July 1788 to October 1788
Fish violently seized by the natives--Another expedition of the
Governor--Further account of the manners and manufactures of the native
inhabitants of New South Wales--Difficulty of obtaining any intercourse.
9 July 1788
On the ninth of July, an effort was made by a party of natives, which
seems to indicate that they were still distressed for provisions, or that
they very highly resent the incroachments made upon their fishing places.
A general order had been issued to those sent out on fishing parties, to
give a part of what was caught to the natives if they approached, however
small the quantity taken might be; and by these means they had always
been sent away apparently satisfied. But on this day, about twenty of
them, armed with spears, came down to the spot where our men were
fishing, and without any previous attempt to obtain their purpose by fair
means, violently seized the greatest part of the fish which was in the
seine. While this detachment performed this act of depredation, a much
greater number stood at a small distance with their spears poized, ready
to have thrown them if any resistance had been made. But the cockswain
who commanded the fishing party, very prudently suffered them to take
away what they chose, and they parted on good terms. This is the only
instance in which these people have attempted any unprovoked act of
violence, and to this they probably were driven by necessity. Since this
transaction, an officer has always been sent down the harbour with the
boat.
Governor Phillip went out about this time with a small party, to examine
the land between Port Jackson and Broken Bay. Here were found many
hundred acres of land, free from timber, and very fit for cultivation. He
proceeded as far as Pitt Water, and saw several of the natives, but none
of them chose to approach. When the party returned to the boats near the
mouth of the harbour, about sixty of these people, men, women, and
children, were assembled there. Some hours were passed with them in a
peaceful and very friendly manner, but though in all this time they
discovered no uneasiness, they seemed best pleased when their visitors
were preparing to depart. This has always been the case, since it has
been known among them that our people intend to remain on the coast. Many
of the women were employed at this time in fishing, a service which is
not uncommonly performed by them, the men being chiefly occupied in
making canoes, spears, fish-gigs, and the other articles that constitute
their small stock of necessary implements. Two women were here observed
to be scarred on the shoulders like the men; this was the first instance
in which they had been seen so marked.
The sailors who waited on the beach to take care of the boat saw about
two hundred men assembled in two parties, who after some time drew
themselves up on opposite sides, and from each party men advanced singly
and threw their spears, guarding themselves at the same time with their
shields. This seemed at first to be merely a kind of exercise, for the
women belonging to both parties remained together on the beach;
afterwards it had a more serious aspect, and the women are said to have
run up and down in great agitation uttering violent shrieks. But it was
not perceived that any men were killed.
As it had been supposed that many of the natives had left this part of
the coast, on account of the great scarcity of fish, the different coves
of the harbour were examined in one day. At this time, not more than
sixty-seven canoes were counted, and about one hundred and thirty of the
people were seen. But it was the season in which they make their new
canoes, and large parties were known to be in the woods for that purpose.
A few days after this examination, Governor Phillip himself went again to
explore the coast between Port Jackson and Botany Bay. In this journey
few of the natives were seen, but new proofs were observed of their
having been distressed for food. In the preceding summer they would not
eat either the shark or the sting-ray, but now even coarser meat was
acceptable, and indeed any thing that could afford the smallest
nourishment. A young whale had just been driven upon the coast, which
they were busily employed in carrying away. All that were seen at this
time had large pieces of it, which appeared to have been laid upon the
fire only long enough to scorch the outside. In this state they always
eat their fish, never broiling it for more than a few minutes; they broil
also the fern root, and another root, of which the plant is not yet
known; and they usually eat together in families. Among the fruits used
by them is a kind of wild fig; and they eat also the kernels of that
fruit which resembles a pine-apple. The latter, when eaten by some of the
French seamen, occasioned violent retchings; possibly the natives may
remove the noxious qualities, by some process like those employed upon
the cassada. The winter months, in which fish is very scarce upon the
coast, are June, July, August, and part of September. From the beaten
paths that are seen between Port Jackson and Broken Bay, and in other
parts, it is thought that the natives frequently change their situation,
but it has not been perceived that they make any regular migrations to
the northward in the winter months, or to the south in summer.
