EVENING REPAST.
By the time we got within doors, after our unsuccessful stroll, we were quite tired, and well prepared to enjoy our dinner. The dignified air assumed by our guide, evidently for the purpose of showing off, and the ostentatious liberality with which he proffered the goodly viands sent by the commandant, amused us highly. An account of our fare may be acceptable to the gastronomic reader, who will thus be enabled to determine whether he should envy or pity the voyager to the distant shores of Timor. First came tea and coffee; then, in the course of an hour, followed fowls, cooked in all sorts of ways, with a proportion of rice. The good things were brought in by a train of domestics some fifty yards long, headed by a paunchy, elderly man, who greatly reminded us of Caleb Balderston. If there was a word said by any of the lookers-on–for many came to have a gaze at the lions–he was out in a moment, and brought the offender to account. In short, by his officious attention he afforded us much amusement, and greatly contributed to our proper enjoyment of the dinner. Our candles were original ones–a few threads of cotton drawn through a roll of bees’ wax.
Dinner being over, we retired to pass as cold a night as we had felt for some time, having only a few coarse mats to cover us; so that long before daylight we were obliged to get up and walk about for the purpose of warming ourselves. The first of the morning we spent again pigeon-shooting; the birds were large and wild, yet we managed to get a few.
THE HILLS IN A MIST.
This excursion gave us an opportunity of beholding the mountains of Timor under a remarkable aspect. From various openings in the woody plain we could perceive their sides, clothed in grey mist, above which sometimes we caught a glimpse of a pinnacle rising through the clear air, and just touched by the rays of the morning sun. Here and there the slopes of the hills were dimly seen through the vapour, which in other places, however, rolled along in thick masses, completely hiding the uplands from view. Nearly every gorge and valley was filled with heavy volumes of fog, whilst in some, a slight steam only rising, allowed the trees to be faintly discovered. There is nothing more grand than the aspect of lofty peaks and crags and precipices imperfectly revealed through a morning mist. It seems as though the darkness of night, unwilling to depart, lingers still fondly around them. Their hollows and recesses are still wrapt in gloom, when all else around is beaming with light. Within the tropics the contrast thus afforded has a startling effect; but the influence of the sun is not long to be resisted; the mist soon begins to disperse; valley after valley opens its depths to the view; the outline of each rocky peak becomes more and more defined against the deep blue sky, and presently the whole scene appears before you clear and bright, with every line sharply drawn, every patch of colour properly discriminated, a splendid panorama of towering hills and waving forests.
Whilst I was gazing at this picture, the report of a fowling piece behind me drew my attention, and on turning I was surprised to see the old commandant out shooting likewise, and with him no less a person than Caleb Balderston, as we had christened his faithful domestic. In their company we returned to Pritie.
MUSTER OF THE PARTY.
Soon after breakfast our party began to muster, each man armed with a long-condemned Tower musket. On one of them I was surprised to recognize the name of a marine who had belonged to the Beagle in 1827. The powder they used was of the coarsest kind, carried in small pieces of bamboo, each containing a charge, and fitted in a case of skin, something like our cartouch boxes. As a substitute for balls they used BOLTS OF STONE, from two to three inches long. Besides a musket, each had a huge knife or chopper, stuck in his belt. I was much struck with the simple contrivance they had for shoes: a piece of the fan palm plaited together and tied under the foot. The number of uses to which this tree is applied is astonishing–for making water-buckets, for thatching houses, filling up the panel-work of doors, and a variety of others I could mention.
It was late before we could muster all our force; but we at length got away, commandant and all. I was much pleased with the respect everyone paid him, especially as he was one of those mild kind persons who require very little. Soon after leaving the village we halted in a shady spot, near a stream of water, some of our party being still missing. This gave me a good opportunity of comparing the features of the Malay and Timoree, for some of both were in attendance. The Malay has a much more open countenance than the Timoree, but is not so handsome, the latter having a more aquiline nose.
THE SHOOTING ARRANGEMENTS.
When they all arrived I counted fifty armed men. There were some whose grey hairs proclaimed their lengthened years; though there was a keenness in their eyes that revealed that the principle of vitality was strong within them yet; in others all the dash and vigour of youth was perceptible; many had a truly wild appearance, with their long bushy hair and ever restless eye. It was a picturesque sight to behold fifty such fine fellows scattered about in small groups in the deep shade of these solitudes.
All the necessary arrangements being made, we once more started. An hour’s walk brought us to a rather large plain, where I and my companions were stationed, about a hundred yards asunder, whilst the rest of the party formed a circle, driving all the game in our direction. Unfortunately those on the left commenced hallooing before those on the right, in which latter direction the only three deer in the circle ran from the noise, instead of towards us. Two of them were shot, and by the stone bolts above mentioned. We now went to fresh ground, when, provoking to say, the same thing happened again, not without our suspicions being raised that this was purposely contrived; so that after all we were obliged to leave without a single shot. Each deer, the largest of which, a doe, must have weighed a hundred pounds, was shot STANDING, for the natives have a peculiar cry, which arrests the animal’s progress for a moment, while they fire.
THE JAVANESE COMMANDANT.
The deer were all brought up to the commandant, who begged our acceptance of them. We thanked him, and took the two smallest. By the time we reached Pritie they were skinned and hung up, ready to be put into the boats. The persons who had shot them had received their stone bolts again very little injured; the hole they make is enormous. We rewarded these people; but to the commandant we were really at a loss how to express our obligations. At length we thought of giving him some powder and shot, which was a present he seemed right glad to receive. I afterwards learnt the history of this excellent old Javanese, and was surprised and grieved to hear that a person so universally esteemed had been banished from Java and his family for some trifling political offence. His property was sold to purchase his freedom, and the proceeds were entrusted to the captain of a ship, who ran off with the whole, thus at once ruining a most worthy family, and reducing my good friend the commandant to the necessity of remaining in exile. I was glad to hear, on my second visit to Timor, that he was still alive and well, though without any prospect of an alleviation to his condition.
Wishing him farewell, we left Pritie with some regret. By dark we had crossed Babao Bay, and reached the ship at half-past eight. It may be as well to mention that, looking from Coepang, the valley of Pritie is situated immediately under Timor Peak, the highest over the northern shore of Babao Bay. A small hut, on a projecting shingle point, close to the westward, marks the landing place, where several canoes are generally to be seen hauled up. At high tide a boat can get in; but, as we have already said, there is a long mud flat at low-water.
THE TIMOREES.
The Timorees do not bear the character of being very industrious; the small portion of land they cultivate is turned up in the following manner: a slight fence is placed round the part required for the purposes of agriculture and a drove of bullocks is driven furiously backwards and forwards over it; which very much resembles the mode adopted for thrashing corn in some parts of South America.
The Rajahs of the western portion of Timor receive their appointment from the Resident at Coepang; and their installation I am told is rather a grand affair. Nearly all the Timorees speak Malay, a soft pleasant-sounding tongue, apparently easy to be acquired; but there were few of the Coepang people that spoke the native language. Some of the Timor customs are singular: if a woman, for example, dies in childbirth, she is buried on the spot where she breathes her last.
DUTCH SETTLEMENT IN NEW GUINEA.
During our stay at Coepang I met the doctor of the Dutch settlement at Triton Bay, on the west coast of New Guinea. He gave me a very poor account of the inhabitants. The Dutch settlers, he says, can scarcely venture out of the fort; as the natives have bows and arrows, as well as muskets, with which they are excellent marksmen. Their firearms they obtain in exchange for birds of paradise, tortoise-shell and birds-nests, from vessels from the Arru, and other islands in the Eastern Archipelago. When a vessel arrives on the coast they flock down from the interior to trade, which cannot be done without an interpreter. It is even then attended with great risk, owing to the extreme treachery of the natives. Knives, stained blue, and cotton goods are in great request; but, although they of aware of the superiority of Europeans, they will not on any account allow them to live in their country. The inhabitants, however, are better disposed on the shores of Great Bay, a deep indentation on the north-east side of the island, where great quantities of nutmeg grow.
On the 5th the Mangles arrived from Sydney by the outer route through Torres Strait, having lost all her anchors, and been nearly wrecked in a south-east gale near Halfway Island. She was commanded by the same master, Mr. Carr, to whom I have before alluded as having given the first information concerning the survivors of the crew of the Charles Eaton.
ISLAND OF ROTTEE.
The next afternoon we weighed, and the following morning anchored, the water being deep, close in near Tykale Inlet, on the south-west side of Rottee, for observations,* and for the purpose of better determining the position of Pulo Douw, and the other islands in its neighbourhood.
(*Footnote. They placed the south point of the inlet in latitude 10 degrees 46 minutes 18 seconds South and longitude 0 degrees 43 minutes 50 seconds West of Coepang.)
An extensive coral flat fronts this part of Rottee, connecting it with the small islands lying off it.
We got from the natives some shells of a kind of small green mussel of a very peculiar shape. The old men from whom I got them was making a meal from some rare shell-fish. He did not understand the value of money; and, strange to say, not a word of the Malay language. The same was the case with all his companions. At the part of Samow I visited the people all understood it, which is very remarkable, as only a narrow strait separates the islands. In this state of ignorance they may perhaps be purposely kept.
I here recognised several Australian shrubs and palms. The rock of which this port of Rottee is formed appeared of a madreporic nature, scattered about in huge blocks. At a little distance from the water it formed low broken cliffs from twenty to thirty feet in length; these were everywhere undermined by the sea, from which the land here was evidently emerging. I noticed several deserted huts and broken walls or fences, which bore the appearance of having had much labour bestowed on them at some time or other. They added much to the lonely appearance of the place, for there is nothing that imparts so great an air of desolation to a scene as the signs that it has once been inhabited by man. Tracts which have never before been trodden by human foot may be gazed on with pleasurable emotions; but there are always melancholy associations connected with a spot which our fellow-creatures have once inhabited and abandoned.
The natives we saw belonged to the southern side of Tykale Inlet. They were occupied in looking after some weirs, from the size and number of which it would appear that they chiefly live on fish.
JEWELLERS OF PULO DOUW.
The inhabitants of Pulo Douw are a small wandering tribe from Savu, chiefly jewellers, as the Resident at Coepang informed me. It is a strange place for them to take up their abode in; perhaps they do not like the idea of living under a Rajah. They are, I believe, beautiful workmen; but with them all is not gold that glitters. There are plenty of coconuts in the island, but little water; the landing at all times is bad.
When at Coepang we saw some specimens of the gold, collected after heavy rains from the washings of the hills, and brought down for barter to the merchants in grains enclosed in small lengths of bamboo, containing each from six to eighteen drams. Thirty miles south-west of Diely, also, are some mines of virgin copper.
CHAPTER 2.6.
Sail from Rottee.
Search for shoal.
Dampier’s Archipelago.
Examination of coast.
Strange weather.
Natives.
Passage between Delambre and Huiy Islands. Proceed to Montebello Isles.
