animated the spirits +of all the prisoners in the island; and the return of my friend Bergeret +even gave me some hopes, particularly after the reception of a note from +him, promising to use his exertions to obtain a favourable change in my +situation. Mr. Richardson, commander of the Thetis, informed us some days +afterward [JULY 1805], that all the prisoners of war would be allowed to +go to India in his ship, and that hopes were entertained of an +application for me also being successful. Captain Bergeret did not call +until the 3rd of July, after having used his promised endeavours in vain, +as I had foreseen from the delay of his visit; for every good Frenchman +has an invincible dislike to be the bearer of disagreeable intelligence. + +On the 5th, a letter came from Mr. Lumsden, chief secretary of the +government at Calcutta, acknowledging the receipt of mine addressed to +the marquis Wellesley in May 1804; he said in reply, "that although the +governor-general had felt the deepest regret at the circumstances of my +detention and imprisonment, it had not been in His Excellency's power to +remedy either before the present time. The ship Thetis," he added, "now +proceeds to the Isle of France as a cartel; and I have the honour to +transmit to you the annexed extract from the letter of the +governor-general to His Excellency general De Caen, captain-general of +the French establishments to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope. The +governor-general entertains no doubt that the captain-general of the Isle +of France will release you immediately on receipt of that letter." + +EXTRACT.--I avail myself of this opportunity to request your Excelleney's +particular attention to the truly severe case of captain Flinders; and I +earnestly request Your Excellency to release captain Flinders +immediately, and to allow him either to take his passage to India in the +Thetis, or to return to India in the first neutral ship. + +Mr. Lumsden's letter and the above extract were inclosed to me by the +secretary of general De Caen, who at the same time said, "I wish with all +my heart that the captain-general could accede to the request of His +Excellency the marquis Wellesley; but the motives of your detention +having been of a nature to be submitted to the French government, the +captain-general cannot, before he has received an answer, change any +thing in the measures which have been adopted on your account." Thus +whatever hope had been entertained of liberation from the side of India +was done away, but I did not feel less gratitude to the noble marquis for +his attempt; after eighteen months of indignities, this attention, and +the previous arrival of the two relations of my friend Pitot, set at +liberty by lord William Bentinck, were gratifying proofs that my +situation was known and excited an interest in India. + +An exchange of prisoners was soon afterwards agreed upon between +commodore Osborn and colonel Monistrol, with the exception of +post-captains and commanders in the navy and officers of similar rank in +the army; it was not said that the exceptions had any reference to +captain Bergeret or myself, the sole officers in Mauritius of the ranks +specified, but it seemed probable. + +On the 28th, the ship Prime arrived from Bombay with French prisoners, +having on board lieutenant Blast of the Company's marine, as agent; +admiral Linois had met the ship near Ceylon, and taken seventy-nine of +the French seamen on board his squadron, notwithstanding the +representation of Mr. Blast that no exchange had yet been settled. This +proceeding was said to be disapproved by general De Caen; and afterwards +to be the cause of the exchange being declared void by Sir Edward Pellew, +then become commander in chief in the Indian seas. + +AUGUST 1805 + +There was at this time an almost uncontrolled liberty to enter the Garden +Prison, and I was favoured with frequent visits by Mr. Richardson of the +Thetis, and by Messrs. Blast, Madegon, and Davies of the Prime; these +gentlemen, finding they should be obliged to leave me behind and alone, +rendered every service I could permit myself to receive at their hands, +and made an impression by their kindness which will ever be retained. +From their conversation I learned what was the treatment of French +prisoners at Bengal and Bombay; and the contrast it formed with that of +English officers and seamen in Mauritius, both in the degree of liberty +and allowance for subsistence, was indeed striking. Something has already +been said upon this subject, and much more might be said; but it is a +more agreeable task to bestow praise where it can with truth be given. It +is therefore with pleasure, and with gratitude on the part of my +unfortunate countrymen to admiral Linois and the officers of his +squadron, as also to the commanders of privateers, that I declare no one +of the several prisoners I conversed with to have made any complaint of +them; on the contrary, almost all acknowledged to have been treated with +kindness _whilst on board_, and except sometimes a little pilfering by +the sailors, to have lost nothing of what they had a right to keep by the +received usages of war; the trunks of many were not searched, it being +only required of the possessor to declare, that it was his private +property and that no letters or journals were contained therein. When the +Fly packet was taken by the privateer La Fortune, lieutenant Manwaring's +table plate and time keeper were returned to him; and his treatment by M. +Lameme was altogether so liberal, when compared with the usual conduct of +privateers in Europe, as to merit being cited. + +In order to give some notion of the mischief done to British commerce in +India, by ships from Mauritius, an abstract of all the captures made in +the first sixteen months of the war, so far as they came to our knowledge +in the Garden Prison, is subjoined. There are probably several omissions; +and the supposed values annexed to them are the least that can be +estimated, perhaps not exceeding two-thirds of the prime cost. + + +By admiral Linois' squadron, three Indiamen and +five country ships mostly large, L 505,000 + +By La Psyche privateer, one Indiaman and two +private ships, 95,000 +La Henriette, six ships and small vessels, 150,000 +La Fortune, one packet, three ships, four small vessels, 103,000 +Cutter commanded by Surcouf, four vessels, 75,000 +L'Alfred, one ship, 10,000 +Le Pariah, one ship, 10,000 + -------- +Brought into Port Louis, 948,000 +Ships known to have been sent to France or +Batavia, run on shore, or sunk at sea, 200,000 +Mischief done at Bencoolen by admiral Linois' squadron, 800,000 + -------- +Estimated loss to British commerce in 16 months, 1948,000 + -------- + + + +The sailing of the Thetis and Prime, and of a little brig named the Ariel +which had brought prisoners from Ceylon, was delayed until the cruising +squadron had left the island. On the 13th commodore Osborn took his +departure, and my young friends Dale and Seymour quitted the Garden +Prison; the first carrying for me a letter to Sir Edward Pellew, giving +an account of my situation, and another to Mr. Lumsden, informing him of +the little success attending the governor-general's request. In the +evening of the same day the cartels sailed; and I remained with my +servant, who refused to profit by the occasion of obtaining his liberty, +and my lame seaman, the sole English prisoners at Mauritius. + +Captain Bergeret informed me two days afterward, that the general was +disposed to permit of my residence in the interior part of the island; +and he advised a written application to be made, specifying the place of +my choice. After consulting with M. Pitot, who had received several +offers to accommodate me from different parts of the island, I wrote on +the 17th, pointing out the plantation of Madame D'Arifat at Wilhems +Plains; which being at some distance from the sea, seemed least liable to +objection. On the 19th, a polite note from colonel Monistrol said that my +request was granted; and he sent word next day, that I was at liberty to +quit the Garden Prison, and pass two or three days in town previously to +going into the country; and being importuned by my friend Pitot to spend +the evening with him, immediate advantage was taken of the permission. + +On taking leave of the old serjeant, who had behaved kindly to all the +prisoners, and finding myself without side the iron gate, I felt that +even a prison one has long inhabited is not quitted without some +sentiment of regret, unless it be to receive liberty. Of the twenty +months which my detention had now reached, more than sixteen had been +passed in the Garden Prison, sometimes rather lightly, but the greater +part in bitterness; and my strength and appearance were so changed, that +I felt to be scarcely recognisable for the same person who had supported +so much fatigue in exploring the coasts of Terra Australis. + +Various observations had been taken in the Garden Prison, both by Mr. +Aken and myself, principally for our amusement and to exercise Messrs. +Dale and Seymour in the calculations. The corrected results of my +observations were as follow: + +_Latitude_ from eight meridian altitudes of the sun, taken with a sextant +and artificial horizon, 20 deg. 9' 13.5" S. + +_Longitude_ from twenty-seven sets of lunar distances, the particulars of +which are given in Table IX. of the first Appendix to this volume, 57 deg. +30' 42" E. + +_Variation_ of the theodolite from azimuths a.m. and p.m. 11 deg. 42' 30" W. + +The middle of the town being nearly one mile south-west from the prison, +its situation should be: Port Louis, latitude 20 deg. 9' 56" south, longitude +57 deg. 29' 57" east. + +CHAPTER VI. + +Parole given. +Journey into the interior of Mauritius. +The governor's country seat. +Residence at the Refuge, in that Part of Wilhems Plains called Vacouas. +Its situation and climate, with the mountains, rivers, cascades, and +views near it. +The Mare aux Vacouas and Grand Bassin. +State of cultivation and produce of Vacouas; +its black ebony, game, and wild fruits; and freedom from noxious insects. + +[AT MAURITIUS. PORT LOUIS.] + +AUGUST 1805 + +My first visit after being liberated from the Garden Prison, was to +captain Bergeret, whose interposition I considered to have been the +principal cause of this favourable change; he obligingly offered me the +accommodation of his lodging whilst in town, but M. Pitot had previously +engaged my residence with him. Next morning I accompanied captain +Bergeret to the town major's office for the purpose of giving my parole, +which colonel Monistrol proposed to take verbally; but to avoid all +future misunderstanding, I desired that it might be taken in writing, and +two days afterward it was made out as follows. + +His Excellency the captain-general De Caen having given me permission to +reside at Wilhems Plains, at the habitation of Madame D'Arifat, I do +hereby promise, upon my parole of honour, not to go more than the +distance of two leagues from the said habitation, without His +Excellency's permission; and to conduct myself with that proper degree of +reserve, becoming an officer residing in a country with which his nation +is at war. I will also answer for the proper conduct of my two servants. + +Town of Port North-west, +Matthew Flinders. +August 23, 1805 + +The habitation, for so plantations are here called, which was to be my +residence, belonged to a respectable widow with a large family; and was +represented to be five French leagues, or twelve miles from the town, in +a S. S. W. direction. The permission to range two leagues all round I +considered to be an approach towards liberality; and a proof that, if +general De Caen had ever really believed me to be a spy, he had ceased to +think so; it was not indeed consistent with the reason alleged for my +imprisonment, to grant a parole at all, but this it was no part of my +business to point out. On the other hand, by signing this parole I cut +myself off from the possibility of an escape; but it seemed incredible, +after the various letters written and representations made both in +England and France, that a favourable order should not arrive in six or +eight months. I moreover entertained some hopes of Mauritius being +attacked, for it was not to be imagined that either the East-India +company or the government should quietly submit to such losses as it +caused to British commerce; and if attacked with judgment, it appeared to +me that a moderate force would carry it; upon this subject, however, an +absolute silence was preserved in my letters, for although the passport +had been so violated by general De Caen, I was determined to adhere to it +strictly. + +During four days stay in the to town of Port Louis no restriction of any +kind was imposed; I visited the theatre, and several families to whom my +friends Pitot and Bergeret introduced me, and passed the time as +pleasantly as any one who spoke no French could do in such a situation. A +young Englishman, who under the name of an American expected to sail +immediately for Europe, took charge of a box containing letters and +papers for the Admiralty and president of the Royal Society, one of which +was upon the effect produced on the marine barometer by sea and land +winds;* and on the 24th in the afternoon I set off with M. Pitot's family +for their country house, which was four miles on the way to my intended +residence. + +[* This paper appeared in the Society's Transactions of 1806, Part II.] + +[AT MAURITIUS. WILHEMS PLAINS.] + +On the following day we visited the country seat of the governor, called +the _Reduit_, about seven miles from the town, and at the edge of my +limit of two leagues from the habitation at Wilhems Plains. It stands +upon an elevated point of land between the Riviere de Mocha, which comes +from the east, and an equally large stream which collects the waters of +Wilhems Plains from the southward; their junction at this place forms the +Grande Riviere, and the Reduit commands a view of its windings in the low +land to the north, until it is discharged into the sea about a mile on +the west side of Port Louis. There was little water in the two rivers at +this time; but the extraordinary depth of their channels, which seemed to +be not less than a hundred feet, and to have been cut through the solid +rock, bespoke that the current must be immense during the hurricanes and +heavy summer rains; and the views which the different falls of water +amongst the overhanging woods will then present, cannot be otherwise than +highly picturesque. At the Reduit the sides of these ravines were planted +with the waving bamboo, and the road leading up to the house, with the +gardens around it, were shaded by the mango and various other fruit +trees; but all was in great disorder, having suffered more than neglect +during the turbulent period of the French revolution. The house was said +to be capable of containing thirty-five beds, and was at this time in a +state of preparation for general De Caen; and when completed, and the +gardens, alleys, fish ponds, and roads put into order, it would be an +elegant residence for the governor of the island. Our inspection was +confined to the gardens and prospects, from the house being shut up; we +afterwards made a rural dinner under the shade of a banian tree, and my +friend Pitot, with M. Bayard, a judge in the court of appeal, then +separated from their families to conduct me onward to my asylum. + +Instead of taking the direct road, they pursued a winding route more to +the eastward, to pay a visit to M. Plumet, a friend of the judge; and we +reached his habitation not much before sunset, though still four or five +miles short of our destination. Thus far I found the country to be stony +and not very fertile, the roads bad and irregular, with several places in +them which must be impracticable in the heavy rains; here and there, +however, we were gratified with the view of country houses, surrounded +with fruit trees and well watered gardens; and once turned out of the +road to see a water fall made by a considerable stream down a precipice +of at least a hundred feet. The cultivated fields seemed to be generally +planted either with sugar cane, maize, or manioc, but we were often in +the shade of the primitive woods. + +M. Plumet had passed many years in India, in the service of Scindeah, the +Mahratta chief, and spoke some English; he received us so kindly that we +remained with him until the following afternoon, and his habitation being +within my limits, he invited me to visit him afterwards. From the time of +quitting the port we had been continually ascending; so that here the +elevation was probably not less than a thousand feet, and the climate and +productions were much altered. Coffee seemed to be a great object of +attention, and there were some rising plantations of clove trees; I found +also strawberries, and even a few young oaks of tolerable growth. A vast +advantage, as well as ornament in this and many other parts of the +island, is the abundance of never failing streams; by which the gardens +are embellished with cascades and fish ponds, and their fruit trees and +vegetables watered at little expense. + +Quitting M. Plumet in the afternoon of the 26th, we rode in intricate +paths and crossed various plantations to get into the direct road. In +these, besides sugar cane, coffee, maize, and manioc, some fields were +totally covered with a creeping plant bearing a heart-shaped leaf; this +was the _patate_, or sweet potatoe, a root of great utility to the +nourishment of the slaves; and in the higher parts of the island, where +it succeeds best, is a favourite object of cultivation, being little +subject to injury from the hurricanes. As we advanced the streams became +smaller and more numerous, and the uncleared woods more extensive; the +country was still partly covered with large stones; but I remarked with +some surprise, that the productions of the stony land were generally the +most vigorous. + +Neither of my conductors were acquainted with the place of my retreat; +they inquired of every black man on the road, as to the right path and +the distance that yet remained; but often could get no answer--sometimes +it was three-quarters, and sometimes two leagues; at length we found +ourselves surrounded on all sides by wood, the road had diminished to a +foot path, it was dark, and began to rain. It was then judged necessary +to turn back and make for a light near the road, to obtain a guide; and +it seemed odd that the person applied to should answer in English, that +the plantation of Madame D'Arifat was just bye. He proved to be an +Irishman named Druse, who had been settled more than twenty years in this +distant island as a carpenter; he had known that an English officer was +coming to reside here, and undertook to be our guide, seeming to be not a +little pleased at again using his native language. + +A black man who had charge of the plantation in the absence of the +proprietor, had received orders to accommodate us; but not finding my +servant and lame seaman who should have arrived the day before, we walked +half a league to the habitation of M. de Chazal, a friend of M. Pitot who +had the goodness to send out my baggage. Next morning we returned, and my +abode was fixed in one of two little pavilions detached from the house, +the other being appropriated to my two men; and M. Pitot having brought +me acquainted with a family resident on an adjoining plantation, and made +some inquiries and arrangements as to supplies of provisions, he and his +companion M. Bayard then returned to the town. + +SEPTEMBER 1805 + +My attention for the first several weeks was principally directed to +acquiring a knowledge of the surrounding country, its natural curiosities +and romantic views; and as these are well worth notice, a description of +the most remarkable objects, with an account of the cultivation and +produce of this secluded part of Mauritius, may probably be acceptable to +some readers. + +The district or quarter called Wilhems Plains, occupies a considerable +portion of the interior of the island; its northern extremity borders on +the sea by the side of the district of Port Louis, from which it is +separated by the Grande Riviere; and it extends southward from thence, +rising gradually in elevation and increasing in breadth. The body of the +quarter is bounded to the N. E. by the district of Mocha--to the S. E. by +that of Port Bourbon or the Grand Port--to the south by the quarter of La +Savanne--and to the west by the Plains of St. Pierre. Its length from the +sea to the Grand Bassin at its southern extremity, is about five +geographic leagues in a straight line, and mean breadth nearly two +leagues; whence the superficial extent of this district should not be +much less than ninety square miles. In the upper part is a lake called +the _Mare aux Vacouas_, apparently so named from the number of pandanus +trees, called vacouas, on its borders; and that part of Wilhems Plains by +which the lake is surrounded, at the distance of a league, more or less, +bears the appellation of Vacouas; in this part my residence was situate, +in a country overspread with thick woods, a few plantations excepted, +which had been mostly cleared within a few years. + +In consequence of the elevation of Vacouas, the climate is as much +different from that of the low parts of the island as if it were several +degrees without the tropic; June, July, and August are the driest months +at Port Louis, but here they are most rainy, and the thermometer stands +from 7 deg. to 12 deg. lower upon an average throughout the year.