CHAPTER IX.

Departure from Caledon Bay.

Cape Arnhem.

Melville Bay.

Cape Wilberforce, and Bromby's Isles.

The English Company's Islands: meeting there with vessels from Macassar.

Arnhem Bay.

The Wessel's Islands.

Further examination of the North Coast postponed.

Arrival at Coepang Bay, in Timor.

Remarks and astronomical observations.

[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.]

THURSDAY 10 FEBRUARY 1803

(Atlas, Plate XV.)

At daylight in the morning of Feb. 10, we sailed down Caledon Bay, and

steered eastward along the south side of the islands lying in the

entrance. In passing the outer island I landed with the botanical

gentlemen, and took bearings from a small elevation on its north-east

end, which materially assisted in fixing the positions of the northern

islets, and extending the survey onward along the coast.

Cape Grey, the hummock on it, bore S. 27° 13' W.

Mount Alexander, N. 11 45 W.

Furthest extreme northward, N. 13 43 E.

This outer island is nearly a mile long, E. by N. and W. by S., and

mostly destitute of wood; but one valley was thickly covered, and so

interlaced with vines as to be impenetrable. The latitude observed to the

north and south, at the sandy west point, was 12° 52' 59" south.

We re-joined the ship at one o'clock, and steered northward, without side

of the islets and rocks which lie scattered along the shore as far as

Mount Alexander. Amongst these are three near to each other, with

hummocks upon them, which, as in many points of view they seem to make

but one island, may probably have been meant by the northernmost of the

three isles in the Dutch chart.

The wind had been from the southward, but on closing in with the coast at

Mount Alexander it came from N. W. by N., and edged us off a little from

the land. At sunset the shore was three or four miles distant, and

Mount Alexander bore S. 53° W.

A hummock at the furthest extreme, N. 9 E.

We steered on till eight o'clock, and then anchored in 21 fathoms, blue

mud. At daylight [FRIDAY 11 FEBRUARY 1803], the shore was found to be

distant four or five miles; the furthest part then seen was near the

eastern extremity of Arnhem's Land, and this having no name in the Dutch

chart, is called CAPE ARNHEM.

Mount Alexander was set at S. 48° W.

Two rocks under the shore, dist. 5 or 6 miles, N. 15 W.

Cape Arnhem, rising land within the extremity, N. 11½ W.

From Mount Alexander to Cape Arnhem there is nine leagues of waving sandy

coast; it affords only one small opening, which is on the south side of a

cliffy point, with two islets lying off the entrance, and may probably

afford shelter for boats.

At eight in the morning we passed Cape Arnhem, a smooth grassy projection

which rises gently from the water's edge into the country, but is no

where of much elevation; a broad rock lies near the south-eastern

extremity, and its position was ascertained to be 12° 19' south, and 137°

1' east. Strong ripplings of a tide or current extended some distance off

the cape, and in passing through them we had irregular soundings between

27 and 18 fathoms; beyond Cape Arnhem the shore trended N. W. by N., in

rocky points and shallow bights, but the wind being from that direction,

we could not follow it closely. The furthest land visible at noon was a

flat-topped hill which I call _Mount Saunders_, and nearer to us was a

higher and more woody hill, also flat-topped and steep at its north end,

to which is given the name of _Mount Dundas_; their bearings, and our

position at this time were as under:

Latitude observed, 12° 12½'

Longitude from survey and time keeper, 137 2½

Mount Dundas, bluff north end, dist. 8 miles, S. 85 W.

Mount Saunders, north end, N. 84½ W.

Cape Arnhem, a rising within the extremity, S. 21 W.

We tacked to the westward in the afternoon, and an island came in sight,

lying to the north of the two mounts, with several rocks and islets

scattered on its north-east side. At sunset the wind died away, and a

stream anchor was dropped in 16 fathoms sandy ground; our situation being

five miles from the shore under Mount Dundas, and three from the nearest

rocky islets to the north-west. The flood tide set gently to the

westward, and induced me to suppose there might be a passage within the

island and rocks, and in the morning [SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY 1803] our

endeavours were used to reach it; but the winds being light and mostly

contrary, the evening came before we got through. An anchor was then

dropped in 4 fathoms, coarse sand, one mile and a half from the sandy

shore under Mount Saunders, and three miles from the south-west end of

the island. The passage is more than two miles wide, and our soundings in

working through it were between 4½ and 6 fathoms on a gravelly bottom;

but afterwards we had little more in some places than 3 fathoms.

[NORTH COAST. MELVILLE BAY.]

Two natives, with a canoe, had been seen upon the island; and as our boat

stood that way, sounding ahead of the ship, they waved and called to the

people. The island is about five miles long, and between one and two in

breadth; it is low, mostly destitute of wood, and the shores in general

are sandy; and not being laid down in the Dutch chart, I distinguish it,

with the islets and rocks to the north and north-east, by the name of

_Melville Isles_: the south end which forms the passage, lies in 12° 8½'

south, and 136° 52' east. In the opposite shore, between Mount Saunders

and Dundas, is a sandy bight where ships would be sheltered from all

winds except those at north-east, if the water be deep enough for them.

The trees upon the hills showed a dark-green foliage; but the low land,

especially under Mount Saunders, was sandy and barren, and so continued

for seven miles westward, to a low point near a woody islet. Further on,

the coast took a northern direction, and was seen from the mast head as

far as N. N. W.; but no other part could be set from the deck than the

highest of several eminences on the back land, named _Mount Bonner_,

which proved to be an useful mark in the survey. The bearings taken at

this anchorage were principally these:

Mount Dundas, bluff north end, S. 54° E.

Woody islet, near a western sandy point, S. 62 W.

Mount Bonner, N. 82 W.

Melville Isles, the northernmost, N. 13 E.

Melville Isles, the largest, N. 83° E. to East.

SUNDAY 13 FEBRUARY 1803

In the morning we steered westward, with a light air of wind at south and

a flood tide in our favour; and having passed over some ripplings near

the anchorage, our soundings became regular, increasing from 7 to 12

fathoms. On a breeze setting in at north-west, the course was directed

towards a bight behind the woody islet; and a little before noon its

appearance became so promising, that I steered into it before the wind.

In passing the islet and sandy point we had from 10 to 7 fathoms, in an

opening of four miles wide; and a bay of considerable extent then lay

before us. In the middle of the bay were three rocks, and to the

north-east of them a headland, beyond which the water extended eastward;

we steered to pass between these till the depth diminished to 4 fathoms,

when we tacked and let go the anchor in the north-eastern part of the

bay, in 5 fathoms, muddy bottom; the sandy point at the entrance bore W.

by N., one mile and a quarter, and the largest of some granitic rocks in

front of the beach, N. by W. half a mile.

A boat was sent to haul the seine on the beach, and I went there with the

botanical gentlemen. The depth was 5 fathoms close to the shore, even

within the rocks; and the ship might have been placed there in perfect

security, though the room was scarcely sufficient to allow of swinging at

single anchor. I called the largest of the rocks which form the

south-east side of this snug little place, _Harbour Rock_; and the sandy

point at the entrance of the bay is named _Point Dundas_. After the seine

had been hauled with good success, I walked to the extremity of the

point; and from a hillock of sand a little way back, took a set of

bearings to commence the survey, in which was included the bluff north

end of Mount Saunders at N. 74° 55' E. Many foot-marks of men, dogs, and

small kangaroos were observed on the beach., but neither natives nor

quadrupeds were seen.

MONDAY 14 FEBRUARY 1803

Early next morning a party of men was sent to cut wood, and the botanical

gentlemen landed on Point Dundas upon their pursuits; I went to examine

the north-eastern part of the bay, where the water extended two miles

above the ship; but the depth in it presently diminished to 2½ fathoms,

and to 1 near the end. Beyond a low isthmus there, a piece of water was

seen communicating with the south-eastern part of the bay, and making a

peninsula of the high rocky land named _Drimmie Head_; at high water,

indeed, it is an island, for the tide then flows over some parts of the

isthmus. After taking two sets of bearings, I rowed southward along the

shore of Drimmie Head; and from a hill near the south-west extremity

obtained a good view of the bay, and saw the western coast as far

northward as a cliffy cape which was named after _William Wilberforce_,

Esq., the worthy representative of Yorkshire. The principal bearings from

hence were,

Car. e Wilberforce, highest part, N. 25° 40' W.

Mount Bonner, N. 51 55 W.

Point Dundas, distant 2 miles, N. 52 30 W.

Leaving Drimmie Head, I steered over to the middlemost of the three rocks

in the bay, with a depth of water from 3 to 6½ fathoms, on muddy ground.

These rocks lie nearly due south from Point Dundas, and I proposed to

observe the latitude on both sides from thence, whilst lieutenant

Flinders did the same at the point, that a base line for the survey might

be obtained from the difference; but the difficulty of finding a

convenient position disappointed me, and no satisfactory base was

obtained here; so that the extent of this bay in the chart is rather

uncertain.