Description of them.
Barrow’s Island.
Tryal Rocks.
New kangaroo.
Abundance of turtle.
New wallaby.
Sail for Swan River.
Find Ritchie’s Reef.
Islands between Barrow’s and North-West Cape. Table of soundings.
Swan River Native.
Anchor under Rottnest.
Vocabulary.
Erect beacons.
Bad weather.
Habits of a native dog.
Geological observations.
Sail from Swan River.
Error in position of Cape Naturaliste. King George’s Sound.
Appearance of Bald Head.
Princess Royal Harbour.
Origin of settlement.
Town of Albany.
Salubrity of climate.
Excursion into interior.
Course a kangaroo.
Pitfalls.
Herds of kangaroos.
Rich country.
The Hay River.
Return to Albany.
Departure for South Australia.
Discover an Island.
Death of a seaman.
Position of Neptune Isles.
Kangaroo, Althorp and Quoin Islands. Holdfast Road.
Adelaide.
Description of country.
Governor Gawler’s policy.
Visit the Port.
Mr. Eyre’s expedition.
Hardships of Overlanders.
Cannibalism.
Meet Captain Sturt.
Native schools.
System of education.
Sail for Sydney.
Squalls.
Error in coast.
Bass Strait.
Arrive at Sydney.
Leaving Rottee we passed, soon after dark, round the western end of Pulo Douw, and stood for the position of a shoal reported by Mr. Lewis of the Colonial schooner, Isabella, to be in latitude 14 degrees 43 minutes South, and longitude 119 degrees 20 minutes East. Our inducement to search for this shoal was the fact of its being supposed to lie in the direct route of vessels sailing between Timor and the West coast of Australia. But after searching from the 9th to the 14th, and sounding repeatedly without getting bottom, we came to the conclusion that it did not exist. Breakers could have been seen at least ten miles from the Beagle’s masthead, as there was a considerable swell from the south-west.
LIGHT WINDS.
On the 15th we were in latitude 16 degrees 05 minutes South and longitude 118 degrees 16 minutes East. After one of those stagnant calms so frequently met with near the equator, we got a light westerly breeze on the morning of the 18th. Towards midnight it freshened, veering from South-West by South to West-South-West with some rather sharp rain squalls. It appears that the westerly winds had already set in, and that the calm we experienced on the 17th was an unoccupied space between the easterly and westerly winds. There are few parts of the globe where light winds prevail so much as on the North-west coast of New Holland, particularly between the latitudes of 13 and 17 degrees, and from one to two hundred miles from the land. They are, however, excepting in the months of January, February, and March, from the eastward, south-east in the morning and east in the afternoon. These winds prevented us from making the coast on the eastward of Depuch Island; and as we had failed in getting a supply of provisions at Timor, we were compelled to relinquish the plan of continuing the examination of that part of the coast between the Turtle Islands and Roebuck Bay.
BEZOUT ISLAND.
The Beagle was consequently anchored under Bezout Island, one of the eastern isles of Dampier’s Archipelago, and boats were sent to examine the coast on the southward of Cape Lambert.
It may, perhaps, be worthy of remark, that should a vessel be brought by any chance to this dreary part of the world in May, June, or July, anchorages exposed to easterly winds should be left at or before daylight–that being the time they set in; by noon all is again quiet. Bezout Island is of the same formation as Depuch; and so are many of the broken ridges, with bare stony summits, of a dark brown hue, on the main near Cape Lambert, trending South-South-West. A more dreary sterile country can scarcely be seen; yet it still maintains inhabitants.
August 26.
The weather has been truly strange for the last four days. The winds, instead of being easterly have been from South-west to North-west, light with the former during the mornings, and moderate with the latter in the evenings. On this day they were from all quarters, with distant thunder in the north-west, and several rain squalls. In the night it settled at east, a fresh breeze bringing with it fine weather. In connection with our former remarks on striking vicissitudes in the weather occurring near the change of the moon, we should mention that it was new moon the day following.
The material for the chart collected in this part consists of the main from below Picard Island to nearly twenty miles west of Cape Lambert, with the neighbouring islands, an extent of nearly forty-five miles. The part near Picard Island was carefully examined by Mr. Forsyth. He reported the main to the South-South-West of that island, forming the head of the bay between Cape Lambert and Depuch, to be extensive flats of mud and sand, over which the sea sometimes passed. Between Picard and Cape Lambert the shore is cut up by mangrove creeks. On a hill up one of these, several small kangaroos were seen. Near the Cape Mr. Forsyth perceived twenty-seven natives, seven of whom were children, in one party.
DELAMBRE ISLAND.
On the 27th we crossed over to Delambre Island, on which a large party landed in the afternoon. A few turtle were here taken, of a different kind from any we had seen before, and apparently a cross between the Hawk’s Bill and the Green Turtle; several nests were also found, in one of which were 138 eggs. This island terminates, like Bezout Island, to the northward, in cliffs about 90 feet high, with deep water close to; on the east and west sides it is fronted by a reef nearly a mile in extent; but we could see no traces of those lying three miles to the North-North-West of the North-West point, laid down by Captain King. The passage between Huiy Island and Delambre is five miles wide, though clear for two miles only, and in working out we found that it had a very uneven bottom, over which a two-knot tide causes heavy ripplings. We noticed that a hill, lying nine miles to the south-west of Bezout Island, called in the chart Round-backed Hill, bearing between South 5 degrees East, and South 15 degrees East, clears the reefs on either side the channel; and that the same hill bearing South 24 degrees West leads between Bezout and Delambre, and South 8 degrees West clears the reef off the eastern side of the latter.
THE MONTEBELLO GROUP.
From Delambre we proceeded to the Montebello Islands, principally in order to set at rest two points of great interest, namely, the position of Ritchie’s Reef, and of the long lost Tryal Rocks. On the 31st, in the afternoon, we anchored in 6 fathoms on the eastern side of Tremouille Island, a cliffy islet off the south-east end of which bore South 42 degrees East two miles. The tide was ebbing and setting to the North-North-East two knots an hour. We found the Montebello Group to be confined by a coral reef encircling it. The two principal islands are Tremouille and Hermite Islands. The fact that these and their neighbours are not separated in the charts fully evinced the necessity of our visit. Leaving a boat to examine them, the ship proceeded towards the northern end of Barrow’s Island, being anxious to avoid the southerly winds to which the anchorage off Tremouille is exposed. These usually commenced at midnight, blowing from south-west, freshening and veering to south by 8 A.M., and by about 10 moderating at South-South-East. On our way to Barrow’s Island they were so violent as to cause the ship to drive with two anchors ahead, there appearing to be no holding ground, but simply a coating of sand over a rocky ledge. During the prevalence of these winds the temperature varied from 66 to 76 degrees.
Near Barrow’s Island, on our passage, I shot (from the quarter-boat) the largest sea-snake ever killed. It is figured and described in the Appendix, by Mr. J.E. Gray, as Hydrus major, and measured eight feet one inch in length, by three inches broad; the colour was a dark yellow: several smaller ones striped brown and white were also seen.
BARROW’S ISLAND.
We found that from the Montebello Group a long series of reefs and small islands, the largest and most central of which is called Lowendal, extends towards Barrow’s Island, leaving a winding channel* along the north side of the latter. Near the centre of the western side of the reef is a cluster which proved to be the long-lost Tryal Rocks; the middle and largest of which is in latitude 20 degrees 35 minutes South and longitude 0 degrees 17 minutes West of Swan River.** The reef continues along the eastern side of Barrow’s Island, extending off three miles; our anchorage was consequently little more than that distance from the shore. We examined the northern and eastern sides; the former is composed of red sandstone cliffy projections, separated by sandy bays, fronted for nearly two miles by a coral reef, partly dry at low-water; but the south part of the eastern side becomes very low; and where the cliffs end there is a remarkable valley trending westwards. There were recent marks of the sea many feet above the ordinary reach of the tides, bespeaking occasional strong south-east winds. A number of stony-topped hills, from 150 to 200 feet in height, were scattered over the northern parts of the island. In the valleys was a little sandy soil, nourishing the spinifex, and a stunted kind of wood sufficiently large for fuel.
(*Footnote. Lowendal Island, bearing east, leads into it.)
(**Footnote. We recognised them from a sketch furnished by the Admiralty, and made in 1719 by a Dutch sloop sent in search of them from Batavia. They placed them eight degrees west from the coast of New Holland. If we take leagues instead of degrees it would bring them near their actual distance from the shore. Van Keulen says they were seen in the ship Vaderland Getrouw, and found to be in 20 degrees 30 seconds south. In 1777 they were seen by Captain Joss, of the Danish ship Frederisberg Castel, who places them in 20 degrees 40 minutes South. It was by his description that I recognised them beyond a doubt, although his longitude would place them thirteen degrees more to the westward, and near the position they have occupied for years in the charts. The centre of them bears North by East five miles and a quarter from Cape Dupuis, the north-west point of Barrow’s Island.)
NEW KANGAROO.
We found a new kind of kangaroo and wallaby on Barrow’s Island; but the only specimen obtained of the former was destroyed through the neglect of the person in whose charge it was left. It was a buck, weighing fifty pounds, of a cinnamon colour on the back and a dirty white on the belly; the hair was fine and long; the head of a peculiar shape, resembling a dog’s, with a very blunt nose; the forearms were very short; the hind feet cushioned like those inhabiting rocky ground. The does appeared to be much lighter; but all were very wary and scarce. From the number of red sandhills, too, scattered over the island, they were difficult to be seen at a distance. From our description of this specimen it has been named Osphranter isabellinus. With the wallaby we were more fortunate, Mr. Bynoe and myself succeeding in knocking over four, weighing from five to eight pounds; they also had blunt noses, and were of a light brown colour, quite different from those on the Abrolhos.
Two iguanas, measuring seven feet in length, and nearly black, striped slightly with white, were also killed here.
We did not find any surface water; everything wore a dry parched appearance. No traces of natives were discovered, except some charred pieces of wood. Indeed I may remark that we saw signs of fire on every part of the continent we visited. From the south extremity of the island a long reef trended in the direction of the mainland, where Captain King traced it extending off some distance, thus connecting with the shore the whole of these islands, which seem to lie in a line with each other, like the various parts of a submerged piece of land. The small isles, especially between the Montebello Group and Barrow’s Island, have all the same direction; so that it seems fair to conclude that they were once a part of the main, being in fact fragments of a promontory, forming a gulf similar to Exmouth Gulf, lying on the south-west of it. I had been led to expect this from the fact of our finding the flood-stream coming from the north-east, whereas the direction of it in the offing is North-North-West.
SUPPLY OF TURTLES.
