v"^ iCfT^I 4(3^ I ^ = '^^/smm-}^ ^wmmo/ %oi\mi^'^ ^(!/0JnV3J0' AWEUNIVERS/Zi ^lOSANCFlfx^ o A-OfCAIIFOfitf ^OF-CAIIFO;?^ ^OFCAIIFO/?^ >&A9VHfln-Y^ >??AJJvaflni^ ^\^E UNIVERy//, vvlOSAfiCElfx ^ , ^ o \WlUNIVERy//, vvlOSANuELfj;> o aMLIBRARYO^^ -^IIIBRARY^/ %a3AIN[13WV^ ^OJUVJ-JO"^ ^.SfOJIIVOJO' aWEUNIVERS/a vj:lOSANCElij> ^OF-CALIFOI?^ -;,OFCAllFOfi>^ MIIBRARYQ/:. NWEU^IVERy/A vvlOSANCElfx aofcmifo% o A\^EI)MIVERVa o ^lOSANCFIfXv^ %a3AiNn-3WV^ ■i?> o %a3AINn-3WV' ^UIBRARYQc. ^IIIBBARY^/;^ 5 30 ic 'Or o ^lOSANCFLrj;> %a3AiNn]Wv* ^OFCAIIFO;?^ .^jQFCAllFO% •^^Aavaaiii^ <^ ^ILIBRARY<7/^ AWtUNIVERSy^ ^lOSANCFlfj^ nvjjo^ ^wjiivo-jo^ %i3DNVsoi^ "^ajAiNoawv^ %. en <>,0FCAIIF0/?^ ■NMEUNIVEPy/A "^J^nJDNVSOl^ ^lOSANCElfj^ '%83AINll-3WV' o ^^lOSANGELfj^ -s^HIBRARYQ^^ ^lUBRARYQc. ^ 1 ir^ "^ %a3AINfl-3\^'^^ \ojllV3-JO'^ ^ & 5 '/5a3AiNn-3Wv .^,QFCAlIFO/?^ ^•OFCAIIFO/?^ ^^AHV«8n# IRARYQ^, .>MIIBRARYQa, .^WEUNIVERI/a vvlOS ANCElfJ^ AOVV READY, hi 1 Vol. Quo. with Mu/w and WMdcuts, price lOs. bound in cloth, A BRIEF ACCOTJI^T OK THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BY THE NORTHMEN, fin f^t Ccnti) Centurp, WITH NOTICES OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS OF THE IRISH IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE NORTH LUDLOW BEAMISH, FEtLOW OP THE ROYAL SOCIETY, AND MUMEEll OF THE ROYAL DANISH SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ANTIQUARIES, AUTHOR OF THE "HISTORY OF TU£ GERMAN LEGION," ETC. LONDON : T. AND W. BOONE, NEW BOND STREET. 1841. EXTRACT FROM ^;HE PREFACE. Among tlie various, valuable, and important publications of the Royal Dani>li Society of Northern Antiquaries, that which has created the greatest general interest in the literary world, is the able and elaborate work of ProtL-.-sor Rafn, which came out in Copenhagen in the year 1837, under the title of "Antiquitates A.iiEniCAN.T. sive Scriptores Septentriotiales rerum Ante- Columh'uinarum in America." Tliis interesting publication, the fruit of great literary labour, and extensive research, clearly shews that the eastern coast of North America was discovered and colonized by the Northmen mofre than five hundred years before the reputed discovery of Columbus. These facts rest upon the authority of antient Icelandic ]MSS. preserved in tiie Royal and University Library of Copenhagen, and now, for the first time, translated and made public. Fac-similes of the most important of these docuin(!nts are given in Professor Rafn's work, together with maps and delineations of antient monuments illustrative of the subject ; a Danish and Latin translation follows the Icelandic text, and the whole is accompanied by introductory observations, philological and historical remarks, as well as archaeological and geographical disquisitions of high interest and value. Tlie design of the writer of the following pages is to put before the public, in a cheap and compendious fonn, those parts of Professor Rafh's work, which he considered were likely to prove most interesting to British reader^, the greater part of whom> from the expense and language of the original publication, must necessarily be debari'ed from its perusal. The transb'ions of the Sagas or NaiTatives are made substantially from the Danish version, of the correctness of which, coming from the pen of the learni^l Editor, there could be no doubt ; but, in many cases, where the style I : this version appeared to the translator to depart from the quaint and simple phraseology of the original, the Icelandic text has been specially referred to, and an effort has been made throughout, to give to the English translation, the homely and unpretending character of the Icelandic Saga. In all cases where it was thought possible that doubts might arise, or where it wa< considered important to impress some particular fact or statement upon the mind of the reader, the original Icelandic word or expression is given • and free use has been made of the copious and lucid notes and commentaries of the learned Editor, to explain or illustrate the various etymol.)gical, historical, and geographical points which call for observation : As an appropriate introduction to the whole, is prefixed a sketch of the rise, eminence, and decline of Icelandic historical literature, from the Danish of Dr. P. E. MUUer, Bishop of Zeeland. This publication forms an indispensable introduction to the celebrated vx "ic "f Dr. Robertson, who appears to have been totally unacquainted \y v\\ die early discoveries of the Northmen. DISCOVERIES IN AUSTRALIA; WITU AN ACCOUNT Olf THE COASTS AND RIVERS EXPLORED ANy SURVEYED DURING THE VOYAGE OF H.M. S. BEAGLE, In the Yeaes 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. nv COMMAND OF THE LORDS .COMMfSSIONERS OF THE ADMIRALTY. ALSO A NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN OWEN STANLEY'S VISITS TO THE ISLANDS IN THE ARAFURA SEA. J. LORT STOKES, COMMANDER, R. N. VOL. I. LONDON: T. AND W. BOONE, 29, NEW BOND STREET. 1846. STACK ANNEX DU lO! V. TO CAPTAIN ROBERT FITZ-ROY, R.N. THE FOLLOWING WORK IS DEDICATED AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS DISTINGUISHED MERIT, AND AS A TOKEN OF HEARTFELT GRATITUDE AND RESPECT, BY HIS OLD SHIPMATE AND FAITHFUL FRIEND, THE AUTHOR. IJ Snn^r:;, INTRODUCTION. I CANNOT allow these volumes to go before the public, without expressing my thanks to the following gentlemen for assistance, afforded to me in the course of the composition of this work : — To Captain Beaufort, 11. N., F.R.S., Hydrographer to the Admiralty, for his kindness in furnishing me with some of the accompanying charts ; to Sir John Richardson, F.R.S ; J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. ; E. Doubleday,Esq., F.L.S.,andA.\Vhite, Esq.,M.E.S., for their^valuablejcontributions on Natural History, to be found in the Appendix ; to J. Gould, Esq., F.R.S., for a list of birds collected during the voyage of the Beagle ; to Lieutenants Gore and Fitzmaurice, for many of the sketches which illustrate the work ; and to B. Bynoe, Esq., F.R.C.S., for several inter- esting papers which will be found dispersed in the following pages. Captain Owen Stanley, R.N., F.R.S., also merits my warmest thanks, for the important addition to the work of his visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea. 1 have to explain, that when the name " Austral- asia" is used in the-^ollowing pages, it is intended VI INTRODUCTION. to include Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), and all the islands in the vicinity of the Australian con- tinent. All bearings and courses, unless it is specified to the contrary, are magnetic, according to the varia- tion during the period of the Beagle's voyage. The longitudes are generally given from meri- dians in Australia, as I much question whether any portion of the continent is accurately deter- mined with reference to Greenwich. Sydney, Port Essington, and Swan River, have been the meri- dians selected ; and the respective positions of those places, within a minute of the truth, I consider to be as follows : — Swan River (Scott's Jetty, Fremantle) 1 1 5" 47' E^ Port Essington (Government house) . 132" 13' E. Sydney (Fort Macquarie) .... 151° 16' E. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. PAGE Objects of the Voyage — The Beagle commissioned— Her former career — Her first Commander -Instructions from the Admiralty and the Hydrographer— Officers and Crew— Arrival at Plymouth — Embark Lieuts. Grey and Lushington's Exploring Party — Chrono- metric Departure — Farewell glance at Plymouth — Death of King William the Fourth . . . .1 CHAPTER II. PLYMOUTH TO BAHIA. Sail from Plymouth — The Eight Stones — Peak of Tencrife — Approach to Santa Cruz — " La Cueva de Los Guanches" — Trade with Moga- dore — Intercourse between Mogadore and Mombas — Reason to regret Momhas having been given up— Sail from Tenerife — Search for rocks near the equator — Arrival at San Salvador — Appearance of Bahia — State of the Country — Slave Trade — And results of Slavery — Extension of the Slave Trade on the eastern coast of Africa — Moral condition of the Negroes — Middy's Grave — Depar- ture from Bahia— Mr. "Very Well Dice" . . 31 CHAPTER III. FROM THE CAPE TO SWAN RIVEE. A gale — Anchor in Simon's Bay — H.M.S. Thalia — Captain Harris, and his Adventures in Southern Africa — Proceedings of the Land Party — Leave Simon's Bay — An overloaded ship — Heavy weather and wet decks — Island of Amsterdam — Its true longitude — St. Paul's — Water — Westerly variation — Rottenest Island — Gage's Road — Swan River Settlement — Freemantle — An inland lake — Plans for the future — Illness of Captain Wiekham — Tidal Pheno- mena— Perth — Approach to it — Narrow escape of the first settlers — Tlie Darling Range — Abundant Harvest — Singular flight of stranoe birds — Curiotis Cliff near Swan River — Bald Head — Mr. Darwin's Theory — The Natives — Miago — Anecdotes of Natives — Their Superstitions — Barbarous traditions, their uses and their lessons . 43 VIU CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. FROM SWAN RIVER TO ROEBUCK BAY. PAGE Sail from Gage's Road — Search for a bank — Currents and soundings — Houtman's Abrollios — Fruitless search for Ritchie's Reef — Indica- tions of a squall — Dcej) sea soundings — Atmosiilieric Temperature — Fish — A squall — Anchor off the mouth of Roebuck Bay — A heavy squall — Driven from our anchorage— Cape Villaret — Anchor in Roebuck Bay — Excursion on shore — Visit from the Natives — Mr. Bynoc's account of them — A stranger among them — Captain Grey's account of an "almost white" race in Australia — Birds, Snakes, and Turtle — Move tlie Ship — Miago, and the " Black Fellows" — The wicked men of the North — Clouds of Magellan — Face of the Country — Natives— Heat and Sickness — Miago on shore — Mr. Us- borne wounded — Failure in Roebuck Bay — Native notions . . 64 CHAPTER V. FROM ROEBUCK BAY TO SKELETON POINT. Departure from Roebuck Bay — Appearance of the Country — Progress to the northward — Hills and Cliffs — French Names and French Navigators — Tasman, and his account of the Natives — "Hazej- gaeys and Assagais" — His Authenticity as an Historian — Descrip- tion of the Natives — Marks and mutilation? — Phienological Deve- lopment— Moral condition — Proas, Canoes, and Rafts — Another squall — Anchor in Beagle Bay — Face of the Country — Palm Trees — Dew — Hauling the Seine — A meeting with Natives — Eastern Saluta- tion— Miago's conduct towards, and opinion of, his countrymen — Mutilation of the Hand — Native *' smokes" seen — Move further to the N.E. — Point Enieriau — Cape Leveque — Point Swan — Tide races — Search for water — Encountered by Natives — Return to the Ship — The attempt renewed — Conduct of the Natives — Effect of a Congreve Rocket after dark — A successful haul — More Natives — Miago's Heroism— The plague of Flies-.-Dampier's description of it — Native Habitations — Under weigh — Wind and weather — Tidal Phenomenon — Natural History — Singular Kangaroo — Bustard — Cinnamon Kangaroo — Quails — Guanas and Lizards — Ant Hills — Fishing (;vcr the side — A day in the Bush — A flood of fire — Soil and Productions — AVhite Ibis — Curious Tree — Rain water — Geology of the Cliffs— Weigh, and graze a Rock, or "Touch and go'' — The Twins — Sunday Strait — Roe's Group — Miago and his friends — A black dog — A day of rest — Native raft — Captain King and the Bathurst — A gale — Point Cunningham — Successful search for water— Native estimation of this fluid — Discovery of a Skeleton — And its removal - The grey Ibis— Our parting legacy . . 82 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER VI. POINT CUNNINGHAM TO FITZ-ROY RIVER. PAGE Survey the Coast to Point Cunningham — Move the Ship — Musquitoes — Southern View of King's Sound — Singular vitreous Formation — Move to the south of Point Cunningham — Captain King's limit — Termination of Cliffy Range — Disaster Bay — An Exploring Party leave in the boats — The shore — A fresh water lake — Valentine Island — Native Fire and Food — A heavy squall — The wild Oat — Indications of a River — Point Torment — Gouty-stem Tree and Fruit — Limits of its growth — Another squall— Water nearly fresh along- side— The Fitz-Roy River — Tide Bore and dangerous position of the Yawl — Ascent of the Fitz-Roy — Appearance of the adjacent land — Return on foot — Perilous situation aud providential escape — Survey the western ; shore — Return to the Ship — Sporting, Quail and Emus — Natives — Ship moved to Point Torment . . . 118 CHAPTER VII. THE FITZ-ROY RIVER TO PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH, AND RETURN TO SWAN RIVER. Examination of the Fitz-Roy River — Excursion into the interior — Alarm of the Natives — Ascent of the River — Sufferings from Mus- quitoes— Red Sandstone — Natives again surprised — Aiipearance of the Country — Impediments in the River — Return of the boats — An Alligator — Stokes' Bay — Narrow escape of an Officer — Change of Landscape — Pheasant-Cuckoos — A new Vine — Compass Hill — Port Usboine — Explore the eastern shore of King's Sound — Cone Bay — Native Fires — Whirlpool Channel — Group of Islands — Sterile aspect of the Coast — Visited by a Native — Bathurst Island — Native Hut and Raft — Return to Port Usborne — Native Spearsi — Cascade Bay — Result of Explorations in King's Sound — Interview vviih Natives — Coral Reefs — Discover Beagle Bank — Arrival at Port (jeorge the Fourth — Examination of Collier Bay in the boats — Brecknock Harbour — The Slate Islands — Fresh Water Cove — An Eagle shot — Its singular nest — Rock Kangaroos — A Conflugration — Sandstone Ridges — Doubtful Bay — Mouth of the Gleuelg — Re- markable Tree — Fertile Country near Brecknock Harbour — Return to the Ship — Meet with Lieut. Grey — His sufferings and discoveries — Visit the Encampment — Timor Ponies— Embarkation of Lieut. Grey's Party — Sail from Port George the Fourth — Remarks on position of Trya) Rock — Anecdotes of Miago — Arrival at Swan River — Directionfe for entering Owen's Anchorage . . 139 X CONTENTS. CHAPTER VIII. SWAN RIVER TO SYDNEY. PAGK Miago's reception by his countrymen — Whale Fishery — Strange ideas entertained by Natives respecting the first Settlers — Neglected state of the Colony — Test security of Owen's Anchorage — Weather — Cele- bration of the Anniversary of the Colony — Friendly meeting bet\Teen different Tribes — Native beggars — Personal vanity of a Native — Visit York— Description of Country — Site of York — Scenery in its neighbourhood — Disappointment experienced — Sail from Swan River — Hospitality of Colonists during our stay — Aurora Australis — Gale off Cape Leeuwen — Stormy passage — Ship on a lee shore — South-west Cape of Tasmania — Bruny Island Lighthouse — Arrive at Hobarton — Mount Wellington — Kangaroo Hunt — White Kangaroo — Civility from the Governor — Travertine Limestone — Leave Holiarton — Singular Current — Appearance of Land in the neighbourhood of Sydney — Position of Lighthouse — Entrance and first view of Port Jackson — Scenery on passing up the Harbour — Meet the Expedition bound to Port Essington— Appai-ent increase of Sydney — Cause of Decline — Expedition sails for Port Essington — Illawarra — Botany Bay — La Perouse's Monument — Aborigines — Meet Captain King — Appearance of Land near Sydney . . 226, CHAPTER IX. BASS STRAIT. Leave Sydney — Enter Bass Strait — Island at Eastern entrance — Wil- son's Promontory — Cape Shanck — Enter Port Phillip — Tide Race — Commence Surveying Operations — First Settlement — Escaped Con- vict— His residence with the Natives — Sail for King Island — - Examine Coast to Cape Otway— King Island — Meet Sealers on New Year Islands — Franklin Road — Solitary Residence of Captain Smith — Soil — Advantageous position for a Penal Settlement — Leafless appearance of Trees — Examine West Coast — Fitzmaurice Bay — Stokes' Point — Seal Bay — Geological Formation — Examine Coast to Sea Elephant Rock — Brig Rock — Cross the Strait to Hunter Island— Strong Tide near Reid's Rocks — Three Hurnmock Island — Rats — The Black Pyramid — Point Woolnorth — Raised Beach — Coast to Circular Head — Head-quarters of the Agricultural Company Capture of a Native — Mouth of the Tamar River — Return to Port Phillip — West Channel — Yarra-yarra River — Melbourne — Custom of Natives — Manna — Visit Geelong — Station Peak — Aboriginal Names — South Channel — Examine Western Port — Adventure with a Snake — Black Swans — Cape Patterson — Deep Soundings — Re- visit King and Hunter Islands — Fire — Circular Head — Gales of Wind — Reid's Rocks — Sea Elephant Rock— Wild Dogs— Navarin and Harbinger Reefs — Arrive at Port Phillip — Sail for Sydney — Pigeon House— Drought — Mr. Usborue leaves . . . 2o0 CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. SYDNEY TO PORT ESSINGTON. PAGK Leave Sydney— Gale and Current — Port Stephen — Tablee — River Karuah — Stroud — Wild Cattle — Incivility of a Settler — River Allyn — Mr. Boydfll— Cultivation of Tobacco — A clearing Lease — William River — Crossing the Karuah at Night— Sail from Port Stephen — Breaksea Spit — Discover a Bank — Cape Capricorn — Nortliumberland Isles — Sandal Wood — Cape Upstart — Discover a River — Raised Beach — Section of Barrier Reef — Natives— Plants and Animals — Magnetical Island — Halifax Bay — Height of Cor- dillera— FitzRoy Island — Hope Island — Verifying Captain King's Original Chart — Cape Bedford — New Geological Feature — Lizard Island — Captain Cook — Barrier and Reefs within — Howick Group — Noble Island— Cape Melville— Reef near Cape Flinders— Princess Charlotte's Bay — Section of a detached Reef — Tide at Claremont Isles — Restoration Island — Islands fronting Cape Grenvllle — Boy- dan Island — Correct Chart — Tides — Cairncross Island — Escape River — Correct position of Reefs — York Isles — Tides — Torres Strait — Endeavour Strait — Booby Island— Remarks on Barrier and its contiguous Islands and Reefs— Cape Crokcr and reef oft'it — Discover error in longitude of Cape — Reefs at the mouth of Port Essingtoit — Arrive at the latter . . . . . 31 1 CHAPTER XI. Port Essington — Bearings from shoals in the Harbour — Appearance of the Settlement — Meet Captain Stanley — Cimrch — Point Record — Prospects of the Settlement — Buffaloes escap — Fence across neck of Peninsula — Lieut. P. B. Stewart explores the Country — Natives — Uses of Sand — Tumuli-building Birds — Beautiful Opossum — Wild Bees — Escape from an Alligator — Result of Astro- nomical Observations — Geological Formation — RalBes Bay — Leave Port Essington — Popham Bay — Detect error in position of Port Essington — Melville Island — Discover a Reef in Clarence Strait — Cape Hotham — Native Huts and Clothing — Geological Formation — Discover the Adelaide River — Interview with Natives — Attempt to come on board — Messrs. Fitzmaurice and Keys nearly speared — Exploration of the Adelaide — Its capabilities — Wood Ducks — Vam- pirea — Another party ascends the Adelaide — Meet Natives — Canoes — Alligator — Visit Melville Island-Green Ants — Thoughts of taking ship up Adelaide abandoned — Tides in Dundas Strait— Return to Port Essington — Theatricals— H. M. S. Pelorus arrives with Pro- visions— Further remarks on the Colony . . . 381 XU CONTENTS. CHAPTER XJI. PAGE Leave Port Essinjjton — Reach Timor Laiit — Meet Proas — Chief Lomba — Traces of the Crew of the Charles Eaton— Their account of the wrecli and sojourn on the Island — Captain King's account of the Rescue of the Survivors — Boy Ireland's relation of the sufferings and massacre of the Crew — Appearance of the shores of Timor Laut — Description of the Inhabitants — Dress — Leprosy — Canoes — Village of Oliliet — Curious Houses — Remarkable Ornaments — Visit the Oran Kaya — Burial Islet — Supplies obtained — Gunpowder in request as Barter — Proceed to the Arru Islands — Dobbo Harbour— Trade — • Present to Chief — Birds of Paradise — Chinaming Junks' bottoms — Character of Natives — Some of them profess Christianity — Visit the Ki Islands — Village of Ki lUi — How protected — Place of Worship — Pottery — Timber— Boat-building — Cultivation of the eastern Ki — No anchorage off it — Visit Ki Doulan — Antique Appearance of — Luxm'iant Vegetation — Employment of Natives — Defences of the place — Carvings on gateway — Civility of Chief — His Dress — Popula- tion of the Ki Group — Their Religion — Trade — Place of Interment — Agility of Australian Native — Supplies — Anchorage off Ki Doulan — Island of Vordate — Visit from Chief — Excitement of Natives — Their Arms and Ornaments — Carved Horns on Houses — Alarm of the Oran Kaya —Punishment of the Natives of Laarat by the Dutch — Revisit Oliliet — Discover tliat Mr. Watson had rescued tl)e European Boy — Return to Port Essiugton — Mr. Watson's Proceedings at Timor Laut . . . . . 438 APPENDIX. List of Birds, collected by the Officers of H. M. S. Beagle . . 479 Descriptions of Six Fish. By Sir John Richardson. M.D., F.R.S. &c. 484 Descriptions of some New Australian Reptiles. By J. E. Gray, Esq. F.R.S. &c. .... 498 Descriptions of new or unfigured Species of Coleoptcra from Australia. By Adam White, Esq. M.E.S. . . .505 Descriptions of some new or imperfectly characterized Lepidoptera from Australia. By E. Doubleday, Esq. F.L.S. . . 513 LIST OF CHARTS. VOL. I. Gbnkrai. Chart of Australia. Bass Strait. Arafuka Sea. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. VOL. I. Natives of Western Australia South branch of the Albert Native habitation Singular tail of Kangaroo Rocks on Roe's Group Native raft Kileys of King Sound and Swan River Substantial native hut Spears of King Sound and Swan River Monument of La Perouse Circular Head Reid's Rocks and the Black Pyramid Section of the N.E. Coast of Australia, and Great Barrier Magnetical Island Mount Hinchinbroke Section of a detached Coral Reef Rush shoulder-covering of natives Victoria, from the Anchorage Native Town of Oliliet FISHES. Balistes Phaleratus Cristiceps uxillaris Scorpaena Stokesii Smaris porosus Chelmon marginalis Assiculus punctatus Silubosaurus Stokesii Egernia Cunninghami Hydrus Stokesii Gonionotus plumbeus Plate 1 " 2 " 3 REPTILES. INSECTS. frontispiece. facing page 1 • 101 103 109 112 . 117 172 . 177 249 . 274 298 Reef 333 facing p .338 339 . 353 . 406 436 facing p .458 Plate I 484 " 1 486 << 2 487 it 3 489 (( 4 491 ie 2 494 Plate 1 498 " 2 499 ti 3 502 <( 4 503 505 509 619 ERRATA. Vol. I. Page 298, 1. 15, /b/'' outline" read " outer line." Page 313, 1. 28, for " sprung" rend " spring." Page 426, 1. 28, for " a guide from" read " a guide for." Page 459, /or" Oran Kega" read *' Oran Kaya." Vol. II. Page 5, I. 28, for '' cross to" read " cross to the." Page 46, 1. ]5,for '' shore" read " banks." Page 62, 1. 5, for" of the way" read " across the way." Page 68, 1. 2,J'i)r " and had" read '' and we had." Page 125, 1. 28, fm- " definable'' read " definite." Page 204, 1. 25, for " the winds" read " these winds." Page 327, 1. (y,Jor ''lower'' read " lowpst." Page 362, note, 1. 5, for " sixty'' read " six." Page 375, 1. \2,for " breakers" read '' beaches" Page 404, I. T,for '' north-eastern" r«nW " south-eastern. Page 422, 1. 28, for " easterly" read " westerly." ''^1- ^ Now rciuly, in 1 vol. 8vo. with M;ips, Plates, and Wood-cuts, SOUTH AUSTRAI.IA and its MINES, WITH AN ACCOUNT OF CAPTAIN GREY'S GOVERNMENT. By FRANCIS BUTTON, Esa. T. c";; W. DoosE, Publishers, 29, New Bond Street. JOURNAL VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTEON. OBJECTS OF THE VOYAGE — THE BEAGLE COMMISSIONED — HER FORMER CAREER — HER FIRST COMMANDER — INSTRUC- TIONS FROM THE ADMIRALTY AND THE HYDROGRAPHER OFFICERS AND CREW — ARRIVAL AT PLYMOUTH — EMBARK LIEUTS, GREY AND LUSHINGTOn's EXPLORING PARTY — CHRONOMETRIC DEPARTURE — FAREWELL GLANCE AT PLY- MOUTH— DEATH OF KING WILLIAM THE FOURTH. For more than half a century, the connection be- tween Great Britain and her Australian possessions has been one of growing interest ; and men of the highest eminence have foreseen and foretold the ultimate importance of that vast continent, o'er which, within the memory of living man, the roving savage held precarious though unquestioned empire. Of the Australian shores, the North-western was the least known, and became, towards the close of the year 1836, a subject of much geographical spe- VOL. r. B 2 H. M. SLOOP 'beagle.' culation. Former navigators were almost unani- mous in believing that the deep bays known to indent a large portion of this coast, received the waters of extensive rivers, the discovery of which would not only open a route to the interior, but afford facilities for colonizing a part of Australia, so near our East Indian territories, as to render its occupation an object of evident importance. His Majesty's Government therefore determined to send out an expedition to explore and survey such portions of the Australian coasts, as were wholly or in part unknown to Captains Flinders and King. For this service H. M. Sloop, ' Beagle,' was commissioned at Woolwich, in the second week of February, 1837, by Commander Wickham, who had already twice accompanied her in her wanderings over the least known and most boisterous waters of the globe ; first, in her sister ship of discovery, the * Adventure,' Captain King, and afterwards as first lieutenant of the sloop now intrusted to his command. Under Captain Wickham some of the most important objects of the voyage were achieved, but in consequence of his retirement in M^rch 1841, owing to ill health, the command of the ' Beagle' was entrusted to the author of the follow- ing pages ; and as, by a singular combination of circumstances, no less than three long and hazardous voyages of discovery have been successfully completed in this vessel, some account of her here may not be VOYAGES OF THE * BEAGLE. 3 wholly uninteresting. The reader will be surprised to learn that she belongs to that much-abused class, the " 10-gun brigs," — coffins, as they are not unfre- quently designated in the service ; notwithstanding which, she has proved herself, under every possible variety of trial, in all kinds of weather, an excel- lent sea boat. She was built at Woolwich in 1819, and her first exploit was the novel and unprece- dented one of passing through old London bridge — (the first rigged man-of-war that had ever floated so high upon the waters of the Thames) — in order to salute at the coronation of King George the Fourth. Towards the close of the year 1825 she was first commissioned by Commander Pringle Stokes,* as second officer of the expedition which sailed from Plymouth on the 22nd of May, 1826, under the command of Captain Philip Parker King; an account of which voyage, published by Captain R. Fitz-Roy, — who ultimately succeeded to the vacancy occasioned by the lamented death of Captain Stokes, and who subsequently commanded the ' Beagle,' during her second solitary, but most interesting expedition, — has added to the well earned reputa- tion of the seaman, the more enduring laurels which literature and science can alone supply. Though painful recollections surround the sub- ject, it would be hardly possible to offer an account of the earlier history of the Beagle, and yet make no * Not related to the author. 4i DEATH OF CAPTAIN STOKES. allusion to the fate of her first commander, in whom the service lost, upon the testimony of one well qualified to judge, "an active, intelligent, and most energetic officer:" and well has it been remarked by the same high authority, " that those who have been exposed to one of such trials as his, upon an unknown lee shore, during the worst description of weather, will understand and appreciate some of those feelings which wrought too powerfully upon his excitable mind." The constant and pressing cares connected with his responsible command — the hardships and the dangers to which his crew were of necessity exposed during the survey of Tierra del Fueofo — and in some degree the awful gloom which rests for ever on that storm-swept coast, — finally destroyed the equilibrium of a mind dis- tracted with anxiety and shattered by disease. Perhaps no circumstance could prove more strongly the peculiar difficulties connected with a service of this nature, nor could any more clearly testify that in this melancholy instance every thought of self-preservation was absorbed by a zeal to pro- mote the objects of the expedition, which neither danger, disappointment, anxiety, nor disease could render less earnest, or less vigilant, even to the last ! The two vessels returned to Enorland in October, 1830, when the Adventure was paid off at Wool- wich, and the Beagle at Plymouth ; she was re- commissioned by Captain Fitz-Roy — to whose de- THIRD VOYAGE OF THE * BEAGLE.' 5 lightful narrative allusion has been already made — on the 4th July, 1831,* and continued under his command till her return to Woolwich in November, 1836; where, after undergoing some slight repairs, she was a third time put in commission for the purposes of discovery, under Commander Wickham, her former first lieutenant ; and shortly afterwards commenced that third voyage, of the toils and suc- cesses of which, as an humble contribution to the stores of geographical knowledge, I have attempted in the following pages to convey as faithful and complete an account as the circumstances under which the materials have been prepared will allow. Nor will the subject less interest myself, when I call to mind, that for eighteen years the Beagle has been to me a home upon the wave — that my first cruize as a Middy was made in her ; that serving in her alone I have passed through every grade in my profession to the rank I have now the honour to bold — that in her I have known the excitements of imminent danger, and the delights of long antici- pated success ; and that with her perils and her name are connected those recollections of early and familiar friendship, to which even memory herself fails to do full justice ! * The Beagle was stripped to her timbers, and rebuilt under this able officer's own inspection : and among other improve- ments, she had the lightning conductors of the well-known Snow Harris, Esq., F.R.S. fitted to her masts ; a circumstance to which she has more than once been indebted fur her safety. b ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. The following instructions were received by Cap- tain Wickham, previous to our departure from Woolwich, and under them I subsequently acted. " By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, ^c. "Whereas his Majesty's surveying vessel, 'Beagle,' under your command, has been fitted out for the purpose of exploring certain parts of the north-west coast of New Holland, and of surveying the best channels in the straits of Bass and Torres, you are hereby required and directed, as soon as she shall be in all respects ready, to repair to Plymouth Sound, in order to obtain a chronometric departure from the w^est end of the breakwater, and then to proceed, with all convenient expedition, to Santa Cruz, in Teneriffe. *' In the voyage there, you are to endeavour to pass over the reputed site of the Eight Stones, within the limits pointed out by our Hydrographer ; but keeping a strict look out for any appearance of discoloured water, and getting a few deep casts of the lead. *' At Teneriffe you are to remain three days, for the purpose of rating the chronometers, when you are to make the best of your way to Bahia, in order to replenish your water, and from thence to Simon's Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope; where, having ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 7 without loss of time obtained the necessary refresh- ments, you will proceed direct to Swan River ; but as the severe gales which are sometimes felt at that settlement may not have entirely ceased, you will approach that coast with due caution. *' At Swan River, you are to land Lieutenants Grey and Lushington, as well as to refit and water with all convenient despatch ; and you are then to proceed immediately to the north-west coast of New Holland, making the coast in the vicinity of Dampier Land. The leading objects of your examination there will be, the extent of the two deep inlets connected with Roebuck Bay and Cygnet Bay, where the strength and elevation of the tides have led to the supposition that Dampier Land is an island, and that the above openings unite in the mouth of a river, or that they branch off from a wide and deep gulf. Moderate and regular sound- ings extend far out from Cape Villaret : you will, therefore, in the first instance, make that head- land ; and, keeping along the southern shore of Roebuck Bay, penetrate at once as far as the * Beagle' and her boats can find sufficient depth of water ; but you must, however, take care not too precipitately to commit his Majesty's ship among these rapid tides, nor to entangle her among the numerous rocks with which all this part of the coast seems to abound ; but by a cautious advance of your boats, for the double purpose of feeling your way, and at the same time of surveying, you will establish her in a judicious series of stations, equally 8 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. beneficial to the progress of the survey, and to the support of your detached people. " Prince Regent River appears to have been fully examined by Captain King up to its fresh water rapids, but as the adjacent ridges of rocky land which were seen on both sides of Collier Bay, were only laid down from their distant appearance, it is probable that they will resolve themselves into a col- lection of islands in the rear of Dampier Land ; and it is possible that they may form avenues to some wide expanse of water, or to the mouth of some large river, the discovery of which would be highly interesting. " As this question, whether there are or are not any rivers of magnitude on the western coast is one of the principal objects of the expedition, you will leave no likely opening unexplored, nor desist from its examination till fully satisfied ; but as no estimate can be formed of the time required for its solution, so no period can be here assigned at which you shall abandon it in order to obtain refreshments ; when that necessity is felt, it must be left to your own judgment, whether to have recourse to the town Balli, in the strait of Alias, or to the Dutch settle- ment of Coepang, or even to the Arrou Islands, which have been described as places well adapted for that purpose ; but on these points you will take pains to acquire all the information which can be obtained from the residents at Swan River. " Another circumstance which prevents any pre- cise instructions being given to you on this head, ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. i) is the uncertainty that prevails here respecting the weather which you may at that period find in those latitudes, and which it is possible may be such as if not altogether to prevent the execution of these orders, may at least cause them to be ineffectually performed, or perhaps lead to a waste of time, which might be better employed on other parts of the coast. If such should eventually be the case, it would be prudent not to attempt this intricate part of the coast during the prevalence of the north-west monsoon, but to employ it in completing the exami- nation of Shark Bay and of Exmouth Gulf, as well as of other unexplored intervals of coast up to the 122nd degree of longitude ; or, with a view to the proximity of one of the above-mentioned places of refreshment, it might, perhaps, be advisable, if com- pelled to quit the vicinity of Dampier Land, to devote that part of the season to a more careful investigation of the low shores of the gulf of Car- pentaria, where it has been surmised, though very loosely, that rivers of some capacity will be found. " The above objects having been accomplished, (in whatever order you may find most suitable to the service) you will return to the southern settlements for refreshments ; and then proceed, during the summer months of fine weather and long days, to Bass Strait, in which so many fatal accidents have recently occurred, and of which you are to make a correct and effectual survey. " But previous to your undertaking that survey, 10 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. as it has been represented to us that it would be very desirable for the perfection of the Tidal theory, that an accurate register of the times and heights of high and low water should be kept for some time in Bass Strait, you will, (if practicable) estab- lish a party for that purpose on King Island, and you are to cause the above particulars of the Tides there to be unintermittingly and minutely observed, and registered in the blank forms which will be supplied to you by our Hydrographer. If, however, circum- stances should render this measure unadvisable at that island, you will either choose some less objec- tionable station, where the average tide in the Strait may be fairly registered ; or, if you can employ no permanent party on this service, you will be the more exact in ascertaining the above parti- culars at every one of your stations; and in all parts of this Strait you will carefully note the set and strength of the stream at the intermediate hours between high and low water, and also the time at which the stream turns in the offing. *' The survey of Bass Strait should include, 1st, a verification of the two shores by which it is formed ; — 2ndly, such a systematic representation of the depth and quality of the bottom as will ensure to any vessel, which chooses to sound by night or day, a correct knowledge of her position ; — and, 3rdly, a careful examination of the passages on either side of King Island, as well as through the chains of rocks and islands which stretch across from Wilson's ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 11 Promontory to Cape Portland. This survey will, of course, comprehend the approach to Port Dal- rymple, but the interior details of that extensive harbour may be left to the officers employed by the Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land, pro- vided you can ascertain that it is his intention to employ them there within any reasonable time. '' The number of vessels which are now in the habit of passing through Bass Strait, and the doubts which have recently been expressed, not only of the just position of the dangers it is known to contain, but of the existence of others, show the necessity of this survey being executed with that care and fidelity which will give confidence to all future navigators ; and may, therefore, be more extensive in its limits, and occupy a larger portion of your time than is at present contemplated. You must exercise your own judgment as to the fittest period at which you should either repair to Sydney to refit, or adjourn to Port Dalrymple to receive occasional supplies. Whenever this branch of the service shall be completed, you are forthwith by a safe conveyance to transmit a copy of it to our Secretary, that no time may be lost in publishing it for the general benefit. " At Sydney you will find the stores which we have ordered to be deposited there for your use, and having carefully rated your chronometers, and taken a fresh departure from the Observatory near that port, and having re-equipped His Majesty's 12 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. ship, and fully completed her provisions, you will proceed by the inner route to Torres Strait, where the most arduous of your duties are yet to be per- formed. The numerous reefs which block up that Strait ; the difficulty of entering its intricate chan- nels ; the discordant result of the many partial surveys which have from time to time been made there, and the rapidly increasing commerce of which it has become the thoroughfare, call for a full and satisfactory examination of the whole space between Cape York and the southern shore of New Guinea, and to this important service, therefore, you will devote the remaining period for which your supplies will last. " In this latter surve^V you will cautiously pro- ceed from the known to the unknown; you will verify the safety of Endeavour Strait, and furnish sufficient remarks for avoiding its dangers ; you will examine the three groups called York, Prince of Wales, and Banks', Islands ; you will establish the facilities or determine the dangers of passing through those groups, and by a well-considered combination of all those results, you will clearly state the comparative advantages of the difibrent channels, and finally determine on the best course for vessels to pursue which shall be going in either direction, or in opposite seasons. Though with this part of your operations Cook's Bank, Aurora Reef, and the other shoals in the vicinitv will necessarily be connected, yet you are not to extend ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 13 them to the 143rd degree of longitude, as the examination of the great field to the eastward of that meridian must be left to some future survey which shall include the barrier reefs and their ramified openings from the Pacific Ocean. You are, on the contrary, to proceed, if practicable, but most cautiously, in examining the complicated archipelago of rocks and islands which line the northern side of Torres Strait, till, at length, reaching New Guinea, you will there ascertain the general character of that part of its shore, — whether it be high and continuous, or broken into smaller islands with available channels between them, as has been asserted ; or whether, from being guarded by the innumerable reefs and dangers which are marked in the charts, it must remain altooether sealed to the navifi^ator. The nature of the country, as well as of its products, will also be inquiries of considerable interest; and you will, perhaps, be able to learn whether the Dutch have made any progress in forming settlements along its shores ; and if so, you will take especial care not to come into collision with any of their authorities. " Throughout the whole of this extensive region, you will bear in mind the mischievous disposition of the natives ; and while you strictly practise that dignified forbearance and benevolence which tend to impress far higher respect for our power than the exercise of mere force, you will also be sedu- lously on your guard against every surprise ; and 14 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. though your boats should always be completely armed, you will carefully avoid any conflict where the ignorant or misguided natives may presume on your pacific appearance, or on the disparity of your numbers. " You will then turn to the westward, and pursue this part of the survey, so as to determine the breadth of the foul ground off the coast of New Guinea, and the continuity or interrupted form of that coast ; and you will establish certain positions on the main land, (if the adjacent sea be navigable, and if not on the several advancing islands) which may serve as useful land-falls for vessels coming from the Indian Seas, or for points of departure for those who have passed through any of these straits. You will thus continue a general examination of this hitherto unexplored coast as far as Cape Valsche, which is now said to be only the termi- nating point of a chain of large islands, and then across to the Arrou Islands, which are supposed to be remarkablv fertile, to abound with resources and refreshments, and to be peopled by a harmless and industrious race, but which do not appear to have been visited by any of his Majesty's ships. *' The length of time which may be required for the due execution of all the foregoing objects cannot be foreseen. It may exceed that for which your supplies are calculated, or, on the other hand, a less degree of the supposed complexity in the ground you will have traversed, along with the ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 15 energy and diligence with which we rely on you for conducting these important services, may enable you to complete them within that period. In this latter case you will return to the Northern coast of New Holland, and selecting such parts of it as may afford useful harbours of retreat, or which may appear to comprise the mouths of any streams of magnitude, you will employ your spare time in such discoveries as may more or less tend to the general object of the expedition. " Before your departure from Sydney you will have learnt that His Majesty's Government has established a new settlement at Port Essington, or somewhere on the North coast of New Holland ; and before you finally abandon that district you will visit this new colony, and contribute by every means in your power to its resources and its stability. *' We have not, in the concluding part of these Orders, pointed out the places or the periods at which you are to replenish your provisions, because the latter must depend on various circumstances which cannot be foreseen, and the former may be safely left to your own decision and prudence ; but when you have been three years on your ground, unless some very important result were to promise itself from an extension of that period, you will proceed to the Island of Mauritius, in order to com- plete your stock of water and provisions, and then, touching at either side of the Cape of Good Hope, according to the season, and afterwards at Ascen- IG ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. sion, you will make the best of your way to Spithead, and report your arrival to our Secretary. ** Directions will be forwarded to the command- ers-in-chief at the Cape of Good Hope and in the East Indies, and to the governors or lieutenant- governors of the several settlements at which you have been ordered to call, to assist and further your enterprise as far as their means will admit : and you will lose no opportunity, at those several places, of informing our Secretary of the general outline of your proceedings, and of transmitting traces of the surveys which you may have effected, together with copies of your tide and other obser- vations. You will likewise, by every safe oppor- tunity, communicate to our Hydrographer detailed accounts of all your proceedings which relate to the surveys ; and you will strictly comply with the enclosed instructions, which have been drawn up by him under our directions, as well as all those which he may, from time to time, forward by our command. " Given under our hands, the 8th of June, 1837. " Signed, " Chas. Adam. " Geo. Elliott. "To J.C. WlCKHAM,Esq. " Commander of His Majesty's surveying vessel ' Beagle,' at Woolwich. " By command of their Lordships. " Signed, " John Barrow." ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 17 Nor should the valuable instructions of Captain Beaufort, Hydrographcr to the Admiralty, be for- gotten ; such extracts as may probably prove of interest to the general reader are here subjoined. Extracts from Hydrographer's Instructions. " The general objects of the expedition which has been placed under your command, having been set forth in their Lordships' orders, it becomes ray duty to enter somewhat more specifically into the nature and details of the service which you are to perform. Their Lordships having expressed the fullest reliance on your zeal and talents, and having cautiously and wisely abstained from fettering you in that division and disposition of your time which the periodic changes of the seasons or the necessities of the vessel may require, it would ill become me to enter too minutely into any of those arrangements which have been so flatteringly left to your discre- tion ; yet, in order to assist you with the results of that experience which has been derived from the many surveys carried on under the direction of the Admiralty, and to ensure that uniform consistency of method in your varied labours, which will so greatly enhance their value, I will briefly touch on some of the most important subjects, and repeat those instructions which their Lordships have in everv former case ratified, and which it is therefore expected you will bear in mind during the whole progress of your survey. VOL. I. c 18 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. " The first point to which your orders advert, after quitting England, is the Eight Stones, where you will probably add one to the many testimonies which have been already collected of their non- existence, at least in the place assigned to them in the old charts ; but, before we venture to expunge them, it becomes a serious duty to traverse their position in every possible direction. Should the weather be favourable, it would be desirable, while crossing their parallel, to obtain one very deep cast of the lead, and should that succeed in reaching the bottom, the sacrifice of a few days will be well bestowed in endeavouring to trace a further portion of the bank. A small chart, shewing the tracks of various ships across this place, is hereto annexed, and as the meridian of 16** 22' nearly bisects the two adjacent courses, you are recommended to cross their parallel in that longitude. " From the Canary Islands to the coast of Brazil, and indeed throughout every part of your voyage, you should endeavour to pass over the places of all the reported Vigias which lie near your course, either outward or homeward. You will perceive a multitude of them carelessly marked on every chart, but of some you will find a circumstantial de- scription in that useful publication, the Nautical Magazine, and a day devoted to the search of any, which will not withdraw you too far from your due course, will be well employed. " The rocks off Cape Leeuwin, some near King ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 19 George Sound, the dangerous patch off Kangaroo Island, and many others, of which accounts are given in the above work, ought, if possible, to be examined, as more immediately appertaining to your own field. Whenever found, the depth, nature, and limits of the banks on which they stand, should be determined, as they might prove to be of suffi- cient extent to give warning to the danger, and then a direct course should be immediately made by the ' Beagle' to the nearest land, where a con- venient place should be selected, and its position carefully ascertained. "At Swan River you will have previously learnt from Lieutenant Roe, the Surveyor-General, whether the above mentioned rocks off Kangaroo Island, have been again seen, or their position altered, since Captain Brockman's first description, so as to save your time in the search. " You will no doubt obtain from that intelligent officer. Lieutenant Roe, much important informa- tion respecting the north-west coast, as well as all the detached intelligence, which during his long residence there he must have collected, relating to every part of the shores of New Holland, From him, also, you will acquire many useful hints about the places in the Indian Sea where refreshments may be obtained, as well as some insight into the disposition of the authorities and the inhabitants whom you will meet there, and he will probably be able to give you a clear account of the duration of the monsoons and their accompanying weather. c 2 20 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTTONS, *' If at Port Dalrymple it stould so happen that you can wait on Sir John Franklin, it is probable that he will detach Lieutenant Burnett to co-operate with you in the survey of Bass Strait, and it is certain that the Governor will do everything in his power to assist your labours. At Sydney you will have the advantage of seeing Captain P. P. King, whose long experience of all those coasts, as well as of the seasons, and of the manner of dealing with the inhabitants, will be of the utmost use to you ; and whose zeal for the King's service, and whose love of science, will lead him to do everything pos- sible to promote your views. If Mr. Cunningham, the Government Botanist, be there, he also will, I am convinced, eagerly communicate to you and your officers everything which may be serviceable in the pursuits connected with iVatural History. " At Swan River, at Port Dalrymple, and at Syd- ney, it may, perhaps, be possible for you to hire, at a low rate, some person acquainted with the dialects of the natives, which you are subsequently to visit, and with whom it will be so essential to be on friendly terms. Such a person will greatly assist in that object ; but you will keep him on board no longer than absolutely necessary, and you will take care to provide for his return if the ' Beagle' should not be able to carry him back." ** GENERAL INFORMATION. " In such an extensive and distant survev, nu- merous subjects of inquiry, though not strictly ADMIRALTV INSTRUCTIONS. 21 nautical, will suggest themselves to your active iiiiiid ; and though, from your transient stay at any one place, you will often experience the mortifica- tion of leaving them incomplete, yet that should not discourage you in the collection of every useful fact within your reach. Your example in this respect will stimulate the efforts of the younger officers under your command, and through tliem may even have a beneficial influence on the future character of the navy. "It has been suggested by some geologists, that the coral insect, instead of raising its superstruc- ture directly from the bottom of the sea, works only on the summits of submarine mountains, which have been projected upwards by volcanic action. They account, therefore, for the basin-like form so generally observed in coral islands, by supposing that they insist on the circular lip of extinct volcanic craters ; and as much of your work will lie among islands and cays of coral formation, you should collect every fact which can throw any light on the subject. " Hitherto it has been made a part of the duty of all the surveying vessels to keep an exact register of the height of the barometer, at its two maxima of 9, and its two minima of 3 o'clock, as well as that of the thermometer at the above periods, and at its own day and night maximum and minimum, as well as the continual comparative temperature of the sea and air. This was done with the view of 22 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. assisting to provide authentic data, collected from all parts of the world, and ready for the use of future labourers, whenever some accidental dis- covery, or the direction of some powerful mind, should happily rescue that science from its present neglected state. But those hours of entry greatly interfere with the employments of such officers as are capable of registering those instruments with the precision and delicacy which alone can render meteorologic data useful, and their future utility is at present so uncertain, that it does not appear necessary that you should do more than record, twice a day, the height of the former, as well as the extremes of the thermometer, unless, from some unforeseen cause, you should be long detained in any one port, when a system of these observations might then be advantageously undertaken. There are, however, some occasional observations, which cannot fail of being extensively useful in future investigations : " 1. During the approach of the periodic changes of wind and weather, — and then the hygrometer, also, should find a place in the journal. " 2. The mean temperature of the sea at the equator, or, perhaps, under a vertical sun. These observations should be repeated whenever the ship is in either of those situations, as well in the Atlantic as in the Pacific ; they should be made far away from the influence of the land, and at certain con- stant depths, — suppose fifty and ten fathoms, — and ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. 23 at the surface also ; and this last ought to be again observed at the corresponding hour of the night. "3. A collection of good observations, systemati- cally continued, for the purpose of connecting the isothermal lines of the globe, and made, as above, at certain uniform depths. " 4. Some very interesting facts might result from the comparison of the direct heat of the solar rays in high and low latitudes. The two thermometers for this purpose should be precisely similar in every respect ; the ball of the one should be covered with white kerseymere, and of the other with black ker- seymere, and they should be suspended far out of the reach of any reflected heat from the ship, and also at the same elevation above the surface of the water ; the observations should be made out of sight of land, in a variety of latitudes, and at diffe- rent hours of the day, and every pains taken to render them all strictly similar and comparative. " 5. All your meteorologic instruments should be carefully compared throughout a large extent of the scales, and tabulated for the purpose of apply- ing the requisite corrections when necessary, and one or more of them should be compared with the standard instruments at the Royal Society or Royal Observatory on your return home. "6. All observations which involve the compari- son of minute differences should be the mean result of at least three readings, and should be as much as possible the province of the same individual observer. 24 ADMIRALTY INSTRUCTIONS. " 7. In some of those singularly heavy showers which occur in crossing the Equator, and also at the changes of the Monsoon, attempts should be made to measure the quantity of rain that falls in a given time. A very rude instrument, if properly placed, will answer this purpose, — merely a wide superficial basin to receive the rain, and to deliver it into a pipe, whose diameter, compared with that of the mouth of the basin, will shew the number of inches, &c. that have fallen on an exaggerated scale. "8. It is unnecessary to call your attention to the necessity of recording every circumstance con- nected with that highly interesting phenomenon, the Aurora Australis, such as the angular bearing and elevation of the point of coruscation ; — the bearing also of the principal luminous arches, &c. "9. It has been asserted that lunar and solar halos are not always exactly circular, and a general order might, therefore, be given to the officer of the watch, to measure their vertical and horizontal diameters whenever they occur, day or night. " Large collections of natural history cannot be expected, nor any connected account of the struc- ture or geological arrangements of the great islands which you are to coast ; nor, indeed, would minute inquiries on these subjects be at all consistent with the true objects of the survey. But, to an observant eye, some facts will unavoidably present themselves, which will be well worth recording, and the medical OFFICERS AND CREW. 25 officers will, no doubt, be anxious to contribute their share to the scientific character of the survey. " 1 have now exhausted every subject to which it can be necessary to call the attention of an officer of your long experience ; and I have, therefore, only further to express my conviction, that if Providence permits you to retain your wonted health and activity, you will pursue the great objects of this expedition with all the energy in your power, and with all the perseverance consistent with a due regard to the safety of His Majesty's Ship, and to the comfort of your officers and crew. " Given, &c. this 8th of June, 1837. " F. Beaufort, " Hydrographer." The crew embarked in the ' Beagle' in this her third voyage, consisted of John Clements Wickham, Commander and Sur- veyor ; James B. Emery, Lieutenant ; Henry Eden, Lieutenant ; John Lort Stokes, Lieutenant and Assistant Sur- vevor ; Alexander B. Usborne, Master ; Benjamin Bynoe, Surgeon ; Thomas Tait, Assistant Surgeon ; John E. Dring, Clerk in charge ; Benjamin F. Helpman, Mate ; Auchmutv T. Freeze, Mate ; 26 OFFICERS AND CREW. Thomas T. Birch, Mate ; L. R. Fitzmaurice, Mate ;* William Tarrant, Master's Assistant; Charles Keys,t Clerk ; Thomas Sorrell, Boatswain ; John Weeks, Carpenter ; A corporal of marines and seven privates, with forty seamen and boys. During our six years' voyage the following changes occurred: — Mr. Usborne invalided, in consequence of his wound, in May 1839 ; Mr. Birch exchanged, in August 1839, with Mr. Pasco, into the ' Britomart ;' Mr. Freeze exchanged, in September 1839, with Mr. Forsyth, J into the ' Pelorus ;' in February 1840, Mr. Helpman joined the colonial service in Western Australia ; Mr. C. J. Parker was ap- pointed, in December 1840, to Mr. Usborne's vacancy, superseding Mr. Tarrant, who had been doing Master's duty since Mr. Usborne left ; Lieu- tenants Emery and Eden returned to England in * This officer I afterwards appointed to the assistant surveyor- ship, (vacated upon my succeeding Captain Wickham,) on account of the active part he had taken in the surveying duties : an appointment most handsomely confirmed by Captain Beaufort. f Mr. Keys was always a volunteer for boat work, and is entitled to honourable mention as being, even where all were zealous, of great value upon more than one occasion. :j; From this officer's previous knowledge of the duties of sur- veying, having sailed in the ' Beagle' on her former voyage, he proved a very valuable addition to our party. DEPARTURE FROM WOOLWICH. 27 March 1841. Late in the same month Commander Wickham invalided, when the writer of this nar- rative was appointed to the vacant command, by Commander Owen Stanley, H. M. S. * Britomart,' senior officer present, an appointment subsequently confirmed by the Lords of the Admiralty. In April 1841, Lieutenant Graham Gore succeeded Lieutenant Emery.f Commander Wickham, my- self, Mr. Bynoe, the Boatswain, and two marines, had served in both the previous voyages of the * Beagle.' On the 9th of June we left Woolwich, in tow of H. M. Steamer ' Boxer,' furnished with every comfort and necessary (by the Lords of the Ad- miralty,) which our own experience, or the kind * Lieutenant Gore, had been appointed to H. M. S. ' Herald,' and came down from India, expecting to join her at Sydney : on his arrival, he found she had left the station ; and though he might have spent some months among his friends there, he in the most spirited manner, at once volunteered to join the ' Beagle,' and proved himself throughout the remainder of the voyage of the greatest value, both to the service, and the friend who here seeks to do justice to his worth. This deserving officer would seem to have an hereditary taste for the duties of a voyage of surveying and discovery, his grandfather having accompanied the renowned circumnavigator. Cook, and his father, the unfortunate Bligh, Besides Lieutenant Gore's valua- ble services in H. M. S. ' Beagle,' he was 1st Lieutenant of H. M. S. ' Volage,' during the early part of the Chinese war, and present at the capture of Aden : he served under Captain Sir Geo. Back in the Polar expedition, and on board H. M. S. 'Albion' at the battle of Navarin. 28 LIEUTS. GREY AND LUSllINGTOW's PARTY. interest of Captain Beaufort could suggest. It had been determined by tlie Government, — the plan having been suggested by Lieutenant Grey to Lord Glenelg, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, — that, simultaneously with the survey of the seaboard of the great continent of Australia, under Captain Wickham, a party should be em- ployed in inland researches, in order more particu- larly to solve the problem of the existence of a great river, or water inlet, supposed, upon the authority of Captains King and Dampier, to open out at some point on its western or north-western side, then but partially and imperfectly surveyed. This expedition was now entrusted to the command of Lieutenant Grey, — since Governor of South Australia, — who was accompanied by Lieutenant, now Captain Lushington ; Mr. Walker, Surgeon, and Corporals Coles and Auger, of the Royal Sap- pers and Miners, who had volunteered their services : they were to take passage in the * Beagle,' and to proceed either to the Cape of Good Hope or Swan River, as Lieutenant Grey might ultimately determine. It was arranged that they should join us at Plymouth, and on our arrival there on the 20th of June, — having called at Portsmouth on our way, — we found them anxiously expecting us. Here we were busily occupied for some days in rating the chronometers, and testing the various mag- netic instruments : we also durino- this time swun^ the ship to try the local attraction, which neither FAREWELL GLATVCE AT PLYMOUTH. 29 here, nor in any subsequent experiments, exceeded one degree. As the ship lay in the Sound our observations were made on a stone in the break- water marked ^, from whence we took our chro- nometric departure ; it is about one-third of the length from the east end, and had been used for similar purposes by Captains King and Fitz-Roy. We considered it to be west of Greenwich, Oh. ICm. 33s. 4^ Hardly any one can visit Plymouth Sound with- out being at once struck with the singular beauty of the surrounding scenery ; nor shall I easily forget the mingled feelings of admiration and regret with which my eye dwelt upon the quiet spot the evening before bidding it a long, long fare- well. The sea had sunk to sleep, and not a single breath disturbed its glassy surface : the silent waters — and yet how eloquently that silence spoke to the heart — glided swiftly past ; into the still air rose the unbroken column of the thin and distant smoke ; through long vistas of far-off trees, which art and nature had combined to group, the magni- ficent building at Mount Edgcumbe, but veiled, to increase its beauty : scenery varying from the soft luxury of the park, to the rude freedom of the wild mountain's side, by turns solicited the eye ; and as I leant against a shattered rock, filled with all those nameless feelings which such an hour was so well fitted to call forth, I felt notwithstanding all the temptations of promised adventure, the full bitterness of the price we pay for its excitements ! 30 DEATH OF WILLIAM THE FOURTH. On the evening of the 21st of June, we received the melancholy intelligence of the death of our late most gracious Sovereign, King William the Fourth. To all classes of his subjects his mild and paternal government has endeared his memory ; and none however they may differ with him, or with each other, upon that great political revolution which will render the name and reim of the Fourth o William, no less remarkable than that of the Third, will refuse the tribute of their sincerest respect for qualities that adorned the sovereign while they exalted the man. By the naval service, in which he had spent the early part of his life, his name will long be remembered with affection ; he never lost sight of its interests ; and warmly supported its several institutions and charities, long after he had been called by Providence to the Throne of his Fathers. We bore the first intelligence of his fate, and the account of the accession of our present most gracious Queen, to every port at which we touched up to the period of our reaching Swan River. CHAPTER II. PLYMOUTH TO BAIIIA. SAIL FROM PLYMOUTH — THE EIGHT STONES — PEAK OP TE- NERIFE APPROACH TO SANTA CRUZ — " LA CUEVA DE LOS GUANCHES" TRADE "WITH MOGADORE — INTERCOURSE BETWEEN MOGADORE AND MOMBAS REASON TO REGRET MOMBAS HAVING BEEN GIVEN UP — SAIL FROM TENERIFE — SEARCH FOR ROCKS NEAR THE EQUATOR ARRIVAL AT SAN SALVADOR — APPEARANCE OF BAHIA — STATE OF THE COUNTRY — SLAVE TRADE AND RESULTS OF SLAVERY EXTENSION OF THE SLAVE TRADE ON THE EASTERN COAST OF AFRICA — MORAL CONDITION OF THE NEGROES — MIDDy's GRAVE — DEPARTURE FROM BAHIA— AND MR. "VERY WELL DICE." The morning of the 5tli July saw us running out of Plymouth Sound with a light northerly wind, and hazy weather : soon after we were outside we spoke H. M. S. * Princess Charlotte,* bearing the flag of Admiral Sir R. Stopford, and as she was bound down channel we kept together for the next three days : she had old shipmates on board, and was not the less an object of interest on that account. Nothing worthy of particular notice occurred during the run to Santa Cruz in Tenerife, which we made on the 18th of July; having in obedience to our instructions passed over the presumed site of " The 32 PEAK OF TENERIFE. Eight Stones," thus adding another though almost needless " testimony to their non-existence, at least in the place assigned them in the old charts." In passing the gut of Gibraltar we remarked the current setting us into it : this I have before noticed in outward voyages : in the homeward, one is gene- rally too far to the westward to feel its effects. A small schooner sailed for England on the 20th, and most of us took the opportunity of sending letters by her. I learnt from the master of her that a timber ship had been recently picked up near the island, having been dismasted in a gale off the banks of Newfoundland ; she was 105 days drifting here. We were not so fortunate on this occasion as to obtain a distant sea view of the far-famed peak of Tenerife. There are few natural objects of greater interest when so beheld. Risinof at a distance of some 40 leagues in dim and awful solitude from the bosom of the seemingly boundless waves that guard its base, it rests at first upon the blue outline of the horizon like a conically shaped cloud : hour after hour as you approach the island it seems to grow upon the sight, until at length its broad reflection darkens the surrounding waters. I can imagine nothing better calculated than an appearance of this kind to satisfy a beholder of the spherical figure of the earth, and it would seem almost incredible that early navigators should have failed to find conviction in the unvarying testimonies of their own experience, which an approach to every shore aflforded. LA CUEVA DE LOS GUANCHES. 33 In approaching the anchorage of Santa Cruz, vessels should close with the shore, and get into soundings before — as is the general custom — ar- riving abreast of the town, where from the steepness of the bank, and its proximity to the shore, they are obliged to anchor suddenly, a practice never desir- able, and to vessels short handed, always inconve- nient: besides calms sometimes prevail in the ofRng, which would prevent a vessel reaching the anchorage at all. Lieut. Grey was most indefatigable in collecting information during the short period of our stay at the island, as an examination of his interesting work will at once satisfy the reader : he explored a cave three miles to the north-east of Santa Cruz, known by tradition as "La Cueva de los Guanches," and reputed to be a burying place of the aboriginal inha- bitants of the island : it was full of bones, and from the specimens he brought away, and also from his description of all that he examined, they appear to have belonged to a small-limbed race of men. Besides the wine trade, a considerable traffic is carried on with the Moors upon the opposite coast, who exchange gums and sometimes ivory for cotton and calico prints, and occasionally tobacco. The chief port for this trade is Mogadore, from whence ships not unfrequently sail direct to Liverpool. A singular circumstance was mentioned to me by our first Lieutenant Mr. Emery, as tending to prove VOL. I. D 34 TRADE WITH MOGADORE. the existence of commercial intercourse between the various tribes in the interior, and the inhabitants of the coast at Mogadore on the north-west coast of Africa, and Mombas on the south-east. In the year 1830, certain English goods were recognized in the hands of the Moors at Mogadore which had been sold two years previously to the natives at Mombas. The great extent of territory passed over within these dates, renders this fact somewhat extraordi- nary ; and it affords a reason for regretting that we did not keep possession of Mombas, which would 'ere this have enabled us to penetrate into the inte- rior of Africa : we abandoned it, at the very time when the tribes in the interior were beginning to find out the value of our manufactures, especially calicoes and cottons. From the best information that Lieutenant Emery had obtained among the natives, it seems certain that a very large lake exists in the interior, — its banks thickly studded with buildings, and lying nearly due west from Mombas. It was Lieutenant Emery's intention to have visited this lake had he remained longer at Mombas ; the Sultan's son was to have accompanied him, an advan- tage which, coupled with his own knowledge of the country and its customs, together with his great popularity among the natives, must have ensured him success. It is to be feared, that so favourable an opportunity for clearing up the doubts and darkness SAIL FROM TENERIFE. 35 which at present beset geographers in attempting to delineate this unknown land, will not soon again present itself. Having completed the necessary magnetic obser- vations, and rated the chronometers, we sailed from Tenerife, on the evening of the 23rd. It should be noticed that the results obtained from our obser- vations for the dip of the needle, differed very mate- rially from those given by former observers : the experiments made by Lieutenant Grey in different parts of the island, satisfied us that the variation could not be imputed to merely local causes. As in obedience to our instructions we had to examine and determine the hitherto doubtful posi- tion of certain rocks near the Equator, about the meridian of 20° W. longitude, we were obliged to take a course that carried us far to the eastward of the Cape de Verd Islands ; for this reason we had the N. E, trade wind very light ; we finally lost it on the 30th, in lat. 13" 0' N., and Ion. 14° 40' W. ; it had been for the two previous days scarcely per- ceptible. The S.E. trade reached us on the 8th of August, lat. 3° 30' N. long. 17° 40' W., and on the morning of the 10th we crossed the Equator in long. 22° 0' W. : when sundry of our crew and passengers under- went the usual ceremonies in honour of old Father Neptune. A close and careful search within the limits specified in our instructions justified us in certifying the non-existence of the rocks therein D 2 36 ARRIVAL AT SAN SALVADOR. alluded to : but before we presume to pass any censure upon those who preceded us in the honours of maritime discovery, and the labours of maritime survey, it will be proper to bear in mind the ceaseless changes to which the earth's surface is subject, and that, though our knowledge is but limited of the phenomena connected with subterranean and vol- canic agency, still, in the sudden upheaval and subsidence of Sabrina and Graham Islands, we have sufficient evidence of their vast disturbing power, to warrant the supposition that such might have been the case with the rocks for which our search proved fruitless. Nor are these the only causes that may be assigned to reconcile the conflicting testimonies of various Navigators upon the existence of such dansrers ; the orisfin of which mav be ascribed to drift timber — reflected light discolouring the sea, and causing the appearance of broken water — or to the floating carcase of a whale, by which I have myself been more than once deceived. A succession of winds between S.S. E. and S.E., with the aid of a strong westerly current, soon brought us near the Brazils. We made the land on the morning of the 17th, about 15 miles to the north- east of Bahia, and in the afternoon anchored ofi^ the town of San Salvador. Though this was neither my first nor second visit to Bahia, I was still not indifferent to the magnificent or rather luxuriant tropical scenery which it pre- sents. A bank of such verdure as these sun-lit STATE OF THE COUiNTRY AT BAHIA. 37 climes alone supply, rose precipitously from the dark blue water, dotted with the white and gleaming walls of houses and convents half hidden in woods of every tint of green ; while here and there the lofty spires of some Christian temple pointed to a yet fairer world, invisible to mortal eye, and suggested even to the least thoughtful, that glorious as is this lower earth, framed by Heaven's beneficence for man's enjoyment, still it is not that home to which the hand of revelation directs the aspirations of our frail humanity. I had last seen Bahia in August, 1836, on the homeward voyage of the Beagle ; and it was then in anything but a satisfactory condition ; the white population divided among themselves, and the slaves concerting by one bloody and desperate blow to achieve their freedom. It did not appear to have improved during the intervening period : a revolutionary movement was still contemplated by the more liberal section of the Brazilians, though at the very period they thus judiciously selected for squabbling with one another, they were living in hourly expectation of a rising, en masse, of the blacks. That such an insurrection must sooner or later take place — and take place with all the most fearful circumstances of long delayed and complete revenge — no unprejudiced observer can doubt. That selfish and short-sighted policy which is almost invariably allied with despotism, has led to such constant additions by importation to the 38 SLAVE TRADE. number of the slave population, that it now exceeds the white in the ratio of ten to one, while individually the slaves are both physically and in natural capa- city more than equal to their sensual and degenerate masters. Bahia and its neighbourhood have a bad eminence in the annals of the Brazilian slave-trade. Upwards of fifty, some accounts say eighty cargoes, had been landed there since the Beao^le's last visit : nor is the circumstance to be wondered at when we bear in mind, that the price of a slave then varied from £90. to £100., and this in a country not abounding in money. The declining trade, the internal disorganization, and the rapidly augmenting slave population of Bahia, all tend to prove that the system of slavery which the Brazilians consider essential to the wel- fare of their country, operates directly against her real interests. The wonderful resources of the Brazils will, however, never be fully developed until the Brazilians resolve to adopt the line of policy suggested in Captain Fitz-Roy's interesting remarks upon this subject. To encourage an in- dustrious native population on the one hand, and on the other to declare the slave-trade piratical, are the first necessary steps in that march of improve- ment, by which this tottering empire may yet be preserved from premature decay. It would, however, be " a vain imagination," to suppose that this wiser and more humane determi- nation wdll be spontaneously adopted by those most RESULTS OF SLAVERY. 39 implicated in this debasing and demoralizing traffic. Indeed it appears from the best information obtained on the subject, that since the vigilance of our cruizers has comparatively put a stop to the trade on the west coast of Africa, — where it has received a great discouragement — it has been greatly extended on the east. Could it but have been foreseen by our Government that their efforts upon the west coast, would in proportion as they were successful, only tend to drive the traders in human flesh to the eastward, it is probable that Mombas would have still been retained under our dominion ; for such a possession would have enabled us to exercise an effectual control in that quarter : as it is, it gives additional reason to regret that the place was ever abandoned. The horrors of the passage — horrors which no imagination can heighten, no pen ade- quately pour tray — are by this alteration in the chief seat of the accursed trade most fearfully aug- mented. The poor victims of cruelty and fraud and avarice, in their most repulsive forms, are packed away between decks scarcely three feet high, in small vessels of 30 or 40 tons, and thus situated have to encounter the cold and stormy passage round the Cape : the average mortality is of course most frightful, but the smallness of the vessels em- ployed decreases the risk of the speculators in human flesh, who consider themselves amply repaid, if they save one living cargo out of every five embarked ! 40 MORAL CONDITION OF THE NEGROES. In * the mean time cargoes of slaves are almost weekly landed in the neighbourhood of Bahia : the thousand evils of the vile system are each day in- creasing, and with a rapid but unregarded footstep the fearful hour steals on, when a terrible reckoning of unrestrained revenge will repay all the accumu- lated wrongs of the past, and write in characters of blood an awful warning for the future ! 80 far as we could learn, no attempts are made by the masters to introduce the blessings of Chris- tianity among those whom they deprive of temporal freedom. The slave is treated as a valuable animal and nothing more : the claims of his kindred huma- nity so far forgotten as they relate to his first un- alienable right of personal freedom, are not likely to be remembered in his favour, in what concerns his coheritage in the sublime sacrifice of atonement once freely offered for us all ! He toils through long and weary years, cheered by no other hope than the far distant and oft delusive expectation that a dearly pur- chased freedom — if for freedom's blessings any price can be too costly — will enable him to look once more upon the land of his nativity; and then close his eyes, surrounded by the loved few whom the ties of kindred endear even to his rude nature. It would swell this portion of the work to an unreasonable extent, to give any lengthened details of the working of a system, about which among my readers no two opinions can exist. Let it suffice to say, that the Europeans are generally better and middy's grave. 41 less exacting masters than the Brazilians. Among the latter it is a common practice to send so many slaves each day to earn a certain fixed sum by car- rying burdens, pulling in boats, or other laborious employment ; and those who return at night without the sum thus arbitrarily assessed as the value of their day's work, are severely flogged for their presumed idleness. During our brief stay at Bahia I paid a visit to the grave of poor young Musters, a little Middy in the Beagle during our last voyage, who died here on the 19th May, 1832, from the eff*ects of a fever caught while away on an excursion up the river Macacu. He was a son of Lord Byron's ** Mary," and a great favourite with all on board. Poor boy ! no stone marks his lonely resting place upon a foreign shore, but the long grass waves over his humble grave, and the tall palm tree bends to the melancholy wind that sighs above it. As I paid his memory the tribute due to his many virtues and his early death, I breathed a prayer that the still and placid beauty of the spot where his mortal remains return to their kindred dust, may typify the tranquil happiness of that world of spirits with which his own is now united ! On the afternoon of Friday the 25th, we left the magnificent bay of Bahia, and after obtaining an offing, stood away to the southward and eastward. I was much amused by a story of Grey's a day or two after we sailed : it seems he had mistaken the 42 MR. " VERY WELL, DICE." Quartermaster's usual call in conning the ship of " Very well, dice," (a corruption of " very well, thus") for a complimentary notice of the man at the helm ; and anxious to know the individual who so distinguished himself, had two or three times gone on deck to see " Mr. Very well Dice :" finding a different helmsman each time, completely con- founded him ; and when I explained the matter, he joined me in a hearty laugh at the mistake ! CHAPTER III. FROM THE CAPE TO SWAN RIVER. A GALE — ANCHOR IN SIMOn's BAY — H.M.S. THALIA — CAPTAIN HARRIS, AND HIS ADVENTURES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA — PRO- CEEDINGS OF THE LAND PARTY LEAVE SIMOn's BAY — AN OVERLOADED SHIP — HEAVY W^EATHER AND WET DECKS — ISLAND OF AMSTERDAM — ITS TRUE LONGITUDE ST. Paul's — water — westerly variation — rottenest ISLAND — gage's ROADS — SWAN RIVER SETTLEMENT FREEMANTLE AN INLAND LAKE PLANS FOR THE FU- TURE— ILLNESS OF CAPTAIN WICKHAM TIDAL PHENO- MENA— PERTH — APPROACH TO IT — NARROW ESCAPE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS — THE DARLING RANGE — ABUNDANT HARVEST — SINGULAR FLIGHT OF STRANGE BIRDS — CU- RIOUS CLIFF NEAR SWAN RIVER — BALD HEAD— MR. DAR- WIN's theory — THE NATIVES — MIAGO — ANECDOTES OF NATIVES THEIR SUPERSTITIONS BARBAROUS TRADI- TIONS, THEIR USES AND THEIR LESSONS. We had, upon the whole, a favourable passage across to the Cape ; but on the 17th of September, when distant from it about 500 miles, we encoun- tered a moderate gale from the north. As this was the first heavy weather we had experienced since our departure from England, I was curious to see what effect such a strange scene would have on our passengers. Wrapt in mute astonishment, 44 ANCHOR AT Simon's bay. they stood gazing with admiration and awe on the huge waves as they rolled past, occasionally im- mersino; our little vessel in their white crests — and listening, with emotions not wholly devoid of fear, to the wild screams of the sea-birds as they skimmed o'er the steep acclivities of these moving masses. The landsmen were evidently deeply impressed with the grandeur of a storm at sea ; nor can the hardiest seaman look with unconcern on such an exhibition of the majesty of Him, whose will the winds and waves obey. Not more poetically beautiful than literally true are the words of the Psalmist, so appropriately introduced into the Form of Prayers at Sea, — " They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters : these men see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep : for at his word the stormy wind ariseth, which lifteth up the waves thereof." My own ex- perience has over and over again satisfied me, that, mingled with many a dim superstition, a deep reli- gious sentiment — a conviction of the migj-ht and mercy of Heaven — often rests on the heart of the most reckless seaman, himself all unconscious of its existence, yet strangely influenced by its operations ! We sighted land on the eveninor of the 20th of September, rounded the Cape the next morning, and in the afternoon anchored in Simon's Bay. We found here PI. M.S. 'Thalia,' bearing the flag of Admiral Sir Patrick Campbell, Coramander-in- ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN HARRIS. 45 chief of the Cape station : and during- our subse- quent stay received every attention which kindness and courtesy could suggest, from himself and his officers. We were glad to ascertain that our chronometers had been performing admirably. They gave the longitude of Simon's Bay, within a few seconds of our homeward determination during the last voyage. Mr. Maclear, of the Royal Observatory, and Cap- tain Wauchope, of the flag-ship, had been measur- ing the difference of longitude between Simon's Bay dock -yard and Cape -Town Observatory, by flashing lights upon the summit of a mountain mid- way between those two places. Their trials gave a greater difference, by a half-second, between the two meridians, than we had obtained on a former visit by carrying chronometers to and fro. The results stand as follow : s Mr. Maclear and Captain "Wauchope . 