The horses having been got on board the Monarch on the 31st July, and the
sheep the next day, the steamer Bremer was employed to tow her over the
Bar. It was evident, however, that the Bremer did not intend to do this,
for she slacked the tow-line, and then steamed ahead full speed and
snapped the hawser, and went off without any explanation.
Having removed a quantity of stores from the Monarch to the Tom Tough, so
as to reduce the draft of the former, on the 8th August warped over the
bar and went over to Moreton Island, where about three tons of water were
taken in from the fresh-water creeks near the Pilot Station.
On the 12 August weighed and left Moreton Bay; and this being the last
point of communication with the civilised world, the Expedition might be
considered to commence on this date.
The party consisted of eighteen persons, as follows: commander A.C.
Gregory; assistant commander, H.C. Gregory; geologist, J.S. Wilson;
artist and storekeeper, J. Baines; surgeon and naturalist, J.R. Elsey;
botanist, F. Mueller; collector and preserver, J. Flood; overseer, G.
Phibbs; stockmen, etc., C. Humphries, R. Bowman, C. Dean, J. Melville, W.
Dawson, W. Shewell, W. Selby, S. Macdonald, H. Richards, J. Fahey. The
livestock comprised fifty horses and 200 sheep.
The provisions consisted of flour, salt pork, preserved beef, rice, peas,
preserved potatoes, sago, sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, limejuice, etc.,
calculated to supply the party on full rations for eighteen months.
On 13th August passed Breaksea Spit, and Port Curtis next morning, the
weather being fine with south-east winds; reached Port Albany on 26th.
Landed on Albany Island, which is principally of sandstone formation
rising into hills of moderate elevation, the soil generally poor and
sandy covered with bush and small trees, with a few open grassy patches.
Fresh water was found in a small cove 100 yards north from the
landing-place on the sandy beach; the supply was so small as to be of
little use, and the position inconvenient of access.
The mainland appeared to be covered with much dense bush, and the rocky
sandstone hills did not indicate that the country was of any great value
either for agricultural or pastoral purposes.
Port Albany is a narrow, but deep channel between Albany Island and the
mainland of Cape York. It is easy of ingress and egress; but is neither
safe or convenient, owing to the great rapidity of the current which sets
through with the tide.
Some canoes with natives came to the vessels. They evidently have
frequent communication with vessels passing through the Straits, and are
well acquainted with the use and name of tobacco, which they smoke in
large bamboo pipes. Their arms consisted of spears, bows, and arrows. The
canoes, formed of a single tree, rudely hollowed out, and fitted with
outriggers.
27th August.
Left Port Albany, and, passing through Endeavour Strait, were favoured
with a light easterly wind as far as Port Essington, which was sighted on
September 1st, and after passing through Dundas Strait anchored for the
night.
The following morning passed Vernon Island with a light breeze. At 9.50
p.m. the Monarch grounded on a rocky reef off the entrance of Port
Patterson, the master of the vessel not having made due allowance for the
indraught of the tide. Unfortunately this occurred at the top of the
spring tide, and the result was that, though every exertion was made to
warp the vessel off, the tide did not rise sufficiently to float her
until the 10th September, when, by cutting off the false keel and
levelling the surface of the rock, we succeeded in hauling her off, with
comparatively little damage, as the weather continued calm during the
whole of this anxious period.
As the vessel lay on her side at low tide, the position of the horses was
extremely inconvenient, and they suffered a greater amount of injury
during these eight days than on the whole of the preceding voyage, and it
is to this that the subsequent loss of so large a number of the horses is
to be attributed; for though only two died on board the vessel, the
others became so excessively weak that some had not the strength to go
through the fatigue of landing and the journey from Point Pearce to the
Victoria River, and at the same time the supply of forage was so reduced
that it became necessary to land the horses immediately on reaching Point
Pearce, and before the place could be examined for the best landing.