Barrow’s Island, being about twelve miles broad and twenty long, would, in the event of a penal settlement being formed in this neighbourhood, make a good second Norfolk Island. On leaving we brought away with us seven tons of turtles from the abundant supplies its shores afforded. Many of them we gave to our friends at Swan River on our arrival. We cannot quit this island without reminding our readers that it was named after the distinguished Secretary to the Admiralty, who has just retired from office after a period of service of nearly half a century, during which time he was the promoter of all geographical research, and mainly instrumental in founding a society which is of growing importance to Great Britain, and who has established a lasting reputation both by his travels and his literary productions.
On our return to Tremouille Island Mr. Fitzmaurice joined us, having completed the examination of the Montebello Group, a large proportion of chart material, in a very short space of time, considering the number of small islands, which would render it an endless labour to attempt any description, further than that they lie something in the shape of a scythe.
RITCHIE’S REEF.
A hill 145 feet high, the loftiest point of the group, rises near the centre of Tremouille, the north-east island, off the north-west end of which a ledge extends in the direction of an out-lying reef, bearing North 55 degrees West (magnetic) nine miles and a half, which places it in latitude 20 degrees 17 minutes South and longitude 0 degrees 26 minutes West of Swan River; or 115 degrees 21 minutes East. This could be no other than that which we had so often looked for as Ritchie’s Reef, as our former tracks to the westward had assured us that it did not lie in that direction. In latitude it agreed with the position given to it on the charts, but in longitude it differed considerably, lying full half a degree to the eastward. It therefore appeared not to be a discovery of Lieutenant Ritchie’s, as it had been not only seen previously by the French, who had considered it as a reef extending off Tremouille Island, but many years before by Captain Clerke, who placed it in latitude 20 degrees 18 minutes South, nine or ten miles North-West (magnetic) from what he thought to be Rosemary Island, but which it is very evident was Tremouille. The name then of Clerke’s Reef should be given it instead of Ritchie’s.
WALLABY SHOOTING.
Mr. Fitzmaurice having seen plenty of wallaby on the larger islands, a party of us went on shore in the evening, after securing observations for the rates of the chronometers on a small islet called Flag Islet, near the centre of the rocky cluster fronting the eastern side of Hermite Island. This can be recognised by it alone having a sandy point on the south-west end, which we placed in latitude 20 degrees 27 minutes 47 seconds South and longitude 0 degrees 8 minutes 20 seconds west of Swan River. The time of high-water here at full and change, was about 10 o’clock, when the tide rose fourteen feet; the flood-stream came from the northward.
We found that Tremouille was as scantily supplied with vegetation as Barrow’s Island; in one or two places was growing a stunted kind of wood, sufficient for fuel for a small-sized ship; but there was no sign of water. The wallaby, which were very numerous, must have got their supply of moisture from the copious dews. They were found lying very close in the wiry prickly grass, allowing us to kick them out, when they went off at speed, affording excellent sport, quite equal to any rabbit shooting; among three guns we managed, in a couple of hours, to bag nearly twenty. It was quite a new kind of wallaby, and has been classed, from a specimen we brought away, as Lagorchester conspicillata. It had a blunt nose, similar to those at Barrow’s Island, and was about the same size, though its colour was lighter, and it had a back exactly like a European hare. The tail tapered away like a rat’s, and the flesh was by no means good to eat, tasting very strong; this was the only instance in which we found wallaby at all unpalatable.
Although our exploration in this neighbourhood did not lead to our finding any of the land fertile, yet from the new feature our chart will give to this part of the coast, the necessity of the Beagle’s visit will be evident. Our object had been satisfactorily attained, inasmuch as we had cleared up the doubts respecting Ritchie’s Reef, and the long-lost Tryal Rocks. We had also been so fortunate as to add to the stores of natural history a new kangaroo and two kinds of wallaby, besides a large water-snake.
RITCHIE’S REEF.
September 9.
We left Tremouille Island in the morning, and passing round the north side, soon came in sight of Clerke’s, alias Ritchie’s Reef. It was our intention to have gone round the northern end of it, but the tide setting two knots an hour forced us to the southward. In a line midway between it and Tremouille the depth was 17 and 20 fathoms. The reef was nearly three miles long, in a north-east and south-west direction, and one mile and a half wide; the centre being partly dry. Two miles and a half South-West by West of it we crossed a patch of 13 fathoms, with 22 and 25 fathoms on each side, the northern part of Hermite Island bearing South 62 degrees East fourteen miles, soon after which it was lost sight of from the poop.
The next afternoon a westerly wind brought us again in with the land; and in the evening we tacked in six fathoms, three miles and a half to the northward of Thevenard Island, which we found to be connected with a reef we discovered in the morning, lying eleven miles North by East from it; inside this reef the water looked deep and smooth. The island is a narrow strip lying east and west, about three miles; the west end we made in latitude 21 degrees 26 minutes South and longitude 114 degrees 54 minutes East. From the number of islands I saw to the south of Thevenard, I think the reef continues to Maison Island, near the North-west Cape. The outer one, seen from the Beagle, is in latitude 21 degrees 31 minutes South and longitude 114 degrees 42 minutes East. I myself believe the whole extent from Maison to Barrow’s Island is occupied by islets and reefs, probably all connected. We know, in fact, from Captain King, that a reef extends sixteen miles off the south end of Barrow’s Island.
RESULT OF SOUNDINGS.
Seventeen miles in a North-West by North direction from Thevenard Island we had 65 fathoms, fine white sand, having deepened gradually from six fathoms three miles north of it. In June of this year, working to the North-East we had 68 fathoms three miles West by South of that position, and 111 fathoms six miles North-West of it; beyond this no bottom was found with 120 and 150 fathoms.*
(*Footnote. The following table is the result of other outer soundings obtained in the Beagle, showing how far the bank of soundings extends off the Western coast of Australia.
COLUMN 1: LATITUDE SOUTH (DEGREES, MINUTES). COLUMN 2: DEPTH IN FATHOMS.
COLUMN 3: QUALITY OF BOTTOM.
COLUMN 4: DISTANCE FROM NEAREST LAND.
32 02 : 70 : Fine white sand and rock : Rottnest or Garden Island 20 miles.
30 55 : 86 : Fine grey sand : Main abreast 34 miles. 29 38 : 127 : Fine grey sand : Main abreast 39 miles. 26 42 : 187 : Fine grey sand : South point of Shark’s Bay 37 miles. 21 14 : 111 : Fine white sand : Thevenard Island 25 miles. 20 00 : 150 : Fine white sand : Tremouille Island 35 miles.
It would thus appear that a ship in less than 110 fathoms off the west shore of the continent would be within forty miles of the land; and nearly the same distance from the islands fronting it, when in about 200 fathoms between the latitudes of 19 degrees 50 minutes South and 20 degrees 10 minutes South. The bank of soundings extends further off the North-west coast, as eighty-five miles north of Depuch Island we had only 75 fathoms, fine white sand. In a south direction from that position the water shoaled rapidly to 40 fathoms in fifteen miles; but very gradually afterwards to 15 fathoms in fifty miles. This slope of the bank was determined by several boards in working to the westward.)
RETURN TO SWAN RIVER.
The glimpse we got of the string of islands lying between Barrow’s Island and the North-west Cape, was quite unexpected, as the next land we had intended seeing was Swan River. After rounding the North-west Cape, we had the usual southerly winds, but a strong breeze from the north-west overtook us in latitude 30 degrees 40 minutes South and longitude 112 degrees 25 minutes East, and shortened the passage, bringing us on the 27th to an anchorage under the east end of Rottnest Island, where we found a current sweeping round to the southward, at the rate of nearly a knot an hour. There had not been any previously felt; but in latitude 30 degrees South and longitude 110 degrees East, two days before the north-wester, it set two knots to the northward; another instance of how entirely the currents are governed by the winds off this coast.
NATIVE TALENT.
Our Swan River native had not obtained so much information of his wild countrymen to the northward as Miago. Still he had made the most of what he saw; and his visit to Timor crowned all. The facility and rapidity with which he could make a song about anyone whom he might choose as the subject of his poetical fancy, was very amusing; he must have equalled many of the Italian improvisatori. He had also got a very good idea of where the ship had been since leaving Swan River, in his head. The drawings of his countrymen on Depuch Island had greatly hurt his vanity, whilst they excited his emulation; and always afterwards, whenever he could get hold of paper or pencil, he was trying to excel them, which, from the improvement he made, I have no doubt he would have shortly done.
During the time he and his townsman Miago were with us, the following vocabulary was made; the words from Port Essington have been furnished by Mr. Earl.
COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.
COLUMN 2: PORT ESSINGTON.
COLUMN 3: SWAN RIVER.
Crow : – : Woordang.
Emu : Angorok : Wadye.
Eggs : Olajuk : Noorago.
Shags : – : Mere.
Kangaroo : Abbugi : Yewart.
Female Kangaroo : – : Waroo.
Wallaby: – : Wallyo.
Bandicoot or rat : – : Condee.
Very small kangaroo, larger than a wallaby : – : Goora. Ringtail possum : – : Gnoorah.
Large possum : – : Goomal.
–tailed possum : – : Mooroo.
Native dog : Nukakoin : Dudah.
The tail : – : Diar.
Black swan : – : Coolecha.
Duck : Cormoro : Oonanah.
Mountain duck : – : Kooracha.
Wombat : – : Koolemah.
Magpie : – : Gooraba.
Brown Chatterer : – : Telaho
Fishhawk : – : Undoorah.
Eagle : – : Mulurah.
Pigeon : – : Woodah.
Quail : Windalo : Barrabberry.
Tortoise : – : Booye, or Boorje.
Mullett : – : Kalkurrie.
Cobler : – : Corallia.
Small blue bird : – : Deldillia.
Snake : Ambeetj : Waggile.
Sun : Muree : Murgah.
Moon : Allee : Magee.
Stars : Argadba : Nungarah.
Clouds : – : Marah.
Wind : Mailo : Curajahl.
A bird : Aluk-aluk : Walta.
Sand : Onak : Coo-yah.
Head : Wokbok : Cuttah.
Eyes : Ira : Mael.
Nose : Anjinmul : Moolyah.
Ears : Alaijar : Tungah.
Mouth : Angaikbirig : Dah.
Chin : – : Nungah.
Face : Anmarura : Yoodah.
Hair : Angbal : Cutap.
Eyebrows : – : Mingart.
Eyelashes : – : Cunbah.
Teeth : Anjigi : Nalgo.
Tongue : – : Dalang.
Neck : – : Wardo.
Throat : – : Daragert.
Shoulders : – : Wundardah.
Arms : – : Wango.
Armpit : – : Nulyar.
Collar bone : – : Chelee wundardah. Arm, upper : – : Maraga.
Arm, lower : – : Aye yung.
Wrist : – : Mardalliah.
Thumb : Gamar : Marang-unga.
First finger : – : Mara-mamal.
Second finger : – : Mara-cudejip.
Third finger : – : Mara-cudejip.
Little finger : – : Mara-colun.
Nails : – : Bere.
Back : – : Goon goh.
Loins : – : Moondo.