11 '5" H.M. Sloop, "Beagle" . . . ll'O We found at the Cape the renowned Captain Harris, H.E.I. Company's Bombay Engineers, who had just returned from his sporting expedition into the interior of Southern Africa, having made his way through every obstacle, from the frontier of the Cape Colony, through the territories of the chief Moselekatse, to the Tropic of Capricorn. With his spirit-stirring accounts of hunting adven- ture and savage manners we were all most highly gratified. What he had seen, where he had been, 46 SAIL FOR SWAN RIVER. and what he had performed " by flood and field," have since been told to the world by himself, and therefore need not be repeated here : but it would be unpardonable not to do justice to his energy, his perseverance, and his success. He had collected quite a museum of the Natural History of the wild beasts against whom his crusade had been directed ; while his collection of drawings, both as regarded the animals delineated, and the appearance of the country in which they were found, was really most beautiful : and many a pleasant hour w^as spent in viewing the various specimens and illustrations, each one of which testified the intrepidity and skill of himself or his no less adventurous com- panion, William Richardson, Esq., B.C.S. It will readily be believed that these two gentlemen w-ere then, themselves, the great Lions of that part of Africa. Having completed our observations, and crammed every available square inch of the ' Beagle' with various stores, — a proceeding rendered absolutely necessary by the unsatisfactory accounts we received of the state of affairs at Swan River, — we sailed for that place on the morning of the 12th of October. It should be mentioned, that Lieutenant Grey, hearing it would be impossible for him to obtain a suitable vessel at Swan River, hired a small schooner from this port, and sailed, with his party, for Hanover Bav, on the north-west coast of Australia, the dav after our departure. His subsequent perils, wander- ISLAND OF AMSTERDAM. 47 ings, and adventures having been fully described in his own published account, I need do no more here than allude to them. We encountered a good deal of heavy weather, shifting winds, and consequently irregular seas, during our run to Swan River ; and owing to the deep state of our loaded little vessel, her decks were almost constantly flooded. For many days we had never less than an inch and a half of water on them all over ; and this extra weight, in our already over burthened craft, did not, of course, add to her live- liness ; however, she struggled on, and on the 1st of November bore us in sight of the Island of Amsterdam, and in the afternoon past to the south- ward of it, sufliciently near to determine its position. The summit of the Island, which has rather a peaked appearance, we found to be 2,760 feet high, in latitude 38° 53' South, longitude 77*' 37' East of Greenwich. It is singular that though this Island, which is almost a finger post for ships bound from the Cape either to New Holland or India, has been so long known to all navigators of these seas, its true longitude should have been till now unascertained. The western side presented the appearance of a broken down crater, nor indeed can there be any reason to doubt its volcanic origin. Light brown was the pervading colour upon the sides of the island, and appeared to be caused by stunted bushes and grass. The southern island, St. Paul's, affords a good anchorage in 21 fathoms, 48 ST. Paul's. about midway on its eastern side, latitude 38° 42', and is in every way preferable to the spot chosen for that purpose by Vlaming in 1764, on the south-east side of Amsterdam, where landing is never very easy, and generally quite impracticable. The well ascertained fact, that water is found in abundance at St. Paul's, leads to a very fair in- ference, that in this humid atmosphere, and with a much greater elevation, the same essential com- modity may be met with at Amsterdam ; but cer- tainly at St. Paul's, and most probably at Amster- dam, the rugged nature of the travelling over these volcanic islands, would render useless any attempt to water a ship. The following table, though it may not possess much interest for the general reader, will not be without its value in the eyes of my nautical bre- thren : it shews the increase of variation since 1747 :— From Horsburg's Directory WESTERLY VARIATION. o . 18f 20 H.M.S. Beagle . ' 1837 . . .21 As these islands lie in the same meridian, the longitude given above of Amsterdam, will equally apply to St. Paul's : they are admirably situated for connecting the meridians of Africa and Australia. We lost sight of Amsterdam towards evening, and flattered ourselves that we were also leaving the ROTTENEST ISLAND. 49 bad weather behind. The sky more settled ; the sea less high ; and the barometer rising: such in- dications, however, cannot be implicitly trusted in this boisterous climate ; and shortly after dark, having shipped a very heavy sea, we rounded too for the night. The constant set of the huge follow- ing seas, carried our little vessel much faster to the eastward than could be easily credited, till proved by actual observation. During the last three or four days, we had run upwards of 195 miles daily by the observations, being from twenty to thirty more each day than appeared from the reckoning. We made Rottenest Island on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 15th ; and in the afternoon of the same day, anchored in Gage's Road, Swan River. Our position at midnight, the night before, made us about 30 miles from the main land, when we had the wind from the eastward, getting round again towards noon to south and by west. This may be some guide to the limit of the land wind, and as such I record the fact. During the three days pre- vious to our making the land, we experienced a northerly current of one knot per hour. We tried during the same period for soundings, with nearly 200 fathoms, but in vain. We passed along the north shore of Rottenest at the distance of a mile and a half, closing with it as we got to the eastward, where it is not so rocky. The north shore should not be approached within a mile. As we were opening out the bay VOL. I. E 50 SWAN RIVER SETTLEMENT. on the north-east end of the island, we passed over a rocky patch, with, from appearance, not more than three fathoms on it, it is small, and we had 14 fathoms close to it. This patch is about one mile N. by W. from the north-west point of the bay. Off this point is a low rocky islet ; and when on the shoal, we could just make out the white sandy beach in the bay open between it and the point. The western points of the island are all shut in by the north point ; therefore, keeping them open, will always enable the navigator to give this dangerous rock* a wide berth. The Swan River Settlement, which is a portion of the colony of Western Australia, was founded in August 1829, under the auspices of the Colonial Office, Captain Stirling being the first Lieutenant- Governor. Freeman tie, at the entrance of Swan River, is the sea port ; and Perth, situate about nine miles inland, the seat of Government : Guilford and York are the other chief places in the colony. There is nothing very particularly inviting in the first appearance of Western Australia ; dull green- looking downs, backed by a slightly undulating range of hills, rising to nearly 2,000 feet high, are the chief natural features of the prospect. Free- mantle, of which it was wittily said by the quarter- master of one of His Majesty's ships who visited the place, "You might run it through an hourglass * Now called Roe's Patch. FREEMANTLE. 51 in a day,'* is but a collection of low white houses scattered over the scarce whiter sand. The only con- spicuous landmark visible in approaching the ancho- rage is the Jail : rather a singular pharos for a settlement in Australia, which boasts its uncon- tarainated state. This building I afterwards induced the Governor to have white-washed, and it now forms an excellent mark to point out the river, as well as the town.* Shortly after our arrival, I was introduced to the Governor, Sir James Stirling ; he, and all those here best qualified to judge, joined in regretting that Lieutenant Grey had not decided to come on with us. The accounts we heard of the country and the natives gave us every reason to entertain but slender hopes of his success. Sir James and Mr. Roe, the Surveyor-General, appeared to coin- cide with the general opinion that a large inland lake will ultimately be discovered. They had ques- tioned many of the natives about it, who all as- serted its existence, and pointed in a south-easterly direction to indicate its position. Their notions of distance are, to say the least, exceedingly rude ; with them every thing is " far away, far away." The size of this water the natives describe by saying, that if a boy commenced walking round it, by the time he finished his task he would have become an old man ! After all may not this be * A large patcli of white sand, on the coast, about three miles to the northward of Swan River, also serves as a landmark. E 2 52 AN INLAND LAKE. the great Australian Bight that these natives have heard of, for none we met in Western Australia pre- tended to have seen it ? They derive their infor- mation from the eastern tribes, and under such circumstances it must at least be considered ex- tremely vague.* The Surveyor-General had lately returned from an exploring journey to the eastward of the capital, and reported that there existed no reasonable pro- bability of extending the colony in that direction : he strongly recommended us to proceed at once to the north-west coast, and return again to Swan River to recruit ; saying that we should find the heat there too great to remain for a longer period. This course Captain Wickham, after due delibera- tion, resolved to adopt, and accordingly all the stores, not absolutely required, were forthwith landed, and the ship made in every respect as airy as possible. The 25th November was fixed for our departure, when most unfortunately Captain Wick- ham, while on his way to Perth, was attacked with a severe dysentery, and continued so ill that he could not be brought to the ship till the end of December. The most that could be efi"ected was done to improve this unavoidable delay ; and our * This much talked of lake, which it was the assumed labour of a life to circumambulate, was discovered in January 1843, by Messrs. Landor and Lefroy,who found it about 100 miles S.S.E. from Beverley. It is quite salt, called Danibeling, and about fifteen miles long by seven and a half broad ! APPROACH TO PERTH. 53 tidal observations, before commenced, were more diligently pursued. We found the greatest rise only thirty-one inches, and here, as elsewhere on the Australian coast, we observed the remarkable phenomenon of only one tide in the twenty-four hours ! Surveying operations were also entered on, connecting Rottenest Island with the mainland; the dangers which surround it, as well as those which lie between its shores and the coast, were discovered and laid down : this survey, of great importance to the interests of shipping in these waters, was ultimately completed on our subsequent visits to Swan River. That arid appearance which first meets the settler on his arrival, and to which allusion has already been made, cannot but prove disheartening to him : particularly if, as is generally the case, his own sanguine expectations of a second Paradise have been heightened by the interested descrip- tions of land jobbers and emigration agents. How- ever, when he ascends the river towards the capital, this feeling of despondency will gradually wear away ; its various windings bring, to his eager and anxious eye, many a bright patch of park-like wood- land ; while the river, expanding as he proceeds, till the beautiful estuary of Melville water opens out before him, becomes really a magnificent fea- ture in the landscape ; and the boats, passing and repassing upon its smooth and glassy bosom, give the animation of industry, and suggest all the cheer- 54 NARROW ESCAPE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS. ful anticipations of ultimate success to the resolutfi adventurer. From about the centre of this lake- like piece of water, the eye first rests upon the capital of Western Australia, a large straggling village, partly concealed by the abrupt termination of a woody ridge, and standing upon a picturesque slope on the right bank of the river, thirteen miles from its mouth. The distant range of the Darling- mountains supplies a splendid back ground to the picture, and the refreshing sea breeze which curls the surface of Melville water every afternoon, adds to the health, no less than comfort, of the inhabi- tants. The former inconvenience, caused by the shoal approach, and which rendered landing at low water a most uncomfortable operation, has now been remedied by the construction of a jetty. Like all the Australian rivers with which we are yet acquainted, the Swan is subject to sudden and tremendous floods, which inundate the corn lands in its vicinity, and sweep away all opposing obstacles with irresistible impetuosity. The first settlers had a most providential escape from a calamity of this kind : they had originally selected for the site of their new city, a low lying piece of land, which, during the first winter after their arrival, was visited with one of these strange and unexplained invasions from the swellinof stream : had the deluoe been delayed for another year, these luckless inhabitants of a new world would have shared the fate of those to whom Noah preached in vain ; but. SINGULAR FLIGHT OF STRANGE BIRDS. 55 warned in time, they chose some safer spot, from whence, in future, they and their descendants may safely contemplate the awful grandeur of similar occurrences, and thankfully profit by the fertility and abundance which succeed to such wholesale irrigation. During this, our first visit, I had no opportunity of penetrating into the country further than the Darling range : in journeying thither, we passed through Guilford, a township on the banks of the Swan, about seven miles north-east from Perth, and four from the foot of the mountains. It stands upon a high part of the alluvial flat fringing the river, and which extends from half to one mile from it on either side. The rich quality of the soil may be imagined from the fact, that, in 1843, after thirteen years of successive cropping, it produced a more abundant harvest than it had done at first, without any artificial aid from manures. A singular flight of strange birds, was noticed at Guilford about the year 1833, during the time when the corn was green : they arrived in an innumerable host, and were so tame as to be easily taken by hand. In general appearance they resembled the land-rail, but were larger, and quite as heavy on the wing. They disappeared in the same myste- rious manner as they arrived, and have never since repeated their visit. Were these birds visitors from the interior, or had they just arrived at the end of a migratory journey from some distant country ? It is to be regretted that no specimen of them was 56 THE DARLING RANGE. to be obtained, as it might have helped to clear an interesting subject from doubt. The change in ascending this range, from the alluvium near its base, to the primitive formation of which it is itself composed, is very remarkable. Shells still common on the adjacent coasts were met with 14 feet below the surface, near the foot of the range, by one of the colonists when sinking a well. In the same locality deposits of sand may be seen, having that particular wavy appearance which is always noticed upon the sea beach. These appear- ances, as well as the general aspect of the adja- cent country, seem to justify the conclusion I arrived at while on the spot, that the land which now intervenes between the mountains and the shore, is a comparatively recent conquest from the sea. The character of this land may be thus described : — The first three miles from the coast is occupied with ridges of hills, from 100 to 200 feet high, of calcareous limestone formation, cropping out in such innumerable points and odd shapes as to be almost impassable. Some of these lumps resemble a large barnacle ; both lumps and points are covered with long, coarse grass, and thus con- cealed, become a great hindrance to the pedestrian, who is constantly wounded by them. To these ridges succeed sandy forest land and low hills, except on the banks of the rivulets, where a belt of alluvial soil is to be found. The Darling range traverses the whole of Western Australia in a direction, SINGULAR CLIFF. 57 generally speaking, north and south. It appears to suhside towards the north, and its greatest elevation is nearly 2,000 feet. The cliffs of the coast at the mouth of Swan River, have a most singular appear- ance, as though covered with thousands of roots, twisted together into a species of net-work. A similar curiosity is to be seen on Bald Head, in King George's Sound, so often alluded to by former navigators, and by them mistaken either for coral, or petrified trees standing where they originally grew. Bald Head was visited by Mr. Darwin, in company with Captain Fitz-Roy, in February 1836, and his opinions upon the agencies of formation, so exactly coincide with those to which I attribute the appearances at Arthur's Head, that I cannot do better than borrow his words. He says, — page 537, vol. 3, " According to our views, the rock was formed by the wind heaping up calcareous sand, during which process, branches and roots of trees, and land-shells were enclosed, the mass being after- wards consolidated by the percolation of rain water. When the wood had decayed, lime was washed into the cylindrical cavities, and became hard, some- times even like that in a stalactite. The weather is now wearing away the softer rock, andin consequence the casts of roots and branches project above the surface : their resemblance to the stumps of a dead shrubbery was so exact, that, before touching them, we were sometimes at a loss to know which were 58 THE NATIVES. composed of wood, and which of calcareous matter."* We were much struck during our stay by the contrast between the natives here, and those we had seen on the Beagle's former voyage at King George's Sound. The comparison was wholly in favour of those livingf within the influence of their civilized fellow- men : a fact which may surprise some of my readers, but for which, notwithstanding, I am quite pre- pared to vouch. A better quality, and more certain supply of food, are the causes to which this supe- riority ought to be attributed : they are indeed exceedingly fond of wheaten bread, and work hard for the settlers, in cutting wood and carrying water, in order to obtain it. Individually they appear peaceable, inoffensive, and well-disposed, and, under proper management, make very good servants ; but when they congregate together for any length of time, they are too apt to relapse into the vices of savage life. Among the many useful hints, for which we were indebted to Mr. Roe, was that of taking a native with us to the northward ; and, accordingly, after some trouble, we shipped an intelligent young man, named Miago ; he proved, in some respects, exceedingly useful, and made an excellent gun-room waiter. We noticed that, like most of the natives, he was deeply scarred, and I learned from him that this is done to recommend * For more exact details the reader should consult INIr. Dar- win's volume on " Volcanic Islands." ANECDOTES OF THE NATIVES. 59 them to the notice of the ladies. Like all savages, they are treacherous, — for uncivilized man has no abstract respect for truth, and consequently deceit, whether spoken or acted, seems no baseness in his eyes. I heard an anecdote at Perth that bears upon this subject : — A native of the name of Tonquin asked a settler, who lived some distance in the interior, permission to spend the night in his kitchen, of which that evening another native was also an inmate. It seems that some hate, either personal, or the consequences of a quarrel between their different tribes, existed in the mind of Tonquin towards his hapless fellow lodger ; and in the night he speared him through the heart, and then very quietly laid down to sleep ! Of course in the morn- ing no little stir took place. Tonquin was accused, but stoutly denied the charge. So satisfied, how- ever, was the owner of the house of the guilt of the real culprit, that had he not made his escape, he would have been executed " red hand," — as the border Avardens used to say, — by the man, the sanctity of whose roof-tree he had thus profaned. Tonquin afterwards declared that he never slept for nearly a fortnight, being dogged from place to place by the footsteps of the avengers of blood. He escaped, however, with his life, though worn almost to a shadow by constant anxiety. When I saw him some years afterwards, I thought him the finest looking native I had ever seen, but he was apparently, as those who knew him best reported 60 SUPERSTITIONS. him to be, insane. If not the memory of his crime, and the consequent remorse which it entailed upon him, perhaps the fugitive life he was compelled to lead in order to avoid the wrath of human retribu- tion, had been used to make manifest the anger of Heaven for this breach of one of those first great laws of human society, which are almost as much instincts of our nature as revelations fi'om the Creator to the creatures of his will ! The natives have a superstitious horror of ap- proaching the graves of the dead, of whom they never like to speak, and when induced to do so, always whisper. A settler, residing in a danger- ous part of the colony, had two soldiers stationed with him as a guard : upon one occasion five natives rushed in at a moment when the soldiers were un- prepared for their reception, and a terrible struggle ensued : the soldiers, however, managed, while on the ground, to shoot two of them, and bayonetted the remaining three. The five were afterwards buried before the door, nor could a more perfect safeguard have been devised ; no thought even of revenge for their comrades would afterwards induce any of the tribe to pass that fearful boundary. Their most curious superstition, however, re- mains to be recorded ; it is the opinion they con- fidently entertain, and which seems universally diffused among them, that the white people are their former fellow countrymen, who in such altered guise revisit the world after death. Miago assured me that THE EVIL SPIRIT. 61 this was the current opinion, and my own personal observation subsequently confirmed his statement. At Perth, one of the settlers, from his presumed likeness to a defunct member of the tribe of the Murray River, was visited by his supposed kindred twice every year, though in so doing they passed through sixty miles of what was not unfrequently an enemy's country. Their religious opinions, so far as I have been able to obtain any information on the subject, are exceed- ingly vague and indefinite. That they do not re- gard the grave as man's final resting place, may, however, be fairly concluded, from the superstition I have just alluded to, and that they believe in in- visible and superior powers — objects of dread and fear, rather than veneration or love — has been tes- tified in Captain Grey's most interesting chapter upon " Native Customs," and confirmed by my own experience. I used sometimes to question Miago upon this point, and from him I learned their belief in the existence of an evil spirit, haunt- ing dark caverns, wells, and places of mystery and gloom, and called Jinga. I heard from a settler that upon one occassion, a native travelling with him, refused to go to the well at night from fear of this malevolent being ; supposed to keep an especial guardianship over fresh water, and to be most terrible and most potent in the hours of darkness. Miago had never seen this object of his fears, but upon the authority of the elders of his tribe, he described 62 THE EVIL SPiniT. its visible presence as that of a huge many-folded serpent ; and in the night, when the tall forest trees moaned and creaked in the fitful wind, he would shrink terrified by the solemn and mysterious sounds, which then do predispose the mind to superstitious fears, and tell how, at such a time, his countrymen kindle a fire to avert the actual pre- sence of the evil spirit, and wait around it — chant- ing their uncouth and rhythmical incantations — with fear and tremblino^, for the cominfj dawn. I have preserved these anecdotes here, because I can vouch for their authenticity, and though individually unimportant, they may serve to throw additional light upon the manners, customs, and traditions of the Aborigines of Australia ; but to all really interested in the subject, I would re- commend a perusal of Captain Grey's second vo- lume. I have as yet neither space nor materials to attempt any detailed account of the customs, super- stitions, or condition of this strange people ; but it would be impossible to pass them by quite un- noticed : nor can the voyager, whose chief object is to make their native land a field for the exertions of British enterprise, be wholly indifferent to the manner in which our dominion may affect them. The history of almost every colony, founded by European energy, has been one fearful catalogue of crime; and though by the side of the Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese, English adventurers seem gentle and benevolent, still cruelty and oppression FUTURE PROSPECTS. 63 have too often disgraced our name and faith. Thank Heaven, with many a doubt as to the time that must elapse ere that glad day shall come, I can look onward with confidence to a period — I trust not far remote, — when throughout the length and breadth of Australia, Christian civilization shall attest that the claims upon England's benevolence have been nobly acknowledged ! CHAPTER IV. FROM SWAN RIVER TO ROEBUCK BAY. SAIL FROM gage's ROAD — SEARCH FOR A BANK — CUR- RENTS AND SOUNDINGS — HOUTMAn's ABROLHOS FRUIT- LESS SEARCH FOR RITCHIe's REEF — INDICATIONS OF A SQUALL — DEEP SEA SOUNDINGS — ATMOSPHERIC TEMPE- RATURE FISH — A SQUALL ANCHOR OFF THE MOUTH OF ROEBUCK BAY A HEAVY SQUALL — DRIVEN FROM OUR ANCHORAGE CAPE VILLARET — ANCHOR IN ROE- BUCK BAY — EXCURSION ON SHORE — VISIT FROM THE NATIVES — MR. BYNOe's ACCOUNT OF THEM — A STRANGER AMONG THEM — CAPTAIN GREy's ACCOUNT OF AN "ALMOST white" RACE IN AUSTRALIA — BIRDS, SNAKES, AND TURTLE — MOVE THE SHIP — MIAGO, AND THE "BLACK FELLOWs" THE WICKED MEN OF THE NORTH — CLOUDS OF MAGELLAN FACE OF THE COUNTRY — NATIVES — HEAT AND SICKNESS — MIAGO ON SHORE — MR. USBORNE WOUNDED — FAILURE IN ROEBUCK BAY — NATIVE NOTIONS. The solemnities of Christmas, and the festal celebration of the New Year, beneath a cloudless sky, and with the thermometer at 90, concluded our first visit to Swan River. We left our anchorage in Gage's Road on Thursday, January 4th, devot- ing several hours to sounding between Rottenest and the main. We bore away at 4, p.m. to search for a bank said to exist about fifteen miles north CURRENTS AND SOUNDINGS. 65 from the middle of Rottenest Island, having from twenty to twenty-two fathoms over it. Near the position assigned we certainly shoaled our water from twenty-eight to twenty-four fathoms, but no other indication of a bank was to be found. Satisfied that we had now no further reason for delay, we kept away N.W. with a fresh southerly wind, and the glad omen of a brilliant sunset. January 5. — We were rather surprised to find by our observation at noon, no indication of a northerly current, though yesterday when becalmed between Rottenest and the main we were drifted to the northward at the rate of nearly two knots per hour. We sounded regularly every four hours, but found no bottom at 200 fathoms : the wind during the morning was light from S. S. W. but during the nio^ht we had it fresh from S.E. January 6. — We passed, at midnight, within 60 miles of the position assigned in the chart to the low coral group known as Houtman's Abrolhos,* and again sounded unsuccessfully with 200 fathoms. We continued steering a northerly course up to the 9th, keeping within from 60 to 80 miles distance of the coast, and repeating our deep-sea soundings everv six hours without success. The wind during each day was moderate from the S.S.W. and S. by W,, freshening during the night * Subsequent observations pk.ced these islands 30 miles more to the eastward than the position there assigned them. Our track, therefore, was really 90 miles from them. VOL. I. F 6G INDICATIONS OF A SQUALL. from South, and S. by E. ; a heavy swell was its con- stant companion, and the barometer fell to 29.75. On the morning of the 9th, being in the parallel of North-west Cape, our course was altered to N. E. by E. ; it blew hard during the night, and we had a disagreeable sea ; but, as usual, it moderated again towards the morning. We had shaped a course to make a reef in lat. 20° 17', and named after its discoverer. Lieutenant Ritchie, R.N. ; but owing to its being situated, as we afterwards found, half a degree to the eastward of its assigned position in the charts, we did not see it. At 4, A. M,. and with 195 fathoms, we reached a bottom of sand, broken shells, and coral, being then about 80 miles N.N.E. from Tremouille Island, the nearest land. Steering E. by N. J N. for 31 miles, brought us to our noon position in lat. 19° 20' S., long. 116° 16' E., and into a depth of 120 fathoms, with the same kind of bottoms. 8.S.W., 17 miles from our morning position. Cap- tain King had 83 and 85 fathoms; fi'om this we may suppose the edge of the bank of soundings, ex- tending off this part of the coast, to be very steep. These soundings, together with those of Captain King, as above, may give some idea of the nature and extent of this bank, which seems to be a conti- nuation of the flat extending N.N.E. 40 miles, con- necting Barrow and Tremouille Islands wnth the main : its outer edge being kept heaped up thus DEEP SEA SOUNDINGS. 67 steeply by the constant action of the current sweep- ing round the North-west Cape. We continued steering E. and by N. ^ N., and at sunset, 14 miles from our noon position, the water had deepened to 145 fathoms, bottom a fine white sand and powdered shells. Before we were 50 miles from our noon position, we could find no bottom with 200 fathoms. January 12. — We made but slow progress during the night, and felt delay the more tedious from the eager anxiety with which we desired sight of the land where our duties were to begin in earnest. We were not successful with our soundings till 6 P.M., when we had the same kind of bottom as before described, with 117 fathoms : 15 miles E. by N. ^ N. from our noon position, which was 220 miles W. by S. from Roebuck Bay : 30 miles in the same direction from our noon position, we shoaled our water to 85 fathoms, the ground retaining the same distinctive character. We had the wind from S.W. to S.E. during the afternoon, but at 6 p.m. it chopped round to N.N.W., when, too, for the first time, we perceived lightning to the S.E. — Barometer 29.92 ; thermometer 85. January 13. — The preceding indications of the coming squall, which had given us full time for preparation, were realized about one o'clock this morning, when it reached us, though only mode- rately, from S.E. It was preceded by the rise and F 2 68 ATMOSPHERIC TEMPEUATURE. rapid advance of a black cloud in that quarter, just as Captain King has described. At noon we were in lat. 18°26'8., long. 119" 18' E., and in soundings of 75 fathoms, fine white sand, broken shells, and fragments of dead coral. There was only a slight variation in the atmospheric temperature of two degrees during the twenty-four hours,- the highest in the day being 85, and the lowest at night 83. The water was very smooth, but as night approached it thundered and lightened heavily and vividly, and most of us noticed and suffered from a particularly oppressive and over- powering state of the atmosphere, which the heat indicated by the thermometer was by no means sufficiently intense to account for. January 14. — During the last twenty-four hours we had made but 51 miles progress in the di- rection of Roebuck Bay ; our noon observations placed us in lat. 18° 25' S., long. 120° 13' E., being about 80 miles from the nearest land. We ob- tained soundings at 72 fathoms, — yellow sand and broken shells. During the afternoon, it being nearly a calm, we found ourselves surrounded by quantities of fish, about the size of the mackarel, and apparently in pursuit of a number of small and almost transparent members of the finny tribe, not larger than the minnow. We sounded at sunset, and found bottom at 52 fathoms, which shoaled by half-past ten to 39. The circumstance, however, occasioned no surprise, as HEAVY SQUALL. 69 we had run S.S.E, 25 miles, in a direct line for that low portion of the coast from which the flat we were running over extends. The first part of the night we had the wind at N.N.E., the breeze steady, and the water as smooth as glass ; but as the watch wore on, quick flashes of forked lightning, and the suspicious appearance of gathering clouds in the S.E., gave warning of the unwelcome approach of a heavy squall. At eleven we lay becalmed for ten minutes between two contending winds ; that from the S., however, presently prevailed, and shifting to the S.E., blew hard : meantime, a dark mass of clouds in the E.S.E. appeared suddenly to assume the form of a deep- caverned archway, and moved rapidly towards us ; in a few minutes, the ship was heeling majestically to the passing gust, the lightning flashed vividly and rapidly around us, alternately concealing and revealing the troubled surface of the foam-covered sea, while the thunder rolled heavily over our heads. The squall was heavy while it lasted, commencing at E.S.E. and ending at E,N.E. It was accom- panied by heavy rain. Towards the end of the middle watch, the weather began to assume a more settled appearance, and we had a moderate breeze from the north ; but between five and six o'clock, A.M., it shifted suddenly by the W. to S.S.E., and became light. We sounded repeatedly during the night in from 32 to 35 fathoms, the same kind of bottom as before ; which we found agree very 70 DRIVEN FROM THE ANCHORAGE. well with those reported in the account of the French expedition under Captain Baudin. From the specimens of the squalls we experienced the last two nights, and which appear to be pretty reffular in their visitation, I am inclined to believe they do not extend any considerable distance from the land. They give the seaman ample warning of their approach ; yet, since they always come on in the night, when their violence cannot be properly estimated, the ship's head should (if circumstances permit) be kept to the westward (W.N.W.) until the short-lived fury of the storm has exhausted itself. January 15. — We progressed with light and variable airs through the day, gradually shoaling our water till nine, p.m., when the anchor was dropped in 14 fathoms, having previously passed over a rocky ledge of apparently coral formation, in 13 J fathoms. The land over the south point of Roebuck Bay bore E.S.E., about 17 miles distant ; but we did not see it till the following morning. The evening wore a threatening aspect, though not apparently so much to be dreaded as that of yesterday ; however, we were disagreeably out in our anticipations, for about three o'clock, a.m., {Januarij 16.) a heavy squall burst on us, veering from E.S.E. to E.N.E., broke our best bower anchor, and drove us half a mile out to sea, when the remaining fluke hooked a rock and brought us up. It rained and blew till day-light, then we were CAPE VILLARET. 71 again favoured with fine weather, and light westerly winds. The land was now in sight, Cape Villaret being the most northerly point, and bearing E.S.E. some 16 or 17 miles. The hillock upon this cape, and two other hummocks, lying to the southward, formed the only prominent features of the low land in sight. At this anchorage the flood tide set E. and by N., from one to one and a half knots per hour. Before weighing I procured a specimen of live coral from the depth of 11 fathoms. Light airs, and the aid of the flood tide, carried us into the centre of Roebuck Bay, where we came to an anchor in 7 fathoms. Cape Villaret bearing S. by W. i W. about 10 miles. The fall of the tide here was no less than 18 feet. As we closed with the land, I had a good oppor- tunity of speculating upon its appearance, and the probability of our investigation confirming or con- tradicting- the opinion entertained by Captains King and Dampier, that a channel would be found to connect Roebuck Bay with an opening behind Buc- caniers Archipelago, thus making Dampier's Land an island. I confess, my own impressions at first sight diflfered from that of those high authorities, nor did a nearer examination shake my opinion. Cape Villaret, a short ridge lying E. and W., and about 150 feet high, was still the most remarkable object ; the sand on its side having a curious red appearance. From the mast-head the land was not 72 VISIT FROM THC NATIVES. visible to the eastward for the space of one point of the compass; yet its level character, and the shoalness of the water, led alike to the opinion that no such communication as supposed would be found to exist. January 17. — Collecting materials for the chart was the chief occupation of the day. Mr. Usborne discovered a high water inlet in the south shore of the bay, five miles east of Cape Villaret, having a dry bank of sand before it at low water. While the party were on shore, they were visited by six of the natives, a larger race of men than those on the south coast, naked, with the excep- tion of a grass mat round the waist, and the hair straight and tied up behind, seemingly ignorant of the use of the throwing stick, but carrying spears ill-shapen and unbarbed. One of them had a kiley, or bomerang, and each carried a rude hatchet of stone. None of them had suffered the loss of the front tooth, which, with some tribes, is a dis- tinction of manhood. When asked by signs for fresh water, of which our party saw no traces, they pointed to the S.E. ; a circumstance which I record, as it may possibly be of some service to future explorers. As the boat was leaving, one of them, supposing, I presume, that they were out of our reach, and might therefore attack us with impunity, threw a stone at the boat, which luckily did no harm, though hurled with great dexterity and force. Upon this, a pistol was discharged over their heads, AN ** ALMOST WHITE " RACR. 73 when they retired with far greater rapidity than they had advanced. Mr. Usborne mentions, in an account of this in- terview (published in the Nautical Magazine for 1840, page 576), that one of the party differed in several physical characteristics from the rest. After describing them in general terms as being from five feet six, to five feet nine inches tall, broad shoulders, long and slight legs, large heads, and overhang- ing brows, — he continues, " There was an exception in the youngest, who appeared of an entirely dif- ferent race : his skin was a copper colour, while the others were black ; his head was not so large, and more rounded ; the overhanging brow was lost ; the shoulders more of an European turn ; and the body and legs much better proportioned ; in fact, he might be considered a well made man, at our standard of figure." A similar instance of meeting with one of a tribe, not apparently belonging to the same subdivision of the human family as those by whom he was surrounded, is recorded by Captain Grey, who speaks indeed of the existence of a dis- tinct race, "totally different" (i.e. from the other aborigines) "and almost white." I cannot say that I have myself encountered any of these "almost white" men, whose existence, as a distinct race. Captain Grey appears to have rather hastily ad- mitted ; such variation in form and colour as Mr. Usborne alludes to, may, however, be accounted for by the intercourse which the natives on the north coast hold from time to time with the Malays. 74 THE NATIVE MIAGO. Several very large black martins, with white or grey heads, were hovering over the ship this morn- ing ; and many flights of small white tern, and a bird, commonly called the razor-bill, passed and re- passed the ship every morning and evening, flying from the bay to seaward, and returning at sunset. Two water snakes were shot alongside the ship during the day ; the largest measured four feet, and was of a dirty yellow colour. A good sized fish was taken from the stomach of one of them. Their fangs were particularly long, and very much flat- tened, having no cutting edge whatever. Some turtle also passed the ship to-day, and a day or two afterwards we were fortunate enough to shoot one which weighed 160 pounds : he had ample justice done to his merits. It was high water at 1.50 p.m., and the stream changed at the same time, a circumstance conclusively demon- stratinof that we were not anchored in a strait. January 18. — We got under weigh in the morn- ing, but from the shallowness of the water anchored within a mile east of our former position. The native Miago, who had accompanied us from Swan River, was most earnest in his inquiries about the savages, as soon as he understood that some of them had been seen. He appeared de- lighted that these "black fellows," as he calls them, have no throwing sticks ; for though at times exceedingly valiant in conversation, and very anxious to kill one of the men, and carry ofl" one of CLOUDS OF MAGELLAN. 75 their 'gins,' or wives, — the great end, aim, and ambition of all Australian force or policy — he yet evidently holds these north men in great dread. They are, according to his account, " Bad men — eat men — Perth men tell me so : Perth men say, Miago, you go on shore very little, plenty Quibra men* go, you go." These instructions appear to have been very carefully pressed upon him by his associates, and certainly they had succeeded in in- spiring him vi^ith the utmost dread of this division of his fellow countrymen, which all his boasting about killing some of them and taking one of their women as proof of his prowess, back to Perth, failed to con- ceal. He gave me this evening a new reason to account for the appearance of the two small clouds called after the celebrated Magellan, in the follow- ing words: — " You see," said he, pointing up to the sky, "little smoke." I assented at once ; for certainly the clouds have vei^ much the appearance of that to which he compared them: he then con- tinued,— *' Perth man tell me, long, long time back, he make fire, smoke go far away up, far away, stop and never go away more." Miago evidently be- lieved that his friend at Perth had really lighted the fire, the smoke of which had thus gone up " far away, far away," to '* stop and never go away more." I can easily enough comprehend why the assertion might be made, and possibly without any intention to deceive upon the part of the asserter, who may * i. e. Men of the ship. , 76 " USELESS BAY." first have seen the clouds after watching the ascent of his own fire smoke through the still air, in the same direction ; but that it should be implicitly believed, as it evidently was by Miago, upon the mere word of his fellovV countryman, did, I own, astonish me ; and seems to indicate that, in their social intercourse with each other, they may have more reofard for truth than I was at first inclined to give them credit for. Mr. Usborne was away to-day in one of the boats, seeking a berth for the ship higher up the bay : upon his return he reported that he had been over the banks before mentioned, upon which he found the water very shoal : the face of the country he described as exceedingly low, with mud lumps not unlike ant-hills,* scattered here and there over the face of it, and several clusters of small trees. Natives also had been seen, though no opportunity of ap- proaching them had occurred, as the moment their restless eyes, or quick ears, detected our approach, they most rapidly retreated. January 19. — Two boats were despatched this morning, under Mr. Usborne's command, to ex- amine the eastern part of what I think may be named very properly " Useless Bay." This would have been my duty, had I not unfortunately been taken ill the evening of the preceding day : the symptoms were violent head-ache, and a disordered state of the stomach, caused, the surgeon says, * Subsequent experience literally verified this opinion. HEAT AND SICKNESS. 