DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION
DISCOVERY OF TASMANIA
+Source.+--Tasman's Journal (edited by Heeres), pp. 1, 11-16
The Spaniard Torres was probably the first European to sight
Australia (Cape Yorke); but Tasman was the first who consciously
discovered the Great South Land. In his search for fresh fields for
trade, he came upon Tasmania and New Zealand.
Journal or description drawn up by me, ABEL JAN TASMAN, of a Voyage made
from the town of Batavia in E. India for the discovery of the unknown
Southland, in the year of our Lord 1642, the 14th of August. May God
Almighty vouchsafe his Blessing on this work. AMEN.
_Note_.--Days reckoned from midnight to midnight. Longitude calculated
from meridian of Peak of Teneriffe.
_Item the 23rd Nov._--Good weather with a south-easterly wind and a
steady breeze; in the morning, we found our rudder broken at top in the
tiller hole; we therefore hauled to windward under reduced sail and
fitted a cross beam to either side. By estimation the west side of Nova
Guinea must be North of us.
_Item the 24th do._ Good weather and a clear sky. In the afternoon about
4 o'clock we saw land bearing East by North of us; at about 10 miles
distance by estimation. The land we sighted was very high. Towards
evening we also saw S.S.E. of us three high mountains, and to the N.E.
two more mountains, but less high than those to southward. This land
being the first we have met with in the South sea and not known to any
European nation, we have conferred on it the name of Anthoony Van
Diemenslandt, in honor of the Hon. Governor-General, our illustrious
master, who sent us to make this discovery; the islands circumjacent so
far as known to us, we have named after the Hon. Councillors of India.
_Item 28th do._ In the evening we came under the shore. There are under
the shore some small islands one of which looks like a lion.
_Item 29th do._ In the morning were still near the rock which looks like
a lion's head. Towards noon passed two rocks; the most westerly looks
like Pedra Branca, which lies on the coast of China, the most easterly,
looking like a high rugged tower, lies about 16 miles out from the
mainland. Ran through between these rocks and the land. We came before a
way which seemed likely to afford a good anchorage upon which we
resolved to run into it. We again made for the shore, the wind and
current having driven us so far out to sea that we could barely see the
land.
_Item 1st Dec._ We resolved that it would be best and most expedient to
touch at the land, the sooner the better; both to get better acquainted
with the land and secure refreshment for our own behoof. About one hour
after sunset we dropped anchorage in a good harbour, for all of which it
behooves us to thank God Almighty with grateful hearts.
_Item 2nd do._ Early in the morning we sent our own pilot Major Francoys
Jacobz in command of our pinnace manned with 4 musketeers and 6 rowers,
all of them furnished with pikes and side arms together with the
cockboat of the _Zeehaen_, with one of her second mates and six
musketeers in it, to a bay situated N.W. of us at upwards of a mile's
distance in order to ascertain what facilities (as regards fresh water,
refreshments, timber and the like) may be available there. About three
hours before nightfall the boats came back, bringing various samples of
vegetables, which they had seen growing there in great abundance, some
of them in appearance not unlike a certain plant growing at the Cabo de
Bona Esperance, and fit to be used as pot-herbs; and another species
with long leaves and brackish taste strongly resembling persil de mer or
samphou. The pilot Major and second mate of the _Zeehaen_ made the
following report, to wit:
That they had rowed the space of upwards of a mile round the said point
where they had found high but level land, covered with vegetation and
not cultivated but growing naturally (by the will of God) abundance of
excellent timber and a gently sloping watercourse in a barren valley;
the said water though of good quality being difficult to procure,
because the watercourse is so shallow that the water could be dipped
with bowls only.
That they had heard certain human sounds, and also sounds resembling the
music of a small trump or a small gong not far from them though they had
seen no one.
That they had seen two trees about 2 or 2-1/2 fathoms in thickness
measuring from 60-65 feet from the ground to the lowermost branches,
which trees bore notches made with flint implements, the bark having
been removed for the purpose; these notches forming a kind of steps to
enable persons to get up the trees and rob birds' nests in their tops
were fully five feet apart; so that our men concluded that the natives
here must be of very tall stature or must be in possession of some sort
of artifice for getting up the said trees. In one of the trees these
notched steps were so fresh and new that they seemed to have been cut
less than four days ago.
That on the ground they discovered the footprints of animals, not unlike
those of a tiger's claws. They also brought on board a small quantity of
gum, of a seemingly very fine quality, which had exuded from trees, and
bore some resemblance to gum-lac.
That at one extremity on the point of the way they had seen large
numbers of gulls, wild ducks, and geese, but had perceived none further
inward though they had heard their cries, and had found no fish except
different kinds of mussels forming small clusters in various places.
That the land is pretty generally covered with trees, standing so far
apart that they allow a passage everywhere and a look-out to a great
distance, so that when landing, our men could always get sight of
natives or wild beasts unhindered by dense shrubbery or underwood, which
would prove a great advantage in exploring the country.
That in the interior they had in several places observed numerous trees
which had deep holes burnt into them at the upper end of the foot while
the earth had here and there been dug out with the fist so as to form a
fireplace; the surrounding soil having become as hard as flint through
the action of fire.
A short time before we got sight of our boats returning to the ships, we
now and then saw clouds of dense smoke rising up from the land (it was
nearly always north of us) and surmised this must be a signal given by
our men because they were so long coming back.
When our men came on board again, we inquired of them whether they had
been there and made a fire, to which they returned a negative answer;
adding, however, that at various times and points in the wood they had
also seen clouds of smoke ascending. So there can be no doubt there must
be men here of extraordinary stature.
_Item 3rd Dec._ In the afternoon we went to the S.E. side of this bay,
in the boats, having with us pilot Major Francoys Jacobz, Skipper Gerrit
Janz, Isack Gilseman, supercargo on board the _Zeehaen_, subcargo
Abraham Cooman and our master carpenter Pieter Jacobz; we carried with
us a pole with the Company's mark carved into it, and a Prince flag to
be set up there that those who shall come after us may become aware we
have been here, and have taken possession of the said land as our lawful
property. When we had rowed about half-way with our boats it began to
blow very stiffly, and the sea ran so high that the cockboat of the
_Zeehaen_ was compelled to pull back to the ships, while we ran on with
our pinnace.
When we had come close inshore in a small inlet the surf ran so high
that we could not get near the shore without running the risk of having
our pinnace dashed to pieces. We then ordered the carpenter aforesaid to
swim to the shore alone with the pole and the flag.
We made him plant the said pole with the flag at the top, into the
earth, about the centre of the bay near four tall trees easily
recognizable and standing in the form of a crescent, exactly before the
one standing lowest. This tree is burnt in just above ground and is in
reality taller than the other three, but it seems to be shorter because
it stands lower on the sloping ground. Our master carpenter, having in
the sight of myself Abel Janz Tasman, skipper Gerrit Janz and subcargo
Abraham Cooman performed the work entrusted to him, we pulled with our
pinnace as near the shore as we ventured to do; the carpenter aforesaid
thereupon swam back to the pinnace through the surf. This work having
been duly executed, we pulled back to the ships, leaving the
above-mentioned as a memorial for those who shall come after us, and for
the natives of this country who did not show themselves though we
suspect some of them were at no great distance and closely watching our
proceedings.
_Item 4th Dec._ In the evening we saw a round mountain bearing N.N.W.
of us at about 8 miles' distance.
_Item 5th do._ The high round mountain which we had seen the day before
bore now due W. of us at 6 miles' distance. At this point the land fell
off to the N.W. so that we could no longer steer near the coast here,
seeing that the wind was almost ahead. We therefore convened the Council
and the second mates, with whom after due deliberation we resolved, and
subsequently called out to the officer of the _Zeehaen_ that pursuant to
the resolution of the 11th ultimo, we should direct our course due east,
and on the said course run to the full longitude of 195°, or the
Salamonis Islands. Set our course due east in order to make further
discoveries.
