Further proceedings in Glass-House Bay
Red Cliff point
Nets of the natives
Moreton Bay found to be an island
The sloop prepared for an attack of the natives
The Event
Account of an island
Enter Pumice-Stone river
See some natives
The leak in the sloop stopped
Interviews with natives
Mr. Flinders visits the Glass-House peaks
Account of the country
Return down the river
Other interviews with natives
Their manner of fishing
Singing
Dancing
Other particulars of, and some conjectures respecting them
Quit Pumice-Stone river, and Glass House Bay
At daylight in the morning of Wednesday the 17th, the sloop was got under
weigh, and turned up with a southerly breeze, as long as the flood tide
lasted, anchoring about half past ten o'clock, a mile and a half from a
point with red cliffs. A little to the westward of this point, Mr.
Flinders found the latitude to be 27 degrees 16 minutes 25 seconds south.
The rocks here were of stone, strongly impregnated with iron, having some
small pieces of granite and crystal scattered about the shore.
From Red-cliff Point, they pulled over to a green head-land, about two
miles to the westward. The small reefs which lay off this head presented
a miniature of those which form such a barrier to the northern shore of
New South Wales, and render it almost inaccessible.
In a house which stood upon the west side of the head, they found a net,
or seine, about fourteen fathoms long, the meshes of which were much
larger than any English seine, and the twine much stronger; but its depth
was much less, being not more than three feet. At each end it had a
pointed stick of about the same length. Upon the shoal near the house,
there was more than one inclosure of a semicircular form, and the sticks
and branches of which it was made were set and interwoven so close, that
a fish could not pass between. This net Mr. Flinders supposed was to be
placed diametrically across the semicircle at high water, and thus secure
all the fish that might get within the inclosure, until the falling tide
should leave them dry. He brought away the net, as a proof of the
superior ingenuity of these over the natives of Port Jackson, leaving
them in return a hatchet, the only present which he had to make them; and
that they might the sooner learn the great use of their new acquisition,
and be consoled for the loss of their net, he cut down some branches and
laid them before the hut.
The wood, which at high water was collected for their fire, proved, when
cut up, to be cedar, and of a fine grain. The remains of a canoe made of
the stringy bark were lying upon the shore, near the house whence the net
had been taken.
There were traces of dogs, kangaroos, and emus upon the beach. Two hawks
of a moderate size were shot, but their plumage was unlike that of any
known at Port Jackson. That which was the most remarkable was of an
unvariegated dull red colour in the body, with a milk-white neck, breast,
and head.
In the afternoon they made some further progress with the sloop,
anchoring for the night on a soft muddy bottom.
On the following morning they got under weigh with a flood tide, and a
moderate breeze from the northward. In their progress, they passed two
islands, of from three to four miles each in circuit. The northernmost
was the largest, and seemed well covered with wood, the greater part of
which was probably mangrove, the island being nearly level with the
water's edge. The foliage of the trees upon the southern island was
equally dark and luxuriant with this, but the interior part of it was
higher. There were two other smaller islands, nearly on a level with the
first, and covered with wood, but the southernmost was very small.
In passing between the two islands they had deep water; but on its
suddenly shoaling they tacked and stood to the westward. In this
situation the entrance from Moreton Bay was open, the south side of which
bore N 68 degrees E six or eight miles, and the west side of what will
now be Moreton Island bore N 2 degrees W. Another island. apparently
larger than either of the four above mentioned, bore from the same place
from S 55 degrees to 34 degrees E at the distance of about five miles.
Reckoning the northernmost of the four islands to be the first in number,
they made their course good for the third island, after tacking; and the
water deepened almost immediately to six fathoms.
At this time their attention was much attracted by a party of natives
from these islands, who appeared to be standing up in their canoes, and
pulling toward them, with all their strength, in very regular order. They
seemed to have long poles or spears in their hands, with which also they
appeared to be paddling, the whole of them shifting their hands at the
same instant, after the manner of the South Sea islanders. As about
twenty of them were counted, and seemed to be coming on with much
resolution, our people prepared for whatever might be the event. The
sloop was put under easy sail, her decks cleared of every incumbrance,
and each man was provided with a competent number of musket balls, pistol
balls, and buck shot, which were to be used as the distance might
require; for it was intended that not a man should escape if they
commenced an attack.