My course from the three rocks was directed S. S. E., for the south side

of the bay; the distance was three miles, and the depth for half the way

from 5 to 3 fathoms, but afterwards shoal. Upon some low cliffs there,

partly composed of pipe clay, a few bearings were taken; and after

walking a little way inland, to examine the country, I rowed back to a

small island near the south extremity of Drimmie Head, with soundings

mostly between 3 and 6½ fathoms; but there is no ship passage between it

and the head. Having taken some additional bearings and looked over the

islet, I returned on board in the evening; passing in the way near a

rock, dry at half tide, but round which, at a ship's length, there is 2½

to 3 fathoms.

TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 1803

Some further bearings and observations were taken on the 15th, and my

intention to sail on the following morning being frustrated by a fresh

wind at north-west, with unsettled weather, Messieurs Brown and Bauer

accompanied me [WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 1803] in a boat excursion to the

eastern part of the bay. We first landed at the islet near Drimmie Head,

that Mr. Brown might examine its mineralogy; and then steered three miles

eastward for a low projection covered with mangroves, growing on rocks of

strongly impregnated iron stone. Coasting along the mangrove shore from

thence northward, and after landing at one other place, we came to the

isthmus which connects Drimmie Head to the land of Point Dundas; and it

being near high water, the boat was got over the isthmus by a small

passage through the mangroves, and we reached the ship at one o'clock,

where every thing was prepared for weighing the anchor.

This bay is unnoticed in the Dutch chart, and I name it MELVILLE BAY, in

compliment to the Right Hon. Robert Saunders Dundas, viscount Melville,

who, as first lord of the Admiralty, has continued that patronage to the

voyage which it had experienced under some of his predecessors. It is the

best harbour we found in the Gulph of Carpentaria; the entrance is from

the N. N. W., four miles wide, and free from danger; and within side, the

sole dangers not conspicuous, are a sandy spit running half a mile to the

S. S. E. from Point Dundas, and the _Half-tide Rock_. This lies half a

mile from the north-west part of Drimmie Head, and bears (true as usual),

From the sandy hillock within Point Dundas, S. 48° 35' E.

From Harbour Rock, S. 10 39 E.

Melville Bay every where affords good holding ground, the bottom being

either mud or sand; and there is depth for a ship to run between the

three rocks in the middle of the bay and Drimmie Head, and steer eastward

until the head is brought to bear N. N. W., at the distance of one or two

miles; but the most convenient anchorage is just within the entrance,

between Point Dundas and Harbour Rock, where a ship may lie close to the

sandy beach in from 3 to 5 fathoms. Even within the rock there is depth

enough; and were moorings laid down, four or five sail might swing there

in perfect security. We obtained here fire wood, and a tolerable supply

of fish; and had water been wanted, it might have been obtained by

digging at the foot of the small hills to the north-east of Harbour Rock,

since a hole made there by the natives was found to contain good water.

The stone on the north side of Melville Bay is a granitic composition of

quartz, mica, and coarse garnets; the garnets are large, and give the

stone a plum-pudding-like appearance, and when polished, it would be

beautiful: over the granite is a crust of calcareous rock in many places.

On the south side of the bay the stone is argillaceous, but frequently

mixed with ferruginous grains; and on the south-east side the rocks are

of iron ore, of which a small piece drew the needle of my theodolite 8°

from the meridian. The bearings taken here were found to have been 50°

wrong; but too late to ascertain whether the error arose from the

attraction of the shore, or from the needle having been placed at 310° by

mistake, instead of 360°.

There did not appear to be any rich soil on the borders of the bay; but

on the south and eastern sides the country was covered with an agreeable

intermixture of grass and trees, and better adapted for cattle than any I

have seen in so low a latitude. The soil, though not deep, would produce

most things suited to the climate; for the heat and moisture do so much

for vegetation, that very little earth seems necessary to its support. On

the south side the trees are mostly different species of _eucalyptus_,

growing tall and straight, though not large; whereas on the sandy parts

of Point Dundas, a _casuarina_, of the same species as seen at Coen River

and other parts of the gulph, was most abundant, and served us for fuel.

A _santalum_, more nearly allied to the true sandel wood than any before

seen in this country, was found on the borders of the bay.

No inhabitants were perceived, nor any fresh traces of them; but as dogs

were seen twice, it is probable the natives were watching us at no great

distance; they had visited all the places where I landed, and should

therefore seem to possess canoes. Traces of the same strangers, of whom

mention has been so often made, were found here; and amongst others were

partitions of frame work and part of a large earthen jar. Kangaroos

appeared to be rather numerous in the woods, brown doves and large white

pigeons were tolerably plentiful, and a bird nearly black, of the size

and appearance of a hen, was shot; there were also cockatoos, both black

and white, and a beautiful species of paroquet not known at Port Jackson.

The aquatic birds were blue and white cranes, sea-pies, and sand-larks.

Besides fish, our seine usually brought on shore many of the grey slugs

or sea cucumbers, but not so abundantly as in Caledon Bay.

We were not here pestered so much with the black flies as before; but the

musketoes and sand flies were numerous and fierce. Most of the bushes

contained nests made by a small green ant; and if the bush were

disturbed, these resentful little animals came out in squadrons, and

never ceased to pursue till the disturber was out of sight. In forcing

our way amongst the underwood, we sometimes got our hair and clothes

filled with them; and as their bite is very sharp, and their vengeance

never satisfied, there was no other resource than stripping as

expeditiously as possible.

The sun was at this time very near the zenith, which not only prevented

the latitude from being observed in the artificial horizon, but rendered

the observations from the sea horizon, to the north and south at the same

noon, liable to inaccuracies; and in consequence, our positions in this

neighbourhood may not be very correct.

The _latitude_ of Point Dundas, from one double observation, was 12° 13'

50"; but from the bearing of Mount Saunders, it is taken to be 12° 13' 0"

S.

_Longitude_ by survey from Caledon Bay, being 1' greater than by time

keepers,136° 41' 40" E.

_Variation_ of the theodolite on Harbour Rock,1° 13' east.

And except in the doubtful instance of the iron-stone shore on the

south-east side of the bay, the bearings in other parts did not differ

more than 20' from it.

The greatest rise of _tide_ here, according to the marks on shore, did

not seem to have exceeded eight feet. High water took place nearly five

hours before, and _seven hours after_ the moon's passage over the

meridian; which is nearly two hours and a half earlier than in Caledon

Bay, as that is earlier than in Blue-mud Bay, further south in the gulph.

[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.]

WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 1803

At two in the afternoon of the 16th, the wind being moderate at N. N. W.,

we worked out of Melville Bay; and anchored at dusk, five miles from the

entrance in 13 fathoms, sand and mud. Next morning [THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY

1803], in following the line of the western shore with a breeze off the

land, we passed three rocks lying out from a point under Mount Bonner;

and further on, six or seven miles short of Cape Wilberforce, there was a

small shallow opening. From the north part of this cliffy cape, a chain

of islands and rocks extends out three or four leagues to the E. N. E.,

which I call _Bromby's Isles_, after my worthy friend the Rev. John

Bromby of Hull. One of these is cliffy, and two miles long; the rest are

smaller, and the whole seemed to be connected by rocks under water; but

between Cape Wilberforce and the nearest islet was a space three-quarters

of a mile wide, towards which we worked up against a fresh wind at W. N.

W. At noon, the two cliffy parts of the cape bore S. ¼ E. and W. ¼ N.,

from one to two miles; and the latter, which is the north extremity, was

ascertained to lie in 11° 52' south, and 136° 33' east.

At this time the weather became squally with much rain; but after

numberless tacks, made under double-reefed top sails and courses in the

narrow passage, with soundings from 10 to 18 fathoms, we cleared it at

two o'clock, and stretched southwestward as the main coast was found to

trend; and thus was the examination of the Gulph of Carpentaria finished,

after employing one hundred and five days in coasting along its shores

and exploring its bays and islands. The extent of the Gulph in longitude,

from Endeavour's Strait to Cape Wilberforce, is 5½° and in latitude 7°;

and the circuit, excluding the numerous islands and the openings, is

little less than four hundred leagues. It will be remarked that the form

of it, given in the old charts, is not very erroneous, which proves it to

have been the result of a real examination; but as no particulars were

known of the discovery of the south and western parts, not even the name

of the author, though opinion ascribed it with reason to Tasman, so the

chart was considered as little better than a representation of fairy

land, and did not obtain the credit which it was now proved to have

merited. Henceforward, the Gulph of Carpentaria will take its station

amongst the conspicuous parts of the globe in a decided character.

[NORTH COAST. ENGLISH COMPANY'S ISLANDS.]

After clearing the narrow passage between Cape Wilberforce and Bromby's

Isles, we followed the main coast to the S. W.; having on the starbord

hand some high and large islands, which closed in towards the coast ahead

so as to make it doubtful whether there were any passage between them.

Under the nearest island was perceived a canoe full of men; and in a sort

of roadsted, at the south end of the same island, there were six vessels

covered over like hulks, as if laid up for the bad season. Our

conjectures were various as to who those people could be, and what their

business here; but we had little doubt of their being the same, whose

traces had been found so abundantly in the Gulph. I had inclined to the

opinion that these traces had been left by Chinese, and the report of the

natives in Caledon Bay that they had fire arms, strengthened the

supposition; and combining this with the appearance of the vessels, I set

them down for piratical Ladrones who secreted themselves here from

pursuit, and issued out as the season permitted, or prey invited them.

