CHAPTER VIII.

Departure from Sir Edward Pellew's Group.

Coast from thence westward.

Cape Maria found to be an island.

Limmen's Bight. Coast northward to Cape Barrow: landing on it.

Circumnavigation of Groote Eylandt.

Specimens of native art at Chasm Island.

Anchorage in North-west Bay, Groote Eylandt;

with remarks and nautical observations.

Blue-mud Bay. Skirmish with the natives.

Cape Shield.

Mount Grindall.

Coast to Caledon Bay.

Occurrences in that bay, with remarks on the country and inhabitants.

Astronomical and nautical observations.

[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.]

MONDAY 27 DECEMBER 1802

(Atlas, Plate XIV.)

At daylight of Dec. 27, we got under way from Pellew's Group; and passing

between the small isles near Cape Pellew, stretched off to sea with a

fresh breeze at W. N. W. At noon the cape bore S. 26° W. four leagues,

and towards evening we weathered it, having 10 fathoms water at the

distance of five miles; the soundings afterwards diminished gradually to

4½ fathoms, at two miles from West Island, where the anchor was dropped

on a muddy bottom, for the night. Next morning [TUESDAY 28 DECEMBER

1802], the wind being still at north-west, we again stretched out to sea;

and at noon, when the latitude was 15° 24', Cape Pellew bore S. 60° E.

four leagues. We were then standing south-westward; and at three o'clock,

West Isle bore from S. 74° E. to about South, the last extreme being

hidden by an islet and rock distant two-and-half miles. The main coast

was in sight to the south and westward, and we stood for it until six;

the ship was then tacked to the north-east, in 3 fathoms, the shore being

three miles off, and extending from behind West Island to N. 36° W. It

was low, mostly sandy, and covered with wood behind the beaches; and

except that some places on the shore were rocky, it altogether resembled

the more eastern parts of the gulph. At dusk, the anchor was let go in 6

fathoms, mud and shells.

WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 1802

A small reef was seen in the morning, two miles to the north-east of the

ship, and about seven from the coast. We passed half a mile to windward

of it with 3½ fathoms, and stretched off to sea until noon, with the

usual north-western wind; the latitude was then 15° 7', longitude 135°

40', and we tacked towards the land, which was not in sight from the mast

head. At six in the evening it was distant two leagues, and the extremes

bore S. 26° E. to 74° W., the first being the same part which had been

set at N. 36° W., the evening before. At seven, we tacked from the shore

in 3½ fathoms, and on the water deepening to 4, anchored on coarse sandy

ground. In working along the shore next day [THURSDAY 30 DECEMBER 1802],

we met with a shoal of sand and rocks., as far as three leagues off the

land; the outer part, upon which we had less than 2½ fathoms at noon,

lying in 15° 13' south and 136° 16' east. After getting clear of this

danger, we stretched off until dusk; and then anchored in 9 fathoms, grey

sand, some back hills being visible in the S. W. by W., but no part of

the low shore.

FRIDAY 31 DECEMBER 1802

We had the wind at W. by S. in the morning, and stood off until noon,

nine or ten leagues from the coast; two small lumps of land were then

seen, bearing S. 53° and 58° W., and at the mast head they were perceived

to join, and apparently to form an island. On the wind veering to the

south and eastward we steered for it, and before sunset got to an anchor

in a small bay on its south side, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of the

island bearing N. 81° E. one mile and a half, to S. 83° W. three miles.

The main land was visible three or four leagues to the southward, and a

projecting part of the back hills, which at first made like a head land,

bore S. 3° W.

A similar error to that at the Capes Van Diemen and Vanderlin has been

made here in the Dutch chart, this island being represented as a

projection of the main land, and called Cape Maria. To the west of it is

marked a large bay or bight, called Limmen's Bogt, where the coast turns

north-eastward to a projecting cape without name, which has a shoal,

forty miles in length, running out from it; and between this shoal and

Cape Maria, is laid down a small island. In these particulars, the old

chart was found to be correct as to the general matter of fact, but

erroneous in the forms and positions.

SATURDAY 1 JANUARY 1803

Fires were seen at night, upon the island; and early in the morning I

landed with the botanical gentlemen, to examine the productions and take

bearings. My attention was attracted by something like a native's hut,

which proved to be an ant hill composed of red earth, about eight feet

high, and formed like a haycock; the inhabitants were the same feeble

race of insect as before seen at the Prince of Wales' Islands, and the

least pressure was sufficient to crush them. From the highest hill on the

south side of the island, I set the furthest visible extremity of the

main land to the eastward, near which is a low islet, at S. 21° 50' E.;

from thence it extended past the projecting part of the hills to N. 80°

W., where it was lost in Limmen's Bight; but re-appearing 16° further

north, it was distinguishable to N. 33° W.

The length of the island is about seven miles, N. E. and S. W., by a

variable breadth from one to four miles; and its northern extremity, to

which I continue the name of _Cape Maria_, lies in 14° 50' south, and

135° 53½' east. A slaty rock seemed to form its basis; the surface is

hilly, well covered with wood, and grass grows up from amongst the loose

stones; and notwithstanding its barren soil, the appearance from the ship

was green and pleasant. That men were upon the island was shown by the

fires, and it was corroborated by the fresh prints of feet upon the sand;

but they eluded our search, and we did not find either canoes or

habitations.

On returning to the ship at nine o'clock, we stretched southward for the

main coast, with the wind at west. When within five or six miles, the

water shoaled to 3½ fathoms; and the ship being found to drift to leeward

with the tide, a stream anchor was dropped. There seemed to be two tides

here in the day, setting nearly east and west, but the rise and fall were

so imperceptible by the lead, that it could not be known which was the

flood.

The west wind died away at noon, and being succeeded by a sea breeze from

the north-eastward, we steered for Limmen's Bight so long as it lasted;

and then anchored in 4 fathoms, blue mud, with the island of Cape Maria

bearing S. 56° to 86° E., ten or twelve miles. The main land was eight or

nine miles off, and visible all round the Bight and as far as N. 6° W.;

it was low and woody, and an extensive shelving flat seemed to render it

inaccessible to a ship.

At seven in the evening, the land wind came off in a strong squall, with

thunder, lightning, and rain; afterwards the weather cleared; and at day

light [SUNDAY 2 JANUARY 1803] we followed the line of the coast to the

northward. I wished to get as near to it as possible; but the water

shoaling to 2½ fathoms when six or seven miles off, we ran out east, till

it deepened to 4, and then steered north-eastward, parallel to the line

of the shoal. A low rock came in sight to seaward, which I took to be the

small island laid down to the north-east of Cape Maria, but it lies

nearly north from it. At nine o'clock, when the main land was distant

seven miles and the depth 6 fathoms,

The low rock, distant 4 miles, bore S. 65½° E.

Station hill near C. Maria, dist. 6 leagues, S. 7½ E.

A sloping part of the main, higher than the rest, N. 50 W.

Extreme from the mast head, North.

Our latitude at noon was 14° 26' 29", and longitude 135° 54½'; the main

coast was seven miles off, and seen from the mast head as far as N. N. E.

Three miles to the N. 80° E. there were two dry sands, and shoal water

extended from them to the north and southward, further than could be

distinguished. We had already no more than 3 fathoms; but a sea breeze

having set in at E. by S., unfavourably for going without side of the

sands, we kept on close to the wind, hoping to find a passage within

them. The depth varied between 8 and 4 fathoms, till past five o'clock,

when it diminished to 2½, the main coast being distant five or six miles,

and the sands out of sight astern; we then tacked, and stretched E. S. E.

into 4 fathoms, and anchored at dusk on a bottom of gravel. An

observation of the moon gave the latitude here 14° 19'; and the variation

from an amplitude, with the head E. by S., was 0° 43' east, or corrected

to the meridian upon the principle often before mentioned, 2° 44' east

for the true variation.

There is no doubt that the dry banks seen at noon, were meant to be

represented in the Dutch chart by the great shoal to the north-east of

Cape Maria; but their direction from the cape is there too far eastward;

neither do they join to the main land, nor lie out from it more than

one-quarter of the distance marked: several turtle were seen in the

vicinity of the banks. The main coast in the northern part of Limmen's

Bight is not altogether so low as at the head; but the shoal water

extends equally far out, and even the southern head of the gulph is not

more inaccessible to ships.

We had strong squalls of wind in the night, with rain, thunder, and

lightning, and were obliged to drop a second anchor; the wind, however,

remained in the north-east, and at daylight [MONDAY 3 JANUARY 1803] we

stood for the edge of the shoal. At seven, tacked ship in 3 fathoms; and

a breeze coming off the land soon afterward, we steered along the shore

until noon, with a good depth of water. Several pieces of distant land,

which seemed to be islands of greater elevation than usual, were then

seen, from N. by E. to E. S. E.; the main coast was about five miles off,

and the furthest part bore north from the mast head. Our latitude at this

time was 14° 5', and longitude 136° 6' east.

In the afternoon, the soundings became irregular between 4 and 7 fathoms,

and the whale boat was sent ahead; but a fresh wind setting in at N. E.,

the boat was called back, and in being veered astern, got filled with

water, broke adrift, and the two men were thrown out. Another boat was

lowered down to save them and I ran the ship to leeward and came to an

anchor. The whale boat was picked up, as also one of the men; but the

other, William Murray, captain of the fore top, being unable to swim, was

unfortunately lost.