Being thus prepared, they bore away toward them, finding that with all
their exertions they did not approach much nearer to the vessel. But what
was their surprise on discovering, that, instead of advancing in canoes
to attack them, they were standing upon a large flat, that surrounded the
third island, driving fish into their nets, and that they had but two
canoes among them. They were standing in a line, splashing in the water
with long sticks, first for some time on one side, and then all shifting
to splash on the other. Thus this hostile array turned out to be a few
peaceable fishermen: peaceable indeed; for on the approach of the vessel
they sunk their canoes upon the flat, and retreated to the island, where
they made their fires.
The flood tide having ceased to run, they anchored at noon, and by the
sun's meridional altitude, in 27 degrees 27 minutes 16 seconds south
latitude. The third island, on which the natives were, bore W 4 degrees S
one and a half or two miles distant, and the centres of the two northern
ones N 40 degrees and N 15 degrees W. The entrance from Moreton Bay
bearing N 68 degrees E from this anchorage, corroborated its latitude by
the observation of the 14th, which was taken on the sea side of it
although it differed considerably from that given by Captain Cook. This
difference may perhaps be thus accounted for. That great navigator
finding, by the meridional observation taken on the day following the
evening on which he passed this part of the coast, that a northerly
current had prevailed in the last twenty-four hours, probably allowed a
proportional part of it, to correct the situation of Point Lookout, as
given by the log; whereas in reality the northerly current might have
commenced only at the time that he opened the Moreton Bay entrance, and
became exposed to the outset from it. And it was by no means improbable,
that, instead of a northerly, he might have had a southerly set, from the
previous noon, when the latitude was 27 degrees 46 minutes to the time
when he opened the entrance; in the same manner as it had prevailed the
day before; when the observation was 17 minutes south of the log.
From the situation of the sloop at this anchorage, Glass-House-Bay seemed
to be closed round, except at one small opening which bore S 27 degrees
E. To turn up this opening, they got under sail as soon as the ebb tide
slacked. On standing near the south part of the shoal that appeared to
surround the island to which the natives had retired, one of them came
down abreast of the sloop, making the same gestures, and running
backwards and forwards, as others had done before; but little attention
was paid to him, Mr. Flinders being more intent on getting as far up the
bay as possible while the tide favoured him. A little before midnight he
was obliged to anchor, finding that the deep water had contracted into a
narrow channel.
On the following day Mr. Flinders landed upon an island that lay in his
passage, with instruments for taking angles, and observing the latitude.
Footsteps of dogs, and those recent, were numerous upon the beach; but
traces of men were scarcely visible: there were, however, several
fire-places, and many other marks of the island having lately been
visited. This island was two or three miles in circumference. The central
part was higher than the skirts, and was covered with a coat of fine
vegetable mould of a reddish colour. On the SE side of the island this
elevated part descended suddenly in a steep bank, where the earth was as
red as blood; and, being clayey, some portions of it were nearly hardened
into rock. The trees upon it, among which was the new pine, were large
and luxuriant. The exterior part of the island upon the west side was a
flat, over which the tide seemed to rise, and was abundantly covered with
large mangrove trees. On the SW and NE sides it was mostly low and sandy,
and here the palm nut tree was produced. Probably these nuts formed the
principal inducement for the natives to visit this island; and there was
abundant testimony under the trees that they were not suffered to fall
off and rot. They met with some boughs so ranged as to keep off the
southerly winds; and from the fireplaces which they were placed to
defend, it was inferred that not less than five or six natives had made
this their place of residence, probably a temporary one only, as they did
not meet with any huts regularly constructed.
The black and the white cockatoo, the beautiful lilac-headed paroquet,
and the bald-headed mocking bird of Port Jackson, were seen here; but
there were not any marks of resident quadrupeds, rats excepted.