Hips : – : Corlge.
Buttocks : – : Mooro.
Hip joint : – : -.
Thigh : – : Dahwool.
Knee : – : Bonnet.
Leg : Adjirt-adjirt : Mattah.
Hams : – : Yallee.
Ankle : – : Bilgah
Heel : – : Geenang hooran.
Foot : Ingalmulbil : Geenang coongoh. Instep : – : Geenang guerack.
Toes : Rujut-bullal : Chenang ungah. Breast : – : Undoo.
Belly : Angonidjark : Cabollo.
Breast (woman) : – : Bebe.
Navel : – : Bilye.
Woman : Wari-comomo : Babelyah.
Man : Iwala : Medah.
…
To run, stoop, hide, crouch, when about to rain : Kiddi kit mya warra. To go a long distance : Maran dugon bordeneuk. To cut up an animal of any kind for roasting : Dedayah killa, kuirderkan, ki ti kit.
To cover up, to keep warm : Borga koorejalah kunah. For roasting : Ki ti kit.
To cut up : Kurerkna.
Give me some water : Yahago cabe.
I’m very thirsty : Gangah.
To carry the pickaninee : Colanganee wandung. Here carry the pickaninee (strong expression) : Colang maranga barang wandung.
Give me some money : Anyah (or ana) yunagh, uddah. No money, go away : Neundoh barang gerangah. You have money : Anyah yungagah uddah.
I go to sleep : Unyah begang undagah. To sneeze : Neyetta.
A tree : Boono.
Vegetation generally : Jibbah.
Grass : Bobo.
Long grass : Bobo wal-yur-deg.
NAMES OF SNAKES OF SWAN RIVER.
Waggile.
Noo no.
Si Dubat.
Wang go.
Bije modo.
Cocongorun.
Beara.
Poolyar.
Uur-nah.
Iguana.
Aunderah.
LIZARDS OF ABROLHOS, AS WELL AS SWAN RIVER.
Uundung.
Jinerarah.
Jeregarah.
…
When the weather became fine, we ran over to Gage Road.
ERECT BEACONS AT ROTTNEST.
October 11.
We again visited Rottnest in the ship (Lieutenant Roe the Surveyor-General, accompanying us) for the purpose of erecting beacons on the rocks lying off the points of Thomson’s Bay, as marks for leading clear to the eastward of the Champion Rock. We were happy to have an opportunity of rendering this important service to the colonists, who acknowledged it in a very handsome manner.
Another object in crossing over to Rottnest was to avoid a north-west breeze which came on the next day; on the 15th we again returned to Gage Road.
ANECDOTES OF A WILD DOG.
Whilst we were at Swan River this time, a wish I had long entertained of procuring a pup of the wild breed of dogs* of the country, was gratified. It was a bitch, and left in the hollow of a tree by her mother who had just escaped. Knowing that they hunt kangaroos in packs, and have excellent noses, I was anxious to try if something useful might not be made out of a cross with the fox-hound; and with this view on my arrival in England, I gave her to my cousin, Mr. G. Lort Phillips; but she died in a fit soon after coming into his possession. Whilst with me she had two litters of pups by a pointer, three each time, the first at two years, and the second after an interval of ten months. At these times she was particularly savage, and would take the opportunity of paying off any old grudge she might have against those who had ill-used her–for she never forgot an injury–by stealing after them and snapping at their heels. She was very much attached to her young; one day I took her on shore and she kept catching birds to bring to them, supplying them, as an over-fond mother will do, with a superfluity of good things.
(*Footnote. I am informed by Colonel Owen Phillips, 56th B.N.I., formerly Assistant-Resident at Macassar, that he saw four wild dogs brought to Sir Stamford Raffles at Java, which bore a very strong resemblance to the animals mentioned in the text.)
I was very much interested in this animal, and took a great deal of pains to tame her, though I never fully succeeded. Her nose, as I have said, was excellent; and though quite mute she could hunt very well, as I found by repeated trials when out rabbit shooting. She would never leave a hole, working at it with her feet and teeth until she got at the inmate. These qualities confirmed me in my opinion that a cross with the fox-hound would produce a good result. As an illustration of her keenness of smell, I may mention that one day when we were lying in the Tamar river, she winded some sheep on the bank, and was instantly overboard and after them, swimming so rapidly that she had reached the land, and, though herself only the size of a large dog-fox, had pulled down a fine ram before a party could get on shore to prevent her. When they landed, instead of trying to make her escape, she slunk into the boat. This freak of hers cost me five pounds.
PECULIARITIES OF THE WILD DOG.
In cold weather her coat was always best, and the brush on her tail most perfect. She was of a light tan colour, with a little white on the tip of the tail, and a few black hairs sprinkled in the brush; there was a little black also about her face. Her step was light and stealthy; and in her eye meekness and cunning were curiously blended. Though very shy of man, when once taken up in the arms she lay as quiet as a cat; but with all dogs she was very quarrelsome, fighting savagely with a greyhound bitch I had on board, and several times nearly killing a small dog. It was always difficult to catch her, as she would generally manage to escape either between the legs or by springing over the shoulders, except when we were going on shore; then she would allow herself very quietly to be put into the boat; but on our return the difficulty was how to get her off, and it became necessary to pounce upon her suddenly. She was never heard to bark, the only noise she ever made being the dismal howl peculiar to her breed, and this only when tied up, which consequently, for the sake of peace, was but of short duration, and always had to be done with a chain, as she would instantly bite through a rope. Her mischievous propensity was remarkable, as she often stole into the officers’ cabin and pulled books down from the shelves, tearing the backs off and then destroying the leaves. As an instance of her sure-footedness and activity I may mention that I have seen her leap twice her own height from the stem of the midship boat, in endeavouring to seize fowls or meat that was hung on the mainstay, always alighting on the point she sprang from. At other times she would attempt to crawl up it like a cat, in order to steal what was there. Her proneness to thieving was very great; I have frequently seen her eating stolen things when she would refuse what was offered her; it was never safe to take her near poultry.
GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Whilst in this locality I may take the opportunity of introducing a few notes on the geological formation of the country in the neighbourhood of Swan River, furnished by Mr. Bynoe:
The most remarkable feature is the absence or scantiness of the secondary and transition rocks; all the tertiary appears to be of the newest kind, and to lie in juxtaposition with the primary. This character forms the sandy margin from the Darling Range, or chain of granite hills, nearly 2000 feet high to the sea, in the immediate vicinity of which the sand is bounded by a calcareous form of limestone, and, where jutting into the sea and forming perpendicular or overhanging cliffs, the faces are thrown into a beautiful kind of fretwork (See volume 1) of more compactness than the surrounding mass. In most places about the neighbourhood of Fremantle, shells are found of the existing species along the coast, firmly impacted in its substance, particularly a large species of buccinum, as well as the strombus. This calcareous formation has been traced as far north as Shark’s Bay; it crosses over to the Abrolhos Group, there frequently lying over a coral formation, and forming in many places cavities of a cylindrical figure, of some few feet in depth. Beds of clays, varying in quality and colour, are to be met with on sandy margins, containing particles of gypsum.
On the Darling Range is found a red cellular structure capping the granite, assuming all the appearance of having been subjected to fire; it extends also in the low country about that neighbourhood.
Slate of a primitive character is found on the Canning River. The mountain chain or Darling Range runs nearly in the direction of north and south. On the eastern side of it, close to the base, are several groups of isolated conical hills, from a half to one mile apart, extending from the William River to the Tugee District, a distance of about one hundred and twenty miles, bearing on their summits strong evidences of ignition. The country farther on to the eastward falls into sandy plains, similar to those on the western side, and intersected by watercourses; during the summer, pools remain, and at that time become remarkably salt. On the mountains, as well as on the plains, scattered pebbles in patches are to be met with; they appear to contain iron, being highly magnetic.
SAIL FROM SWAN RIVER.
From the very debilitated state of some of the crew, from dysenteric affections contracted at Timor, we were not able to leave Swan River before the 25th of October. At noon on the 28th, Cape Naturaliste bore South 80 degrees East three miles; according to our observations it was in latitude 33 degrees 31 minutes 45 seconds South four miles further south than it is placed in the charts, though in longitude (0 degrees 47 minutes 30 seconds West of Swan River) it appeared pretty correct. Some reefs have been reported three or four miles off the north-east side of it: but we could see nothing of them, and had a depth of 25 and 26 fathoms. We got soundings of 23 and 25 fathoms in passing along a few miles from the coast towards Cape Leeuwin, in the neighbourhood of which we looked in vain for a rock called the Rambler, that had been supposed to be about twelve miles south-west of a remarkable white patch close to the northward of the Cape, the locality of which it always serves to show. Twenty miles west of Cape Leeuwin the depth was 47 fathoms.
Passing along the south coast we found the white-topped rocks near Cape Chatham to be in longitude 0 degrees 29 minutes 30 seconds East of Swan River. They are not only remarkable in themselves, but like the Eclipse Islands, are admirably situated for showing a ship’s position when in with the coast.
PEAKED HILL.
We entered King George’s Sound on November 2nd. I should here observe that Bald Head is connected with the main by a low piece of land, in the centre of which stands a small peak; this gives the head, from the offing to the southward, the appearance of an island. In the view annexed the reader will perceive a representation of the conspicuous headland called Peaked Hill, with its peculiar profile outline, lying about five miles south-west of Bald Head.
Proceeding up the Sound we anchored in Princess Royal Harbour, Mount Clarence bearing North-North-East, and the south end of Michaelmas Island just open of Point Possession. The entrance to this great basin is by a narrow channel in the north-east corner; a long spit extending off the inner western entrance-point forms the chief impediment. Few vessels escape touching it; but although the passage is thus contracted the Beagle was worked through both ways. Inside, there is water sufficient for the largest ship in the navy; but only for a limited space, a short distance within the entrance–merely a hollow scooped out towards the north-west corner of the harbour.
ALBANY.
Here, just above a dazzling white sandy beach, a straggling village points out the township of Albany. Mounts Clarence and Melville reared their bare granitic heads on either side, and huge fantastically-shaped boulders were strewn over their slopes. The origin of this settlement may not be generally known: it was first planned, in consequence of a report that the French were about to establish themselves there; which turned out to be the truth, for they had actually formed and abandoned a settlement before Major Lockyer arrived from Sydney, in 1825. The gang of convicts he brought with him was withdrawn, when Albany became part of the government of Western Australia.
Among the few improvements that had taken place since our visit in 1836, were a jetty and a government storehouse. The latter was close to the spot where the observations were made, and where I noticed some trappean dykes intersecting the granite in a North-North-West direction. I observed the same circumstance at Simon’s Bay, Cape of Good Hope.