The weather remained squally, and wind unsettled during the night. In the

morning [TUESDAY 4 JANUARY 1803] our course was continued to the

northward, leaving extensive land, which I supposed to be the _Groote

Eylandt_ of the old charts, six or eight leagues on the starbord hand.

Before commencing the investigation of that island, I wished to trace the

main coast further on, and if possible, give the botanists an opportunity

of examining its productions; for it was upon the main that they usually

made the most interesting discoveries, and only once, since entering the

Gulph of Carpentaria, had we been able to land there. At seven o'clock we

edged in for the coast; and on coming into 3½ fathoms, dropped the anchor

on a bottom of blue mud, within a mile of the shore. No part of Groote

Eylandt was in sight; but an island of considerable extent and elevation,

not noticed in the old chart, lay six or seven miles to the E. N. E.; and

I have called it BICKERTON'S ISLAND, in compliment to admiral Sir Richard

Bickerton. Between it and the main coast is an open space, from four to

six or seven miles wide, through which, to all appearance from this side,

a ship might safely pass.

Whilst the botanical gentlemen landed abreast of the ship, I took the

whale boat to a woody islet, five miles off, close to Bickerton's Island,

the soundings across the opening in going to it, being from 3 to 7

fathoms. A meridian observation to the north and south, placed the islet

in latitude 13° 48' 30", and the points of the opening to the northward

bore N. 18° E. and N. 2½° W.; this last was the furthest visible part of

the main land; and proving afterwards to be a projecting cape, I named it

_Cape Barrow_, after John Barrow. Esq., author of the interesting travels

at the Cape of Good Hope. The islet is about half a mile long, and though

many bushes and some trees grew upon it, is little more than a bed of

sand. There were holes in the beach, made by turtle; and besides other

proofs of the islet being sometimes visited by the Indians, I found four

human skulls lying at the back of the shore.

From the woody islet I crossed over to the main land near the ship, and

took another set of bearings for the survey. Upon the shore were pieces

of bamboo, and other traces of the same foreign people of whom mention

has frequently been made; and three small huts were found, so entirely

covered with grass that no opening was left; but they were empty, and

nothing was buried underneath. On the borders of a small fresh lake the

botanists reaped a harvest of new plants, without molestation; indeed no

natives were seen any where; but several skeletons were found, standing

upright in the hollow stumps of trees; and the skulls and bones being

smeared or painted, partly red and partly white, made a very strange

appearance. Some kangaroos were perceived at a distance; and judging by

their foot-marks on the sand, they were rather numerous. The country near

the sea side is stony and barren; further back, it rises gently to a

small elevation, and seemed to be moderately well covered with grass and

wood.

WEDNESDAY 5 JANUARY 1803

In the morning of the 5th we got under way, and steered eastward for

Groote Eylandt, which I now intended to circumnavigate. In passing the

south side of Bickerton's Island, we observed in it a deep bight or bay

which would afford shelter in the north-west monsoon., if there be depth

sufficient for a ship; and the hills at the back being high and woody,

there was a probability of its receiving a stream of fresh water. The

country round the entrance of the bight, had the appearance of being

sandy and sterile.

Between the nearest parts of Groote and Bickerton's Islands is a space of

eight miles, which seemed to offer a perfectly safe passage, with

soundings, if I may judge from what we had in crossing the south side,

between 13 and 17 fathoms; nor can the rather high and woody isle, which

lies almost exactly in the middle of the opening, be considered as

presenting any obstacle. This isle, from its local position, would seem

to be the central one of three laid down in the Dutch chart between

Groote Eylandt and the main; but the latitude corresponds with the

southernmost. I call it _Connexion Island_; because my survey round

Groote Eylandt was connected by its means, and made in a great measure

independent of the time keepers. The centre of Connexion Island, from

observations at noon to the north and south, lies in 13° 50½' south; and

the longitude, deduced at three o'clock when the extremes bore N. 20° W.

to 11° E. four miles, would be 136° 27' from the best time keeper; but

from the survey and lunar observations, 136° 24½' east should be more

correct.

Our distance from the west side of Groote Eylandt at four o'clock, was

not quite three miles, and we then bore away southward along the shore,

in 8 to 6 fathoms water. This depth diminished gradually to 4 fathoms,

and suddenly from that to 2½; on which we steered off into 7, and then

resumed our southern course. Soon after sunset,

Bickerton's island, south point, bore N. 53° W.

Connexion I., the west extreme., N. 11 W.

Groote Eylandt, north-west extreme, N. 16 E.

Groote Eylandt, central hill., N. 87 E.

Groote Eylandt, a low projection, dist. 4 or 5 miles, S. 42 E.

In half an hour, the anchor was dropped in 11 fathoms, muddy bottom.

At the north-west end of Groote Eylandt is a bluff head, the termination

that way of a range of woody hills from the interior, of which the

highest is what was set under the name of Central Hill. On the west side

of the island these hills do not come close to the water side, but leave

a space of increasing breadth to the southward, where the land is low,

sandy, and sterile; and even the hills, though mostly covered with wood,

had little of fertility in their appearance: the shore is partly rock,

and in part sandy beach.

THURSDAY 6 JANUARY 1803

We had the wind light and variable in the morning, and proceeded to the

southward very slowly. The shore trended S. S. E., for some time; and

then turning westward to the south-west cape, it formed a bight in the

low land three or four miles back, in which there seemed to be much shoal

water. There is a sandy hill upon the south-west cape, and a rock lies

close to it; and at three or four miles off the soundings were

exceedingly irregular, jumping from 7 to 5, and 4 to 11 fathoms, on a

rocky bottom. This irregularity, and the meeting of two tides, one from

the north and another from the east, caused great ripplings in the water;

and with the light winds, retarded our progress round the cape. The

extreme south-west point lies in latitude 14° 15' south, and from six

sets of lunar distances with stars east and west, the longitude would be

136° 17' east; but according to the survey, 136° 25' is the better

situation. An amplitude at sunset gave the variation 1° 9', with the

ship's head S. E., or corrected to the meridian, 2° 36' east. We anchored

at dusk in 13 fathoms, muddy bottom, five or six miles to the south of

the cape.

[NORTH COAST. GROOTE EYLANDT.]

SATURDAY 8 JANUARY 1803

On the 7th and 8th, the winds hung between S. E. and N. N. E.; and the

direction of the south side of Groote Eylandt being nearly east, it took

us those two days and part of a third, to make the examination, though

the extent be little more than twelve leagues. The land here is more

sandy than on the west side, and the trees upon the hills are more thinly

scattered and present a less agreeable foliage. No islands are laid down

near the south side in the Dutch chart; but I counted eight scattered

along it, of which the easternmost and largest is more than two miles

long; and besides these, there are several rocks. The positions of these

rocks and islets, with our courses and soundings amongst them, will be

best seen in the chart.

SUNDAY 9 JANUARY 1803

In the afternoon of the 9th, we passed round the south-east rocky point

of Groote Eylandt, which lies in 14° 17' south, and 137° 2½' east. The

shore then trended northward, to a small cluster of rocks and islets

three miles distant; and two miles further was another islet, behind

which we anchored in 12 fathoms, coarse sand, in a sandy bight of the

great island; but the bight being exposed to south-east winds, and

containing much foul ground, the anchorage was far from being good.

MONDAY 10 JANUARY 1803

In the morning, we steered out on the north side of the islet, between it

and a low point two miles off, with a boat ahead; our soundings being 9,

6, 4, 2½, 5, 8, and soon afterward 23 fathoms. The low point, which has

several rocks near it, lies seven or eight miles northward from the

south-east extremity of Groote Eylandt; from thence the shore trends

westward about four leagues, and forms a large bight, mostly bounded by a

sandy beach; but in the middle of it is a point with many rocks. On the

west side of the bight, two or three miles back, are the same woody hills

which seem to occupy all the middle of the island; and on this side they

terminate to the north-east in a bluff. The depth of water at noon was 19

fathoms, and our situation and principal bearings were as under.

Latitude, observed to the north and south, 14° 5' 31"

Longitude by time keeper and survey, 137 3

Groote Eylandt, low eastern point, dist. 4 miles, S. 1 W.

Groote Eylandt, woody hills, the north-east bluff, N. 64 W.

Groote Eylandt, furthest visible extreme, N. 6 W.

We were then steering across the bight before a south-east wind; but the

depth of water becoming less, and the wind more dead on the shore, we

hauled up N. by E. for the furthest land in sight. At three o'clock, a

small opening was seen under the north-east bluff, but our distance of

three leagues was too great to distinguish it accurately. Towards

evening, when three miles from the shore, the sounding jumped from 9 to 4

fathoms, and we tacked to the south-east; and the night promising to be

fine, anchored at dusk in 19 fathoms, mud and sand, with the north-east

point of Groote Eylandt bearing N. 33° W., about seven miles (Atlas,

Plate XV.); further out lay two small islands, and a hill upon the

outermost was set at N. 10° W. The latitude of this anchorage was

ascertained, from altitudes of two stars and the moon, to be 13° 53 1/3'

south; and an amplitude with the ship's head N. E. by N., gave variation

2° 57', or 4° 4' east, corrected to the meridian.