The latitude of this island, deduced from the sun's altitude taken at
noon, was 27 degrees 34 minutes 59 seconds S making the depth of this bay,
from Cape Moreton, to be thirty-four miles; for beyond this island the bay
was contracted into a river, of considerable width indeed, but it appeared
to be so shoal, or, if there was any deep channel, to be so difficult of
access, that Mr. Flinders gave up all idea of pursuing it further,
especially as the winds were obstinately adverse: he therefore returned
on board, with the intention of running into the river near the
Glass House peaks, there to lay the sloop on shore, and procure a supply
of fresh water, if a convenient situation could be found.
The following day was passed in endeavouring to get into the river,
which, from the pumice-stone found upon its shores, obtained the name of
Pumice-Stone River, anchoring at sun-set within two miles of its
entrance.
Early the next morning (Sunday the 21st), Mr. Flinders went in his boat
to examine the river, and the entrance into it. On approaching Point
Skirmish, five or six natives came down to the boat unarmed, and, by
friendly gestures and offers of their girdles and small nets, endeavoured
to persuade him to land. He could not satisfy himself whether they had
any treacherous design in this, or whether their presenting themselves
unarmed proceeded from any confidence which they might have felt, that
neither himself nor his people would hurt them if they were not the
aggressors. In this point of view, the offer of their girdles and nets
might have been meant as an atonement for their former conduct; he did
not, however, choose to trust them, but proceeded to examine the river.
Although the shoals in the river were very intricate; yet, finding that
there was depth of water sufficient to admit the sloop, he determined to
get her into it.
Upon these shoals were several pelicans; and they had not proceeded far
with their boat before they were greeted with the well-known creaking
note of the swan. These now engaged a great part of their attention, and
before they left the river eight of them were killed.
When they had nearly reached the end of their excursion, two natives came
down to the beach, and seemed desirous for them to land. There being a
dry sand at a sufficient distance to be out of the reach of spears, they
put ashore upon it. About the same time, Mr. Flinders taking up his gun
to fire at two red-bills, the natives ran into the woods; but on
Bong-ree's advancing that way they returned, and he made a friendly
exchange for their hair fillets and belts, giving them a white woollen
cap in return, and came to the boat for a piece of white cloth and some
biscuit for them, to make the exchange equal. During this time Mr.
Flinders was on shore upon the sand bank with a gun, to cover him in case
their behaviour should be unfriendly. On his advancing toward them, they
were very vociferous for him to remain at a distance, and would in no
wise admit of his approaching without laying down his gun. This place was
about six miles from Point Skirmish; but it was evident that the fame and
dread of their fire-arms had reached thus far, and were most probably
increased by the shooting of the swans, which they must have witnessed.
In returning down the river, they were called to by a man on the west
side, who had a spear in his hand; but two women and several children
being behind argued rather against any premeditated hostility. The women
and children retired on their approaching the shore; but they were
observed to be peeping at them from behind the bushes. This man made
great exclamations for the musket to be laid down, calling out 'woo-rah,
woo-rah,' as others had done, and seemed pleased when it was complied
with; but he could not have heard many particulars of their weapons, for,
on pointing a musket toward him to try the experiment, he did not appear
to be sensible of the danger to himself in that case. As he did not
choose to quit his spear, and the sun was descending, they did not land,
but backed in near enough to throw him a yarn stocking, which they showed
him was to be worn as a cap with a tail to it, and then parted good
friends.
Monday the 22nd was passed in getting the sloop into the river, which
with some difficulty was accomplished, having to find out a channel
through an infinity of shoals, some of which were covered with mangroves.
Finding a proper place to lay the sloop on shore, Mr. Flinders took the
necessary measures; and on Thursday the 25th, having completely stopped
the leak, by filling up the seam with oakum, nailing the plank to afresh,
and covering the whole with tarred canvas and sheet lead, he re-stowed
his vessel, which had been cleared of every thing, a few tons of ballast
excepted, and was again in a condition to prosecute his intended
excursion to the Glass-House peaks.