Impressed with this idea, we tacked to work up for the road; and our

pendant and ensign being hoisted, each of them hung out a small white

flag. On approaching, I sent lieutenant Flinders in an armed boat, to

learn who they were; and soon afterward we came to an anchor in 12

fathoms, within musket shot; having a spring on the cable, and all hands

at quarters.

Every motion in the whale boat, and in the vessel along-side which she

was lying, was closely watched with our glasses, but all seemed to pass

quietly; and on the return of lieutenant Flinders, we learned that they

were prows from Macassar, and the six Malay commanders shortly afterwards

came on board in a canoe. It happened fortunately that my cook was a

Malay, and through his means I was able to communicate with them. The

chief of the six prows was a short, elderly man, named _Pobassoo_; he

said there were upon the coast, in different divisions, sixty prows, and

that _Salloo_ was the commander in chief. These people were Mahometans,

and on looking into the launch, expressed great horror to see hogs there;

nevertheless they had no objection to port wine, and even requested a

bottle to carry away with them at sunset.

The weather continued squally all night, with frequent heavy rain, and

the wind blew strong; but coming off the islands, the ship rode easily.

In the morning [FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY 1803], I went on board Pobassoo's

vessel, with two of the gentlemen and my interpreter, to make further

inquiries; and afterwards the six chiefs came to the Investigator, and

several canoes were along-side for the purpose of barter. Before noon,

five other prows steered into the road from the S. W., anchoring near the

former six; and we had more people about the ship than I chose to admit

on board, for each of them wore a short dagger or cress by his side. My

people were under arms, and the guns were exercised and a shot fired at

the request of the chiefs; in the evening they all retired quietly, but

our guns were kept ready and half the people at quarters all night. The

weather was very rainy; and towards morning [SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY 1803],

much noise was heard amongst the prows. At daylight they got under sail,

and steered through the narrow passage between Cape Wilberforce and

Bromby's Isles, by which we had come; and afterwards directed their

course south-eastward into the Gulph of Carpentaria.

My desire to learn every thing concerning these people, and the strict

look-out which it had been necessary to keep upon them, prevented me

attending to any other business during their stay. According to Pobassoo,

from whom my information was principally obtained, sixty prows belonging

to the Rajah of Boni, and carrying one thousand men, had left Macassar

with the north-west monsoon, two months before, upon an expedition to

this coast; and the fleet was then lying in different places to the

westward, five or six together, Pobasso's division being the foremost.

These prows seemed to be about twenty-five tons, and to have twenty or

twenty-five men in each; that of Pobassoo carried two small brass guns,

obtained from the Dutch, but the others had only muskets; besides which,

every Malay wears a cress or dagger, either secretly or openly. I

inquired after bows and arrows, and the _ippo_ poison, but they had none

of them; and it was with difficulty they could understand what was meant

by the _ippo_.

The object of their expedition was a certain marine animal, called

_trepang_. Of this they gave me two dried specimens; and it proved to be

the _beche-de-mer_, or sea cucumber which we had first seen on the reefs

of the East Coast, and had afterwards hauled on shore so plentifully with

the seine, especially in Caledon Bay. They get the _trepang_ by diving,

in from 3 to 8 fathoms water; and where it is abundant, a man will bring

up eight or ten at a time. The mode of preserving it is this: the animal

is split down one side, boiled, and pressed with a weight of stones; then

stretched open by slips of bamboo, dried in the sun, and afterwards in

smoke, when it is fit to be put away in bags, but requires frequent

exposure to the sun. A thousand trepang make a _picol_, of about 125

Dutch pounds; and one hundred picols are a cargo for a prow. It is

carried to Timor, and sold to the Chinese, who meet them there; and when

all the prows are assembled, the fleet returns to Macassar. By Timor,

seemed to be meant Timor-laoet; for when I inquired concerning the

English, Dutch, and Portuguese there, Pobassoo knew nothing of them: he

had heard of Coepang, a Dutch settlement, but said it was upon another

island.

There are two kinds of trepang. The black, called _baatoo_, is sold to

the Chinese for forty dollars the picol; the white, or grey, called

_koro_, is worth no more than twenty. The _baatoo_ seems to be what we

found upon the coral reefs near the Northumberland Islands; and were a

colony established in Broad Sound or Shoalwater Bay, it might perhaps

derive considerable advantage from the trepang. In the Gulph of

Carpentaria, we did not observe any other than the _koro_, or grey slug.

Pobassoo had made six or seven voyages from Macassar to this coast,

within the preceding twenty years, and he was one of the first who came;

but had never seen any ship here before. This road was the first

rendezvous for his division, to take in water previously to going into

the Gulph. One of their prows had been lost the year before, and much

inquiry was made concerning the pieces of wreck we had seen; and a

canoe's rudder being produced, it was recognised as having belonged to

her. They sometimes had skirmishes with the native inhabitants of the

coast; Pobassoo himself had been formerly speared in the knee, and a man

had been slightly wounded since their arrival in this road: they

cautioned us much to beware of the natives.*

[* A question suggests itself here: Could the natives of the west side of

the Gulph of Carpentaria have learned the rite of circumcision from these

Malay Mahometans? From the short period that the latter had frequented

the coast, and the nature of the intercourse between the two people, it

seems to me very little probable.]

They had no knowledge of any European settlement in this country; and on

learning the name Port Jackson, the son of Pobassoo made a memorandum of

it as thus, (foreign characters), writing from left to right. Until this

time, that some nutmegs were shown to them, they did not know of their

being produced here; nor had they ever met with cocoa nuts, bananas, or

other edible fruits or vegetables; fish, and sometimes turtle, being all

they procured. I inquired if they knew of any rivers or openings leading

far inland, if they made charts of what they saw, or used any charts? To

all which Pobassoo answered in the negative. There was a river at Timor,

into which the ship could go; and he informed me of two turtle islands,

one of them not far to the north-west of our situation in the road; the

other would be seen from the mast head as we sailed along the shore.

I could find no other nautical instrument amongst them than a very small

pocket compass, apparently of Dutch manufacture; by this their course is

directed at sea, without the aid of any chart or astronomical

observation. They carry a month's water, in joints of bamboo; and their

food is rice, cocoa nuts, and dried fish, with a few fowls for the

chiefs. The black _gummotoo_ rope, of which we had found pieces at Sir

Edward Pellew's Group, was in use on board the prows; and they said it

was made from the same palm whence the sweet syrup, called _gulah_, is

obtained.

My numberless questions were answered patiently, and with apparent

sincerity; Pobassoo even stopped one day longer at my desire, than he had

intended, for the north-west monsoon, he said, would not blow quite a

month longer, and he was rather late. I rewarded his trouble and that of

his companions with several presents, principally iron tools, which they

seemed anxious to possess; and he begged of me an English jack, which he

afterwards carried at the head of his squadron. He also expressed a

desire for a letter, to show to any other ship he might meet; and I

accordingly wrote him a note to captain Baudin, whom it seemed probable

he might encounter in the Gulph, either going or returning.

So soon as the prows were gone, the botanical gentlemen and myself

proceeded to make our examinations. The place where the ship was

anchored, and which I call _Malay Road_, is formed by two islands: one to

the S. W.. now named _Pobassoo's Island_, upon which was a stream of

fresh water behind a beach; the other to the north, named _Cotton's

Island_, after captain Cotton of the India directory. The opening between

them is nearly half a mile wide; but the water being shallow, the road is

well sheltered on the west side, and the opposite main coast lies not

further off to the east than three miles; so that N. E. is the sole

quarter whence much swell can come. I landed upon Cotton's Island; and

ascending a high cliff at the south-east end, saw Mount Saunders and the

northernmost Melville Isle over the land of Cape Wilberforce. Cotton's

Island extends six or seven miles to the north. and beyond it, to the

north-east, was another large island, which I called _Wigram's_, whose

south-east part is also a high cliff. Further off were two small isles;

and at a greater distance another, named _Truant Island_, from its lying

away from the rest. Pobassoo's Island intercepted my view to the S. W.;

but on moving back to a higher station, two other islands were seen over

it, close to each other; to the furthest and largest I gave the name of

_Inglis_, and to the nearer that of _Bosanquet_. In the west also, and

not more than three miles distant, was an island of considerable size,

which was distinguished by the name of _Astell_. The general trending of

all these islands is nearly N. E. by E., parallel with the line of the

main coast and of Bromby's Isles. In the Dutch chart, if they be marked

at all, it is as main land, and without distinctive appellation; I have

therefore applied names to each, mostly after gentlemen in the East-India

directory; and in compliment to that respectable body of men, whose

liberal attention to this voyage was useful to us and honourable to them,

the whole cluster is named the ENGLISH COMPANY'S ISLANDS.

Amongst the bearings taken from the south-eastern cliff of Cotton's

Island, the following were most essential to the survey.

Ship at anchor, distant 1¼ miles, S. 41° 50' W.

Mount Bonner, S. 21 12 E.

Mount Saunders, north end, S. 47 52 E.

Cape Wilberforce, N. W. cliff, N. 74 15 E.

Bromby's Isles, the largest, N. 66° 39' to 69 39 E.

Wigram's Island, N. 41 45 to 15 40 E.

Moved S. 52½° W. one-third mile.