I was sorry to see that the infant town of Albany had made so little progress, especially as it possesses by far the finest harbour in Western Australia. There is no doubt that ultimately its great natural advantages will be developed; but it is somewhat surprising that they have not already been turned to better account. Though there is not a very great extent of good land in the neighbourhood, there is amply sufficient to hold out encouragement to the settler; especially when we consider that this is one of the most healthy portions of the continent, that it is never visited by hot winds, and that the thermometer is rarely below 60 or above 85 degrees. This evenness of temperature at all times of the year is very remarkable, and renders the spot particularly suitable for invalids, many persons coming even from Swan River to renovate themselves. If our East Indians were aware of what a salubrious climate they might enjoy at King George’s Sound, they would soon be seen flocking thither to repair the constitutions they have injured on the banks of the Ganges and the Indus.
Our object in visiting this place was to obtain a meridian distance; and between the observations for rating the chronometers I availed myself of an offer of Lieutenant Warburton, commanding the detachment of the 51st Regiment, doing duty there, to accompany him on a visit to the out-stations. We were joined by a person from the settlement, who owned some kangaroo dogs, and by three or four natives.
Leaving Albany, we reached the foot of a large clear piece of land called the Great Plain, about fifteen miles distant, and a little off the Swan River road.
BURNING THE BUSH.
On our way we met a party of natives engaged in burning the bush, which they do in sections every year. The dexterity with which they manage so proverbially a dangerous agent as fire is indeed astonishing. Those to whom this duty is especially entrusted, and who guide or stop the running flame, are armed with large green boughs, with which, if it moves in a wrong direction, they beat it out. Their only object in these periodical conflagrations seems to be the destruction of the various snakes, lizards, and small kangaroos, called wallaby, which with shouts and yells they thus force from their covert, to be despatched by the spears or throwing-sticks of the hunting division. The whole scene is a most animated one, and the eager savage, every muscle in action and every faculty called forth, then appears to the utmost advantage, and is indeed almost another being. I can conceive no finer subject for a picture than a party of these swarthy beings engaged in kindling, moderating, and directing the destructive element, which under their care seems almost to change its nature, acquiring, as it were, complete docility, instead of the ungovernable fury we are accustomed to ascribe to it. Dashing through the thick underwood, amidst volumes of smoke–their dark active limbs and excited features burnished by the fierce glow of the fire–they present a spectacle which it rarely falls to our lot to behold, and of which it is impossible to convey any adequate idea by words.
COURSE A KANGAROO.
After tethering out our horses and making our breakwind for the night, we went out in the evening to look for a kangaroo. I had never as yet seen one put fairly at his speed on open ground before a dog, but this evening I was fully gratified; for we soon found a couple lying out on our side of the plain, and by crawling up through the wood we managed to slip the dogs about five hundred yards from them. Away they went, leaving a stream of dust in their wake. Their habitual curving direction soon gave us a broadside view; and a splendid course it was. They ran horizontally, no leap or hop being perceptible. At first the dogs closed rapidly, but for some time afterwards no change in their relative positions took place, each doing his best. The kangaroos held their own well, until they had reached nearly the other side of the plain, a distance of about two miles, when the dogs began gradually to draw on them, and at length, after a turn or two, the smaller was run into just before entering the wood. It was a fine young buck, weighing about 60 pounds, and made a capital supper for our party. The natives cooked the tail for us in their own way, roasting it with the hair on, the best mode of dressing it, except in soup.
Next morning we found that our sable friends had eaten so much of the kangaroo that there was great difficulty in getting them to move. However, they at length consented to accompany us, and we proceeded five or six miles further on the Swan River road, to a place where a party of soldiers were stationed. Here the temptation of a fresh supply of kangaroo proved irresistible, and with the exception of one, who was Lieutenant Warburton’s servant, the natives all left us to resume the pleasant occupation of eating. The gastronomic feats performed by these persons are really surprising; and in the work recently published by Mr. Eyre the reader will find some curious details on the subject.
We now took a westerly direction, for a tract of good country lying about thirty-five miles from the Sound, a little to the westward of the road to Swan River.
PITFALLS FOR KANGAROOS.
On our way we crossed several short trenches, cut by the natives for pitfalling kangaroos, which were here very numerous. They were dug across the runs of the animal, and covered with a slight layer of brush or grass, and were very narrow at the bottom, so that the prey could get no footing to bound out.
HERDS OF KANGAROOS.
I have never, at any other place, seen similar contrivances resorted to by the aborigines; in this neighbourhood they have probably been suggested by the great abundance in which the kangaroo is found. I am certain there could scarcely have been less than a hundred in a herd. It was curious to observe them hopping along over the grass or underneath the trees, with the large males bringing up the rear of a certain number of does. We had several very beautiful courses, but the dogs being footsore were beaten on all occasions.
I was very much pleased with this portion of the country: it quite resembles the park-like features of Port Phillip. We heard the kangaroos thumping the ground all night, as they hopped along round our bivouac, the heavier fall of the male being plainly distinguishable. It was now determined to shape a southward course for Ungerup, one of Lady Spencer’s farms on the Hay River; and after laying down our position by a sort of dead reckoning I had kept to find the course, we started.
Soon after moving off, Lieutenant Warburton discovered that he had forgotten to leave some message or other at the station, and determined on sending back his native servant. But as he was out of the limits of his own tribe, it required some persuasion to induce him to go; and he was only prevailed on to do so by being allowed to carry his master’s gun for protection.
Part of our road lay through a thick mahogany scrub; and as the horse I rode was a young unbroken one from the Cape, I might perhaps with less trouble have tried to take an elephant straight with a snaffle bit in his mouth. The sameness of the trees in this part being very great it is difficult to hold a direct course; and if, after having chosen one to steer by, my attention happened to be taken off by a kangaroo starting up, I was always obliged to refer to the compass.
We made the Hay a mile or two above Ungerup; it is there a small tortuous rivulet, with rich grassy banks, overhung by wide shady trees. The valley is narrow, sloping gently up on either side. If I had been pleased with the good piece of land just left, I was still more so with this; the mould was rich and fine: I did not believe there was land of such quality near the Sound.
LADY SPENCER’S FARMS.
In passing another of Lady Spencer’s farms, seven miles farther down the same river, we were glad to pocket a large piece of damper for our evening meal, which we made at our old bivouac near the Great Plain, where we found the native under the break-wind, which he had covered with another bough or two. Next evening we got into Albany, and on the morning of the 15th the Beagle was running out of King George’s Sound.
It was resolved that we should touch at South Australia, to secure a good meridian distance by short stages between Swan River and Sydney. Accordingly, on the morning of the 27th, we entered Investigator Strait, having been detained by strong easterly winds about a hundred and fifty miles to the westward of Kangaroo Island. Whilst contending with them we discovered a small high rocky island, the summit of which we found to be in latitude 34 degrees 49 minutes South and in longitude 19 degrees 4 minutes East of Swan River; it bore South 8 degrees East nine miles from the high peak on Greenly’s Island. The name of the Beagle was bestowed upon it.
At noon, as we entered the Strait, we committed to the deep the body of Nicholas Lewis, seaman, who died of sickness contracted at Timor.
NEPTUNE ISLES.
We kept close to the Neptune Isles, a low rocky group, the southernmost of which we give the position of; Captain Flinders, who passed too far to the northward, having not exactly determined it: it lies in latitude 35 degrees 22 minutes 15 seconds South and longitude 20 degrees 22 minutes 15 seconds East of Swan River. These islands appear well adapted for a light-house.
There was a strong indraught of a knot an hour into Spencer’s Gulf. Kangaroo Island has no remarkable features; whilst Althorpe and Quoin islands are sufficiently striking to be recognized by anyone who has once seen them.
On the morning of the 29th we anchored in Holdfast Road, in 4 1/2 fathoms, Mount Lofty,* a slight excrescence on the highest part of the range of hills eastwards, bearing North 80 degrees East; a flagstaff at a straggling village under it pointed out the township of Glenelg. At the foot of this we made our observations, which place it in latitude 34 degrees 58 minutes 30 seconds South and longitude 12 degrees 41 minutes 15 seconds West of Sydney.
(*Footnote. This hill, bearing east, is a guide to Holdfast Road.)
Landing at Glenelg we proceeded towards Adelaide, which lay about six miles to the northward, in the centre of a rich plain, stretching from the foot of Mount Lofty to the sea, and contracting gradually to the southward, where beyond Glenelg it rises into downs, increasing in height as they approach Cape Jervis, and ultimately blending with spurs thrown off from Mount Lofty range. Adelaide itself is situated on the banks of the Torrens, a very insignificant stream, or rather series of pools, in the dry season.
ADELAIDE.
I have spoken, in a former chapter, of my astonishment at first seeing Sydney; but certainly the same feeling was roused in a still greater degree by the first appearance of Adelaide; although I was prepared for something great by what I had heard of the multitudes that had flocked thither from the mother country. In truth a noble city had in the course of four years sprung, as if by magic, from the ground, wearing such an appearance of prosperity and wealth that it seemed almost incredible it could have existed but for so short a time.
GOVERNOR GAWLER’S POLICY.
The fact is that this was mainly owing to the liberal expenditure of the governor, Colonel Gawler, who saw the policy at the earliest possible opportunity of making adequate preparation for the stream of population that was so rapidly flowing in. Every public building was erected on a scale to suit the anticipated splendour of the colony, and in so substantial a manner, that it will be long ere another outlay becomes necessary. That this was the best line of conduct to adopt, most persons, on reflection, will acknowledge. In New Zealand, for example, much of the disturbances that have arisen may be attributed to the fact of so many settlers arriving before sufficient preparation had been made for their reception.
Much fault has been found with Colonel Gawler’s military display, as it is called; in other words, with his raising a corps of volunteers. But the necessity of this may be presumed from the facts, that Sir Charles Napier, the conqueror of Scinde, as we learn from his own pen, refused the government, because a military force was not to be sent with him; and that it has been found advisable to place a body of troops at the disposal of Colonel Gawler’s successor.
I paid a visit to the port, distant from the town about five miles, made easy by an excellent macadamized road, carried, in some places, on a causeway over a swamp, and forming a great and imperishable monument of the Governor’s enterprising spirit. The port reminded me of one of the quiet mangrove creeks on the North coast, except that it had only one bend, changing from a northerly to a south-westerly direction, which at certain times of the day renders it navigable, with a fair wind, each way. For instance, the seabreeze will take a vessel out through the northerly part, and next morning she will have the land breeze to carry her the rest of the distance; whilst, alternating, the same breeze serves to take ships in. The mouth of the port is well marked with black and white buoys; and a light vessel is moored off the entrance, with pilots in attendance; a red buoy is on the bar, where at high-water there is sometimes 15 feet, but the tides are very irregular, being much higher with south-west winds; the general rise was about four feet.
MR. EYRE’S EXPEDITION.