[This course brought them to New Zealand.]
DESCRIPTION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
+Source.+--The Voyages and Adventures of Captain William Dampier
(published 1776). Vol. II, pp. 134-40
Dampier was an Englishman who had joined a company of American
buccaneers. They arrived in May 1698 on the Western coast of
Australia, which was by this time fairly well known to the Dutch
under the name of New Holland.
New Holland is a very large tract of land. It is not yet determined
whether it is an island or a main continent; but I am certain that it
joins neither to Asia, Africa nor America. This part of it that we saw
is all low even land, with sandy banks against the sea, only the points
are rocky, and so are some of the islands in this bay.
The land is of a dry sandy soil, destitute of water, except you make
wells; yet producing divers sorts of trees, but the woods are not thick,
nor the trees very big. Most of the trees that we saw are dragon-trees
as we supposed, and these too are the largest trees of any there.
They are about the bigness of our large apple-trees, and about the same
height, and the rind is blackish and somewhat rough. The leaves are of a
dark colour; the gum distils out of the knots or cracks that are in the
bodies of the trees. We compared it with some gum dragon, or dragon's
blood, that was on board, and it was of the same colour and taste. The
other sorts of trees were not known by any of us. There was pretty long
grass growing under the trees, but it was very thin. We saw no trees
that bore fruit or berries.
We saw no sort of animal, nor any track of beast, but once, and that
seemed to be the tread of a beast as big as a mastiff dog. Here are a
few small land-birds, but none bigger than a black-bird and but few sea
fowls.
Neither is the sea very plentifully stored with fish, unless you reckon
the manatee and turtle as such. Of these creatures there is plenty, but
they are extraordinary shy, though the inhabitants cannot trouble them
much, having neither boats nor iron.
The inhabitants of this country are the miserablest people in the world.
The Hodmadods of Monomatapa, though a nasty people yet for wealth are
gentlemen to these, who have no houses and skin garments, sheep,
poultry, and fruits of the earth, ostrich eggs etc. as the Hodmadods
have; and setting aside their human shape, they differ but little from
brutes. They are tall, straight-bodied and thin, with small long limbs.
They have great heads, round foreheads and great brows. Their eyelids
are always half closed to keep the flies out of their eyes, being so
troublesome here, that no fanning will keep them from coming to one's
face, and without the assistance of both hands to keep them off, 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 never open their eyes as other people; and therefore they cannot
see far, unless they hold up their heads, as if they were looking at
somewhat over them.
They have great bottle noses, pretty full lips, and wide mouths. The two
fore-teeth of their upper jaw are wanting in all of them, men and women,
old and young; whether they draw them out, I know not, neither have they
any beards. They are long-visaged, and of a very unpleasing aspect,
having no one graceful feature in their faces. Their hair is black,
short and curled, like that of the negroes, and not long and lank like
the common Indian. The colour of the skin, both of their faces and the
rest of their body, is coal black, like that of the negroes of Guinea.
They have no sort of clothes, but a piece of the rind of a tree tied
like a girdle about their waists, and a handful of long grass or three
or four small green boughs, full of leaves, thrust under their girdle to
cover their nakedness.
They have no houses, but lie in the open air, without any covering, the
earth their bed, and the heaven their canopy. Their only food is a small
sort of fish, which they get by making wares of stone, across little
coves, or branches of the sea; every tide bringing in the small fish,
and there leaving them for a prey to these people, who constantly attend
there to search for them at low water. This small fry I take to be the
top of their fishery; they have no instruments to catch great fish,
should they come; and such seldom stay to be left behind at low water;
nor could we catch any fish with our hooks and lines all the while we
lay there.
In other places at low water they seek for cockles, mussels, and
periwinkles; of these shell-fish there are fewer still, so that their
chief dependence is on what the sea leaves in their wares, which, be it
much or little, they gather up, and march to the place of their abode.
There the old people, that are not able to stir abroad, by reason of
their age, and the tender infants, wait their return: and what
providence has bestowed upon them, they presently broil on the coals,
and eat in common. Sometimes they get as many fish as make them a
splendid banquet; and at other times they scarce get every one a taste;
but be it little or much that they get, every one has his part, as well
the young and tender, and the old and feeble who are not able to go
abroad, as the strong and lusty.
How they get their fire I know not; but probably, as Indians do out of
wood. I have seen the Indians of Bon-Airy do it, and have myself tried
the experiment. They take a flat piece of wood that is pretty soft, and
make a small dent in one side of it, then they take another hard round
stick, about the bigness of one's little finger, and sharpening it at
one end like a pencil, they put the sharp end in the hole or dent of the
soft flat piece, and then rubbing or twirling the hard piece between the
palms of their hands, they drill the soft piece till it smokes, and at
last takes fire.
These people speak somewhat through the throat, but we could not
understand one word that they said. We anchored, as I said before,
January 5th, and seeing men walking on the shore, we presently sent a
canoe to get some acquaintance with them, for we were in hopes to get
some provisions among them. But the inhabitants, seeing our boat coming,
ran away and hid themselves. We searched afterwards three days in hopes
to find the houses, but found none, yet we saw many places where they
had made fires. At last being out of hopes to find their habitations, we
searched no further but left a great many toys ashore, in such places
that we thought that they would come. In all our search we found no
water, but old wells on the sandy bays.
At last we went over to the islands, and there we found a great many of
the natives; I do believe there were forty on one island, men women and
children. The men at our first coming ashore, threatened us with their
lances and swords, but they were frightened, by firing one gun, which we
fired purposely to scare them. The island was so small that they could
not hide themselves; but they were much disordered at our landing,
especially the women and children, for we went directly to their camp.
The lustiest of the women, snatching up their infants, ran away howling,
and the little children ran after, squeaking and bawling, but the men
stood still. Some of the women and such of the people as could not go
from us, lay still by a fire making a doleful noise, as if we had been
coming to devour them; but when they saw we did not intend to harm them,
they were pretty quiet, and the rest that fled from us at our first
coming, returned again. This, their place of dwelling, was only a fire,
with a few boughs before it, set up on that side the wind was of.
After we had been here a little while, the men began to be familiar, and
we cloathed some of them, designing to have some service of them for it;
for we found some wells of water here, and intended to carry two or
three barrels of it on board. But being somewhat troublesome to carry on
the canoes, we thought to have made these men carry it for us and
therefore we gave them some cloathes; to one an old pair of breeches; to
another a ragged shirt; to the third a jacket that was scarce worth
owning; which yet would have been very acceptable at some places where
we had been, and so we thought they might have with these people. We put
them on them, thinking that this finery would have brought them to work
heartily for us; and our water being filled in small long barrels, about
six gallons each, which were made purposely to carry water in, we
brought these, our new servants, to the wells and put a barrel on each
of their shoulders for them to carry to the canoe. But all the signs we
could make were to no purpose, for they stood like statues, without
motion, but grinned like so many monkeys, staring one upon another, for
these poor creatures seem not accustomed to carry burdens; and I believe
that one of our ships-boys of ten years old, would carry as much as one
of them; so we were forced to carry our water ourselves, and they very
fairly put the cloathes off again, and laid them down as if cloathes
were only to work in. I did not perceive that they had any great liking
to them at first, neither did they seem to admire anything that we had.
At our first coming, before we were acquainted with them, or they with
us, a company of them who lived on the main, came just against our ship,
and standing on a pretty bank, threatened us with their swords and
lances, by shaking them at us; at last the captain ordered the drum to
be beaten, which was done of a sudden with much vigour, purposely to
scare the poor creatures. They, hearing the noise ran away as fast as
they could drive, and when they ran away in haste, they would cry,
gurry, gurry, speaking deep in the throat. Those inhabitants also that
live on the main, would always run away from us; yet we took several of
them. For, as I have already observed, they had such bad eyes, that they
could not see us till we came close to them. We always gave them
victuals, and let them go again but the islanders, after our first time
of being among them, did not stir for us.