In a spare interval of a few hours before high water, (the day he laid
the sloop ashore) he attempted to get some swans, but met with none that
could not fly. He saw several large fish, or animals that came up to the
surface of the water to blow, in the manner of a porpoise, or rather of a
seal, for they did not spout, nor had they any dorsal fin. The head also
strongly resembled the bluff-nosed hair seal, but their size was greater
than any which Mr. Flinders had seen before. He fired three musket balls
into one, and Bong-ree threw a spear into another; but they sunk, and
were not seen again. These animals, which perhaps might be sea lions,
were not observed any where but in this river.
Not finding any fresh water wherewith to fill up their casks, they had
dug a hole in a low situation about a hundred yards inland. The first
spit consisted of vegetable earth, mixed with a large portion of black
sand; the three following feet were composed of different layers of sand,
and then they came to the hardened black clay of which the rocks on some
parts of the banks were formed. Here the water began to ooze in at the
sides of the hole, which in the course of thirty-six hours was filled,
but with very thick water. Luckily there was not any occasion to use it;
for one of the people, incautiously straying into the wood, met with a
hole of very good water, at which they completed their stock.
While they were employed in making up the sails, which had been loosed in
the first part of the morning to dry, three natives made their appearance
upon the beach, a short distance below the vessel, and unarmed as before.
Bong-ree went up to them in his usual undaunted manner; but they would
not suffer Mr. Flinders or any of his party to approach them, without
first laying down their muskets. Presents were made them of yarn caps,
pork, and biscuit, all of which they eagerly took, and made signs for
Bong-ree to go with them, and they would give him girdles and fillets, to
bind round his head and the upper parts of his arms. So long as their
visitors consisted only of two, the natives were lively, dancing and
singing in concert in a pleasing manner; but, the number of white men
having imperceptibly increased to eight, they became alarmed and
suspicious, seeming to look with a jealous eye upon a shot belt which Mr.
Flinders wore, and which, though they did not rightly know how, might
some how or other be a deadly weapon.
Observing this, he gave it to one of the people to take away; but this he
afterwards thought was wrong, as tending to make them suspicious of every
thing they saw, and thus be a means of destroying their friendly
intercourse. By this shot belt they seemed to recognise Mr Flinders as
the person who had fired upon them before, and were more desirous that he
should keep at a distance than any other person. Three of the sailors,
who were Scotch, were desired to dance a reel, but, for want of music,
they made a very bad performance, which was contemplated by the natives
without much amusement or curiosity. Finding they could not be persuaded
to visit the sloop, our people parted with them, but in a very friendly
manner.
Having weighed the anchors (Thursday the 25th) they turned two or three
miles further up the river in the afternoon, for the convenience of being
nearer to the Glass-House peaks, which he now intended to visit. In the
deepest parts of the river, there were from four to six fathoms water;
but the channel was much divided, and narrow. They anchored near that
place on the western shore where the man who had a family with him had
called to them; and at this time they saw a fire, and heard several
younger female voices in the same place.
On the following morning Mr. Flinders took the boat up a small branch
that pointed toward the peaks, but afterwards, joining the same stream,
formed two low mangrove islands, leaving the Glass Houses at some distance
on the left hand. About half past nine he left the boat, accompanied by
two seamen and the native. Steering NW by W through a low swampy country,
brought them to the side of a creek, the banks of which were low, muddy,
and covered with mangroves. This creek carried them by the south west
near the head of it, where the stream, passing through a rocky swamp,
permitted them to wade over it. Thence they steered between N 50 degrees
and 60 degrees West, getting a sight of the flat-topped peak at times,
which, appearing to be considerably nearer than the highest Glass-House,
was that which he first meant to visit; but observing that one of the
round mounts with sloping sides was still nearer, he altered his course
for it; and, after walking about nine miles from the boat, reached the
top.
The country through which they had passed was low, swampy, and brushy,
and in the latter part of the way somewhat uneven. In those parts which
were swampy, the surface was full of winding holes, where the water,
lodging, rendered walking both difficult and tiresome. The places that
were somewhat higher were either sandy or stony, and in these the grass
tree (or gum rush) abounded; but, in general, the trees were the same as
before mentioned, except that the pine was not observed to be among them.