We were very much pleased with the animated description we had of the departure of Mr. Eyre’s expedition to the north; but what gave us particular satisfaction was the evidence afforded of how much the whole colony had the welfare of this enterprising little band at heart. I had not before seen in Australia any place where the progress of discovery was so liberally forwarded, as the readers will at once learn from Mr. Eyre’s book. One cause of this we may discover in the fact that the richness of the country immediately surrounding Adelaide made them eager to ascertain its extent. Indeed until this was known they were necessarily unsettled, as few liked to locate themselves permanently until the extent of the field within which they were to make their choice was determined.
To what extent the colonists of South Australia are indebted to the sacrifice of property, the loss of time, the bodily fatigue, and unceasing exertions of Mr. Eyre, I also leave the reader to gather from his own lucid narrative. The country has now been found to be almost hemmed in by sterile districts; and the good lands, contrary to our experience of the rest of the continent, to be nearly all in one spot. A number of enterprising colonists, therefore, concentrated within comparatively narrow limits, could not fail of developing the resources of the country, and of discovering what mineral treasures it may contain. The good encouragement it has lately received has, to a certain extent, assisted in bringing it back to the position of one of the most thriving colonies in Australia; though we must attribute much of its present prosperity to the impulse originally given by the policy of Colonel Gawler, which, though it may have caused a temporary financial embarrassment, is now making its happy effects sensibly felt.
THE OVERLANDERS.
The eastern extent of the country of South Australia was determined by the Overlanders, as they call the gentlemen who bring stock from New South Wales. The first that came across were Messrs. Bonny and Horden. An interesting account of them will be found in Captain Grey’s work. Many of these pioneers of civilization endure extraordinary hardships during their expeditions; as an example of which I may mention that Mr. Bonny, in endeavouring to find a new route, was compelled to kill a calf and drink its blood to save his life. On this occasion water was found by the cattle, turned loose for that purpose. Another gentleman, who had lost his way in the bush, had recourse to a curious expedient to assuage his burning thirst, namely, to bleed the horse he rode, which was the means of preserving both himself and the quadruped also.
On our arrival in Adelaide the town was full of the Overlanders, and everyone was engaged in buying or selling stock, which gave the place quite an animated appearance. From one of these gentlemen I learned undeniable proofs that the Australians indulge in cannibalism. He had seen in a woman’s bag the hand of a child that had been partly eaten. Since that time the matter has been placed beyond a doubt by the report of the Protector, Mr. Sievewright, who witnessed with his own eyes a most horrible feast off the body of a young woman.* It is extraordinary that a custom so remarkable should have so long wanted confirmation.
(*Footnote. See Mr. Eyre’s Discoveries in Central Australia.)
CAPTAIN STURT.
At Adelaide I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of the intrepid traveller Captain Sturt, who has since again taken the field, endeavouring to penetrate to the interior of the Australian continent, and to remove the veil of mystery that now hangs over it. From him I learnt that the same strange kind of bird, a species of rail, that once visited Swan River, also made its appearance in South Australia on one occasion. I have already alluded to this remarkable circumstance in a former chapter.
During our stay we visited Mount Lofty, placed by our observations in latitude 34 degrees 58 minutes 20 seconds South, and longitude 12 degrees 30 minutes 20 seconds West of Sydney. The cool air of this range, the greatest elevation of which is 2200 feet, was very pleasant after a ride over the heated plain. I was agreeably surprised to find in the heart of the hills a most comfortable inn, where our party sat down to a luncheon of lamb chops and green peas, with a beautiful cool bottle of sherry. Such is the march of civilization! To the north of our road was a lead mine, which will ultimately be a source of great riches to the colony; for which, indeed, nature has done much in the way of mineral productions.
NATIVE SCHOOLS.
I was greatly pleased with the apparent success that had attended the schools of the German Missionaries; and especially with the aptitude for learning displayed by both boys and girls; but my pleasure would have been much increased had I not felt convinced that the system of education adopted, possessed many serious defects. In the first place, sufficient care did not seem to have been taken to recommend the schools to the natives, and to induce them to send their children voluntarily. That it was necessary to resort to some means of effecting this beyond mere persuasion, will be evident when we recollect how useful even the youngest member of an Australian family is to its parents. Almost as soon as the child begins to walk, certainly as soon as it is capable of receiving instruction, light tasks, even in the hunting expeditions, are allotted to it; so that, to remove either boys or girls, and take them to school, is, in reality, to deprive their friends of assistance, which to them is valuable. For this reason, some compensating advantage should be offered to the father, to prevail on him to send his children to school.
Again, when once pupils have been procured, it is exceedingly unwise to allow them to maintain a constant intercourse with their tribe, and be thus subjected to deteriorating influences that must almost irresistibly combat the beneficial effects of their education. But it is needless to dwell further on this subject, as Mr. Eyre has so completely stated the question in his late work.
REMARKS ON THE SYSTEM FOR CIVILISING THE NATIVES.
I cannot, however, refrain from alluding to another point in connection with this matter; namely, that when I visited South Australia, all instruction was communicated in the native language. My attention had already been drawn to the subject on visiting Tahiti, in 1835, when I perceived with regret, that the missionaries, instead of endeavouring to introduce the English tongue, persisted in imparting instruction in a kind of corrupted dialect, of which the words were for the most part native, whilst the syntax and construction were in exact conformity with our own; the observation of the same circumstance at New Zealand, had further induced me to reflect on the subject. How much more prudent would it have been to introduce, at once, the language of Great Britain into the islands of the Pacific; as, judging from every indication, it must ultimately prevail over the vast variety of primitive and imperfect dialects now spoken; and which serve as barriers between the various tribes. That the same mistake should have been made in South Australia was the more remarkable, as public opinion seems to run completely counter to it. It appears evident indeed, that if the object was to benefit and civilize the aboriginal inhabitant, the right course to take, was to give him an instrument which he could employ to enlarge his mind and extend his experience. It was wrong to expect that much good could be done by confining him within the sphere in which his thoughts had been accustomed to move; or at any rate, to limit the expansion of his knowledge, within the bounds of a dialect which was only imperfectly understood by the masters who taught it. I am aware that the excellent men who adopted this plan, were fearful of allowing the natives to acquire a facility of communicating with the vicious part of the white population; but had they taken a more enlarged view, and considered the absolute impossibility of preventing a certain amount of intercourse–had they had more confidence in the better part of their own race, and reflected on the immense advantage which the inquisitive savage would derive from being enabled to put questions to men who could enlighten him by their answers, they would more speedily have effected their benevolent intentions. I am of opinion that no surer method of raising the Australian in the scale of civilization could have been devised, than to put him in possession of the English language; and I am glad to hear that the opinion I so early formed has at length been partially acted upon. The natives will soon be open to an engagement on board a vessel, and may expect to emulate the New Zealanders, some of whom have risen to be mates; and to acquire the information and experience of which they stand so much in need. Whereas, were their knowledge confined to their own imperfect dialect, not only would they be unable to extend their acquaintance with other parts of the world, and with the arts of civilization, but they would remain, as many of them now are, actually incapable of communicating with many inhabitants of their own districts. For it must be borne in mind, that very frequently, a tribe inhabiting one valley is ignorant of the language spoken in the next. So that to instruct them only in their own forms of speech, is not only difficult, since, on the death of each master someone else has to learn the grammar and vocabulary to supply his place, but absolutely tends to perpetuate the isolation in which the natives now live; and which is the main cause of the little development of their minds, and the inferior position they occupy in the scale of civilization.
LEAVE HOLDFAST ROAD.
We sailed from Holdfast Road, on December 7th, but in consequence of light winds, with occasional very heavy squalls, it was not until the afternoon of the 10th, that we got out to sea by Backstairs Passage, between Cape Jervis and Kangaroo Island. On the morning of the 8th, we were obliged to shorten all sail to a very heavy squall from West-South-West, which announced its appearance by a distant roaring, some time before it was seen on the water. These squalls generally succeed the hot winds that prevail at this season in South Australia, coming from the interior.*
(*Footnote. During the hot winds we observed the thermometer, in the direct rays of the sun, to be 135 degrees.)
ARRIVE AT SYDNEY.
Easterly winds prevented us from entering Bass Strait until the 16th. In reaching in towards the coast, seven or eight miles west of Cape Otway, we found that it projected three or four miles too much on the charts. Bass Strait appeared under a different aspect from what it had been accustomed to wear; light winds, by no means in keeping with our impatience, detaining us till the 21st, when we got a kick out of the eastern entrance from a strong south-wester, and afterwards had a good run up to Sydney, where we arrived on the 23rd.
CHAPTER 2.7.
Land Sales.
Unsettled boundaries.
New Zealand.
Hunter River.
Midnight alarm.
Ludicrous scene.
Changes in Officers of ship.
Leave Sydney.
Port Stephens.
Corrobory.
Gale at Cape Upstart.
Magnetical Island.
Halifax Bay.
Astonish a Native.
Description of country.
Correct chart.
Restoration Island.
Picturesque arrival.
Interview with the Natives from Torres Strait. Their weapons.
Shoal near Endeavour River.
Discover good passage through Endeavour Strait. Booby Island.
New birds.
The Painted Quail.
LAND SALES.
No improvement had taken place in colonial affairs, and the sales of land, in consequence of the high price, were very limited. The fact was, the regulations that had recently been made gave very little satisfaction. By these the minimum price was fixed at one pound per acre; in consequence of which many predicted that millions of acres would be excluded from the market for ages to come, as it seemed not conceivable that any change could make them worth a quarter that sum, especially as on an average the natural grasses of the country will only support one sheep to four acres. The inevitable consequence was to prevent an augmentation of the emigration fund, which inflicted a serious evil on the colony, though by many the high price was considered a great boon, as it enabled them to enjoy, at a trifling charge, immense back runs, as safe from the intrusion of interlopers as if they had been granted by the Crown in perpetuity. It is my impression that the attempt to raise the largest sum of money by the sale of the smallest number of allotments is unwise, as it operates as a discouragement to small capitalists, who wish to occupy the land for themselves; it would in the end be more advantageous almost to give the land away, to a certain extent, in order to encourage people to go there. It may be worth remarking here, that on a rough calculation the pound per acre system would realise, supposing the whole continent were sold, the sum of about 1,679,616,000 pounds.
UNSETTLED BOUNDARIES.
The most curious circumstance connected with the division of land in New South Wales, is the uncertainty that prevails respecting the boundary line of estates, which must be the source of endless disputes and expensive litigation among the colonists. The whole arises from the system adopted of laying down the boundaries by the magnetic north instead of by the true. This is in itself no easy matter, owing to the local attraction and the difficulty of finding needles that agree. But the chief cause of endless change is the variation, which has progressively increased at Sydney since the colony was first formed, so as to make a difference in the boundary of a grant of land of one square mile in ten.