77 by the oppressive and overpowering heat which we have experienced for the last few days, and the general effects of which seem more distressing to the ship's company than is often experienced under a higher range of the thermometer ; the deprivation of all power, or energy, is one of its most unpleasant consequences. I am inclined to think that one reason for its great and wearying effect upon most of us, — indeed, more or less, all are suffering from it, — is that there is hardly any variation in temperature durini^ the whole twentv-four hours : it sometimes does not amount to more than two or three degrees. Captain Wickham and the surgeon visited an inlet near the ship to-day, which had indeed been looked into, but not explored before. They proceeded to the south-west for about three miles, through a very tortuous channel, dry in many parts at low water, thickly studded with mangrove bushes, over and through which the tide made its way at high water, giving to that part of the country the appearance of an extensive morass. A slightly elevated table- topped range of land was seen from time to time, some eight or nine miles to the south-east, but in its highest elevation did not reach 200 feet. The apparent width of the inlet in no way diminished so far as the exploring party examined it ; and this fact, coupled with the general character of the country hereabouts, induces me to suppose that the periodical return of the spring-tide, floods the greater part of the coast between the sea shore and 78 MIAGO ON SHORE. the base of the range I have alluded to. Vampyres of a very large kind were here met with, the furthest south we had seen them. Miago had accompanied this party on shore, though he evidently shewed " no great devotion to the deed." They said he watched everything, aye, every bush, with the most scrutinizing gaze : his head appeared to turn upon a pivot, so constantly was it in motion, with all that restless watchfulness for which the savage is ever remarkable. The heat to-dav either exceeded an average, or else perhaps, as an invalid, I noticed it more closely : — Degrees. In the sliade, on shore, it was ... 98 Do. on board ..... 90 Pulling off in the boats . . . . 118 During the day, it fluctuated, between 88 & 94 A breeze from seaward blew the greater part of each night from W.S.W., hauling round to south in the morning. January 20. — Our noon observation to-day enabled us to fix the latitude of Cape Yillaret 18M8' 50", which precisely agrees with that assigned to it by Captain King. In the afternoon the boats returned with Mr. Usborne, who had been unfortunately very severely wounded by the accidental discharge of a musket. It appeared that after a careful examination of the bay, which ended as I had anticipated, in proving that no opening to the interior would be found in MR. U9B0RNE WOUNDED. 79 it, the party were returning to the boats, wlien, from the accidental explosion of a musket in the hand of one of the party, a ball entered Mr. Usborne's right side, near the spine, between the lower rib and hip bone, making an exit in a line with the navel. This truly unfortunate circumstance — which for some weeks deprived the expedition of the services of a most valuable oflScer — occurred about 10 o'clock A.M., but the time and trouble of carrying the sufferer through the mud to the boats, and then pulling some 15 miles, made it near 6 o'clock before he was on board and under the charge of Mr. Bynoe : we were all shocked to see our companion lifted appa- rently lifeless into the vessel he had so recently quitted full of health, and animated by an anxious desire to do all in his power to conduce to the general success ; but were ere long assured by Mr. Bynoe, whose personal or professional merits need no eulogium from me — and who immediately and mostcarefuUy attended our wounded messmate— that the best results might be reasonably hoped for : a prediction shortly afterwards happily verified. At the time this unlucky accident occurred, some twenty natives rushed from the concealment whence they had been doubtless watching all the proceedings of the party, as though they designed to bear a part in what probably seemed to them, as poor Usborne went down, an approaching fray : however, the sight of the two boats in the distance, which upon deploy- ing they had full in view, deterred them from acting 80 LOADED PISTOLS LEFT BEHIND. u})Gn any hostile intentions, supposing such to have existed in their minds. The accident, however, and their sudden appearance, could only serve addition- ally to flurry the little party who had to convey their disabled officer to a place of safety, and Mr. Help- man, who may well be pardoned the want of his usual self-possession at such a moment, left behind a pair of loaded pistols. They would puzzle the savages greatly of course, but I hope no ill conse- quences ensued : if they began pulling them about, or put them in the fire, the better to separate the wood and iron, two or three poor wretches might be killed or maimed for life, and their first recol- lections of the " Quibra men," as Miago calls us, would naturally be any thing but favourable. Thus disastrously terminated our examination of Roebuck Bay, in which the cheering reports of former navigators, no less than the tenor of our hydrographical instructions had induced us to anti- cipate the discovery of some great water communi- cation with the interior of this vast Continent. A most thorough and careful search — in which every one seemed animated by one common and universal sentiment, prompting all to a zealous discharge of duty — had clearly demonstrated that the hoped-for river must be sought elsewhere : and that very fact which at first seemed to lessen the probabilities of ultimate success, served rather to inspire than to daunt ; since while it could not shake our reliance upon the opinions of those best qualified to decide, THE "BOYL-YAS." 81 that such a river must ultimately be discovered, it only narrowed the ground upon which energy, know- ledge, and perseverance had yet to undergo their probation, ere they enjoyed their reward ! Our intercourse with the natives had been neces- sarily of the most limited character, hardly amount- ing to anything beyond indulging them with the sight of a new people, whose very existence, not- withstanding the apathetic indifference with which they regarded us, must have appeared a prodigy. What tradition may serve to hand down the memory of our visit to the third generation, should no newer arrival correct its gathering errors, and again restore some vestige of the truth, it is hardly possible to ima- gine ; but should any misfortune follow their posses- sion of Mr. Helpman's pistols, that in particular will be narrated as the motive for the visit of those white men who came flying upon the water, and left some of the secret fire upon the peaceful coast : and when again the white sails of the explorer glisten in the distant horizon, all the imaginary terrors of the " Boyl-yas,"* will be invoked to avert the coming of those who bring with them the unspeakable bless- ings of Christian civilization. * The natives in the neighbourhood of Swan River give this name to their Sorcerers. VOL. I. G CHAPTER V. FROM ROEBUCK BAY TO SKELETON POINT. DEPARTURE FROM ROEBUCK BAY APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY — PROGRESS TO THE NORTHWARD HILLS AND CLIFFS — FRENCH NAMES AND FRENCH NAVIGATORS — TASMAN, AND HIS ACCOUNT OF THE NATIVES — " HAZEY- GAEYS AND ASSAGAIs" — HIS AUTHENTICITY AS AN HIS- TORIAN— DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIVES — MARKS AND MUTILATIONS PHRENOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT MORAL CONDITION — PROAS, CANOES, AND RAFTS — ANOTHER SaUALL ANCHOR IN BEAGLE BAY — FACE OF THE COUNTRY PALM TREES DEW HAULING THE SEINE — A MEETING WITH NATIVES — EASTERN SALUTATION — MIAGo's CONDUCT TOWARDS, AND OPINION OF, HIS COUNTRYMEN — MUTILATION OF THE HAND — NATIVE " SMOKES" SEEN — MOVE FURTHER TO THE N.E. — POINT EMERIAU — CAPE LE- viQUE— POINT SWAN — TIDE RACES SEARCH FOR WATER — ENCOUNTERED BY NATIVES — RETURN TO THE SHIP THE ATTEMPT RENEWED — CONDUCT OF THE NATIVES EFFECT OF A CONGREVE ROCKET AFTER DARK A SUC- CESSFUL HAUL — MORE NATIVES — MIAGO's HEROISM — THE PLAGUE OF FLIES — DAMPIER's DESCRIPTION OF IT — NATIVE HABITATIONS — UNDER WEIGH — WIND AND WEATHER — TIDAL PHENOMENON — NATURAL HISTORY — SINGULAR KAN- GAROO BUSTARD — CINNAMON KANGAROO QUAILS GUANAS AND LIZARDS — ANT HILLS FISHING OVER THE SIDE — A DAY IN THE BUSH — A FLOOD OF FIRE — SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS — WHITE IBIS — CURIOUS TREE — RAIN WATER — GEOLOGY OF THE CLIFFS — WEIGH, AND GRAZE A ROCK, OR " TOUCH AND Go" — THE TWINS — SUNDAY DEPARTURE FROM ROEBUCK BAY. 83 STRAIT — roe's group — MIAGO AND HIS FRIENDS — A BLACK DOG — A DAY OF REST — NATIVE RAFT — CAPTAIN KING AND THE BATHURST — A GALE — POINT CUNNINGHAM SUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR WATER NATIVE ESTIMATION OF THIS FLUID DISCOVERY OF A SKELETON — AND ITS REMOVAL THE GREY IBIS — OUR PARTING LEGACY. January 22, 1838. — Satisfied that no inland communication could be expected from Roe- buck Bay, we weighed in the early part of the morning, and stood away to the northward. Roe- buck Bay, so named to commemorate the name of Dampier's ship, is about sixteen miles across : the southern shores are low, and extensive sand banks and mud flats are bared at low water. Near the N.E. point of the bottom of this bay, is a curious range of low cliffs, from twenty to thirty feet high, and strongly tinged with red, in such a manner as to suggest that they must be highly impregnated with oxide of iron. In the neighbourhood of these cliffs the country had a more fertile, or rather a less desolate appearance, stretching out into extensive plains, lightly timbered with various trees of the genus Eucalypti, while, on the south shore of the bay, the mangroves were numerous. Towards the afternoon we discovered a small inlet, being then about 30 miles from our former anchorage in Roebuck Bay. We steered directly for it, and when within half a mile of its mouth, we had, at high water, six fathoms. From the masthead I could trace distinctly the course of G 2 84 APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. this inlet, which at this state of the tide appeared to be of great extent ; but the bar which locked its mouth, and over which the sea was breaking very heavily, rendered it impossible to take a boat across without evident risk, by which no real good would be obtained, as the rise and fall of the tide, eighteen feet, on this low coast, was more than sufficient to account for the imposing, though deceptive appear- ance of this opening. From the main- top-gallant yard I was enabled to take an almost bird's-eye view of the level country stretched apparently at my feet. The shore, like the south side of Roebuck Bay, was fringed with mangroves, while to the N.N.E. lay an extensive plain, over which the water seemed, at certain seasons of the year, to flow. The country around, for miles, wore the appearance of an inter- minable and boundless plain, with an almost imper- ceptible landward elevation, and thickly wooded with stunted trees. In sailing along this part of the coast we found several inaccuracies in Captain King's chart, doubt- less owing to the distant view with which lie was com- pelled to content himself, and to the unfavourable state of the weather against which he had to con- tend. I was on deck nearly, indeed, the whole of the night, baffled by flying clouds in my attempts to fix our latitude by the stars : at length, however, I succeeded in ascertaining it to be 17° 40' S. January 23. — The morning was fine, but the wind we had experienced the preceding night APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTUY. 85 caused a rather heavy swell, which rendered the attempt to enter this inlet an impracticable task ; however, it was tried. We found between the ship and the shore six, four, and two fathoms, but as the mouth of the inlet was filled with breakers, ap- parently on a bar extending out half a mile, I was fully convinced that further perseverance would only amount to waste of time and needless risk, and therefore, after taking a few angles to fix the position of the boat, we returned on board. It appeared at low water to be nearly dry, and then only amounted to a collection of mud and sand banks. The exa- mination quite satisfied me that it partook of the same character as the one already spoken of as seen yesterday, and that they are alike useless. We were soon under way, and standing towards, or rather along, the shore ; and as the day advanced, the wind drew more to the westward, a common occurrence, enabling us to lay along the shore, N. J E. By four, p.m., we were within two miles of it, in nine fathoms. The coast here is fronted with a range of sand hills, some of which are topped with verdure : several low black rocky points extend for some distance from the flat sandy beach into the sea. I have no hesitation in saying, that this is a kind of black sandstone, often found at the bases of most cliffy points, and probably coloured by the chemical action of the salt water. The sand hills, which form the coast line, do not appear to extend more 86 PROGRESS TO THE NORTHWARD. than a mile inland. Beyond, the country appeared to subside into the same dull level which is the characteristic feature of what we have yet seen of this coast, thickly studded with timber of a much finer growth than the stunted productions of Roe- buck Bay. Behind the cliffy parts of the coast the land assumed a more fertile appearance ; and this seemed an almost invariable law in the natural history of this new world. Five miles to the northward of Point Coulomb, we passed a reef, lying a mile from the shore, with seven fathoms one mile seaward of it. The land now trended to the eastward, and formed a large bay, the south point of which we rounded at half past four, P.M. The mangroves grew right down to the water's edge, and the spring tides appear to inundate the country to a very considerable extent, the land here being lower than any we had yet seen. We anchored, at half past eight, in six and a-half fathoms, and I ran below to find how our wounded messmate had borne the day. From my usual post, the mast-head, I traced the shore from point to point of Carnot Bay, so named after the celebrated French consul and engineer. A very low sandy point bore N. 67°, E. 6 miles. Sand banks and breakers completely fortified its shores, and efibctually forbid all ap- proach, except under the most favourable circum- stances. The several French names with which Commo- LAND DISCOVERED BY TASMAN. 87 dore Baudin has distinguished leading portions of this coast, of course, professional courtesy will wil- lingly respect ; it is, however, only right to mention, that while he contented himself with so distant a view of this part of Australia as to be sometimes completely mistaken in the most important particu- lars, to the celebrated Abel Tasman belongs the merit of having previously landed upon its shores in that very bay, which now bears the name of the great republican. Tasman describes the natives as being quite naked, black in colour, and having curly hair, " malicious and cruel," using for arms bows and arrows, hazeygaeys* and kalawaeys. They came, upon one occasion, fifty in number, to attack a party of the Dutch, who had landed, but took fright at the sight and sound of fire-arms. " Their proas," he adds, " are made of the bark of trees, and they use no houses." Such is the account of this distinguished and trustworthy discoverer, upon whose veracity I should be the last to attempt to affix suspicion : his very simplicity of detail, and the entire absence of rhe- * " Hazeygaeys" are synonymous with " assagais," the name for the short African spear, used by the tribes between Port Natal and the Cape, and which is generally supposed to be the native term for the weapon. Captain Harris, however, states that this supposition is incorrect; and, certainly, its appearance and termination here incline me to join him in suspecting it of a Dutch origin. 88 DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIVES. torical artifice, would convey sufficient internal evi- dence of his truth, had not the subsequent progress of Australian discovery served to confirm all the material facts of his narrative. I may, however, remark, that the natives seen upon this coast during our cruise, within the limits of Roebuck Bay to the south, and Port George the Fourth to the north, an extent of more than 200 miles, with the exception that I shall presently notice, agreed in having a common character of form, feature, hair, and physiognomy, which I may thus describe. The average height of the males may be taken to be from five feet five inches to five feet nine inches, though, upon one occasion, I saw one who exceeded this height by an inch. They are almost black, — in fact, for ordinary description, that word, unqua- lified by the adverb, serves the purpose best. Their limbs are spare and light, but the muscle is finely developed in the superior joint of the arm, which is probably owing to their constant use of it in throw- ing the spear. Some tribes are entirely naked, while others wear girdles of skin and leaves, hardly sufficient, however, to serve any purpose of decency, much less of comfort. Their hair is always darl^ sometimes straight and sometimes curled, and not unfrequently tied up behind ; but we saw no instance of a negro, or woolly, head among them. They wear the beard upon the chin, but not upon the upper lip, and allow it to grow to such a length as enables them to champ and chew it when excited PHRENOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT. 89 by rage ; an action which they accompany with spitting it out against the object of their indigna- tion or contempt. They have very overhanging brows, and retreating foreheads, large noses, full lips, and wide mouths : in some cases they want the two fore-teeth in the upper jaw, and while, in anyone tribe in which the custom prevails, it seems to be unanimous, it does not appear to be, by any means, universally diffused along the whole north- western coast. The unfavourable impression pro- duced by the prevailing character of their physiog- nomy, is confirmed, if their phrenological conforma- tion is taken into consideration ; and certainly, if the principles of that science are admitted to be true, these savages are woefullv deficient in all the qualities which contribute to man's moral supre- macy. Let me, in justice, add, that while we found them ignorant and incurious to the last degree, they were generally suspicious rather than treacherous, and not insensible to such acts of kindness as they could comprehend. Upon all this extent of coast, we saw no single instance of the use, or even existence, of any proa, or canoe ; and my own opinion, strengthened by personal experience, and enforced by the authority of the most recent navigators, is, that the canoe is not used upon the north-west coast. The negative evidence, at least, is strongly in favour of this pre- sumption ; for, while we saw the canoe in use in Clarence Strait, — the western boundary of the 90 BEAGLE BAY. northern coast, — we saw nothing but the raft to the south of that point. I cannot, therefore, avoid the conclusion, that, misled by the similarity of ex- ternal appearance, Tasman mistook the raft of un- barked timber for a bark canoe, such as he may have seen upon other parts of the coast. We had a return of the same kind of squall from the eastward, as we had experienced before our arrival in Roebuck Bay, and from which, since that time till now, we had luckily managed to escape. January 24. — We were again at work by day- light, but were delayed, getting clear of the foul ground, lying off Cape Baskerville, on which we twice shoaled the water to three and five fathoms, five and seven miles W. and by S. from that headland. The land over it rises to an elevation of nearly 200 feet, and then again becomes low and sandy, open- ing out a bay, which from appearance promised, and wherein we afterwards found, good anchorage : it was named Beagle Bay, and may serve hereafter to remind the seamen who benefit by the survey in which that vessel bore so conspicuous a part, of the amount of his obligations to the Government that sent her forth, the skill and energy that directed her course, and the patient discipline by which, during her long period of active service, so much w as done for the extension of our maritime knowledge. In the bight formed between this bay and Cape Bas- kerville we passed two high water inlets ; the VISITED BY NATIVES. 91 mouths of both were fronted with rocky ledges. We anchored here, soon after mid-day, and had every reason to be satisfied with our berth. Beagle Bay is about three miles broad and seven deep ; the country around is low and open, and traces of water deposit were visible in several spots to indicate its dangerous proximity to the sea. The smaller shrubs of the country were common ; and the man- groves flourished in great abundance on the beach, and along the little creeks that diverge from it. Some large ant-hills, and very small palm trees, not six feet in height, were noticed for the first time so far south. During- the niorht the wind veered round to S.W., and blew quite fresh, a circumstance which made us additionally prize our good anchorage here. We had, however, no squall, nor any dew, which I should mention falls most copiously upon certain nights, without any apparent indication ; to these dews, the vegetation of this country, so far as we can judge, seems to owe its principal nourish- ment and support. January 25 The forenoon was devoted to the examination of this excellent anchorage, and a party was also despatched to haul the seine. On landing they were met by a party of natives, who saluted them in a manner which strikingly resembled the eastern mode. They had no weapon, save one kiley or bomerang, and bowed down until they almost kissed the water. Their speech was shrill and quick, perfectly unintelligible to our friend Miago, who 92 cOjNDuct of miago. seemed greatly in fear of them : they seemed astonished to find one apparently of their *'own clime, complexion, and degree" in company with the white strangers, who must have seemed to them a different race of beings ; nor was their wonder at all abated when Miago threw open his shirt, and showed them his breast curiously scarred after their fashion — for this custom of cutting stripes upon the body, as other savages tattoo it, by way of ornament, seems universally to prevail throughout Australia — as a convincinsf evidence that he, though now the associate of the white man, belonged to the same country as themselves. When Miago had, in some degree, recovered from his alarm — and their want of all weapons no doubt tended to re-assure him more than anything else, he very sagaciously addressed them in English ; shaking hands and saying, "How do you do?" and then began to imitate their various actions, and mimic their lan- guage, and so perfectly did he succeed that one of our party could not be persuaded but that he really understood them ; though for this suspicion I am convinced there was in truth no foundation. In general appearance this tribe differed but little from those we had previously seen. They wore their hair straight, and tied behind in a rude sem- blance of the modern queue ; their beards were long, and two or three among them were daubed with a kind of black ochre. All of them had lost one of the front teeth, and several one Answer NATIVE SMOKES. 93 joint J* in this particular they differed from the natives seen in Roebuck Bay, amongst whom the practice of this mutilation did not prevail. They were, I think, travelling to the southward, at the time they fell in with us, for they had no females among the party, by whom they are usually at other times accompanied. The circumstance of their being unarmed may seem to militate against the supposi- tion that they were travelling, but it is to be borne in mind that these people universally consider the absence of offensive weapons as the surest test of peaceful intentions, and would therefore, if they desired to maintain a friendly footing with the new comers, most probably deposit their arms in some place of concealment before they made themselves visible. The coast seems pretty thickly populated between Roebuck and Beagle bays ; as the smoke from native fires was constantly to be seen, but in all cases these signs of human existence were confined to the neighbourhood of the sea. The fishing proved unsuccessful, so we were fain to content our- selves without the promised addition to our evening meal. We found the tide rise here 18 feet. In the afternoon we reached another anchorage, some ten miles further to the N.E. The coast along * A similar custom was noticed by Captain Cook at the Sandwich Islands, where it was regarded as a propitiatory sacri- fice to the Eatooa, to avert his anger ; and not to express, as the same mutilation does in the Friendly Islands, grief for the loss of a friend. 94 CAPE LEVEQUE. which we sailed within the distance of two miles, was chiefly remarkable for its tall, dark looking cliffs, with here and there a small sandy bay inter- vening. We anchored under Point Emeriau, so named by Captain Baudin, by whom it was mistaken for an island ; its tall, white cliff's, springing from and guarded by a base and ledges of black rock, and tinged with red towards their summits, render it a point not easily to be mistaken or forgotten by any who have once seen it. Beyond this the coast curved away to the eastward, forming a bight about eleven miles in length. January 26 Leaving our anchorage at daylight, we passed the north point of the bight just men- tioned soon after noon ; it is a low black rugged cliffy point, called Borda by the French, having a much more weather-beaten appearance than would have been anticipated in this latitude. Behind it the country rose obliquely, the horizon terminating in an inconsiderable, undulatory, and well-wooded elevation. We passed another bight in the after- noon, the shores of which were low and rocky, with a mangrove creek in its depth : from this bight the coast becomes almost straight, the line being hardly broken by rocky points and shallow sandy bays, to Cape Leveque, on the N.E. side of which we found an indifferent anchorage just before sunset. Cape Leveque is a red cliffy point some sixty feet in height, with an islet of the same character lying close off it. The latter bore from our an- POINT SWAN. 95 chorage in 5 fathoms, S. 56° W. 2 miles, and 4 J W. SO'' S. from the entrance point of the inviting opening, we were now ahout to explore, with an interest rather stimulated than decreased by the want of success that attended our exami- nation of Roebuck Bay. This point was named by Captain King, Point Swan, in honour of Captain Swan of the Cygnet, under whom Dampier first discovered it ; and was an appropriate tribute of respect and admiration, from one distinguished no less than Dampier himself, by the possession of those qualities of firmness, patience, judgment and perseverance, which make up the character of the scientific and adventurous navigator, to him by whom he had been preceded in Australian discovery. The country between Point Swan and Cape Leveque has a very sandy and barren aspect ; the hillocks near the latter partook of its prevailing red colour. January 27. — We proceeded this morning in the direction of Point Swan, and remarked, as we approached it, the heavy tide race which used Captain King so roughly, and which subsequent surveying operations enabled us to account for, from great irregularity in the bottom, changing almost at once from 40 to 17 fatlioms. We waited, having no wish to experience the full effect of the current, for slack water, and thus passed round it quietly enough ; we anchored in a small bight, S. 20° W. 1 J miles from Point Swan, in seven fathoms, which, 96 TIDE RACLS. as we rightly conjectured, would leave us in three, at low water.* As we had now arrived at the point from which we anticipated carrying on our most important operations, it became of paramount interest to know whether we could rely for that indispensable article, fresh water, upon the resources of the wild and barbarous shores. The vast extent of country; the delightful verdure which clothed great portions of it ; nay, even the evidences of a people living upon its shores, would, under any other circumstances, and on any other coast, have been deemed conclusively to decide this point in the affirmative : but the voyager knows, from flie best authority, that upon the coasts, and within the heart of Australia, nature seems to delight in contradiction, and that she is more than usually * The following is Captain King's graphic account of his encounter with this "race:" — "On my way towards Point Swan, we saw from the mast-head a line of strong tide ripplings, extending from the Point in a n, w. by w. direction, within which we at first attempted to pass ; but finding they were connected to the Point, hauled up to steer through them where they seemed to be the least dangerous. As we approached, the noise was terrific; and although we were not more than two minutes amongst the breakers, yet the shocks of the sea were so violent, as to make us fearful for the safety of our masts. A smaller vessel would perhaps have been swamped ; for although the sea was in other parts quite smooth, and the wind light, yet the water broke over the bows, and strained the brig consider- ably." SEARCH FOR WATER. 97 capricious with respect to the supply of what is ordinarily her most common, as it is ever one of her most precious gifts. A few wretched mud-holes might serve for a time to content the savages trained to privation from their earliest infancy, but for ourselves it was clear, either that a reasonable supply of fresh water must be found here, or we must not calculate upon remaining beyond the time which would leave us sufficient to proceed to Hanover Bay, where this most needful commodity was, upon the authority of Captain King, to be found. No sooner, therefore, was the Beagle properly secured in her new berth, than a party was despatched in the boats to commence a search for water, and to fix upon a spot for carrying on the necessary observations : scarcely, however, had we pushed off from alongside, before the white ensign at our main warned us that the natives were in sight from the ship,* and, on turning our eyes to the shore, we beheld it thronged with savages : the rapidity of whose movements, as they shouted in apparent defiance, brandishing their spears, and whirling their arms round and round with windmill- like velocity, as though to threaten our advance, rendered it impossible to estimate their number with any confidence, but they were evidently in considerable force. However, we pulled to the shore, a measure against which the valiant Miago * This signal was always made when natives were seen from the ship, if any parties were away. VOL. I. H 98 FIRE A CONGREVE ROCKET. stoutly protested, and landed in a position not directly commanded by the natives. They made no attempt to prevent us, but anxious to avoid hostili- ties— in every event almost equally deplorable — we deferred any distant search for water ; and having fixed on a spot for our temporary observatory, returned to the ship. January 27. — A strong party was sent on shore, early this morning, with the necessary tools for digging a well, should the search for water upon the surface prove abortive. It was at once found that this operation ought forthwith to be commenced, and accordingly a promising spot was selected in a valley not half a mile from the sea. The natives mustered again in force upon the heights, and seemed to watch our proceedings with the greatest interest : we saw nothing of them the following day, but on the third they seemed so much emboldened by our inoffensive proceedings, that they approached so near as to keep the party pretty much upon the alert. It was, therefore, determined, lest familiarity should breed contempt, to give them a hint of our superiority without inflicting any injury upon their persons or property ; and, accordingly, shortly after dark we fired a Congreve rocket from the ship, and in a direction immediately over their presumed position : this had the desired effect, and our well- digging operations, though ultimately unsuccessful, proceeded without further annoyance. Two or three days afterwards a small party came down upon CONDUCT OF THE NATIVES. 99 the beach while we were hauling the seine ; and tempted by the offer of some fish — for an Australian savage is easily won by him who comes with " things that do show so fair," as delicacies in the gastronomic department — they approached us, and were very friendly in their manner, though they cunningly contrived always to keep the upper or inland side of the beach. We made them some presents of beads, &c. from the stores supplied by the Admiralty for that purpose, but they received them with an in- difference almost amounting to apathy. They very closely examined the heroic Miago, who submitted to be handled by these much- dreaded "Northern men" with a very rueful countenance, and after- wards construed the way in which one of them had gently stroked his beard, into an attempt to take him by the throat and strangle him ! — an injury and indignity which, when safe on board, he resented by repeated threats, uttered in a sort of wild chaunt, of spearing their thighs, backs, loins, and, indeed, each individual portion of the frame. Their habit of keeping the eyes almost closed, and the head thrown back, in order to avoid the plague of flies, under which this country seems to suffer, adds to the unpleasant expression of their counte- nance, and quite justifies the correctness of Dam- pier's account : — " Their eyelids are always half closed, to keep the flies out of their eyes, they being so troublesome here, that no fanning will keep them from coming to one's face ; and without the H 2 100 PLAGUE OF FLIES. assistance of both hands to keep them off, they will creep into one's nostrils, and mouth too, if the lips are not shut very close ; so that from their infancy, being thus annoyed with these insects, they do never open their eyes as do other people, and therefore they cannot see far unless they hold up their heads, as if they were looking at somewhat over them." We found constant occasion, when on shore, to com- plain of this fly nuisance ; and when combined with their allies, the musquitos, no human endurance could, with any patience, submit to the trial. The flies are at you all day, crawling into your eyes, up your nostrils, and down your throat, with the most irresistible perseverance ; and no sooner do they, from sheer exhaustion, or the loss of daylight, give up the attack, than they are relieved by the mus- quitos, who completely exhaust the patience which their predecessors have so severely tried. It may seem absurd to my readers to dwell upon such a subject ; but those, who, like myself, have been half blinded, and to boot, almost stung to death, will not wonder, that even at this distance of time and place, I recur with disgust to the recollection. The natives, in all parts of the continent alike, seem to possess very primitive notions upon the subject of habitation ; their most comfortable wig- wams hardly deserve the name : not even in the neighbourhood of English settlements are they beginning in any degree to imitate our European notions of comfort. Among these northern people, WIND AND WEATHER. 101 the only approach to any thing like protection from " the skiey influences" that I could discover, was a slight rudely thatched covering, placed on four up- right poles, between three and four feet high. Another, of a much superior description, which I visited on the western shore of King's Sound, will be found delineated in that part of my journal to which the narrative belongs. February 10. — We remained at this anchorage until the 10th of February, in consequence of a con- tinuance of bad weather ; indeed, the rain during the three first davs of that month was at times of the most monsoon-like character, while the wind, constantly blowing very fresh, kept veering from N. W. to S.W. Every now and then, by way of agreeable variety, a heavy squall would take us from S. S. W., though more commonly from W. S. W. The only certainty that we could calculate upon, was, that at.N.N. \V. the wind would remain when it got there, stationary for a few hours. The thunder and lightning, the former loud and with a long reverberating peal, and the latter of the most in- 102 TIDAL PHENOMENON. tensely vivid kind, were constantly roaring and flashing over our heads ; and, with the stormy echoes which the rolling deep around woke on these unknown and inhospitable shores, completed a scene that I shall never cease to remember, as I never then beheld it without mingled emotions of appre- hension and delight. The rain, however, certainly befriended us in more ways than one : it cooled the atmosphere, which would else have been insuffera- bly hot, diminished for a time the number and viru- lence of our winged tormentors, and recruited our stock of fresh water ; for, though ultimately we were not obliged to have recourse to it as a beverage, it did exceedingly well for washing purposes. We had also, during this time, one most successful haul with the seine, which amply supplied us with fresh fish for that and the two following days ; the greater part were a kind of large mullet, the largest weighed six pounds five ounces, and measured twenty-five inches in length. On the same day we remarked, owing to the N. W. wind, a singular phenomenon in the tides here. From half ebb to high water the stream wholly ceased, and the water being heaped up in the bay by the force of the wind, fell only sixteen, instead of twenty-four feet. Several sporting excursions were made during this period, but with comparatively little succes?. It is not a country naturally very abundant in game of any kind, except kangaroos, which are numerous, but so harassed by the natives as to be of course SINGULAR KANGAROO. 103 extremely shy of the approach of man. However, Mr. Bynoe succeeded in shooting one which pos- sessed the singular appendage of a nail, like that on a man's little finger, attached to the tail. Natural size. I regret that we had no subsequent opportunity t o decide whether this was one of a new species of the MacropodidaB family, or a mere lusus naturce. The dimensions and height of this singular animal were as follows : — * Length of body from tip of nose . 22 inches. Do. of tail from stump to tip . 24 1 inches. Weight 13 pounds. We also saw some very large red or cinnamon- coloured kangaroos, but never got near enough to secure one ; they were apparently identical with a new race, of which I afterwards procured a spe- cimen at Barrow's Island.f One day, when I had penetrated some considera- ble distance into the bush, farther indeed than any * This animal has been classed by Mr. Goiald as Macropus unguifer, and is now deposited in the British Museum. — One precisely similar was afterwards killed on the east coast of the gulf of Carpentaria. t Osphranter Isabellinus. — Gould. 104 ANT-HILLS — FISH. of our party had strayed before, I saw a large bus- tard, but was unable to get a shot at him ; his anxious and acute gaze had detected me, at the same moment that I had discovered him, and he was off. I thought at the time that he bore a strong resem- blance to the wild turkey of the colonists in the southern parts of the continent. We were lucky enough to shoot several quails of apparently quite a new species. In one particular they differed from the members of the genus Cotumis, in having no hind toe. Guanas and lizards were plentiful in this neigh- bourhood, and some of the latter in particular were most brilliant in colour : they ran down the tall trees, in which they seem to pass a great portion of their lives, at our approach, with a most marvellous rapidity, and darting along the ground, were soon in safety. But what, perhaps, most attracted our attention, was the very surprising size of the ant- hills, or nests. I measured one, the height of which was 13 feet, and width at the base 7 feet ; from whence it tapered gradually to the apex. They are composed of a pale red earth ; but how it is sufficiently tempered, I am unable to state ; cer- tain is it, that it has almost the consistence of mortar, and will bear the tread of a man upon the top. The fishing over the ship's side was not less success- ful than hauling the seine ; though quite a different kind of fish was taken to reward the labour of the salt-water Waltonians, who devoted themselves to it. NATIVE FIRES. 