The mount was a pile of stones of all sizes, mostly loose near the
surface. The decayed vegetable matter that was lodged in the cavities
produced a thick covering of long, but rather spindly grass, very fit for
thatch from its length. The ascent was difficult, and similar to that up
Mount Direction, which stands on the east bank of the Derwent river in
Van Diemen's Land. The trees upon the mount were the same as on the level
ground, but taller and more straight.
From the summit of this mount, the view of the bay and neighbouring
country was very extensive. The uppermost part of the bay appeared at S
24 degrees E and most probably communicated with a line of water which
was visible at S 12 degrees E where there were several distinct columns
of smoke. This last bearing, which Mr. Flinders apprehended to be near
the head of the river, he was not permitted to enter with the sloop, from
the intricacy of the channel, and the shortness of the time which
remained for his excursion.
Near the head of Pumice-Stone river there was a large spread of water,
bearing S 72 degrees E and seeming to divide off into small branches.
There were other small branches falling into this below, the whole
forming into channels, which, ramifying through the low country, drew off
whatever water might collect within the ridge of the back mountains.
These appeared to be within the distance of between ten and twenty miles,
lying in a north and south direction; and the intermediate country to be
nearly as low as that which they had walked over. There was a large smoke
near the foot of them.
From this mount, the way was over an irregular country, the higher parts
of which were sandy and stony, the lower swampy as before. At about two
thirds of the distance between it and the flat-topped peak (one mile and a
half), they were induced by a stream of water to rest for the night, the
sun being then below the trees. At seven the next morning they found
themselves under the steep cliffs of the flat-topped peak. The stone of
which this was composed was of a whitish cast, close-grained and hard, but
not heavy. It was not stratified, but there were many fissures in it. At
a little distance from the peak there were some pieces of a
reddish-coloured stone, and some small pieces of granite scattered about.
Mr. Flinders was somewhat surprised at not meeting with any volcanic
appearances, as the pumice stone in the river, and the situation of these
stupendous peaks, standing upon low flat ground, led him to form some
anxious expectations upon that head. But it must be observed, that,
although he could not distinguish any traces of scoria, lava, basaltes,
or other igneous remains, yet they might still exist, more especially
about the high Glass-House, which he did not visit.
As the steepness of its sides utterly forbade all idea of reaching the
summit of the flat-topped peak, he directed his course downwards to the
river, steering SSE to go clear of the head of the creek, and of the
swamps in its vicinity; but this direction took him a great way inland;
and upon his altering the course to reach the place where he had left the
boat, he had to cross a broad stream of fresh water which fell in lower
down, and to walk near three miles to reach the water side. He, however,
hit the place with unexpected readiness, and was very acceptably
presented with a black swan, which the people in the boat had caught, and
which was at the moment ready for satisfying the appetites of his party,
which were not trifling, for a more laborious and tiresome walk of the
same length would seldom be experienced.
The traces of men and animals were very few, and but rarely met with in
the upper parts of this excursion; but Mr. Flinders found a new species
of pheasant, about the size of an English magpie. The emu was not seen,
although its voice had been so often heard, as to induce him to suppose
that bird must be numerous. The more inland part of the country was
something higher and better than in the neighbourhood of the salt water;
but no where did he meet with any that was calculated for the production
of wheat.
Having reached the sloop in the evening, as soon as the ebb tide
permitted, the following morning, Sunday the 28th, they got under weigh
to turn down the river, with the wind at SSE. There were many natives on
the shore abreast of them, who seemed particularly anxious to be visited,
dancing and singing to attract attention, and express their own
good-will; and, when they could not prevail upon our people to land.
followed the sloop along the banks, their hopes seeming to revive by the
trips which in tacking they occasionally made towards the shore.
The intricacy of the channels proving a great impediment to their
progress, they could not get out of the river in one tide, but anchored
about a mile short of the entrance. Three swans, that the boat caught in
coming down, made the number of eighteen which had been procured in this
river.