* In a west +direction, across that part of the Plains of St. Pierre called Le +Tamarin, the sea is not more distant than six miles; the descent is +therefore rapid, and is rendered more so from three-fourths of the space +being flat, low land; in comparison with Le Tamarin, Vacouas is in fact +an irregular plain upon the top of the mountains, to which there is +almost no other access than by making a circuit of four or five miles +round by the lower part of Wilhems Plains. Three rugged peaks called the +Trois Mamelles, and another, the Montagne du Rempart, all of them +conspicuous at sea, are the highest points of a ridge somewhat elevated +above this irregular plain, and bounding it to the westward; and the road +forming the ordinary communication between the high and low land passes +round them. My retreat, which very appropriately to the circumstances of +my situation bore the name of _The Refuge_, lay two or three miles to the +south-east of the Trois Mamelles. + +[* The mean height of the thermometer in July 1805, which is the middle +of winter, was 671/4 deg., and of the barometer in French inches and lines, +26.73/4; and during February 1806, the middle of summer. 76 deg. and 26.53/4 were +the mean heights. At M. Pitot's house in the town of Port Louis, the +averages in the same February were 86 deg. and 27.73/4. According to De Luc, +the difference between the logarithms of the two heights of the barometer +expresses very nearly the difference of elevation in thousand toises, +when the thermometer stands at 70 deg. in both places; and therefore the +approximate elevation of Vacouas above M. Pitot's house, should be + +1871/4 toises, or in French feet, 1123 +Correction for excess of thermometers above 70 deg., + 25 +Supposed elevation of M. Pitot's house above the sea, + 40 + ---- +Elevation of Vacouas in French feet, 1188 + + + +The English foot being to the French, as 12 is to 12.816, the height of +Vacouas above the level of the sea should be nearly 1269 English feet.] + + +The principal rivers in the neighbourhood are the R. du Tamarin and the +R. du Rempart, each branching into two principal arms; these collect all +the smaller streams in this portion of the island, and arriving by +different routes at the same point, make their junction at the head of +the Baye du Tamarin, where their waters are discharged into the sea. In +wet weather these rivers run with great force, but in ordinary times they +do not contain much water; and their smaller branches are mostly dried up +in October and November. Both arms of the R. du Rempart take their rise +between one and two miles to the S. by E. of the Refuge, and within half +a mile of the Mare aux Vacouas, from which it is thought their sources +are derived; the western arm bears the name of R. des Papayas, probably +from the number of those trees found on its banks;* and taking its course +northward, is the boundary between two series of plantations, until it +joins the other branch at the foot of the Montagne du Rempart and its +name is lost. The Refuge was one of these plantations bounded by the R. +des Papayes, being situate on its eastern bank, and receiving from it an +accession of value; for this arm does not dry up in the most unfavourable +seasons, neither does it overflow in the hurricanes. + +[* The papaye, papaya, or papaw, is a tree well known in the East and +West Indies, and is common in Mauritius; the acrid milk of the green +fruit, when softened with an equal quantity of honey, is considered to be +the best remedy against worms, with which the negroes and young children, +who live mostly on vegetable diet, are much troubled.] + +The eastern arm bears the name of R. du Rempart throughout, from its +source near the _mare_ or lake to its embouchure. Its course is nearly +parallel to that of the sister stream, the distance between them varying +only from about half a mile to one hundred and twenty yards; and the +Refuge, as also the greater number of plantations on the eastern, or +right bank of the R. des Papayes, is divided by it into two unequal +parts, and bridges are necessary to keep up a communication between them. +Although the source of this arm be never dried up, yet much of its water +is lost in the passage; and during five or six months of the year that +nothing is received from the small branches, greater or less portions of +its bed are left dry; there seems, however, to be springs in the bed, for +at a distance from where the water disappears a stream is found running +lower down, which is also lost and another appears further on. In the +summer rains, more especially in the hurricanes, the R. du Rempart +receives numberless re-enforcements, and its torrent then becomes +impetuous, carrying away the bridges, loose rocks, and every moveable +obstruction; its partial inundations do great damage to the coffee trees, +which cannot bear the water, and in washing off the best of the vegetable +soil. During these times, the communication between those parts of the +plantations on different sides of the river is cut off, until the waters +have in part subsided; and this occurred thrice in one year and a half. + +At the western end of the Mare aux Vacouas is an outlet through which a +constant stream flows, and this is the commencement of the principal +branch of the R. du Tamarin; the other branch, called the R. des +Aigrettes, is said to take its rise near a more distant lake, named the +Grand Bassin; and their junction is made about one mile to the S. S. W. +of the Refuge, near the boundary ridge of the high land, through which +they have made a deep cut, and formed a valley of a very romantic +character. A short distance above their junction, each branch takes a +leap downward of about seventy feet; and when united, they do not run +above a quarter of a mile northward before they descend with redoubled +force a precipice of nearly one hundred and twenty feet; there are then +one or two small cascades, and in a short distance another of eighty or a +hundred feet; and from thence to the bottom of the valley, the descent is +made by smaller cascades and numberless rapids. After the united stream +has run about half a mile northward, and in that space descended near a +thousand feet from the level of Vacouas, the river turns west; and +passing through the deep cut or chasm in the boundary ridge, enters the +plain of Le Tamarin and winds in a serpentine course to the sea. + +The R. du Tamarin is at no time a trifling stream, and in rainy weather +the quantity of water thrown down the cascades is considerable; by a +calculation from the estimated width, depth, and rate of the current +after a hurricane, the water then precipitated was 1500 tons in a minute. +There are some points on the high land whence most of the cascades may be +seen at one view, about a mile distant; from a nearer point some of them +are perceived to the left, the Trois Mamelles tower over the woods to the +right, and almost perpendicularly under foot is the impetuous stream of +the river, driving its way amongst the rocks and woods at the bottom of +the valley. In front is the steep gap, through which the river rushes to +the low land of Le Tamarin; and there the eye quits it to survey the +sugar plantations, the alleys of tamarinds and mangoes, the villages of +huts, and all the party-coloured vegetation with which that district is +adorned; but soon it passes on to the Baye du Tamarin, to the breakers on +the coral reefs which skirt the shore, and to the sea expanded out to a +very distant horizon. An elevation of ten or eleven hundred feet, and the +distance of three or four miles which a spectator is placed from the +plantations, gives a part of this view all the softness of a +well-finished drawing; and when the sun sets in front of the gap, and +vessels are seen passing before it along the coast, nothing seems wanting +to complete this charming and romantic prospect. + +Amongst the natural curiosities of Mauritius may be reckoned the _Mare +aux Vacouas_, situate about two miles S. by E. of the Refuge. It is an +irregular piece of fresh water of about one mile in length, surrounded +with many hundred acres of swampy land, through which run four or five +little streams from the back hills; in some places it is from 20 to 25 +fathoms deep, as reported, and is well stocked with eels, prawns and a +small red fish called _dame-cere_, originally brought from China. The +eels and prawns are indigenous, and reach to a large size; the latter are +sometimes found of six inches long without the beard, and the eels +commonly offered for sale ran from six to twenty, and some were said to +attain the enormous weight of eighty pounds. This fish is delicate +eating, and the largest are accounted the best; its form has more +affinity to the conger than to our fresh-water eel, and much resembles, +if it be not exactly the same species caught in the small streams of +Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean. Whence it is that fresh-water fish +should be found on small islands, frequently at several hundred leagues +from other land, will probably long remain one of the secrets of nature; +if it were granted that they might come by sea, the difficulty would +scarcely be less to know how they should have mounted precipices of many +hundred feet, to reach lakes at the tops of mountains where they are not +uncommonly seen. + +Five or six miles to the south of the Refuge lies another lake of fresh +water, called the _Grand Bassin_; its situation is more elevated than +Vacouas, and except the ridges and tops of mountains, it seemed to be in +the highest part of the island. This basin is nearly half a mile in +diameter, of a form not far from circular, and is certainly deep; but +that it should be 84 fathoms as was said, is scarcely credible. The banks +are rocky, and appear like a mound thrown up to keep the water from +overflowing; and the surrounding land, particularly to the south, being +lower than the surface of the water, gives the Grand Bassin an appearance +of a cauldron three-quarters full. No perceptible stream runs into it, +but several go out, draining through hollow parts of the rocky bank, and +forming the commencement of so many rivers; the Rivieres des Anguilles, +Dragon, and du Poste fall into the sea on the south or south-east parts +of the island; the R. des Aigrettes before mentioned, and the R. Noire +which runs westward, rise not far off, but their asserted subterraneous +communication with the basin is doubtful. No great difference takes place +in the level of the water except after heavy rains; when the supply, +which must principally come from springs in the bottom, so far exceeds +the quantity thrown out, as to raise it sometimes as much as six feet. + +On the western bank is a peaked hill, from which the Grand Bassin is not +only seen to much advantage, but the view extends over great part of +Mauritius, and in several places to the horizon of the sea. It was +apparent from hence, that between the mountains behind Port Louis and +those of La Savanne to the south, and from the R. Noire eastward to Port +Bourbon, not one-half, probably not a third part of the primitive woods +were cut down; and this space comprehends three-fifths of the island, but +excludes great part of the shores, near which the plantations are most +numerous. + +The elevated bank round the Grand Bassin consists partly of stones thrown +loosely together; though porous, the stone is heavy and hard, of a dark +grey colour, and contains numerous specks of what seemed to be +feldtspath, with sometimes particles of mica and olivine; it is more or +less ferruginous, gives a bell-like sound when struck, and in some parts +appeared to have run in the manner of lava. From this description, and +the circular form and elevated position of this basin, the geologist will +probably be induced to think it the crater of an ancient volcano; and +since there are other large holes nearly similar to it, and many caverns +and streams under ground in other parts, it may perhaps be concluded that +if the island do not owe its origin to subterraneous fire, it has yet +been subject to volcanic eruptions, and that the Grand Bassin was one of +the vents. + +Such were the rivers, lakes, and views which most excited my excursions +to the north, the west, and south of the Refuge. To the east at a league +distance, there was, according to my information, a lake called the Mare +aux Joncs, from whence rises the R. du Menil; and taking its course +northward, joins the R. de Wilhems and at length falls into the Grande +Riviere. At a further distance several other streams were said to rise, +some running northward to the same destination as the above, and others +south-eastward towards Port Bourbon; but having never visited this part +of my limits, I can speak of it only from report, corroborated by a view +of the chart. The country was represented as less inhabited than Vacouas, +owing to the want of roads and consequent difficulty of conveyance to the +town, upon which the value of land very much depends: an uncleared +_habitation_* near the Mare aux Joncs was sold for 500 dollars, whilst +the same quantity of land at Vacouas was worth six times that sum. + +[* The original concessions of land in Mauritius were usually of 1561/2 +_arpents_, of 40,000 French square feet each, making about 1601/2 acres +English; this is called _un terrein d'habitation_, and in abridgment a +_habitation_, although no house should be built, nor a tree cut down; by +corruption however, the word is also used for any farm or plantation, +though of much smaller extent.] + +Upon the high land near the Grand Bassin and in some other central parts +of Mauritius, a day seldom passes throughout the year without rain; even +at Vacouas it falls more or less during six or eight months, whilst in +the low lands there is very little except from December to March. This +moisture creates an abundance of vegetation, and should have rendered the +middle parts of the island extremely fertile; as they would be if the +soil were not washed down to the low lands and into the sea, almost as +soon as formed. Large timber, whose roots are not seen on the surface, +and a black soil, are here the exterior marks of fertility; but near the +Grand Bassin the trees are small, though thickly set, and the roots, +unable to penetrate below, spread along the ground. The little soil which +has accumulated seemed to be good, and it will increase, though slowly; +for the decayed wood adds something to its quantity every year, whilst +the trunks and roots of the trees save a part from being washed away. +Both these advantages are lost in the cleared lands of Vacouas, which +besides are made to produce from two to four crops every year; the soil +is therefore soon exhausted, and manuring is scarcely known. A plantation +covered with loose rocks is found to retain its fertility longest; +apparently from the stones preserving the vegetable earth against the +heavy rains, as the roots of the trees did before the ground was cleared. + +Much of the lower part of Wilhems Plains has been long cleared and +occupied, and this is one of the most agreeable portions of the island; +but Vacouas is in its infancy of cultivation, three-fourths of it being +still covered with wood. This neglect it owes to the coldness and +moisture of the climate rendering it unfit for the produce of sugar and +cotton, to its being remote from the sea side, and more than all to its +distance from the town of Port Louis, the great mart for all kinds of +productions. Mauritius is not laid out like the counties in England and +other parts of Europe, with a city or market town at every ten or twenty +miles; nor yet like the neighbouring isle Bourbon, where there are two or +three towns and some villages; it has but one town, which is the seat of +government and commerce for both islands. In other parts the plantations +are scattered irregularly; and although half a dozen houses may sometimes +be found near together, families within a mile of each other are +considered as next door neighbours. There being few tradesmen except in +the town, the more considerable planters have blacksmiths, carpenters, +and one or more taylors and shoemakers amongst their slaves, with forges +and workshops on their plantations; but every thing they have occasion to +buy, even the bread for daily consumption, is generally brought from Port +Louis. + +The produce of the different districts in Mauritius varies according to +the elevation and climate of each; and the temperature of Vacouas being +better suited to European vegetables, the daily supply of the bazar or +market with them, is a great object to the inhabitants. Owing to the bad +roads and excessive price of beasts of burthen, the manner universally +adopted of sending these supplies is upon the heads of slaves; and the +distance being twelve heavy miles, this employment occupies nearly the +whole time of two or more strong negroes, besides that of a trusty man in +the town to make the necessary purchases and sales. The distance of a +plantation from Port Louis therefore causes a material increase of +expense and inconvenience for this object alone, and is one reason why +Vacouas is less cultivated than many other districts; in proportion, +however, as timber becomes more scarce in the neighbourhood of the town, +the woods of Vacouas will rise in value and present a greater inducement +to clear the lands. Timber and planks for ships, and also for building +houses, with shingles to cover them, were fast increasing in demand; and +the frequent presence of English cruisers, which prevented supplies being +sent from La Savanne and other woody parts of the sea coast, tended +powerfully to throw this lucrative branch of internal commerce more into +the hands of the landholders at Vacouas, and to clear the district of its +superfluous woods. + +Besides various kinds of excellent timber for building, these woods +contain the black ebony, the heart of which is sold by weight. The tree +is tall and slender, having but few branches which are near the top; its +exterior bark is blackish, the foliage thick, and the leaf, of a dark +green above and pale below, is smooth, not very pointed, and larger than +those of most forest trees. It produces clusters of an oblong fruit, of +the size of a plum, and full of a viscous, sweetish juice, rather +agreeable to the taste. The ordinary circumference of a good tree is +three or four feet; when cut down, the head lopped off and exterior white +wood chipped away, a black log remains of about six inches in diameter, +and from twelve to fifteen feet in length, the weight of which is +something above 300 pounds. In 1806 several inhabitants permitted a +contractor to cut down their ebony, on condition of receiving half a +Spanish dollar for each hundred pounds of the black wood; others cut it +down themselves, trimmed and piled the logs together, and sold them on +the spot for one dollar the hundred; but those who possessed means of +transporting the wood to town, obtained from 11/2 to 21/2 dollars, the price +depending upon the supply, and the number of American vessels in port, +bound to China, whither it was principally carried. Many of the +plantations in Vacouas were thus exhausted of their ebony; and the tree +is of so slow a growth, that the occupiers could expect afterwards to cut +those only which, being too small, they had before spared; these were +very few, for the object of the planter being generally to realize a sum +which should enable him to return to Europe, the future was mostly +sacrificed to present convenience. + +Such cleared parts of Vacouas as are not planted with maize, manioc, or +sweet potatoes for the support of the slaves, or with vegetables and +fruits for the bazar, are commonly laid out in coffee plantations, which +were becoming more an object of attention, as they have long been at +Bourbon; the great demand made for coffee by the Americans, and its +consequent high price, had caused this object of commerce to flourish in +both islands, notwithstanding the war. Indigo and the clove tree were +also obtaining a footing at Vacouas; but the extensive plantations of +sugar cane and cotton shrubs found in the low parts of the island, +appeared not to have been attempted, and it is certain that the cotton +would not succeed. + +The portions of each habitation allotted to different objects of culture, +are usually separated by a double row of some tree or shrub, either +useful or ornamental, with a road or path running between the lines. +Amongst the useful is the vacoua or pandanus; whose leaves being strongly +fibrous, long, spreading, and armed with prickles, both form a tolerable +fence and supply a good material for making sacks, bags, etc. It is only +whilst young that the vacoua answers this double purpose; but the tree is +twelve or fifteen years before it arrives at maturity, and the leaves may +be annually cut: no other use is made of the fruit than to plant it for +the production of other trees. A double row of the tall jamb-rosa, or +rose apple, makes the principal divisions in some plantations, forming +agreeable, shady walks; and from the shelter it affords is preferred for +surrounding the coffee trees, which require the utmost care to protect +them from hurricanes. A tree once violently shaken, dies five or six +months afterward, as it does if water stand several days together round +its foot; sloping situations, where the water may run off, are therefore +preferred for it, and if rocky they are the more advantageous, from the +firmness which the roots thereby acquire to resist the hurricanes. Rows +of the banana, of which the island possesses a great variety of species, +are also planted by the sides of the paths leading through the +habitations, sometimes behind the vacoua, but often alone; the pine apple +serves the same purpose in others, as do the peach and other fruit trees +where the paths are more considerable. A long and strong grass, called +_vitti-vert_, is occasionally preferred for the lines of