105 They generally secured (at slack water) a large fish, in shape like a bream, and with long projecting teeth. February 6. — We made up a party on the 6th for the purpose of penetrating a little way into the inte- rior, and got seven miles from the sea in a S. by W. direction. Every thing wore a green and most de- lightful appearance ; but the reader must bear in mind, how vegetation had just been forced by heavy rains upon a light, heated soil, and also recollect that to one who has been pent up for some time on board ship a very barren prospect may seem de- lightful. The country was more open in character than I had before noticed it, and the numerous traces of native fires which we found in the course of the excursion, seemed readily to account for this : indeed during dry seasons it not unfrequently hap- pens, that an immense tract of land is desolated with fire, communicated, either by the design or care- lessness of the natives, to the dry herbage on the surface. The moment the flame has been kindled it only waits for the first breath of air to spread it far and wide : then on the wings of the wind, the fiery tempest streams over the hill sides and through the vast plains and prairies : bushwood and herbage — the dry grass — the tall reed — the twining para- site— or the giant of the forest, charred and black- ened, but still proudly erect — alike attest and bewail the conquering fire's onward march ; and the bleak desert, silent, waste, and lifeless, which it leaves 106 SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS. behind seems for ever doomed to desolation : vain fear ! the rain descends once more upon the dry and thirsty soil, and from that very hour which seemed the date of cureless ruin, Nature puts forth her won- drous power with increased effort, and again her green and flower-embroidered mantle decks the earth with a new beauty ! The soil of the extensive plain over which we journeyed this day, was light and sandy in character, but the large amount of vegetable matter which it contains, and the effect of the late rains, which had penetrated some 24 or 30 inches into it, made us perhaps somewhat overvalue its real merits. This plain rose gradually before us until it reached an elevation of 180 feet above the level of the sea, and was covered with a long, thin grass, through which the startled kangaroo made off every now and then at a killing pace. The face of the country was well but not too closely covered with specimens of the red and white gum, and paper bark tree, and several others. The tim- ber was but small, the diameter of the largest, a red gum, 18 inches. Ever and anon the sparkling brilliant lizards darted down from their resting places among the boughs, so rapid in their fearful escape, that they caught the eye more like a flash of momentary light, than living, moving forms. We flushed in the course of the day a white bird, or at least nearly so, with a black ring round the neck, and a bill crooked GEOLOGY OF THE CLIFFS. 107 like the ibis, which bird indeed, except in colour, it more resembles than anv I have ever seen.* Among the trees seen in the course of this ramble, I had almost forgotten to mention one which struck me more than any other from its resemblance to a kind of cotton tree, used by the natives of the South Sea islands in building their canoes. Fehruari/ 7. -^The day following we secured several boat-loads of rain-water, deposited in the holes of the rocks, near our temporary observatory, and were the better pleased with our success, as our well- digging had proved unsuccessful. There was something particularly striking in the geological formation of the cliiFs that form the wes- tern side of this bay : and which rise from 70 to 90 feet in height, their bases apparently resting amid huge and irregular masses of the same white sand- stone as that which forms the cliffs themselves, and from which this massive debris, strewn in all con- ceivable irregularity and confusion around, appears to have been violently separated by some great in- ternal convulsion. Some of these great masses, both of the living cliff and ruined blocks beneath, are strangely pierced with a vein or tube of vitreous matter, not less in some instances than 18 inches in diameter. In every place the spot at which this tube entered the rock was indicated by a considerable extent of glazed or smelted surface ; but I am not sufficiently * Since ascertained to be au Ibis — the Threskiornis strictipennis. 108 WEIGH AND GRAZE ON A ROCK. versed in the science of geology to offer any spe- cific theory to account for the appearances I have described : the cliffs were rent and cracked in a thousand different ways, and taking into considera- tion their strange and wrecked appearance, together with the fact that lightning is known to vitrify sand, may we not thus get a clue to the real agency by which these results have been produced ?* February 10. — The weather was thick and gloomy, and it rained fast ; but, having completed our survey and observations, and the wind being favourable, it was resolved to get under weigh with- out further loss of time. In the very act of weighing, the ship's keel grazed a sunken rock, of the existence of which, though we had sounded the bay, we had been, till that moment, in ignorance I He only who has felt the almost animated shudder that runs through the seemingly doomed ship at that fearful moment, can understand with what gratitude we hailed our escape from the treacherous foe. In passing out, we named two low small rocky islands, lying north of Point Swan, and hitherto unhonoured with any particular denomination, the * Since this was written, I have consulted my friend, Mr. Darwin, who has kindly examined a specimen I brought away. He pronounces it " a superficial highly ferrugineous sandstone, with concretionary veins and aggregations." The reader should, however, consult Mr. Darwin's work on the 'Geology of Volcanic Islands,' p. 143. SUNDAY STRAIT — ROe's GROUP. 109 * Twins.' It should be noted, that the tide did not begin to make to the southward till 8 h. 15 ra. a.m., being full half an hour after low water by the shore. We passed through several tide races ; not, how- ever, feeling their full force, owing to our encoun- tering them at the time of slack water. In every case our soundings indicated great irregularity of bottom, the cause to which I have already assigned these impediments to in-shore navigation. We found a temporary anchorage the same morn- ing, on the east side of the large group forming the eastern side of Sunday Strait ; so named by Captain King, who was drifted in and out of it on that day, August 19th, 1821, amid an accumulation of perils that will long render the first navigation of this dangerous Archipelago a memorable event in the annals of nautical hardihood. This group we called after Lieutenant Roe, R.N., Surveyor-Ge- neral of Western Australia, who had accompanied Captain King in that perilous voyage, and whose valuable information had enabled us to escape so many of the dangers to which our predecessors had been exposed. Nothing could exceed the desolate appearance of the land near which we were now lying : rocks, of a primitive character, massed together in all the ^. ^ 110 MIAGO AND HIS FRIENDS. variety of an irregularity, that rather reminded the beholder of Nature's ruin than her grandeur, rose, drear and desolate, above the surrounding waters ; no trees shaded their riven sides, but the water-loving mangrove clothed the base of this sterile island, and a coarse, wiry grass was thinly spread over its sides. Soon after we had anchored, some natives were observed by Miago watching us from the shore ; and shortly afterwards a party landed, to attempt communicating with them, and to get the necessary observations for the survey. In the first object they failed altogether ; for these " black fellows," as that gallant hero called them, retired to the heights, and, while closely watching every movement, refused to trust themselves within our reach. The small- ness of their number, and their want of arms, quite elevated the courage of Miago, who loudly vaunted his intention of monopolizing a northern " gin,'* in order to astonish his friends upon our return to the south : — stealing away the ladies being, as I have before remarked, the crowning and most honourable achievement of which man, in the eyes of these savages, is capable. I ought not to omit remarking here, that the natives seen to-day were accompanied by a black dog ; the only instance in which, before or since, we observed the existence of a dog of that colour in this vast country. Captain King mentions that he saw one in this neighbourhood during his visit in 1821. DAY OF REST. Ill The following day was Sunday, and, there being no absolute necessity to shift our berth, we remained at anchor ; marking the character of this sacred festival, by giving it up to the crew, for healthful rest and harmless recreation, — after morning prayers had been performed, — as much as the needful disci- pline, upon a proper observance of which the effi- ciency of a ship's company entirely depends, would allow. This practice, constantly observed through- out our long voyage, was always attended with the best results. Some rather small pigeons,* of a dark brown colour, marked with a white patch on the wings, were seen, and some specimens shot. They made a whirring sound in flight, like the partridge, and appeared to haunt the rocks ; a habit which all subsequent observation confirmed. February 12. — Soon after daylight we left this an- chorage, whose exact position I mention, as it may be of use to some future voyager in these seas. The eastern of the three islands north of Roe's group was just open of the north point of the bight in which we lay, and a small rocky islet close to the shore bore S.S.W. one mile ; we had five fathoms at low water in the bight, and twelve immediately outside. After makins: a stretch to the southward for about five miles, in soundings varying from 20 to 25 fathoms, we again closed with the shore, and anchored in five fathoms, on the south side of Roe's * PetropMla albipennis. — Gould. 112 NATIVE RAFT. group, three miles from our former anchorage. A i)arty landed in the afternoon to procure the requisite ohservations : the country was not quite so sterile, nor its face of so rugged a character. We found nothing worth particular attention, except a native raft, the first we had yet seen. It was formed of nine small poles pegged together, and measured ten feet in length by four in breadth ; the greatest diameter of the largest pole was three inches. All the poles were of the palm tree, a wood so light, that one man could carry the whole affair with the greatest ease. By it there was a very rude double-bladed paddle. From a distant station I looked upon the dangerous and rapid current, which divides two rocky islands, and the perils of which are fearfully increased by the presence of an insulated rock in its centre, past which (its fury only heightened by the opposition) the torrent hurries with accelerated force. It was by this fearful passage that Captain King entered this part of the Sound, drifting towards apparently instant destruction, without a breath of wind to afford him even a chance of steering between the CAPTAIN KING AND THE BATHURST. 113 various perils that environed his devoted ship. As the * Bathurst' swept past the neighbouring shores - — covered with the strange forms of the howling savages who seemed to anticipate her destruction, and absolutely within the range of their spears — drifting with literally giddy rapidity towards the fatal rocks, what varied thoughts must have flashed, crowding an age within an hour, upon the mind of her commander ? It seemed that all evidence of what his own perseverance, the devotion of his officers, and the gallantry of his crew, had accomplished for the honour of their common country, would in a few brief moments be the prey of the rapid, the spoil of the deep ; and yet, while many a heart sent up its voiceless prayer to Him, " whose arm is not shortened that it cannot save," believing that prayer to be their last — not a cheek blanched — not an eye quailed ! But the loving-kindness of omni- potent mercy rested even upon that solitary ship, and within a few yards of the fatal rock, one momen- tary breath of wind, proved His providential care, for those from whom all hope had fled ! I shuddered as the events Captain King has recorded, rose up in palpable distinctness to my view, and afterwards, in memory of that day, called the channel " Escape" — to the sound itself we gave the name of " King's," in the full confidence that all for whom the remembrance of skill and constancy and cou- rage have a charm, will unite in thinking that the VOL. I. I 114 POINT CUNNINGHAM. career of such a man should not be without a last- ing and appropriate monument ! February 13. — It blew a violent gale the whole of this day from W.S.W., coming on quite unex- pectedly, for neither the state nor appearance of the atmosphere gave us the least indication of its approach. Exposed on a lee-shore, it may be ima- gined that we were by no means displeased to see it as rapidly and inexplicably depart, as it had sud- denly and mysteriously appeared. February 14. — - Leaving this anchorage we found another in a bay on the mainland, 12 miles S. from Point Swan, and 11 N.W. from a remarkable headland named by Captain King, Point Cunningham, in honour of that distinguished botanist, whose zealous exertions have added so much to the Flora of Australia. I well remember when we were preparing to sail from Sydney, in May 1839, the scientific veteran seemed to enter with the utmost interest into all the details of the coming adventure. And even, though the natural force of that frame which had so often set danger at defi- ance, while engaged in the ennobling pursuits to which his honourable career had been devoted, was too palpably failing the mind whose dictates it had so long obeyed ; the fire of the spirit that had burned throughout so brightly, seemed to leap up in yet more glowing flame, ere quenched for ever by the ashes of the grave! — alas! within the brief SUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR WATER. 115 period of two months, the world had closed upon him for ever I A point, fronting a small islet, almost joined to it at low water, was selected as a fitting spot for the commencement of our well-digging operations, which we hoped to bring to a more successful termination than our former attempt at Point Swan. After sink- ing to a depth of eight feet our anticipations were fully justified, the water flowing in through the sides in great abundance. It was quite fresh, and in every way most acceptable to us all ; but tinged as it was with the red colour of the surrounding soil, we could at once perceive that it was only surface water. As we watched it filling our neatly exca- vated well, we found no great difficulty in under- standing why, in this continent, a native speaks of any very favoured district, as " Very fine country — much plenty water — fine country ;" thus compre- hending in the certain supply of that one necessary of life, the chief, nay almost the sole condition essen- tial to a happy land. We named this Skeleton^ Point from our finding here the remains of a native, placed in a semi-recum- bent position under a wide spreading gum tree, enveloped, or more properly, shrouded, in the bark of the papyrus. All the bones were closely packed together, the larger being placed outside, and the general mass surmounted by the head, resting on its base, the fleshless, eyeless scull ' grinning hor- ribly' over the right side. Some of the natives I 2 116 SI^ELETON POINT. arrived shortly after we had discovered this curious specimen of their mode of sepulture ; but although they entertain peculiar opinions upon the especial sanctity of ' the house appointed for all living,* — a sanctity we certainly were not altogether justified in disregarding — they made no offer of remonstrance at the removal of the mortal remains of their dead brother. Whether here, as in the neighbourhood of Freemantle, they regarded us as near kindred of their own under a new guise, and so perhaps might suppose that we took away the dry bones in order to rebuild the frame of which they before formed the support, and to clothe the hideous nakedness of death with the white man's flesh ; or whether, deeming us indeed profane violators of that last resting-place of suffering humanity, which it seems an almost instinctive feeling to regard with reve- rence, they left the office of retribution either to the spirit of the departed, or the more potent "boyl-yas" — to be found upon the testimony of Miago in the wicked north — I know not ; certain it is that under the superintendence of Mr. Bynoe the removal was effected, and that the skeleton itself, presented by that officer to Captain Grey, was by him bestowed upon the Royal College of Surgeons, in whose museum it is now to be found. Among the ornithological specimens obtained here was one of the curlew tribe, greatly resembling an ibis, and remarkable for its size. It measured from the extremity of the bill to the tip of the toe OUR PARTING LEGACY. 117 27J inches, and weighed lib. lA^ oz. The colour, with the exception of the belly and legs, which were of a dirty white slightly mottled, very much resem- bled that of the common English wild duck. One of the natives seen to-day had with him a kiley, so different in shape to any we had previously seen that I preserved a sketch of it. All the KiLEYS. A"j«o'j Sound. ..C^^^ ■' iS^ Swan River, l-24th of the usual size. party wore their hair tied up behind, and each had suffered the loss of one of the front teeth in the upper jaw : and some had endured an extraordinary mutilation; apparently in exaggeration of an ancient Jewish rite. In general appearance they resembled the natives previously seen at Point Swan. They appeared to luxuriate in the water we had found, wondered at the size of our well, and expressed the greatest admiration of our skill in thus procuring this needful article ; and I do not doubt but that long after every other recollection of our visit shall have passed away, this beneficial memorial of it will perpetuate the visit of H. M. S. 'Beagle,* to this part of the great continent of Australia. CHAPTER VI. POINT CUNNINGHAM TO FITZ-ROY RIVER. SURVEY THE COAST TO POINT CUNNINGHAM — MOVE THE SHIP— MUSaUITOS — SOUTHERN VIEW OF KING's SOUND SINGULAR VITREOUS FORMATION MOVE TO THE SOUTH OF POINT CUNNINGHAM — CAPTAIN KINg's LIMIT — TERMI- NATION OF CLIFFY RANGE — DISASTER BAY — AN EXPLORING PARTY LEAVE IN THE BOATS — THE SHORE A FRESH WATER LAKE VALENTINE ISLAND NATIVE FIRE AND FOOD — A HEAVY SQUALL — THE WILD OAT — INDICATIONS OF A RIVER — POINT TORMENT — GOUTY STEM TREE AND FRUIT — LIMITS OF ITS GROWTH ANOTHER SQUALL WATER NEARLY FRESH ALONGSIDE THE FITZ-ROY RIVER — TIDE BORE AND DANGEROUS POSITION OF THE YAWL— ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY — APPEARANCE OF THE ADJACENT LAND — RETURN ON FOOT — PERILOUS SITUATION AND PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE — SURVEY THE WESTERN SHORE RETURN TO THE SHIP —SPORTING, QUAIL AND EMUS — NATIVES— SHIP MOVED TO POINT TORMENT. February 21, 1838. — We remained at this shel- tered anchorage until the 21st, by which time the coast, so far as Point Cunningham, had been carefully examined. We found it everywhere indented with deep bays, in each of which good anchorage was to be found. The water's edge was in almost every place fringed with the closely twining mangrove trees, behind which the country gradually rose to an average level of about 200 feet, being thickly covered with the various sorts of Eucalypti, for MUSQUITOS. 119 which all the explored portions of this continent are more or less remarkable. In the afternoon of the 21st, we moved into a bay N.W. of Point Cunningham, and anchored in 8 fathoms (low water) about a mile N.W. from that point ; having passed over a bank of 5 or 6 fathoms, with 12 on its outer, and 10 on its inner side, and lying 2i miles north from Point Cunningham. I spent the early part of this night on shore, a cir- cumstance of which the tormenting musquitos took every possible advantage ; finally driving me from their territory with every indignity, and in a state of mind any thing but placid. The poet doubtless spoke from experience when he asserted — " there was never yet philosopher That could endure the toothache patiently." And even could such a prodigy of patient endurance be found, I am sure it would fail him when exposed to the ceaseless persecution of these inexorable assailants. February 22. — The greater part of to-day was spent in making a more minute examination of the bay, the shoal discovered yesterday rendering a more careful search necessary. From the summit of Point Cunningham, I had a fine view of the opposite shore of the sound ; very broken and rugged it appeared to be. To the S.E. and south I could see no land ; a circumstance which raised my hopes of finding in that direction the long and anxiously expected river, which the geological formation of the country. 120 SINGULAR VITREOUS FORMATION. and all the recorded experience of discovery, alike warranted us in anticipating. The point upon which r stood was a steep and cliffy rock facing the sea, connected with the main land by a low and narrow neck of land, but almost insulated at high water during the spring tides. A singular cliff, projecting on its S.E. side, is called by Captain King, Carlisle Head ; but we searched in vain for the fresh water, which that distinguished navigator speaks of, as having been found there by him in 1819. We remarked here, certain vitreous forma- tions, in all, except form, identical with those already described as having been seen at Point Swan. These were small balls lying loose on the sandy beach, at the bottom of the cliff ; they were highly glazed upon the surface, hollow inside, and varying in size from a musket, to a tennis ball.* February 23. — We weighed early in the morning, and rounded Point Cunningham ; anchoring again at 10 o'clock, A.M., 8 miles north of it, in 7 fathoms (low water) ; W. by N., one mile from where we lay, a red cliffy head, called by Captain King, in memory of the difficulties which ultimately compelled him to leave this interesting coast. Foul Point, marks the limit of his survey of this part of the northern shore of Australia, and terminates the range of cliffs,'|" * F?V^ ]\Ii'. Darwin on ' superficial ferrugineous beds.' — Geo- logy of Volcanic Islands, page 143. t The cliffs at Foul Point and Point Cunningham, unite the sandstone and argillaceous formation. EXPLORING PARTY IN BOATS. 121 which, up to this point, forms nature's barrier against the sea. Beyond it, the coast assumes a low and treacherous character, and subsides into a deep bay, called by Captain King, not without reason, Disaster Bay. From the mast-head, from whence I hoped to get a wide view of the unknown waters we were about to explore, I could just see A^alentine Island, bearing S.S.E. about 17 miles. Its lofty extremities alone being visible, it had the appearance of two islands. Here, then, a really most interesting, — nay, a most exciting, — portion of the duties of the survey were to commence in earnest ; and it was reserved for us to take up the thread of discovery reluctantly abandoned by our enterprising and scientific pre- decessor, at the moment when the prize was almost within his grasp. *it was forthwith determined, that Captain Wickham and Mr. Fitzmaurice should collect the necessary materials for completing the survey, and preparing the chart of the bay in the im- mediate neighbourhood of the ship ; while to myself the whale boat and yawl were to be entrusted ; nor can I describe with what delight, all minor annoy- ances forgotten, I prepared to enter upon the ex- citing task of exploring waters unfurrowed by any preceding keel ; and shores, on which the advancing step of civilization had not yet thrown the shadows of her advent, nor the voice of that Chris- tianity, which walks by her side through the utter- most parts of the earth, summoned the wilderness 1'22 FRESH WATER LAKE. and the desert to hail the approaching hour, in the fuhiess of which all the earth shall be blessed ! Soon after dark we were visited by a squall from the eastward, longer in duration, and heavier than any we had before experienced. From our exposed situation, — no land intervening for 30 miles, — it raised a good deal of sea : the wind remained fresh at the east during the greater part of the night. February 24. — The morning broke, dark, gloomy, and threatening ; but, as the day advanced, it gra- dually assumed its usual bright and brilliant charac- ter ; and at seven a.m. we started, Mr. Helpman having the whale boat, while Mr. Tarrant accom- panied me in the yawl. We crossed Disaster Bay in four and five fathoms, steering in the direction of Valentine Island, and inside a long sandy spit, partly dry at low water, and extending two-thirds of the wav across. While waitins: for the tide to rise, in order to cross this natural breakwater, we landed, and struggled for a good mile through a mixture of deep mud and sand, drifted, at the coast line, into hills of from twenty-five to thirty feet high, and bound together by a long coarse grass; immediately beyond which we came upon a small lake of fresh water, where all the luxuriant growth of tropical vegetation was starting into life, and presenting an almost miraculous contrast to the barren sterility, that stamped an aspect of change- less desolation upon the rest of this inhospitable shore. Indeed, so far as our experience extended, VALENTINE ISLAND. 123 upon the coasts, and within the interior of this in many respects extraordinary continent, the want of water appears to be the chief drawback to the fer- tility otherwise to be anticipated from its geogra- phical position : at the same time, it is quite im- possible to blind oneself to the fact, that further researches on the one hand, and the application of the great discoveries in hydraulics, of which recent years have been so fruitful, on the other, may, and probably will, spread the vernal bloom of cultiva- tion over wastes, now condemned to prolonged and arbitrary periods of drought. This spot, which long arrested my attention, and upon which I gazed with the selfish feeling of delight inspired by the thought that thereon never before had rested the curious eye of any restless and indefatigable wanderer from the west, is distant about 500 yards N.N.W., from a solitary patch of low red cliffs, the first of this formation that present themselves south of Foul Point. Extensive flats fronting the coast to the southward, almost connect it at low water with Valentine Island, which we reached at two p.m., just on the top of high water, and shortly afterwards grounded the boats in a small bay to the westward. The greatest extent of Valentine Island is three-quarters of a mile in an E. by S. direction : either extremity is formed by high cliffs, a low valley intervening. On landing we found a fire still burning, near the beach, and beside it a bundle of the bark of the 124 NATIVE FIRE AND FOOD. papyrus tree, in which were carefully packed a quantity of ground nuts, they were each about three-quarters of an inch long, and in shape not unlike a kidney potatoe;* it seemed clear, judging from the native value of the commodities thus rashly abandoned, that our arrival had rather taken by surprise these untutored children of the wilder- ness: we saw nothing of them till we had re- embarked, when (four or five only in number) they returned to the beach ; and we could perceive that our foot tracks, upon which they appeared to hold an animated debate, had, to say the least, mightily puzzled them. I ascended the highest point of the island in the afternoon, and from thence looked over several miles of densely wooded country, but offering no appearance of land to the eastward of S.S.E. We gazed with indescribable delight upon the wide expanse of open water which lay before us in that direction, and already anticipated the discovery of some vast inlet, terminating in the mouth of a magnificent river, upon the exploration of which our imagination was already busily engaged ; nor for the moment did the thought, or rather the recollection of the fact, that Captain King had seen land (by refraction) in that quarter,, serve to damp our ardour. When it made its way, and perseveringly insisted upon engaging a certain share of my attention, its presence only added an * Tliis esculent appeared to resemble the warran, or yam, used for food by the native inhabitants north of Swan River. A HEAVY SQUALL. 125 additional motive to my previous determination to set the question at rest by personal examination, and in the interim, to look immediately before sun- rise (when the atmosphere within the tropics is always clear) for the very sight I should have been most disappointed to have beheld. During the afternoon I shot over the island, and enjoyed some very fair sport ; especially with the pheasant- cuckoo,* and quail, large and small, which were numerous : several birds not unlike the so-called crow of the Swan River colonists were seen. We found no fresh water, but in addition to the abundance of game, the presence of the natives, proves the island to be not wholly destitute of this first requisite of life. The thermometer at 3 p.m., was 100 in the shade, while the unnatural calm that reigned around gave the experienced seaman plain warning of some disturbance at hand. Just before sunset these anxious anticipations proved correct : a mass of broad edged white clouds rose rapidly in the east, and spread over the till then unbroken blue of the vast vault above ; among or rather behind the interstices of these clouds, the lightning quivered and flashed fearfully and fitfully, gleaming with a terrible distinctness in the fading light of expiring day ! Anon, darker and more ominous clouds succeeded to the first, and quickly uniting seemed to span all heaven with a frowning arch, that came rapidly onwards upon the wings of * Centropus Phasianellus. — Gould. 126 WILD OATS. the now rising tempest. It was some time ere its approach either attracted the attention or disturbed the boisterous mirth of the boats' crews, who, with the enviable philosophy of their class, were gaily laughing over the incidents of the day. I had just secured a good latitude by Canopus, when the squall burst upon us from E.S.E., it blew very hard indeed for about an hour, veering round to, and terminat- ing at, N.E., and then all was calm again ; partaking of the general characteristics of previous visitations of the same kind, to which we have been subject since our arrival upon this coast, it lasted for a much less time, as hitherto their average duration had been about three hours. It brought the ther- mometer down to 80°. All was quiet by midnight, and undisturbed by the past we finished the night in peace. Daybreak found us at the eastern end of the island, from which point w^e observed a low strip of land bearing east about 16 miles distant; a fact which re-establishes Captain King's authority, against Mr. Earle's contradiction.* This confirma- tion of that distinguished and able navigator, in some degree reconciled me to the unpropitious dis- covery, that the shores of this great sheet of water were visiblv beorinninof to contract. During our walk we noticed the wild oat in great abundance. This valuable species of corn is then indigenous to this part of the world. Ere long, perhaps, the time will arrive when upon the coast, * Vide Earle's Eastern Seas, page 451. INDICATIONS OF A RIVER. 127 where now in native negligence " it springs and dies," it may spread the white and glistening gar- ment of cultivation — testify the existence— and pro- mote the comfort of social life. The same seed was found near Hanover Bay, by Lieuts. Grey and Lushington, and throve exceedingly well in the soft and luxurious climate of the ever- verdant Mauritius. Leaving some presents in a conspicuous situation for the present rightful possessors of the island, whose temporary shelter we had obtained, we hastened back to the boats, and stood away to the eastward for the low land seen from the island, and crossed various narrow sandy ridges, nearly dry at low water, and generally trending N. and S., shewing the direction of the stream by which they were formed, and at distances of 5, 7, 9, and 12 miles, in an E. by S. direction from Valentine Island ; the soundings between them averaged from 7 to 9 fathoms. A favouring breeze from the south helped us half way across to the point, from whence I hoped and believed w^e should hereafter date the first great event of the voyage ; and then dying away, compelled us to take to the oars, with the thermometer at 110° in the shade. As we pro- ceeded, several circumstances concurred to satisfy me that we were at length really approaching the mouth of a considerable river; large trees drifted past us with the ebbing tide, while each cast of the lead proved that we were gradually, though nearing the land, deepening the water. Fortune too seemed now resolved to favour us, the deep channel most 128 POINT TORMENT. opportunely lying along the eastern shore, which we reached soon after noon, and landed on the only beach of sand hereabouts left uncovered at high water. Here, for better security against the squalls we had experienced for the last two nights, we hauled up the boats. A name was soon found for our new territory, upon which we with rueful unanimity conferred that of Point Torment, from the incessant and vindictive attacks of swarms of musquitos, by whom it had evidently been resolved to give the new comers a warm welcome. The greater part of Point Torment is deeply inter- sected with deep narrow creeks, and is almost entirely flooded at high water : it extends low and swampy for nearly three miles in breadth, and then rises gradually, the slope being well wooded with the white Eucalypti. Here also I remarked the gouty stem tree, figured by Captain Grey, and described by Captain King, as of the Nat. Ord. Capparides, and thought to be a Capparis ; it also bears a resemblance to the Adansonia described in Captain Tuckey's Congo. This was but a small specimen in fruit, of which the following brief description may convey a tolerably clear idea. In shape it something resembled the cocoa nut, with a gourd-like outside, of a brown and yellow colour. Its length was five inches, and diameter three. The shell was exceedingly thin a,nd when opened it was found to be full of seeds, imbedded in a whitish pulp, and of a not ungrateful taste. This place, lat. 17° 5' S., may be considered the THE MUSQUITOES. 129 limit of its growth in that direction, and the Vic- toria River, of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter, in lat. 14° 55', the northern boundary of its indigenous empire. We saw no traces of inhabitants, not even the thin rising smoke, which so often greeted our eyes near the coast we had recently surveyed. I climbed the highest tree we could find, and from the elevation it afforded looked southwards over a wide prospect of nothing but mangroves and mud banks ; still interesting from the fact that upon them the wondering gaze of the curious European had never yet been bent ! Procuring the necessary observations completed the duties of the day; but, alas! the sleep all could have enjoyed so much after our work, was rendered impossible by the swarms of mus- quitoes, who at sunset relieved those of their tribe upon whom the day duty had devolved, and commenced a most unsparing attack upon us : all devices to escape them were tried in vain, and some of the men were really half mad with the insufferable annoyance : at last, about eight o'clock, when all patience seemed exhausted, a welcome peal of thunder, and bright flashes of lightning announced the expected and much desired squall. It served to blow away some of our persecutors ; but our rest was of very short duration, and I was at length compelled to order the people to take to the boats, fairly driven from the shore by our VOL. I. K 130 THE FLOOD-TIDE. diminutive but invincible assailants. The tide set past the boats at the rate of four knots per hour, and it fell 33 feet, being 6 feet more than we had as yet found it. The only rock seen here was a block, visible at low water ; it was a conglomerate, and the most southerly formation of the kind we met with. February 26. — The daylight found us all anxiously speculating upon the probable results to be accomplished before the darkness once more closed in upon us, but the morning being perfectly calm, we were compelled to wait till the flood-tide made : this soon took us past an island four miles from the eastern shore, seen the evening before, and which now proved to be a narrow strip, covered with the never-failing mangrove ; and having two smaller islands, nearly identical in character, lying two miles south of it. We passed them at noon, and saw the land to the westward, our position being- then 20 miles south of Point Torment. The water had shoaled in several places during the passage to less than a fathom (low water) ; but the tide hem- med in by the contraction of this great inlet, (the left shore of which gradually trending to the east- ward, here approached to within six miles of the opposite coast,) still hurried us on with a rapi- dity agreeable enough but not quite free from danger, towards what appeared to be the mouth of a large river. If our exultation had been great in the morning, when such success as this was only half ESCAPE POINT. 131 anticipated, what was it at that exciting moment when the eventful hour which should give us the triumph of such a discovery as that we now fairly anticipated, seemed within our grasp ? I cannot answer for others, but for myself I had never known a sensation of greater delight. Doubt, disappoint- ment, difficulty, and danger ; all, all were unheeded or forgotten in the one proud thought that for us was reserved an enterprise the ultimate results of which might in some future year affect the interests of a great portion of the world ! Presently, as if to recall to their routine of duty, these upward springing thoughts, the boats were found to be rapidly carried by the stream towards an extensive flat, which appeared to extend right across the opening towards which all eyes had been turned with so much eagerness, and over which the tide was boiling and whirling with great force. To attempt to cross would have been madness ; there was nothing, therefore, to be done but patiently await the rising of the tide. The nearest land, a mangrove point bearing S.S.E. one mile, we after- wards named Escape Point, in grateful memory of the providential escapes we experienced in its vici- nity. Where the boats were anchored we had nearly five feet at low water, and the tide ran past them at the rate of five miles an hour. As soon as possible we again started, in a south by west direction, and pro- ceeded for about five miles, when the boats were anchored, near the western shore, which we pro- K 2 132 MOUTH OF THE FITZ-ROY. posed to visit at low water. From the yawl's mast- head I traced the shore all round, except to the south-east, where I could see an opening about a mile wide. The western land was slightly elevated, perhaps to 70 feet, and clothed with rather large trees, while to the eastward the land appeared very low. As the tide ebbed, we found, to our disap- pointment and mortification, that the flat over which we reckoned to secure a passage to the mainland, never became quite dry, (the tide here falling only 18 feet) while from its soft and treacherous cha- racter, it was impossible to cross it on foot. All doubt about our beinor in the mouth of a o river was put an end to by finding that, during the last of the ebb, the water was nearly fresh. This discovery was hailed by us all with a pleasure which persons only familiar with the well-watered and verdant fields of England cannot fully com- prehend. Our success afforded me a welcome opportu- nity of testifying to Captain Fitz-Roy my grateful recollection of his personal kindness ; and I deter- mined, with Captain Wickham's permission, to call this new river after his name, thus perpetuating, by the most durable of monuments, the services and the career of one, in whom, with rare and enviable prodigality, are mingled the daring of the seaman, the accomplishments of the student, and the graces of the Christian — of whose calm fortitude in the hour of impending danger, or TIDE-BORE. 133 whose habitual carefulness for the interests of all under his command, if I forbear to speak, I am silent because, while I recognise their existence, and perceive how much they exalt the character they adorn, I feel, too, that they have elevated it above, either the need, or the reach of any eulogy within my power to offer ! I felt pretty confident that the first rush of the tide upon its reflux would be violent, and had made preparation accordingly. In the first watch these anticipations were realized, and I was roused from a momentary doze by a loud roaring, which I at once recognized to be the voice of thunder, herald- ing the advancing tide. The night was pitch dark, and though I instinctively turned my eyes towards the ofling, I could see nothing, but as each anxious moment passed away, the fearful voice of the waters sounded nearer and nearer, and within less time than I have occupied in the narration, the full force of the rush of tide coming on like a wall, several feet high, and bringing our anchor away with it, was upon us. The cable thus slackened, the yawl sheered, and was thrown violently upon her broadside in the midst of it, and had it not been for the shores lashed to each mast, she must inevitably have capsized. The whale boat fared better ; being lighter she was the sooner afloat, and besides her buoyant bow was the better able to receive and resist the shock. When the tide slacked we returned to the deep water off Escape Point, and spent the remainder of 134 ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. the night in quiet, I would fain hope, so far as most of us were concerned, not without a thankful re- membrance of Him, whose merciful providence had been so recently manifested in our behalf ! February 27. — Leaving Mr. Tarrant in charge of the yawl, I proceeded with Mr. Helpman to trace the river, immediately after daylight. Against the last of the ebb tide, and with the ther- mometer at 80°, we contrived to reach a spot two miles beyond Point Escape before noon. From Point Escape upwards, there appeared to be, at low water, no regular channel ; the bed of the river assumed the aspect of an extensive flat of mud, intersected with small rivulets or streams that served to drain it. No signs of human habitation were seen along its banks, which divided by numer- ous small creeks, and thickly fringed with the un- failing mangrove, stretched away in level and drear monotony, only broken towards the west by land of inconsiderable elevation. The circling flight of the ever wary curlew, and the shrill cry of the plover, now first disturbed in their accustomed territory, alone vouched for the presence of animal life in that vast solitude, the eff"ect of which they heightened, rather than removed ! Finding the further ascent almost if not altogether impracticable at the present state of the tide, I ordered the boat back to Point Escape, and landed, accompanied by Mr. Helpman, and a seaman, in- tending to return on foot. RETURN ON FOOT. 135 The shore was a soft mud, in which the small mangroves had found a most congenial soil : while our journey every now and then, arrested by the intervention of one or other of the numerous little creeks of which I have before spoken, promised to prove a more fatiguing, if not more hazardous affair, than we had originally contemplated. We managed at first, by ascending their banks for a short distance from the river, to jump across these opposing creeks, but as the tide rose, they filled and widened in proportion, and each moment increased the difficulties of our position, now height- ened by the untoward discovery that William Ask, the seaman who had accompanied us, was unable to swim ! Time and tide, however, wait for no man, and the rapidly rising waters had flooded the whole of the low land which formed this bank of the river, so that we were compelled to wade, feeling with a stick for the edges of the creeks in our route, over each of which Mr. Helpman and myself had alter- nately to swim in order to pass the arms undamaged; and then Ask, making the best jump that he could muster for the occasion, was dragged ashore on the opposite side. At length we reached a creek, the breadth of which rendered this mode of proceeding no longer practicable, and we were compelled to stop, being fortunately very near the point where I had directed the boat to meet us. Our situation was now anything but pleasant, the water being already 136 PERILOUS SITUATION above our knees, and the tide having still several hours to rise ; while the mangrove trees by which we were surrounded, were all too slender to afford the least support. In this state of affairs, leaving Mr. Helpman with Ask — who had secured a piece of drift timber as a last resource — I made my way to the edge of the shore, only to find that the boat, unable to stem the current, had anchored some distance above us ! Mr. Helpman and myself might have reached her by swimming ; but even could I have easily reconciled myself to part with our arms and instruments, at any rate to abandon poor Ask in the dilemma into which I had brought him was not to be thought of. By repeated discharges of my gun I at last succeeded in attracting the attention of the boat's crew, who made an immediate and desperate effort to come to our assistance : while their strength lasted they just contrived to hold their own against the tide, then, drifting astern, were again compelled to anchor. The attempt was renewed, when an equally despe- rate struggle was followed by just as fruitless a result : the force of the stream was clearly more than they could overcome, and an intervening bank precluded any attempt to creep up to us along the shore. Most anxiously did I watch the water as it changed its upward level almost with the rapidity of an inch a minute, being in doubt whether it would rise above our heads, ero it afforded a sufficient depth AND PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE. 137 to carry the boat over the intervening bank, and bring us the only assistance that would afford a chance for our lives. I breathed a short, but most fervent prayer to Him, " in whose hands are the issues of life and death," and turned back to cheer my comrades with the chance of rescue ; nor shall I ever forget the expression of thankfulness and gra- titude which lit up the face of poor Ask, as the whispers of hope were confirmed by the welcome advance of the whale boat's bows through the almost submerged mangroves, just as the water had topped our shoulders ; and, therefore, barely in time to con- firm upon this locality its former title of Point Escape ! We now pulled down to this last named point, and waited for the tide to fall, in order to obtain the necessary observations for determining its posi- tion : those for latitude, taken in the early part of the night, gave a result, (worked on the spot,) of 17" 24^' S. ; being an increase in latitude of 35 miles from the present position of the ' Beagle.