Shortly after anchoring, Mr. Flinders took some people with axes on shore
to cut a log of the pine* for the workmen at Port Jackson, who might
ascertain the kind and worth of the wood. There was a house and several
natives near the place, with whom Bong-ree was in conversation when the
tree fell, the crash and report of which startled them a good deal, and
might probably assist in giving them a higher idea of the power of their
visitors. These people were still very averse from the appearance or
approach of a musket, keeping a watchful eye upon their least movement.
The gallant and unsuspecting native, Bong-ree, made them a present of one
of his spears, and a throwing-stick, of which he showed them the use, for
they appeared to be wholly ignorant of the latter, and their weapons of
the former kind were inferior to his.
[* This pine was pronounced to be of the same species as that found in the
middle harbour of Port Jackson, but was much superior to it in size.]
Very bad weather detained Mr. Flinders here for two days, during which
they were occasionally visited by the natives, who came down upon both
sides of the river, and entertained them with singing and dancing: their
singing, indeed, could not be distinctly heard, being nearly lost in the
wind. Not a spear was at any time seen among them.
While lying here, Mr. Flinders had some opportunity of observing their
manner of fishing, which was perfectly new to his companion Bong-ree. The
party on the east shore, near which the vessel lay, went out each morning
at daylight along the side of the river with nets on their shoulders; and
this, as far as a distant view would allow of observation, appeared to be
the mode in which they used them. Whichever of the party sees a fish, by
some dextrous manoeuvre, gets at the back of it, and spreads out his
scoop net: others prevent its escaping on either side, and in one or
other of their nets the fish is almost infallibly caught. With these nets
they saw them run sometimes up to their middle in water; and, to judge
from the event, they seemed to be successful, as they generally soon made
a fire near the beach, and sat down by it; not doubt, to regale with
their fish, which was thus no sooner out of the water than it was on the
fire.
The rain ceasing on Tuesday afternoon, a party went to the eastern shore
to procure fire-wood, and to comply with the desire which the natives had
so often expressed of seeing them land among them. On approaching them,
they carried their nets away into the wood; but three of them, who
remained, suffered the white people to advance without laying down their
muskets, which had never happened before. They were still timorous; but,
on being encouraged and requested by signs to sing, they began a song in
concert, which actually was musical and pleasing, and not merely in the
diatonic scale, descending by thirds, as at Port Jackson: the descent of
this was waving, in rather a melancholy soothing strain. The song of
Bong-ree, which he gave them at the conclusion of theirs, sounded
barbarous and grating to the ear; but Bong-ree was an indifferent
songster, even among his own countrymen.
These people, like the natives of Port Jackson, having fallen to the low
pitch of their voices, recommenced their song at the octave, which was
accompanied by slow and not ungraceful motions of the body and limbs,
their hands being held up in a supplicating posture, and the tone and
manner of their song and gestures seemed to bespeak the good will and
forbearance of their auditors. Observing that they were attentively
listened to, they each selected one of our people, and placed his mouth
close to his car, as if to produce a greater effect, or, it might be, to
teach them the song, which their silent attention might seem to express a
desire to learn. In return for the pleasure they had afforded, Mr.
Flinders gave them some worsted caps, and a pair of old blanket trousers,
with which they were much gratified. Several other natives soon made
their appearance, probably those who had carried away the nets. It was
some little time before they could overcome their dread of approaching
the strangers with their firearms; but, encouraged by the three who were
with them, they came up, and a general song and dance was commenced.
Their singing was not confined to one air; they gave three, but the first
was the most pleasing.
Of those who last came, three were remarkable for the largeness of their
heads; and one, whose face was very rough, had much more the appearance
of a baboon than of a human being. He was covered with oily soot; his
hair matted with filth; his visage, even among his fellows, uncommonly
ferocious; and his very large mouth, beset with teeth of every hue
between black, white, green, and yellow, sometimes presented a smile,
which might make one shudder.
Among other friendly interchanges, they learned the names of Mr. Flinders
and his party. Him they called *'Mid-ger Plindah,' and his brother Samuel
they named Dam-wel. Three of their names were Yel-yel-bah, Ye-woo, and
Bo-ma-ri-go. The resemblance of this last to Porto Rico imprinted it on
Mr. Flinders's recollection. When these people joined the party, the
strangers were shown, and their names severally told to them, until they
had gotten the pronunciation. This ceremony was reciprocal, and accorded
with what Captain Cook had said before of an inhabitant of Endeavour
river, 'he introduced the strangers by name, a ceremony which upon such
occasions was never omitted.' The difference of latitude between these
two places is 11 degrees 39 minutes, or seven hundred miles.