division; this +is cut twice or thrice in the year to be used as thatch, for which it is +well adapted. Hedges of the ever-flowering China rose, and of the +_netshouly_, a bushy shrub from India which prospers in every soil, are +often used in place of the tall jamb-rosa to form alleys leading up to +the house of the planter, and also the principal walks in his garden; the +waving bamboo, whose numberless uses are well known, is planted by the +sides of the rivers and canals. + +A notion of the working and produce of a plantation at Vacouas will be +most concisely given by a statement of the ordinary expenses and returns; +and to render it more nearly applicable to the case of such persons in +Europe as might form the project of becoming settlers, I will suppose a +young man, with his wife and child, arrived at Mauritius with the +intention of employing his time and means on a plantation in this +district; and at the end of five years other affairs call him thence, and +he sells every thing. He is supposed to possess 18,000 dollars in money +or property, to be active, industrious, and frugal, and though +unacquainted with the business of a planter, to be sufficiently +intelligent to gain the necessary information in one year. With these +requisites, I would examine whether he will have been able to subsist his +family comfortably during the five years, and what will then be the state +of his funds. + + +EXPENSES. Dollars. + +In town the first year, 1,800 +Price of an uncleared habitation, 3,000 +Twenty negroes, some being mechanics, 4,000 +Ten negresses, 1,500 +Ten children of different ages, 1,000 +Maize 500 lbs. (71/2 D.), sweet potatoes +1250 lbs. (33/4 D.) to subsist each slave +the first year, 450 + +Head tax for 5 years, at .1 D. each per an. 100 +Maroon tax for ditto 100 +Surgeon to attend the slaves, 200 +Building and furnishing a house, +magazine, etc., exclusive of wood and +labourers from the plantation, 2,500 +Agricultural utensils, hand mills, etc. 300 +100 fowls and 50 ducks for a breed, 100 +Ten goats, 60 +Ten pigs, 100 +A horse, saddle, etc. 250 +A good ass, side saddle, etc. 120 +Seeds and fruit trees, 50 +Coffee plants 30,000 for 20 acres, 450 +Expenses at the plantation in 4 years, +exclusive of domestic supplies, 3,600 +Losses from two hurricanes, 2,000 + ------ +Total 21,680 + +RECEIPTS. Dollars. +Of 60 acres cleared to raise provisions, +30 are necessary to support the slaves; +from the rest may be sold 150,000 lbs. +of maize in 4 years, for 2,250 +Ebony, timber, planks and shingles, sold +on the spot during 5 years, 3,000 +Coffee reaped on the 5th year, 50 bales +(100 lbs. each) at 15 D. per bale, 750 +Vegetables and fruit sold at the bazar, aver +age 2 D. per day, during four years, 2,920 +Fowls and ducks 2000 at 1/2 D. 1,000 +Thirty goats sold, 180 +Thirty hogs, 600 +At the end of 5 years, the plantation, +buildings, etc., will probably bring, 7,000 +Probable value of the slaves, 5,500 +Pigs, goats, and poultry remaining, 260 +Horse, ass, etc. probably not more than 200 + ------ +Whole receipts 23,660 +Expenses and losses 21,680 + ------ +Increase 1,980 + + +The taxes and price of provisions, coffee, etc. in the above calculation, +are taken as they usually stood in time of war, under the government of +general De Caen; and every thing is taken against, rather than in favour +of the planter. In his expenses a sufficiency is allowed to live +comfortably, to see his friends at times, and something for the pleasure +of himself and wife; but if he choose to be very economical, 2000 dollars +might be saved from the sums allotted. + +In selling his plantation at the end of five years, he is in a great +measure losing the fruit of his labour; for the coffee alone might be +reasonably expected to produce annually one hundred bales for the +following ten years, and make his revenue exceed 3000 dollars per annum; +and if he continued to live economically upon the plantation, this, with +the rising interest of his surplus money, would double his property in a +short time. It is therefore better, supposing a man to possess the +requisite knowledge, to purchase a habitation already established, than +to commence upon a new one. + +The same person going to Vaucouas with the intention of quitting it at +the end of five years, would not plant coffee, but turn his attention to +providing different kinds of wood and sending it to Port Louis. With this +object principally in view, he would purchase two habitations instead of +one; and as this and other expenses incident to the new arrangement would +require a greater sum than he is supposed to possess, he must borrow, at +high interest, what is necessary to make up the deficiency. The amount of +his receipts and expenses for the five years. would then be nearly as +follows. + + +EXPENSES. Dollars. + +As before, deducting coffee plants, 21,230 +An additional habitation, 3,000 +Twenty asses, at 90 D. each, 1,800 +Harnesses for three teams, 300 +Three waggons built on the plantation, 150 +Three additional slaves, 600 +Interest of 6,000 dollars borrowed for +three years, at 18 per cent. per an. 3,240 + ------ +Total 30,320 +Total receipts 41,922 + ------ +Increase 11,602 + +RECEIPTS. Dollars. +As before, deducting wood, coffee, +plantation and buildings, 12,910 +Trimmed ebony sent to the town 375, +6000 lbs. at 2 D. per 100, 7,512 +Timber sent to Port Louis in 4 years, +640 loads at 25 D. each, 16,000 +Two habitations stripped of the best +wood may sell for, with buildings, 4,000 +Asses and additional slaves, 1,500 + ------ +Total 41,922 + + +These statements will give a general idea of a plantation at Vacouas, the +employments of the more considerable inhabitants, of the food of the +slaves, etc., and will render unnecessary any further explanation on +these heads. + +It was considered a fair estimate, that a habitation should give yearly +20 per cent. on the capital employed, after allowance made for all common +losses; and money placed on good security obtained from 9 to 18 per cent. +in time of war, and 12 to 24 in the preceding peace. Had my planter put +his 18,000 dollars out at interest, instead of employing them on a +plantation at Vacouas, and been able to obtain 15 per cent, he would at +the end of five years, after expending 150 dollars each month in the town +of Port Louis, have increased his capital nearly 5,000 dollars; but it is +more than probable that he would have fallen into the luxury of the +place, and have rather diminished than increased his fortune. + +The woods of Vacouas are exceedingly thick, and so interwoven with +different kinds of climbing plants, that it is difficult to force a +passage through; and to take a ride where no roads have been cut, is as +impossible as to take a flight in the air. Except morasses and the +borders of lakes, I did not see a space of five square yards in these +woods, which was covered with grass and unencumbered with shrubs or +trees; even the paths not much frequented, if not impassable, are +rendered very embarrassing by the raspberries, wild tobacco, and other +shrubs with which they are quickly overgrown. Cleared lands which have +ceased to be cultivated, are usually clothed with a strong, coarse grass, +called _chien-dent_, intermixed with ferns, wild tobacco, and other +noxious weeds. In the low districts the grass is of a better kind, and +supplies the cattle with tolerable food during three or four months that +it is young and tender, and for most of the year in marshy places; at +other times they are partly fed with maize straw, the refuse of the sugar +mills, and the leaves and tender branches of some trees. + +A few short-legged hares and some scattered partridges are found near the +skirts of the plantations, and further in the woods there are some deer +and wild hogs. Monkeys are more numerous, and when the maize is ripe they +venture into the plantations to steal; which obliges the inhabitants to +set a watch over the fields in the day, as the maroons and other thieves +do at night. There are some wood pigeons and two species of doves, and +the marshy places are frequented by a few water hens; but neither wild +geese nor ducks are known in the island. Game of all kinds was at this +time so little abundant in the woods of Vacouas, that even a creole, who +is an intrepid hunter and a good shot, and can live where an European +would starve, could not subsist himself and his dogs upon the produce of +the chase. Before the revolution this was said to have been possible; but +in that time of disorder the citizen mulattoes preferred hunting to work, +and the woods were nearly depopulated of hares and deer. + +Of indigenous fruits there are none worth notice, for that produced by +the ebony scarcely deserves the name; a large, but almost tasteless +raspberry is however now found every where by the road side, and citrons +of two kinds grow in the woods. A small species of cabbage tree, called +here _palmiste_, is not rare and is much esteemed; the undeveloped leaves +at the head of the tree, when eaten raw, resemble in taste a walnut, and +a cauliflower when boiled; dressed as a salad they are superior to +perhaps any other, and make an excellent pickle. Upon the deserted +plantations, peaches, guavas, pine apples, bananas, mulberries and +strawberries are often left growing; these are considered to be the +property of the first comer, and usually fall to the lot of the maroons, +or to the slaves in the neighbourhood who watch their ripening; the wild +bees also furnish them with an occasional regale of honey. + +With respect to noxious insects, the scourge of most tropical countries, +the wet and cold weather which renders Vacouas a disagreeable residence +in the winter, is of singular advantage; the numerous musketoes and sand +flies, the swarms of wasps, the ants, centipedes, scorpions, bugs and +lizards, with which the lower parts of the island are more or less +tormented, are almost unknown here; and fleas and cockroaches are less +numerous. A serpent is not known to exist in Mauritius, though several +have been found on some of the neighbouring islets; it is therefore not +the climate which destroys them, nor has it been ascertained what is the +cause.* + +[* Mauritius is not singular in being free of serpents whilst they exist +on lands within sight, or not far off; but a late account says that one +of great size has been killed on that island near the Reduit, supposed to +have escaped out of a ship from India, wrecked on the coast a few years +before.] + +From this account of the situation of my retreat, it will be perceived +that it was a vast acquisition to exchange the Garden Prison for Vacouas; +there, it had been too warm to take exercise, except in the mornings and +evenings, had there been room and inducements; whilst at the Refuge I was +obliged to clothe in woollen, had space to range in, and a variety of +interesting objects, with the charm of novelty to keep me in continual +motion. I bathed frequently in the R. du Rempart, walked out every fine +day, and in a few weeks my former health was in a great measure +recovered. Those who can receive gratification from opening the door to +an imprisoned bird, and remarking the joy with which it hops from spray +to spray, tastes of every seed and sips from every rill, will readily +conceive the sensations of a man during the first days of liberation from +a long confinement. + +CHAPTER VII. + +Occupations at Vacouas. +Hospitality of the inhabitants. +Letters from England. +Refusal to be sent to France repeated. +Account of two hurricanes, of a subterraneous stream and circular pit. +Habitation of La Perouse. +Letters to the French marine minister, National Institute, etc. +Letters from Sir Edward Pellew. +Caverns in the Plains of St. Pierre. +Visit to Port Louis. +Narrative transmitted to England. +Letter to captain Bergeret on his departure for France. + +[AT MAURITIUS. WILHEMS PLAINS.] + +SEPTEMBER 1805 + +The latter end of August and beginning of September appertain to the +winter in the southern hemisphere, during which it rains frequently at +Vacouas; in the first month after my arrival there were few days that +continued fine throughout, and although all opportunities were taken to +make excursions in the neighbourhood, a considerable part of the time was +necessarily passed within doors. Having sent away my charts and +instruments, and most of the books and papers, no object of my voyage +could be prosecuted until a further supply should be obtained from the +captain-general De Caen; and this being the time, should it ever arrive, +to which I had looked for gaining some knowledge of the French language, +the study of it was now made a serious employment. + +Amongst the principal habitations near the Refuge, the proprietor of one +only was resident in the country; and the introduction of my friend Pitot +having produced an invitation, I profited by it to spend there several +evenings, which, besides being passed agreeably, facilitated the study to +which my attention was directed. There was living in the family an +unemployed commander of a merchant ship, M. Murat, who had made the +voyage with Etienne Marchand, the account of which is so ably written by +M. de Fleurieu; he was obliging enough to accompany me in several +excursions, and amongst them in a walk of five miles to the house of M. +Giblot, commandant of the quarter of Wilhems Plains, to whom it seemed +proper to show myself and pay a visit of ceremony. The commandant was +unacquainted with my residence in his district, which was so far +gratifying that it showed I was not an object of suspicion in the eye of +the government. + +OCTOBER 1805 + +M. Pitot came to pass a day with me at the end of a month, as did captain +Bergeret; and on the 9th of October, the proprietor of the Refuge arrived +with two of her sons and three daughters, to take up their residence on +the plantation. On the following day I received a proposal from Madame +D'Arifat, as liberal as the terms in which it was couched were obliging, +to partake of her table with the family, which after some necessary +stipulations, was accepted; and in a short time I had the happiness to +enumerate amongst my friends one of the most worthy families in the +island. The arrival of two other proprietors from the town increased the +number of our neighbours, and of those who sought by their hospitable +kindness to make my time pass agreeably. To M. de Chazal I was indebted +for sending out my baggage, and in the sequel for many acts of civility +and service; this gentleman had passed two years in England, during the +tyranny of Robespierre, and consequently my want of knowledge in the +French language, at first an obstacle to communication with others, was +none to reaping the advantage of his information. + +On the 22nd, a packet of letters brought intelligence from my family and +friends in England, of whom I had not heard for more than three years; +Mr. Robertson, my former companion in the Garden Prison, had found means +to forward it to M. Pitot, by whom it was immediately sent to Vacouas. A +letter from the president of the Royal Society informed me that the +misunderstanding between the French and British governments was so great, +that no communication existed between them; but that the president +himself, having obtained the approbation of the ministry, had made an +application in my behalf to the National Institute, from which a +favourable answer had been received; and there were strong hopes that so +soon as the emperor Napoleon should return from Italy, an order for my +liberation would be obtained. Our frigates, the Pitt and Terpsichore, +came to cruise off Mauritius a short time afterward [NOVEMBER 1805], for +which I was as sorry on one account as any of the inhabitants; every week +might produce the arrival of the expected order, but it would probably be +thrown overboard if the vessel should be chased, or have an engagement +with our ships. + +FEBRUARY 1806 + +Three months thus passed in fruitless expectation; at length an +aide-de-camp of the general arrived, and gave a spur to my hopes; but +after many days of anxiety to know the result, I learned from captain +Bergeret that the despatches said nothing upon my imprisonment. This +silence of the marine minister and the great events rising in Europe, +admitted little hope of my situation being remembered; and I was thence +led to entertain the project of once more requesting general De Caen to +send me to France for trial; but the brother of the general and another +officer being also expected, it was deferred at that time. In effect, M. +De Caen arrived on the 25th, in the frigate La Canonniere from Cherbourg, +and excited a renewal of hope only to be again disappointed; the news of +victories gained by the French over the Austrians seemed to occupy every +attention, and threw a dark shade over all expectation of present +liberty. I learned, however, and a prisoner's mind would not fail to +speculate thereon, that my detention was well known in Paris, and thought +to be hard; but it was also said, that I was considered in the same light +as those persons who were arrested in France, as hostages for the vessels +and men said to have been stopped by our ships before the declaration of +war. + +MARCH 1806 + +My proposed letter to general De Caen was then sent; and after pointing +out the uncertainty of orders arriving, or even that the marine minister +should find time to think of a prisoner in a distant island, I repeated +for the third time my request to be sent to France; where a speedy +punishment would put an end to my anxieties, if found culpable, or in the +contrary case, a few days would restore me to my country, my family, and +occupations. Captain Bergeret had the goodness to deliver this letter, +and to give it his support; but it was unsuccessful, the verbal answer +being that nothing could be done until the orders of the government were +received. To a proposal of taking my parole to deliver myself up in +France, should the ship be taken on the passage, the general would not +listen; though my friend said he had read the letter with attention, and +promised to repeat his request to the minister for orders. + +A hurricane had desolated the island on the 20th and 21st of February; +and on the 10th of this month a second came on, causing a repetition of +mischief in the port and upon the plantations. Several vessels were +driven on shore or blown out to sea, and more than one lost; the fruit +trees, sugar cane, maize, etc. were laid flat with the earth; the +different streams swelled to an extraordinary size, carrying away the +best of the vegetable soil from the higher habitations, mixed with all +kinds of produce, branches and trunks of trees, and the wrecks of bridges +torn away; and the huts of the slaves, magazines, and some houses were +either unroofed or blown down. All communication with the port was cut +off from the distant quarters, and the intercourse between adjoining +plantations rendered difficult; yet this chaotic derangement was said to +be trifling in comparison with what was suffered in the first hurricane +at Bourbon, where the vessels have no better shelter than open roadsteds, +and the plantations of cloves, coffee and maize are so much more +extensive. Some American vessels were amongst the sufferers, but as +domestic occurrences were not allowed to be published here, I learned +only a very general account from the different reports: happily for our +cruisers the last had quitted the island in January. + +In the evening of Feb. 20, when the first hurricane came on, the +swift-passing clouds were tinged at sunset with a deep copper colour; but +the moon not being near the full, it excited little apprehension at the +Refuge. The wind was fresh, and kept increasing until eleven o'clock, at +which time it blew very hard; the rain fell in torrents, accompanied with +loud claps of thunder and lightning, which at every instant imparted to +one of the darkest nights the brightness of day. The course of the wind +was from south-west to south, south-east, east, and north-east, where it +blew hardest between one and three in the morning, giving me an +apprehension that the house, pavilions, and all would be blown away +together. At four o'clock the wind had got round to north and began to +moderate, as did the rain which afterwards came only in squalls; at nine, +the rain had nearly ceased, and the wind was no more than a common gale, +and after passing round to N. N. W. it died away. At the time the wind +moderated at Mauritius its fury was most exerted at Bourbon, which it was +said to have attacked with a degree of violence that any thing less solid +than a mountain was scarcely able to resist. The lowest to which the +mercury descended in the barometer at Vacouas. was 51/2 lines below the +mean level of two days before and two days afterward; and this was at +daybreak, when the wind and rain were subsiding. + +Soon after the violence of the hurricane had abated, I went to the +cascades of the R. du Tamarin, to enjoy the magnificent prospect which +the fall of so considerable a body of water must afford; the path through +the wood was strewed with the branches and trunks of trees, in the forest +the grass and shrubs were so beaten down as to present the appearance of +an army having passed that way, and the river was full up to its banks. +Having seen the fall in the nearest of the two arms, I descended below +their junction, to contemplate the cascade they formed when united, down +the precipice of 120 feet; the noise of the fall was such that my own +voice was scarcely audible, but a thick mist which rose up to the clouds +from the abyss, admitted of a white foam only being distinguished. + +During these hurricanes in Mauritius, the wind usually makes the whole +tour of the compass; and as during this of February it made little more +than half, the