Furthest part of the main land, S. 49 5 W.

Inglis' Island, N. E. cliff, S. 53 30 W.

Bosanquet's I., N. W. extreme S. 69 5 W.

The Dutch chart contains an island of great extent, lying off this part

of the North Coast; it has no name in Thevenot, but in some authors bears

that of Wessel's or Wezel's Eylandt, probably from the vessel which

discovered Arnhem's Land in 1636; and from the south end of Cotton's

Island distant land was seen to the N. W, which I judged to be a part of

it; but no bearings could be taken at this time, from the heavy clouds

and rain by which it was obscured.

From the 19th to the 22nd, the weather was frequently rainy, with thunder

and lightning; and the wind blew strong in squalls, generally between the

north and west, and made it unsafe to move the ship. During these days,

the botanical gentlemen over-ran the two islands which form Malay Road;

and I made a boat excursion to Astell's, and another to the north end of

Cotton's Island, to sound and take bearings for the survey. In the latter

excursion [TUESDAY 22 FEBRUARY 1803], three black children were perceived

on the north-east beach; and on walking that way we saw two bark huts,

and an elderly man was sitting under a tree, near them. He smiled on

finding himself discovered, and went behind a bush, when a confused noise

was heard of women and children making off into the wood; the man also

retreated up the hill, and our friendly signs were ineffectual to stop

him. In one of the huts was a net bag, containing some pieces of gum,

bone, and a broken spike nail; and against a neighbouring bush were

standing three spears, one of which had a number of barbs, and had been

wrought with some ingenuity. This I took away; but the rest of the arms,

with the utensils and furniture of the huts, consisting of the aforesaid

net bag and a shell to drink out of, were left as we found them, with the

addition of a hatchet and pocket handkerchief.

Cotton's, Pobassoo's, and Astell's Islands, to which our examinations

were limited, are moderately high, woody land; they slope down nearly to

the water on their west sides, but on the east, and more especially the

south-east, they present steep cliffs; and the same conformation seemed

to prevail in the other islands. The stone of the upper parts is grit or

sandstone, of a close texture; but the lower part of the cliffs is

argillaceous and stratified, splitting in layers of different

thicknesses, from that of a shilling to two or three feet; and the strata

dip to the westward, about 15°. On breaking some pieces out of the

cliffs, I found them curiously marked with the representation of flowers

and trees, owing, as I am told, to manganese or iron ore inserting itself

partially into the fissures. The layers are of a reddish colour,

resembling flat tiles, and might, I conceive, be used as such, almost

without any preparation; there are enough of them to cover a whole town,

and the sand stone at the top of the cliffs is equally well calculated

for building the walls of the houses.

The upper surfaces of these islands are barren; but in the vallies, down

which ran streams of water at this time, there is a tolerable soil. One

of these vallies, at the south end of Cotton's Island, might be made a

delightful situation to a college of monks, who could bear the heat of

the climate, and were impenetrable to the stings of musketoes. Here grew

the wild nutmeg, in abundance, the fig which bears its fruit on the stem,

two species of palm, and a tree whose bark is in common use in the East

for making ropes; besides a variety of others, whose tops were overspread

with creeping vines, forming a shade to the stream underneath. But this

apparently delightful retreat afforded any thing rather than coolness and

tranquillity: the heat was suffocating, and the musketoes admitted not of

a moment's repose.

Upon Pobassoo's Island, near the stream of water at the back of the

beach, Mr. Good, the gardener, planted four of the cocoa nuts procured

from the Malays; and also some remnants of potatoes which were found in

the ship.

The _latitude_ of Malay Road, from two not very satisfactory

observations, was 11° 53¾' S.

_Longitude_ by the survey from Caledon Bay 136° 27' E.

From observations made on shore in the artificial horizon, the

time-keeper No. 520 was differing from its Caledon-Bay rate, 15.4" of

longitude per day, to the east, but No. 543 only 9.8"; and when the

longitude of this last is corrected by the proportion afterwards found

necessary, it will agree with the survey to less than half a mile.

No observations were taken for the _variation_ of the compass, but I

judge it to have been about 1° east, when not affected by any local

attraction. Near the north-east end of Cotton's Island, and at the

south-west point, the variation was 2° _more east_ than upon the

south-east head; as if the south end of the island attracted the north

point, and the north end the south point of the needle.

On the day of the new moon, a particular observation was made upon the

tide in Malay Road; and it was high water at ten minutes past eight in

the morning, or nearly _eight hours and a quarter after_ the moon had

passed the lower meridian; and the rise was ten feet two inches. There

were two tides in the day; but from the swinging of the ship in the road,

it appeared that the last of the ebb, as well as the whole of the flood,

came from the N. E.; an irregularity which might be caused by the shallow

passage between the two islands.

WEDNESDAY 23 FEBRUARY 1803

The weather was still squally on the 23rd, but in the afternoon became

finer; and at three o'clock we steered south-westward, between the

islands and the main, with a flood-tide in our favour and the whale boat

sounding ahead. All the points of the main coast, like the western sides

of the islands, are low and rocky, and they are bordered with reef; but

we had tolerably good soundings, from 20 to 7 fathoms, in passing along

them at the distance of a mile. At dusk in the evening we came to, in 5

fathoms muddy ground, in a place much like Malay Road; it is formed by

Inglis' and Bosanquet's Islands, and except in a space between them, of

half a mile wide, we had land at various distances all round.

Inglis' Island forms here a pretty looking cove, in which is a woody

islet. In the morning [THURSDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1803] I sounded the cove; and

finding it to be shallow, went on, accompanied by the landscape painter,

to take bearings from the steep north-east head of the island. From

thence the main coast was visible four leagues further, extending in the

same south-western direction; at the end of it was an island of

considerable elevation, which I named _Mallison's Island_, and west of it

another, with land running at the back. The bearings which most served

to prolong the survey, were these:

Pobassoo's I., east cliff, in a line with Malay Road, N. 55° 0' E.

Moved back S. 53° W. ¼ mile.

Mallison's I., steep south-east head, S. 38 25 W.

Mallison's I., outer of two rocks on the north-west side, S. 48 47 W.

We had not brought any provision in the boat; but Inglis' Island

appearing to terminate three or four miles further on, I hoped to make

the circuit, and reach the ship to a late dinner. An Indian followed

along the shore, inviting us by signs to land; but when the boat's head

was turned that way, he retreated into the wood, and we had no time to

follow, or to wait his pleasure to come down; for a good deal of delay

had been caused by the tide, and the island was found to extend several

miles further than was expected, to another steep head, from which I was

desirous to obtain a set of bearings. At five o'clock, when we reached

the head, it rained fast, which deterred me from attempting the steep

ascent, and we pushed onward; but the island, instead of terminating

here, extended four miles further in a west direction, to a low point,

where sunset and the bad weather obliged us to stop for the night. No

wood could be found to make a fire, nor had we any tent; and from the

rain, the cold, and musketoes, and our want of dinner, the night passed

uncomfortably.

FRIDAY 25 FEBRUARY 1803

At day-light, I took bearings from the low south-west point, whilst

Bongaree speared a few fish.

Mallison's I., the high south-east head, bore S. 11° 10' E.

Mallison's I., west extreme S. 11 30 W.

A probable island, dist. 5 miles, S. 47° 50' W. to West.

The main coast was close at the back of, and perhaps joined the Probable

Island; and to the south of it were other lands, apparently insulated,

between which and Mallison's Island was an opening of four miles wide,

which I marked for our next anchorage.

Bongaree was busily employed preparing his fish, when my bearings were

concluded. The natives of Port Jackson have a prejudice against all fish

of the ray kind, as well as against sharks; and whilst they devour with

eager avidity the blubber of a whale or porpoise, a piece of skate would

excite disgust. Our good natured Indian had been ridiculed by the sailors

for this unaccountable whim, but he had not been cured; and it so

happened, that the fish he had speared this morning were three small rays

and a mullet. This last, being the most delicate, he presented to Mr.

Westall and me, so soon as it was cooked; and then went to saunter by the

water side, whilst the boats' crew should cook and eat the rays,

although, having had nothing since the morning before, it may be supposed

he did not want appetite. I noticed this in silence till the whole were

prepared, and then had him called up to take his portion of the mullet;

but it was with much difficulty that his modesty and forbearance could be

overcome, for these qualities, so seldom expected in a savage, formed

leading features in the character of my humble friend. But there was one

of the sailors also, who preferred hunger to ray-eating! It might be

supposed he had an eye to the mullet; but this was not the case. He had

been seven or eight years with me, mostly in New South Wales, had learned

many of the native habits, and even imbibed this ridiculous notion

respecting rays and sharks; though he could not allege, as Bongaree did,

that "they might be very good for white men, but would kill him." The

mullet accordingly underwent a further division; and Mr. Westall and

myself, having no prejudice against rays, made up our proportion of this

scanty repast from one of them.

We rowed northward, round the west end of Inglis' Island, leaving a

hummocky isle and a sandy islet to the left; but on coming to a low point

with a small island near it, the rapidity of the flood tide was such,

that we could not make head way, and were obliged to wait for high water.

I took the opportunity to get another set of bearings, and then followed

the example of the boat's crew, who, not finding oysters or any thing to

eat, had fallen asleep on the beach to forget the want of food.