THE FIRST VISIT TO THE EASTERN COAST
+Source.+--Cook's Journal (edited by Wharton, 1893), pp. 237-249,
311-312
Captain Cook was the first Englishman to search for the Great South
Land. After observing the transit of Venus, he made extensive
explorations in New Zealand, and then sailed West, to seek the East
Coast of New Holland.
_April 1770. Thursday 19th._ At 5, set the topsails close reef'd and 6,
saw land, extending from N.E. to W., distance 5 or 6 leagues, having 80
fathoms, fine sandy bottom. The Southernmost land we had in sight, which
bore from us W 3/4 S., I judged to lay in the latitude of 38° 0' S., and
in the Long. of 211° 7' W. from the Meridian of Greenwich. I have named
it Point Hicks, because Lieutenant Hicks was the first who discovered
this land. To the Southward of this Point we could see no land, and yet
it was clear in that quarter and by our Long. compared with that of
Tasman's, the body of Van Diemen's Land ought to have bore due South
from us. The Northernmost land in sight bore N. by E. 1/2 E., and a
small island lying close to a Point on the main bore W., distant 2
Leagues. This Point I have named Cape Howe; it may be known by the
trending of the Coast, which is N. on the one side, and S.W. on the
other.
_Saturday, 28th._ At daylight in the morning we discovered a Bay which
appeared to be tolerably well sheltered from all winds, into which I
resolved to go with the ship, and with this view sent the Master in the
Pinnace to sound the entrance.
_Sunday, 29th._ Saw as we came in, on both points of the Bay, several of
the natives and a few huts; men, women, and children, on the S. shore
abreast of the ship, to which place I went in the boats in hopes of
speaking with them, accompanied by Mr. Banks, Dr. Solander, and Tupia.
As we approached the shore they all made off, except two men, who seemed
resolved to oppose our landing. As soon as I saw this I ordered the
boats to lay upon their oars, in order to speak to them; but this was to
little purpose, for neither us nor Tupia could understand one word they
said. We then threw them some nails, beads, etc., ashore, which they
took up, and seemed not ill-pleased with, in so much that I thought that
they beckoned us to come ashore, but in this we were mistaken, for as
soon as we put the boat in they again came to oppose us, upon which I
fired a musket between the two, which had no other effect than to make
them retire back, where bundles of their darts lay, and one of them took
up a stone and threw it at us, which caused my firing a second musket,
load with small shot; and although some of the shot struck the man yet
it had no other effect than making him lay hold on a target. Immediately
after this we landed, which we had no sooner done than they throw'd two
darts at us; this obliged me to fire a third shot, soon after which,
they both made off, but not in such haste but what we might have taken
one; but Mr. Banks being of opinion that the darts were poisoned, made
me cautious how I advanced into the woods. We found here a few small
huts made of the bark of trees, in one of which were four or five small
children with whom we left some strings of beads, etc. A quantity of
darts lay about the huts; these we took away with us. Three canoes lay
upon the beach, the worst, I think, I ever saw; they were about 12 or 14
feet long, made of one piece of the bark of a tree, drawn or tied up at
each end, and the middle kept open by means of stick by way of thwarts.
After searching for fresh water without success, except a little in a
small hole dug in the sand, we embarked and went over to the N. point of
the Bay, where in coming in we saw several people; but when we landed
now there was nobody to be seen. We found here some fresh water, which
came trinkling down and stood in pools among the rocks; but as this was
troublesome to come at I sent a party of men ashore in the morning to
the place where we first landed, to dig holes in the sand, by which
means and a small stream they found fresh water sufficient to water the
ship. The string of beads, etc., we had left with the children last
night were found lying in the huts this morning; probably the natives
were afraid to take them away.
_Tuesday, May 1st._ This morning a party of us went ashore to some huts
not far from the watering-place, where some of the natives are daily
seen; here we left several articles, such as cloth, looking glasses,
combs, beads, nails, etc.; after this we made an excursion into the
Country, which we found diversified with woods, lawns, and marshes. The
woods are free from underwood of every kind, and the trees are at such a
distance from one another, that the whole country, or at least a great
part of it, might be cultivated without having to cut down a single
tree. We found the soil everywhere, except in the marshes, to be a light
white sand, and produceth a quantity of good grass, which grows in
little tufts about as big as one can hold in one's hands, and pretty
close to one another; in this manner the surface of the ground is
coated. In the woods between the trees, Dr. Solander had a bare sight of
a small animal something like a rabbit, and we found the dung of an
animal which must feed upon grass, and which, we judge, could not be
less than a deer; we also saw the track of a dog, or some such like
animal. We met with some huts and places where the natives had been, and
at our first setting out one of them was seen; the others had, I
suppose, fled upon our approach. I saw some trees that had been cut down
by the natives with some sort of a blunt instrument, and several trees
that were barked, the bark of which had been cut by the same instrument;
in many of the trees, especially the Palms, were cut steps of about 3 or
4 feet asunder for the conveniency of climbing them. We found 2 sorts of
gum, one sort of which is like gum-dragon, and is the same, I suppose,
Tasman took for gum-lac; it is extracted from the largest tree in the
woods.
_Thursday, 3rd._ After this we took water, and went almost to the head
of the Inlet, where we landed and travelled some distance inland. We
found the face of the country much the same as I have before described,
but the land much richer, for instead of sand, I found in many places a
deep black soil, which we thought was capable of producing any kind of
grain. At present it produceth besides timber, as fine meadow as ever
was seen; however, we found it not all like this, some few places were
very rocky, but this, I believe to be uncommon.
_Sunday, 6th._ The great quantity of plants Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander
found in this place, occasioned my giving it the name of Botany Bay.
During our stay in this harbour I caused the English colours to be
displayed ashore every day, and an inscription to be cut out upon one of
the trees near the watering-place, setting forth the ship's name, date,
etc. Having seen everything the place afforded, we at daylight in the
morning, weighed with a light breeze at N.W. and put to sea, and the
wind soon after coming to the Southward, we steered along shore N.N.E.,
and at noon were about 2 or 3 miles from the land, and abreast of a bay,
wherein there appeared to be a safe anchorage, which I called Port
Jackson. It lies 3 leagues to the Northward of Botany Bay.
CAPE YORK. POSSESSION ISLAND
_Wednesday, 22nd Aug._ Gentle breezes at E. by S. and clear weather. We
had not steered above 3 or 4 miles along shore to the Westward before we
discovered the land ahead to be Islands detached by several Channels
from the main land; upon this we brought to, to wait for the Yawl, and
called the other boats on board, and after giving them proper
instructions sent them away again to lead us through the channel next
the main, and as soon as the yawl was on board, made sail after them
with the ship. Before and after we anchored we saw a number of people
upon this Island, armed in the same manner as all the others we have
seen, except one man, who had a bow, and a bundle of arrows, the first
we have seen upon this coast. From the appearance of the people we
expected they would have opposed our landing; but as we approached the
shore they all made off, and left us in peaceable possession of as much
of the island as served our purpose. After landing, I went upon the
highest hill, which, however, was of no great height, yet no less than
twice or thrice the height of the ship's mastheads; but I could see from
it no land between S.W. and W.S.W. so I did not doubt but there was a
passage. I could see plainly that the lands laying to the N.W. of this
passage were composed of a number of islands of various extent, both for
height and circuit, ranged one behind another as far to the Northward
and Westward as I could see, which could not be less than 12 or 14
leagues.
