February 1788 to March 1788
A Criminal Court held--Broken Bay explored by Governor Phillip--Interviews
with the Natives--Peculiarities remarked--Friendly behaviour and
extraordinary courage of an old man.
Governor Phillip soon found with great regret, though doubtless without
much surprise, that in the community committed to his care the strict
enforcement of the sanctions of law was peculiarly necessary. There were
in it many individuals whom neither lenity could touch, nor rigour
terrify; who, with all sense of social duty, appeared to have lost all
value for life itself, and with the same wantonness exposed themselves to
the darts of the savages, and to the severe punishments which, however
reluctantly, every society must inflict when milder methods have been
tried without success. Towards the latter end of February a criminal
court was convened, in which six of the convicts received sentence of
death. One, who was the head of the gang, was executed the same day; of
the rest, one was pardoned; the other four were reprieved, and afterwards
exiled to a small island within the bay, where they were kept on bread
and water. These men had frequently robbed the stores, and the other
convicts. He who suffered, and two others, had been detected in stealing
from the stores the very day that they had received a week's provision;
at a time when their allowance, as settled by the Navy Board, was the
same as that of the soldiers, spirituous liquors excepted. So inveterate
were their habits of dishonesty, that even the apparent want of a motive
could not repress them.
2 March 1788
On the 2d of March Governor Phillip went with a long boat and cutter to
examine the broken land, mentioned by Captain Cook, about eight miles to
the northward of Port Jackson, and by him named Broken Bay. This bay
proved to be very extensive. The first night they slept in the boats,
within a rocky point in the north-west part of the bay, as the natives,
though friendly, appeared to be numerous; and the next day, after passing
a bar that had only water for small vessels, they entered a very
extensive branch, from which the ebb tide came out so strong that the
boats could not row against it in the stream; and here was deep water.
This opening appeared to end in several small branches, and in a large
lagoon which could not then be examined, as there was not time to seek a
channel for the boats among the banks of sand and mud. Most of the land
in the upper part of this branch was low and full of swamps. Pelicans and
various other birds were here seen in great numbers. Among the rest an
uncommon kind, called then the Hooded Gull, and supposed to be a non
descript; but it appears from a drawing sent to England, a plate from
which is here inserted, to be of that species called by Mr. Latham the
Caspian Tern, and is described by him as the second variety of that
species.*
[* Latham's Synopsis of Birds, vol. vi. p. 351.]
Leaving this north-west branch they proceeded across the bay, and went
into the south-west branch. This is also very extensive; and from it runs
a second opening to the westward, affording shelter for almost any number
of ships. In this part, as far as could then be examined, there is water
for vessels of the greatest burthen, the soundings being at the entrance
seven fathoms, and in going up still more. Continual rains prevented them
from taking a survey. The land here was found much higher than at Port
Jackson, more rocky, and equally covered with timber. Large trees were
seen growing even on the summits of the mountains, which appeared
accessible only to birds. Immediately round the headland that forms the
southern entrance into the bay, there is a third branch, which Governor
Phillip thought the finest piece of water he had ever seen; and which
therefore he thought worthy to be honoured with the name of Pitt Water.
This, as well as the south-west branch, is of sufficient extent to
contain all the navy of Great Britain. But on a narrow bar which runs
across the entrance it has only eighteen feet depth at low water. Within
the bar there are from seven to fifteen fathoms. The land is not so high
in this part as in the south-west branch, and there are some good
situations where the land might be cultivated. Small springs of water
were seen in most of the coves, and three cascades falling from heights,
which the rains at that time rendered inaccessible.
In this excursion some interviews with the natives took place. When the
party first landed in Broken Bay several women came down to the beach
with the men. One of these, a young woman, was very talkative and
remarkably cheerful. This was a singular instance, for in general they
are observed on this coast to be much less cheerful than the men, and
apparently under great awe and subjection. They certainly are not treated
with much tenderness, and it is thought that they are employed chiefly in
the canoes, in which women have frequently been seen with very young
children at the breast. The lively young lady, when she joined the party
the second day in her canoe, stood up and gave a song which was far from
unpleasing. The men very readily gave their assistance to the English in
making a fire, and behaved in the most friendly manner. In a bay where
Governor Phillip and his company landed to draw the seine, a number of
the natives again came to them. It was now first observed by the Governor
that the women in general had lost two joints from the little finger of
the left hand. As these appeared to be all married women, he at first
conjectured this privation to be a part of the marriage ceremony; but
going afterwards into a hut where were several women and children, he saw
a girl of five or six years of age whose left hand was thus mutilated;
and at the same time an old woman, and another who appeared to have had
children, on both of whom all the fingers were perfect. Several instances
were afterwards observed of women with child, and of others that were
evidently wives, who had not lost the two joints, and of children from
whom they had been cut. Whatever be the occasion of this mutilation, it
is performed on females only; and considering the imperfection of their
instruments, must be a very painful operation. Nothing has been seen in
the possession of these people that is at all calculated for performing
such an amputation, except a shell fixed to a short stick, and used
generally for pointing their spears, or for separating the oysters from
the rocks. More fingers than one are never cut; and in every instance it
is the same finger that has suffered.*
[* In Patterson's Travels in Africa, lately published, we are told, that
he met with a tribe of Hottentots near Orange River, all of whom had lost
the first joint of the little finger: the reason they gave for cutting it
off was, that it was a cure for a particular sickness to which they were
subject when young. Fourth Journey, p. 117. It would be a curious
coincidence of customs should it be discovered that the natives of New
Holland do it for any similar reason.]