[* In these particularities, their language resembled that of
the Port Jackson natives. It may be seen in the former account, that Mr.
Ball was named Mid-ger Bool, and that none of them could ever pronounce
the letters f or s. Even Bennillong, on his return from England, still
used caw-be for coffee. Many other instances might be adduced.]
With regard to the comparative size of these people, they were evidently
somewhat lower than the common standard of Englishmen, and perhaps less
in every respect, except in the disproportionate size of the head; and
indeed this was not general. In the features of the face, particularly in
the elongation of the lower ones, in the small calf to the leg, and the
curve of the thigh, they bore a general resemblance to the natives of
Port Jackson; but there was not one in all this group, whose countenance
had so little of the savage, or the symmetry of whose limbs expressed
strength and agility, so much, as those of their companion Bong-ree.
A hawk presenting himself in an interval of conversation, Mr. Flinders
thought it a fair opportunity of showing his new friends a specimen of
the effect and certainty of his fire-arms. He made them comprehend what
was intended; but, while shifting the buck shot which were in the musket
for a charge of small shot, their agitation was so great, that they
seemed to be on the point of running into the woods; however, an
expedient to keep them was devised; the seamen placed them in a cluster
behind themselves, and in this situation they anxiously saw Mr. Flinders
approach toward the bird, and fire. What must have been his sensations at
this moment! for the hawk flew away, though not indeed unhurt, as the
natives noticed that the leg was broken. This disappointment brought to
his recollection how ineffectual had been some former attempts of his to
impress them with an idea of the superior refinement of his followers.
Bong-ree, his musician, had annoyed his auditors with his barbarous
sounds, and the clumsy exhibition of his Scotch dancers unaccompanied
with the aid of music, had been viewed by them without wonder or
gratification.
It is almost unnecessary to say that these people go naked. They,
however, wore belts round the waist, and fillets about the head and upper
parts of the arm. These were formed of hair, twisted into yarn-like
threads, and then into bandages, mostly reticulated. Indeed the
inhabitants of this bay appeared to possess in general a very pointed
difference from, if not a superiority over, those of New South Wales,
particularly in their net-works. A seine eighty feet in length, and the
scoop nets which they use, have been mentioned. To these may be added the
bag in which they seemed to carry their portable property, and which was
most probably of the same kind as those mentioned by Captain Cook; but
they were seen of different sizes, and two that Mr. Flinders procured
were very differently worked. They were in general shaped somewhat like a
breast plate; and, being suspended from the necks of the possessors, led
him, previous to his first interview with them, to suppose they were some
kind of defence for the more vital parts. There was no doubt but that
they were provided with nets for catching very large fish, or animals, as
the fragments of a rotten one lying on the shore were picked up, the
meshes of which were wide enough to admit the escape of a moderate sized
porpoise; and the line of which it was made was from three quarters to an
inch in circumference. Probably the large animals which Mr. Flinders took
to be sea lions might be the objects for which these large nets were
fabricated.
Mr. Flinders was of opinion, that this mode of procuring their food would
cause a characteristic difference between the manners, and perhaps the
dispositions, of these people, and of those who mostly depend upon the
spear or fiz-gig for a supply. In the one case, there must necessarily be
the co-operation of two or more individuals; who therefore, from mutual
necessity, would associate together. It is fair to suppose, that this
association would, in the course of a few generations, if not much
sooner, produce a favourable change in the manners and dispositions even
of a savage. In the other case, the native who depends upon his single
arm, and, requiring not the aid of society, is indifferent about it, but
prowls along, a gloomy, unsettled, and unsocial being. An inhabitant of
Port Jackson is seldom seen, even in the populous town of Sydney, without
his spear, his throwing-stick, or his club. His spear is his defence
against enemies. It is the weapon which he uses to punish aggression and
revenge insult. It is even the instrument with which he corrects his wife
in the last extreme; for in their passion, or perhaps oftener in a fit of
jealousy, they scruple not to inflict death. It is the play-thing of
children, and in the hands of persons of all ages. It is easy to perceive
what effect this must have upon their minds. They become familiarised to
wounds, blood, and death; and, repeatedly involved in skirmishes and
dangers, the native fears not death in his own person, and is consequently
careless of inflicting it on others.