Having satisfied myself of the great probability of a passage thro'
which I intend going with the ship, and therefore may land no more upon
this Eastern Coast of New Holland, and on the Western side I can make no
new discovery, the honor of which belongs to the Dutch Navigators, but
the Eastern Coast from the Lat. of 38° S. down to this place, I am
confident, was never seen or visited by any European before us; and
notwithstanding I had in the name of His Majesty taken possession of
several places upon this coast, I now once more hoisted English colours,
and in the name of His Majesty King George the Third, took possession of
the whole Eastern Coast from the above Lat. down to this place by the
name of New Wales, together with all the Bays, Harbours, Rivers, and
Islands, situated upon the said coast; after which we fired three
volleys of small arms, which were answered by the like number from the
ship.
This done, we set out for the ship, but were some time in getting on
board on account of a very rapid ebb tide, which set N.E. out of the
passage.
BASS STRAIT
+Source.+--Voyage to Terra Australis (Matthew Flinders, 1814),
Introduction, pp. xcvi-xcvii, cxix-cxliii
The first coastal explorations after the establishment of Sydney
were conducted by Bass and Flinders. Together they discovered the
Hunter River; Bass in a second voyage discovered Western Port; and
again together they sailed through Bass Strait, proving Tasmania to
be an island.
1795. On arriving at Port Jackson, in September it appeared that the
investigation of the coast had not been greatly extended beyond the
three harbours; and even in these some of the rivers were not altogether
explored.
In Mr. George Bass, surgeon of the _Reliance_, I had the happiness to
find a man whose ardour for discovery was not to be repressed by any
obstacle, nor deterred by danger; and with this friend a determination
was formed of completing the examination of the East Coast of New South
Wales, by all such opportunities as the duty of the ship and procurable
means could admit.
Projects of this nature, when originating in the minds of young men, are
usually termed romantic; and so far from any good being anticipated,
even prudence and friendship join in discouraging, if not in opposing
them. Thus it was in the present case; so that a little boat of eight
feet long, called _Tom Thumb_, with a crew composed of ourselves and a
boy, was the best equipment to be procured for the first outset. In the
month following the arrival of the ships, we proceeded round in this
boat, to Botany Bay; and ascending George's River, one of two which
falls into the Bay, explored its winding course about twenty miles
beyond where Governor Hunter's survey had been carried.
The sketch made of this river and presented to the Governor with the
favourable report of the land on its borders, induced His Excellency to
examine them himself shortly afterward; and was followed by establishing
there a new branch of the colony, under the name of Banks' Town.
1796. We sailed out of Port Jackson early in the morning of March 25,
and stood a little off to sea to be ready for the sea breeze.
The sea breeze, on the 27th, opposed our return; and learning from two
Indians that no water could be procured at Red Point, we accepted their
offer of piloting us to a river which, they said, lay a few miles
further southward, and where not only fresh water was abundant, but also
fish and wild ducks. These men were natives of Botany Bay, whence it was
that we understood a little of their language, whilst that of some
others was altogether unintelligible. Their river proved to be nothing
more than a small stream, which descended from a lagoon under Hat Hill,
and forced a passage for itself through the beach; so that we entered it
with difficulty even in _Tom Thumb_. Our two conductors then quitted the
boat to walk along the sandy shore abreast, with eight or ten strange
natives in company.
After rowing a mile up the stream, and finding it to become more
shallow, we began to entertain doubts of securing a retreat from these
people, should they be hostilely inclined; and they had the reputation
at Port Jackson of being exceedingly ferocious, if not cannibals. Our
muskets were not yet freed from rust and sand, and there was a pressing
necessity to procure fresh water before attempting to return northward.
Under these embarrassments we agreed upon a plan of action, and went on
shore directly to the natives. Mr. Bass employed some of them to assist
in repairing an oar which had been broken in our disaster, whilst I
spread the wet powder out in the sun. This met with no opposition, for
they knew not what the powder was; but when we proceeded to clean the
muskets, it excited so much alarm that it was necessary to desist.
On inquiring of the two friendly natives for water, they pointed upwards
to the lagoon; but after many evasions our barica was filled at a hole
not many yards distant.
The number of people had increased to near twenty, and others were still
coming, so that it was necessary to use all possible expedition in
getting out of their reach. But a new employment arose upon our hands;
we had clipped the hair and beards of the two Botany Bay natives at Red
Point; and they were showing themselves to the others, and persuading
them to follow their example. Whilst, therefore, the powder was drying,
I began with a large pair of scissors to execute my new office upon the
eldest of four or five chins presented to me; and as great nicety was
not required, the shearing of a dozen of them did not occupy me long.
Some of the more timid were alarmed at a formidable instrument coming so
near to their noses, and would scarcely be persuaded by their shaven
friends to allow the operation to be finished. But when their chins were
held up a second time, their fear of the instrument--the wild stare of
their eyes--and the smile which they forced, formed a compound upon the
rough savage countenance, not unworthy the pencil of a Hogarth. I was
almost tempted to try what effect a little snip would produce; but our
situation was too critical to admit of such experiments.
Everything being prepared for a retreat, the natives became vociferous
for the boat to go up to the lagoon; and it was not without stratagem
that we succeeded in getting down to the entrance of the stream, where
the depth of water placed us out of their reach.
In 1798 Mr. Bass sailed (in a whaleboat) with only six weeks'
provisions; but with the assistance of occasional supplies of petrels,
fish, seal's flesh, and a few geese and black swans, and by abstinence
he had been enabled to prolong his voyage beyond _eleven_ weeks. His
ardour and perseverance were crowned, in despite of the foul winds which
so much opposed him, with a degree of success not to have been
anticipated from such feeble means. In three hundred miles of coast from
Fort Jackson to the Ram Head he added a number of particulars which had
escaped Captain Cook; and will always escape any navigator in a first
discovery, unless he have the time and means of joining a close
examination by boats, to what may be seen from the ship.
Our previous knowledge of the coast scarcely extended beyond the Ram
Head; and there began the harvest in which Mr. Bass was ambitious to
place the first reaping-hook. The new coast was traced three hundred
miles; and instead of trending southwards to join itself to Van Diemen's
Land, as Captain Furneaux had supposed, he found it, beyond a certain
point, to take a direction nearly opposite, and to assume the appearance
of being exposed to the buffetings of an open sea. Mr. Bass, himself,
entertained no doubt of the existence of a wide strait, separating Van
Diemen's Land from New South Wales; and he yielded with the greatest
reluctance to the necessity of returning, before it was so fully
ascertained as to admit of no doubt in the minds of others. But he had
the satisfaction of placing at the end of his new coast, an extensive
and useful harbour, surrounded with a country superior to any other
known in the southern parts of New South Wales.
A voyage expressly undertaken for discovery in an open boat, and in
which six hundred miles of coast, mostly in a boisterous climate, was
explored, has not, perhaps, its equal in the annals of maritime history.
The public will award to its high-spirited and able conductor, alas! now
no more, an honorable place in the list of those whose ardour stands
most conspicuous for the promotion of useful knowledge.
1798. Mr. Bass had been returned a fortnight from his expedition in the
whaleboat; and he communicated all his notes and observations to be
added to my chart. There seemed to want no other proof of the existence
of a passage between New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, than that of
sailing positively through it; but however anxious I was to obtain this
proof, the gratification of my desire was required to be suspended by a
voyage to Norfolk Island in the _Reliance_.
In September following, His Excellency, Governor Hunter, had the
goodness to give me the _Norfolk_, a colonial sloop of twenty-five tons
with authority to penetrate behind Furneaux's Islands; and should a
strait be found, to pass through it, and return by the south end of Van
Diemen's Land. Twelve weeks were allowed for the performance of this
service, and provisions for that time were put on board; the rest of the
equipment was completed by the friendly care of Captain Waterhouse of
the _Reliance_.
I had the happiness to associate my friend Bass in this new expedition,
and to form an excellent crew of eight volunteers from the King's ships.
THE WEST END OF THE STRAIT
The south-west wind died away in the night; and at six next morning,
Dec. 9, we got under way with a light air at south-east. After rounding
the north-east point of the three-hummock land, our course westward was
pursued along its north side.