TUESDAY 11 JANUARY 1803

We had the wind at N. W. in the morning, and steered close to it on the

larbord tack, until noon; when the hill on the outer north-east island,

bore S. 89½° W., nine or ten miles. The latitude of the hill is 13° 38¼',

and from six sets of distances of stars east and west of the moon, its

longitude would be 136° 36'; but from the survey and more numerous

observations, it is 137° 0½' east.* After a calm the sea breeze came in,

and our course was directed for the north-east point of Groote Eylandt;

at sunset we approached a rocky islet three or four miles from the point,

and anchored under it in 6½ fathoms, sandy ground, with the point bearing

S. 5° E., and the furthest visible part, very low and sandy, S. 63° W.

five or six miles. On the other side, the north-east islands extended

from N. 32° E. to 39° W., with many small rocks scattered along them; the

nearest of which, a split rock, was distant a short mile.

[* The apparent error of 24½' in the first longitude, is greater than

should exist in the mean result of six sets of distances. There is an

interval of three days in the observations of the moon at Greenwich with

which these distances were compared; and it seems probable that a great

part of the error might arise from that cause.]

WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY 1803

In the morning we steered close to a N. N. W. wind, for the low sandy

point, where the shore was found to trend southward; and five or six

miles to the west there was other land, moderately high and in some

places cliffy, which took nearly a parallel direction; and the bight

between them ran so far up towards the north-east bluff of the woody

hills, that a junction with the small opening seen on the outside

appeared to be probable. A shelving spit extended out from the low point,

and on opening the bight our soundings decreased from 6 to 2½ fathoms,

which made it necessary to tack; and the wind being adverse to passing

within the north-east islands, if indeed there be water enough for a

ship, which seemed doubtful, we steered out by the way we had come in.

Having little wind, the isles were not passed till late in the evening,

and from the same cause not much progress was made to the westward next

day [THURSDAY 13 JANUARY 1803]; but the land was better distinguished

than before, and many straggling rocks and two islets were seen to lie

off the north end of Groote Eylandt. In the morning of the 14th [FRIDAY

14 JANUARY 1803] we weathered all these, and on the wind dying away,

anchored in 11½ fathoms, blue mud; the outer _North-point Islet_, which

lies in 13° 37' south and 136° 45' east, then bore E. 3° S. five miles,

and the furthest extreme of a higher cliffy island, S. 38° W. three

miles.

I went in a boat to this last island with the botanical gentlemen,

intending to take bearings from the uppermost cliffs; but the many deep

chasms by which the upper parts are intersected, made it impossible to

reach the top in the short time we had to spare, and a few bearings from

the eastern low point were all that could be obtained. This was called

_Chasm Island_; it lies one mile and a half from a low point of Groote

Eylandt, where the shore trends southward and seemed to form a bay, into

which I proposed to conduct the ship.

We found upon Chasm Island a fruit which proved to be a new species of

_eugenia_, of the size of an apple, whose acidity of taste was agreeable;

there were also many large bushes covered with nutmegs, similar to those

seen at Cape Vanderlin; and in some of the chasms the ground was covered

with this fruit, without our being able, for some time, to know whence it

came. Several trees shot up in these chasms, thirty or forty feet high,

and on considering them attentively, these were found to be the trees

whence the nutmegs had fallen; thus what was a spreading bush above,

became, from the necessity of air and light, a tall, slender tree, and

showed the admirable power in nature to accommodate itself to local

circumstances. The fruit was small, and not of an agreeable flavour; nor

is it probable that it can at all come in competition with the nutmeg of

the Molucca Islands: it is the _Myristica insipida_ of Brown's _Prodrom.

Nov. Holl._ p. 400.

In the steep sides of the chasms were deep holes or caverns, undermining

the cliffs; upon the walls of which I found rude drawings, made with

charcoal and something like red paint upon the white ground of the rock.

These drawings represented porpoises, turtle, kangaroos, and a human

hand; and Mr. Westall, who went afterwards to see them, found the

representation of a kangaroo, with a file of thirty-two persons following

after it. The third person of the band was twice the height of the

others, and held in his hand something resembling the _whaddie_, or

wooden sword of the natives of Port Jackson; and was probably intended to

represent a chief. They could not, as with us, indicate superiority by

clothing or ornament, since they wear none of any kind; and therefore,

with the addition of a weapon, similar to the ancients, they seem to have

made superiority of person the principal emblem of superior power, of

which, indeed, power is usually a consequence in the very early stages of

society.

A sea breeze had sprung up from the eastward, and the ship was under way

when we returned on board at three in the afternoon. At five we hauled

round Chasm Island with 12 fathoms water, which diminished gradually as

we proceeded up the bay, to 4½, where the anchor was dropped on a muddy

bottom; the south-west end of Chasm Island then bore N. 16° E., three or

four miles, and the cliffy end of a smaller isle on the west side of the

entrance, N. 29° W. two miles and a half; and except between these two

bearings, we were sheltered from all winds. The situation of this bay in

Groote Eylandt, led me to give it the name of _North-west Bay_. It is

formed on the east and south by that island; and on the west by a

separate piece of land, five or six miles long, which, in honour of the

noble possessor of Burley Park, in the county of Rutland, I named

_Winchilsea Island_; and a small isle of greater elevation, lying a short

mile to the east of the ship, was called _Finch's Island_.

SATURDAY 15 JANUARY 1803

Early next morning the botanists landed on Groote Eylandt, and I went to

Finch's Island with the second lieutenant, to take bearings and

astronomical observations. From the western head, I saw that the bay

extended six or eight miles above the ship, to the southward, and that

the southern outlet, beyond Winchilsea Island, was about one mile wide;

but the whole seemed to be too shallow for any thing larger than boats.

Amongst the bearings taken from this station, those most essential to the

survey were,

Groote Eylandt, the woody north-west bluff, S. 56° 46' W.

A distant wedge-shaped rock, the N. E. bluff, N. 59 55 W.

Chasm I., the steep west end, N. 3 51 E.

And from another station, half a mile to the E. S. E., I set Groote

Eylandt, the central hill, at S. 14° 27' E.

This bearing and that of the north-west bluff, formed connecting links in

the chain of longitude round the island.

SUNDAY 16 JANUARY 1803

Next day the botanists landed upon Winchilsea Island, and further

astronomical observations were taken upon that of Finch; where also a

part of the ship's company went to divert themselves, and to wash their

linen; and in the evening, we prepared to quit North-west Bay.

A close-grained sand stone, nearly resembling that of Pellew's Group,

seems to form the basis of Groote and the neighbouring islands; we found

also coral, ironstone, and quartz. In many places, quartz in almost a

crystallised state was sprinkled in grains through the sand stone, and

in others, the sand stone itself was partly vitrified. Wherever we

landed, the surface was so entirely composed of stone and sand, that the

idea of any kind of cultivation could in no wise be assimilated with it;

the hills at a little distance from the water side were, however, well

covered with wood, and it is not improbable, that there may be vallies in

the central parts of Groote Eylandt possessing some degree of fertility.

The central hill, which is six or eight hundred feet in elevation,

appeared to be not so much as three leagues from the head of North-west

Bay, and I was desirous to have made an excursion to the top, to see the

interior of the island; but the state of the ship being such as to press

us forward with all practicable haste, it was not attempted; nor did I

stop to examine particularly the head of the bay, since it appeared to be

shallow, and of little interest to navigation.

The wood on Groote Eylandt was mostly composed of different species of

_eucalyptus_; the trees were small, and might do for fire wood and very

common purposes, but did not seem calculated for any superior use. Chasm

Island was the sole place where the nutmeg was found, though in general,

the gleanings of the botanists were tolerably fortunate. None of the

native inhabitants were seen, nor any kangaroos or other quadrupeds; and

birds seemed to be scarce. Small quantities of water, deposited in holes

of the rocks by the late rains, were useful to the seamen for washing

their clothes; but we did not find any from which a ship could be

supplied, nor were there any beaches convenient for hauling the seine.

The _latitude_ of Finch's Island, from a meridian observation to the

north and south, is 14° 43' 31" S.

_Longitude_ from six sets of distances of the sun east of the moon, taken

by myself, 136° 38' 47", and from twelve sets by lieutenant Flinders (see

Table V. of Appendix No. I), 136° 23' 38"; but there being no

observations of the moon at Greenwich within two or three days, the

longitude from survey and the position of Caledon Bay afterwards fixed,

is preferred, and is 136° 36' 53" E.

_Dip_ of the south end of the needle, 39° 22'.

_Variation_ of the theodolite, 3° 6' east.

The variations of the surveying compass, from amplitudes taken near

different parts of Groote Eylandt during the circumnavigation, were

these:--

Near the main, opp. the S.W. Pt., head E. by S., 0° 43', cor. 2° 44' E.