It was high water at eleven o'clock, and we then passed between the islet

and sandy point, and across two rather deep bights in Inglis' Island; and

leaving three rocks and as many small islands on the left hand, entered

the passage to the west of the ship, and got on board at two in the

afternoon.

This island is twelve miles long, by a varying breadth of one to three

miles. Its cliffs and productions are much the same as those of Cotton's

Island; but in the south-eastern part it is higher, and the size and

foliage of the wood announced more fertility in the soil.

The construction of my chart, and taking bearings from the north end of

Bosanquet's Island, occupied me the next day [SATURDAY 26 FEBRUARY 1803];

astronomical observations were also taken; and it appeared that the

cliffy east end of Bosanquet's Island, a mile north of the anchorage, was

in 11° 57 1/3' south, and 136° 19' east. According to the swinging of the

ship in the evenings, the flood tide ceased to run at eight hours and a

half after the moon passed the upper meridian, whereas in the mornings it

ceased seven hours and a half after the moon passed below; whether the

same difference took place in the times of high water by the shore, I

cannot tell; but if the mean of the morning's and evening's tides be

taken as the time of high water, it will follow _eight hours after_ the

moon, the same nearly as in Malay Road.

[NORTH COAST. ARNHEM BAY.]

SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY 1803

In the morning of the 27th, we steered south-westward between Inglis'

Island and the main, to explore the opening on the west side of

Mallison's Island. The tide, which was in our favour, so stirred up the

soft mud, that we did not perceive a shoal until from 4½, the depth

diminished to 2¼ fathoms, and the ship stuck fast. This was at less than

a mile from the north-east head of Inglis' Island, yet the deepest water

lay within; and towards noon, by carrying out a stream anchor, we got

there into 10 fathoms, without having suffered any apparent injury. On

the approach of low water next morning [MONDAY 28 FEBRUARY 1803], we

resumed our course, keeping nearly midway between the main coast and the

island, with soundings from 13 to 7 fathoms, muddy ground; the shores are

above two miles asunder, but the reefs from each side occupy more than

half of the open space. On clearing the south end of the passage, the

boat ahead made signal for 4 fathoms, and we tacked, but afterwards

followed till noon; heavy rain then came on, and the wind dying away, an

anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms.

There was a rippling not far from the ship, and the master found it to be

on a narrow shoal extending north and south, which seems to have been

formed in the eddy of the tides. We got under way, on a breeze from N. W.

bringing finer weather; and at two o'clock passed over the shoal with

soundings twice in 3 fathoms, and afterwards in 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14. The

bearings taken in 3 fathoms were,

Inglis' Island, north-east head, N. 50° E.

Inglis' Island, low south-west point, N. 15 W.

Mallison's I., high south-east head, S. 3 E.

At six o'clock we entered the opening, and steered south-eastward into a

vast piece of water where the land could not be seen from the mast head;

and the soundings were deep, though irregular, varying from 11 to 33

fathoms. At half past eight, being well within the opening, we tacked

towards Mallison's Island, and came to an anchor in 15 fathoms, sand and

shells.

TUESDAY 1 MARCH 1803

In the morning, our distance from the south side of the island was found

to be something above a mile, and the extremes bore N. 64° W. to 39° E.

In going to the shore with a party of the gentlemen I carried a good

depth all the way, there being 5 fathoms within a few yards of a little

beach where a stream of fresh water descended from the hills. A first

view of the cliffs led me to think they contained coals; but this

appearance arose from the colour of the slate, of which the lower parts

are composed. The top of the island is of sand stone, similar to the

English Company's Islands; and it seemed to be equally, or more barren

than they, and to be destitute of any rich vallies.

My bearings were taken on the south-eastern head; but even from thence,

the land was not visible to the southward beyond a low islet surrounded

with shoals, and to the E. S. E. it was but faintly seen. The west side

of the entrance was composed of broken land, like islands, extending out

far to the northward; on the east, the space which separated Mallison's

Island from the nearest part of the main seemed to be not more than half

a mile broad, and was so filled with rocks as scarcely to admit the

passage of a boat. This part of the main land is a projecting cape, low

without side but forming a steep head within; and I have named it _Cape

Newbald_. The most essential bearings were these:--

Inglis' I. station on the north-east head, N. 39° 5' E.

Inglis' I. west extreme, N. 15 18 W.

Furthest western land visible, N. 26 10 W.

Probable Island, low north point, N. 39 2 W.

Low islet up the bay, dist. ten miles, S. 7° to 9 13 E.

These bearings and the observations place the south-east head of

Mallison's Island in 12° 11¾' south, and 136° 8' east.

We returned on board at eleven, and then steered eastward along the south

side of Cape Newbald; the flood tide, which set in that direction, having

induced the hope of finding a river there. The wind was light and scant,

so that we advanced principally by means of the tide; and finding it to

run against us at five in the evening, anchored in 5 fathoms, mud and

shells, eight or nine miles above the entrance of the bay, and one and a

half from a rocky point on the Cape-Newbald side. We proceeded with the

flood tide, next morning [WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 1803], in a varying depth

from 3 to 5 fathoms; and after advancing four or five miles, it was found

impossible to go further without risk of getting aground, and we

therefore came to an anchor. The land on the east side of the bay was

distant three miles, and no other than a shallow opening in the

north-east corner could be seen; a disappointment which left little to be

expected in the southern parts of the bay, to which no set of tide had

been perceived. In consequence, I gave up the intention of further

prosecuting the examination in the ship, in favour of going round in my

boat; and directed lieutenant Fowler, so soon as the botanical gentlemen

should have explored the productions on the nearest part of Cape Newbald,

to return with the ship to the entrance of the bay, and anchor near some

low cliffs on the western side, where the botanists could again pursue

their researches until my arrival.

Mr. Bauer the natural-history painter, himself a good botanist, expressed

a wish to accompany me, and with Mr. Bell, the surgeon, we went off in

the afternoon, steering S. S. E. for a small beach in the low, woody

shore, five or six miles off. Squalls of wind with heavy rain prevented

sounding in the first half of the way; but we then had nine feet, and

nearly the same to the beach, where we landed at dusk. The wood was very

thick here, the ground swampy, and the musketoes numerous and fierce; so

that between them and our wet clothes we had very little rest.

THURSDAY 3 MARCH 1803

In the morning, after bearings had been taken from a projecting part of

the ironstone shore, we steered four miles to the S. S. W., mostly in 2

fathoms, to some low cliffs of red earth; where Mr. Bauer examined the

productions of the main land, whilst I took bearings from a small islet

or bank of iron ore, lying near it.

The ship at anchor, dist. 8 or 9 miles, bore N. 1° 15' E.

Mallison's I., south-western cliffs, N. 50 25 W.

Low islet in the bay, centre., S. 89 30 W.

Seeing that the shore took a western direction about five miles further

on, we steered for the low islet; and at a mile from the land had 3, and

afterwards 5 fathoms until approaching a long sandy spit, which extends

out from the east end of the islet and was then dry. I landed upon it in

time to observe the sun's meridian altitude, which gave 12° 22' 6" south,

but a passing cloud deprived me of the supplement. The islet is little

else than a bed of sand, though covered with bushes and small trees;

there were upon it many marks of turtle and of turtle feasts; and finding

the musketoes less numerous than on the main, we stopped to repose during

the heat of the day.

In the afternoon, after taking bearings, we steered over to the south

side of the bay, four miles off, with soundings from 7 at the deepest, to

3 fathoms at a mile from the iron-stone shore. The land is low and

covered with wood, and the traces of kangaroo being numerous, the surgeon

was induced to make a little excursion into the wood, whilst I took

bearings and Mr. Bauer pursued his botanical researches. Mr. Bell found

the country to be tolerably fertile, but had no success in his hunting;

and at night we returned to the islet to sleep, hoping to procure some

turtle; but no more than three came on shore, and one only was caught,

the laying season appearing to be mostly past.

FRIDAY 4 MARCH 1803

At daylight we steered for a low rocky island, seven or eight miles to

the W. N. W., where I took angles from the iron-stone rocks at its south

end, and Mr. Bauer examined the vegetable productions. To the S. S. W.,

about five miles, was a woody point, on the east side of which no land

was visible; and the depth of water in coming across from Low Islet

having been as much as 10 fathoms, it left a suspicion that a river might

fall into the south-west corner of the bay, and induced me to row over to

the point. The soundings diminished from 5 to 3 fathoms; in which depth

the boat being brought to a grapnel, I found the latitude to be 12° 20'

27", from observations to the north and south, and set Low Islet E. 7° S.

by a pocket compass.

From thence to the point the water was shallow, and the open space proved

to be a shoal bight, with very low land at the back. After I had taken

bearings, to ascertain the position of the point and form this side of

the bay, we returned northward, passing on the west side of the rocky

island; and the ship having arrived at the appointed station, got on

board at eight o'clock in the evening.