A large flock of gannets was observed at daylight, to issue out of the
Great Bight to the southward; and they were followed by such a number of
the sooty petrels as we had never seen equalled. There was a stream of
from fifty to eighty yards in depth, and of three hundred yards or more
in breadth; the birds were not scattered, but flying as compactly as a
free movement of their wings seemed to allow; and during a full hour and
a half, this stream of petrels continued to pass without interruption,
at a rate little inferior to the swiftness of the pigeon. On the lowest
computation, I think the number could not have been less than a hundred
millions; and we were thence led to believe that there must be, in the
large bight, one or more uninhabited islands of considerable size.
From the north-east point of the three-hummock land, the shore trended
W. 1° N. three miles; then S. 39° W. four miles, to a rocky point
forming the south-west extremity of what was then ascertained to be
Three-hummock Island. The channel which separates it from the land to
the west is, at least, two miles in width, and is deep; so that it was
difficult to conjecture how the Indians were able to get over to the
island. It was almost certain that they had no canoes at Port Dalrymple,
nor any means of reaching islands lying not more than two cable lengths
from the shore; and it therefore seemed improbable that they should
possess canoes here. The small size of Three-hummock Island rendered
the idea of fixed inhabitants inadmissible; and whichever way it was
considered, the presence of men there was a problem difficult to be
resolved.
The coast on the west side of the channel lies nearly south, and rises
in height as it advances towards the cliffy head, set on the 6th p.m.
The north end of this island is a sloping rocky point; and the first
projection which opened round it, was at S. 32´ W., five or six miles.
Beyond this there was nothing like mainland to be seen; indeed, this
western land itself had very little the appearance of being such, either
in its form, or in its poor starved vegetation. So soon as we had passed
the north sloping point, a long swell was perceived to come from the
South-west, such as we had not been accustomed to for some time. It
broke heavily upon a small reef, lying a mile and a half from the point,
and upon all the western shores; but although it was likely to prove
troublesome, and perhaps dangerous, Mr. Bass and myself hailed it with
joy and mutual congratulation, as announcing the completion of our
long-wished-for discovery of a passage into the Southern Indian Ocean.
We had a fine breeze at east; and our course was directed for a small,
rocky island, which lies W. 1/2 N. 6 miles from the north point of the
barren land. This land appeared to be almost white with birds; and so
much excited our curiosity and hope of procuring a supply of food, that
Mr. Bass went on shore in the boat whilst I stood off and on, waiting
his return. No land could be seen to the northward, and the furthest
clearly distinguishable in the opposite direction was a steep island at
the distance of four leagues.
Mr. Bass returned at half past two, with a boat-load of seals and
albatrosses. He had been obliged to fight his way up the cliffs of the
islands with the seals, and when arrived at the top, to make a road with
his clubs amongst the albatrosses. These birds were sitting upon their
nests, and almost covered the surface of the ground, nor did they any
otherwise derange themselves for the new visitors, than to peck at their
legs as they passed by. This species of albatross is white on the neck
and breast, partly brown on the back and wings, and its size is less
than many others met with in that sea, particularly in the high southern
latitudes. The seals were of the usual size, and bore a reddish fur,
much inferior in quality to that of the seals at Furneaux's Islands.
Albatross Island, for so it was named, is near two miles in length, and
sufficiently high to be seen five or six leagues from a ship's deck: its
shores are mostly steep cliffs.
The north-west cape of Van Diemen's Land, or island as it might now be
termed, is a steep black head, which, from its appearance, I call Cape
Grim. It lies nearly due south, four miles from the centre of Trefoil,
in latitude 40° 44´; the longtitude will be 144° 43´ East, according to
the position of Albatross Island made in the _Investigator_. There are
two rocks close to Cape Grim, of the same description with itself. On
the north side of the Cape the shore is a low sandy beach, and trends
north-eastward three or four miles; but whether there be sufficient
depth for ships to pass between it and Barren Island, has not, I
believe, been yet ascertained. To the south of the Cape the black cliffs
extend seven or eight miles, when the shore falls back eastward to a
sandy bay of which little could be perceived.
1799. To the strait which had been the great object of research, and
whose discovery was now completed, Governor Hunter gave, at my
recommendation, the name of Bass Strait. This was no more than a just
tribute to my worthy friend and companion, for the extreme dangers and
fatigues he had undergone in first entering it in the whale-boat, and to
the correct judgment he had formed from various indications, of the
existence of a wide opening between Van Diemen's Land and New South
Wales.
THE _INVESTIGATOR_
+Source.+--Voyage to Terra Australis (Matthew Flinders, 1814), pp.
36-37, 60-61, 211-220, 229-231
In recognition of his services Captain Flinders was given command
of the _Investigator_ in which to prosecute the exploration of
Terra Australis. He sailed along the South coast and up the East,
to Port Jackson: subsequently, he circumnavigated the continent and
suggested its present name.
_October 16th_, 1801. At daybreak we expected to see the highland of the
Cape (of Good Hope), but the weather being hazy, it could not be
distinguished until eight o'clock.
At this time we had not a single person on the sick list, both officers
and men being fully in as good health as when we sailed from Spithead. I
had begun very early to put in execution the beneficial plan first
practised and made known by the great Captain Cook. It was in the
standing orders of the ship, that on every fine day the deck below and
the cockpits should be cleared, washed, aired with stoves, and sprinkled
with vinegar. On wet and dull days they were cleaned and aired without
washing. Care was taken to prevent the people from sleeping upon deck,
or lying down in their wet clothes; and once in every fortnight or three
weeks, as circumstances permitted, their beds, and the contents of their
lockers, chests, and bags, were exposed to the sun and air. On the
Thursday and Sunday mornings the ship's company was mustered, and every
man appeared clean shaved and dressed; and when the evenings were fine,
the drum and fife announced the forecastle to be the scene of dancing;
nor did I discourage other playful amusements which might occasionally
be more to the taste of the sailors, and were not unseasonable.
Within the tropics, lime juice and sugar were made to suffice as
antiscorbutics; on reaching a higher latitude, sour krout and vinegar
were substituted; the essence of malt was reserved for the passage to
New Holland, and for future occasions. On consulting with the surgeon, I
had thought it expedient to make some slight changes in the issuing of
the provisions. Oatmeal was boiled for breakfast four days in the week
instead of three; and when rice was issued after the expenditure of the
cheese, it was boiled on the other three days. Pease soup was prepared
for dinner four days a week as usual; and at other times two ounces of
portable broth, in cakes, to each man, with such additions of onions,
pepper, etc., as the different messes possessed, made a comfortable
addition to their salt meat. And neither in this passage, nor, I may
add, in any subsequent part of the voyage, were the officers or people
restricted to any allowance of fresh water. They drank freely at the
scuttled cask, and took away, under the inspection of the officer of the
watch, all that was requisite for culinary purposes; and very frequently
two casks of water in the week were given for washing their clothes.
With these regulations, joined to a due enforcement of discipline, I had
the satisfaction to see my people orderly and full of zeal for the
service in which we were engaged; and in such a state of health, that no
delay at the Cape was required beyond the necessary refitment of the
ship, and I still hoped to save a good part of the summer season upon
the south coast of Terra Australis.
KING GEORGE'S SOUND
On Dec. 30th our wooding and the watering of the ship were completed,
the rigging was refitted, the sails repaired and bent, and the ship
unmoored. Our friends, the natives, continued to visit us; and the old
man with several others being at the tents this morning, I ordered a
party of marines on shore to be exercised in their presence. The red
coats and white crossed belts were greatly admired, having some
resemblance to their own manner of ornamenting themselves; and the drum,
but particularly the fife, excited their astonishment, but when they saw
these beautiful red and white men with their bright muskets, drawn up in
a line, they absolutely screamed with delight; nor were their wild
gestures and vociferation to be silenced but by commencing the exercise,
to which they paid the most earnest and silent attention. Several of
them moved their hands involuntarily in accordance with the motions; and
the old man placed himself at the end of the rank, with a short staff in
his hand, which he shouldered, presented, grounded, as did the marines
their muskets, without, I believe, knowing what he did. Before firing,
the Indians were made acquainted with what was going to take place; so
that the volleys did not excite much terror.