Near the south-west point, S. E., 1 9 , cor. 2 36

Off the east side, N. E. by N., 2 57 , cor. 4 4

Near the north-east isles., N. W. by W., 3 33 , cor. 1 58

Off the north end, S. W. by W., 5 51 , cor. 4 14

Whether the small variation near the north-east isles arose from any

peculiar attraction, or from some oversight in taking the amplitude, I

cannot determine; if from the latter, it would appear that the variation

is a degree and a half less on the south-west, than on the east and north

sides of Groote Eylandt.

Scarcely any run of _tide_ was perceptible in North-west Bay, nor did the

rise appear to exceed four or five feet at any part of the island, though

it runs with some strength off the projecting points. The irregularity in

different places was such, that the time of high water could not be

ascertained; but I think there is only one full tide in the day, and that

the flood comes from the northward.

MONDAY 17 JANUARY 1803

Early on the 17th we worked out of the bay, and stretched off to sea with

a W. N. W. wind; at noon the latitude was 13° 27' 10", and the furthest

extreme of Chasm Island bore S. 26° W. After a calm in the afternoon, the

sea breeze came in, and we steered south-westward till nine o'clock; when

a bower anchor was let go in 14 fathoms, two or three miles from the

north end of Winchilsea Island. In the morning [TUESDAY 18 JANUARY 1803]

we lay up south-west, on the starbord tack, and weathered the island,

leaving a rock one mile and a half on the other side. I wished, by a good

bearing of Connexion Island, to join the survey completely round Groote

Eylandt; and at nine o'clock it was set at S. 27½° to 47° W., two

leagues. The wind then came ahead, and we tacked towards two small isles,

where the anchor was dropped at ten, one mile and a half from their south

side, in 16 fathoms, sand and shells. Our latitude here was 13° 43' 42"

south, and the east side of Connexion Island bore S. 9½° W. six or seven

miles; the difference of longitude from our situation on the 5th at three

p.m., was hence ascertained to be it 1' 55" east, not differing 5" from

what was given by No. 543, but No. 520 showed 6½' too much; the

differences of longitude by the former time keeper alone have therefore

been used round Groote Eylandt.

I went immediately, with the botanical gentlemen, to the northern and

largest of the two sandy isles; and after observing the latitude 13° 42'

17" on the south-west point, ascended the highest hillock, which, from

the clump of trees upon it, was called _Pandanus Hill_. Some of the trees

being cut down, I had a tolerably extensive view of points and islands

before passed; and saw more to the north-westward, behind Wedge Rock, all

of which the Dutch chart represents as parts of the main land. One of

these I have called _Burney's Island_, in compliment to captain James

Burney of the navy, and another _Nicol's Island_, after His Majesty's

bookseller, the publisher of this work. Beyond these was a more extensive

land, which also proved to be an island; and its form having some

resemblance to the whaddie or woodah, or wooden sword used by the natives

of Port Jackson, it was named _Isle Woodah_. A low sandy island, lying

four or five miles N. by. E. from my station, seems to be the

northernmost of the three isles laid down between Groote Eylandt and the

main; but it is placed, as are also the neighbouring lands, half a degree

too far north: Connexion Island, taking it to be the southernmost of the

three, is well fixed in latitude.

Amongst the many bearings taken at the top of Pandanus Hill, those which

follow were the most important to the survey.

North-point Islet, outer extreme N. 73° 15' E.

Chasm Island, N. 74° 15' to N. 78 25 E.

Groote Eylandt, central hill, S. 44 30 E.

Groote Eylandt, north-west extreme, S. 9 0 E.

The ship distant 1¾ miles, S. 7 45 E.

Connexion Island, S. 8 0 to S. 22 30 W.

Bickerton's Island, S. 43 40 to N. 75 45 W.

Isle Woodah, N. 60 30 to N. 38 15 W.

Wedge Rock, steep north-east end, N. 30 45 W.

Nicol's I., steep east end, N. 26 5 W.

There was very little wood upon the two sandy isles, nor did they furnish

any thing new to the botanists; but they were partly covered with long

grass amongst which harboured several bustards, and I called them

_Bustard Isles_. The basis of the largest is nearly the same mixture of

sand-stone and quartz, as at North-west Bay; broken coral and sand formed

the beaches; and some fresh turtle tracks being there perceived, and the

appearance of the weather being unfavourable, it induced me to remain at

anchor all night; but only one turtle was procured.

WEDNESDAY 19 JANUARY 1803

In the morning we had a north-east wind, and after passing round a shoal

which runs one or two miles from the south-west end of the Bustard Isles,

hauled up to weather Bickerton's Island; but owing to a tide setting to

leeward it was not accomplished before two in the afternoon. Soon after

three we got to anchor one mile from the south side of Burney's Island,

in 4½ fathoms, mud and shells; and I went on shore with the botanists.

This island is moderately high, rocky, and barren, yet thickly covered

with the _eucalyptus_ and _casuarina_. From the highest rock on the

south-east side, I took bearings of the objects in sight; and amongst

them set

Wedge Rock, the north extreme, at N. 83° 50' E.

Chasm Island, north extreme, S. 79 55 E.

Pandanus Hill, the last station, S. 53 5 E.

I afterwards got through the wood, intending to set the objects lying to

the north and westward; but no clear place could be found for placing the

theodolite. A small bay was observed on the north-west side of the

island, which might be convenient for boats; and from the steep declivity

of the land round it, there seemed a probability that fresh water might

be procured at this season. The stone of this island is the same as that

of the Bustard Isles; and the Indians had visited both. A set of

azimuths, observed at the same station whence the bearings were taken,

gave variation 2° 50' east; but on board the ship, with the head N. E. by

E., Mr. Flinders observed 0° 23' east, with three compasses, which would

be 2° 0' corrected; whence it should seem, that the stone of the island

had some attraction on the south end of the needle.

[NORTH COAST. BLUE-MUD BAY.]

THURSDAY 20 JANUARY 1803

In the morning, we steered S. W. to take up the survey of the main coast

at Cape Barrow, between which and Isle Woodah was an opening where no

land was visible; but meeting with shoal water, and the wind being light,

a stream anchor was dropped until the boat had time to sound. On her

return, we steered for the north side of the opening, with a depth which

increased from 4 fathoms to 17 off the south end of Woodah. A higher

island, two or three miles long, then showed itself to the N. N. W.; and

on the water shoaling to 3½ fathoms, the anchor was dropped at four in

the afternoon, one mile and a half from its south side, on a bottom of

blue mud. The main land was in sight to the westward, forming a large bay

with Isle Woodah, and Bickerton's Island covered the entrance, so that

the ship was in complete shelter.

On landing with the botanical gentlemen, I ascended a hummock at the east

end of the island, where alone the view was not impeded by wood. Many of

my former fixed points were visible from thence, and the main land was

traced round to the northward, to a hill named _Mount Grindall_, near

which was another round hill upon an island; and behind them the main

extended eastward, nearly as far as over the middle of Isle Woodah.

Amongst the numerous bearings taken from this eastern hummock, the

following six were most essential to the survey.

Chasm Island, the centre, S. 67° 46' E.

Wedge Rock, steep north-east end, S. 59 47 E.

Cape Barrow, the eastern extreme, S. 6 50 W.

Mount Grindall, N. 13 16 W.

Round-hill Island, the top, N. 8 5 W.

Extreme of the main, over Woodah, N. 55 20 E.

FRIDAY 21 JANUARY 1803

A party of men was sent to cut wood on the following morning, and another

to haul the seine; the botanists also landed, and I went to observe the

latitude and take bearings from the west end of the island; every person

was armed, for marks of feet had been perceived, so newly imprinted on

the sand, that we expected to meet with Indians. After accomplishing my

objects, I walked with a small party round the north-west end of the

island; and then returned over the high land, through a most fatiguing

brush wood, towards the wooders and the boat. On clearing the wood, four

or five Indians were seen on a hill, half a mile to the left, and some of

the wooding party advancing towards them. The sight of us seemed to give

the natives an apprehension of being surrounded, for they immediately

ran; but our proceeding quietly down to the boat, which I did in the hope

that our people might bring on an interview, appeared to satisfy them.

The scientific gentlemen accompanied me on board to dinner; and I learned

from Mr. Westall, that whilst he was taking a sketch at the east end of

the island, a canoe, with six men in it, came over from Woodah. He took

little notice of them until, finding they saw him and landed not far off,

he thought it prudent to retreat with his servant to the wooding party.

The natives followed pretty smartly after him; and when they appeared on

the brow of the hill, Mr. Whitewood, the master's mate, and some of his

wooders went to meet them in a friendly manner. This was at the time that

the appearance of my party caused them to run; but when we left the shore

they had stopped, and our people were walking gently up the hill.

The natives had spears, but from the smallness of their number, and our

men being armed, I did not apprehend any danger; we had, however,

scarcely reached the ship, when the report of muskets was heard; and the

people were making signals and carrying some one down to the boat, as if

wounded or killed. I immediately despatched two armed boats to their

assistance, under the direction of the master; with orders, if he met

with the natives, to be friendly and give them presents, and by no means

to pursue them into the wood. I suspected, indeed, that our people must

have been the aggressors; but told the master, if the Indians had made a

wanton attack, to bring off their canoe by way of punishment; intending

myself to take such steps on the following day, as might be found

expedient.