I will suppose a case in order to illustrate my meaning. In the early days of the colony a piece of land is obtained by a person who merely performs the location duties, and does nothing to his estate until the present time, when he or his successor goes to occupy it. When the land was purchased the direction of the boundary line was, by compass North 20 degrees East; but the proprietor finds that in consequence of the increase of variation during the interval, a North 20 degrees East line by compass at this time would differ from what it was when his title deeds were made out, one square mile in ten. As this change has at Sydney been progressive, and may indeed take a contrary direction, the boundary lines of grants of lands depending on it will vary accordingly, and afford endless food for the lawyers. A scientific friend of mine, who was once trying to remedy the evil in a particular instance, was entreated by one of that profession not to interfere, for by so doing he would be taking the bread out of the mouths of himself and his brethren.
NEW ZEALAND.
Since our last visit to Sydney the colonisation of New Zealand had taken place, but from what I heard of the loose system pursued by the Company of obtaining lands from the natives, I could not but form an opinion that those who bought lots of them must in the end be ruined; even their right to sell these lands at all was at the time much questioned. This being the case, the difficulty any Governor must have to contend with, who should attempt to solve the intricate problem involved in the land-question, was apparent, and it will be evident also that those who pretend to form a judgment on the conduct of Captain R. Fitzroy, must take into consideration the character of the people, both white and coloured, with whom he had to deal, and various other circumstances that are usually kept out of sight.
During our long stay at Sydney I visited the mouth of the Hunter, for the purpose of determining the position of Newcastle. The courthouse, according to my observations, is in latitude 32 degrees 55 minutes 50 seconds South and longitude 0 degrees 34 minutes 45 seconds East of Sydney. This is the district from which all the coal used in New South Wales is brought, and a good harbour is therefore of importance. A party of convicts were employed in building a breakwater, connecting a cliffy island at the entrance with the south point of the river, for the purpose of deepening the mouth, but I much question whether it will answer, as the silt that is washed down by the stream not finding its former exit may by meeting the sea form a bar.
In ascending the valley of the Hunter I saw sufficient to convince me that a railroad could easily be carried up from Newcastle to Maitland, and thence to Patrick’s Plains.*
(*Footnote. It appears that a company having for its object the realization of this idea has just been formed.)
MIDNIGHT ALARM.
I cannot at this place resist the temptation of relating an anecdote, which, though it is not exactly connected with the subject of my work, may not be thought uninteresting by the reader. I was one night sleeping at a friend’s house; all the family had retired to rest, and I have no doubt that a perfect stillness prevailed around. Suddenly, a noise like thunder startled me from my slumbers, and as soon as I was able to collect my scattered thoughts, I distinctly heard a series of violent blows against a door at the foot of the staircase leading up to my bedroom. Though the first impression might have been that the disturbance was caused by thieves breaking into the house, it appeared improbable that such characters should make their approach with so much clamour. I instantly leaped out of bed, and arrived in time to see a sight which I shall never forget.
LUDICROUS SCENE.
The owner of the house, who slept on the ground floor, equally astonished with myself at the noise, had also quitted his pillow, and, arming himself with a sword and taper, advanced, in the costumes of Iago, when he reappears upon the stage after stabbing Cassio and Rodorigo, towards the door against which the monotonous thumping still continued at regular intervals. It now appeared that the cause of his alarm was on the inside; and my host who believed that a party of robbers had introduced themselves into his premises, hailed them in a loud voice, promising that if they did not cease their hammering, and surrender, he would put them every one to death. So far from attending to his suggestion the thumps increased in rapidity and violence, and he had scarcely time to put himself in a defensive position when the door burst open and out rushed his assailants–a multitude of round figures of all sizes, without heads, legs, or arms! His first thought was that the supernatural existences of New South Wales had now for the first time revealed themselves to his eyes! Here was material for a fairytale! The genii of this country in which everything runs into leg were then it appeared all body! Such were the fancies that flashed through his mind as he made a desperate lunge at the advancing foe, one of whom he transfixed from breast to back, whilst the rest in an instant overthrew and trampled him under foot, if I may use the expression. And now arose a wild scream–of laughter from myself and the others who had witnessed this mortal combat, for the disturbers of our night’s repose were no other than a number of huge pumpkins, which had been placed in a heap upon a press on the landing, and from having been perhaps carelessly piled had given way, and rolled, one by one, downstairs, accumulating at the bottom against the door, until by their weight they forced it open!
CHANGES ON BOARD THE BEAGLE.
During our stay at Sydney some important changes took place among the officers of the ship, the principal of which were the departure for England of Captain Wickham, who had never thoroughly recovered from the attack of dysentery he experienced on our first arrival at Swan River, and the promotion of the writer to the vacancy thus created. Lieutenants Emery and Eden also left for England; the former was succeeded by Lieutenant Graham Gore.
This almost total change in the arrangements of the ship requiring some delay, and the season for passing through Torres Strait, moreover, not having commenced, it was the 3rd of June 1841, before the Beagle again rounded Breaksea Spit, having touched on the way for a meridian distance at Port Stephens.*
(*Footnote. We ran out of Port Stephens before a westerly gale. After passing between Entrance Island and Soldier Point, we steered for Salamander Head, and then for Tomaree Summit, when it was over the centre of the first projection inside Nelson Head, which led over the south-west corner of the shoal patch lying abreast of Red Point in 4 fathoms. When Nelson Head just shut in Yacaba extreme, we steered for the former, and passing it hauled over North-East 1/2 East for the western part of Yacaba Head, keeping a white spot on the second point inside Nelson Head, just open of the latter, until the leading marks for running out (which I have before given in my former visit to Port Stephens) were on.)
SINGULAR CORROBORY.
Whilst at the latter place, I witnessed a corrobory presenting a peculiar feature. As soon as it was dark, a number of heaps of fuel scattered here and there were simultaneously ignited, and the whole surface of the green was speedily lighted up by the flames. When the illumination was complete, the men, painted with spots and lines of white commenced the dance, which consisted in running sideways or in file, stamping with great violence, and emitting an inharmonious grunt, gesticulating violently all the time, and brandishing and striking together their weapons. The peculiar feature in this corrobory, was the throwing of the kiley, or boomerang, lighted at one end; the remarkable flight and extraordinary convolutions of this weapon marked by a bright line of fire, had a singular and startling effect.
As we were rounding Breaksea Spit, we met four merchant ships, who gladly availed themselves of our convoy. On the 6th, being anxious to repeat our last meridian distance, and also the magnetic observations, we anchored under Cape Upstart. We likewise availed ourselves of the visit to complete the examination of the bay on the east side of the Cape. The 7th was a remarkably gloomy day, signalized by a very unusual fall in the barometer between 8 A.M., and 2 P.M., from 30.14 to 30.00, when the breeze which had been fresh in the morning, increased to a gale with squalls. At 3, the wind shifted to the southward, and at 8 when it moderated, the barometer again rose to 30.17. It is these sudden breezes that are so fatal to ships caught off the outer barrier without an opening to get within its shelter. No traces of natives were seen; but the supply of water was as abundant as before, and we took the opportunity of completing our stock.
MAGNETICAL ISLAND.
On the 8th in the evening we left for Magnetical Island, about half a mile off the west side of which we anchored next day in 5 fathoms. The depth from thence shoals in gradually to the head of the bay. A small rocky islet, to which our observations refer, bore south half a mile, in latitude 19 degrees 7 minutes 10 seconds South and longitude 4 degrees 29 minutes 12 seconds West of Sydney. On this I found a greyish kind of slate; but on Magnetical Island I discovered no local attraction affecting the needle, so as to warrant the name bestowed by Cook. It is a high piece of land, with an ill-defined peak in the centre, 1770 feet high.
A description and view of it have been given in the first volume. We remained there five days, in order to rate the chronometers, and to examine the head of Halifax Bay, where a large estuary had been reported by Captain King; but of this we could see nothing, and came to the conclusion that he must have been deceived by mirage. The land certainly was low in that direction, and trending in to the southward appeared afterwards to wind round to South-West, offering facilities for getting over the range before spoken of as 3,600 feet high, and bounding the shore of Halifax Bay. We were, however, glad of this opportunity of examining a portion of the continent, that had always excited the attention of those who passed, by its fertile aspect.
HALIFAX BAY.
A party landed in the south corner of Halifax Bay, on a long flat sandy beach, which at high-water is completely covered. Crossing some small sand dunes, bound together by a sort of spinifex, we got into a luxuriant growth of grass, rich and soft, with a springing sort of feel to the feet. A few wallaby were started in this, but we obtained none; and seeing a group of rich-looking eucalypti and tea-trees, some of us bent our steps thitherwards, and found a small stream of fresh water, which filtered itself through the sand towards the beach. There was no time to trace it; but for some distance inland we could follow its course with the eye, from the luxuriant vegetation it nourished. The soil was light and sandy, covered with dense creepers, and innumerable quantities of the Angustifolia in splendid flower, many of the clusters occupying a space of three feet in diameter, with a proportionate stem of about five feet from the earth. The hum of insects, and sudden disturbance of rich-coloured parrots, screaming and fluttering through the branches, and the strong, short, rapid flight of the dove, with its melancholy cooing, transported us in imagination a long way inland, whereas we were not three hundred yards from the beach. We now wended our way towards a small eminence, through long grass, in most places interwoven with creepers, compelling us to tear our way through them in the ascent.
ASTONISH A NATIVE.
In doing so Mr. Bynoe flushed a native; but before the rest of the party could come up, he had taken to flight. The simultaneous cries of “here’s a native!” “where!” “here!” “there he goes stark naked,” rose; and before ALL EYES could catch a glimpse, his dark figure insensibly blended with the waving branches of his wild solitude, and without a cry of fear or joy, he was lost to us, perhaps for ever! We burst through the same brushwood he had recently thrown aside, and entered a labyrinth of forest trees, without finding a clue to the direction he had taken.
The whole of the country appeared to be granitic; the eminence on which we stood bore that character, and some parts, near the beach, were thrown into massive blocks, at high-water, completely surrounded by the flux of tide. The view inland was intercepted by hills and trees, the former assuming the same appearance as the one we were on, but higher. Our game-bag was thinly lined with small curlews, oyster-catchers, and sanderlings.
A sandy spit connects Magnetical Island on the south side with the main, and must be sufficiently shoal at low water to allow the natives to ford over; for we found no canoes with those we met on the island, who were numerous and apparently very well disposed. Although not a large race, they were in very good condition; part of their food, is the native yam, called warran in Western Australia. The birds on the island are common to other parts; and the wallaby, of which Mr. Bynoe shot three, are light coloured.
CORRECT CHART.
On the evening of the 13th, we again proceeded on our passage; the night was hazy, with a few slight squalls, much resembling the weather which we had before experienced in the same place. Towards the close of the 15th, we anchored eight miles from Cape Tribulation, bearing North 11 degrees West. The summit of Snapper Island, bore South 7 degrees East six miles; by which we found that both it and the coast are placed on the charts too much to the eastward.
In passing Point Barrow I was very much struck with the similarity which the low line of cliffs, running along the summit of the high land, bears to that on the Victoria River.* We avoided the reef off Cape Flinders, by following the directions given in the first volume, and by making a detour to the southward round Princess Charlotte’s Bay, were enabled to keep underweigh all night.