PORT PHILLIP
_Monday, April 26th_, 1802. On coming within five miles of the shore at
eleven o'clock, we found it to be low and mostly sandy; and that the
bluff head, which had been taken for the north end of an island, was
part of a ridge of hills rising at Cape Schanck. We then bore away
westward, in order to trace the land round the head of the deep bight.
On the west side of the rocky point there was a small opening with
breaking water across it; however, on advancing a little more westward
the opening assumed a more interesting aspect, and I bore away to have a
nearer view. A large extent of water presently became visible within
side; and although the entrance seemed to be very narrow, and there were
in it strong ripplings like breakers, I was induced to steer in at
half-past one; the ship being close upon the wind, and every man ready
for tacking at a moment's warning; the soundings were irregular between
6 and 12 fathoms, until we got four miles within the entrance, when they
shoaled quick to 2-3/4.
The extensive harbour we had thus unexpectedly found I supposed must be
Western Port, although the narrowness of the entrance did by no means
correspond with the width given to it by Mr. Bass. It was the
information of Captain Baudin, who had coasted along from thence with
fine weather, and had found no inlet of any kind, which had induced this
supposition; and the very great extent of the place, agreeing with that
of Western Port, was in confirmation of it. This however was not Western
Port, as we found next morning; and I congratulated myself on having
made a new and useful discovery, but here again I was in error. This
place, as I afterwards learnt at Port Jackson, had been discovered ten
weeks before by Lieutenant John Murray, who had succeeded Captain Grant
in command of the _Lady Nelson_. He had given it the name of Port
Phillip, and to the rocky point on the east side of the entrance, that
of Point Nepean.
Before proceeding any higher with the ship, I wished to gain some
knowledge of the form and extent of this great piece of water; and
Arthur's seat being more than a thousand feet high and near the water
side, presented a favourable station for the purpose. After breakfast I
went away in a boat, accompanied by Mr. Brown and some other gentlemen,
for the Seat. I ascended the hill and to my surprise found the Port so
extensive, that even at this elevation its boundary to the northward
could not be distinguished. The western shore extended from the entrance
ten or eleven miles in a northern direction, to the extremity of what
from its appearance I called Indented Head; beyond it was a wide branch
of the port leading to the westward, and I suspected might have a
communication with the sea; for it was almost incredible that such a
vast piece of water should not have a larger outlet than that through
which we had come.
Another considerable piece of water was seen, at the distance of three
or four leagues; as it appeared to have a communication with the sea to
the south, I had no doubt of its being Mr. Bass' Western Port.
_Saturday, May 1st._ At day-dawn I set off with three of the boat's
crew, for the highest part of the back hills called Station Peak. One or
two miles before arriving at the feet of the hills, we entered a wood
where an emu and a kangaroo were seen at a distance; and the top of the
Peak was reached at ten o'clock. I saw the water of the Port as far as
N.75 E., so that the whole extent of the Port, north and south, is at
least thirty miles.
I left the ship's name on a scroll of paper, deposited in a small pile
of stones upon the top of the peak; and at three in the afternoon,
reached the tent, much fatigued, having walked more than twenty miles
without finding a drop of water.
_Sunday, 2nd May._ I find it very difficult to speak in general terms of
Port Phillip. On the one hand it is capable of receiving and sheltering
a larger fleet of ships than ever yet went to sea; whilst on the other,
the entrance on its whole width is scarcely two miles, and nearly half
of it is occupied by rocks lying off Point Nepean, and by shoals on the
opposite side. The depth in the remaining part varies from 6 to 12
fathoms; and this irregularity causes the strong tides, especially when
running against the wind, to make breakers, in which small vessels
should be careful of engaging themselves; and when a ship has passed the
entrance, the shoals are a great obstacle to a free passage up the Port.
No runs of fresh water were seen in my excursions; but Mr. Grimes,
Surveyor-General of New South Wales, afterwards found several, and in
particular a small river falling into the Northern head of the Port. The
country surrounding Port Phillip has a pleasing and in many parts a
fertile appearance; and the sides of some of the hills and several of
the valleys are fit for agricultural purposes. It is in great measure
country capable of supporting cattle, though better calculated for
sheep.
Were a settlement to be made at Port Phillip, as doubtless there will be
sometime hereafter, the entrance could be easily defended; and it would
not be difficult to establish a friendly intercourse with the natives,
for they are acquainted with the effect of firearms, and desirous of
possessing many of our conveniences.
In the woods are the kangaroo, the emu or cassowary, paroquets, and a
variety of small birds; the mud banks are frequented by ducks and some
black swans, and the shores by the usual sea fowl common to New South
Wales. The range of the thermometer was between 61 and 67 and the
climate appeared to be as good and agreeable as could well be desired in
the month corresponding to November. In 1803, Colonel C. Collins of the
Marines was sent out from England to make a new settlement in this
country, but he quitted Port Phillip for the South end of Van Diemen's
Land, probably from not finding fresh water for a colony sufficiently
near to the entrance.
PORT JACKSON
On the 4th of June the ship was dressed with colours, a royal salute
fired, and I went with the principal officers of the _Investigator_ to
pay my respects to His Excellency the Governor and Captain-General in
honour of His Majesty's birthday. On this occasion a splendid dinner was
given to the colony; and the number of ladies and civil, military, and
naval officers, was not less than forty, who met to celebrate the birth
of their beloved Sovereign in this distant part of the earth.
Captain Baudin arrived in the _Geographe_ on the 20th, and a boat was
sent from the _Investigator_ to assist in towing the ship up to the
cove, it was grievous to see the miserable condition to which both
officers and crew were reduced by scurvy; there being not more out of
170, according to the Commander's account, than twelve men capable of
doing their duty. The sick were received into the Colonial Hospital; and
both French ships furnished with everything in the power of the Colony
to supply. Before their arrival the necessity of augmenting the number
of cattle in the country had prevented the Governor from allowing us any
fresh meat; but some oxen belonging to Government were now killed for
the distressed strangers; and by returning an equal quantity of salt
meat, which was exceedingly scarce at this time, I obtained a quarter of
beef for my people. The distress of the French navigators had indeed
been great, but every means were used by the Governor and the principal
inhabitants of the colony, to make them forget both their sufferings and
the war which existed between the two nations.
_July._ His Excellency Governor King, had done me the honour to visit
the _Investigator_, and to accept of a dinner on board; on which
occasion he had been received with the marks of respect due to his rank
of Captain-General; and shortly afterwards, the Captains Baudin and
Hamelin, with Monsieur Peron and some other French officers, as also
Colonel Paterson, the Lieutenant-Governor, did me the same favour; when
they were received under a salute of 11 guns. The intelligence of peace
which had just been received contributed to enliven the party; and
rendered our meeting more particularly agreeable. I showed to Captain
Baudin my charts of the South Coast, containing the part first explored
by him, and distinctly marked as his discovery. He made no objection to
the justice of the limits therein pointed out; but found his portion to
be smaller than he had supposed, not having before been aware of the
extent of the discoveries previously made by Captain Grant.
After examining the Chart, he said, apparently as a reason for not
producing any of his own, that his charts were not constructed on board
the ship; but that he transmitted to Paris all his bearings and
observations, with a regular series of views of the land and from them
the charts were to be made at a future time.
NAMING THE CONTINENT
Had I permitted myself any innovation upon the original term (Terra
Australis), it would have been to convert it into Australia, as being
more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other
great portions of the earth.
ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS
+Source.+--A Journal of a Tour of Discovery across the Blue Mountains,
N.S.W. (Blaxland, 1823), Introduction and pp. 1, 22, 29-34
For many years the settlement in N.S.W. was confined to the coastal
plains, owing to the impassability of the Blue Mountains. In 1813
Gregory Blaxland, accompanied by Wentworth and Lawson, accomplished
the passage, and opened vast plains for settlement.
TO JOHN OXLEY PARKER, ESQ., OF CHELMSFORD, ESSEX
_London, Feb. 10th 1823._
Dear Sir,
Feelings of gratitude for your kind attention to me in the early part of
life, have induced me to dedicate to you the following short Journal of
my passage over the Blue Mountains, in the colony of New South Wales,
under the persuasion that it will afford you pleasure at all times to
hear that any of your family have been instrumental in promoting the
prosperity of any country in which they may reside, however distant that
country may be from the immediate seat of our Government.
Devoid as it is of any higher pretensions than belong to it as a plain
unvarnished statement, it may not be deemed wholly uninteresting, when
it is considered what important alterations the result of the expedition
has produced in the immediate interests and prosperity of the Colony.
This appears in nothing more decidedly than the unlimited pasturage
already afforded to the very fine flocks of Merino Sheep, as well as the
extensive field opened for the exertions of the present, as well as
future generations. It has changed the aspect of the Colony, from a
confined insulated tract of land, to a rich and extensive continent.
This expedition, which has proved so completely successful, resulted
from two previous attempts. One of these was made by water, by His
Excellency the Governor, in person, whom I accompanied.
The other expedition was undertaken by myself, attended by three
European servants and two natives, with a horse to carry provisions and
other necessities. We returned sooner than I intended, owing to one man
being taken ill. This journey confirmed me in the opinion, that it was
practicable to find a passage over the mountains, and I resolved at some
future period to attempt it.
Soon after, I mentioned the circumstance to His Excellency the Governor,
who thought it reasonable, and expressed a wish that I should make the
attempt. Having made every requisite preparation, I applied to the two
gentlemen who accompanied me, to join in the expedition, and was
fortunate in obtaining their consent.
To these gentlemen I have to express my thanks for their company and to
acknowledge that without their assistance I should have had but little
chance of success.
The road which has since been made deviates but a few rods in some
places from the line cleared of the small trees and bushes, and marked
by us. Nor does it appear likely that any other line of road will ever
be discovered than at the difficult and narrow passes that we were
fortunate to discover, by improving which a good carriage road has now
been made across the mountains. Mount York is the Western summit of the
mountains, the vale Clwyd, the first valley at their feet from which a
mountain (afterwards named Mount Blaxland by His Excellency Governor
Macquarie) is about eight miles; which terminated our journey.
I remain, dear sir, most respectfully,
Your affectionate nephew,
G. BLAXLAND.
On Tuesday, May 11, 1813, Mr. Gregory Blaxland, Mr. William Wentworth,
and Lieutenant Lawson, attended by four servants, with five dogs and
four horses, laden with provisions, ammunition, and other necessaries,
left Mr. Blaxland's farm at the South Creek, for the purpose of
endeavouring to effect a passage over the Blue Mountains, between the
Western River, and the River Grose.
On the following morning (May the 12th) as soon as the heavy dew was
off, which was about nine a.m., they proceeded to ascend the ridge at
the foot of which they had camped the preceding evening. After
travelling about a mile on the third day in a west and north-west
direction, they arrived at a large tract of forest land, rather hilly,
the grass and timber tolerably good. They computed it as two thousand
acres. Here they found a track marked by a European, by cutting the bark
of the trees. They had not proceeded above two miles, when they found
themselves stopped by a brushwood, much thicker than they had hitherto
met with. This induced them to alter their course, and to endeavour to
find another passage to the westward, but every ridge which they
explored proved to terminate in a deep rocky precipice, and they had no
alternative but to return to the thick brushwood, which appeared to be
the main ridge, with the determination to cut a way through for the
horses the next day.
On the next morning, leaving two men to take care of the horses and
provisions, they proceeded to cut a path through the thick brushwood, on
what they considered as the main ridge of the mountains, between the
Western River, and the River Grose. They now began to mark their track
by cutting the bark of the trees on two sides. Having cut their way for
about five miles, they returned in the evening to the spot on which they
had encamped the night before. The fifth day was spent in prosecuting
the same tedious operation, but, as much time was necessarily lost in
walking twice over the track cleared the day before, they were unable to
cut away more than two miles further. They found no food for the horses
the whole way.
On Sunday, they rested and arranged their future plans. They had reason,
however, to regret this suspension of their proceedings, as it gave the
men leisure to ruminate on their danger, and it was for some time
doubtful whether, on the next day, they could be persuaded to venture
farther.
On Wednesday, the 19th, the party moved forward, bearing chiefly west,
and west-south-east. They now began to ascend the second ridge of the
mountains, and from this elevation they obtained for the first time an
extensive view of the settlements below.
At a little distance from the spot at which they began the ascent, they
found a pyramidical heap of stones, the work, evidently, of some
European, one side of which the natives had opened, probably in the
expectation of finding some treasure deposited in it. This pile they
concluded to be the one erected by Mr. Bass, to mark the end of his
journey. That gentleman attempted some time ago to pass the Mountains,
and to penetrate into the interior, but having got thus far, he gave up
the undertaking as impracticable, reporting, on his return, that it was
impossible to find a passage even for a person on foot. Here, therefore,
the party had the satisfaction of believing that they had penetrated as
far as any European had been before them.
[This, however, proved to be Caley's Cairn.]
_May 21st._--Their progress the next day was nearly four miles. They
encamped in the middle of the day at the head of a well-watered swamp,
about five acres in extent; pursuing, as before, their operations in the
afternoon. In the beginning of the night the dogs ran off and barked
violently. At the same time something was distinctly heard to run
through the brushwood, which they supposed to be one of the horses got
loose; but they had reason to believe afterwards that they had been in
great danger--that the natives had followed their tracks, and advanced
on them in the night, intending to have speared them by the light of
their fire, but that the dogs drove them off.
On the top of this ridge they found about two acres of land clear of
trees, covered with loose stones and short coarse grass, such as grows
on some of the commons of England. Over this heath they proceeded about
a mile and a half, and encamped by the side of a fine stream of water,
with just wood enough on the banks to serve for firewood. From the
summit they had a fine view of all the settlements and country
eastwards, and of a great extent of country to the westward and
south-west. But their progress in both the latter directions was stopped
by an impassable barrier of rock, which appeared to divide the interior
from the coast as with a stone wall, rising perpendicularly out of the
side of the mountain. In the afternoon they left their little camp in
the charge of three of the men, and made an attempt to descend the
precipice by following some of the streams of water, or by getting down
at some of the projecting points where the rocks had fallen in; but they
were baffled in every instance. In some places the perpendicular height
of the rocks above the earth below could not be less than four hundred
feet.
On the 28th they proceeded about five miles and three-quarters. Not
being able to find water, they did not halt till five o'clock, when they
took up their station on the edge of the precipice. To their great
satisfaction they discovered, that what they had supposed to be sandy,
barren land below the mountain, was forest land, covered with good
grass, and with timber of an inferior quality. In the evening they
contrived to get their horses down the mountain by cutting a small
trench with a hoe, which kept them from slipping, where they again
tasted grass for the first time since they left the forest land on the
other side of the mountain. They were getting into miserable condition.
Water was found about two miles below the foot of the mountain. In this
day's route little timber was observed fit for building.
On the 29th, having got up the horses and laden them, they began to
descend the mountain at seven o'clock, through a pass in the rock about
thirty feet wide, which they had discovered the day before, when the
want of water put them on the alert. Part of the descent was so steep
that the horses could but just keep their footing, without a load, so
that, for some way the party were obliged to carry the packages
themselves. A cart-road might, however, easily be made by cutting a
slanting trench along the side of the mountain, which is here covered
with earth.