* Having now but two days' provisions remaining, I determined on completing the survey of the western shore, south of Valentine Island, and then to return and report our discovery, knowing that Captain Wickham would do all in his power to prosecute it to the utmost. March 3. — These plans were accordingly carried into effect, and we returned to the ship on the morn- ing of the 3rd of March. We found all well on 138 RETURN TO THE SHIP. board, with the exception of poor Mr. Usborne, whom we were delighted to see so far recovered. One sen- timent of satisfaction pervaded the whole ship's company, when informed of our success ; and, as I had anticipated, Captain Wickham at once deter- mined upon further exploring our new discovery in lighter boats, first placing the ship as near the mouth of it as practicable. During the squall, on the first night of our absence, the ship parted her cable, and was nearly on the rocks. Our sportsmen had been actively and successfully employed during our absence, having shot a great number of quail ; they had seen two emus, and Messrs. Bynoe and Dring had obtained several specimens of rare birds, all of which are now figured by Mr. Gould in his Birds of Australia. A few natives had also been seen, but they were too wary to permit any intercourse with them. March 4. — This was Sunday, and no impera- tive necessity hindered our making it a day of rest. Various necessary observations occupied the greater part of Monday ; and, on the day following, the ship was moved, under my guidance, to an anchorage, in 5 fathoms (low water), 2J miles west from Point Torment. CHAPTER VII. THE FITZ-ROY RIVER TO PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH, AND RETURN TO SWAN RIVER. EXAMINATION OF THE FITZ-ROY RIVER — EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR ALARM OF THE NATIVES — ASCENT OF THE RIVER — SUFFERINGS FROM MUSQUITOES — RED SANDSTONE NATIVES AGAIN SURPRISED — APPEARANCE OF THE COUN- TRY— IMPEDIMENTS IN THE RIVER RETURN OF THE BOATS AN ALLIGATOR — STOKES' BAY — NARROW ESCAPE OF AN OFFICER — CHANGE OF LANDSCAPE — PHEASANT-CUCKOOS A NEW VINE — COMPASS HILL PORT USBORNE — EX- PLORE THE EASTERN SHORE OF KING's SOUND — CONE BAY NATIVE FIRES — WHIRLPOOL CHANNEL — GROUP OF ISLANDS — STERILE ASPECT OF THE COAST VISITED BY A NATIVE — BATHURST ISLAND — NATIVE HUT AND RAFT RETURN TO PORT USBORNE NATIVE SPEARS — CASCADE BAY — RESULT OF EXPLORATIONS IN KING's SOUND INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES — CORAL REEFS DISCOVER BEAGLE BANK — ARRIVAL AT PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH EXAMINATION OF COLLIER BAY IN THE BOATS — BRECK- NOCK HARBOUR — THE SLATE ISLANDS FRESH WATER COVE AN EAGLE SHOT ITS SINGULAR NEST ROCK KANGAROOS — A CONFLAGRATION — SANDSTONE RIDGES — DOUBTFUL BAY MOUTH OF THE GLENELG REMARK- ABLE TREE FERTILE COUNTRY NEAR BRECKNOCK HAR- BOUR RETURN TO THE SHIP MEET WITH LIEUT. GREY HIS SUFFERINGS AND DISCOVERIES VISIT THE ENCAMPMENT — TIMOR PONIES — EMBARKATION OF LIEUT. grey's party — SAIL FROM PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH--- REMARKS ON POSITION OF TRYAL ROCK — ANECDOTES OF MIAGO ARRIVAL AT SWAN RIVER — DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING OWEn's ANCHORAGE. March 7, 1838. — We spent the morning in making the necessary preparations, and in the after- 140 EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR. noon started to resume our examination of Fitz-Roy River. Captain Wickham and Lieutenant Eden in the gig, and myself, accompanied by Mr. Tarrant, in one of the whale boats ; we reached the mangrove isles at sunset, and spent the night between them and the eastern shore. On the 8th the tide suited us but badly, and we were only able to proceed about four miles beyond Escape Point, where we secured the boats in a creek out of the influence of the tide. We found much less water off Escape Point than on our former visit. In the evening we made an excursion into the interior. It was one vast un- broken level, covered with a strong and wiry grass, intersected with numerous water-courses, which the tide filled at high water, there were also indica- tions of more important, but less regular, visits from the sea. Here and there a solitary tree assisted us in estimating the distance we had walked. We saw two emus in this plain, which appeared also a favourite resort of quail and a bronze- winged pigeon. We could not get within shot of the wary emus, but the quail and pigeons afforded us good sport, notwithstanding the cease- less attacks of the musquitoes, which swarmed in the long grass, and defied anything less impene- trable than Mackintosh leggings, incumbrances not desirable for a pedestrian with the thermometer at 87% particularly when worn over a pair of Flush- ing trowsers. Thus defended, I could, in some degree, defy these tormenting assailants, and at NATIVES. 141 night, under the additional security afforded by a large painted coat, contrived to secure two or three hours of unbroken rest, — a luxury few of my com- panions enjoyed. It was with much disappointment that we found the channel occupied, at low water, by a mere rivulet, draining the extensive mud flats then left uncovered. Hope, however, though somewhat sobered, was not altogether destroyed by this mal- a-propos discovery, and we still looked forward with an interest but little abated, to the results of a complete survey of our new discovery. March 9. — -We moved on when the tide served, keeping close to the eastern bank of the river, where there appeared at low water, the largest stream, then barely two feet deep. Following the sinuosity of the shore, our general direction was south, and after we had thus proceeded two miles, we found the width of the river suddenly contract from three miles to one. The banks were low and covered with a coarse grass. Here we saw three natives, stretching their long spare bodies over the bank, watching the leading boat with the fixed gaze of apparent terror and anxiety. So rivetted was their attention, that they allowed my boat to approach unnoticed within a very short distance of them ; but when they suddenly caught sight of it, they gave a yell of mingled astonishment and alarm, and flinging themselves back into the long grass, were almost 142 EXPLORATION OF THE RIVER. instantly out of sight. They were evidently greatly alarmed, and as Miago, whose presence might have given them confidence, was not with us, it seemed hopeless to attempt any communication with them, much as we should have liked to con- vince them, that these strange white creatures were of a race of beings formed like themselves, though even of our existence they could have had no pre- vious idea. Six miles from our last night's bivouac, still keep- ing our southerly direction, brought us to some low, grassy islets, extending almost across the river, and leaving only confined and shallow channels ; through one of which we had, at half tide, some difficulty in finding a passage for the boats. The river now widened out a little, and we found the deep water near the western bank, the appearance of the coun- try remaining unaltered. We landed to pass the night at a rocky point on the east side of the river, one mile south from the most western islet of the chain just described as almost preventing our as- cent. The depth of the river at this point was about twelve feet at low water ; and its breadth some four or five hundred yards. We found the water fresh at all times of tide, which here rose only eight feet ; being ten feet less than its greatest rise eight miles nearer the mouth, where the time of high water at the full and change of the moon occurs at 4h. 10m. p.m. This was the first rock formation we had noticed SUFFERINGS FROM MUSQUITOES. 143 since leaving Point Torment, a distance of nearly thirty miles ; it was a very fine-grained red sand- stone, darkened and rendered heavy by the pre- sence of ferruginous particles. The appearance of the country now began to improve, the eastern bank was thickly wooded, and a mile higher up, the west- ern appeared clothed in verdure. I noticed here the same kind of tree, seen for the first time behind our last night's bivouac ; it was small and shrubby looking, with a rough bark, not unlike that of the common elm, and its little pointed leaf, of a deep, dark green, contrasted with the evergreen Eucalypti by which it was surrounded, reminded me of the various tints that give the charm of constant variety to our English woods, and lend to each succeeding season a distinctive and characteristic beauty.* I must be pardoned for again alluding to our old enemies the musquitoes, but the reception they gave us this night is too deeply engraven on my memory to be ever quite forgotten. They swarmed around us, and by tlie light of the fire, the blanket bags in which the men sought to protect themselves, seemed literally black with their crawling and sting- ing persecutors. Woe to the unhappy wretch who * The diameter of the largest tree of this kind was only eight inches : it was exceedingly hard, and of a very dark red colour, except a white rim about an inch in thickness. This wood worked and looked the best, in a table I had made out of various specimens of woods collected on the North-west coast of Aus- tralia. 144 NIGHT OF TORMENT. had left unclosed the least hole in his bag ; the persevering musquitoes surely found it out, and as surely drove the luckless occupant out of his re- treat. I noticed one man dressed as if in the frozen north, hold his bag over the fire till it was quite full of smoke, and then get into it, a companion securing the mouth over his head at the apparent risk of suffocation ; he obtained three hours of what he gratefully termed comfortable sleep, but when he emerged from his shelter, where he had been stewed up with the thermometer at 87^ his appear- ance may be easily imagined. Our hands were in constant requisition to keep the tormentors from the face and ears, which often received a hearty whack, aimed in the fruitless irritation of the moment at our assailants, and which sometimes ended in adding head-ache to the list of annoyances. Strike as you please, the cease- less humming of the invincible musquito close to your ear seems to mock his unhappy victim ! One poor fellow, whose patience was quite ex- hausted, fairly jumped into the river to escape fur- ther persecution. We had the wind from S.W. to S.E. during the afternoon, but at 6 p.m. it veered round to N.N.W. While getting the observations for time and lati- tude, some of us were compelled to remain quiet, an opportunity our tiny assailants instantly availed themselves of, covering our faces and hands. To listen quietly to their hum, and feel their long stings ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. 145 darting into your flesh, might put the patience of Job himself to a severe trial. March 10. — After such a night of torment, we hailed the morning with delight ; and having partaken of an early breakfast, proceeded on our interesting discovery. The first reach took us more than a mile, in a S.W. by W. direction, the width of it being towards the latter end nearly a quarter of a mile; the deepest water, (from seven to eight feet) was on the west side, and a dry flat of sand fronted the other for some distance. The course of the river now changed, first to S.E. then round to W.N.W. enclosing a mile of ground. We had great difficulty, owing to the water being very shoal, in getting our boats through the next reach, which was rather more than a mile in a W. by S. direc- tion. After threading our way through three more reaches, trending S.S.W., — S.W., and S. and from half to one mile in length, the shades of evening and fatigue attending a long and unsatisfactory day*s work, warned us that it was time to seek a resting-place for the night, although we had but little hopes of obtaining any. We had made good but six miles during the day in a general S.W. by W. direction. Our progress being delayed by the difficulty we had in getting the boats over the shallows, and by a current running at the rate of from one to two miles an hour. The depth of the river varied during the day VOL. I. L 14G ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. from one to fourteen feet, and its width from three to five hundred yards. In the deep reaches were the wrecks of large trees, rearing their decayed heads, in evidence of the resistless fury of the torrent that had torn them from their roots, during some vast inundation, traces of which still remain on the banks, many feet above the present level of the river. The general aspect of the country had improved, and the eastern bank reached an elevation of 20 feet ; it was covered with long, green grass, and thickly wooded with a luxuriant growth of the white eucalyptus, while the almost total absence of every appearance of animal life, impressed an air of so- lemn tranquillity upon the whole scene. Perhaps it was from there being little to admire in the sur- rounding scenery that we were so much struck with the beauty of the w^estern sky, as its gilded clouds marked the departure of the great ruler of the day. It was scarcely possible to behold a more splen- did sunset ; but with us, after another sleepless night, his rise, as he tinged the eastern sky, was hailed with even greater delight. March 11. — At daylight I climbed the highest tree I could find on the eastern bank of the river, in order to get a peep at the surrounding country. The prospect, however, was but limited. The land- scape presented to my view, was an almost uninter- rupted level ; open woodlands, with here and there a few grassy spots, were its prevailing features. I ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. 147 could see nothino: of the river itself bevond the reach in which the boats were lying ; its upper ex- tremity bore S. by W. and was about half a mile from our halting place. I made a discovery in climbing this tree, which I hoped to make available in our farther ascent of the Fitz-Roy, should we be so fortunate as to accomplish its further exploration, or in any similar circumstances during our exami- nation of these untrodden wilds. It was this, and I mention it, as the hint may be useful to others : I found our enemies the musquitoes did not resort to the higher portions of the tree, and that by climb- ing some thirty feet from the ground, a night's repose, or at least a night undisturbed by their attacks might be obtained. Hastening back to the boats, we pushed on, but were some time getting to the end of the reach, the shallowness of the water rendering our advance difficult and tedious ; entering at length the next, which trended S.W. for about half a mile, the river gradually widened out until it attained a breadth of about half that space. An extensive flat of sand fronted the eastern bank, which was very low, and though now dry, bore undoubted marks of being not unfrequently visited by floods. The western bank of the next reach was low and broken, evi- dently forming a group of low grassy islands when the river is in a higher state. Some yellow sandstone cliff's, from ten to sixteen feet in height, formed the opposite bank of this L 2 148 ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. reach, which extended barely a quarter of a mile, in from a S. by E. to a S. by W. direction ; and varied in width from one to two hundred yards. We now entered a lake-like reach of the river, trending south for a mile and a quarter, having a breadth of about a hundred yards, and a depth in many places of twelve feet ; being twice that which we had usually found in any of the lower reaches, with scarcely any stream. Soon after entering this remarkable sheet of water, we noticed a rock formation in its western banks ; this we found to be a coarse- grained red sandstone, with fragments of quartz, and extended for nearly a quarter of a mile along the edge of the water. Over many parts of it was a coating of a dark and metallic appearance, about three inches thick ; and the surface in places pre- sented a glazed or smelted appearance. Mr. Darwin, in his work upon volcanic islands, page 143, alludes to this formation, under the head of " Superficial ferruginous beds," and thus concludes his observa- tions : — "The origin of these superficial beds, though sufficiently obscure, seems to be due to allu- vial action on detritus abounding with iron." As we proceeded along this canal, for such was the appearance of the reach we were now ascending, we surprised a small party of natives. They were at the water's edge, beneath a high mound of loose white sand, over which the children were some time in making their escape, struggling and screaming with anxiety and fear, as they half buried themselves be- ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. 149 neath its treacherous surface ; and sometimes, after almost gaining the summit, sliding back again to the base. All parental care seemed for the moment lost in the overwhelming sense of pre- sent danger, caused by the strange and unknown spectacle thus suddenly presented to the gaze of these poor savages. Our white faces, curious gar- ments, moving boats, the regular motions and un- accustomed sounds of our heavy oars, must indeed have filled them with amazement. I have since frequently remarked, that our oars created more wonder, or alarm, among the various tribes who first learnt through us the existence of their white brethren, than almost any other instrument of which they could at all understand the use ; perhaps, as they propel their frail rafts with a spear, they jumped to the conclusion, that our oars were also immense spears, which, being their chief weapons, must have given us a formidable appearance. We noticed, among the trees on the banks of this natural canal, two varieties of the palm ; both kinds had been observed by Mr. Brown in the Gulf of Carpentaria, during Captain Flinders' voyage. At the end of this reach, which extended for a mile and a half in a S.E. by S. direction, the river was scarcely 50 yards wide, and the depth had decreased from 12 to 6 feet; the current, scarcely perceptible in the deep water, now ran wdth a velo- city of from one to two miles per hour. Here, therefore, the Fitz-Roy may be said to assume all 150 ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. the more distinctive features of an Australian river : deep reaches, connected by shallows, and probably formino-, during the droughts which characterize Australia, an unlinked chain of ponds or lagoons ; and in places, leaving no other indication of its former existence than the water- worn banks and deep holes, thirsty and desolate as a desert plain. At this point, the river divided into two branches, one having an E.S.E., and the other a S.S.E. direc- tion. Anxious to determine, which, as the larger, best deserved our exploration, we landed at a high grassy point on the west bank. From the top of the highest tree in the neighbourhood, I commanded an extensive view of the wide and far-spread land- scape then first submitted to the scrutiny of an Euro- pean. Varied and undefined are the thoughts called forth at such a moment ; the past, the present, and the future, at once occupy, and almost confound the imagination. New feelings accompany new percep- tions ; and gazing for the first time upon a vast and unknown land, the mind, restless and active, as the roving life by which it is informed, expands for the reception of the crowding fancies, called into life as by the wand of the magician. After yielding for a while to the influence of the scene, 1 was glad to perceive the greater magnitude of the southerly branch of the river, which offered the most direct line into the interior. I could trace each stream for nearly three miles, but that which trended to the east was a mere rivulet. Both flowed ASCENT OF THE FITZ-ROY. 151 through a perfectly level country. Seven miles was about as far as the eye could reach over this weari- some looking level. To the westward the country was open ; the trees were small, and in clumps, with green grassy patches between ; but in other direc- tions, it was densely wooded, and on the eastern bank the trees were large. In the branches of the one I ascended, rushes, deposited by the cur- rent, were found 20 feet above the present level of the stream. This part of the country is therefore sometimes visited by heavy floods ; they do not, however, seem to depend imme- diately upon the quantity of rain, for while the whole face of the landscape indicated large and recent supplies, the river appeared little, if at all, affected by them. Having determined to follow the larger branch of the Fitz-Roy, we continued on our course, and found that beyond this point the river again widened to nearly 200 yards ; but that a chain of small islets, extending from bank to bank, nearly stopped our proceeding further. This obstacle was, however, overcome after some difficulty ; and still proceeding upwards another mile, we came to a narrow rapid and shallow reach, which brought us into another still and deep, about 100 yards wide, and bounded by high grassy banks. Through this we pursued our way right merrily, indulging in the golden anti- cipation that the Fitz-Roy would yet convey our boats some distance into the interior of that vast 152 IMPEDIMENTS IN THE RIVER. and unknown continent, with the present condition and future destiny of which our thoughts were so often busy. Scarcely, however, had we made good another mile, when we found ourselves entangled amonff a cluster of small islets, and sunken trees, which almost wholly choked up the channel. The river thus pent up, ran through the small open- ings in this barrier with great velocity ; while above, it had again assumed the deep still character which I have before had occasion to describe. We had partly overcome this impediment, when Captain Wickham decided upon giving up the at- tempt, and ordered the boats to return, considering the evident risks too great to justify further perse- verance. We therefore gave up the exploration of the Fitz-Roy, in lat. 17<^ 44' S., long. 124° 34' E., having traced its course for 22 miles in a general S.S.W. direction, and having penetrated 90 miles from the coast line, towards the centre of Australia, from which we were still distant GOO miles. My view from the tree top extended about four miles beyond the furthest point we had reached on the river, it had been our good fortune to add to the geography of Australia. Its banks here were 20 feet high, and covered with grass ; partially broken or washed down, they disclosed to view a rich alluvial soil, nearly two feet deep. The trees we found most common during our expedition into this portion of the new lands of Australia, consisted chiefly of two species of palm, RETURN OF THE BOATS. 153 and three of the eucalypti, stunted banksia, acacia, and thesins^ular tree before mentioned. The birds we saw were wholly those belonging to the land, and were chiefly black and white cockatoos, and a variety of finches. We neither saw nor caught any fish, and the absence of water-fowl led us to suppose they were scarce. All the excitement and interest we had enjoyed in exploring the Fitz-Roy thus far, now left us, and our return was comparatively tedious and monotonous work. March 12. — We, however, managed to reach our last night's bivouac by dark ; and towards the close of the next day we got as far down as the outer grassy islet in the entrance of the river. The night was stormy, but the wind and rain together kept away the musquitoes, and enabled us to obtain a little most welcome rest. This change in the weather was sudden. Hitherto we had been singu- larly fortunate, each succeeding night, and returning morn being, in clearness and beauty, only a repeti- tion of its predecessor. March 13. — The morning was again fine, and the bright sky was not disfigured by the least trace of the dark clouds that had so lately overspread it. The tide fortunately favoured our making an early start. On passing Escape Point, so named, as the reader may recollect, in grateful remembrance of the providential escape a small party of us ex- perienced there, we saw an alligator slide his unwieldy carcass from the soft mud-bank, upon 154 STOKES's BAY. which he had been lazily reclining, into one of the creeks we had so much difficulty in crossing. Wc could not but feel grateful that even the existence of these monster reptiles in this river was then unknown to us, as the bare thought of a visit from one of them would have added to the unpleasantness of our position, while the actual presence of so wholesale a gastronomer would perhaps have given another and less auspicious name to Escape Point. A creek, ten miles from Point Torment, afforded us shelter for the night, which was ao^ain wet and squally. March 14. — At day-break the blue vault above was still disfigured by dark inky blotches of clouds. We reached the ship before breakfast, and found that Mr. Helpman and Mr. Keys had ascertained that the opening on the north-east side of Point Torment was a great bay, extending ten miles in a south-easterly direction, with a width of the same distance : its shores throughout were fringed with mangroves, through which the tide found its way, inundating many miles of the interior at high water. In the north and south corners of the depths of this bay they found an inlet, each being about three miles deep ; narrow, sandy ridges, almost dry at low water, trending to the N.W., and separated by channels from three to four fathoms, occupied the greater portion of this extensive bay, which Captain Wickham, out of compliment, named after myself. Point Torment afforded a very fair field for the AN OFFICER ENTANGLED IN MANGROVES. 155 exertions of our collectors in Natural History. Without wishing to bore my readers with another long musquito story, I think the following may be interesting. One of the officers on a shootinof excursion lost his way and got entangled in a mangrove forest, where the ground befing a soft mud, travelling became very laborious, particularly in a tempera- ture of 85° and without water ; fatigue hastened by thirst, at length quite knocked up my shipmate, who threw himself exhausted on the o-round. In vain did he seek for a little rest, for no sooner was he quiet than swarms of musquitoes assailed him, and forced him again on his legs ; unwelcome as these tormenting visitors generally are, they were probably in this case the means of saving my friend's life, as goaded on by their unceasing attacks, to exertions otherwise out of the question, he even- tually reached assistance, and was brought on board in a most helpless condition. The tide here was two hours later than at Foul Point : the greatest rise noticed in the ship w^as thirty feet, which was seven feet less than we had found it in the yawl. We had several heavy squalls from eastward this afternoon, and during the early part of the night, with rain and thunder. March 15. — The morning broke dull and gloomy, with a light breeze from the eastward. There were altogether evident symptoms of a decided and ira- 15G CHANGE OF LANDSCAPE. mediate change in the weather. The survey of the south-eastern portion of the sound being now complete, the ship was taken over to the high rocky land lying north 20 miles from Point Torment. We crossed the flat extending four miles N.W. from that point, in from two to three fathoms at low water ; the soundings afterwards varied from nine to eleven fathoms with a soft, muddy sand bottom. We anchored in seven fathoms low water, one mile and a half S.S.W. from the southern of two small rocky islets, lying 16 miles north from Point Torment and three from the rocky shore behind them ; a sand-bank, dry at low water, extended from these islets to within half a mile of the ship. Our eyes were now relieved by a pleas- ing change of landscape; the land had wholly chanored in character from that of which we had seen so much and grown so weary. It no longer stretched away in an illimitable and boundless plain, but rising abruptly from the water's edge, attained an elevation of 700 feet. The highest part of this range (afterwards named Compass Hill) bore N. by W. distant four and a quarter miles. We were all of course exceedingly anxious to visit this new land ; but the weather, strange to say, put our patience to a trial of four days, during which it equalled in severity any we had expe- rienced under Swan Point. It commenced with dark masses of clouds rising in the east, which were soon followed by a fresh breeze from the S.E. EXPLORATION OF THE 'baY. 157 with heavy rain, gradually freshening as it came round to the westward, blowing hardest between W.S.W and W.N.W. The barometer being out of order we were unable to observe how this un- usual change would have affected that instrument ; the thermometer, however, fell to 76°, an alteration of temperature which, combined with the damp- ness of the atmosphere, exposed us to the novel sensation of cold. We noticed the time of high water was about fifteen minutes earlier than at Point Torment, the flood-stream setting E.S.E. and the ebb west. The former at a rate of two miles, and the latter one mile per hour. March 21.— At lenoth the wished for chanofe arrived, and we again beheld this morning the deep pure blue of a southern sky. We were all eager to commence our exploration, and Mr. Usborne, ever anxious to be actively employed, was so far reco- vered that he induced the surgeon, though reluc- tantly, to allow him to again share in the duties of the survey. He was accordingly despatched to look for a berth for the ship further to the N.W., while Captain Wickham and myself went towards Com- pass Hill. We were accompanied by Mr. Bynoe, who, during our excursion, was fortunate enough to add several rare birds to his collection. We landed in a small sandy bay at the western end of a growth of mangroves, fringing the shore behind the islands. The sand-bank fronting them we found to extend to the bay we landed in ; to the westward of it 158 A NEW VINE. there was deep water close to the shore. Wood and water might easily be obtained in this bay, a cir- cumstance that may give it value in the eyes of future navigators, as it did in ours. Before ascending the hill we crossed a flat clothed with rich grass, out of which we flushed several Pheasant-cuckoos.* We found one of their nests on the ground containing four eggs, in size and colour they resembled the domestic pigeon. The nimble manner in which these birds hop along the branches of trees, with their loner tails whiskinof behind, give them, at the first glance, more the ap- pearance of monkeys than birds. We found here the gouty-stem tree of large size, bearing fruit ; and also a vine, which, from all the information I have since been able to collect, appears to be quite a new specimen ;t it bore a small but well-tasted black berry, similar in shape and general appearance to the grape sometimes seen climbing over the cot- tage doors in England. Each fruit contained three large seeds, in shape and size resembling the coffee berry. It was growing in a light sandy soil, and the temperature to which it was exposed varies from 76° to 110°. It is a matter of great regret that I was not able to introduce this new species of vine into England ; the seeds and specimens of it having been unfortunately destroyed by mice and insects. * Ceutropus Phasianellus. f From the description I gave of this vine to Sir W. Hooker he thought it quite new. COMPASS HILL. 159 I was, however, more fortunate at Sydney and Swan River. We at length gained the top of Compass Hill, which we found to he a slight mound on a platform of coarse sandstone formation, with fragments of quartz ; the sandstone was tinged with red, and appeared to be crumbling away ; a straggling growth of white eucalypti covered the crest of this height, which rather spoilt the view we had promised our- selves ; however, by climbing several of them, I managed to see all round. West, six and a half miles, there was a snug cove fronted by a small island, from whence the coast appeared to take a more northerly direction. The extremes of a large sheet of water bore N. by W. and W. by N., which we afterwards found to be connected with the above-mentioned cove. A suc- cession of heights, similar to the one we were on, bounded our view between N. and N.E. Twenty- one miles, in a S. E. by E. direction, were some detached, round hills, apparently the termination of the high land on which we stood ; these appeared to rise out of a plain of such an extent, in a S.E and easterly direction, that I conceived it possible it may have extended to the rear of Collier Bay, which damped the interest we had previously looked forward to, in the exploration of that part of the coast, as it tended materially to weaken the proba- bility of finding any large opening there. In crossing one of the valleys in our descent to the boats, 160 PORT USBORNE. Mr. Bynoc wounded a large kangaroo ; wo gave chase ; but notwithstanding all our efforts, and at the expense of many a bruise, stumbling over the rugged ground, the prize, almost within our grasp, escaped, and, to add to our misfortune, one of the small compasses was found missing, the strap that suspended it having given way ; from this accident the hill received its name. On our return to the ship, we found Mr. Usborne had discovered good anchorage in the cove we had seen from the hill, which in commemoration of his providential recovery was called after him Port Usborne. March 22. — It was a clear and beautiful morn- ing, and the sun as it rose shed a glittering stream of light over the placid waters of the bay, now slightly rippled by an easterly air. All were early and busily engaged in moving the ship into Port Usborne. On our way we crossed the inner edge of a bank seen from Compass Hill, in three fathoms : Helpman's south islet bore at the time east three and a half miles ; after crossing this bank, the least water we had was ten fathoms ; this depth we found in passing on the eastern side of the small, low island fronting Port Usborne. A solitary overspreading tree, and a white patch on its eastern extremity renders this island conspicuous, and is of this importance, that it guides a stranger to the only safe anchorage among the islands on the eastern shore of King's Sound. As a further guide to Port Usborne it is situated at the southern extremitv of all these PORT USBORNE. 161 islands, and where the coast suddenly trends away to the eastward. We were deliofhted to find ourselves in an anchorage almost surrounded by land, and although the rugged standstone ridges, with their dark, mysterious, and densely- wooded valleys, did not give the shore a very inviting appearance, still the very wildness of the scenery contrasted pleasingly in our remembrance with the monotonous level of the country about Point Torment, and on the banks of the Fitz-Roy. Our present position had also its practical advantages, being well adapted for carry- ing on the essential duties of the survey, for which service the boats were prepared in the course of the afternoon. This snug little port we found to be three- quarters of a mile broad and one deep, and vary-^ ing in depth from seven to fifteen fathoms : it faces west, the entrance points lying nearly north and south of each other, and affords an abundant supply of wood and water. We saw no traces of inhabitants ; not even the curling smoke that had so often indicated their presence, greeted the eye ; all was silent, and the feelings of utter loneliness were only dispelled by the mournful screams of the curlew, and occasional howl of the wild dog, as the deepening shadows of night closed in. March 23. — The boats were manned early, and we left the ship with the best wishes of the anxious group who watched our departure, and VOL. I. M 162 EASTERN SHORE OF KING's SOUND. speculated with eager anticipation upon the pro- bable result of our enterprise. Mr. Usborne proceeded in one boat to examine a group of islands, lying six miles N.W. from our anchorage ; Mr. Tarrant and myself in the other, to explore the eastern shore of King's Sound. It was thus again our good fortune to enjoy the exciting pleasure of anticipated discovery; per- chance again to wander over the face of a country, now the desert heritao-e of the solitary sava::- v\\.^;^^ NATIVE RAFT. 173 Stout poles from 14 to 16 feet high formed the frame work of these snug huts — for so indeed they deserve to be termed — tliese were brougjht together conically at the roof; a stout thatching of dried grass completely excluded both wind and rain, and seemed to bespeak the existence of a climate at times much more severe than a latitude of 16" 6' south, would lead one to anticipate. The remains of small fires, a well greased bark pillow, a head ornament of sea bird's feathers, together with several other trifling articles, strewn upon the floors of these wigwams, proved that they had been very recently inhabited. But perhaps the most interesting discovery in this bay, was a native raft, which we found near the beach, in such a position as must have required the exertions of several men to have placed it there; being heavier than either of our boats. In the construction of this raft, almost everything had been left to nature. It was framed of the dead trunk of a mangrove tree, with three distinct stems growing from one root, about 18 feet long, and 4J broad. The roots at one end closely entwined, as is the habit of the tree, formed a suffi- cient bulwark at the stem, while an elbow in the centre of the trunk, served the same purpose at the stern : a platform of small poles, well covered with dried grass, gave a sufficient flooring to this rude specimen of a raft. I could not survey it without allowing my thoughts to carry me away in pleasing 174 RETURN TO PORT USBORNE. reflections upon the gradual progress of human ingenuity by the advance of which, the same intel" lect that first contents itself with the mere floating of the single tree, at length shapes a forest into timbers and launches the floating fortress in triumph on the deep ! We were now about 40 miles in a direct line from Port Usborne, and perhaps 7O by the winding course we were obliged to follow ; only two days' provisions remained, and as we were still deficient of material for the chart of this archipelago, I was reluctantly obliged to abandon the idea of attempting to reach Collier Bay. The mainland we had explored, since leaving Port Usborne, may be described as forming eight bays, varying in depth from three to eight miles, and in width from two to five ; their general trend is E.S.E. ; many islets skirt their shores, and almost more than can be counted fill their mouths. March 26. — With the first grey of the morning we left Bathurst Island, on our return to the south- ward. Whilst passing inside the cluster of isles of slate formation, we heard a " halloa," and on look- ing in the direction from whence it proceeded, a native was observed on a raft : the boat's course was immediately altered so as to cut him off" should he attempt to escape, but to my great surprise he paddled towards us with all possible haste. He was soon alongside, and with great satisfaction we at once recognized our strange friend of yesterday, who amongst the boat's crew, went by the sobriquet THE NATIVE " YAMPEE." 175 of *' Yampce.'