The men are distinguished in a different manner: their fingers are not
mutilated, but most of them, as other voyagers have observed, want the
right front tooth in the upper jaw. Governor Phillip having remarked
this, pointed out to them that he had himself lost one of his front
teeth, which occasioned a general clamour; and it was thought he derived
some merit in their opinion from this circumstance. The perforation of
the cartilage that divides the nostrils, and the strange disfiguring
ornament of a long bone or stick thrust through it, was now observed, as
described by Captain Cook; and the same appellation of sprit-sail yard,
was ludicrously applied to it by the sailors. But several very old men
were seen in this excursion who had not lost the tooth, nor had their
noses prepared to receive that grotesque appendage: probably, therefore,
these are marks of distinction: ambition must have its badges, and where
cloaths are not worn, the body itself must be compelled to bear them.
Whether the scars raised upon the skin were of this kind, or as Captain
Cook understood by their signs, marks of sorrow for deceased friends,
could not now be learnt. They are of a very singular nature: sometimes
the skin is raised from the flesh for several inches, appearing as if it
were filled with wind, and forming a round surface of more than a quarter
of an inch diameter. Their bodies are scarred in various parts,
particularly about the breast and arms, and frequently on the instep. Nor
does the head always escape; one man in particular, putting aside the
hair on the forepart of his head, showed a scar, and then pointing to one
on the foot, and to others on different parts of the body, seemed to
intimate that he thought himself much honoured by having these marks upon
him from head to foot. The women did not appear equally forward to
produce the mutilated finger; nor was it always possible to ascertain
whether they had lost the joints or not. For though they made no attempt
to secrete themselves, nor seemed impressed with any idea that one part
of the body more requires concealment than another, yet there was a
shyness and timidity among them which frequently kept them at a distance.
They never would approach so readily as the men, and sometimes would not
even land from their canoes, but made signs that what was offered should
be given to the men. We are not yet enough acquainted with the manners of
the people to decide whether this reserve proceeds from the fears of the
women, or from the jealousy of their husbands, by whom they are evidently
kept in great subordination.
One of their modes of fishing was now observed: their hooks are made of
the inside of a shell resembling mother of pearl. When a fish which has
taken the bait is supposed to be too strong to be landed with the line,
the canoe is paddled to shore, and while one man gently draws the fish
along, another stands prepared to strike it with a spear: in this attempt
they seldom fail. In the plate which represents this action, the engraver
has inadvertently left the bodies of the figures rather too white; in
other respects it is very accurate.
When the southern branch of Broken Bay was first visited, the getting
round the headland that separates the branches, was attended with some
difficulty, on account of very heavy squalls of wind, accompanied with
rain. An attempt was made to land, where there proved not to be
sufficient water for the boat. During this transaction, an old man and a
youth were standing on the rocks where the boat was trying to approach.
Having seen how much our men had laboured to get under land, they were
very solicitous to point out the deepest water. Afterwards they brought
fire, and seemed willing to render any service in their power. Two of the
officers suffered themselves to be conducted by the old man to a cave at
some distance, but declined going in, though he invited them by all the
signs he could invent. This was rather unfortunate, as the rain was
falling very violently, and the cave was found next day sufficiently
large to have sheltered the whole party. The old man certainly took great
pains to make this understood, but the motive of his earnestness
unluckily was mistaken, and his visitors suffered for their suspicions.
He afterwards assisted in clearing away the bushes, and making
preparations for the party to sleep on shore, and next morning was
rewarded with presents for his very friendly behaviour. Two days
afterwards, when Governor Phillip returned to the same spot, the old man
met him with a dance and a song of joy. His son was with him, and several
of the natives; a hatchet was given them and other presents; and as the
Governor was to return next day to Port Jackson, it was hoped that the
friendship thus begun, and so studiously cultivated, would have continued
firm. But as soon as it was dark, the old man stole a spade, and was
caught with it in his hand. Governor Phillip thought it necessary, on
this occasion, to shew some tokens of displeasure, and therefore when the
delinquent approached, he gave him two or three slight slaps on the
shoulder, and then pushed him away, at the same time pointing to the
spade. This gentle chastisement at once destroyed their friendship. The
old man immediately seized a spear, and coming close up to the Governor,
poized it, and seemed determined to strike. But seeing that his threats
were disregarded, (for his antagonist chose rather to risk the effects of
his anger than to fire upon him) or perhaps dissuaded by something the
other natives said, in a few moments he dropped the spear and went away.
It was impossible not to be struck with the courage displayed by him on
this occasion, for Governor Phillip at the time was not alone, but had
several officers and men about him. From this and other similar events,
personal bravery appears to be a quality in which the natives of New
South Wales are not by any means deficient. The old man returned the next
morning with many other natives, but, in order to convince him of his
fault, he was less noticed than his companions, who were presented with
hatchets and various other articles.
9 March 1788
It was now the 9th of March, and Governor Phillip returned to Port
Jackson: having gained some useful knowledge of the country, and
maintained an intercourse with the natives without departing from his
favourite plan of treating them with the utmost kindness. He had
endeavoured at the same time to gain their confidence, if possible, and
secure their friendship. If these humane endeavours were afterwards
rendered fruitless by the wanton profligacy of some depraved individuals,
however he might regret it, he could have no reason to reproach himself.
The rain, which was almost constant, prevented the Governor from
returning by land, which otherwise he meant to have done, for the sake of
exploring a part of the country which appeared to be good and free from
timber.