SATURDAY 5 MARCH 1803

On laying down the plan of this extensive bay, I was somewhat surprised

to see the great similarity of its form to one marked near the same

situation in the Dutch chart. It bears no name; but as not a doubt

remains of Tasman, or perhaps some earlier navigator, having explored it,

I have given it the appellation of the land in which it is situate, and

call it ARNHEM BAY. So far as an extent of secure anchoring ground is

concerned, it equals any harbour within my knowledge; there being more

than a hundred square miles of space fit for the reception of ships, and

the bottom seemed to be every where good. Of the inducements to visit

Arnhem Bay, not much can be said. Wood is plentiful at all the shores,

and the stream which ran down the hills at Mallison's Island would have

supplied us conveniently with water, had it been wanted; but in three

months afterwards it would probably be dried up. In the upper parts of

the bay the shores are low, and over-run with mangroves in many places;

but near the entrance they may be approached by a ship, and there are

beaches for hauling the seine, where, however, we had not much success.

We saw no other stone on the low shores than iron ore, similar to that

found in the upper part of Melville Bay, and on Point Middle in Caledon

Bay; and it seems probable, that iron runs through the space of country

comprehended between the heads of the three bays, although the exterior

shores and the hills be either granitic, argillaceous, or of sand stone.

The flat country where the iron ore is found, seems to afford a good

soil, well-clothed with grass and wood, much superior to that where

granite or sand stone prevails; this I judge from what was seen near the

heads of the bays, for our excursions inland were necessarily very

confined, and for myself, I did not quit the water side at Arnhem Bay,

being disabled by scorbutic ulcers on my feet.

This country does not seem to be much peopled, though traces of men were

found wherever we landed; in the woods were several species of birds,

mostly of the parrot kind, and the marks of kangaroo were numerous, as at

Melville Bay. These circumstances would be in favour of any colony which

might be established in the neighbourhood; but should such a step come to

be contemplated, it would be highly necessary, in the first place, to see

what the country is in the dry season, from June to November; for it is

to be apprehended that the vegetation may then be dried up, and the

sources of fresh water almost entirely fail.

The middle of the entrance into Arnhem Bay is in latitude 12° 11' south,

and longitude 136° 3' east. Azimuths taken on board the ship, when at

anchor in the north-eastern part of the bay and the head E. by N., gave

0° 48' east variation, which corrected to the meridian, would be 2° 31'

east; but the most allowed to the bearings on shore is 1° 40', and the

least 1°, no greater difference being produced by the iron stone upon

which some were taken. From general observation, the time of high water

was nearly the same as in Malay Road, or about _eight hours after_ the

moon's passage, and the rise seemed to be six or eight feet.

Before noon of the 5th we quitted Arnhem Bay, and steered northward along

the chain of islands extending out from the west side of the entrance. On

approaching the north end of Probable Island the soundings diminished to

4 fathoms, and a short tack was made to the S. E.; and the flood tide

becoming too strong to be stemmed with a light breeze, an anchor was

dropped in 17 fathoms, sand and stones. A dry reef had been set from

Mallison's Island, and should have lain about two miles S. E. from this

anchorage; but it was not seen from the ship, being probably covered by

the tide. There were two natives, with a canoe, under Probable Island,

and some others were standing on the beach; but no attempt was made to

approach the ship, nor did I send on shore to them.

SUNDAY 6 MARCH 1803

In the morning we had a moderate breeze at E. S. E., and pursued the line

of the main coast and islands to the northward at the distance of three

or four miles, with soundings from 10 to 17 fathoms. Both the coast and

islands are in general so low and near to each other, that it was

difficult to say whether some were not connected; at eleven, however, we

approached two which certainly were islands, and there being a clear

passage between the surrounding reefs of a mile and a half wide, we

steered through it with 12 to 17 fathoms. The north-easternmost most,

which I have named after captain _Cunningham_ of the navy, is four or

five miles in circumference, and of moderate elevation; and lies in 11°

47' south and 136° 6' east by the survey.

[NORTH COAST. WESSEL'S ISLANDS.]

A third chain of islands commences here, which, like Bromby's and the

English Company's Islands, extend out north-eastward from the coast. I

have frequently observed a great similarity both in the ground plans and

elevations of hills, and of islands in the vicinity of each other; but do

not recollect another instance of such a likeness in the arrangement of

clusters of islands. This third chain is doubtless what is marked in the

Dutch chart as one long island, and in some charts is called Wessel's

Eylandt; which name I retain with a slight modification, calling them

WESSEL'S ISLANDS. They had been seen from the north end of Cotton's

Island to reach as far as thirty miles out from the main coast; but this

is not more than half their extent, if the Dutch chart be at all correct.

At noon, when Cunningham's Island bore from S. 1° to 26° E., at the

distance of two miles, the furthest visible part of Wessel's Islands bore

N. 53° E.; it was not distant, for the weather was squally with rain, and

both prevented us from seeing far and obscured the sun. To the westward,

we had land at the distance of three or four miles; and from its

north-east end, which is named _Point Dale_, three small isles with rocks

extended out to the bearing of N. 16° E., which we could not weather

without making a tack. At three they were passed; and at six in the

evening the outer islet bore S. 14° E., four leagues, and the most

western part of the land of Point Dale, S. 36° W.; but whether this last

were an island or a part of the main, was still doubtful.

For the last several days the wind had inclined from the eastward, and at

this time blew a steady breeze at E. by S., with fine weather; as if the

north-west monsoon were passed, and the south-east trade had resumed its

course. We had continued the survey of the coast for more than one-half

of the six months which the master and carpenter had judged the ship

might run without much risk, provided she remained in fine weather and no

accident happened; and the remainder of the time being not much more than

necessary for us to reach Port Jackson, I judged it imprudent to continue

the investigation longer. In addition to the rottenness of the ship, the

state of my own health and that of the ship's company were urgent to

terminate the examination here; for nearly all had become debilitated

from the heat and moisture of the climate--from being a good deal

fatigued--and from the want of nourishing food. I was myself disabled by

scorbutic sores from going to the mast head, or making any more

expeditions in boats; and as the whole of the surveying department rested

upon me, our further stay was without one of its principal objects. It

was not, however, without much regret that I quitted the coast; both from

its numerous harbours and better soil, and its greater proximity to our

Indian possessions having made it become daily more interesting; and

also, after struggling three months against foul winds, from their now

being fair as could be wished for prosecuting the further examination.

The accomplishment of the survey was, in fact, an object so near to my

heart, that could I have foreseen the train of ills that were to follow

the decay of the Investigator and prevent the survey being resumed--and

had my existence depended upon the expression of a wish, I do not know

that it would have received utterance; but Infinite Wisdom has, in

infinite mercy, reserved the knowledge of futurity to itself.

[NORTH COAST. TOWARDS TIMOR.]

(Atlas Plate I.)

On quitting Wessel's Islands, we steered a north-west course all night,

under easy sail; having a warrant officer placed at the look-out, and the

lead hove every quarter of an hour. The soundings increased very

gradually till daylight [MONDAY 7 MARCH 1803], when we had 30 fathoms;

and no land being distinguishable, the course was then altered to W. by

S. Our latitude at noon was 10° 56' 40", longitude by timekeeper 135°

10'; and I judged that part of the coast seen by lieutenant McCluer, in

1791, to lie about fifty miles to the southward. This was the first land

seen by him in his course from New Guinea; and according to the

comparison afterwards made of his longitude, it should not lie more than

twelve leagues from the western part of Point Dale.

Mr. McCluer saw some islands near the coast, and amongst others an outer

one called New Year's Isle, in latitude 10° 52' south and 133° 12' east,

which I purposed to visit in the hope of procuring turtle. But our

friendly trade wind gradually died away, and was succeeded by light airs

from the N. W. and S. W., by calms, and afterwards by light winds from

the north-eastward; so that it was not until daylight of the 12th

[SATURDAY 12 MARCH 1803], that the island was seen. At eleven o'clock,

lieutenant Fowler went on shore to examine the beach for traces of

turtle; but finding none recent, he returned before two, and we again

made sail to the westward.

New Year's Isle is a bed of sand mixed with broken coral, thrown up on a

coral reef. It is four or five miles in circumference, and the higher

parts are thickly covered with shrubs and brush wood; but much of it is

over-run with mangroves, and laid under water by the tide. Fresh prints

of feet on the sand showed that the natives had either visited it very

lately, or were then upon the island; turtle also had been there, but

their traces were of an old date. The reef extends about a mile off, all

round; we had 22 fathoms very near the outer edge, and saw no other

danger. Broken land was perceived to the southward, probably the inner

isles marked by lieutenant McCluer; and six or seven leagues to the S. W.

was a part of the main, somewhat higher but equally sandy, which we

traced above half a degree to the westward. I made the _latitude_ of the

island to be 10° 55' south, and _longitude_ by time keeper corrected 133°

4' east; being 3' more south and 8' less east than Mr. McCluer's

position. The _variation_ of the compass, from azimuths taken twenty

leagues to the east of New Year's Isle, was 1° 55' east, with the ship's

head W. N. W.; and at thirteen leagues on the west side, 1° 20' with the

head N. W.; these being corrected to the meridian, will be 0° 23' and 0°

12' east. The _tide_ ran strong to the N. W. whilst it was ebbing by the

shore, so that the flood would seem to come from the westward; whereas in

the neighbourhood of Cape Arnhem the flood came mostly from the opposite

direction: whether this change were a general one, or arose from some

opening to the S. E. of New Year's Isle, our knowledge of the coast was

too imperfect to determine.