* He again made use of the word Yampee according to our orthography, and after repeating it several times, I offered him some water, which he very eagerly accepted, twice empty- ing a canister that had originally held 4lbs. of preserved meat ; this afforded me additional proof of Yampce being the word the natives of these parts use for water. At Swan River, the native name for water is gab-by, which differs so much as to lead us to suppose the dialect of the two places is quite distinct. This supposition is also borne out by the fact, that Miago, the native of Swan River we had on board, could never understand the lan- guage spoken by his countrymen, on the western shore of King's Sound. We found our new acquain- tance as yesterday, perfectly naked, the raft he was on was in every respect similar to that previously seen upon Rae's Group, with this slight exception, that between each pole several small pieces of wood were inserted so as to make the flooring of the raft almost smooth. Into the large end of the centre, and largest pole, six long pegs were driven, forming a kind of basket in which were secured his means for procuring fire ; they consisted of two pieces of white flint, and some tinder rudely manufactured from the inner bark of the papyrus tree. He used in paddling a short spear, sharp at each end, and struck the water alternately on either side ; in this primitive manner he contrived to make way with a rapidity that astonished us all. He had two 17G PARTING WITH THE NATIVE. spears on the raft, besides the one he used for paddling ; one of them was about 12 feet long, also pointed at each end, though not barbed; and a small stick, similar to that used by other natives for throwing at birds, and small animals. As well as we could understand by his signs, it appeared that he had been anxiously waiting our arrival, and had pushed off from the main to intercept the boat, on our leaving Bathurst Island. We threw him a line, and he immediately comprehended our inten- tion, and its use, by at once making fast to the raft ; an instance of confident reliance upon our good intentions, which reflected much credit upon the unsuspicious openness of his own character, and which I should have exceedingly regretted by any act of ours to abuse. Had not the distance and our scant supply of food, rendered such a step impru- dent, I should have been very glad to have towed him to the ship. I really believe he would have trusted himself with us, for that or a much longer distance ; but this could not be, and therefore, after endeavouring to make him understand that we should sleep some distance to the south, where there was a larger boat, alluding to the ship, we filled his basket with bread, gave him as much water as he could drink, and bidding him farewell, reluc- tantly cut him adrift : I shall not soon forget the sorrowful expression of his countenance, when this apparently inhospitable act was performed ; it did not seem however to quench his regard for his new NATIVE SPEARS. 177 friends, for so long- as we could see him he was hard at work paddling in our wake. I noticed that the beads given him yesterday were gone ; this fact, coupled with *' the smokes" seen during the day, satisfied me that he had friends in the neighbour- hood, to whom I hoped he would report favourably of his new acquaintances ; we had certainly endea- voured to obtain his goodwill. Simple hearted, trusting savage, farewell ! The following wood-cut represents the difference between the spear used by the natives of this district and those of Swan River. King's Sound. Swan River. We soon reached Whirlpool Channel, through which the tide again hurried and whirled us with almost frightful rapidity ; we were in one part of it shot down a fall of several feet, the boat's bow being fairly buried in the boiling current. Emerging from this channel the hoary face of the remarkable head- land already described, burst on our view ; and as it was necessary if possible to reach its summit, we landed in a small bay, near the southern extremity. By following a winding ravine we gained the crest of this singular platform, which we found formed of a fine-grained sandstone, with some VOL. I. N 178 CASCADE BAY. beautiful specimens of crystallized quartz on its higher parts, over which was a slight sprinkling of vegetation, consisting of a few small gum trees and patches of coarse grass. The weather was unusually cloudy, with squalls from the N.E. ; towards the evenins; it was fine with a moderate breeze from E.S.E. As it was late when we reached the boat, we spent the night where we landed. March 27. — We were early on the move pursuing our southerly course, the morning being rather gloomy with a fresh N.E. wind, which raised a good deal of sea in the mouths of the larger bays. As the day closed we reached a cove half a mile north of Tide Race Point, where we passed the night. March 28. — This morning the thermometer was down to 72*^ at daylight, which gave us the novel sensation of cold. It was late in the forenoon before the violent ripplings at Tide Race Point had sub- sided sufficiently to allow of our passing it. The rate of the current at this point appeared at times scarcely less than eight knots per hour, and travers- ing a rocky ledge, extending to some islands, and nearly dry at low water, rendered it almost impas- sable, except when nearly high tide. In the after- noon we reached the cascade discovered on our way to the northward, and from which the bay within which it is received its name. We spent an hour or two luxuriating in the thorough enjoyment of a treat so rare, as this beautiful stream must be considered in North-western Australia. In the evening we RETURN OF THE BOATS. 17^ continued our return to Port Usborne, by a channel leading from the bottom of (Cascade Bay into the large sheet of water first seen from Compass Hill ; our progress was arrested at its inner entrance by the violence with which the tide rushed through, and we were therefore obliged to pass another night in the boats. March 29. — We reached the ship this morning, entering Port Usborne by a narrow rocky channel, on its N.W. shore ; on the precipitous sides in this passage we noticed several of the Rock Kangaroo. We found that Mr. Usborne had returned three days before us : from his account of the islands he had visited, they appear to have the same sterile character as most of those we had seen ; in other respects, his trip was void of interest, beyond that of surveying. During the absence of the boats, tidal and magnetic observations had been made, some specimens in natural history had been collected, and all that could in any way add to the interest of the expedition, had been as well attended to as the means placed at our disposal would allow. We closed at Port Usborne our explorations in Kino's Sound, the result of which enabled us to fill up the gap long existing in the charts of the North- west coast of Australia, and which had for years been the theme of much ingenious geographical speculation. The result of our labours, if it had been less brilliant than eager anticipation at the onset led us to hope for, had nevertheless been on N 2 180 LEAVE POINT USBORNE. the whole satisfactory. The river Fitz-Roy, although not of the magnitude that we hoped to find, was still an undoubtedly valuable acquisition to our stock of geographical knowledge, and offered a way of access into the interior, of which we had availed ourselves to the extent of 90 miles, and which subsequent explorers might yet further improve : while in many minor yet important matters, much had been done, and much seen, to more than com- pensate for the disappointments and annoyances inseparable from the pursuits of the adventurer. March 30. — The morning was unusually stormy, dark clouds rested upon the adjacent high land, while others no less portentous hurried past us on the wings of the tempest. Soon after breakfast, we bade adieu to the wild scenery of Point Usborne, and stood across the Sound, for our old anchorage on the north side of Point Cunningham, distant one and twenty miles. In the mouth of the harbour we passed over a coral knoll, having iive fathoms on it. We did not, however, reach our destination till nearly C, P.M., having been taken some distance up the Sound, by the flood tide. Our soundings in crossing varied from fifteen to twenty fathoms, chiefly over rocky ground. It rained almost all the day, and we had several sudden shifts of wind, from S.E. to N.W. Our first view of the western shore of the Sound was singular; Point Cunningham, and Carlisle Head, appeared like two high square looking islands. We anchored soon after high water, which appeared INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES. 181 to be about a quarter of an hour earlier than at Port Usborne. We remained at this anchorage till the 3rd of April, during which time several unsuccess- ful hauls were made with the seine, but some addi- tions were made to the collection of Natural History, particularly in the ornithological branch. It is not a little remarkable, that fish should be so scarce on this part of the coast, a facts also noticed by Captain Kino\ o April 1. — This morning five natives made their appearance on the beach. Captain Wickhara and myself went on shore, in order if possible to induce them to visit the ship : on landing he recognized them for old acquaintances, and I gave the eldest of the party, a handkerchief upon which he seemed to have set his affections ; however when he under- stood our wish for the com.pany of himself and friends on board, he was with difficulty induced to retain it. None but those who have made the ex- periment, are aware of what has to be overcome before any sort of intercourse can be carried on by signs ; or how often, among the most intelligent, the greatest mistakes must of necessity occur. I have since thought, remembering what passed during this interview, that while we were making signs to them that on board they would find something to eat, each man's fears suggested the probability of *' a certain convocation,'* " not where he eats, but where he is eaten," and induced him to decline standing treat upon the occasion. 182 INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES. The singular manner these men had also of holding the face turned upwards, in order to escape the plague of flies, fully confirmed the truth of old Dampier's account of the manners of these people when he first discovered this part of the world. The eldest was the spokesman, or rather the signs- man of the party, and this is always the custom, so far as we have had an opportunity of judging. The word they make use of in bowing (which they did quite in an Eastern style), appeared to be irru irru : their breasts were scarred with deep horizontal cuts, such as we had previously noticed on the natives in Roebuck Bay. I was so much struck with the resem- blance between these people and the natives of Tierra del Fuego, that I have been tempted to believe that the stream of population flowed thitherward from the continent of America. I ought to mention that when Captain Wickham and myself left the ship, in the hope of inducing the natives to return with us, ^liago, hearing of the expected visit, immediately went below, and dressed himself to the best possible advantage. No sooner did the boat come alongside, than he appeared at the gangway, inquiring with the utmost possible dignity, ** where black fellas ?" and was evidently and deeply mortified that he had no opportunity of *' astonishing the natives." There has been a marked change in the weather, since the sun crossed the equator : we have had no repetitions of the easterly squalls, before so prevalent, THEIR PEACEABLE DISPOSITION. 183 and the winds have been almost regular in the follow- ing order. From 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. a light breeze from S.S. W. which freshening alters toS.E. where it remains till 8 a.m, from that hour gradually decreasing, and at the same time changing to N.E. and N. The thermometer, for some days past has ranged from 72" to 89° ; a temperature which we thought a few months ago intolerable, was now quite agreeable. We looked forward with the utmost anxiety to the result of our arrival at Port George the Fourth, as there, or at least in that neighbourhood, we hoped to hear some tidings of our friends Grey and Lushington, who, when we separated from them at the Cape, intended to land in Hanover Bay, esta- blish a depot for stores, and from thence penetrate if possible into the interior. I had no fear on the subject of any hostility from the natives, for in our own experience, we had as yet always found them inoffensive and peaceable ; while should they prove otherwise, I was satisfied that a very slight acquain- tance with the effects of gunpowder would be quite sufficient to quell their warlike propensities, but I did fear that they had chosen a very unfavourable point for debarkation, and that many causes would combine to arrest their progress into the interior. How unhappily my anticipations were verified, will be seen hereafter. Early on the morning of the 3rd, we left our anchorage under Point Cunningham, and by two 184 ADELE ISLAND. o'clock P.M., had worked through Sunday Strait, where we encountered its usual heavy tide races. At four o'clock in the afternoon, CafFarelli Island bore E.S.E., 9 miles distant: and about six, the wind, which through the day had been light and variable quite deserted us, when to avoid drifting back into the strait we anchored in 29 fathoms ; Caffarelli Island bearinof S.S.E. 5 miles. The tide here appeared to be one hour earlier than in Sunday Strait : the flood set in a south-easterly, and the ebb in an opposite direction, at the rate of from half to one mile per hour. The 24th saw us again under weigh, by the light of the stars, but the wind being variable and against us, we did not get beyond Adele Island, where we anchored in 14 fathoms: the nearest part of it bearing N. 75° E. 3 miles. Brue Reef was seen in the course of the day, and appeared to be correctly laid down by Captain King : there appeared, how- ever, some discrepancy in the position of Adele Island, the southern extremity of which we found to be in latitude 15° 32' 30" S., which is one mile and a half to the southward of the place assigned to it in his chart. The sea was breaking heavily on the reef, which fronts the island for a distance of two miles. The island itself is low, desolate and barren. We noticed there was scarcely any set of tide at this anchorage. During the day's progress we found several coral ledges, in from 11 to 13 fathoms, and trending N.E. by E., BEAGLE BANK. 185 and with from 25 to 35 fathoms between them. The specimens of this beautiful submarine pro- duction brought up by the lead, were of the most delicate kind, nor on any occasion did the lead pre- sent any appearance to indicate that it had fallen amons^ a coarser sort. One beautiful frao^ment was obtained in Sunday Strait in 30 fathoms, a depth at which living coral is rarely found. April 5. — Daylight on the 5th found us standing to the eastward — E.N.E. — with a light northerly wind, in soundings ranging from 14 to 40 fathoms, and over a bottom, of white and brown sand in the deep, and coral rock in the shoal water. In the afternoon we had the good fortune to discover one of the reefs, which render the navigation of this part of the coast rather hazardous. The position of this danger, is however well marked by a bank of very white sand and dead coral, from which the reef extends two miles and a half, in a N.N.W. and one mile in a S.S.E. direction; and which rising some 15 feet above the mean level of the blue surrounding water, became a conspicuous object from our deck, even at the distance of six miles. We gave our discovery the name of Beagle Bank, as another memorial of the useful services in which our little vessel had been so frequently engaged, and our obser- vations enabled us to fix the centre of it in latitude 15" 20' S., longitude 123" 36' E. We anchored in the evening in 16 fathoms, the bank distant 3 J miles in a S. by E. direction : half a mile nearer 186 SHOAL SOUNDINGS. to it, we found only 4 fathoms. The tide rose at this anchorage 12 feet. The flood stream began by setting to the S.S.W., and ended at S.E. by E. The ebb set W. by N., and the utmost strength of stream never exceeded one mile per hour. It was high water at 10 o'clock p.m., and the stream changed at the same time. The tide was therefore two hours later here than in the entrance to King's Sound, from which it would appear that the tidal wave approaches this coast from the W.S.W. April 6. — We made slight progress towards Port George the Fourth, during the forenoon ; the water deepening to 20 and 30 fathoms, soon after we had weighed. We espied a ridge extending to the S.E. from Beagle Bank, which supplies another fact in support of the opinion I have before advanced, and which gives a north-westerly trend to these ledges. The wind failin":, and the ebb tide driftino- us again to the westward, in sight of Beagle Bank, the anchor was dropped 4 J miles E. by N. of it, and in a depth of 12 fathoms, to which we had suddenly shoaled from 29, this position marked the limit of shoal soundings in an E. by N. direction from Beagle Bank. Between sunset and midnight we were able to make 17 miles, in an E. by N. direc- tion, when a contrary tide, and an accompanying calm, compelled us to anchor in 31 fathoms : the soundings during the run had varied from 35 to 39 fathoms : the bottom, latterly a soft mud, of a dirty TRAFALGAR AND WATERLOO. 187 grey colour. A twilight star placed our position 17 miles west of Red Island, which corresponded with the bearings at daylight. April 7. — The wind being still very light, we were compelled to wait for the flood tide, which did not favour us till a quarter past six in the morning. The last direction of the ebb stream was north. It was nearly dark before we reached our anchorage, in 18 fathoms, one mile from Point Adieu : on our way material was secured for laying down the sea-face of the Champagny Islands. Red Island brought to our recollection Captain Heywood, by whom this part of the Australian continent had been seen, and of whose earlier career a notice will be found in Sir John Barrow's interestinof narrative of the Mutiny of the Bounty. The soundings during the entire day, ranged from 27 to 30 fathoms, and the character of the bottom was similar to that last described. Our observa- tions for latitude did not verify our position by the chart, though all its bearings and distances appeared relatively correct. The discrepancy may perhaps be ascribed to the effect of refraction, as we w^ere prevented by the land from observing on both horizons. The most remarkable objects in this neighbourhood, were two hills, named by Captain King, Mount Trafalgar, and Mount Waterloo, to record in one hemisphere, two memorable events, not likely to be easily forgotten in the other : although assuredly the time will come when the 188 THE BROWN ISLANDS. peaceful triumphs of science and civilization, of which these names are here enduring witnesses, will be far more highly valued, and far more truly honoured ! Mount Trafalgar made its first appear- ance in the form of a huge quoin or wedge, resting longitudinally upon the horizon, with its point towards the South-east. Among other memoranda for the improvement of the chart of this coast, it should be noted that the reef extending to the N.W. from Jackson's peaked Island, appears to join the small islands hing near it in that direction, and to which, from their colour, we gave the name of The Brown Islands. As there was every probability of the ship being detained in this neighbourhood for some days, searchino' for traces of Lieutenants Grev and Lush- ington's party, and as the examination of Collier Bay, where we still hoped to find an opening lead- ing into the interior, would prevent the necessity of our return to this part of the coast, I applied to Captain Wickham, for permission to proceed with the two whale boats on that service. A wound on the foot had in some degree unfitted me for any very active duty, but I felt satisfied that the oppor- tunity— perhaps the last I might have — ought not to be undervalued or neglected. Ap?il 8.- — By daylight on the 8th, the boats had left the ship, and were standing to the southward among the islands. Our party consisted of Mr. Helpman, Mr. Fitzmaurice and myself. Passing BRECKNOCK HARBOUR. 189 through the eastern part of Port George the Fourth, we entered Ro2fer Strait, which led into a larn^e sheet of water, forming a beautiful harbour ; we landed to obtain a better view of it, on a small island at the southern entrance of this strait. This islet looked truly inviting, being clothed with long- rich grass, which to our cost we found concealed boulders of granite ; this was the first time we met with this primitive rock, and from the colour of the surrounding heights it was evident we were in an old red sandstone region. Strange to say the at- traction on this island rendered our compasses quite useless ; we noticed on its N.W. side a portion of the wreck of a small vessel. There was a small mangrove inlet in the S.E. corner of this harbour, over which the land was low, forming a gap jn the neighbouring heights. We now pushed on for an island lying in the entrance of the harbour, bear- ing W. by N. 6 miles ; our soundings in passing' over this part (of what we afterwards called Brecknock Harbour, as Captain King had named the entrance of it Camden Sound, from a distant view he had of it,) gave a depth of 7 fathoms, over an even muddy bottom ; but towards and in the entrance it increased to 13 fathoms. The island w^e now landed on, we called from Its situation. Entrance Island. From a high part overlooking its steep southern side we had a very commanding view. The centre of a string of small islets bore north one mile ; there extended 2 miles in a west direction, from the north point of 190 ENTRATfCE ISLE. the harbour ; both these and Entrance Isle escaped Captain King's notice, owing to the distant view he had of this part of the coast. A point bearing S.W. distant 3 miles, was the extreme of the main land that we could see in the direction we were going. We found the sandstone of this Island not of the same ancient red colour as that on the shore front- ing it. One boat was employed in the meantime sounding the entrance of the harbour, which we found to be 2 miles across, and from 9 to 1 5 fathoms deep ; the mouth of it faces the W.N.W., Entrance Isle lying half a mile outside its points, with a clear channel nearly a mile wide, on either side of it. About a quarter of a mile oiFthe main, and front- ing the south side of this island, there is a singular needle-shaped rock, 20 feet high, marking the outer extreme of a coral ledge, which is covered at high water. As it now blew a fresh breeze from seaward, and the afternoon was far advanced, we spent the remainder of the day in a further exami- nation of the entrance. We were much pleased with the result of our evening's work, finding the approach to this line harbour quite free from danger, and capable of admitting vessels of any size ; there were no reefs or islets seaward of it to add to the anxiety of the navigator, or lessen the value of our discovery ; the importance of which will be greatly enhanced, should Lieutenants Grey and Lushington have the good fortune to discover any land fit for colonization in its neicrhbourhood. Our labours SLATE ISLANDS. IQI here closed with observations for a boat rate, for the chronometers and latitude, the latter being 15° 27' 5 S. on a sandy beach at the eastern side of Entrance Isle. April 9. — We rounded the extreme point to the S.W. seen from Entrance Isle at sunrise ; the rocks on this point were arranged quite in the form of a fort, from whence it received the name of Battery Point ; another group of islands now came in view, bearing from Battery Point S.Wo by S. about 4 miles ; these we named Slate Islands, from their singular formation. They extended one mile N.W. from a point of land ; between them and Battery Point, the coast fell back forming two bavs, crossinor the mouths of which we had 13 fathoms. On pass- ing Slate Islands, we saw a head-land, named by Captain King Point Hall, bearing S. by W. ^ W. distant 8 miles. It has a high peaked and isolated appearance, being separated from the contiguous high land by a low neck. We passed a bay 2 miles wide on its north-eastern, and a snug cove on its south-eastern side. It was past noon and we were glad to see the stagnant calm, that had for hours reigned around, dispelled by the sea breeze which now darkened the horizon. Our course, during the afternoon was S. by E. along a low rocky coast, but as we had to contend with a three knot tide, we did not get farther than a small sandy cove, bearing S. by E. 9 miles from Point Hall, by the close of the day, which was the only spot we had seen the whole of 192 FRESH WATER COVE. the afternoon capable of affording shelter for the boats. We were agreeably surprised to find a stream of water running into the head of this cove, as the parched appearance of the low hills over it did not lead us to expect such good luck, in remem- brance of which we called it Fresh Water Cove. Landing, I hastened to the south point of the cove, to secure the necessary data for the chart, before the surrounding objects were veiled in darkness. We again appeared to be in a sterile white sandstone region, where, with the exception of a few land birds, there was a total absence of animal life, and almost that of the vegetable, for even the gum trees common in this part, were not to be seen. Our view to the southward was very limited, embracing only the Montgomery Islands of Captain King; they consist of six small rocky islets resting on an extensive coral flat, that we afterwards observed to be dry at low water, and which extended to a large low sandy island, lying six miles west from them ; the latter was not seen by Captain King, in his distant view of this neighbourhood. The eastern and largest of the Montgomery Isles stands on the extreme of the coral fiat ; we found it to be 70 feet high, and bore S.W. by S. 7 miles from this point of Fresh Water Cove. The latitude we obtained in the course of the night gave a result of \5° 49' south. April 10. — At daylight we continued pursuing our S. by E. course, following the same kind of LIZARDS. 193 low straight rocky shore, as that of yesterday after- noon. We passed inside a reef fronting the shore from a mile south of Fresh Water Cove ; this pas- sage was about half a mile wide and from 7 to 12 fathoms deep. Having the flood tide in our favour, we proceeded rapidly, and at the end of four miles, found the trend of the coast suddenly changed to E.N.E. for two miles, when it again took a southerly direction, forming a chain of high rocky islets. Deferring our examination of the main, lying about a mile in the rear of these islets, we kept on our S. by E. course, in the direction of some very high land now seen for the first time. Three miles further brought us to a small rocky islet, where we landed for a set of anMes. Our hopes were considerably raised on reaching the top of this islet, by finding that we looked in vain for land towards the head of Collier Bay ; the high land to the southward proved to be the south point of a large bay, having on its northern side similar high ranges. This island was over- run with a great variety of lizards, in conse- quence of which we named it Lizard Island. During our stay here, two birds,* rare on this part of the coast, were shot ; they were of a smaller kind than any I had before seen, and differed from them in plumage, being without the white collar round the neck. Leaving Lizard * Hsematopus Picatus, described in the Appendix to Captain King's work on Australia. VOL. I. O 194 HEAD OF COLLIER BAY. Island, we continued our southerly route, and ere long saw more land ahead, lying like a blue cloud on the horizon. Ten miles hrouoht us abreast of the hi<:h land we had first seen, and six more to the southern point of a bay. lying on its south-western side, where the duties of the survey again obliged us to land. We considered ourselves now enter- ing once more on the new lands of Australia, as Captain King could scarcely have had even a dis- tant glimpse of this part ; his extreme southern position being abreast of Fresh Water Cove, from whence he describes the view of the coast as follows. " The land to the southward trended deeply in, and appeared to me much broken in its character.'* We therefore naturally looked on every thing here with a greater degree of interest, and with the view of affording time to examine the country, and determine the position of this point by observation, I arranged to pass the night in its vicinity. The view from this station, blighted our hopes of finding an opening leading into the interior from Collier Bay, for we could trace the land all round the head of it, forming high ranges without a single break. This mal-a-propos discovery, materially diminished the pleasure we had before experienced, on first seeing a new part of the continent. About tw^enty miles west from where we stood, were a group of islands, which I was able to identify as those seen from Bathurst Island, near the eastern entrance point of King's Sound ; they appeared to extend about ten AN EAGLE SHOT. 19-5 miles in a northerly direction, from the western point of Collier Bay. Whilst using the theodolite, we came within the searching glance of a hungry eagle, which soaring over our heads for some time, at length swooped within range of our guns, when he paid for his curiosity with the loss of his life. This was the only rapacious bird we saw in Collier I>ay,and appears to be of the species i^aZco lencogaster Latham.* On examination, the stomach contained fish and part of a small snake, and from what I have since observed this bird frequents the sea coast. Their nests are very large, built on bare spots in the shape of a pyramid ; some of them measuring- three feet in diameter, and six high. To convoy a better idea of the size and exposed situation of the nests of these birds, I may state that on low parts of the coast, they were often used as sur- veving marks. This projection, which we called Eagle Point, is of a silicious sandstone formation, intersected by nearly vertical veins of quartz, and forms a spur thrown off from a high range four miles to the south-eastward. We did not find any water in the few miles of country traversed in the course of the afternoon, yet everything wore a rich green appearance, and the scenery in some of the dells we crossed, was very picturesque, and quite alive with birds and insects ; flights of many- coloured parrokeets swept by with a rapidity that * Figured in Mr. GouliVs work on the Birds of Australia as Ickthyiactus Jeiicogaster. o 2 19G THE SEA BREEZE. resembled the rusliing sound of a passing gust of wind. Among the trees, I noticed for the first time the Banksia, common in Western Australia; Mr. Cunningham, the botanist who accompanied Captain King, did not consider its indigenous empire ex- tended to the N.W. coast. Of the other kinds, and which complete all the variety we observed on this part of the continent, were the mimosa, acacia, papyrus, and two sorts of Eucalyptus ; there were also several plants of the order Leguminosse. We had a breeze throughout the entire day, from N.E. till 1 o'clock, then W.N.W. till near midnight ; this westerly or sea breeze, reached us within ten minutes of the time it did yesterday, a regularity we found to pre- vail the few days we spent on this part of the coast. The tide (being near the spring) fell in the night 36 feet, leaving the greater part of the bay dry at low water. Our observations for latitude placed Eagle Point in 16" 10^' south. April 11. — We left with the first streak of dawn, and pursued our course to the southward, passing inside a small reef lying half a mile west from Eagle Point. The eastern shore now took a S. by W. direction, forming shallow bights, flanked by hills of moderate elevation ; our next station was an islet at the head of Collier Bay, bearing S.S.W. ^ W. 15 miles from Eagle Point: it was in the mouth of a shoal bay about three miles deep in a W.S.W. direction, the shores of which were lined with mangroves and overlooked by a NARROW INLET. 197 high rocky ridge. The width of Collier Bay, at its entrance 20 miles, was here only six. The western shore ran in a N.W. by W. direction, a straight rocky coast, over which rose abruptly a range of barren heights. The tide stream gradually weakened as we approached the head of the bay, where it scarcely exceeded half a knot, and the soundings decreased to seven fathoms, with a kind of muddy sand bottom ; but the clearness of the water, and the equal duration of the flood and ebb streams, afforded the most conclusive evidence of the small opening we now discovered in the S.E. corner of the bay being nothing more than an inlet. It bore from this islet E.S.E. four miles, yet as a drowning man catches at a straw, so did we at this inlet, and were soon in the entrance, which we found to be half a mile wide, with a very strong tide rushing out. After some difficulty we landed on a high rocky island in the mouth of it, the summit of which afforded us a good view of the inlet, which within the entrance widened out and was about two miles deep. A point prevented our seeing the eastern extreme, which Mr. Helpman was sent to examine ; he found it extended two miles in an E.N.E. direction, and like the other parts of it, to be lined with a scanty growth of mangroves, and flanked by high rocky land. The shape of this inlet resembles that of a bottle with a broad base, and being subject to a tidal change of level of 36 feet, it is easy to imagine with what 198 RETURN OF THE BOATS. violence such a bodv of water must rush throu<]jh the narrow entrance to keep on a level with the slow, moving waters of the bay outside. The cause of this great rise of tide in the head of Collier Bay, may be attributed to there being no escape for the vast body of water flowing into it. The land over the depth of this inlet which I have before spoken of, as being barren rocky heights, bounded our view to the southward ; it bore S.S.E. three miles, and lies in lat. 1(3" 2.5' S. and long. 124° 25' E. being the farthest point we determined towards the centre of the continent. The extreme position reached in thatdirection by Lieut. Lushington of Lieut. Grey's expedition, bears from this point, N. 64° E. fifty miles. Thus terminated our explorations in Collier Bay, and although we had not the good fortune to find it the outlet of some large opening leading into the interior, still we succeeded in setting at rest the speculation, such a deep indentation of the coast line had hitherto afforded, and increased our geographical knowledge of this part of the continent 35 miles. In the afternoon we commenced our return to Port George the Fourth, from which we were then distant about 80 miles ; after delaying to examine two islands lying N. by E. four miles from the inlet, of slate formation, we reached a narrow point six miles further down the bay, in time to save a true bearing from the sun's amplitude. We were surprised to find this point RAFT POINT. 199 also composed of the same kind of grey slate. The islands we examined differed from those of the same formation in King's Sound, having steep precipitous sides to the N.W. instead of to the S.E. As it was by this time nightfall we did not proceed farther. April 12. — Towards the morning there was a S.E. breeze which brought the thermometer down to 76" ; it generally ranged between 80" and 96°. The large bay discovered on our way to the south- ward now became the point of interest, and as day- light closed in the boats were secured in a small sandy cove, just within its southern point, where there were several native rafts, constructed pre- cisely in the same manner as those seen in King's Sound, from which circumstance we called the place Raft Point. Immediately over it was the high land first seen in coming down the bay ; huge masses were rent from its lofty frowning crags, on which the rays of the setting sun produced the most grotesque figures. A beautiful stream of water fell into the sea, in leaping cascades, half a mile inside the cove. Several rock kangaroos were seen on the heights ; and after securing observa- tions with some early stars, for latitude, which placed Raft Point in l6° 4' S., we tried an experi- ment to get a shot at the kangaroos, by setting- fire to the grass and small wood growing at the base, and in the interstices of the rocks. This part of the country being very dry, a fire was soon 200 A CONFLAGRATION. kindled, and in a few minutes the cliffs resounded with the noise of the flames, as they darted fiercely upwards, revealing their riven sides, and occasionally bursting out behind large masses of strange figured rocks to the no slight risk of our sportsmen, who were perched upon them. Sea birds, frightened from their resting places, screamed fearfully, and the dismal howl of the wild dog, equally alarmed, sometimes fell on the ear amidst the roaring of the dangerous element, which in the intense darkness of the night we could not but admire. Whilst gazing on this wild scene, I could not help specu- lating on the probable cause the natives would assign for this great conflagration; the bright o'lare of which must have extended over several miles of country, perhaps alarming and doubtless causing deep consultation amongst the wise men of their tribes. It may also have taxed their power of invention, as they never use large fires in the night, except in wild stormy weather, when the creaking trees, and moaning wind, give ihem a dread of a visit from the Evil Spirit. April 13. — Being anxious to examine the range over the cove, I desired Mr. Helpman to explore the N.E. corner of this large bay, and the main lying behind the islands, fronting the coast to the north- ward of it. We accordingly moved off on our several occupations at an early hour. After much difficulty Mr. Fitzmaurice and myself fouml ourselves on a table land of sandstone formation, elevated by mea- DOUBTFUL BAY. 201 surement 900 feet above the sea level, and by far the highest land yet noticed on this part of the con- tinent ; the prospect here was very cheerless ; similar but lower ranges met the eye in every direc- tion towards the interior, those overlooking the eastern shore of the bay, were from 6 to 7OO feet high. There appeared to be a large island in its N.E. corner, which fell back about 10 miles, and like many other parts of it was lined with a growth of mangroves. A string of smaller islands extended three miles from the north point, leaving an entrance only two miles wide. A sandstone ridge similar to that on which we stood, rose abruptly from the north point, but of less elevation. I was not a little surprised to find that Lieut. Grey had seen land from 2 to 3000 feet high, only about 30 miles from the height on which we stood, but as he had not the means of measuring these great elevations, and as Captain King, who was within 20 miles of the high land alluded to, does not notice it, yet mentions some hills from 3 to 400 feet high, 15 miles further to the N.E., I am induced to believe that Lieut. Grey may have over-estimated the height of the land he saw.* From subsequent information, I called this Doubtful Bay ; the tide ran into it at the rate of from 1 to 3 knots, but the clear appearance of the water, and entire absence of drift wood, afforded strong grounds * Mounts Trafalgar and Waterloo, which are not nine hundred feet high, are the first points of the continent that meet the eye from seaward. 202 MR. helpman's report. for supposing that it did not receive the waters of any river. Leaving Raft Point, we crossed over to the islands on the opposite side, for a few angles on their southern extreme, and afterwards made the best of our way to Fresh Water Cove. The day had, however, closed in long before arriving there, and in the extreme darkness of the night the Cove was difficult to find. Indeed my companions could not believe we were there until one of the men returned with a keg of water from the stream in the head of it. Mr. Helpman joined us at sun-set, and gave the following report of his proceedings: "on leaving the cove at Raft Point, we passed along the south shore for two miles, and landed on a point that afforded a most commandinof view of the bav, and the openings in its N.E. corner, which appeared to be formed by a large island lying near the shore. This supposition afterwards proved to be correct, on landing at a point fronting its western extreme, from whence I was enabled to trace the shore round the N.E. corner of the bay, till I identified it as the same we had seen on the eastern side of the island from the station just left. From the still and discoloured state of the water, I felt satisfied there was no opening in the N.E, corner of this bay. I am, however, willing to admit it may have been more satisfactory to others if there had been sufficient time at ray disposal to have actually •ionc round the island. We now hastened off to MOUTH OF THE GLENELG. 203 examine the main land, lying behind a chain of islands to the northward, where we also failed to discover an opening." As this account of Mr. Help- man's coincided with the opinion I had formed of the other parts of the coast, I was induced at that time to come to the conclusion that the river Glenelg which I found Lieuts. Grey and Lushington had discovered, on my return to the ship, did not communicate with the sea in this neighbourhood, as Lieut. Grey had supposed, but took a S.W. direc- tion, flanking Collier Bay, and terminating in the mangrove openings on the eastern shore of Stokes' Bay in King's Sound. My opinion was strengthened by Lieut. Lushington having seen from his furthest position (which has already been given), a very high bluif point to the southward, distant 6 or 7 miles, and a line of cliffs under which he conceived that an opening of the sea or a river may run. Further experience has convinced me of the great difficulty attending the discovery of the mouths of rivers in Australia, and as Mr. Helpman did not actually visit the N.E. corner of Doubtful Bay, (named in consequence), I am inclined to believe there is a possibility of the mouth of the Glenelg still being found there. April 14. — We were on our way to Point Hall before the eastern hills had received their fjolden hue from the rays of the rising sun, and landed to ascend the summit of that headland from the bay, on its S.E. side, which proved to be 204 REMARKABLE TREE. a safe anchorage, except with S.W. winds, having a small islet in its centre. We ascended the height on the lee side, and as the sun was now ap- proaching the zenith the heat became very oppres- sive ; but the air was quite perfumed with the rich fragrance of different gums. This warm aromatic odour we always experienced in a slighter degree on first landing in North-western Australia. I noticed a tree quite new^ to me, it was of stunted growth, bearing a fruit resembling a small russet apple, which hung in clusters at the extremity of small branches ; the skin was rough, covering a pulp that had an acid flavour, inside of which was a large stone, and I observed a white fluid exuded from the branches when broken. Although this was almost a solitary tree, I have since learnt it grows in the southern parts of the continent. As the woodcut and description given in page 82, Vol. I. of Sir Thomas Mitchell's work on Australia, is almost identical with this fruit, it must be indigenous to a great extent of country, since Sir Thomas Mitchell found it in latitude 29° 50' S. whilst by us it was discovered in 15° 40' S. We did not observe anv other chan^^e in the veofetation on this point ; of birds we saw but few, chiefly parrots, some of which we shot. A coast range of brown grassy hills prevented our seeing any thing of the interior. To seaward there was neither islet nor reef to interrupt the blue surface of water that bounded our view in the far north-west. THE SLATE ISLES. 