The net also appearing to be a more certain source of food than the
spear, change of place will be less necessary. The encumbrance too of
carrying large nets from one place to another will require a more
permanent residence; and hence it would naturally follow, that their
houses would be of a better construction. Those which had been met with
in Shoal Bay and Glass-House Bay were certainly far superior to any that
had been seen in the neighbourhood of Port Jackson; and this superiority
Mr. Flinders attributed to the different mode of procuring fish which had
been adopted by the inhabitants. He likewise supposed that the use of
nets, and consequently whatever resulted from such use, arose from the
form of the bay, which, being shoal for a considerable distance from the
shores, gave the greatest advantage to nets, over every other method,
more especially the setting and scoop nets. Pumice Stone river, being
full of shoals, required the same manner of fishing; and it was observed
that most, if not all, of the islands in the bay were surrounded by
extensive shoals, which, by extending the necessity, would assist in
bringing nets into more general use.
At one time they saw near twenty natives engaged in fishing upon one of
these flats, the greater part of whom were employed in driving fish into
a net which was held by their companions. That they were so engaged, they
convinced our people by one of the party holding up a fish to them while
he was standing in the water.
During the time the sloop was in Glass-House Bay, they scarcely saw any
of the women.
Of their canoes but little could be reported. The only one which Mr.
Flinders had any opportunity of examining was on the east side of
Pumice-Stone river. This was formed of the stringy bark, and was much
larger than any used at Port Jackson. The ends of it were tied up in the
same manner; but it was misshapen and clumsy. Not any of the natives ever
attempted to approach the sloop in canoes, although at times eight or ten
were seen standing together, who appeared very desirous of having a
communication with it.
On the day the sloop was laid ashore in the river, the rise of the tide
was but three feet and nine inches. The tides were then neaped, and the
remark made by Captain Cook, that 'they had only one high tide in
twenty-four hours' seemed to apply in this bay; for, although the sloop
was got up as high as the strength of the crew would admit, yet she
righted a full hour and a half before the night tide had done flowing,
and shortly after one man haled her off. The superior rise of the night
tide was well known, and advantage taken of it, at Port Jackson: it also
rose the highest at Western Port, round the southern promontory of New
South Wales. The time of high-water in the river preceded the moon's
passage over the meridian by two hours and a half, and Mr. Flinders did
not think the highest rise of the tide was more than seven, or less than
five, feet.
On Wednesday the 31st, having a moderate breeze at S by W with fine
weather, they got under weigh with the weather tide, and beat out of the
river. Having passed fifteen days in Glass-House Bay, Mr. Flinders was
enabled to form his judgment of it. It was so full of shoals, that he
could not attempt to point out any passage that would lead a ship into it
without danger. The east side of the Bay had not been sounded; if any
existed, it would probably be found on that side.
Mr. Flinders named the land upon which Cape Moreton was situated Moreton
Island, supposing it to be that which Captain Cook would have given it,
had he known of its insulated form. It appeared to be a strip of land
whose greatest extent east and west was not more than four or five miles;
but, according to the observations for the latitude, its north and south
extent was about twenty-two miles. The ridge of land which ran along the
middle of the island was nearly of the same height with the Cape; and,
although it appeared to be composed of great piles of sand heaped
together upon a base mostly of stone, it was yet interspersed with small
trees calculated to mislead a distant observer, who would probably think
that some parts of it were not among the most barren spots in the
universe.
In passing out of the bay they saw a large turtle lying asleep upon the
water; whence it became not improbable, that the capture of these animals
might form a part of the labours of the inhabitants, and of the intention
with which their larger nets were made.