We had continued to have soundings, generally on a muddy bottom, from the

time of quitting Wessel's Islands; nor did they vary much, being rarely

less than 25, and never more than 35 fathoms. On the 13th [SUNDAY 13

MARCH 1803] at noon we had 34 fathoms, being then in 10° 41' south and

132° 40' east, and the coast still in sight to the southward. The winds

then hung in the southern quarter, being sometimes S. W., and at others

S. E., but always light; and I steered further off the land, in the hope

of getting them more steady. Our soundings gradually increased until the

18th, when the depth was 150 fathoms in latitude 9° 47' and longitude

130° 17'; at midnight we had no ground at 160, but next morning [SATURDAY

19 MARCH 1803] the coral bottom was seen under the ship, and we tacked

until a boat was sent ahead; from 7 fathoms on the bank, the soundings in

steering after the boat increased to 9, 10, 13, and suddenly to 92

fathoms.

This small bank appeared to be nearly circular, and about four miles

round; it lies in latitude 9° 56', longitude 129° 28' and as I judge,

about twenty-five leagues from the western extremity of the northern Van

Diemen's Land. In some of the old charts there are shoals marked to a

considerable distance from that cape; and it seems not improbable, that a

chain of reefs may extend as far out as the situation of this bank. We

afterwards had soundings at irregular depths, from 30 to 100 fathoms,

until the evening of the 26th [SATURDAY 26 MARCH 1803], in 10° 38' south

and 126° 30' east; in which situation they were lost. (Atlas, Plate XVI.)

The winds had hung so much in the south-west, and retarded our passage as

well as driven us near to the island Timor, that I judged it advisable to

obtain refreshments there for my ship's company; under the apprehension

that, as the winter season was fast advancing on the south coast of Terra

Australis, the bad state of the ship might cause more labour at the pumps

than our present strength was capable of exerting. Some of the smaller

articles of sea provision., such as peas, rice, and sugar, which formed a

principal part of our little comforts, were also become deficient, in

consequence of losses sustained from the heat and moisture of the

climate, and leakiness of the ship's upper works; and these I was anxious

to replenish.

Coepang is a Dutch settlement at the south-west end of Timor and the

determination to put in there being made, I revolved in my mind the

possibility of afterwards returning to the examination of the north and

north-west coasts of Terra Australis, during the winter six months, and

taking the following summer to pass the higher latitudes and return to

Port Jackson. There was little chance of obtaining salt provisions at

Coepang, but there might be a ship or ships there, capable of furnishing

a supply, and by which an officer might be conveyed to England; for it

was a necessary part of my project to despatch lieutenant Fowler to the

Admiralty, with an account of our proceedings, and a request that he

might return as speedily as possible, with a vessel fit to accomplish all

the objects of the voyage; and I calculated that six months employed upon

the North and North-west Coasts, and the subsequent passage to Port

Jackson, would not leave much more than the requisite time for refreshing

the ship's company before his arrival might be expected. It is to be

observed, that the ship had leaked very little in her sides since the

caulking done at the head of the Gulph; and the carpenter being now

directed to bore into some of the timbers then examined, did not find

them to have become perceptibly worse; so that I was led to hope and

believe that the ship might go through this service, without much more

than common risk, provided we remained in fine-weather climates, as was

intended.

MONDAY 28 MARCH 1803

On the 28th, being then in 10° 36' south, and 125° 47' east, the high

land of Timor was seen bearing N. 61° W., at the distance of thirty, or

perhaps more leagues; but no soundings could be obtained with 90, nor in

the evening with 160 fathoms. Next day [TUESDAY 29 MARCH 1803], the light

south-west wind suddenly veered to S. E., and blew fresh; and from its

dying away at sunset was evidently a sea breeze attracted by the land,

which, however, was forty miles off in its nearest part. Our latitude on

the 30th [WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH 1803] was 10° 37' 13", longitude 124° 18½',

and the land, mostly high mountains, extended from N. N. E. ½ E. to W. N.

W., the nearest part was distant seven or eight leagues, but we still had

no soundings. The island Rottee is reckoned tolerably high land, but must

be greatly inferior to Timor; since the round hill at its eastern end was

not seen from the mast head till four this afternoon, when its distance

was little more than fifteen leagues. We carried all sail for the strait

between the two islands till midnight, and then had soundings in 120

fathoms, muddy ground; an hour and a half afterwards the land was close,

and the depth no more than 10 fathoms, upon which we hauled off till

morning.

THURSDAY 31 MARCH 1803

At daylight, the north-east point of Rottee was distant two miles, and we

steered along the shore, looking for boats and people to obtain

intelligence, and if possible some refreshments; but none were seen,

although we passed close to a deep and well-sheltered cove. At ten

o'clock, when the sandy north point of Rottee was distant one mile and a

half, we hauled up north-eastward, across the passage of about six miles

wide, between it and the northern lands; for the purpose of entering

Samow Strait, which was then open, and of which Mr. Westall took the view

given in the Atlas (Plate XVIII, last View). The south-west point of

Timor is surrounded by a reef, which extends from half a mile to a mile

off, and runs some distance up the strait; both sides of the entrance are

low land, yet at eleven o'clock we had no ground between them with 75

fathoms. The width of the entrance is three miles and a half, and

continues nearly the same upwards, with a depth of 36 or more fathoms,

and no dangers in it, other than the reef before mentioned. From the

observations at noon, the extreme south-west point of Timor lies in 10°

22' south, and longitude by survey back from Coepang, 123° 29' east;

captain Cook places it in 10° 23' and 123° 55', and calls it the south

point, but there is a sloping projection, three leagues to the eastward,

which I set in a line with it at E. 2° S.

[NORTH COAST. COEPANG BAY.]

Two vessels were lying under the north-east end of Samow; and on our

ensign and pendant being hoisted, the one showed American, and the other

Dutch colours. An officer was sent to them for information, as well of

the propriety of going into Coepang Bay at this season, as of the

political state of Europe; for although the intelligence of peace had

arrived before we left Port Jackson, it seemed to be doubtful how long it

might last. On his return with favourable intelligence, I steered through

the northern outlet of the strait, which is not more than a mile and a

half wide, but so deep that 65 fathoms did not reach the bottom; and at

four o'clock the anchor was let go in 17 fathoms, muddy ground, half a

mile from the shore, with the flag staff of Fort Concordia bearing S. S.

E.

I sent the second lieutenant to present my respects to the Dutch

governor, and inform him of our arrival and wants, with an offer of

saluting the fort provided an equal number of guns should be returned;

and the offer being accepted, mutual salutes of thirteen guns passed, and

the same evening we received a boat load of refreshments. Next day

[FRIDAY 1 APRIL 1803], I went with three officers and gentlemen to wait

upon _Mynheer Giesler_, the governor, who sent the commandant of the fort

and surgeon of the colony to receive us at the water side. The governor

did not speak English, nor I any Dutch; and our communications would have

been embarrassed but for the presence of captain Johnson, commander of

the Dutch brig, who interpreted with much polite attention.

Coepang is dependant on Batavia for a variety of articles, and amongst

others, for arrack, rice, sugar, etc. Mr. Johnson had arrived not long

before with the annual supply, yet I found some difficulty in obtaining

from the governor the comparatively small quantities of which we stood in

need; and I had no resource but in his kindness, for there were no

merchants in Coepang, nor any other who would receive bills in payment.

Having made an agreement for the provisions, I requested permission for

our botanists and painters to range the country, which was readily

granted; with a caution not to extend their walks far from the town, as

they might be there liable to insults from the natives, over whom the

governor had no power.

We were occupied nearly a week in completing our water, which was brought

on board in Malay boats, and in obtaining and stowing away the

provisions. [SUNDAY 3 APRIL 1803] The governor, with captain Johnson and

two other gentlemen were entertained on board the Investigator, and

received under a salute; and the day before we proposed to sail [THURSDAY

7 APRIL 1803], I went with some of my principal officers and gentlemen to

dine with the governor, the fort firing a salute on our landing; and it

is but justice to Mr. Giesler and the orders under which he acted, to

say, that he conducted himself throughout with that polite and respectful

attention, which the representative of one friendly nation owes to that

of another.

A part of the ship's company was permitted to go on shore so soon as our

work was completed; and two men, my Malay cook and a youth from Port

Jackson, being absent in the evening, the town was searched for them, but

in vain. We got under way early next morning [FRIDAY 8 APRIL 1803],

before the sea breeze set in, and stood off and on until lieutenant

Fowler again went after the men. On his return without success, we

stretched out of the bay; but the wind being light, and the governor

having promised to send off the men, if found before the ship was out of

sight, I still entertained a hope of receiving my deserters.

Timor is well known to be one of the southernmost and largest of the

Molucca Islands. Its extent is more considerable than the charts usually

represent it, being little less than 250 miles in a north-eastern

direction, by from thirty to sixty in breadth. The interior part is a

chain of mountains, some of which nearly equal the peak of Teneriffe in

elevation; whilst the shores on the south-east side are represented to be

exceedingly low, and over-run with mangroves. Gold is said to be

contained in the mountains, and to be washed down the streams; but the

natives are so jealous of Europeans gaining any knowledge of it, that at

a former period, when forty men were sent by the Dutch to make search,

they were cut off. In the vicinity of Coepang, the upper stone is mostly

calcareous; but the basis is very different, and appeared to me to be

argillaceous.