They reached the foot at nine o'clock a.m., and proceeded two miles,
mostly through open meadow land, clear of trees, the grass from two to
three feet high. They encamped on the bank of a fine stream of water.
The natives, as observed by the smoke of their fires, moved before them,
as yesterday. The dogs killed a kangaroo, which was very acceptable, as
the party had lived on salt meat since they caught the last. The timber
seen this day appeared rotten and unfit for building.
The climate here was found very much colder than that of the mountain or
of the settlements on the east side, where no signs of frost had made
its appearance when the party set out. During the night the ground was
covered with a thick frost, and a leg of the kangaroo was quite frozen.
They now conceived that they had sufficiently accomplished the design of
their undertaking, having surmounted all the difficulties which had
hitherto prevented the interior of the country from being explored, and
the Colony from being extended. They had partly cleared, or, at least,
marked out a road by which the passage of the mountain might easily be
effected. Their provisions were nearly exhausted, their clothes and
shoes were in very bad condition, and the whole party were ill with
bowel complaints. These considerations determined them, therefore, to
return home by the track they came. On Tuesday, the 1st of June, they
arrived at the foot of the mountain which they had descended, where they
encamped for the night.
The following day they began to ascend the mountain at seven o'clock,
and reached the summit at ten; they were obliged to carry the packages
themselves part of the ascent.
They encamped in the evening at one of their old stations. On the 3rd,
they reached another of their old stations. Here, during the night, they
heard a confused noise arising from the eastern settlements below,
which, after having been so long accustomed to the death-like stillness
of the interior, had a very striking effect. On the 4th, they arrived at
the end of their marked track, and encamped in the forest land where
they had cut the grass for their horses. One of the horses fell this day
with his load, quite exhausted, and was with difficulty got on, after
having his load put on the other horses. The next day, the 5th, was the
most unpleasant and fatiguing they had experienced. The track not being
marked, they had great difficulty in finding their way back to the
river, which they did not reach till four p.m. o'clock. They then once
more encamped for the night to refresh themselves and the horses. They
had no provisions now left except a little flour, but procured some from
the settlement on the other side of the river. On Sunday, the 6th of
June, they crossed the river after breakfast, and reached their homes
all in good health. The winter had not set in on this side of the
mountain, nor had there been any frost.
AUSTRALIA FELIX (VICTORIA)
+Source.+--Hovell's Journal, 1837, pp. 25-27, 39-42, 72-73
The country between Botany Bay and Bass Strait was unexplored until
1824, when Messrs. Hume and Hovell set out to discover if it were
suitable for settlement. They encountered difficulties among the
Australian Alps, discovered the Hume (Murray) River and reached
Port Phillip. Oct. 2nd, 1824--Jan. 16th, 1825.
_Sat., Nov. 6th._ They had now (it was noon) unexpectedly reached the
S.W. extremity of the ridge or spine, which here terminates in an abrupt
and very steep descent: the view from this spot consists of a valley
(immediately in their front, S.) extending in the direction S.W., and
varying from one to two miles in breadth. Along the centre of this
valley runs a small stream, and near by the stream is a broken
mountainous country: the view is closed by mountains, both of a
different form (peaked) and of an infinitely greater height than any
which they had yet seen. They now descended the table range, pursuing
the zig-zag course of one of the tributaries of the stream which they
had observed in the valley, taking its rise in these mountains, not far
below the spot at which they commence making their descent.
At six o'clock in the evening they arrive in the valley. At seven,
having still pursued their course along the same branch, they come to
the main stream. In effecting the descent from these mountains, they had
nearly lost one of the party, as well as a bullock; the animal had
fallen when it had reached about two-thirds down the mountain in
consequence of a stone slipping under its feet, and in its fall it had
forced down with it the man who was leading it. But their fall was
intercepted by a large tree, and the man as well as the animal was thus
prevented from being dashed to pieces. The man, however, unfortunately
was much hurt.
Never was the great superiority of bullocks to horses (in some respects)
for journeys of this description more observable than in the passage of
this difficult and dangerous ascent. The horses it had become
indispensable to unload, and to conduct each separately with great care;
but if one of the bullocks be led the rest follow; the horse is timid
and hurried in its action in places where there is danger; the bullock
is steady and cautious. If the latter slip in its ascent, or if the
acclivity be too steep for its usual mode of progression, the animal
kneels down, and scrambles up in this posture. If it be descending, and
it become placed in a similar predicament, it sits down, and turns its
head round towards the ascent, as if to balance its body. For the
crossing of unsound or boggy ground, the structure of its hoof is
particularly adapted, while the foot of the horse, on the contrary, is
ill suited for this purpose, and for which the fears and consequent
agitation of the animal renders it unfit.
(Bullocks ought, when used for these journeys, to be shod; their feet,
otherwise, are very liable to become disabled.)
_Tuesday, Nov. 16th._ Soon after sunrise they recommence their journey,
having proceeded three and a half miles S. (the land gradually sloping
as they advanced), arrive suddenly on the banks of a fine river. This
was named "The Hume."
This beautiful stream is found to be not less than 80 yards in breadth,
apparently of considerable depth; the current at three miles an hour;
the water, for so considerable a stream, clear.
The river itself is serpentine, the banks clothed with verdure to the
water's edge, their general height various, but seldom either more or
less than eight or nine feet, inclined or precipitous, as they happen by
the bending of the stream to be more or less exposed to the action of
the current. On each side of the river is a perpetual succession of
lagoons extending generally in length from one to two miles, and about a
quarter of a mile in breadth. These, which are situate alternately on
each side of the river, within those elbows and projections which are
formed by its windings, often for miles together, preclude any approach
to its banks. Each of these lagoons was furnished with an inlet from the
river and an outlet into it.
In general, the spaces between the lagoons and the river are thickly
wooded (the trees consisting principally of the blue gum of a large
growth), and are overgrown with vines of various descriptions, and the
fern, the peppermint, flax plant, and currajong. The fern, currajong,
and the flax flourish here in abundance, and the peppermint plant (which
they had not seen in any other part of the country) seems to surpass,
both in odour and taste the species that is generally produced in our
gardens.
From the flax-plant the natives, as they afterwards discover, make
their fishing-lines and nets for carrying their travelling gear and
provisions.
Unable to devise any means of crossing the river, and in hope of
discovering some practicable ford, they now commence their progress down
the stream, proceed three miles and a half, and then halt. At half-past
two they resume their route, but are soon compelled from the continual
succession of lagoon and swamp to return to some higher land, about two
miles from the river.
[Crossing the river with difficulty, they travelled southwards for four
weeks.]
_Thursday, Dec. 16th._--This morning they cross the river or creek
without difficulty, the water not taking the cattle more than chest
high. They now proceed S.W. by S. through the plains about six miles,
when they are struck with an appearance respecting which they cannot
decide whether it is that of burning grass or of distant water.
They now therefore, having altered their course to the south, at four
o'clock, have the gratification satisfactorily to determine, that the
appearance which had just created so much doubt is that of the latter
object, and which leaving the river a short distance, and directing
their march from S.W. to SS.W. they soon ascertain to be part of the
sea--the so long and ardently desired bourn of their labours. They now
again alter their course to south-west and travel six miles in that
direction along the shore, over excellent land, but clear of timber. On
the downs, or plains to-day they had seen several flocks of emus and
wild turkeys. The water near the shore was covered with waterfowl of
various descriptions, some of which were new to them, and by the time
they had halted for the night, they had procured an ample supply of
black swans and ducks. They stopped for the night at seven o'clock in a
small wood, at a mile from the beach, but where there was no fresh
water, having travelled to-day, they supposed, upwards of twenty miles.