205 Descending we embarked from a cove on the N. E. side, where the boats had been ordered to meet us ; between this and one on the opposite side there was only a narrow neck of low land. It is singular that we should not have seen any natives, or even traces of them anywhere excepting at Raft Point, durinof the whole of this cruise. Pursuing our northerly course, we reached a small group of islands, named from their formation, Slate Isles. Finding that all the material required here for the chart could not be collected this evening, I desired Mr. Helpman to go on to Breck- nock harbour, to sound and examine its southern shore the next morning, whilst Mr. Fitzmaurice and myself remained to complete the survey here- abouts.' April 15. — We were on the top of the northern Slate Island early ; a small islet with a reef off its northern extreme, bore north a mile and a half, and a low sandy isle, W. J N. about 15 miles ; this was a most unwelcome discovery, as it lay in the track of vessels approaching Brecknock Harbour, and which Captain King must have passed very close to in the night without being aware of it. We were fortunate in being able to intersect our lines to the extremes of all the islands forminof the north side of Camden Sound from this station, which rendered it one of great importance. Of the interior we saw even less than from Point Hall, and the prospect if possible was more cheerless. 206 FERTILE COUNTRY. Our again meeting rocks of transition origin, led us to infer that the soil in the neighbourhood was of a better quality, as the decomposition of rocks of this class furnishes a much more fertile soil than sandstone of recent formation. Leaving the Slate Islands, we reached Entrance Isle, in Brecknock Harbour, in time to secure ob- servations for the rates of the chronometers, which we found had been performing admirably ; they placed the sandy bay on the east side of Entrance Isle, in longitude 124° 30' E. ; the latitude as before given, 15" ^7^' S. At this place Mr. Help- man rejoined us, having completed the examination of the south shore of the harbour ; from a high hill over it he discovered some fine country, bearing E.S.E. about eight miles. In speaking of it, he says, " I was invited to the top of this hill by the certainty of a good view of the interior over the low land forming the south-eastern shore of the harbour, and most amply was I repaid for the toil of ascending it, by feasting my eyes on a most luxuriant well-watered country, lying at the eastern foot of a remarkable peak, visible from Port George the Fourth. To the N.E. there lay a range of hills,* apparently of no great elevation. Part of this rich land extended to within five miles of the south- eastern part of Brecknock Harbour." The prox- imity of such fertile land to this fine port was of * Macdonald Range of Lieut. Grey, considered by him 1400 feet high. BRECKNOCK HARBOUR. ^07 great importance, and induced us to consider it a great addition to our discoveries in north-western Australia, Under this impression, I trust the fol- lowing brief description of it may not be without its value in the eyes of some of my readers. Brecknock Harbour is six miles deep, extending gradually from a width of one and three quarter miles at the entrance to five at the head, and has a depth of water varying from five to seven fathoms, with a soft muddy bottom. The few observations on the tides our short visit afforded, make the time of high water, on full and change day, about half- an-hour before noon, when the rise is nearly thirty feet, and the strength of stream in the entrance nearly two knots. April 16. — Although very anxious to learn if they had in the ship heard any thing of Lieut. Grey's party, still I did not like to break through my usual rule of indulging in a thorough cleansing of men and boats, before making our appearance on hoard, we therefore did not make an early start. In clearing Roger Strait, we heard the cry of a native, who was seen with the aid of a spy-glass, perched on a distant cliff, watching our movements. 1 scarcely believed it possible to have heard his shrill voice so far. We reached the ship, lying in Port George the Fourth, early in the afternoon, and found on board a most welcome addition to our little party, in the person of Lieut. Grey. I met him again, with feelings of the greatest satisfaction ; 208 LIEUTENANT GREY. for though none were, perhaps, fully aware of it, a feeling of despondency as to the fate of himself and his companions, had more than once occurred to me, which each day's delay much increased, and which this agreeable rencounter at once eflPec- tuallv removed. Poor fellow ! gaunt misery had worn him to the bone ; and I believe, that in any other part of the world, not myself alone, but Lieutenant Grey's most intimate friends, would have stared at him without the least approach to recog- nition. Badly wounded, and half starved, he did, indeed, present a melancholy contrast to the vigorous and determined enthusiast we had parted from a few months before at the Cape, to whom danger seemed to have a charm, distinct from success. No sooner had we ascertained the safety of the rest of the party, than, as might be supposed, we fell into a long and animated conversation upon the success of the expedition. They had discovered a river, called by them the Glenelg, and a tract of fine country, which, from Lieut. Grey's description, I instantly recognised as being the same Mr. Help- man had seen from Brecknock Harbour. A spot, sixty miles in a S.S.E. direction from Hanover Bay, indicates their furthest distance towards the interior. The rugged nature of the country in the neighbourhood of this coast, and its vast distance from the interior, from whence it is further removed than any other part of the continent, LIEUTENANT GREY. 209 justify the expression of an opinion that this was an ill-chosen spot for the deharkation of an expedition for inland research ; though unquestionably its proximity to our East Indian possessions, would make it, if suitable in other respects, a most valu- able spot for colonization. I shall always regret that Lieut. Grey and his companions had not the advantage of starting from the Fitz-Roy, or explor- ing yet further the unknown course of the Victoria, by which I am now convinced, a most successful attempt to reach the interior might be made. Alas ! while we cannot but regret the prodigal sacrifices of health and energy made to acquire such a limited knowledge of a part of the continent, hitherto utterly unknown, we must not forget to do justice to the perseverance which opposing obstacles could defeat, but not daunt ; and in what it did accomplish, furnished additional motives to renewed exertion, and useful suggestions by which more fortunate followers may reap the success deserved by, though denied, to the first adventurers. The worn and haggard aspect of Lieut. Grey and all his companions, spoke of itself how severe had been the hardships they were called on to en- dure ; I need not say that their wants were relieved with the utmost eagerness of frank hospitality, and that their tales of *' hair-breadth 'scapes" and " moving accidents" awoke all ears, and stirred in every heart. To meet with a countryman in a foreign land, is of itself generally an agreeable incident : the VOL. II. P 210 LIEUTENANT GREY. tones of one's native language, or the reminiscences of one's earlier and happier years, which such ameet- ing recalls, are sure to bestow upon it a pleasure of its own. What was it then to meet a former fellow voyager, and a friend ? To meet him after almost despairing of his safety? and to meet him fresh from a perilous and partially successful attempt to penetrate into the same unknown and mysterious country, a further and more perfect acquaintance with v;hich was a prime object of my own personal ambition, no less than of public duty with all engaged in our pre- sent adventure ? Those who have known the com- munion of sentiment and interest, which it is the tendency of one common purpose to create among all by whom that purpose is shared, can most readily and most perfectly understand with what deep and mutual interest Lieut. Grey and myself heard and recounted all that each had done since our parting at the Cape. Several anecdotes of his adventures confirmed mv own experience, and add weight to the opinions I have before expressed. From his description of the tribes his party had encountered, he must have been among a people more advanced in civilization than any we had hitherto seen upon this coast. He found several curious figures,* images, and draw- ings, generally in colours, upon the sides of caves in the sandstone rock, which, notwithstanding their rude style, yet evince a greater degree of advancement and * Illustrated in Lieut. Grey's first Volume. LIGHT-COLOURED NATIVES. 211 intelligence than we have been able to find any traces of : at the same time it must be remembered that no certain date absolutely connects these works with the present generation : the dryness of the natural walls upon which they are executed, and the absence of any atmospheric moisture may have, and may yet preserve them for an indefinite period, and their history read aright, may testify not the present condition of the Australian School of Design, but the perfection which it had formerly attained. Lieut. Grey too, like ourselves, had seen certain individuals in company with the natives much lighter in colour, and widely differing in figure and physiognomy from the savages by whom they were surrounded ; and was inclined to believe that thev are descended from Dutch sailors, who at dififerent times, suffering shipwreck upon the coast, have in- termarried with its native inhabitants : but as no authentic records can be produced to prove that this portion of the coast was ever visited by Dutch navigators at all, I am still more disposed to believe that these lighter coloured people are Malays, cap- tured from the Trepang fishers, or perhaps volun- tarily associating with the Australian, as we know that the Australian not unfrequently abandons his country, and his mode of life, to visit the Indian Archipelago with them. Before pursuing any further the train of specula- tion in which my thoughts naturally enough arranged themselves, owing to this meeting with Lieut. p 2 212 CAPTA.IN WICKHAM's Grov, it may be as well to advert to the circum- stances under which he and his party were found by Captain Wickham. It seems that on moving into Port George the Fourth, the ship's guns were fired in order to apprize the wanderers, if within hearing, that friends and aid were at hand. These signals were heard on board the Lynher, and were at once rightly understood to denote the presence of the Beagle. At that time, however, the master of the Lynher — the schooner which Lieut. Grey had char- tered at the Cape, was himself in no small perplexity as to the fate of those he had transported to this lonely coast ; and was now growing exceedingly anxious at their non-appearance. The next morning, the Qth, — Captain Wickham started in the yawl for Hanover Bay, in order to pro- secute the search at the point where he knew Lieut. Grey's depot was to be established, and on round- ing the headland the first welcome object that met his eye was the schooner at anchor. Captain Wickham learnt from Mr. Browse the master, that the period for which the schooner was chartered having expired, he was only waiting the return of the expedition from motives of humanity. The further care of Lieut. Grey and his comrades was at once undertaken by Captain Wickham, by whom it was determined, owing to the shortness of provisions on board the Beagle, to proceed to Timor on the return of the boats, in the hope of being able to revictual there, leaving some conspicuous record of MEETING WITH LIEUT. GREY. 213 his recent visit, with hidden letters declaratory of his proceedings, and promising his speedy return. A party was immediately despatched on shore, and upon the face of the sandstone cliif they painted in characters of gigantic proportion, "Beagle Obser- vatory. Letters S.E. 52 paces." Of necessity com- pelled to wait for the boats, Captain Wickham returned to the Beagle. On the morning of the 15th, Lieutenant Grey, ac- companied by two of his party, made his appearance upon the shores of Hanover Bay, after a twelve weeks wander in the interior; during which, great hard- ships, fatigue, and peril had been undergone, and much curious and valuable information collected. Hearing of the proximity of the Beagle, he lost not a moment, but hastened to assure Captain Wick- ham that the whole party was safe, and spent the evening of the 15th — that previous to my return — among those who sympathized with his sufferings, and heartily welcomed him once more on board. After the first crrcetinfrs had been exchanged between us, Lieut. Grey professed the utmost anxiety to hear whether, during our late excursion in the boats, we had discovered the mouth of the Glenelg, the river first seen by him on the 2nd of March. I was of course compelled to inform him that we had found no trace of any river, although the coast from Port George the Fourth to the bottom of Collier Bay, an extent of nearly one hundred miles, had been examined, and with the exception I have already noticed, too closely to admit of mistake. 214 AN EVENING WITH LIEUT. GREY. The next afternoon I followed Lieut. Grey round to Hanover Bay, distant twelve miles from the Beagle's anchorage. On the passage I noticed that the remarkable bluff, spoken of by Captain King, had been omitted in the charts, and a low rocky point marked in its place. It was after sunset when we reached the schooner in Hanover Bay ; the greater part of the night was devoted to an examination of Lieut. Grey's plans of his expedition, and the drawings with which various events in it had been illustrated. All these were executed with a finished carefulness one could not have expected to find in works carried on in the bush, and under such varied circum- stances of distraction and anxiety as had followed Lieut. Grey's footsteps : though terribly worn and ill, our opportune arrival, and the feeling that he was among those who could appreciate his exertions, seemed already to operate in his recovery. Upon an old and tattered chart, that had indeed " done the state some service," we attempted to settle the pro- bable course of the Glenelg, the knotty question held us for some hours in hot debate ; but as in a pre- vious paragraph, I have rendered my more deliberate opinions, I need not here recount the varied topics discussed during that momorable evening : but it may be readily imagined with how swift a flight one hour followed another, while I listened w^ith eager impatience to Lieut. Grey's account of a country and people till now unknown even to English enterprise. He appears to have seen the same kind of grape-like THE ENCAMPMENT. 215 fruit* that we observed in King's Sound. I took the boat in the afternoon at high water to proceed to the encampment, which we were then able to approach within a quarter of a mile. It was situated in the depth of a creek, into which a clear and sparkling stream of fresh water poured its abundance : the shore was formed of enormous granite boulders, which rendered it hardly accessible except at high water ; and the red sandstone platform which is here the nature of the coast, was abruptly intersected by one of those singular valleys which give so marked and so distinctive a characteristic to Australian geo- logy. The separated cliffs approach to within about a quarter of a mile of each other, and then — still preserving their precipitous form — recede some three miles inland, in a southerly direction, and there rejoining, make any passage from Walker's Val- leyt to the interior a barely practicable feat. The encampment consisted of a few roofless huts, placed irregularly upon a carpet of rich grass, whereon six Timor ponies were recruiting after the fatigues of a journey in which they appeared to have borne their full share of privation and danger. Their market- able value was indeed but small, and Lieut. Grey had, therefore, determined to leave them behind in the unrestrained enjoyment of their natural freedom. * Grey's Australia, Vol. I. page 211. \ So named by Lieut. Grey, to commemorate the services rendered by the surgeon of his party, in finding a road from it to the interjacent country. 216 TIMOR PONIES. My visit was made after the encampment had heen finally abandoned, and the thought that a little spot once tenanted by civilized man was about to be yielded to that dreary solitude from which for a while he had rescued it, made the pilgrimage a me- lancholy one. The scene itself was in strict keeping with such thoughts — the rugged and lofty cliffs which frown down upon the valley — the flitting shadows of the watchful eagles soaring far over my head — • and the hoarse murmurs of the tide among the rocky masses on the beach — all heightened the effects of a picture engraven on my memory too deeply for time itself to efface. While the men were preparing for embarkation I strolled with Lieut, Lusliington up the valley, a little beyond the late encampment : the Timor ponies were busily engaged upon the fresh grass ; near the banks of a beautiful pool in which we both enjoyed a fresh-water bath, I noticed a small cocoa-nut tree, and some other plants, which he and his companions had benevolently endeavoured to naturalize here : they seemed healthy enough, but I should fear the rank luxuriance of surrounding and indigenous vegetation will render the ultimate well- doing of the strangers exceedingly doubtful. Assisted by our boats the whole party embarked in the early part of the afternoon, and appeared highly delighted to find themselves again on board the schooner. I was much impressed with the emphatic manner in which Lieut. Lushington bid the shore a hearty farewell. LEAVE PORT GEORGE THE FOURTH. 217 The same evening the Lynher was moved round to Port George the Fourth — thus affording us an oppor- tunity of welcoming all our former fellow-voyagers once more on hoard the Beagle ; where we spent one of those delightful evenings, known only to those who have been long separated from the rest of the world. On the 9th we left Port George the Fourth on our return to Swan River, in company with the Lynher, in which Lieut. Grey and his party had arranged to proceed to the Mauritius. A finer port than this, in some respects, can hardly be imagined. Like Hanover Bay, over which, however, it possesses the advantage of an easier access from the sea, it affords safe anchorage, abundance of fresh water, plenty of fuel, and a fine beach for the seine : but the numerous islands and reefs which skirt this coast greatly reduce the value of both these har- bours. The Master of the Lynher told me of cer- tain tidal phenomena remarked by him during his protracted visit to Hanover Bay : he had noticed that the hiofhest tides alwavs occurred on the fourth day after the full or change of the moon, and that they then attained a maximum height of twenty -five feet ; while during the neaps the difference between high and low water sometimes did not exceed twenty- four inches ! Durino- the short time that we were in this neiofh- bourhood, the prevailing winds were from S.E. and to E. from after midnight till noon, and from W. to 218 ISOLATED ROCK. N. until midnight. Our progress through the day was but slow ; the wind light and most provokingly foul at W. N.W. While standing towards a small island bearing N. and by W. five and a half miles from Point Adieu, we discovered a single rock with apparently deep water all around it, and just a wash at low water. It bore N.W. and by W. three- quarters of a mile from this island, which resembles Red Island, and Captain King's group of the Rocky Islands, in that calcined-like appearance which has by turns given them " red" and " brown'* for a dis- tinct appellation. In the afternoon we saw the sand- bank laid down in Captain King's chart; it appeared a white rocky islet. The night was spent beating to the westward, between it and Red Island, against a light breeze. April 20. — At daylight, whilst standing to the S.W. the water shoaled rapidly though regularly from 20 to 6 fathoms, we then tacked, Red^Island bearing S.E. one mile and a quarter; in standing out (north) the water deepened suddenly and almost immediately to 15 fathoms, I imamne this shoal to be a continuation of one laid down by Captain King, extending two miles south from Red Island : passing the latter on our way to Port George the Fourth we had 28 to 30 fathoms, two and a half miles from its Z'^.W. side. April 21. — We continued to make but little pro- gress to the westward, scarcely averaging more than a mile per hour: the soundings indicating that we were REMARKABLE RIPPLINGS. 219 still on the coral ledge that skirts the whole of this coast, northward of Cape Leveque; on the raised parts of which are numerous reefs of an irregular size and almost invariahly trending from W. to l^f.W. The number of these low coral reefs already known, and the probable number of those yet undiscovered, make this rather a dangerous sea, and must have a tendency to lessen the value of the N.W. coast of Australia for purposes of forming settlements. In the afternoon we saw again the reef discovered and named after the Beagle. Steering W.N. W. we passed four miles from its northern side in soundings vary- ing from 41 to 47 fathoms. April Q3. — Towards the close of this day we passed through a line of very remarkable ripplings, extending in a north and south direction, which we knew indicated some great inequality in the bottom, but whether from deep to shoal water was a matter of some anxiety ; therefore, with leadsmen in the chains and the men at their stations for working- ship, we glided into this streak of agitated water, where plunging once or twice she again passed into the silent deep. We sounded ineffectually with 8() fathoms in the ripplings ; for some time before the soundings had been regular 52 and 55 fathoms fine sand, and four miles beyond it we had 14G fathoms, but did not succeed afterwards in reaching the bottom with 200 fathoms. This line of disturbed water, therefore, marks the edge of the bank of soundings fronting this part of the coast, from which 220 PART FROM THE LYNIIER. the nearest point, Cape Leveque, bore S.E. 195 miles. The Lynher having to pursue a more westerly course, we were of necessity, though reluctantly, obliged to part company this evening : the few evenings we passed together at sea were rendered very pleasant and amusing by the crews singing to each other as the vessels, side by side, slipped stealthily through the moonlit waters. April 24. — Still pursuing a W.S.W. course, at the slow rate of forty miles daily, our position at noon was lat. 15° 40' S. long. 120" 41' E. During the day we passed within fifteen miles of the Lively's reef, and from the numbers of terns and other small sea birds, seen for the last three days, there can be little doubt of its whereabouts being known, and that durincr that time we had been in the neigh- bourhood of other reefs still undiscovered. April 27. — We experienced the long rolling swell of the Southern Ocean, which, as well as our reckoninor informed us we were roundin"' N.W. Cape; at the same time we began to feel a steady breeze from the S.E. and the northerly current which there prevails. As we were now approaching the usual track of vessels bound from Australia to India, we were not unprepared for the somewhat unusual sight of a strange sail: an object always of some little interest, but which becomes quite an event to those whose duty leads them into the less frequented por- tions of the deep. The increasing trade now carried on between Svdnev and " the gorceous East," has con- THE TRYAL ROCKS. 221 verted the dividing sea into a beaten track ; and as no further evidence has been brought forward to confirm the reported existence of the Tryal Hocks, asserted to lie directly in the course steered by vessels making this passage, I cannot but adhere to Captain King's opinion, that Tremouille Island and its outlying reefs, situated in the same latitude as that in which the Tryal Rocks are supposed to lie, have originated the mistake ;* one, be it observed, of longitude, in which particular the accounts of earlier navigators must always be received with caution. While our return to Swan River was thus baffled and delayed by the long and almost unbroken con- tinuance of foul winds, it afforded some diversion to watch the countenance and conduct of Miao-o, who was as anxious as any one on board for the sight of his native land. He would stand gazing steadily and in silence over the sea, and then sometimes, perceiv- ing that I watched him, say to me, " Miago sing, by and by northern men wind jump up:" then would he station himself for hours at the lee-gangway, and chaunt to some imaginary deity an incantation or prayer to change the opposing wind. I could never rightly learn to whom this rude melody was ad- dressed; for if anyone approached him near enough to overhear the w-ords, he became at once silent; but there was a mournful and pathetic air running throuofh the strain, that rendered it bv no means * Subsequent explorations have proved tliis to be the case. 222 ANECDOTES unplcasing ; though doubtless it owed much of its efi'ect to the concomitant circumstances. The rude savage — separated from all his former companions, made at once an intimate and familiar witness of some of the wonders of civilization, carried by his new comrades to their very country, and brought face to face with his traditionary foes, the dreaded "north- ern men," and now returning to recount to his yet ruder brethren the wonders he had witnessed — could not fail to interest the least imaginative. Yet Miago had a decided and most inexplicable advantage overall on board, and that in a matter espe- cially relating to the science of navigation : he could indicate at once and correctly the exact direction of our wished-for harbour, when neither sun nor stars were shining to assist him. He was tried frequently, and under very varying circumstances, but strange as it may seem, he was invariably right. This faculty — though somewhat analogous to one I have heard ascribed to the natives of North America — had very much surprised me when exercised on shore, but at sea, out of the sight of land, it seemed beyond belief, as assuredly it is beyond explanation: but I have sometimes thought that some such power must have been possessed by those adventurous sea- men who, long before the discovery of the compass, ventured upon distant and hazardous voyages. I used sometimes, as we approached" the land of his nativity, to question him upon the account he intended to give his friends of the scenes he had wit- OF MIAGO. 223 nessed, and I was quite astonished at the accuracy with which he remembered the various places we had visited during the vo3^age : he seemed to have carried the ship's track in his memory with the most careful accuracy. His description of the ship's sailing and anchoring were most amusing : he used to say, *' Ship walk — walk — all night — hard walk — then by and by, anchor tumble down." His manner of describing his interviews with the " wicked northern men," was most graphic. His countenance and figure became at once instinct with anhnation and energy, and no doubt he was then influenced by feelings of baffled hatred and revenge, from having failed in his much- vaunted determination to carry off in triumph one of their gins. I would sometimes amuse myself by asking him how he was to excuse himself to his friends for having failed in the pre- mised exploit, but the subject was evidently a very unpleasant one, and he was always anxious to escape from it. In spite of all Miago's evocations for a change of wind we did not see Rottenest Island before the morning of the 25th. The ship's track on the chart after passing the N.W. Cape, resembled the figure seven, the tail pointing towards the north. We passed along the south side of Rottenest, and by keep- ino^ its south-western extreme shut in with the south point, cleared the northern end of the foul ground extending N.N.W. from a cluster of high rocks called the Stragglers. As Gage Road was not con- 224 RETURN TO SWAN RIVER. sidercd safe at this time of the year, the ship was taken into Owen's anchorage under the guidance of Mr. Usborne. We first steered for the Mew Stone, bearinof south, until the leadino^ marks could be made out ; they are the western of two flat rocks lying close off" the west side of Carnac Island and a large white sand patch on the north side of Garden Island. The rock must be kept its own breadth open to the eastward of the highest part of the patch ; these marks lead over a sort of bar or rido'e of sand in 3 and 3^ fathoms ; when the water deepened to 5 and 7 fathoms, the course was then changed to E.S.E. for a patch of low cliffs about two miles south of Freemantle, which brought us up to Owen's anchor- age in 7 and S fathoms, passing between Success and Palmelia Banks. Thus concluded our first cruize on this almost hitherto unknown part of the continent; and lookino- at its results we had every reason to feel satisfied, having appended 300 miles of new land to our geographical store, and succeeded in an object of paramount interest in this country, the discovery of a river. Besides the nautical information obtained, some additions were made to the secondary objects of the voyage, by increasing our knowledge of the natural history and indigenous productions of North- western Australia. During the period of our visit we had a temperature varying from 76" to 125° ; the weather generally fine, with moderate south-easterly winds, and occasionally heavy squalls from the east- CHANGES OF TEMPERATURE. 225 ward, excepting in the month of February and part of March, when we experienced heavy falls of rain, accompanied by fresh westerly winds. But as these changes have already been noticed in the diary, it is needless to enter into further detail about them here. VOL. I. Q CHAPTER VIII. SWAN RIVER TO SYDNEY. MIAGO'S RECEPTION BY HIS COUNTRYMEN — WHALE FISHERY — STRANGE IDEAS ENTERTAINED BY NATIVES RESPECTING THE FIRST SETTLERS — NEGLECTED STATE OF THE COLONY TEST SECURITY OF OWEn's ANCHORAGE — "WEATHER CELEBRATION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE COLONY FRIENDLY MEETING BETWEEN DIFFERENT TRIBES NA- TIVE BEGGARS — PERSONAL VANITY OF A NATIVE — VISIT YORK — DESCRIPTION OF COUNTRY — SITE OF YORK — SCENERY IN ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD DISAPPOINTMENT EXPERIENCED — SAIL FROM SAVAN RIVER — HOSPITALITY OF COLONISTS DURING OUR STAY — AURORA AUSTRALIS — GALE OFF CAPE LEUWEN STORMY PASSAGE — SHIP ON A LEE SHORE — SOUTH-WEST CAPE OF TASMANIA — BRUNY ISLAND LIGHT HOUSE — ARRIVE AT HOBARTON — MOUNT WELLING- TON — KANGAROO HUNT — WHITE KANGAROO — CIVILITY FROM THE GOVERNOR — TRAVERTINE LIMESTONE LEAVE HOBARTON — SINGULAR CURRENT — APPEARANCE OF LAND IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF SYDNEY POSITION OF LIGHT- HOUSE— ENTRANCE AND FIRST VIEW OF PORT JACKSON SCENERY ON PASSING UP THE HARBOUR MEET THE EXPEDITION BOUND TO PORT ESSINGTON — APPARENT IN- CREASE OF SYDNEY — CAUSE OF DECLINE EXPEDITION SAILS FOR PORT ESSINGTON ILLAWARRA BOTANY BAY — LA PEROUSe's MONUMENT — ABORIGINES — MEET CAPTAIN KING — APPEARANCE OF LAND NEAR SYDNEY. We were considerably amused with the conse- quential air Miago assumed towards his countrymen on our arrival, which afforded us a not uninstructive instance of the prevalence of the ordinary infirmities MIAOO'S RECEPTION BY HIS COUNTRYMEN. 2^ of our common human nature, whether of pride or vanity, universally to be met with both in the civilized man and the uncultivated savage. He declared that he would not land until they first came off to wait on him. Decorated with an old full-dress Lieutenant's coat, white trowsers, and a cap with a tall feather, he looked upon himself as a most exalted personage, and for the whole of the first day remained on board, impatiently, but in vain prying into each boat that left the shore for the dusky forms of some of his quondam friends. His pride however could not long- withstand the desire of display ; yielding to the im- pulse of vanity, he, early the following morning, took his departure from the ship. Those who witnessed the meeting described it as cool on both sides, arising on the part of his friends from jealousy; they perhaps judging from the nature of his costume, that he had abandoned his bush life. Be that as it may, the reception tended greatly to lower the pride of our hero ; who through generosity (expending all his money to purchase them bread,) or from a fear of being treacherously speared, soon convinced his former associates how desirous he was of regaining their confidence. He did not, however, participate in the revelry then going on amongst the natives at Freemantle, where, at this period of the year, they assemble in great numbers to feast on the whales that are brought in by the boats of a whaling establish- ment,— which I cannot allude to without expressing an opinion that this fishery, if properly managed and Q 2 228 STATE OF THE COLONY. free from American encroachments, would become one of the most important branches of industry. Durincf the time that Miao^o was on board we took great pains to wean him from his natural pro- pensity for the savage life by instilling such informa- tion as his untutored mind was capable of receiving, and from his often expressed resolutions we were led to hope a cure had been effected ; great was our disappointment then on finding that in less than a fortnight after our arrival, he had resumed his original wildness, and was again to be numbered amongst the native inhabitants of the bush. To us he had been the source of great mirth, by the absurd anecdotes he sometimes related about his coun- trymen. His account of their conjectures respect- ing the arrival of the first settlers may amuse the reader ; he said, " the ships were supposed to be trees, and the cattle large dogs (the only animal be- sides the kangaroo known to thorn), whose size and horns excited such alarm, that one which strayed into the bush being met by a party of natives made them climb up the nearest trees in the greatest terror." It may give some definite idea of the neglected state of this infant colony, to mention that during the entire period of our absence — a space of six months— there had been but one arrival there, and that not from England. The solitary visitor was H.M.S. Pelorus from the Indian station. The want of communication with the mother country was be- ginning to be felt severely, and in matters of graver Owen's anchorage. 229 moment than mere news. Many necessary articles of home manufacture or importation, scarcely valued till wanted, were now becoming almost unattainable i one familiar instance will illustrate at once how this state of things presses upon the comfort of the colo- nists ; the price of yellow soap had risen to four shillings per pound ! The usual winter anchorage in Cockburn Sound, being seven miles from the town of Freemantle, the colonists were naturally very anxious to see tested the equal security of one which we had chosen within kalf that distance. The point was fairly tried, and very satisfactorily determined during the heavy weather which we experienced on the 31st of March, and 11th of June, which did not raise more sea than a boat at anchor could have ridden out with safety. These gales lasted about forty-eight hours each, commencing at N. by W. and gradually blowing themselves out at W.S.W. In each instance a heavy bank of clouds in the north-west gave us a day s notice of their approach. The indications of the barometer were less decisive ; its minimum was 29.3. The weather in the interval between these gales was wet and unsettled ; but afterwards, until our departure, it continued remarkably fine with an average temperature of 60". The winds at this season prevail from the land, the sea breezes being both light and very irregular. We were just in time to share in the annual fcsti- 230 ANNIVERSARY OF THE COLONY. vities with which the inhabitants celebrate the for- mation of the colony. Horse racing, and many other old English sports shewed that the colonists still retain the tastes and habits of home. Some of the aborigines took part in the amusements of the day with evident enjoyment : and we were surprised to find that in throwing the spear they were excelled by an English competitor. We hardly know how to reconcile this fact with our own favourite theories upon the perfection of the savage in the few exercises of skill to which he devotes his attention, and were obliged to take refuge in the inadequate suggestion that the wild man requires a greater degree of ex- citement than his more civilized competitor, to bring out, or call into action, all the resources of his art. Among the natives assembled were a small party from King George's Sound : they had come to Perth, bearing despatches from that place. The good understanding which appeared to exist between them and their fellow-countrymen in this district, led me to believe that by bringing different tribes more frequently together, under similar happy auspices to those which convened the meeting of to-day, much might be done to qualify the eager and deadly hatred in which they are too prone to indulge. The natives in the town of Perth are most noto- rious beggars : the softer sex ply this easy craft even more indefatigably than the men. Their flattering solicitations and undeniable importunity seldom altogether fail of success, and "quibra (Le. ship) VISIT YORK. 231 man," after the assurance that he is a '* very pretty gentleman," must perforce yield to the solicitation " tickpence give it um me." There was one amongst them, who from some accident had lost several of his toes. When in conver- sation, if he fancied any person was observing his foot, he would immediately endeavour to conceal the part that was thus disfigured by burying it in the sand. Another instance, exemplifying how prevalent is the frailty of vanity in the heart of man in his primitive condition. As a little time was required to give the ship a slight refit and the crew some relaxation, it affbrded an opportunity of visiting York, situated about sixty miles east from Perth, and at that extremity of the colony. Accordingly, one murky afternoon a small party of us were wending our way over the Darling- Range. Long after dark the welcome bark of dogs rang through the forest in the still dark night, assur- ing us that shelter was at hand, and we soon found ourselves before a large fire in the only house on the road, enjoying, after a dreary wet ride, the usual fare at that time at the out-stations — fried pork and kangaroo. About this tenement was the only spot of land alonff the whole line of road that could at all lay claim to anything like fertility ; at which I was the more surprised, as our route intercepted the direction in which patches of good land are gene- rally found in this part of the continent. The soil of this little piece was of a rich black mould and 232 YORK. well watered by a neiohbouring spring. Our road Jay in some places over tracts of loose white sand,, and in others round and over low ironstone hills. Descending from one of these heights to a rich nar- row flat, the presence of three or four houses in- formed us we were within the township of York. The position of the level it occupies forms the western bank of the river Avon, which is now and has been for some time past nothing more than a chain of water-holes. In this neighbourhood the hills lie detached from one another in irregular directions, and are composed of granite ; from the summit of one on the western side of the town we looked over a vast expanse of undulating forest land, densely wooded, with scarcely a grassy patch to break the monotony of the view. To give an idea of the per- sonal labour early settlers are obliged to undergo, I may mention that we found Mr. Bland, the most wealthy colonist in Western Australia, engaged in holding the plough. I was disappointed in my visit to this part- of the country as it did not leave a favourable impression of its fertility — still it afforded me an opportunity of judging by comparison of the quality of the soils in Western Australia and on the banks of the Fitz-Roy, and I was happy to find I had not overrated the latter. The odium of a recent murder in the vicinity committed by natives had led to their absenting them- selves just now from York, but a few of their numbers too young for suspicion were employed in SAIL FROM SWAN RIVER. J233 the capacity of servants and appeared sliarp and in- telligent lads. On the 20th of June we took leave of our friends in Western Australia, proceeding out of Owen's anchorage by a passage recommended by the Har- bour-Master, in which we found half a fathom less water than the one throuo-h which we entered. Dur- o ingour stay there, nothing could exceed the kindness with which we were welcomed, and we experienced that proverbial hospitality of colonists which in this instance we shall ever remember with feelings of the most sincere and heartfelt pleasure. It may appear out of place inserting it here but on our first arrival at Swan River in November last, we saw the Aurora Australis very bright. At midnight of the 23rd of June we passed Cape Leu wen, the south-western extremity of the continent ; named by the first discoverer in 1622, Landt van de Leuwen or the land of Lions. The wind which had increased since the morning to a fresh gale from the northward, now suddenly veered round to the west- ward, accompanied with rain and causing a high cross sea. These sudden shifts of wind frequently raise a very dangerous sea off^ Cape Leuwen.* This made the third gale we had experienced since the 30th of May, and is recorded here from its commencing at N.E. instead of at north, the usual point at which gales in these regions begin. During the stormy weather which prevailed throughout the passage, we * III a gule off this Cape in 1836, H.M.S. Zebra was compelled to throw her guns overboard. S34 GALE OFF CAPE LEUWEN. were unceasingly attended by those majestic birds and monarchs of the ocean — the White Albatross, (Diomedia exulans,) which with steadily expanded winffs sailed o^racefullv over the surface of the rest- less main in solemn silence, like spectres of the deep ; their calm and easy flight coursing each wave in its hurried career seemed to mock the unsteady motion of our little vessel as she alternately traversed the deep hollows and lofty summits of the high-crested seas. July 6. — It was our intention to have passed through Bass Strait, but finding we were unable to weather King Island bore up on the 6th for Hobar- ton. On the evening of the same day we were by a sudden change of the wind placed in one of those perilous situations in which both a good ship and sound gear are so much required ; the wind, which had been northerly throughout the day, about 8 p.m. veered round to west, blowing a heavy gale with a high sea ; and since we had now run about halfway along Van Diemen's Land, left us with an extensive and dangerous shore under our lee. Through the dismal frloom of the nifjlit, during^ which there was incessant rain with a succession of heavy squalls, the angry voice of nature seemed indeed to be raised in menace against us, and it was not until the close of the next day that a slight abatement of the weather relieved our anxiety for the safety of the ship. Dur- ing the night the wind backed round to the N.W. and the sky became once more partially clear. Early on the mornin