In consequence of the very extraordinary shyness of these people since
the arrival of our settlement, little addition has been made to the
knowledge of their manners attained by Captain Cook: but most of his
observations have been confirmed. The whole, indeed, that can be known of
a people, among whom civilization and the arts of life have made so small
a progress, must amount to very little. The assertion that they have no
nets*, is amongst the very few that have been found erroneous. Some small
nets have been brought over, the manufacture of which is very curious.
The twine of which they are made, appears to be composed of the fibres of
the flax plant, with very little preparation; it is very strong, heavy,
and so admirably well twisted as to have the appearance of the best
whipcord. Governor Phillip mentions having had lines of their
manufacture, which were made from the fur of some animal, and others that
appeared to be of cotton. The meshes of their nets are formed of large
loops, very artificially inserted into each other, but without any knots.
At a small distance they have exactly the appearance of our common nets,
but when they are closely examined the peculiar mode in which the loops
are managed is very remarkable. Some ladies who have inspected one of
these nets lately imported, declare that it is formed exactly on the same
principle as the ground of point lace, except that it has only one turn
of the thread, instead of two, in every loop. This net appears to have
been used either as a landing net, or for the purpose of carrying the
fish when taken. They have also small hoop nets, in which they catch
lobsters, and sea crayfish. Their canoes and other implements are very
exactly described by Captain Cook.
[* Cook's first voyage, Hawkesworth, Vol. III. p. 233.--If it was only
meant that they have no large nets for fishing, like the feine, as the
New Zealanders have, the remark is certainly true.]
The inhabitants of New South Wales have very few ornaments, except those
which are impressed upon the skin itself, or laid on in the manner of
paint. The men keep their beards short, it is thought by scorching off
the hair, and several of them at the first arrival of our people seemed
to take great delight in being shaved. They sometimes hang in their hair
the teeth of dogs, and other animals, the claws of lobsters, and several
small bones, which they fasten there by means of gum; but such ornaments
have never been seen upon the women. Though they have not made any
attempt towards clothing themselves, they are by no means insensible of
the cold, and appear very much to dislike the rain. During a shower they
have been observed to cover their heads with pieces of bark, and to
shiver exceedingly. Governor Phillip was convinced by these circumstances
that clothing would be very acceptable to them, if they could be induced
to come enough among the English to learn the use of it. He has therefore
applied for a supply of frocks and jackets to distribute among them,
which are to be made long and loose, and to serve for either men or
women.
The bodies of these people in general smell strongly of oil, and the
darkness of their colour is much increased by dirt. But though in these
points they shew so little delicacy, they are not without emotions of
disgust, when they meet with strong effluvia to which their organs are
unaccustomed. One of them, after having touched a piece of pork, held out
his finger for his companions to smell, with strong marks of distaste.
Bread and meat they seldom refuse to take, but generally throw it away
soon after. Fish they always accept very eagerly.
Whether they use any particular rites of burial is not yet known, but
from the following account it seems evident that they burn their dead.
The ground having been observed to be raised in several places, like the
ruder kind of graves of the common people in our church yards, Governor
Phillip caused some of these barrows to be opened. In one of them a jaw
bone was found not quite consumed, but in general they contained only
ashes. From the manner in which these ashes were disposed, it appeared
that the body must have been laid at length, raised from the ground a few
inches only, or just enough to admit a fire under it; and having been
consumed in this posture, it must then have been covered lightly over
with mould. Fern is usually spread upon the surface, with a few stones,
to keep it from being dispersed by the wind. These graves have not been
found in very great numbers, nor ever near their huts.