apprehension of a second hurricane was entertained, and +became verified about a fortnight afterwards. The wind began at E. S. E. +with rainy weather, and continued there twenty-four hours, with +increasing force; it then shifted quickly to north-east, north, +north-west, and on the third evening was at W. S. W., where it gradually +subsided. This was not so violent as the first hurricane, but the rain +fell in torrents, and did great mischief to the land, besides destroying +such remaining part of the crops as were at all in an advanced state: at +Bourbon it did not do much injury, the former, it was said, having left +little to destroy. The wind had now completed the half of the compass +which it wanted in the first hurricane; and the unfortunate planters were +left to repair their losses without further dread for this year: maize +and manioc, upon which the slaves are principally fed, rose two hundred +per cent. + +An opinion commonly entertained in Mauritius, that hurricanes are little +to be apprehended except near the time of full moon, does not seem to be +well founded. In 1805 indeed, there was a heavy gale on April 14 and 15, +a few days after the full; but the first of the two hurricanes +abovementioned took place a day or two before the new moon, and the +middle of the second within twenty-four hours of the last quarter; whence +it should appear that the hurricanes have no certain connexion with the +state of this planet. January, February, and March are the months which +excite the most dread, and December and April do not pass without +apprehension; for several years, however, previously to 1805, no +hurricane had been experienced; and the inhabitants began to hope, that +if the clearing of the country caused a dearth of rain at some times of +the year, it would also deliver them from these dreadful scourges; for it +was to the destruction of the woods that the dryness of preceding years +and the cessation of hurricanes were generally attributed. + +On the 21st, His Majesty's ship Russel came off the island upon a cruise, +and chased into Port Louis La Piemontaise, a French frigate which had +sailed from Europe in December. By this opportunity a confirmation of +some, and an account of other victories gained over the Austrians were +received, as also of the great naval action off Cape Trafalgar; the +bulletins of the former were inserted in the gazette of the island, but +except a report from the officers of Le Redoubtable, not a word of the +naval action; amidst such events as these, the misfortunes of an +individual must be very striking to occupy even a thought. + +In a visit to M. Plumet, and to M. Airolles, the proprietor of an +extensive plantation called Menil, in his neighbourhood, I had an +opportunity of seeing a rivulet, which for some distance runs under +ground. The bed of this stream resembled a work of art, seeming to have +been nicely cut out of the solid rock; and close by the side of it was a +cavern, containing layers of a ferruginous stone like lava; their +combined appearance excited an idea that the canal might have been once +occupied by a vein of iron ore, which being melted by subterraneous fire, +found an exit, and left a place for the future passage of the waters. +About one mile from hence, and in a more elevated situation, is a large +and deep hole, of a form nearly approaching to a perfect circle, and its +upper part occupying, according to M. Airolles, the place of seventeen +arpents of land; I judged it to be two hundred feet deep, and that the +loose stones in its bottom formed a flat of four or five acres, the angle +of descent being nearly equal on all sides. The stones around, and at the +bottom of this vast pit are more honeycombed than is usual in other +parts, and much resemble those of the Grand Bassin, of whose nature they +seemed to partake in other respects. + +Menil comprehends a smaller plantation, formerly occupied by the +unfortunate La Perouse, who was some time an inhabitant of this island. I +surveyed it with mixed sensations of pleasure and melancholy; the ruins +of his house, the garden he had laid out, the still blooming hedge-rows +of China roses--emblems of his reputation, every thing was an object of +interest and curiosity. This spot is nearly in the centre of the island, +and upon the road from Port Louis to Port Bourbon. It was here that the +man lamented by the good and well informed of all nations--whom science +illumined, and humanity, joined to an honest ambition, conducted to the +haunts of remote savages--in this spot he once dwelt, perhaps little +known to the world, but happy; when he became celebrated he had ceased to +exist. M. Airolles promised me to place three square blocks of stone, one +upon the other, in the spot where the house of this lamented navigator +had stood; and upon the uppermost stone facing the road, to engrave, LA +PEROUSE. + +APRIL 1806 + +My lame seaman having recovered from the accident of his broken leg, +colonel Monistrol granted a permission for his departure in the beginning +of April; and he was shipped on board the Telemaque -- Clark, bound to +Boston in America. His companion, the last of the Cumberland's crew, had +the same means offered of recovering his liberty; but he still refused to +leave me in Mauritius. + +On the 15th I sent away two packets of letters, one for the Admiralty and +my friends in England, the other to France; the last contained a second +letter to M. de Fleurieu, and one to the French marine minister giving a +short account of my voyage and detention; it inclosed the extract from +captain Baudin (Chapter V., August.), and requested His Excellency would +direct general De Caen either to set me at liberty, or send me to France +with my books and papers for examination. These letters were accompanied +by duplicates of those written by my friend Pitot in March 1805, to +Messieurs De Bougainville, De la Lande, Chaptal, and Dupuis, and were +sent away by two different conveyances. The Society of Emulation, formed +in Mauritius the preceding year to promote literary and philosophical +pursuits, but especially to advance the agriculture, navigation, and +commerce of the two islands, wrote also to the National Institute in my +favour; and as its sentiments may be supposed analogous to those of the +most enlightened part of the inhabitants, I venture to give in the +original French a copy of that letter in a note, to show what those +sentiments were.* + +[Not included in this ebook.] + +MAY 1806 + +In May, my friend Pitot was accompanied in his monthly visit by M. +Baudin, an officer of the frigate last arrived from France, who had made +the voyage in Le Geographe with his name sake; and with liberality of +sentiment, possessed that ardent spirit of enterprise by which the best +navigators have been distinguished. He informed me that M. de Fleurieu +was acquainted with most of the circumstances attending my arrival in +this island, and took an interest in my situation, as did many others in +Paris; but could not say what might be the opinion or intentions of the +government. + +On the 6th, colonel Monistrol sent me two open letters from rear-admiral +sir Edward Pellew, commander in chief in the East Indies; in the first of +which it was said, "The circumstances of your situation have impressed +themselves most strongly on my attention; and I feel every disposition to +alleviate your anxiety, without, I fear, the means of affording you any +present relief from your very unpleasant situation. I have transmitted +your letter to the Admiralty, that steps may forthwith be taken for your +release at home, by effecting your exchange for an officer of equivalent +rank; under an impression that at least it may insure your return to +Europe on parole, if that should be a necessary preliminary to your final +liberation." To give an officer of equivalent rank was probably the most +certain mode of obtaining my speedy release, but was not altogether +agreeable to justice. It seemed to me, that the liberation of an officer +employed on discovery, and bearing a passport, ought to be granted as a +matter of right, without any conditions; and accompanied with the +restitution of every thing belonging to his mission and himself, if not +with an atonement to the offended laws of good faith and humanity; but +this was only the _just_, the views of sir Edward were directed to the +_expedient_, and showed a better knowledge of mankind. His second letter, +dated January 15, 1806, contained sentiments nearly similar to the first, +without any new subject upon which to ground the hope of an early +release; that my situation, however, should have excited the attention +and interest of an officer of sir Edward Pellew's established character +and merit, if it did not much increase the prospect of a speedy return to +my country and occupations, was yet gratifying to the feelings, and a +consolation under misfortune. + +In compliance with an invitation from M. Curtat, a friend of our good +family at the Refuge, I went to his plantation near the Baye du Tamarin, +which was within my limits; and had an opportunity of seeing his sugar +and cotton manufactories, as also the embouchure of the rivers du Tamarin +and du Rempart. The bay into which they are discharged is no more than a +sandy bight in the low land, partly filled up with coral; and it would +soon be wholly so, did not the fresh stream from the rivers keep a +channel open in the middle; it is however so shallow, that except in fine +weather fishing boats even cannot enter without risk. + +Upon a plantation in the Plains of St. Pierre, about one mile from the +foot of the Montagne du Rempart, are some caverns which M. Curtat +procured me the means of examining. In the entrance of one is a perpetual +spring, from which a stream takes its course under ground, in a vaulted +passage; M. Ducas, the proprietor of the plantation, said he had traced +it upon a raft, by the light of flambeaux, more than half a mile without +finding its issue; but he supposed it to be in a small lake near the sea +side. The other caverns had evidently been connected with the first, +until the roof gave way in two places and separated them. The middle +portion has a lofty arch, and might be formed into two spacious +apartments; its length is not many fathoms, but the third portion, though +less spacious, runs in a winding course of several hundred yards. From +being unprovided with torches we did not pass the whole length of this +third cavern; but at the two extremities, and as far within as could be +distinguished, the roof admitted of standing upright, and the breadth was +eight or ten yards from side to side. + +About thirty years before, this part of the Plains de St. Pierre had been +covered with wood, and the caverns inhabited by a set of maroon negroes, +whose depredations and murders spread consternation in the neighbourhood. +Their main retreat in the third cavern was discovered by a man whom they +had left for dead; but having watched them to their haunt, he gave +information to the officers of justice, and troops were sent to take +them. After securing the further outlet, the soldiers crept to the +principal entrance, near which the maroons kept a sentinel with loaded +musket in the top of a tree; he was found nodding on his post, and having +shot him they rushed in a body to the mouth of the cavern. The poor +wretches within started from their beds, for they slept in the day time, +and flew to arms; a skirmish ensued, in which another of them was killed +and two soldiers wounded; but at length, finding their retreat cut off, +the sentinel, who happened to be their captain and chief instigator, +killed, and the force opposed to them too great to be overcome, they +yielded themselves prisoners to the number of fifty-one; and were marched +off, with their hands tied, to head quarters, to the great joy of the +district. Besides arms and a small quantity of ammunition, there was +little else found in the cavern than a bag of dollars, a case of wine, +some pieces of cloth, a slaughtered goat, and a small provision of maize +not more than enough for one day. The skull of their captain, who was +said to be possessed of much cunning and audacity, was at this time lying +upon a stone at the entrance of the cavern; and for narrowness of front +and large extent at the back part of the head, was the most singularly +formed cranium I ever saw. Little oblong inclosures, formed with small +stones by the sides of the cavern, once the sleeping places of these +wretches, also existed, nearly in the state they had been left; owing +apparently to the superstition of the black, and the policy and disgust +of the white visitants to these excavations. + +The stone here is mostly of an iron-grey colour, heavy, and porous; and +there were marks upon the sides of the middle cavern which might have +arisen either from a sulphureous substance yielded by the stone when in a +state of ignition, or from an impregnated water draining through the roof +during a succession of time; upon the whole, though it seemed probable +that these caverns owe their origin to the same cause as the +subterraneous canal at Menil, the marks of fire in them were neither +distinct nor unequivocal. The position of these long, winding +excavations, in a country nearly level and of small elevation, appeared +to be the most extraordinary circumstance attending them; but in this +island they are commonly so situate, particularly that remarkable one, of +which a detailed account is given in Grant's _History of Mauritius_ from +M. de St. Pierre. + +Quitting Le Tamarin with M. Curtat, I went to the town of Port Louis, to +take up my residence for a few days with my friend Pitot, the +captain-general having granted a permission to that effect. One of the +objects for which I had asked the permission, was to obtain a further one +to visit La Poudre d'Or and Flacq, on the north-east side of the island; +but my application was refused after two or three days consideration, and +accompanied with an order to return immediately to Wilhems Plains. It +appeared that general De Caen had received a letter of reproach from +governor King of Port Jackson, inclosing, it was said, a copy of that I +had written to the governor in August 1804, wherein my reception and +treatment at Mauritius were described in colours not calculated to +gratify the general's feelings; it was even considered, and perhaps was +in him, a great act of forbearance that he did not order me to be closely +confined in the tower. + +During this short residence in town, the attentions of my friend Pitot, +of captain Bergeret, and several other French inhabitants were such as +bespoke a desire to indemnify me for the ill treatment of their governor, +whose conduct seemed to be generally disapproved; my acquaintance with +major Dunienville of La Savanne was renewed, as also with M. Boand, the +good Swiss, whose anxiety to serve me when a prisoner in the Cafe +Marengo, had not lost any thing of its ardour. At the Garden Prison, +which I could not refrain from visiting, there was no one but the old +serjeant, the six or eight Englishmen in the island being kept at the +Grande Riviere. In returning to Wilhems Plains I made a tour by the +district of Mocha, both to see that part of the island and to visit M. +Huet de Froberville, with whom his intimacy with the good family at the +Refuge had brought me acquainted; this gentleman was nephew of Huetius, +the celebrated bishop of Avranches, and author of _Sidner, or the dangers +of imagination_, a little work published in Mauritius. + +JUNE 1806 + +The usual season of arrivals from France expired with the month of May, +and the time elapsed since my first detention, without being otherwise +noticed by the French government than giving general De Caen its +temporary approbation, had exceedingly weakened my confidence in its +justice; it appeared moreover, that not only had no public application +been made by our government for my liberty and the restitution of my +charts and journals, but that the advancement I had been led to expect in +consequence of the voyage, was stopped. This could not be from +inattention, and therefore probably arose either from a want of +information, or from some misconceived opinions at the Admiralty; to +remove which, it seemed necessary to transmit an account of all the +circumstances attending my imprisonment, accompanied with the letters to +and from the captain-general, and such other pieces as were proper to the +authentication of the narrative. + +JULY 1806 + +I was occupied in writing this account when the Warren Hastings, richly +laden from China, was taken by La Piemontaise and brought to Mauritius; +and captain Larkins having obtained permission to return to England, he +offered by letter to take charge of any thing I desired to transmit. The +narrative, completed to the time of leaving the Garden Prison, was +therefore conveyed to him; and in an accompanying letter to the +Admiralty, my hopes were expressed that their Lordships would not suffer +an imprisonment, contrary to every principle of justice and humanity, to +continue without notice--without such steps being taken to obtain my +release and the restitution of my remaining charts and papers, as in +their wisdom should seem meet. Captain Larkins had ineffectually sought +to obtain a permission to come to Wilhems Plains, and my request to go to +the town for a day or two was refused; he therefore sailed [AUGUST 1806] +without my being able to see him or any of his officers; and his +departure was preceded by that of my friend Pitot for Bourbon, and +followed by the embarkation of captain Bergeret for France. + +In consequence of the many kindnesses conferred by M. Pitot on several of +our countrymen as well as myself, I had been induced to write some +letters at his request to the commanders of His Majesty's ships; +recommending to their favour, in case of being taken, such of his friends +as had a claim to it, either from services rendered to prisoners or from +their superior talents; and I did not let slip the occasion of his voyage +to Bourbon, to testify in this manner my sense of his worth. To soften +the rigour of confinement to deserving men, is a grateful task; I +conceived that a war between two nations does not necessarily entrain +personal enmity between each of their respective individuals, nor should +prevent us from doing particular acts of kindness where merit and +misfortune make the claim; and in the confidence that such were the +general sentiments of officers in the navy, I had no hesitation in +addressing myself to them. Possibly some would think these applications +unadvisably made; but no--to distinguish merit and repay the debt of +gratitude contracted by unfortunate brother officers or countrymen, are +too congenial to the hearts of Britons; to those who produced either, or +both of these titles an English seaman could not be deaf, and on no other +account was my suffrage obtained. + +Captain Bergeret's name was too well known to need any recommendation +from me; but I wished to express my gratitude for his generous +proceedings to many English prisoners, and to have the advantage of his +influence in obtaining an order from his government for my liberty, or +otherwise for being sent to France to be examined. The letter transmitted +a short time before he sailed, expresses the state of a prisoner's mind +when suffering under injustice and wearied with disappointment; on this +account, the greater number of readers will be induced to excuse the +insertion of the following passages, which otherwise are without +importance, and perhaps without interest. + + +I need not at this time call to your recollection what my situation is in +this place. I have been so long pressed under the hand of injustice, and +my confidence in the French government is so much exhausted, that I am +reduced to asking as a favour what ought to be demanded as a right. On +your arrival in France then, my dear Sir, forget not that I am here--that +my prayer is, to be examined, to be tried, to be condemned, if I have in +action, intention, or thought, done any thing whilst employed in my +voyage of discovery, against the French nation or its allies--if in any +way I have infringed upon the line of conduct prescribed by the passport +of the first consul of France. To have the best years of my life, the +essence of my existence thus drained away without any examination into +the affair; to have the fruits of my labours and risks thus ravished from +me--my hopes of advancement and of reputation thus cruelly blasted, is +almost beyond what I am able to support. Use then, I conjure you, Sir, +your best endeavours with those men in France who have it in their power +to forward my wish; with those men for whom a voyage of discovery, the +preservation of national faith, and the exercise of humanity have still +attractions. With such men, in spite of the neglect which my +extraordinary situation here has undergone, now near three years, I will +not believe but that the French empire abounds; a Fleurieu, a +Bougainville, a Lalande, a Delambre, and numberless others--can such men +be strangers to national honour and humanity? Has a man reduced to +misfortune by his ardent zeal to advance geography and its kindred +sciences, no claims upon men like these? It cannot be. However unworthy +an instrument I am in the hands of our literary British worthies, my +employment, if not my misfortunes, give me a claim upon their assistance +in obtaining, at least, an examination into my crimes or my innocence; +and this claim I now make. See these celebrated men, Sir, explain to them +the circumstances of my situation, tell them the plain tale, and that it +is towards them, though so distant, that my looks are directed; your own +name will give you an introduction, and the cause you undertake will not +disgrace it. + +Adieu, worthy Sir, may the winds be propitious, and may you never be +reduced to the bitterness of sighing after justice in vain. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Effects of repeated disappointment on the mind. +Arrival of a cartel, and of letters from India. +Letter of the French marine minister. +Restitution of papers. +Applications for liberty evasively answered. +Attempted seizure of private letters. +Memorial to the minister. +Encroachments made at Paris on the Investigator's discoveries. +Expected attack on Mauritius produces an abridgment of Liberty. +Strict blockade. +Arrival of another cartel from India. +State of the public finances in Mauritius. +French cartel sails for the Cape of Good Hope. + +[AT MAURITIUS. WILHEMS PLAINS] + +SEPTEMBER 1806 + +News of negotiations at Paris for peace formed the principal topic of +conversation at Mauritius in September, and no one more than myself could +desire that the efforts of Lord Lauderdale might be crowned with success; +a return to England in consequence of such an event was of all things +what I most desired, but the hope of peace, before national animosity and +the means of carrying on war became diminished, was too feeble to admit +of indulging in the anticipation. + +NOVEMBER 1806 + +The state of incertitude in which I remained after nearly three years of +anxiety, joined to the absence of my friends Bergeret and Pitot, brought +on a dejection of spirits which might have proved fatal, had I not sought +by constant occupation to force my mind from a subject so destructive to +its repose; such an end to my detention would have given too much +pleasure to the captain-general, and from a sort of perversity in human +nature, this conviction even brought its share of support. I +reconstructed some of my charts on a larger scale, corrected and extended +the explanatory memoir, and completed for the Admiralty an enlarged copy +of the Investigator's log book, so far as the materials in my hands could +admit; the study of the French language was pursued with increased +application, and many books in it, particularly voyages and travels, were +read. But what assisted most in dispelling this melancholy, was a packet +of letters from England, bringing intelligence of my family and friends; +and the satisfactory information that Mr. Aken had safely reached London, +with all the charts, journals, letters and instruments committed to his +charge. + +JANUARY 1807 + +No occurrence more particular than the departure in January of a prisoner +of war, which furnished an opportunity of writing to England, took place +for several months. In April [APRIL 1807] the season for the arrival of +ships from France was mostly passed, and the captain-general had still +received no orders; being than at the town, I requested of him an +audience through the intervention of M. Beckmann, who engaged, in case of +refusal, to enter into an explanation with His Excellency and endeavour +to learn his intentions. On his return, M. Beckmann said that the general +had expressed himself sensible of the hardship of my situation, and that +he every day expected to receive orders from France; but being unable to +do any thing without these orders, it was useless to see me, and he +recommended waiting with patience for their arrival. + +MAY 1807 + +In acknowledgment for the letter written to the National Institute by the +Society of Emulation, I sent to it a description of Wreck Reef, with my +conjectures upon the place where the unfortunate La Perouse had probably +been lost; and this letter, as also a succeeding one upon the differences +in the variation of the magnetic needle on ship-board, was transmitted by +the Society to the Institute at Paris. + +JUNE 1807 + +The effect of long protracted expectation, repeatedly changing its object +and as often disappointed, became strongly marked in my faithful servant. +This worthy man had refused to quit the island at the general exchange of +prisoners in August 1805, and also in the following year when his +companion, the lame seaman, went to America, because he would not abandon +me in misfortune; but the despair of our being ever set at liberty had +now wholly taken possession of his senses. He imagined that all the +inhabitants of the island, even those who were most friendly, were +leagued with the captain-general against us; the signals on the hills +communicated my every step, the political articles in the gazettes +related in a metaphorical manner the designs carrying on, the new laws at +that time publishing showed the punishments we were doomed to suffer, +persons seen in conversation, every thing in fine, had some connexion +with this mysterious league; and the dread of some sudden and +overwhelming blow left him no peace, either by day or night. This state +of mind continued some months, his sleep and appetite had forsaken him, +and he wasted daily; and finding no other means of cure than persuading +him to return to England, where he might still render me service, a +permission for his departure was requested and obtained; and in the +beginning of July [JULY 1807] he embarked on board an American brig, for +Baltimore. I gave into his charge some remaining charts and books, and +many letters; and had the satisfaction to see him more easy, and almost +convinced of the folly of his terrors on finding he was really allowed to +go away, which till then, had appeared to him incredible. + +On the 18th, arrived the Hon. Company's ship Marquis Wellesley, as a +cartel from Madras, with French prisoners; and four days afterward +colonel Monistrol transmitted me a letter from the secretary of sir +Edward Pellew, containing the extract of a despatch to the +captain-general, and two letters of a more recent date from the admiral +himself. One of these, addressed upon His Majesty's service, was as +follows. + +H. M. ship Duncan, Madras Roads, 21st June, 1807. + +Sir, + +Two days ago I renewed my application to the captain-general De Caen in +your favour, requesting that His Excellency would permit of your +departure from the Isle of France, and suggesting the opportunity now +offered by His Majesty's ship Greyhound. + +I have since received despatches from England, containing the letter of +which a copy is now inclosed, from Mr. Marsden, secretary of the +Admiralty,* therewith transmitting instructions for your release under +the authority of the French minister of marine, to the captain-general of +the French establishments. + +I congratulate you most sincerely on this long protracted event; and I +trust, if your wishes induce you to proceed to India, that you may be +enabled to embark with captain Troubridge, for the purpose of proceeding +to England from hence by the first opportunity. + +(Signed.) Edward Pellew. + +[* COPY. + +The accompanying letter is understood to contain a direction from the +French government for the release of captain Flinders. It has already +been transmitted to the Isle of France in triplicate; but as it may be +hoped that the vessels have been all captured, you had better take an +opportunity of sending this copy by a flag of truce, provided you have +not heard in the mean time of Flinders being at liberty. + +Admiralty, 30th Dec. 1806. +(Signed) William Marsden.] + +The admiral's second letter was a private one, inviting me to take up my +residence in his house at Madras, until such time as the departure of a +King's ship should furnish an opportunity of returning to England; and +was accompanied by one from captain Troubridge, expressing the pleasure +he should have in receiving me; but the Greyhound had already been sent +away two days! and nothing announced any haste in the general to put the +order into execution. I then wrote to request His Excellency would have +the goodness to confirm the hopes produced by these letters; or that, if +they were fallacious, he would be pleased to let me know it. It was seven +days before an answer was given; colonel Monistrol then said, "His +Excellency the captain-general has charged me to answer the letter which +you addressed to him on the 24th of this month; and to tell you that, in +effect, he has received through the medium of His Excellency sir Edward +Pellew, a despatch from His Excellency the minister of the marine and the +colonies of France, relative to you. I am also charged to send you the +copy, herewith joined, of that letter; and to inform you that so soon as +circumstances will permit, you will fully enjoy the favour which has been +granted you by his Majesty the Emperor and King." This long expected +document from the marine minister was literally as follows.* + +[* The document, in French, is not included in this ebook.] + +It appeared from this letter, that so long before as July 1804, the +council of state had come to a decision upon my case; which was, _to +approve of the conduct of general De Caen, and from a pure sentiment of +generosity, to grant my liberty and the restitution of the Cumberland_. +This decision had lain over until March 1806, before it was made +efficient by the approval of the French emperor; it had then been sent in +triplicate by French vessels; and it seemed very extraordinary that in +July 1807, the quadruplicate sent from England in December, round by +India, should first arrive, when two or more vessels had come from France +in the preceding twelve months. + +Colonel Monistrol's letter gave me to understand that the order would be +executed, but the time when, and the manner, were left in uncertainty; I +therefore requested a permission to go to town for the arrangement of my +affairs, hoping there to learn some further particulars; this however was +refused, the answer being, "that when the time of my departure should be +fixed," a permission would be granted for as many days as were necessary. +Whence this delay in executing the minister's order could arise, I knew +not; but having heard that the Cumberland had been removed from her usual +place, and fearing that her reparation and refitment might be the cause, +a letter was sent to inform colonel Monistrol, [AUGUST 1805] "that the +impossibility of obtaining any better vessel for a direct passage to +England could alone have induced me to undertake it in the Cumberland; +and that unless His Excellency denied me any other means of quitting the +Isle of France, it was not my intention to re-embark in her. If therefore +it were His Excellency's desire that she should be restored to me, rather +than her value, I hoped he would admit of her being sold; and allow me to +take a passage on board some ship bound to America or India;" a request +for the restitution of my books and papers was also made, that the +intervening time might be employed in arranging them from the disorder +into which they had been thrown at the shipwreck, four years before. At +the end of three weeks, a letter from the colonel invited me to go to +town, that he might restore the books and papers, with the other objects +relating to my voyage of discovery; and on presenting myself at his +office, the trunk into which they had been put was given up; my sword and +spy-glasses were to be returned at the time of departure, as also the +amount of the schooner and her stores, which had been valued soon after +my arrival. On asking for the two boxes of despatches, the colonel said +they had long been disposed of, and he believed that something in them +had contributed to my imprisonment; and to an application for the +remaining journal, he replied that it was wanted for the purpose of +making extracts, at which I expressed surprise, seeing that it had been +in the general's possession near four years, and the French government +had made its decision. On requesting to know if it were intended to let +me embark in the Wellesley cartel, then in port, it appeared that this +had not been thought of; and the colonel hinted, that the order for my +liberation had been given at a moment when England and France were in +better intelligence than usual, and perhaps would not be granted to an +application made at the present time; and it appeared from his +conversation, that the restitution of my papers was not to be considered +an assurance of a speedy departure. + +After quitting colonel Monistrol, I examined the condition of the papers, +and then sent him the following note and receipt. + +I have the honour to inclose a receipt for the books and papers received +yesterday. The rats have made great havock amongst them, and many papers +are wholly destroyed; but so far as I have yet examined, those which are +of the most importance seem to have wholly, or in part escaped their +ravages. I shall return immediately within the limits of my parole, +according to the directions of His Excellency the captain-general; to +wait the time when he shall be pleased to execute the orders which his +Imperial and Royal Majesty thought proper to give on March 11, 1806, for +my liberation; and I have the honour to be, etc. + +Received from colonel Monistrol, _chef de l'etat-major-general_ in the +Isle of France, one trunk containing the remainder of the books, papers, +etc. taken from me in Port North-West on Dec. 17, 1803, and Dec. 21 of +the same year; which books and papers, with those received at two +different times in 1804, make up the whole that were so taken, with the +following exceptions. + +1. Various letters and papers either wholly or in part destroyed by the +rats, the remains of which are in the trunk. + +2. The third volume of my rough log book, containing the journal of +transactions and observations on board the Investigator, Porpoise, the +Hope cutter, and Cumberland schooner, from sometime in June to Dec. 17, +1803, of which I have no duplicate. + +3. Two boxes of despatches. The one from His Excellency governor King of +New South Wales, addressed to His Majesty's principal secretary of state +for the colonies; the other from colonel Paterson, lieutenant-governor of +Port Jackson, the address of which I cannot remember. + +In truth of which I hereunto sign my name, at Port Napoleon,* Isle of +France., this 24th day of August 1807. + +Matthew Flinders. +Late commander of H. M. sloop Investigator, +employed on discoveries to the South Seas with a French passport. + +[* Port Louis, after having been changed to Port de la Montagne, Port +North-West, and I believe borne one or two other names, was now called +Port Napoleon; Port Bourbon and Isle Bourbon underwent similar changes: +such was the inflexibility of French republicanism.] + +Messrs Le Blanc and Stock, the commander and commissary of the Wellesley +cartel, having a house in the town, I took this opportunity of seeing +them; and it was agreed between us, that when the cartel was allowed to +sail, Mr. Stock should make an official request for my embarkation with +him. As, however, there was much reason to apprehend a refusal, I +arranged a great part of the books and papers just received, with all the +Port-Jackson letters, and sent them on board the Wellesley; writing at +the same time [SEPTEMBER 1807] to Sir Edward Pellew my suspicion, that +general De Caen would not execute the order he had received from the +marine minister. This precaution was not useless, for in the beginning of +October the Wellesly was sent away suddenly; and although she had been +detained three months, not a prisoner was given in exchange for those +brought from India. Mr. Stock left a copy of the letter he had written, +as was agreed, and of the answer from the general's secretary; this said, +"the captain-general is very sorry that he cannot allow captain Flinders +to embark in the cartel Wellesley. So soon as circumstances will permit, +that officer will be set at liberty, and to that effect be sent to +London." The most direct means of conveyance to London in time of war, +was assuredly by the way of France; but two vessels, the first of which +was commanded by the brother of the captain-general, had sailed a short +time before for that destination; so that this answer, if not false, was +at least equivocal. My opinion of the general's unfair dealing had +induced me to write by the last of these French vessels to the minister +of the marine, representing the little probability there was of his order +being executed; but this vessel was captured, and my letter most probably +thrown overboard. + +An attempt to gain some knowledge of what were the captain-general's +intentions was made in the following letter, written on the 16th, to +colonel Monistrol. + +Sir, + +You will do me a favour in transmitting the log book which was detained +for the purpose of making extracts from it, as they have doubtless been +made long since. At the same time, Sir, you would relieve me from much +inquietude, if you could inform me of the time at which it is the +intention of His Excellency the captain-general to grant me the liberty +which His Imperial and Royal Majesty was pleased to accord in March 1806. +BY your letter of July 27 last, I was led to hope from the expression, +"vous jouirez pleinement de la faveur," etc., that this long desired +period would soon arrive. What the circumstances are to which you allude +in that letter, it is impossible for me to know; nor is it within my +imagination to conceive the circumstances which permit vessels to sail +for India or America, but which cannot allow of my departure. + +The desire expressed by His Excellency to captain Bergeret and M. +Beckmann, to receive orders relating to me, and to the latter that he was +sensible of the hardship of my situation, led me to hope that he would +have taken into consideration the length of time that my detention had +continued, the misfortune which preceded it, and the time elapsed since +the date of the marine minister's letter; and I still intreat him to take +them into his consideration. I have suffered much, Sir, in the Isle of +France, and the uncertainty in which I have ever been kept has been one +of the bitterest ingredients in the cup; I thought it exhausted when you +favoured me with the copy of the letter from His Excellency the minister; +but the dregs remained, and it seems as if I must swallow them to the +last drop. + +If the means of my return to England cause any part of the delay, I beg +to inform you of my readiness to embrace any means, or any route, in the +Cumberland even, if it will save time, or in any other vessel of any +nation. A passage on board the finest ship one month hence, would not +indemnify me for one month longer of suffering, such as the last +forty-six have been. + +I am fully persuaded that no representation of mine can change the +arrangements of the captain-general; if therefore the time and manner of +my return be absolutely fixed, I have only to request that he will have +so much charity as to impart them; or even the time only, when I may +expect to see myself out of this fatal island; for the manner, when +compared to the time, becomes almost indifferent. To know at what period +this waste of the best years of my life was to end, would soften the +anguish of my mind; and if you would favour me with the return of my log +book, I should have an occupation which would still further tend to +diminish it. + +I request you to accept the assurances of consideration with which I have +the honour to be, etc. + +The answer received eight days afterward, said not a word of the log +book; but simply that "so soon as a convenient opportunity for my +departure presented itself, the captain-general would order it to be +communicated;" which was evidently no more than an evasion, for vessels +had gone to France, and others were at that very time sailing every week, +either to India or America, in any one of which a passage might have been +obtained. I was now induced to enter into the examination whether, in +justice and honour, my parole ought to continue to be a restraint from +quitting the island; it had been given to general De Caen as the +representative of the French government--that government had ordered me +to be set at liberty--and nothing was alleged for not putting the order +into execution, other than the want of a convenient opportunity; had I +not then a right to seek that opportunity for myself, since the +captain-general had let pass so many without indicating any one of them? +This question was debated a long time, and under every point of view, +before deciding upon the line of conduct which duty to my country, my +family and myself prescribed to be right. + +Many letters for India, and a copy of my narrative for sir Edward Pellew +had been confided to my Swiss friend, M. Boand, who was to have embarked +in the Wellesley; but at the moment of sailing, the captain-general gave +an order to prevent his going on board; the good man went immediately to +ask an audience of His Excellency, and after discussing his own case, +spoke of my imprisonment and tried to learn when it would cease. That he +could obtain nothing decisive, was to be expected; but that the general +should preserve his temper during this conversation, and even answer +gaily, though equivocally, to several closely-put questions, was contrary +to what usually happened when my name had been mentioned before him. M. +Boand was permitted to embark in a Danish ship, which sailed early on the +24th; but late in the evening before, some police officers went on board, +searched his trunk, and took away all the letters they could find, +telling him he might then sail, they had got what they wanted. This +transaction explained the general's views in preventing M. Boand's +departure in the cartel, where a search could not decently have been +made; also why the cartel had been sent off so suddenly that my letters +could not be put on board, and the cause of his moderation when speaking +of my imprisonment. He was not deceived in supposing this friend would be +the bearer of many letters, though very much so if he hoped