(*Footnote. See Sketches.)
RESTORATION ISLAND.
Continuing, we reached Restoration Island soon after dark on the 19th. It was rather a confined anchorage, to be taken up at that hour with five ships. Our arrival was under rather singular circumstances. The night being dark, we could not make out even the outline of the high rocky island, which appeared one dark mass; and the meeting of the land and sea was only occasionally distinguished by patches of white, where the water broke against the steep rocky sides of the island. Not a sound came from the shore as we drew near our berth; but no sooner did the heavy splash of the anchor, and the noise of the cable running out, resound among the heights, than one loud yell of startled natives seemed to rise from one end of the island to the other. The discharge of a signal rocket, however, that curved its flight over the island, instantaneously quieted the uproar, and a death-like silence succeeded.
NATIVES OF TORRES STRAIT.
In the morning we found that the island was occupied by a party of natives from Torres Strait. Their canoes, which were furnished with outriggers, were hauled up on the beach, and their spears were deposited in the bushes around, ready for immediate use; but, although they seemed to suspect our friendly intentions towards them at first, no disturbance occurred, and some were prevailed upon to come on board. Their presence forcibly reminded us of the melancholy fate of the crew of the Charles Eaton; and no doubt they had come to the southward on a wrecking expedition. They were a much finer race of men, than those met with on the shores of the continent; their voices sounded softer, and their language appeared quite different. They instantly recognized the drawing of a Murray Island canoe, in Flinders’ Voyage, and constantly kept repeating the word toolic, meaning iron, in the Murray Island language. The lobe of their ears was perforated with a large piece of bone; and their hair was like that which I have before described as crisp. I noticed that their spears were all pointed with bone, and that the shafts in those used for fishing were large, with a coil of line attached, and a string also connecting the head, which came loose when a porpoise or turtle was struck; whilst the wood, floating, acted as a drag. At daylight on the 21st we proceeded on our passage.
About four or five miles to the southward of Endeavour River, we passed some discoloured patches near the shore; and thereabouts a shoal has since been discovered. Having before expressed an opinion that there was a safe passage through Endeavour Strait, I resolved to take this opportunity of setting the question at rest. Before passing between the Possession Isles, towards the entrance of it, I acquainted the rest of the convoy with my intentions, to give them the option of taking the chance of a passage with me, or of proceeding by the ordinary route. They chose the former, and we accordingly entered the Strait, which we found navigable for vessels drawing 18 feet, by passing about a mile and a half to the northward of the Wallis Islands, steering a westerly course. In crossing the ridge extending off Cape Cornwall, the least water was 3 1/2 fathoms at low tide; North Wallis Island bearing South 64 degrees East seven miles. There still, however, appeared to be more water to the southward, which determined me to examine this passage more minutely on my return from the Gulf. A course was now held for Booby Island, where we anchored in the evening (the 23rd).
PASSAGE THROUGH ENDEAVOUR STRAIT.
It was my intention, in order that we might commence our exploration of the Gulf with a good supply, to have searched for water in Port Lihou, on the south side of Cook Island, in Endeavour Strait; but the ships in company being able to supply us the delay was avoided. Since our last visit, the book at the Post Office, on Booby Island, had been destroyed by some mischievous visitors, and the box was in a very dilapidated state. We repaired the latter, and left a new book with a supply of pens and ink.
A ton or two of water was also procured from some holes in the rocks on the island. I have before spoken of the heaps of stone which Captain King concluded were erected by seamen; but Dr. Wilson, in his Voyage round the World, mentions some cairns of stone on certain islands to the northward, not previously visited by Europeans, and which must have therefore been the work of natives.
THE PAINTED QUAIL.
Mr. Bynoe was fortunate enough to procure two pigeons of a new species (Ptilinopus superbus) and of beautiful colours; the breast being dark purple, the crown of the head red, and the other parts green; besides one specimen of a bird, of the same genus as one on the Abrolhos, generally called a quail, but with this difference, that it only lays four eggs, whereas quails lay fourteen or fifteen. It is known to the colonists as the Painted Quail; and has been called by Mr. Gould, from the specimen we got on Booby Island, Haemipodius melinatus.
CHAPTER 2.8. GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
Leave Booby Island.
Eastern shore of Gulf.
Van Diemen’s Inlet.
Exploration of.
Party of Natives.
Level country.
Tides.
Visit Bountiful Islands.
Description of them.
Sail for Sweers Island.
Investigator Road.
Natives.
Locusts.
Record of the Investigator’s visit. Dig a well.
Boats explore island and coast to the westward. Sweers and Bentinck Islands.
Tides.
Take ship over to the main.
Another boat expedition leaves.
Ship proceeds to the head of the Gulf. Discovery and exploration of Disaster Inlet. Narrow escape.
Description of Interior.
Wild Fowl.
Explore coast to the eastward.
Inlets.
Discover the Flinders.
The Cuckoo.
Ascent of the river.
Night scene.
Burial tree.
Remarks.
Return to the ship.
Exploration of south-western part of Gulf. Large inlets discovered.
June 26.
The vessels forming our convoy departed this morning, and soon disappeared in the western horizon, leaving the Beagle, that seemed destined to be a solitary roamer, once more alone at anchor under Booby Island.
On the same evening she was herself pursuing her lonely way towards the Gulf of Carpentaria, the eastern shore of which we saw on the morning of the 1st of July. In the afternoon we anchored in 3 1/4 fathoms; the north end of a very low sandy piece of coast, which we found to be in latitude 16 degrees 13 1/2 minutes South, longitude 9 degrees 10 East of Port Essington, bearing South 70 degrees East, six miles and a half. From this place the coast trended South 10 degrees West, and was fringed with mangroves; a few straggling casuarinas grew near the sandy parts, a feature which we constantly afterwards found to recur; their tall broom-like shapes form a remarkable element in the coast scenery of the Gulf.
SINGULAR TIDAL PHENOMENON.
A fruitless attempt was made to visit the shore, which was fronted for the distance of a mile by a bank of soft mud. We could therefore gain no information respecting the interior; but from the numerous fires, it appeared to be thickly inhabited. It was here that we first observed the singular phenomenon of the tides ebbing and flowing twelve hours.
GULF OF CARPENTARIA.
Next day the coast was examined for fifteen miles to the southward; its general character has already been given, which renders it unnecessary to dilate further here. North-east winds now forced us away from the land, and we did not see it again till the morning of the 3rd; when, finding as much as four fathoms within two miles and a half of a projection, we named it, in consequence, Bold Point. It is in latitude 17 degrees 0 minutes South, longitude 8 degrees 48 minutes East of Port Essington, and is rendered conspicuous by two clumps of trees. North 23 degrees West two miles from Bold Point, we observed an opening, and after anchoring the ship as near the entrance as possible, I left with the whaleboats, accompanied by Messrs. Forsyth, Fitzmaurice, and Tarrant, to examine it, early in the afternoon. The view annexed, taken by Lieutenant Gore, just after the boats had shoved off, will give the reader an excellent idea of the appearance of the south-eastern shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria, from a distance of only two miles. In this view, a gull, resting on the back of a sleeping turtle, will attract the attention of the reader.
Proceeding, we crossed the bar, extending three quarters of a mile off the mouth of the inlet, on which we found only two feet at low-water. The coast on each side was sandy, with clumps of trees, and to the northward was fronted by an extensive flat of sand. The first reaches of the inlet promised well, having a depth of from 1 1/2 to 3 fathoms, and a width of from two to three hundred yards; but it ultimately became much narrower, and so torturous that, after following its windings for twenty-seven miles, we had only advanced eight miles in a South 60 degrees East direction from the entrance. It then divided–one branch trending south, and the other east; and each being only fifteen yards wide and two feet deep, the water quite salt, and the mangroves on either side, moreover, almost meeting, rendered it impossible to proceed further. Our hopes had been buoyed up as we advanced, an impression prevailing that we had discovered a river, from our finding that at low tide the water was simply brackish. I can only account for this by supposing that there was an imperceptible drainage of fresh water through the banks.
The highest part of the country we saw was on the south side of one of the reaches, six miles from the mouth; but even there the utmost elevation was only ten feet. This rise was marked by a growth of tolerable-sized eucalypti. Elsewhere the banks were scarcely three feet above high-water level, and generally fringed with mangroves, behind which in many places were extensive clear flats, reaching occasionally the sides of the inlet towards the upper parts, and forming at that time the resort of large flights of the bronze-winged pigeon.
In many of the reaches we met with flocks of wild ducks, of the white and brown, and also of the whistling kind. The birds we had not before seen were a large dark brown species of rail, so wary that I could never get within shot of it, and a rather small blackbird with a white crest. A few of the large species of crane, called the Native Companion, were also seen. The only kind of fish taken was the common catfish.
PARTY OF NATIVES.
Alligators were very numerous for the first fifteen miles as we ascended; and we saw a party of natives, but did not communicate with them. Their astonishment at the appearance of such strange beings as ourselves must have been very great. It could never before have fallen to their lot to behold any of the white race; and until our presence undeceived them, they must have been living in happy ignorance that they were not the only specimens of humanity upon the face of the earth.
There was little to interest us in our examination of this inlet, especially as the Dutch had probably visited it some two hundred years before; thus destroying the principal charm it would have possessed, namely, that of novelty. We inferred this from there being an opening laid down in this neighbourhood by them as Van Diemen’s River. I, in consequence, continued the name, altering river to inlet; though, probably, at times, it may deserve the appellation of a river, as after heavy falls of rain it must contain fresh water. Our finding the water only brackish near the head favours this supposition.
The habitations of the natives were of a more substantial kind than we should have expected to meet with in these latitudes, being snug oval-shaped huts, thatched with coarse grass. The extremely low level nature of the country, the reader can imagine, as also how much it surprised us to find that from the boat at high-water our eyes could wander over miles. Occasionally on the plains, rendered warm from their colour reflecting the powerful beams of the sun, were to be seen whirling clouds of dust, towering upwards until their centrifugal force became exhausted. The temperature, however, was lower about four in the morning than we had noticed it since leaving Sydney, being only 65 degrees, when easterly or land winds prevailed; those in the afternoon were generally from seaward.
A slight rise, even of ten feet, in the water beyond the tidal change, must overflow a vast portion of such very low country; many evidences of this having taken place were observed.*
(*Footnote. At the entrance of Van Diemen’s Inlet it is high-water on the full and change of the moon at a quarter to seven; but in the upper part the tides are three hours and a quarter later. The length of both flood and ebb is twelve hours, and the direction of the former stream from the northward, following the eastern shore of the Gulf.)
NATIVE WELL.
The formation of this part of the continent is of very recent date, as we did not observe any rock; and the soil is chiefly alluvial. The only fresh water found was at a native well, half a mile South-East from the eastern entrance point of the inlet.