When the latest accounts arrived from Port Jackson, the natives still
avoided all intercourse with our settlement, whether from dislike or from
contempt is not perfectly clear: They think perhaps that we cannot teach
them any thing of sufficient value to make them amends for our
encroachments upon their fishing places. They seem to be among themselves
perfectly honest, and often leave their spears and other implements upon
the beach, in full confidence of finding them untouched. But the convicts
too frequently carry them off, and dispose of them to vessels coming to
England, though at the hazard on one side of being prosecuted for theft,
and on the other for purchasing stolen goods. Injuries of this nature
they generally revenge on such stragglers as they happen to meet; and
perhaps have already learnt to distinguish these freebooters, by their
blue and yellow jackets, as they very early did the soldiers by their red
clothes. Beyond these attacks they have not yet committed any open acts
of hostility, except the seizing of the fish in the instance above
related. They have not attempted to annoy the settlers by setting fire to
the grass, as they did when Captain Cook was on the coast; nor have they,
which is more important, shown any desire to burn the crops of corn. So
absolutely indispensable to the welfare of the settlement is the
preservation of the grain, that an attempt of this kind must at all
events be counteracted; but in no other case will any harsh measures be
adopted, or any effort made to drive them to a greater distance.
Conciliation is the only plan intended to be pursued: But Governor
Phillip, when he last wrote, seemed to despair of getting any of them to
remain among his people, long enough for either to acquire the language
of the other, except by constraint. Hitherto he has been unwilling to
take this method, but if it can be done in such a manner as not to create
any general alarm among them, it will probably turn out to be the kindest
piece of violence that could be used. Whenever it shall be practicable,
by any means, to explain to them the friendly disposition of Governor
Phillip and his people towards them, and to make them understand, that
the men from whom they receive occasional injuries, are already a
disgraced class, and liable to severe punishment for such proceedings,
they will then perhaps acquire sufficient confidence in their new
countrymen to mix with them, to enrich themselves with some of their
implements, and to learn and adopt some of the most useful and necessary
of their arts. It may, indeed, admit of a doubt whether many of the
accommodations of civilized life, be not more than counterbalanced by the
artificial wants to which they give birth; but it is undeniably certain
that to teach the shivering savage how to clothe his body, and to shelter
himself completely from the cold and wet, and to put into the hands of
men, ready to perish for one half of the year with hunger, the means of
procuring constant and abundant provision, must be to confer upon them
benefits of the highest value and importance.
According to the latest advices from Governor Phillip, the Sirius sailed
for the Cape on the 2d of October, 1788, to purchase grain, flour, and
other necessaries. Live stock was not to be procured by this ship, as
being less wanted in the present state of the settlement, which had
provisions in store for eighteen months, but not grain enough for seed,
and for the support of cattle. The Fishburn and Golden Grove storeships
sailed in November for England; the Supply was detained in Port Jackson
for occasional use. At this time the officers were all in separate
houses, and the whole detachment comfortably lodged, though the barracks
were yet unfinished. Nothing more, that requires to be related, has yet
been heard from the settlement.
* * * * *
REMARKS and DIRECTIONS for SAILING into PORT JACKSON, by Capt. J. HUNTER,
of the Sirius.
In coming in with Port Jackson, you will not immediately discover where
the harbour is: Steer right in for the outer points, for there is not any
thing in the way but what shows itself by the sea breaking on it, except
a reef on the south shore which runs off a small distance only: when you
are past this reef and are a-breast the next point on the same side, you
will open to the south-ward of you an extensive branch of the harbour,
into which you will sail; taking care to keep the shore on either side
well on board, for there is a reef which dries at low water and lies very
near the mid-channel, right off the first sandy cove on the east shore;
this reef is pretty broad athwart, as well as up and down the channel,
and shoals very gradually: The marks for it are, the outer north point
and inner south point touching, Green Point will then be on with a
remarkable notch in the back land. To avoid it to the eastward, pass the
inner south head a cable's length from it, and when you open any part of
the sandy beach of Camp Cove, haul short in for it until you bring the
inner north head and inner south head on with each other; that mark will
carry you up in five and six fathom: But if you cannot weather the reef,
tack and stand into Camp Cove, which shoals gradually. If you pass to the
westward of the reef, steer in for Middle Cape, which is steep too, then
steer up for the next point above it on the same side; when you are that
length, you may take what part of the channel you please, or anchor where
you like.
It flows Full and Change a quarter past eight.
Rises 4 6 Neap Tide.
Rises 6 0 Spring Tide.