to find +therein proofs of my having acted, or intending to act contrary to the +passport; he however missed his aim altogether, as I learned some months +afterward; the cautious Swiss had separated my letters from those he had +received from other persons, and these last only were found; but it was +not less evident, that general De Caen was seeking all means to fortify +himself with pretexts to avoid setting me at liberty. + +DECEMBER 1807 + +This year finished in the same manner as the preceding, without the least +change in my situation; but if I had reason to complain of the want of +justice, humanity, and good faith in the captain-general, there was, on +the other hand, great cause to be satisfied with the sustained attentions +of the inhabitants in my small circle, especially of those in the house +where I still continued to dwell; and it was some consolation to see, +that the interest generally taken in my liberation increased with every +fresh act denoting perseverance in rigorous measures. + +JULY 1808 + +Six other months had elapsed when two vessels came from France, and it +was known that the captain-general's brother had safely reached Paris; he +had sailed two months after the order for my liberty had arrived, and as +the general had probably communicated his intentions to the marine +minister, he might have received fresh directions; I therefore wrote to +the chief of the staff, requesting to know whether the despatches +contained any thing to give me hopes of early liberty, and repeating my +readiness to embark in any vessel of any nation; but it was answered, +that nothing in the despatches related to this subject. + +SEPTEMBER 1808 + +Several ships being in preparation to depart for France in September, a +memorial containing the circumstances previous to and attending my +imprisonment was made out, with authenticating papers annexed, to be +transmitted to the minister of the French marine; in this, I explained +the late conduct of the captain-general, and earnestly entreated that His +Excellency would direct him to send me to France, by an order couched in +such terms as should leave no room for evasion; declaring at the same +time, perhaps incautiously, that I considered his previous order to have +released me from parole. Two copies of this memorial were confided to +gentlemen who promised to deliver them in person to the minister; or in +case of being taken, to the captain of the English man of war who would +forward them to the Admiralty. There still remained La Semillante, an old +frigate sold to the merchants, on board of which two officers of the +French navy were to go as passengers. This afforded the most desirable +opportunity of sending me to France, if such had been the general's +intention; and to do away all after pretext of not knowing it to be my +wish, another request was made to that effect [OCTOBER 1808]; with a +proposition to engage, "in case La Semillante should not arrive at her +destination, to take the most direct means that could be found of +reaching France, and giving myself up into the hands of the government; +should it be judged expedient to require from me such a parole." In +answer to this letter, it was then said for the first time, fifteen +months after receiving the order for my liberty, that the +captain-general, "having communicated to His Excellency the marine +minister the motives which had determined him to suspend my return to +Europe, he could not authorise my departure before having received an +answer upon the subject." Thus the frequently expressed desire of general +De Caen to receive orders, and the promise, when they arrived, that I +should be set at liberty so soon as circumstances would permit, were +shown to be fallacious; and the so long expected order to be of none +effect. The reasoning of the inhabitants upon this suspension was, that +having been so long in the island, I had gained too much knowledge of it +for my departure to be admitted with safety; but if this were so, the +captain-general was punishing me for his own oversight, since without the +detention forced by himself, the supposed dangerous knowledge could not +have been acquired. In calling it an oversight I am probably wrong. When +the general suffered me to quit the Garden Prison, he expected the order +which afterwards arrived; and what appeared to be granted as an +indulgence, was perhaps done with a view to this very pretext of my too +extended knowledge of the island; a pretext which could scarcely have +been alleged so long as I remained shut up in prison. + +NOVEMBER 1808 + +One of the naval officers who embarked in La Semillante had served in the +expedition of captain Baudin; he took charge of a triplicate of my +memorial to the marine minister, and promised to use his efforts in +obtaining for it a powerful support. This triplicate was accompanied by +many letters, addressed to distinguished characters in the ministry, the +senate, in the council of state and the national institute; as well from +myself as from several worthy persons who interested themselves in the +issue of my detention. By this and another opportunity, I stated to the +Admiralty and the president of the Royal Society the circumstances +attending the order which had arrived; and from these various steps +united, my friends in Mauritius conceived the hope of a success almost +certain; but from having been so often deceived I was less sanguine, and +saw only that if this memorial and these letters failed, there was little +hope of being restored to liberty before the uncertain epoch of peace. + +1809 + +Constant occupation was, as usual, my resource to beguile the time until +the effect of the memorial and letters could be known. Being furnished by +some friends with several manuscript travels and journals in the +interior, and along the coasts of Madagascar, I constructed a chart of +the northern half of that extensive island, accompanied with an +analytical account of my materials; and in this employment, reading +various French authors, mathematical studies, and visiting occasionally +some of the inhabitants within my circle, this time of anxious suspense +passed not unprofitably. In the month of March [MARCH 1809] arrived the +frigate La Venus, captain Hamelin, the same who had commanded Le +Naturaliste at Port Jackson. His affairs, or some other cause, prevented +him from seeing or writing to me; but he told M. Pitot that many persons +took an interest in my situation, and that several officers of Le +Geographe and Naturaliste had made applications to the marine minister. +The answers they received had constantly been, that orders were sent out +to Mauritius to set me at liberty and restore the Cumberland; yet it was +known in France before captain Hamelin sailed, that these orders had not +been executed, and the future intentions of the government were unknown. +The publication of the French voyage of discovery, written by M. Peron, +was in great forwardness; and the emperor Napoleon considering it to be a +national work, had granted a considerable sum to render the publication +complete. From a Moniteur of July 1808, it appeared that French names +were given to all my discoveries and those of captain Grant on the south +coast of Terra Australis; it was kept out of sight that I had ever been +upon the coast; and in speaking of M. Peron's first volume the newspapers +asserted, that no voyage _ever_ made by the English nation could be +compared with that of the Geographe and Naturaliste. It may be +remembered, that after exploring the South Coast up to Kangaroo Island, +with the two gulphs, I met captain Baudin, and gave him the first +information of these places and of the advantages they offered him; and +it was but an ill return to seek to deprive me of the little honour +attending the discovery. No means were spared by the French government to +enhance the merit of this voyage, and all the officers employed in it had +received promotion; but the Investigator's voyage seemed to obtain as +little public notice in England as in France, no one of my officers had +been advanced on their arrival, and in addition to so many years of +imprisonment my own promotion was suspended. It would ill become me to +say that in one case there was an ostentatious munificence, or in the +other, injustice and neglect; but the extreme difference made between the +two voyages could not but add to the bitterness of my situation, and +diminish the little remaining hope of being speedily and honourably +liberated. + +A vessel from St. Malo arrived in May, and gave information that one of +the ships which carried a duplicate of my memorial to the marine +minister, had reached France; and in a few days La Bellone, a frigate in +which the brother of the captain-general was an officer, got into Port +Louis; she had sailed in the end of January and brought despatches, but +if the general received any new order by this or the former vessel, it +was kept to himself. In June the English cruisers sent in a flag of truce +with a French lady, taken in L'Agile from St. Malo; this lady brought +many letters, in some of which the arrival in France of La Semillante was +mentioned; also that Bonaparte was at Paris when L'Agile sailed, and that +the naval officer who carried the last copy of my memorial had been +promoted and made a member of the legion of honour. I did now certainly +entertain hopes that general De Caen would have received an order to set +me at liberty, and that no further pretext for prolonging my detention +would be admitted; but week after week passed as before, without any +intimation of this so much desired event. + +JULY 1809 + +There was reason to believe that a direct application to know whether any +order had arrived, would obtain no answer; therefore after waiting a +month, I wrote to ask "whether His Excellency would permit my wife to +come and join me, should she present herself before Port Napoleon." It +was not in reality my intention that she should leave England, but I +hoped to draw the desired information from the answer; and in six weeks +[SEPTEMBER 1809], after another vessel had arrived from France, one was +given to the following effect: "The captain-general will not oppose the +residence of your wife in the colony; but with respect to a safe conduct, +it is necessary that Mrs. Flinders should apply to the ministers of His +Britannic Majesty, who should make the request to those of His Majesty +the Emperor and King;" which was equivalent to saying, either that no +fresh order to set me at liberty had been received, or that it would not +be put into execution. + +At this time there was much talk of an attack upon the island, said to be +projected by the British government; and all the English officers, +prisoners of war, were taken from their paroles and closely shut up. In +the middle of the month our cruisers quitted the island unexpectedly, and +a fortnight afterwards it was known that they gone to Bourbon, and made +an attack upon the town of St. Paul; both the town and bay were then in +their possession, as also La Coraline frigate and two Indiamen her +prizes, upon which this government had counted for supplying its +deficiency of revenue. During the attack, great disorders had been +committed by the black slaves, and the humane care of commodore Rowley +and his captains had alone prevented greater excesses; this intelligence +put a stop to the raising of regiments of slaves for the defence of +Mauritius, which the captain-general had commenced under the name of +African battalions, much against the sense of the inhabitants. These +various circumstances, with the distress of the government for money, +caused much agitation in the public mind; and it was to be apprehended +that general De Caen would scarcely suffer me to remain with the usual +degree of liberty, whilst all the other prisoners were shut up. I +endeavoured by great circumspection to give no umbrage, in order to avoid +the numberless inconveniences of a close imprisonment; but in the +beginning of October [OCTOBER 1809] a letter came from colonel Monistrol, +saying that "His Excellency the captain-general having learned that I +sometimes went to a considerable distance from the habitation of Madame +D'Arifat, had thought proper to restrain my permission to reside in the +interior of the colony on parole, to the lands composing that +habitation." This order showed that the general had either no distinct +idea of a parole of honour, or that his opinion of it differed widely +from that commonly received; a parole is usually thought to be a +convention, whereby, in order to obtain a certain portion of liberty, an +officer promises not to take any greater; but general De Caen seemed to +expect me to be bound by the convention, whilst he withdrew such portion +of the advantages as he thought proper, and this without troubling +himself about my consent. If any doubts remained that the order of the +French government had in strict justice liberated me from parole, this +infraction by the captain-general was sufficient to do them away; +nevertheless the same reasons which had prevented me declaring this +conviction long before, restrained the declaration at this time; and I +returned the following answer to colonel Monistrol, written in French +that no pretext of bad translation might afterwards be alleged. + +Sir, + +Yesterday at noon I had the honour of receiving your letter of the 1st. +inst. It is true that I have sometimes profited by the permission +contained in the parole which I had given (que j'avais donnee) on Aug 23, +1805, by which I was allowed to go as far as two leagues from the +plantation of Madame D'Arifat; but since His Excellency the +captain-general has thought good to make other regulations, I shall +endeavour to conduct myself with so much prudence respecting the orders +now given, that His Excellency will not have any just cause of complaint +against me. + +I have the honour to be, etc. + +The two objects I had in view in giving this answer, were, to promise +nothing in regard to my movements, and to avoid close imprisonment if it +could be done without dishonour; had it been demanded whether I still +considered the parole to be in force, my answer was perfectly ready and +very short, but no such question was asked. Many circumstances had given +room to suspect, that the captain-general secretly desired I should +attempt an escape; and his view in it might either have been to some +extraordinary severity, or in case his spies failed of giving timely +information, to charging me with having broken parole and thus to throw a +veil over his own injustice. Hence it might have been that he did not +seek to know whether, being restricted to the plantation of Madame +D'Arifat, I still admitted the obligatory part of the parole to be +binding; and that the expression in my answer--_the parole which I had +given_, implying that it existed no longer, passed without question. +However this might be, I thenceforward declined accepting any invitations +beyond the immediate neighbourhood of the plantation; and until the +decisive moment should arrive, amused by solitude with instructing the +two younger sons of our good family in the elements of mathematical +science, with inventing problems and calculating tables that might be +useful to navigation, and in reading the most esteemed French authors. + +After the evacuation of the town and bay of St. Paul at Bourbon, the +blockade of Mauritius was resumed by commodore Rowley with increased +strictness. The frigate La Canonniere and the prize formerly H. M. ship +Laurel, which the want of a few thousand dollars had induced the +government to let for freight to the merchants, were thus prevented +sailing; and a cartel fitted long before to carry the English prisoners +to the Cape of Good Hope, and waiting only, as was generally supposed, +for the departure of these two ships, was delayed in consequence. When +captains Woolcombe and Lynne of the navy had been desired in August to +keep themselves in readiness, I had committed to the obliging care of the +latter many letters for England, and one for admiral Bertie at the Cape; +but instead of being sent away, these officers with the others were put +into close confinement, and their prospects retarded until the hurricane +season, when it was expected the island would have a respite from our +cruisers. + +DECEMBER 1809 + +In the beginning of December, despatches were said to have arrived from +France, and the marine minister having received my memorial in the early +part of the year, full time had been given to send out a fresh order; but +disappointment on such arrivals had been so constant during greater part +of the six years to which my imprisonment was now prolonged, that I did +not at this time think it worth asking a question on the subject. A +British cartel, the Harriet, arrived from India on the 12th, with the +officers of La Piemontaise and La Jena; the Harriet was commanded by Mr. +John Ramsden, formerly confined with me in the Garden Prison, and the +commissary of prisoners was Hugh Hope, Esq., whom Lord Minto had +particularly sent to negotiate an exchange with general De Caen. The +cartel had been stopped at the entrance of the port by the blockading +squadron, and been permitted to come in only at the earnest request of +Mr. Hope and the parole of the prisoners to go out again with him should +the exchange be refused. In a few days I received an open letter from Mr. +Stock, the former commissary; and having learned that Mr. Hope proposed +to use his endeavours for my release, a copy of all the letters to and +from colonel Monistrol, subsequent to the marine minister's order, was +transmitted, that he might be better enabled to take his measures with +effect; and towards the end of the month, a letter from the commissary +informed me of the very favourable reception he had met with from the +captain-general, of the subject of my liberty having been touched upon, +and of his entertaining hopes of a final success. The flattering +reception given to Mr. Hope had been remarked to me with surprise from +several hands; but a long experience of general De Caen prevented any +faith in the success of his application for my release: I feared that Mr. +Hope's wishes had caused him to interpret favourably some softened +expressions of the general, which he would in the end find to merit no +sort of confidence. + +JANUARY 1810 + +La Venus frigate, after her exploit at Tappanouli, got into the Black +River on the first of January, notwithstanding the presence of our +cruisers; she had on board a part of the 69th regiment, with the officers +and passengers of the Windham, including five ladies, and announced the +capture of two other ships belonging to the East-India Company; and two +days afterward, the frigates La Manche and La Bellone entered Port Louis +with the United Kingdom and Charleston, the Portuguese frigate Minerva, +and His Majesty's sloop Victor (formerly La Jena). This was a most +provoking sight to commodore Rowley, whom baffling winds and his position +off the Black River prevented stopping them; whilst the joy it produced +in the island, more especially amongst the officers of the government who +had been many months without pay, was excessive. The ordinary sources of +revenue and emolument were nearly dried up, and to have recourse to the +merchants for a loan was impossible, the former bills upon the French +treasury, drawn it was said for three millions of livres, remaining in +great part unpaid; and to such distress was the captain-general reduced +for ways and means, that he had submitted to ask a voluntary contribution +in money, wheat, maize, or any kind of produce from the half-ruined +colonists. Promises of great reform in the administration were made at +that time; and it was even said to have been promised, that if pecuniary +succour did not arrive in six months, the captain-general would retire +and leave the inhabitants to govern themselves; and had the frigates not +returned, or returned without prizes, it seemed probable that such must +have been the case.