The original inhabitants of Timor, who are black but whose hair is not

woolly, inhabit the mountainous parts, to which they appear to have been

driven by the Malays, who are mostly in possession of the sea coast.

There were formerly several Portuguese establishments on the north side

of the island, of which Diely and Lefflow still remained; but these have

all gradually declined, and the governor of Diely was now said to be the

sole white Portuguese resident on the island. The Dutch territory at

Coepang did not extend beyond four or five miles round Fort Concordia;

and the settlement affording no other advantage to the Company than that

of keeping out other nations, it seemed to be following, with accelerated

steps, the ruin of their affairs. During the war which terminated in

1801, the communication with Batavia was interrupted, and the town taken

by the English forces; an insurrection was raised by the half-cast

people, and some of the troops left as a garrison were massacred, and the

rest abandoned the island. During these troubles the town had been set on

fire; and at this time, all the best houses were in ruins. The few troops

kept by the Dutch were mostly Malays, some of the officers even, being

mulattos; and the sole person amongst them, who had any claim to

respectability, was a Swiss who had the command of Fort Concordia, but

with no higher rank that that of serjeant-major. Besides the governor and

two or three soldiers, I saw only two European residents at Coepang; one

was the surgeon of whom captain Bligh speaks so handsomely in his

narrative, the other a young gentleman named Viertzen, who had lately

arrived.

Coepang has little other trade than with Batavia. Sandel wood, bees-wax,

honey, and slaves, are exported; and rice, arrack, sugar, tea, coffee,

beetel nut, and the manufactures of China, with some from India and

Europe, received in return; and the duties upon these were said to

suffice the expense of keeping up the establishment. A vessel laden with

ammunition, clothing, and other supplies for the troops, is annually sent

from Batavia; but what may be called the trade of Coepang, is mostly

carried on by the Chinese, some of whom are settled in the town, and have

intermixed with the Malays.

Coepang Bay is exposed to the westward; but from the beginning of May to

the end of October, the anchorage is secure; and there is little to

apprehend from north-west winds after the middle of March, or before the

middle of November; but the standing regulations of the Dutch company

were, that until the first of May their vessels should lie under the

north-east end of Pulo Samow, about five miles from Coepang; although

Babao Road on the north side of the bay, of which Dampier speaks, was

said to be a more secure and convenient anchorage. The commander of the

American ship Hunter had gone under Samow, because he found the Dutch

brig there; and although assured there was almost nothing to be

apprehended in the bay, he feared to come up till encouraged by our

example.

This ship was upon a trading speculation, and the commander was buying

here sandel wood and bees-wax. For the best kind of wood he paid twenty

dollars per picol, for the inferior sort thirteen, and seven dollars for

the refuse; and bees-wax cost him twenty-five dollars. Upon all these he

expected to make three hundred per cent. at Canton, besides the advantage

of paying for them with cutlasses, axes, and other iron tools, at an

equally great advance; he reported, however, that iron was still more

valuable at Solor, Flores, and the neighbouring islands; and that

supplies of fresh provisions were more plentiful. The usual profits of

trade here, seemed to be cent. per cent. upon every exchange; and this

the commander of the Hunter proposed to make many times over, during his

voyage. At Solor he had bought some slaves for two muskets each, which

muskets he had purchased at the rate of 18s. in Holland, at the

conclusion of the war; these slaves were expected to be sold at Batavia,

for eighty, or more probably for a hundred dollars individually, making

about thirty capitals of the first price of his muskets. If such

advantages attend this traffic, humanity must expect no weak struggle to

accomplish its suppression; but what was the result of this trading

voyage? That the commander and his crew contracted a fever at Diely, and

nearly the whole died before they reached Batavia.

Spanish dollars were rated at 5s. 4d. according to the Dutch company's

regulations, but their currency at Coepang was sixty stivers or pence;

whence it arose that to a stranger receiving dollars, they would be

reckoned at 5s. 4d. each, but if he paid them it was at 5s. Besides

dollars, the current coins were ducatoons, rupees, and doits, with some

few gold rupees of Batavia; but the money accounts were usually kept in

rix dollars, an imaginary coin of 4s.

I made many inquiries concerning the Malay trepang fishers, whom we had

met at the entrance of the Gulph of Carpentaria, and learned the

following particulars. The natives of Macassar had been long accustomed

to fish for the trepang amongst the islands in the vicinity of Java, and

upon a dry shoal lying to the south of Rottee; but about twenty years

before, one of their prows was driven by the north-west monsoon to the

coast of New Holland, and finding the trepang to be abundant, they

afterwards returned; and had continued to fish there since that time. The

governor was of opinion, that the Chinese did not meet them at

Timor-laoet, but at Macassar itself, where they are accustomed to trade

for birds nests, trepang, sharks fins, etc.; and it therefore seems

probable that the prows rendezvous only at Timor-laoet, on quitting

Carpentaria, and then return in a fleet, with their cargoes.

The value of the common trepang at Canton, was said to be forty dollars

the picol, and for the best, or black kind, sixty; which agrees with what

I had been told in Malay Road, allowing to the Chinese the usual profit

of cent. per cent. from Macassar to their own country.

About ten days before our arrival, a homeward-bound ship from India had

touched at Coepang; and had we been so fortunate as to meet with her, it

might have enabled me to put in execution the plan I had formed of

sending an officer to England, and returning to the examination of the

north and north-west coasts of Terra Australis. This plan was now

frustrated; and the sole opportunity of writing to Europe was by captain

Johnson, who expected to sail for Batavia in May, and promised to forward

our letters from thence. I committed to his care an account of our

examinations and discoveries upon the East and North Coasts, for the

Admiralty; with the report of the master and carpenter upon the state of

the ship, and the information I had obtained of the trepang fishery.

Our supplies for the ship, procured at Coepang, were rice, arrack, sugar,

and the palm syrup called _gulah_; with fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables

during our stay, and for ten days afterwards. The animal food consisted

of young _karabow_, a species of buffalo, and of small pigs and kids; the

karabow being charged at eight, the pigs at five, and kids at two rix

dollars each. Vegetables were dear and not good, and for many of the

fruits we were too early in the season; but cocoa-nuts, oranges, limes,

bananas, and shaddocks were tolerably plentiful. Tea, sugar candy, and

some other articles for our messes, were purchased at the little shops

kept by the Chinese-Malays; and poultry was obtained along-side by

barter.

To judge from the appearance of those who had resided any length of time

at Coepang, the climate is not good; for even in comparison with us, who

had suffered considerably, they were sickly looking people. Yet they did

not themselves consider the colony as unhealthy, probably from making

their comparison with Batavia; but they spoke of Diely, the Portuguese

settlement, as very bad in this respect. Captain Baudin had lost twelve

men from dysentery, during his stay at Coepang, and I found a monument

which he had erected to his principal gardener; but it was even then

beginning to decay.

The _latitude_ of our anchorage, three-fifths of a mile to the north of

Fort Concordia, was 10° 8' 2" from seven meridian altitudes of the sun;

but these being all taken to the north, I consider it to be more

correctly, 10° 8½' S.

_Longitude_ of the anchorage and fort, from fifty four sets of lunar

distances, of which the particulars are given in Table VII. of the

Appendix No. I., 123° 35' 46" E.

Lieutenant Flinders took altitudes from the sea horizon, between April 1

p.m. and 8 a.m., for the rates of the time keepers; the mean of which,

with the errors from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the last day of

observation, were as under:

Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 57' 14.56", and losing 16.73", per day,

Earnshaw's No. 520, fast 1h 57' 19.28", and losing 33.99", per day;

the rate of No. 543 differing only 0.2" from that with which we had left

Caledon Bay. The longitude given by this time keeper on April 1, p.m.,

with the Caledon rate, was 123° 39' 8.4" east, or 3' 22" more than the

lunars; and when the Caledon rate is accelerated, the difference is only

2' 3½" east. This quantity, if the longitudes of Caledon and Coepang Bays

be correct, is the sum of the irregularities of No. 543, during the

fifty-one days between one station and the other. The time keeper No. 520

had been let down on the passage, and its rate being now more than 3"

greater than at Caledon Bay, its longitude was not attended to at this

time.

In laying down the coasts and islands of Arnhem's Land, the bearings and

observed latitudes were used, with very little reference to the time

keepers; but No. 543, when corrected, did not differ so much from the

survey as 1' in twenty-five days. The rest of the track, from Wessel's

Islands to Coepang, is laid down by this time keeper with the accelerated

rate, and the application of a proportional part of 2' 3½", its

irregularity during fifty-one days.

_Variation_ of the surveying compass, 0° 46' west, observed when the

ship's head was E. S. E., or corrected to the meridian, 0° 37' east; but

this variation seems to apply only to Coepang Bay; for about two degrees

to the eastward it was 1° 4' west, corrected, and one degree to the

south-west it was 1° 41' west.

The flood _tide_ comes from the southward, through Samow Strait, and

rises from three to nine or ten feet; high water usually took place as

the moon passed under and over the meridian, but the winds make a great

difference both in the time and rise of the tide.