At five o'clock Mr. Whitewood was brought on board, with four spear

wounds in his body. It appeared that the natives, in waiting to receive

our men, kept their spears ready, as ours had their muskets. Mr.

Whitewood, who was foremost, put out his hand to receive a spear which he

supposed was offered; but the Indian, thinking perhaps that an attempt

was made to take his arms, ran the spear into the breast of his supposed

enemy. The officer snapped his firelock, but it missed, and he retreated

to his men; and the Indians, encouraged by this, threw several spears

after him, three of which took effect. Our people attempted to fire, and

after some time two muskets went off, and the Indians fled; but not

without taking away a hat which had been dropped. Thomas Morgan, a

marine, having been some time exposed bare-headed to the sun, was struck

with a _coup-de-soleil_; he was brought on board with Mr. Whitewood, and

died in a state of frenzy, the same night.

So soon as the master had learned what had happened, he went round in the

whale boat to the east end of the island, to secure the canoe; and

forgetting the orders I had given him, sent Mr. Lacy with the wooders

overland, to intercept the natives on that side. Their searches were for

some time fruitless; but in the dusk of the evening three Indians were

seen by the wooders, and before they could be intercepted had pushed off

in the canoe. A sharp fire was commenced after them; and before they got

out of reach, one fell and the others leaped out and dived away. A seaman

who gave himself the credit of having shot the native, swam off to the

canoe, and found him lying dead at the bottom, with a straw hat on his

head which he recognised to be his own. Whilst displaying this in

triumph, he upset the ticklish vessel, and the body sunk; but the canoe

was towed to the shore, and the master returned with it at nine o'clock.

I was much concerned at what had happened, and greatly displeased with

the master for having acted so contrary to my orders; but the mischief

being unfortunately done, a boat was sent in the morning [SATURDAY 22

JANUARY 1803] to search for the dead body, the painter being desirous of

it to make a drawing, and the naturalist and surgeon for anatomical

purposes. The corpse was found lying at the water's edge, not lengthwise,

as a body washed up, but with the head on shore and the feet touching the

surf. The arms were crossed under the head, with the face downward, in

the posture of a man who was just able to crawl out of the water and die;

and I very much apprehend this to have been one of the two natives who

had leaped out of the canoe, and were thought to have escaped. He was of

the middle size, rather slender, had a prominent chest, small legs, and

similar features to the inhabitants of other parts of this country; and

he appeared to have been circumcised! A musket ball had passed through

the shoulder blade, from behind; and penetrating upwards, had lodged in

the neck.

The canoe was of bark, but not of one piece, as at Port Jackson; it

consisted of two pieces, sewed together lengthwise, with the seam on one

side; the two ends were also sewed up, and made tight with gum. Along

each gunwale was lashed a small pole; and these were spanned together in

five places, with creeping vine, to preserve the shape, and to strengthen

the canoe. Its length was thirteen and a half, and the breadth two and a

half feet; and it seemed capable of carrying six people, being larger

than those generally used at Port Jackson.

It does not accord with the usually timid character of the natives of

Terra Australis, to suppose the Indians came over from Isle Woodah for

the purpose of making an attack; yet the circumstance of their being

without women or children--their following so briskly after Mr.

Westall--and advancing armed to the wooders, all imply that they rather

sought than avoided a quarrel. I can account for this unusual conduct

only by supposing, that they might have had differences with, and

entertained no respectful opinion of the Asiatic visitors, of whom we had

found so many traces, some almost in sight of this place.

The body of Thomas Morgan who died so unfortunately, was this day

committed to the deep with the usual ceremony; and the island was named

after him, _Morgan's Island_. The basis stone is partly argillaceous, and

in part sand stone, with a mixture in some places of iron ore, but more

frequently of quartz. A little soil is formed upon the slopes of the

hills and in the vallies; and there, more especially at the east end of

the island, it is covered with small trees and coarse grass, which the

late rains had caused to look fresh and green; there were also some

temporary drains of fresh water.

The _latitude_ of the hummock at the east end of Morgan's Island, is 13°

27½', and _longitude_ from the survey, 136° 9½'. Azimuths observed at the

anchorage, with three compasses and the ship's head in the magnetic

meridian, gave 2° 23' east _variation_, which corresponded very well with

the bearings. The _tides_ here are very inconsiderable, and there

appeared to be only one flood and one ebb in the day; high water took

place about midnight, when the moon was a little past the lower meridian;

but whether it will always be so far behind the moon, may admit of a

doubt.

A view of the main land to the westward, from Cape Barrow to Mount

Grindall, had been obtained from the higher parts of Morgan's Island; but

a probability still remaining that some river might fall into the bay, I

proposed to coast round it with the ship. On a breeze springing up at E.

S. E, early in the afternoon, we steered round the west end of the

island, and hauled to the northward; but meeting almost immediately with

shoal water, the course was altered for the south-west, and afterwards

for the south part of the bay; and finding no where more than 3 fathoms,

we tacked to the N. E. at dusk, and came to an anchor. The bottom here,

and in most other parts of the bay, is a blue mud of so fine a quality,

that I judge it might be useful in the manufactory of earthern ware; and

I thence named this, _Blue-mud Bay_.

It was evident from the uniform shallowness of the water, that Blue-mud

Bay did not receive any stream of consequence, either in its south or

western part; and to the north, it seemed not to be accessible from this

side. The main land rises very gradually from the water side into the

country; and the wood upon it made a greater show of fertility than on

any borders of the Gulph of Carpentaria we had before seen.

SUNDAY 23 JANUARY 1803

We got under way again at daylight; but the wind coming to blow strong

from the eastward, with rain, thunder, and lightning, were not able to

pass round the south end of Isle Woodah and get out of the bay, until the

morning of the 25th [TUESDAY 25 JANUARY 1803]. Our soundings in working

out diminished to 2½ fathoms, near the opening between Bickerton's Island

and Cape Barrow; and it is probable that no ship passage exists there,

although I had previously found as much as 7 fathoms in the southern part

of the opening.

[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.]

After clearing Blue-mud Bay, we worked to the north-eastward; and at

eight in the evening, anchored under Nicol's Island in 5½ fathoms, muddy

bottom, one mile from the shore, and two and a half from the low eastern

point of Isle Woodah: two large rocks and much shoal water lie between

the islands, and prevented me from seeking shelter there. In the morning

[WEDNESDAY 26 JANUARY 1803] we stretched N. N. E., for the projecting

part of the main land before set at N. 55° 20' E. from the eastern

hummock of Morgan's Island; and to which I have given the name of CAPE

SHIELD, in compliment to captain W. Shield, a commissioner of the navy.

There is a small bay on its south-west side, and we anchored there in 4

fathoms, blue mud, with the outer points of the bay bearing S. 41° E. and

N. 21° W., each distant one mile.

On landing with the botanists, I found the beach convenient for hauling

the seine, and ordered one to be sent from the ship, which had tolerable

success. The cape is low land, mostly covered with wood; and a sandy

hillock, perceived from the mast head about one mile behind the beach,

being the sole place whence a view was likely to be obtained, I went

there with a theodolite. No part of the main coast to the eastward could

be seen from thence beyond a low projection distant seven or eight miles,

which I named _Point Arrowsmith_; to the west my view was obstructed by

trees, but some points before set were visible, and more to the

southward; and the following, amongst many useful bearings, were taken.

Chasm I., centre of the highest part, S. 33° 15' E.

Wedge Rock, centre, S. 5 55 W.

Nicol's I., south-east point (over the south

extreme of C. Shield, dist. 1½ miles), S. 26 30 W.

Round-hill Island, the top, S. 89 25 W.

Point Arrowsmith, N. 62 20 E.

The sand hill whence these bearings were taken, stands close to the water

on the east side of Cape Shield; and directly off it, at a mile and a

half distance, lies a small island: upon the shore was found a carling of

a ships deck, of teak wood, in a decayed state. On the land side of the

hill was a small lake of fresh water, frequented by ducks, teal, and

smaller aquatic birds, several of which were shot.

Cape Shield lies in latitude 13° 19¾' south, longitude by the survey 136°

23' east; it projects out six miles from the body of the land, and

appears, when seen from the south, to be an island. Two cassowaries were

seen upon it, and many tracks of men, dogs, and kangaroos. The wood is

small, and the soil sandy; but the botanists made an ample collection of

plants, some few of which made an addition to their former discoveries.

THURSDAY 27 JANUARY 1803

Next morning we steered westward, with a fair wind, to explore the main

coast up to Mount Grindall, and see the northern part of Blue-mud Bay. At

three leagues from Cape Shield, we passed a projecting point to which I

gave the name of _Point Blane_, in compliment to Dr. (now Sir Gilbert)

Blane, of the naval medical board. Five miles from it to the W. S. W.,

lies Round-hill Island, and after passing between them with 4 fathoms

water, I sent the boat to sound between the island and Mount Grindall,

purposing to anchor there; but the depth was too little for the ship. We

then worked up to a large bight on the west side of Point Blane; and the

water being shallow towards the head, anchored in 3 fathoms, muddy

ground, with the extremity of the point bearing S. 41° E. two and a half

miles.

