Volume I Part 33 (1/2)

The last three, together with Mr. Walker, had been with me on the first expedition, and to these were added:

H. Wood and C. Wood, Seamen.

Clotworthy, Stiles, and Hackney, taken as volunteers at Swan River.

And lastly, Kaiber, an intelligent native of the Swan.

Making in all twelve persons.

Our time during the voyage was occupied princ.i.p.ally in getting the three whale-boats in order and making other similar preparations. Poor Kaiber the native was dreadfully sick from the first.

Sunday February 24 1839.

This evening we Sighted the centre of Dorre Island, and stood in to within about two miles of the sh.o.r.e, which we found steep and rocky with a heavy surf breaking on it; we then tacked and stood off for the night.

LAND AT BERNIER ISLAND.

February 25.

Soon after daybreak we made the north-western part of Bernier Island and, doubling the point at Kok's Island, stood in to Shark Bay. Kok's Island is very remarkable: it is nearly a tableland, about a quarter of a mile in length, terminating in low cliffs at each extremity; and on the summit of this tableland are several large rocks which look like the remains of pillars. The land is low. By noon we were all disembarked on Bernier Island. The point I had selected for landing on was a sandy beach in a little bay, the southern extremity of which was sheltered from the south-east by a reef running off the point. Captain Long of the Russel made the sh.o.r.e rather to the northward of the point I had chosen and, owing to his boat getting broadside on whilst they were landing the goods, he was knocked down under it and nearly drowned.

He had scarcely left us (though the Russel was then more than six miles off) when we found that our keg of tobacco had been left on board; the vessel was soon out of sight, and this article, so necessary in hards.h.i.+ps where men are deprived of every other luxury, was lost to us. Everything else was however found correct. Whilst the men under Mr. Walker's direction were arranging the stores Mr. Smith, Kaiber, and myself started to search for water but were unsuccessful. Whilst on our return we saw three large turtles among some seaweeds in shoal water; and, after a good deal of floundering about and some tumbles amongst the breakers, we succeeded in turning them, and then brought a party armed with axes, etc.

and cut them up. One part we immediately converted into soup, and the remainder was immersed in a cask of pickle as a store against unforeseen misfortunes. When these portions of the turtle were put into the brine long after the death of the animals, they quivered for several minutes, as if still endowed with the sense of feeling.

DESCRIPTION OF IT.

Bernier Island consists of recent limestone of a reddish tinge, containing many recent fossil sh.e.l.ls, and having a coating of sand and sandy dunes which are arranged in right lines, lying south-east and north-west, the direction of the prevailing winds. The island does not afford a tree or a blade of gra.s.s, but only wretched scrubby bushes.

Between the dunes regular beds of sh.e.l.ls are forming which, when dried and light, are drifted up by the wind. The only animals we saw were kangaroo-rats, one pigeon, one small land- and many seabirds, a few lizards, mosquitoes, ants, crabs, oysters and turtle.

BURY THE STORES. INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER.

February 26.

Early this morning we had finished burying our stores. The wind had freshened considerably about daylight, and throughout the day it blew nearly a gale from the south-east; it now looked so foul that I feared a long period of bad weather was about to commence. My own party, as well as the crews of the boats which came off from the whaler, had during the hurry and confusion incident on landing made very free with our supply of water, and as, from the appearance of the island, I felt very doubtful whether we should find any more, I put all hands on an allowance of two pints and a half a day, and then employed the men thus: one party under the direction of Mr. Walker worked at constructing a still, by means of which we might obtain fresh water from salt; another made various attempts to sink a well; whilst the native, another man, and myself traversed the island in search of a supply from the surface.

At night the result of our efforts were recounted, when it appeared that Mr. Walker had, by an ingenious contrivance, managed to have such a still constructed that we might hope, by means of it, if kept constantly working, to obtain just water enough to keep us alive. The party who had tried to sink a well had invariably been stopped by hard limestone rock in every place they had tried, and all their attempts to penetrate it by means of a cold chisel and pickaxe had proved abortive. The party which had been out with me searching for water had not seen the slightest sign which indicated its presence on the island: we had taken a spade with us, but wherever we dug had come down upon the solid rock. Under these circ.u.mstances I reduced the allowance to two pints a day.

February 27.

This morning it still blew nearly a gale of wind from the south-east. The men were occupied in the same manner as yesterday; but towards noon the wind moderated a little, and as we could find no water I resolved to make an effort to creep along sh.o.r.e to the southward.

LOSS OF A BOAT IN REEMBARKING.

My boat was soon launched in safety, but the Paul Pry, Mr. Walker's boat, was not so fortunate; the water in the bay deepened rapidly from the steepness of the bank, and the steersman, who was keeping her bow on whilst the crew were launching, got frightened from the depth of water and the violence of the surf, and let go his hold; when the next surf threw the boat broadside on to the sea and, there being nearly half a ton weight of stores in her, and the wind at this juncture unfortunately freshening, she was in the course of two or three minutes knocked completely to pieces. By this mischance all the stores in the boat were lost, and nothing but a few planks and some articles of clothing were recovered. I placed my own boat at anchor in a little cove for the night and, leaving two men in her as keepers, the rest of us swam ash.o.r.e through the surf to render what a.s.sistance we could.

The loss of this boat was a very heavy misfortune to commence with; but as I had taken the precaution in case of such an accident to provide a spare one it was by no means irremediable; the other boat was all ready for launching within half an hour, for by not allowing the men to remain in a state of inactivity, and by treating the matter lightly, I hoped to prevent their being dispirited by this unlucky circ.u.mstance.

The wind however continued freshening rapidly, and during the evening and night we had heavy squalls accompanied by rain from all quarters, and much thunder and lightning. During the night we collected a few quarts of water in the sails.

February 28.