* + +[* According to information from various sources, the prizes brought to +Mauritius were disposed of in this manner. The proceeds went first into +the hands of the government, which took ten per cent. as a duty upon the +sales, and afterwards one-third of the remainder as its proper right. +Sixty per cent. remained for the captors, but the necessities of the +state being generally urgent, it took thirty more, giving bills for the +amount on the treasury of France; and for the remaining portion, it was +parted with so reluctantly that the inferior officers and seamen were +seldom able to obtain a dollar; but they were offered other bills, and +these they were glad to sell for almost any thing to the inhabitants. +This was the distribution to the frigates; the prizes brought in by +privateers were not so profitable to the government, its claims being +limited, I believe, to the ten per cent. duty and one-third of the +remainder.] + +The hurricane season was now arrived; and the Canonniere and Laurel +having taken advantage of our cruisers being at a little distance to get +out at night, the British squadron abandoned the island. Expecting then +that the cartel for the Cape of Good Hope would be sent away, I augmented +the number of letters for England and the Cape in the hands of captain +Lynne; and transmitted to him the greater part of my books and clothes, +which he had the goodness to send on board with his own. So many vessels +had arrived from France, and amongst them two during this month of +January, without producing any fresh information, that almost all hope +from my memorial to the marine minister had ceased; and should the +captain-general send me in this cartel, contrary to expectation, then my +effects were already on board. She sailed on the 29th, with captains +Woolcombe and Lynne and the commanders of the Company's ships Windham, +Charleston and United Kingdom, and their officers; captain W. Owen of the +Sea Flower and the remaining English officers were reserved for the +Bengal cartel, commanded by Mr. Ramsden; and with respect to the seamen +and soldiers, a part only of the crews of the Laurel and Sea Flower, and +of the 69th regiment were left, many of them having been seduced from +their allegiance to enlist in the French service. + +CHAPTER IX. + +A prospect of liberty, which is officially confirmed. +Occurrences during eleven weeks residence in the town of Port Louis +and on board the Harriet cartel. +Parole and certificates. +Departure from Port Louis, and embarkation in the Otter. +Eulogium on the inhabitants of Mauritius. +Review of the conduct of general De Caen. +Passage to the Cape of Good Hope, and after seven weeks stay, +from thence to England. +Conclusion. + +[AT MAURITIUS. WILHEMS PLAINS.] + +JANUARY 1810 + + +The French cartel for the Cape of Good Hope had sailed two days when a +packet boat arrived with despatches from Bayonne, and from the unusual +degree of secrecy observed respecting them, some persons were willing to +suppose that orders to set me at liberty formed part of their contents; +of this, the most prudent mode to gain information was to wait patiently +for the sailing of the English cartel for India, when my embarkation +therein or being again left the sole British prisoner in the island, +would afford a practical solution of the question. In the time of waiting +for this event, I revised some notes upon the magnetism of the earth and +of ships, and considered the experiments necessary to elucidate the +opinions formed from observations made in the Investigator; and I was +thus occupied when, on March 13th [MARCH 1810], a letter came from Mr. +Hope, the commissary of prisoners, to inform me that he had obtained the +captain-general's promise for my liberty, and departure from the island +with him in the Harriet. This unhoped for intelligence would have +produced excessive joy, had not experience taught me to distrust even the +promises of the general; and especially when, as in the present case, +there was no cause assigned for this change in his conduct. + +I dared not therefore allow my imagination to contemplate a meeting with +my family and friends as likely to soon take place, nor to dwell upon any +subject altogether English; the same preparation however was made for a +departure, as if this promise were expected to be fulfilled. It was +reported that the Harriet would sail within a fortnight after two +frigates and a sloop should have gone out upon a cruise; and as these +ships sailed on the 14th, the official information of my liberty, if +really granted, might be expected daily. + +It will be believed that I sought on all hands to learn whether any thing +had transpired from the government to bespeak an intention of suffering +me to go in the cartel; but it was without success, and every person +endeavoured to discourage the hope, with a friendly design of softening +another probable disappointment. They argued, that for general De Caen to +let me go at this time, when I knew so much of the island and an attack +upon it was expected, would be to contradict all the reasons hitherto +given for my detention; and therefore, that unless he had received a new +and positive order, he could not with any degree of consistency set me at +liberty. This state of suspense, between hope and apprehension, continued +until the 28th, when an express from the town, sent by M. Pitot, brought +the following welcome information from colonel Monistrol. + +His Excellency the captain-general charges me to have the honour of +informing you, that he authorises you to return to your country in the +cartel Harriet, on condition of not serving in a hostile manner against +France or its allies during the course of the present war. + +Receive, I pray you, Sir, the assurance of the pleasure I have in making +you this communication, and of the sentiments of perfect consideration +with which I have the honour to be, etc. + +P. S. The cartel is to sail on Saturday next (31st.) + +Being then satisfied of the intention to permit my return to England, +though the cause of it was involved in mystery, I visited our immediate, +and still almost incredulous neighbours, to take leave of them; and wrote +letters to the principal of those more distant inhabitants, whose +kindness demanded my gratitude. Early next morning a red flag with a +pendant under it, showing one or more of our ships to be cruising before +the port, was hoisted upon the signal hills; this was an unwelcome sight, +for it had been an invariable rule to let no cartel or neutral vessel go +out, so long as English ships were before the island. I however took +leave of the benevolent and respectable family which had afforded me an +asylum during four years and a half; and on arriving at my friend Pitot's +in the town, was met by Messrs. Hope and Ramsden, neither of whom knew +any other reason for setting me at liberty than that the captain-general +had granted it to Mr. Hope's solicitations. + +[AT MAURITIUS. PORT LOUIS.] + +On waiting upon colonel Monistrol on the 30th, it appeared that nothing +had been done relative to the Cumberland, or to returning what had been +taken away, particularly the third volume of my log book so often before +mentioned; he promised however to take the captain-general's pleasure +upon these subjects, and to repeat my offer of making and signing any +extracts from the book which His Excellency might desire to preserve. In +the evening I had the pleasure to meet a large party of my countrymen and +women, at a dinner given by M. Foisy, president of the Society of +Emulation; and from the difficulty of speaking English after a cessation +of four years, I then became convinced of the possibility of a man's +forgetting his own language. + +APRIL 1810 + +There were lying in port two Dutch and one American vessel, with a number +of Frenchmen on board, whom marshal Daendels, governor of the remaining +Dutch possessions in the East, had engaged to officer some new regiments +of Malays; these vessels waited only for the absence of our cruisers to +go to Batavia; and that we might not give information of them was the +alleged cause for detaining the cartel all the month of April, our +squadron keeping so close off the port that they dared not venture out. + +MAY 1810 + +On May 2, captain Willoughby of the Nereide made a descent upon the south +side of the island, at Port Jacotet; where he cut out L'Estafette packet +boat, spiked the guns of the fort, carried off the officer with two field +pieces, and M. Etienne Bolger, commandant of the quarter of La Savanne, +the same who had acted so ungraciously on my arrival at the Baye du Cap. +This _sullying of the French territory_ produced a fulminating +proclamation from general De Caen, nearly similar in terms to that of the +emperor Napoleon after the descent at Walcheren; its effect on the +inhabitants, however, was not much, for on asking some of them what they +thought of this second-hand gasconade, the reply was, "Oh it is not to +us, it is to Bonaparte that the proclamation is addressed;" meaning that +it was a bait to catch his approbation. Three days afterwards a flag of +truce was sent out to negotiate an exchange for M. Bolger and the officer +who had commanded the fort, for whom twenty soldiers of the 69th regiment +were given; we afterwards learned that a proposal had been made to let +the cartel sail, provided the squadron would suffer her to pass without +being visited; but to this arrangement captain Pym, the then senior +officer, refused his consent. + +An order was given on the 8th for all the British officers to embark in +the cartel, and we hoped to sail immediately; but the merchants of the +town presented a petition to the captain-general for a delay, lest we +might give information of the expected arrival of some ships from France. +Our cruisers were stationed purposely to stop every French vessel, +whether going in or out, and this petition therefore seemed to be +ridiculous; it appeared however to be complied with, for we not only were +prevented sailing, but denied all communication with the inhabitants for +several weeks; and the five ladies on board were as much subjected to +these restrictions as the officers. The French cartel returned from the +Cape of Good Hope on the 10th, with exchanged prisoners; and the former +reports of a projected attack on Mauritius and Bourbon were so strongly +revived that general De Caen made a tour of the island, in order, as was +said, to have batteries erected at all the landing places without +defence, and to strengthen the existing fortifications. On the 18th, an +exchange was made with the squadron of sixteen soldiers and people out of +the prison on shore, for the commander and some others of L'Estafette; +but nothing transpired relative to the sailing of the cartel. + +JUNE 1810 + +June 2, a salute of twenty-one guns was fired to celebrate the marriage +of the French emperor with the princess Maria Louisa of Austria. This +intelligence, accompanied with that of the capture of La Canonniere, was +brought by a ship from Bourdeaux, which had succeeded in getting into the +Black River, as had L'Atree frigate some weeks before. The entrance of +these vessels at the time that five or six of our ships were cruising +round the island, affords additional proof of the impossibility of +blockading it effectually, without a much more extensive force than so +small a spot can be thought to deserve. Mauritius owes this advantage +principally to its numerous hills; from whence vessels at sea are +informed by signal of the situation of the cruisers, and are thus enabled +to avoid them. + +On the 7th, a parole made out by the English interpreter was brought on +board for me to sign; and at daylight of the 18th a pilot came to take +the cartel out of harbour, and we received forty-six seamen of the Sea +Flower and soldiers of the 69th; my sword was then delivered back, and +the following duplicate of the parole was given, with a certificate +annexed from colonel Monistrol. + +I undersigned, captain in His Britannic Majesty's navy, having obtained +leave of His Excellency the captain-general to return in my country by +the way of Bengal, promise on my word of honour not to act in any service +which might be considered as directly or indirectly hostile to France or +its allies, during the course of the present war. + +Matthew Flinders. + +Je soussigne certifie que monsieur Mathieu Flinders, capitaine des +vaisseaux de Sa Majeste Britannique, a obtenu l'autorisation de Son +Excellence le capitaine-general De Caen de retourner dans sa patrie, aux +conditions enoncees ci-dessus, dont le double est reste entre mes mains. + +Au Port Napoleon, Isle de France, le 7 Juin 1810. +L'adjutant commt., chef de l'etat-major-gen. + +(Signed) Monistrol. + +I had much feared to be laid under the obligation of going to India, and +of thus losing some months of time and incurring a considerable and +useless expense; but although the parole expresses the "having obtained +leave to return by the way of Bengal," neither the part containing my +promise nor the certificate of colonel Monistrol specified any particular +route; and the officer of the staff who delivered this duplicate, said he +supposed I should not lose time in going to India, but proceed to the +Cape in the first vessel sent in by the squadron. + +Frequent mention has been made of attempts to procure back the third +volume of my journal, the sole book remaining in the hands of the +captain-general. Twice during my residence in the town these attempts had +been renewed, but with no better effect than were my applications +respecting the Cumberland; nor would certificates be given of the refusal +either of these objects or of the Port-Jackson despatches. I therefore +requested Mr. Hope to certify the steps which had been taken, that the +Admiralty and Secretary of State might be satisfied of every thing in my +power having been done; and this he did in the following terms. + +This is to certify to whomsoever it may concern, that after having +succeeded in executing that part of the instructions of His Excellency +lord Minto, governor-general of British India, relating to the liberation +of Matthew Flinders, Esq., late commander of His Majesty's ship +Investigator, who had been detained more than six years in the Isle of +France, I did, at the request of captain Flinders, make a personal +application to His Excellency general De Caen for the third volume of the +log book of his voyage of discovery, which that officer represented to be +still kept from him by His Excellency. That the answer to this was a +positive refusal, both of the book and of permission to take a copy of +it; and the reason given for this refusal was, that captain F. _not being +set at liberty in consequence of any orders from France_, every thing +relating to this log book and to his little schooner Cumberland must +remain to be settled between the French and British governments in +Europe. + +I do further certify that captain Flinders did, in my presence, apply to +the chief of the staff in the Isle of France, for certificates of the +above log book and schooner being refused to be given up; and also for a +certificate of two boxes of despatches having been taken on his arrival +in this island, in December 1803, and that I have since made a similar +application to the same officer for the said certificates; but which have +been refused for the same alleged reason as before given to me by His +Excellency the captain-general De Caen. + +Witness my hand on board the Harriet cartel, in Port Napoleon, +Isle of France, this 9th of June 1810. + +(Signed) H. HOPE, +Commissary and agent of the British government in India +for the exchange of prisoners. + +It may probably be asked, what could be general De Caen's object in +refusing throughout to give up this log book, or to suffer any copy to be +taken? I can see no other reasonable one, than that the statements from +it, sent to the French government as reasons for detaining me a prisoner, +might have been partial and mutilated extracts; and he did not choose to +have his accusations disproved by the production either of the original +or an authentic copy. Besides this book and the little schooner, I lost a +cask containing pieces of rock collected from different parts of Terra +Australis, the two spy-glasses taken in the Garden Prison, and various +small articles belonging to myself; but I was too happy at the prospect +of getting out of the island to make any difficulty upon these heads. + +[OFF MAURITIUS.] + +On the same morning that the pilot came on board, the anchors were +weighed; but in swinging out, the ship touched the ground, and hung till +past four in the afternoon. During this time we saw L'Estafette coming in +with a flag of truce from the squadron; and the boat that went to meet +her was returning when the cartel had floated off, and sail was made. We +were a good deal alarmed at what might be the subject of L'Estafette's +communication, and particularly anxious to get without side of the port +before any counter order should come from the general; at sunset it was +effected, the French pilot left us, and after a captivity of six years, +five months and twenty-seven days, I at length had the inexpressible +pleasure of being out of the reach of general De Caen. + +Three frigates and a sloop of war composed the squadron cruising before +the port; but instead of coming to speak us for information, as was +expected, we observed them standing away to the southward; a proceeding +which could be reconciled only upon the supposition, that commodore +Rowley had sent in an offer not to communicate with the cartel. This was +too important an affair to me to be let pass without due inquiry; my +endeavours were therefore used with Mr. Ramsden, the commander, to induce +him to run down to the ships; and this was done, on finding they +persisted in stretching to the southward. At nine o'clock Mr. Ramsden +went in a boat to the Boadicea, but was desired to keep off; a letter was +handed to him for the commissary, containing a copy of one sent in by +L'Estafette, wherein it was proposed, if general De Caen would suffer the +cartel to sail, that she should not be visited by any ship under the +commodore's orders. Mr. Hope replied that the cartel had not come out in +consequence of this proposal, nor had the boat reached the shore at the +time; and this point being clearly ascertained, a communication was +opened, and I applied for a passage to the Cape of Good Hope. It happened +fortunately, that the Otter sloop of war was required to go there +immediately with despatches; and the commodore having satisfied himself +that no engagement of the commissary opposed it, complied with my +request. Next day I took leave of Mr. Hope, to whose zeal and address I +owed so much, and wished my companions in the cartel, with her worthy +commander, a good voyage; and after dining with commodore Rowley, +embarked in the evening on board the Otter with captain Tomkinson. + +On bidding adieu to Mauritius, it is but justice to declare that during +my long residence in the island, as a marked object of suspicion to the +government, the kind attention of the inhabitants who could have access +to me was invariable; never, in any place, or amongst any people, have I +seen more hospitality and attention to strangers--more sensibility to +the misfortunes of others, of what ever nation, than here--than I have +myself experienced in Mauritius. To the names of the two families whose +unremitting kindness formed a great counterpoise to the protracted +persecution of their governor, might be added a long list of others whose +endeavours were used to soften my captivity; and who sought to alleviate +the chagrin which perhaps the strongest minds cannot but sometimes feel +in the course of years, when reflecting on their far-distant families and +friends, on their prospects in life indefinitely suspended, and their +hopes of liberty and justice followed by continual disappointment; and to +the honour of the inhabitants in general be it spoken, that many who knew +no more than my former employment and my misfortunes, sought to render me +service by such ways as seemed open to them. The long continuation and +notorious injustice of my imprisonment had raised a sensation more strong +and widely extended than I could believe, before arriving at Port Louis +to embark in the cartel; when the number of persons who sought to be +introduced, for the purpose of offering their felicitations upon this +unexpected event, confirmed what had been before said by my friends; and +afforded a satisfactory proof that even arbitrary power, animated by +strong national prejudice, though it may turn aside or depress for a +time, cannot yet extinguish in a people the broad principles of justice +and humanity generally prevalent in the human heart. + +Some part of my desire to ascertain the motives which influenced general +De Caen to act so contrary to the passport of the first consul, and to +the usages adopted towards voyages of discovery, may perhaps be felt by +the reader; and he may therefore not be displeased to see the leading +points in his conduct brought into one view, in order to deducing +therefrom some reasonable conclusion. + +On arriving at Mauritius after the shipwreck, and producing my passport +and commission, the captain-general accused me of being an impostor; took +possession of the Cumberland with the charts and journals of my voyage, +and made me a close prisoner. On the following day, without any previous +change of conduct or offering an explanation, he invited me to his table. + +All other books and papers were taken on the fourth day, and my +imprisonment confirmed; the alleged cause for it being the expression in +my journal of a desire to become acquainted with _the periodical winds, +the port, and present state of the colony_, which it was asserted were +contrary to the passport; though it was not said that I knew of the war +when the desire was expressed. + +After three months seclusion as a _spy_, I was admitted to join the +prisoners of war, and in twenty months to go into the interior of the +island, on _parole_; I there had liberty to range two leagues all round, +and was unrestricted either from seeing any person within those limits or +writing to any part of the world. It might be thought, that the most +certain way of counteracting my desire to gain information alleged to be +contrary to the passport, would have been _to send me from the island_; +but general De Caen took the contrary method, and kept me there above six +years. + +His feeling for my situation, and desire to receive orders from the +French marine minister had been more than once expressed, when at the end +of three years and a half, he sent official information that the +government granted my liberty and the restitution of the Cumberland; and +this was accompanied with the promise, that I, so soon as circumstances +would permit, I should fully enjoy the favour which had been granted me +by His Majesty the Emperor and "King;" yet, after a delay of _fifteen +months_, an application was answered by saying, "that having communicated +to His Excellency the marine minister the motives which had determined +him to suspend my return to Europe, he could not authorize my departure +before having received an answer upon the subject;" in twenty months +more, however, he let me go, and declared to Mr. commissary Hope that it +was _not in consequence of any orders from France_. + +When first imprisoned in 1803, for having expressed a wish to learn the +present state of the colony, there was no suspicion of any