An officer was sent on shore to search for fresh water and examine the

beach with a view to hauling the seine, but had no success; the

naturalist accompanied him, to botanise, and not coming down to the boat

at dusk, the officer left a man with a fire on the beach, to wait his

arrival. At ten o'clock a gun was fired, and the boat sent back; but

nothing had been heard of the naturalist, or the seaman who carried his

specimen boxes, and some apprehensions began to be entertained. Soon

after daylight [FRIDAY 28 JANUARY 1803] we had the satisfaction to see

Mr. Brown on the shore. It appeared that from one of those mistakes which

so frequently occur in thick woods and dull weather, when without a

compass, the east had been mistaken for west; and Mr. Brown reached the

water side at dusk, but on the wrong side of the point. He thought it

more prudent to remain there all night, than to re-enter the wood in the

dark; and the report of the gun having given him the true direction, he

had no difficulty in the morning. No natives were seen; but the howling

of dogs was heard not far off.

Whilst the botanists continued to follow their pursuits upon Point Blane,

I went over in the whale-boat to Mount Grindall, with the landscape

painter; from whence, after cutting down some small trees at the top, my

view extended over all the neighbouring islands, points, and bays.

Blue-mud Bay was seen to reach further north than Mount Grindall, making

it to be upon a long point, which I also named _Point Grindall_, from

respect to the present vice-admiral of that name; further west, in the

bay, was a stream running five or six miles into the land, terminating in

a swamp, and with shoal banks and a low island at the entrance; all the

northern part of the bay, indeed, seemed to be shallow, and to have no

ship passage into it on the north side of Isle Woodah. The large bight

between Points Grindall and Blane extended two leagues above the ship,

but it did not appear to receive any stream of water; a still larger

bight, between Point Blane and Cape Shield was also visible, though not

so distinct as to speak of it particularly: the extremity of the cape

bore S. 76° 15' E. An observation to the north and south, taken on the

outermost rocks, places Mount Grindall in 13° 15½' south; and the

longitude from survey is 136° 6 1/3' east. Mr. Westall's sketch in the

Atlas, taken from the ship at anchor under Point Blane, will show the

appearance of this mount and of the neighbouring land. (Atlas, Plate

XVIII. View 13.)

The top of Mount Grindall consists of the same kind of sand stone, with

particles of quartz in it, as seen at Groote Eylandt; but the rocks on

the shore are granite, and one block made a brilliant appearance from the

quantity of mica it contained. There is very little soil on the

surrounding land, the surface being either sandy or stony; it was however

mostly covered with grass and wood, and amongst the trees was a cluster

of the new species of _eugenia_, from which the boat's crew filled their

handkerchiefs with fruit, which they called apples. Two natives were

distinguished upon Round-hill Island; but none at Point Grindall, nor any

thing to show that they had been there recently: the foot-marks of dogs

and kangaroos were both recent and numerous.

Strong squalls from the eastward, with rain, much impeded our return to

the ship in the evening; and from a continuance of the same unfavourable

weather, Point Blane could not be repassed until the afternoon of the

30th [SUNDAY 30 JANUARY 1803]. The wind was then S. E., and we worked to

windward all night, between the main coast and Isle Woodah; and not being

able to weather Cape Shield on the following day [MONDAY 31 JANUARY

1803], we ran to our former anchorage under it, and remained there for

the night.

TUESDAY 1 FEBRUARY 1803

Next morning we stood out of the bay with light winds; and after being

put into some danger by them, in passing the island near Cape Shield, a

breeze sprung up at W. by S. and we proceeded in the examination of the

main coast. The situation of the ship at noon, and the bearings of the

land were as under:

Latitude, observed to the north and south, 13° 20' 16"

Chasm I., centre of the high part, S. 16 E.

Cape Shield, the south extremity, N. 86 W.

Point Arrowsmith, dist. 6 miles, N. 18 W.

Furthest extreme visible from the deck. N. 10 E.

Our course was then directed N. E. by N., parallel with the coast, until

the wind veered round ahead and drove us off to the eastward; at six

o'clock Point Arrowsmith bore W. 2° S., ten or eleven miles, and a round

hummock, beyond the noon's extreme, was then seen at N. 2½° E. The coast

here shows some projections on which are sandy hills, with shallow bights

between them; the hills further back, especially behind Point Arrowsmith,

are better covered with wood, but there was no appearance of fertility in

the country, nor of shelter in the bights.

[NORTH COAST. CALEDON BAY.]

We worked to windward all night, with a north-western breeze; and in the

morning [WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 1803] saw two islands, the outermost rather

low and flat, nearly in the situation where three are marked in the Dutch

chart. These are laid down at the entrance of an opening, of a river-like

form; and there appeared to be a wide opening behind them, the entrance

being round a projection upon which is the hummock set at N. 2½° E. in

the evening: this projection I have named CAPE GREY, in compliment to the

Hon. general Grey, lately commander of the forces at the Cape of Good

Hope. Our situation and bearings at noon were,

Latitude. observed to the north and south. 13° 3' 41"

Longitude from survey, 136 46½

Furthest southern extreme, from the deck, S. 73 W.

Cape Grey, the round hummock, N. 56 W.

Cape Grey, outermost rocks near it, N. 41 W.

Outer and rather flat isle, centre, N. 3 W.

On the wind veering to north-east, we were enabled to weather the rocks

near Cape Grey, but not more than a quarter of a mile; the depth in

passing was 9 fathoms, and it continued between that and 11, two miles

further up the bay, where, on its falling calm, an anchor was dropped. In

the evening we ran further up, and at sunset anchored in 9 fathoms, mud

and sand, near the innermost and largest of three islands which lie in

the entrance. Around, and between these islands, were many islets and

rocks, and others were seen to the north-eastward; the bay extended to

the north-west, and was divided into two branches by a projection named

_Point Middle_, the eastern branch being defended from the sea by a

tongue of land, whose south point seemed to be connected by a reef of

rocks with the inner island. This point I have called _Point Alexander_;

and to a hill upon the furthest visible part of the coast to the

northward, the appellation of _Mount Alexander_ is given.

THURSDAY 3 FEBRUARY 1803

In the morning, there being no wind to move the ship, I sent the master

up the bay with the whale boat, to search for fresh water and a secure

anchorage; and on his making the signal to follow, a little before noon,

we steered for Point Middle. A shoal was seen to extend from it, down the

bay; and the depth having diminished to 4 fathoms, we hauled up into the

eastern branch, and anchored under Point Alexander in 4½ fathoms, muddy

bottom; our distance from the shore being one mile, and two cables length

from a bank in front of it, upon which there was only six feet water. In

this situation, the outer rocks near Cape Grey bore S 28° E., and the

inner rocks from the island near Point Alexander., S. 35° E.; the

intermediate angle of 7° being that at which alone we were open to the

sea. Several natives were seen on the shore abreast of the ship, and

lieutenant Fowler was sent to communicate with them, and to search for

fresh water. They stayed to receive him, without showing that timidity so

usual with the Australians; and after a friendly intercourse in which

mutual presents were made, Mr. Fowler returned with the information that

fresh water was plentiful.

FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY 1803

Early next morning, having given directions for two tents, a seine, and a

corporal's guard, to be sent on shore under the command of the first

lieutenant, I landed with the botanical gentlemen; the natives running

from their night residences to meet us. There were twelve middle-aged and

young men, all of whom expressed much joy, especially at seeing

_Bongaree_, our good-natured Indian from Port Jackson. On the arrival of

two other boats, the natives retreated into the wood, except two, who

assisted in hauling the seine; and the others came back by degrees,

without arms as before, and received a portion of the fish. A situation

was chosen for the tents, and confidence seeming to be established, I

went into the wood, towards some sand hills, for the purpose of taking

bearings; but whilst making the circuit of a salt swamp which lay in the

way, the natives were heard running in the wood, and calling to each

other. This happened twice, and at length a musket was fired; upon which

I returned to the tents with all expedition.

When the botanical gentlemen had entered the wood with their attendants,

the greater part of the natives followed them; and one took an

opportunity of snatching a hatchet from the hand of a servant. The

Indians then ran off, but seeing no pursuit, nor much notice taken, soon

returned, and became more friendly than ever. Each of our party had a

native with him, walking arm in arm, and Mr. Brown's servant had two, who

paid him particular attention; so much so, that whilst one held him by

the arm, the other snatched the musket off his shoulder, and they all

again ran off; that is, all who remained, for several had previously

withdrawn themselves. A musket was fired after the thief; but he had

already got some distance, and it produced no other visible effect than

that of making him run faster. The botanists then judged it imprudent to

follow their pursuit, and returned to the tents.

Two hours passed before any thing more was heard of the natives; some

were then seen in the wood, and an interview was obtained with two, who

being made to understand that a hatchet would be given on the musket

being returned, they went off to fetch it. In a little time it was

actually brought, with the stock broken and ramrod gone, and the hatchet

was paid; after which the natives came to the tents with confidence, and

some would have remained all night, had they been permitted.

SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY 1803

This afternoon and the following morning, I took bearings from two

stations on Point Middle, and others from a sandy hummock on Point

Alexander. The natives came early to the tents, and behaved themselves

tranquilly until noon; when one of those who had been most kindly

treated, ran off with a wooding axe, and from the thickness of the

forest, eluded the pursuit made after him. The corporal and another

marine, who had run after the Indian without their hats, received a

_coup-de-soleil_, and were sent on board in a state nearly approaching to

delirium; but they happily recovered.

Finding these people so determinately bent upon stealing every thing

within their reach, I ordered lieutenant Fowler to watch an opportunity

of seizing two of them; and after a while to release one, making him

understand that the other would be carried away in the ship, if the

stolen axe were not returned. In the evening, I went over with two of the

gentlemen to the south side of the bay; for the purpose of taking a

station upon a hill there named _Mount Caledon_, whose height exceeded

that of any other near the water side.

We landed at dusk, at the foot of the mount; and ascended the top next

morning [SUNDAY 6 FEBRUARY 1803] before the heat of the sun became

excessive, passing in the way several streamlets which were coursing

rapidly down to the sea. The view was fully equal to what had been

anticipated, and extended to a projection half way to Point Arrowsmith on

one side, and over all the islands in the entrance to Mount Alexander on

the other. Out of thirty-nine bearings taken at this station, the

following are selected as being most essential to the survey of the

coast.

The tents, N. 2 ° 50' E.

Point Alexander, the extremity, N. 60 0 E.

Outer, and rather flat isle, N. 86° 15' to 88 22 E.

Mount Alexander, the top N. 37 30 E.

Cape Grey, the outer rocks near it, S. 65 5 E.

A southern projection of the coast, S. 14 8 E.

We returned to the ship in the afternoon, and the natives had not then

approached the tents since the theft of the axe; but next morning [MONDAY

7 FEBRUARY 1803] two of them advanced, bringing some small fruits; and on

being invited to eat fish, they sat down and were immediately seized,

some others who followed, running away on hearing their cries. In a

little time the eldest and most intelligent of them was liberated; on his

promising by signs to restore the axe, and being made to understand that

his companion would be carried off, should he fail. We observed from the

ship much running of the natives amongst the bushes, and peeping about

the tents; and least they should attempt any mischief, a spring was put

upon the cable, and a six-pounder, with grape shot, kept ready; but after

one of the prisoners was released they seemed to have less anxiety, and

several swam back across a salt creek, to their usual place of residence.

In the evening I landed at the tents; and taking the native, a youth of

fourteen named _Woga_, into the boat, rowed to the place most frequented

by the Indians, many of whom were seen behind the bushes. Two came

forward, bringing a young girl in their arms; and by expressive signs

they offered her to Bongaree, in order to entice him on shore, for the

purpose, apparently, of seizing him by way of retaliation. We demanded

the restoration of the axe, and our prisoner seemed to use all his powers

to enforce it; but the constant answer was, that the thief _Yehangeree_,

had been beaten and was gone away; and finding no axe likely to be

brought, Woga was carried on board the ship, through a great deal of

crying, entreating, threatening, and struggling on his part. He there ate

heartily, laughed, sometimes cried, and noticed every thing; frequently

expressing admiration at what he saw, and especially at the sheep, hogs,

and cats. We had not seen any bows and arrows in the Gulph of

Carpentaria, nor in any part of Terra Australis; but some of those from

Murray's Islands being shown to Woga, he knew the use of them, and gave

their names in his language; it may therefore be true, as Burgomaster

Witsen relates, that they are used by the natives on the North-west Coast

and in the Gulph; but when he describes the bows as being "of such a

length, that one end rests on the ground when shooting," I cannot help

suspecting some exaggeration in his informer.

TUESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 1803

After breakfast next morning, I took our prisoner to the tents. On

approaching the shore, he was preparing to make a spring out of the boat,

which made it necessary to bind him again, for he had been loosed on

board the ship. He struggled much, calling upon Bongaree to assist him;

but after a while, became quiet, and I left him bound to a tree, eating

rice and fish.

A party of the gentlemen landed near the head of the bay, hoping to

botanize without interruption; but a number of natives had collected

there, two of whom advanced, and sought to entice them into the wood by

explaining how many animals might be there shot. The gentlemen were aware

of the treachery, and soon thought it advisable to return to the boat;

upon which the natives closed in upon them, with poised spears and every

appearance of intended mischief. The pointing of muskets stopped their

forwardness for a moment; but they came on again, and a shot was fired at

each of the two foremost, which put them to flight, and they were not

seen afterwards; but the gentlemen thought it unsafe to proceed in their

occupation, and returned to the ship. Neither of the two natives dropped;

but the muskets being loaded with buck shot, it was supposed that one or

both, must have been wounded.

The second evening of Woga's captivity came, and there was no appearance

of the axe being restored; his detention, on the contrary, had caused

some annoyance to us, and mischief to his countrymen; and if persevered

in to the extent of carrying him away, might be an injury to those who

should come after us, especially to captain Baudin, whom we daily

expected to meet, according to what he had said at Port Jackson. Had the

consequences affected ourselves alone, the time of our departure was so

near that I should have been glad to have kept Woga; for he was a

sprightly lad, whom our treatment would soon have reconciled, and in any

future intercourse with his countrymen, as also in furnishing information

upon many interesting points, he might have been of service; but for the

above reason, and that it was not altogether just to do otherwise, I

determined to release the poor prisoner though the axe should not be

restored, and went to the tents for that purpose. Woga appeared to be a

little melancholy in his bondage, but upon the whole, had not fared

amiss, having been eating the greater part of the morning and afternoon.

He begged hard to be released, promising, with tears in his eyes, to

bring back the axe; and after giving him some clothing and presents, he

was suffered to depart. As far as two hundred yards, he walked away

leisurely; but then, looking firs behind him, took to his heels with all

his might, leaving us no faith in the fulfilment of his pathetic

promises.

At this time the holds were completed with water and wood, and on the

following morning [WEDNESDAY 9 FEBRUARY 1803] the last observations for

the time keepers were taken; after which the shore establishment was

embarked, and we prepared for sea. The botanists made an excursion upon

Point Middle, and pursued their researches without disturbance; and

neither Woga nor any of his countrymen were seen during the whole day.

It has been said, that an opening of a river-like form is laid down in

the Dutch chart, in the situation of this bay. No name is there given to

it; and as I conceive our examination to confer the right of bestowing

one, I have distinguished it by the title of CALEDON BAY, as a mark of

respect to the worthy nobleman, lately governor of the Cape of Good Hope,

after whom the mount on the south side was also named.

There is no other safe passage into the bay than that between the islands

in the entrance and Cape Grey; which cape is remarkable for the round

hummock on its extremity, and lies in latitude 13° 1' south, and

longitude 136° 42' east. The western branch of the bay appeared to be

shallow, and not well sheltered, so that I did not go up it to sound; but

in the eastern branch, which is near three miles wide, there is from 4 to

3 fathoms on blue mud, up to within three-quarters of a mile of a rocky

point at the head; and the rocks of Point Alexander may there be nearly,

if not altogether brought to shut on with those of Cape Grey. Wood for

fuel was plentiful every where, and there was no difficulty in procuring

water from the ponds and holes in the low, sandy land near the shore of

Point Alexander; but from May to December, I doubt whether they would not

all be dried up, as well as the small streams which descended from Mount

Caledon. Our success with the seine was very moderate, more sea slugs, or

what we called sea cucumbers from their shape, being brought on shore

than fish; these differed from what we had seen on the reefs of the East

Coast, in being of a more firm consistence, and of a light brown or grey,

instead of a black colour: when these slugs were pressed with the foot,

they threw out a stream of water to some distance.

The country round Caledon Bay, especially at the heads of the two

branches, is generally low land; Mount Caledon and the hills of the south

side are of granite, and this stone is found in some other parts; but at

Point Alexander the basis is a sand stone, more or less impregnated with

iron, and at Point Middle it is almost iron ore. A piece of this last

stone carried the needle of the theodolite entirely round; yet the

bearings taken from thence did not show any difference from those at

Mount Caledon, and from those upon Point Alexander, taken from a hillock

of sea sand, they did not differ more than half a degree.

So far as our examination went the soil is poor, being either sandy or

stony, with a small mixture in some places of vegetable earth;

notwithstanding which both the grass and wood were luxuriant, owing to

the abundance of rain which had lately fallen, and to the warmth of the

climate: in the dry season, I should judge the country would be almost

burnt up. The _casuarina_ was plentiful in the sandy places, and the

_eucalyptus_ amongst the rocks, where it reached a tolerable size; the

wild nutmeg was found upon Point Middle, and there alone; our apple, the

new species of _eugenia_, grew on Point Alexander and elsewhere, and also

a few other plants bearing small fruits of little use. Foot marks of the

kangaroo were seen in different places, but none of the animals, nor

indeed any quadruped; and birds seemed to be rare, both in the woods and

on the shores.

The natives of Caledon Bay are the same race of men as those of Port

Jackson and King George's Sound, places at nearly the two opposite

extremities of Terra Australis;* in personal appearance they were behind

some tribes we had seen, but the difference did not go beyond what a less

abundant supply of food might produce. All those who came to the tents

had lost the upper front tooth on the left side, whereas at Port Jackson

it is the right tooth which is knocked out at the age of puberty; whether

the women undergo the same operation, contrary to the usage at Port

Jackson, we had no opportunity of knowing, having seen only one female,

and that at a distance. This girl wore a small piece of bark, in guise of

a fig leaf, which was the sole approximation to clothing seen among them.

Above the elbow the men usually wore a bandage of net work, in which was

stuck a short piece of strong grass, called _tomo_, and used as a tooth

pick; but the most remarkable circumstance in their persons was, that the

whole of them appeared to have undergone the Jewish and Mahometan rite of

circumcision. The same thing was before noticed in a native of Isle

Woodah, and in two at Wellesley's Islands; it would seem, therefore, to

be general on the west side of the Gulph of Carpentaria; but with what

view it may be done, or whence the custom were received, it is not in my

power to state. No such practice was found on the South or East Coasts,

nor was it observed in the natives of the islands in Torres' Strait, who

however, go naked as the Australians.

[* In Van Diemen's Land, according to captain Cook and succeeding

visitors, and on the North-west Coast, according to Dampier, the

inhabitants have woolly hair; in which particular they are different from

the race above mentioned. Which of them may be aborigines can be only

conjectured, until the interior of the new continent shall be explored.]

No other weapons than spears were seen amongst these people; but they

were not unacquainted with bows and arrows. It is probable that they have

bark canoes, though none were seen, for several trees were found

stripped, as if for that purpose; yet when Bongaree made them a present

of the canoe brought from Blue-mud Bay, they expressed very little

pleasure at the gift, and did not seem to know how to repair it.

That this bay had before received the visits of some strangers, was

evinced by the knowledge which the natives had of fire arms; they

imitated the act of shooting when we first landed, and when a musket was

fired at their request, were not much alarmed. A quantity of posts was

lying near the water, which had been evidently cut with iron instruments;

and when we inquired of the inhabitants concerning them, they imitated

with their hands the motion of an axe cutting down a tree, and then

stopping, exclaimed _Poo!_ Whence we understood that the people who cut

the wood had fire arms. This was all that could be learned from the

natives; but from the bamboos and partitions of frame work found here,

similar to those at Pellew's Group, they were doubtless the same Asiatic

nation, if not the same individuals, of whom so many traces had been seen

all the way from the head of the gulph. The propensity shown by the

natives to steal, especially our axes, so contrary to all I have known

and heard of their countrymen, is not only a proof that they had been

previously visited by people possessing iron implements, but from their

audacity it would appear, that the effect of fire arms was either not

very certain in the hands of the strangers, or had seldom been resorted

to in the punishment of aggression; and from the circumstance of the

Indians bringing us a few berries, as a recompense for the last stolen

axe, it should seem that they had been accustomed to make very easy

atonements for their thefts. I have some hope that those who may follow

us will not be robbed, at least with so much effrontery; and at the same

time, that the inhabitants of Caledon Bay will not avoid, but be desirous

of further communication with Europeans.

I do not know that the language at any two parts of Terra Australis,

however near, has been found to be entirely the same; for even at Botany

Bay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, not only the dialect, but many words

are radically different;* and this confirms one part of an observation,

the truth of which seems to be generally admitted: that although

similarity of language in two nations proves their origin to be the same,

yet dissimilarity of language is no proof of the contrary position. The

language of Caledon Bay may therefore be totally different to what is

spoken on the East and South Coasts, and yet the inhabitants have one

common origin; but I do not think that the language is absolutely and

wholly different, though it certainly was no better understood by

Bongaree than by ourselves. In three instances I found a similarity: the

personal pronoun of Port Jackson, _gni-a_ (I), was used here, and

apparently in the same sense; when inquiry was made after the axe, the

natives replied "_Yehangeree py_," making signs of beating; and _py_

signifies to beat, in the Port-Jackson language; the third instance was

of the lad Woga calling to Bongaree in the boat, which after he had done

several times without being answered, he became angry, and exclaimed

_Bongaree-gah!_ in a vehement manner, as Bongaree himself would have done

in a similar case. For the following list of words I am principally

indebted to Mr. Brown, naturalist to the expedition; who remarked that

the word here for eye was very nearly the same with that used, both at

King George's Sound and Port Jackson, to express the same organ.

[* This multiplicity of tongues in the same country presents an

extraordinary contrast with the _islands_ in the Great Ocean, where, from

the Sandwich Isles near the northern tropic, to the furthest extremity of

New Zeeland in 47° south, the language is almost every where the same;

and with so little difference of dialect, that the several inhabitants

have not much difficulty to understand each other.]

[LIST OF ENGLISH WORDS AND THOSE USED BY THE PEOPLE AT CALEDON BAY

TO EXPRESS THE SAME IDEA.--not included in ebook.]

In collecting the words some errors may possibly have been made, either

from misunderstanding the natives or from their deceiving us

intentionally; for after the trick put upon Mons. Labillardière at the

Friendly Islands, in the words given him for the high numerals, they are

always to be suspected.

During the week we remained in Caledon Bay, the following astronomical

observations were taken.

_Latitude_ from three observations to the north and south, taken in a

boat astern of the ship and reduced to the tents on Point Alexander, 12°

47' 16" S.

_Longitude_ from twelve sets of distances of stars east and west of the

moon, taken on a stand by lieut. Flinders, and of which the individual

results are given in Table VI. of the Appendix No. I, 136° 35' 47.5" E.

The rates of the time keepers were found from morning's altitudes of the

sun in an artificial horizon, between Feb. 3 and 8; and the means, with

the errors from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the 9th, were as

under:

Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 41' 0.91" and losing 16.53" per day.

Earnshaw's No. 520, slow 2h 27' 19.55" and losing 30.83" per day.

No. 520 had been accidentally let down in Blue-mud Bay, whence its

longitude is not now noticed; that given by No. 543 on Feb. 3, with the

rate from Observation Island, was 136° 43' 3.5", or 7'16" greater than

the lunars. Were a rate used, equally accelerated from that of

Observation Island to what was found in Caledon Bay, the longitude would

be 0' 55" less than the lunars; but during the twelve days occupied in

circumnavigating Groote Eylandt, it was proved that this time keeper was

keeping its former rate, and consequently the acceleration cannot here be

admitted.

In constructing the chart of the coast and islands between Pellew's Group

and Caledon Bay, a time keeper was required only in laying down the south

and east sides of Groote Eylandt, and the main coast up to Cape Barrow;

in all the remaining parts the longitude was preserved by a connected

chain of bearings, mostly taken on shore. The time-keeper reckoning from

Observation Island, and that by survey worked back from the fixed point

in Caledon Bay, meet each other on Jan. 5 p.m. at Connexion Island; and

the difference was there found to be 2' 41", which the time keeper gave

more to the east. This may have arisen from Observation Island being laid

down in a longitude too great by that quantity, or Caledon Bay too

little, or from a small error in each; but the time keeper was not

thought entitled to such perfect confidence, as to cause an alteration to

be made in these stations. The difference of 2' 41" is therefore

corrected by applying -16.3" of longitude per day to the time keeper,

from Observation to Connexion Island; Groote Eylandt is laid down mostly

from the time keeper, with the fixed correction -2' 41" all round; and

from thence to Caledon Bay the chart is constructed from bearings and

observed latitudes.

The mean _dip_ of the south end of the needle, observed at the tents, was

36° 28'.

_Variation_ of the theodolite, 2° 20' E.

On board the ship, at anchor off the south-west side of the inner island

at the entrance, the variation from three compasses, with the head N. W.

by W., was 2° 26'; by the surveying compass alone, 2° 46' east, and this,

which I consider to be the best, would be, corrected, 1° 14' E.

At my different stations on shore, the variation seemed to be between 2°

and 2° 20' east; except on the north-east end of the outer island in the

entrance, where it appeared to be no more than 1° 30'.

The rise of _tide_ in Caledon Bay was so small, that nothing certain

could be determined on board, either upon the quantity or the time; but

it appeared from the observations of lieutenant Fowler at the tents, that

there were two tides in the day, the rise of which varied from 3 feet 10,

to 4 feet 10 inches; and that the time of high water took place at _nine

hours and a half after_ the moon passed over and under the meridian.

On board the ship, the range of the thermometer was from 83° to 87°,

nearly as it had been from first entering the Gulph of Carpentaria; and

on shore it was probably 10° higher. Several of our people were ill of

diarrhoeas at this time, accompanied with some fever, which was

attributed by the surgeon to the heat and the moist state of the

atmosphere; for since December, when the north-west monsoon began, not

many days had passed without rain, and thunder squalls were frequent.

Exposing the head uncovered to the sun, more especially if engaged in

strong exercise, was proved to be very dangerous here; I lost one man in

Blue-mud Bay from a want of due precaution in this particular, and at

this place two others very narrowly escaped. Musketoes were numerous and

exceedingly troublesome on shore, as also the black flies; but no

venemous reptiles were seen in our limited excursions round Caledon Bay.

The mercury in the barometer stood between 29.90 and 29.95 inches, in the

rainy weather with strong winds from the eastward; but with fine weather

and variable winds, more especially from the south and westward, it

descended to 29.80 inches.