projected +attack upon it; in 1810, preparations of defence were making against an +attack almost immediately expected, and there were few circumstances +relating to the island in which I was not as well informed as the +generalitv of the inhabitants; then it was, after giving me the +opportunity of becoming acquainted with the town and harbour of Port +Louis, that general De Caen suffered me to go away in a ship bound to the +place whence the attack was expected, and without laying any restriction +upon my communications. + +Such are the leading characteristics of the conduct pursued by His +Excellency general De Caen, and they will be admitted to be so far +contradictory as to make the reconciling them with any uniform principle +a difficult task; with the aid however of various collateral +circumstances, of opinions entertained by well informed people, and of +facts which transpired in the shape of opinions, I will endeavour to give +some insight into his policy; requesting the reader to bear in mind that +much of what is said must necessarily depend upon conjecture. + +After the peace of Amiens, general De Caen went out to Pondicherry as +captain-general of all the French possessions to the east of the Cape of +Good Hope; he had a few troops and a number of extra officers, some of +whom appear to have been intended for seapoy regiments proposed to be +raised, and others for the service of the Mahrattas. The plan of +operations in India was probably extensive, but the early declaration of +war by England put a stop to them, and obliged His Excellency to abandon +the brilliant prospect of making a figure in the annals of the East; he +then came to Mauritius, exclaiming against the perfidy of the British +government, and with a strong dislike, if not hatred to the whole nation. +I arrived about three months subsequent to this period, and the day after +M. Barrois had been sent on board Le Geographe with despatches for +France; which transaction being contrary to the English passport, and +subjecting the ship to capture, if known, it was resolved to detain me a +short time, and an embargo was laid upon all neutral ships for ten days. +It would appear that the report of the commandant at La Savanne gave some +suspicion of my identity, which was eagerly adopted as a cause of +detention; I was therefore accused at once of imposture, closely +confined, and my books, papers, and vessel seized. Next day another +report arrived from La Savanne, that of major Dunienville; from which, +and the examination I had just undergone, it appeared that the accusation +of imposture was untenable; an invitation to go to the general's table +was then sent me, no suspicion being entertained that this condescension +to an Englishman, and to an officer of inferior rank, might not be +thought an equivalent for what had passed. My refusal of the intended +honour until set at liberty, so much exasperated the captain-general that +he determined to make me repent it; and a wish to be acquainted with the +present state of Mauritius being found in my journal, it was fixed upon +as a pretext for detaining me until orders should arrive from France, by +which an imprisonment of at least twelve months was insured. The first +motive for my detention therefore arose from the infraction previously +made of the English passport, by sending despatches in Le Geographe; and +the probable cause of its being prolonged beyond what seems to have been +originally intended, was to punish me for refusing the invitation to +dinner. + +The marine minister's letter admits little doubt that general De Caen +knew, on the return of his brother-in-law in January 1805, that the +council of state at Paris, though approving of his conduct, proposed +granting my liberty and the restitution of the Cumberland; and he must +have expected by every vessel to receive orders to that effect; but +punishment had not yet produced a sufficient degree of humiliation to +make him execute such an order willingly. When the exchange was made with +commodore Osborn in the following August, it became convenient to let me +quit the Garden Prison, in order to take away the sentinels; captain +Bergeret also, who as a prisoner in India had been treated with +distinction, strongly pressed my going into the country; these +circumstances alone might possibly have induced the captain-general to +take the parole of one who had been detained as a spy; but his subsequent +conduct leaves a strong suspicion that he proposed to make the portion of +liberty, thus granted as a favour, subservient to evading the expected +order from France, should such a measure be then desirable. At length the +order arrived, and three years and a half of detention had not produced +any very sensible effect on his prisoner; the execution of it was +therefore suspended, until another reference should be made to the +government and an answer returned. What was the subject of this reference +could not be known, but there existed in the island only one conjecture; +that from having had such a degree of liberty during near two years, I +had acquired a knowledge of the colony which made it unsafe to permit my +departure. + +Extensive wars were at this time carrying on in Europe, the French arms +were victorious, and general De Caen saw his former companions becoming +counts, dukes, and marshals of the empire, whilst he remained an untitled +general of division; he and his officers, as one of them told me, then +felt themselves little better circumstanced than myself--than prisoners +in an almost forgotten speck of the globe, with their promotion +suspended. Rumours of a premeditated attack at length reached the island, +which it was said the captain-general heard with pleasure; and it was +attributed to the prospect of making military levies on the inhabitants, +and increasing his authority by the proclamation of martial law; but if I +mistake not, the general's pleasure arose from more extended views and a +more permanent source. If the island were attacked and he could repulse +the English forces, distinction would follow; if unsuccessful, a +capitulation would restore him to France and the career of advancement. +An attack was therefore desirable; and as the captain-general probably +imagined that an officer who had been six years a prisoner, and whose +liberty had been so often requested by the different authorities in +India, would not only be anxious to forward it with all his might, but +that his representations would be attended to, the pretexts before +alleged for my imprisonment and the answer from France were waved; and +after passing six weeks in the town of Port Louis and five on board a +ship in the harbour, from which I had before been debarred, he suffered +me to depart in a cartel bound to the place where the attack was publicly +said to be in meditation. This is the sole motive which, upon a review of +the general's conduct, I can assign for being set at liberty so +unexpectedly, and without any restriction upon my communications; and if +such a result to an attack upon Mauritius were foreseen by the present +count De Caen, captain-general of Catalonia, events have proved that he +was no mean calculator. But perhaps this, as well as the preceding +conjectures on his motives may be erroneous; if so, possibly the count +himself, or some one on the part of the French government may give a more +correct statement--one which may not only reconcile the facts here +brought together, but explain many lesser incidents which have been +omitted from fear of tiring the patience of the reader. + +[CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.] + +I thought it a happy concurrence of circumstances, that on the same day +we quitted Port Louis in the cartel, the arrival of a frigate from India +should require commodore Rowley to despatch the Otter to the Cape of Good +Hope. Captain Tomkinson took his departure on the 14th at nine in the +evening, from Cape Brabant, with a fresh trade wind and squally weather; +at noon next day the island Bourbon was in sight, and the breakers on the +south-east end distinguishable from the deck; but thick clouds obscured +all the hills. The winds from south-east and north-east carried us to the +latitude 27 deg. and longitude 49 deg.; they were afterwards variable, and +sometimes foul for days together, and we did not make the coast of Africa +until the 3rd of July [JULY 1810]. Being then in latitude 34 deg. 52' and +longitude 251/2 deg., the hills were descried at the distance of twenty leagues +to the northward; and the water being remarkably smooth, the lead was +hove, but no bottom found at 200 fathoms. A continuance of western winds +obliged us to work along the greater part of the coast, and Cape Agulhas +was not seen before the 10th; we then had a strong breeze at S. E., and +Cape Hanglip being distinguished at dusk, captain Tomkinson steered up +False Bay, and anchored at eleven at night in 22 fathoms, sandy bottom. +In this passage of twenty-six days from Mauritius, the error in dead +reckoning amounted to 1 deg. 18' south and 2 deg. 21' west, which might be +reasonably attributed to the current. + +On the 11th we ran into Simon's Bay, and captain Tomkinson set off +immediately for Cape Town with his despatches to vice-admiral Bertie and +His Excellency the earl of Caledon; he took also a letter from me to the +admiral, making application, conformably to my instructions, for the +earliest passage to England; and requesting, if any circumstance should +place general De Caen within his power, that he would be pleased to +demand my journal from him, and cause it to be transmitted to the +Admiralty. I went on shore next morning and waited upon colonel sir +Edward Butler, the commanding officer at Simon's Town; and learning that +an India packet had put into Table Bay, on her way to England, made +preparation for going over on the following day. At noon, however, a +telegraphic signal expressed the admiral's desire to see me immediately; +and as the packet was expected to stop only a short time, I hoped it was +for the purpose of embarking in her, and hastened over with horses and a +dragoon guide furnished by the commandant; but to my mortification, the +packet was standing out of Table Bay at the time I alighted at the +admiral's door, and no other opportunity for England presented itself for +more than six weeks afterward. + +During the tedious time of waiting at Cape Town for a passage, I received +much polite attention from His Excellency the earl of Caledon, and Mr. +Alexander, secretary to the colony; as also from the Hon. general Grey, +commander of the forces, commissioner Shield of the navy, and several +other civil and military officers of the Cape establishment. I made +little excursions to Constantia and in the neighbourhood of the town; but +feared to go into the interior of the country lest an opportunity, such +as that which the India packet had presented, might be lost. Towards the +latter end of August [AUGUST 1810], captain Parkinson of the army and +lieutenant Robb of the navy arrived from commodore Rowley's squadron, +with intelligence of the island Bourbon being captured; and a cutter +being ordered to convey them to England, I requested of the admiral and +obtained a passage in her. + +SEPTEMBER 1810 + +We sailed from Simon's Bay on the 28th August, in the Olympia, commanded +by lieutenant Henry Taylor; and after a passage of fourteen days, +anchored in St. Helena road on the afternoon of September 11; and having +obtained water and a few supplies from the town, sailed again the same +night. On the 16th, passed close to the north side of Ascension, in the +hope of procuring a turtle should any vessel be lying there; but seeing +none, steered onward and crossed the Line on the 19th, in longitude 191/2 deg. +west. The trade wind shifted to the S. W. in latitude 5 deg. north, and +continued to blow until we had reached abreast of the Cape-Verde Islands, +as it had done at the same time of year in 1801. At my recommendation +lieutenant Taylor did not run so far west as ships usually do in +returning to England, but passed the Cape-Verdes not further distant than +sixty leagues; we there met the north-east trade, and on the 29th Mr. +Taylor took the brig Atalante from Mauritius. + +[IN ENGLAND] + +OCTOBER 1810 + +On reaching the latitude 223/4 deg. north and longitude 33 deg. west, the +north-east trade veered to east and south-eastward, which enabled us to +make some easting; and being succeeded by north-west winds, we passed +within the Azores, and took a fresh departure from St. Mary's on the 15th +of October. Soundings in 75 fathoms were obtained on the 21st, at the +entrance of the English Channel; but it then blew a gale of wind from the +westward, and obliged us to lie to on this, as it did on the following +night; and it was greatly feared that the cutter would be driven on the +coast of France, near the Casket rocks. In the morning of the 23rd, the +wind being more moderate, we made sail to the northward, and got sight of +the Bill of Portland; and at five in the evening came to an anchor in +Studland Bay, off the entrance of Pool Harbour, after a run from St. +Helena of six weeks; which in an indifferent sailing vessel, very leaky, +and excessively ill found, must be considered an excellent passage. + +Captain Parkinson and lieutenant Robb went off the same night with their +despatches; and next morning we ran through the Needles and came to at +Spithead, where the prize brig, from which we had been long separated, +had just before dropped her anchor. I went on shore to wait upon admiral +sir Roger Curtis, and the same evening set off for London; having been +absent from England nine years and three months, and nearly four years +and a half without intelligence from any part of my connexions. + +The account of the Investigator's voyage, and of the events resulting +from it is concluded; but there is one or two circumstances which the +naval reader may probably desire to see further explained. + +A regulation adopted at the Admiralty forbids any officer to be promoted +whilst a prisoner, upon the principle apparently, that officers in that +situation have almost always to undergo a court martial, which cannot be +done until they are set at liberty. My case was made subject to this +regulation, although it required no court martial; and was moreover so +different to that of prisoners in general, that nothing similar perhaps +ever occurred. In consequence of my French passport, not only was the +possibility of reaping any advantage from the war done away, but the +liberation on parole or by exchange, granted to all others in Mauritius, +was refused for years, the passport removing me from the class of +prisoners of war; yet one of the greatest hardships to officers of a +state of warfare was at the same time applied to me in England, and +continued throughout this protracted detention. So soon as it was known +that I had been released, and was arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, a +commission for post rank was issued; and on my representations to the +Right Hon. Charles Yorke, first lord commissioner of the Admiralty, by +whom I had the honour to be received with the condescension and feeling +natural to his character, he was pleased to direct that it should take +date as near to that of general De Caen's permission to quit Mauritius, +as the patent which constituted the existing Board of Admiralty would +allow. A more retrospective date could be given to it only by an order of +the King in council; unhappily His Majesty was then incapable of +exercising his royal functions; and when the Regency was established, my +proposed petition did not meet with that official encouragement which was +necessary to obtain success. It was candidly acknowledged, that my +services in the Investigator would have been deemed a sufficient title to +advancement in 1804, had I then arrived in England and the Admiralty been +composed of the same members; but no representation could overcome the +reluctance to admitting an exception to the established rule; thus the +injustice of the French governor of Mauritius, besides all its other +consequences, was attended with the loss of six years post rank in His +Majesty's naval service. + +One of my first cares was to seek the means of relieving some relations +of my Mauritius friends, prisoners of war in England; and in a few +months, through the indulgence of the Admiralty and of the earl of +Liverpool, secretary of state for the colonies, I had the gratification +of sending five young men back to the island, to families who had shown +kindness to English prisoners. + +The Board of Admiralty was pleased to countenance the publication of the +Investigator's voyage by providing for the charts and embellishments; and +a strong representation was made by its directions to the French +government, upon the subjects of my detained journal, the schooner +Cumberland, and the parole exacted on quitting Mauritius. A release from +the parole was transmitted in April 1812, after three applications; but +upon the other points it was answered, that "the vessel of captain +Flinders was at the Isle of France at the capitulation of that colony, +and returned in consequence to the power of the English government. With +respect to the journal of that navigator, as it did not make part of the +papers brought from the Isle of France by the prefect of that colony, a +demand has been made for it to the captain-general De Caen, who is with +the army. In default of an answer he will be again written to, and so +soon as it shall be remitted, my first object will be to send it." The +Cumberland had been seized in 1803, and the capitulation was made in +1810; in the interval, both vessel and stores, if not used, would be in +great part rotten; but I saw the Cumberland employed in the French +service, and believe that the stores were also. General De Caen, it +appeared, still kept the log book in his own hands; although, if +considered to be private property, it was undoubtedly mine, and if as a +public document it ought to have been given up at the capitulation, or at +least to have been deposited in the office of the marine minister. But +the captain-general had probably his reasons for not wishing even the +minister to see it; and up to this time, the commencement of 1814, he has +so far persevered against both public and private applications, that +neither the original nor a copy has been obtained. + + +APPENDIX I. + +ACCOUNT OF THE OBSERVATIONS BY WHICH THE LONGITUDES OF PLACES ON THE +EAST AND NORTH COASTS OF TERRA AUSTRALIS HAVE BEEN SETTLED. + +In the Appendix to Vol. I. a statement was made of the circumstances +under which the observations for settling the longitudes of places on the +South Coast were taken; as also of the method used in the calculations, +and the corrections applied more than what is usual in the common +practice at sea. That statement is equally applicable to the following +tables for the East and North Coasts, and the explanation of their +different columns is the same; a reference therefore to the former +Appendix will render unnecessary any further remark on these heads. + +The first observations on the East Coast were taken at Port Jackson, and +the results would naturally form the first table of this Appendix; but +these observations being so intimately connected with those on the South +Coast that the time keepers could not receive their final corrections +without them, the Port-Jackson table became an indispensable conclusion +to the former series; and it is thought unnecessary to repeat it in this +place. + +The following tables, set out in the book, are not reproduced in this +text version of _A Voyage to Terra Australis_--refer to the _html_ +version, available from https://gutenberg.org. + +Table I. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter I.) +LONGITUDE OF THE ANCHORAGE IN KEPPEL BAY. + +Table II. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter III.) +LONGITUDE OF UPPER HEAD, IN BROAD SOUND. + +Table III. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter VI.) +LONGITUDE OF SWEERS' ISLAND, GULPH OF CARPENTARIA. + +Table IV. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter VII) +LONGITUDE OF OBSERVATION ISLAND, SIR E. PELLEW'S GROUP. + +Table V. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter VIII.) +LONGITUDE OF FINCH'S ISLAND, IN N. W. BAY--GROOTE EYLANDT. + +Table VI. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter VIII.) +LONGITUDE OF THE TENTS, IN CALEDON BAY. + +Table VII. (Reference from BOOK II Chapter IX.) +LONGITUDE OF THE ANCHORAGE IN COEPANG BAY, TIMOR. + +Table VIII. (Reference from BOOK III. Chapter II.) +LONGITUDE OF WRECK-REEF BANK, LYING OFF THE EAST COAST. + +Table IX. (Reference from BOOK III. Chapter V.) +LONGITUDE OF THE GARDEN PRISON, 1' N. E. FROM PORT LOUIS--MAURITIUS. + +APPENDIX II + +ON THE ERRORS OF THE COMPASS ARISING FROM ATTRACTIONS WITHIN THE SHIP, +AND OTHERS FROM THE MAGNETISM OF LAND; WITH PRECAUTIONS FOR OBVIATING +THEIR EFFECTS IN MARINE SURVEYING. + +[Not included in this ebook.] + +APPENDIX III + +GENERAL REMARKS, GEOGRAPHICAL AND SYSTEMATICAL, ON THE BOTANY OF TERRA +AUSTRALIS. BY ROBERT BROWN, F. R. S. ACAD. REG. SCIENT. BEROLIN. +CORRESP., NATURALIST TO THE VOYAGE. + +A LIST OF PLANTS NATIVE BOTH OF TERRA AUSTRALIS AND OF EUROPE. + +DESCRIPTION OF PLANTS FIGURED IN THE ATLAS. + +[Not included in this ebook.] + + + +END OF VOLUME II + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 2 +by Matthew Flinders + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS *** + +***** This file should be named 13121.txt or 13121.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/1/2/13121/ + +This eBook was produced by Col Choat + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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