Part 5 (1/2)
”Wednesday, 25th November Fresh breezes and hazy weather At half-past 3 saw a single rock bearing south-south-west distance 9 or 10 miles, and an island on our bea thick At 4 PM saw a rock lying to north of Kent's Group about 3 milesAt half-past 4 saw eastern west by south distance 8coroup and a rock that lies to the north and by 6 opened the Sound that passes through the IslandsAs we approached the first cove saw a large part of the island on fire froht be people on shore--kept standing up the Sound and had furious gusts of wind at every point of the compass We proceeded up with sails, sweeps and boat till we opened the second cove but found it iusts constantly came down it At 7 PM bore away for the cove on the west side and at half-past 7 PM came to anchor in 7 fathoms
”Thursday, 26th Noveeneral At 2 PM
the officer and his party returned on board having found no water--every part of the cove was overhauled and only rainwater could be found here, the rocks being strongly marked with the streah land in heavy rain Fro a s dead on the beach, I fancy the Harrington's In the afternoon I sent the first mate to the second cove on the east side to overhaul it for water, but on the strictest search they found nothing, but a brackish kind of springthey however shot and caught three kangaroos
”Friday, 27th NovehAt the southernmost end lies a bank of 10 fathoradually shoals from 30 to 40 fathomsand as you advance on West Cove the water suddenly falls from 30 to 16-14-12-10-8-7-6-5-4 and 3 fathoms, close to the beach the bottom consists of sand mixed with small shells and stones--the East Cove the sa, coarse sand and where we anchored quite covered with black kelp so ht be rock
”Saturday, 28th Noveth from one point of the cove we lay in to the other, it was measured with sht wood in length 120 fathoms We had the boats employed in this business; alternately anchored theot across to the southern end of the point of the cove; and as the water was sth of base line to be correct I then surveyed the eastern side of the Sound and Cove Sent the first mate and so thereI sent the carpenter with hiot da to the bad weather could not air it on deck
”Sunday, 29th Novehout with a swell heaving in through the northern entrance of ye sound PM The firstcut doo sparsThe party with the dog caught two large and 3 saroos At 8 PM as usual set a third watch with an officer AM I went over to Harrington (or East) Cove, ( Naton to whose presence in these waters Murray often refers) measured a base line and surveyed the western side of this sound I also overhauled every part of the Rocks all round the cove and without it exah I saw at different parts of the under rocks and in holes perhaps enough water to keep a few men alive yet no quantity that could be ood anchorage all over it for shi+ps of any size, and they may exactly choose ater to be in from 3 fathoms close in to ye beach to 14 in ye mouth of it I sounded every part of it and ye bottom is sand with small stones and shells ht to be rocksWest Cove is almost the sameEast Cove is ye best to lie in as it entirely shuts in sea gates and round swell to which both other coves are subject With respect to the tide in the coves little can be perceived, the perpendicular rise at full moon may be 10 or 11 feet, with us it sometimes was 8 or 9 feet, and that in ye course of ye hourAt all times it is imprudent to carry sail on a boat in this sound; the puffs come so violent that before anybody could take in her sail she would to a certainty be overset; even shi+ps, in my opinion, would do well before they enter this sound to take in all their small sails and keep all hands at the braces fore and aft as well as hands by the top-sail halyards, and it is necessary to handle the yards quick otherwise a large vessel will be sure to rub sides with ye rocks if it has blown fresh outside all dayThe kangaroo seems to be , I fancy, to their being less disturbed there than in the other coves, but with good dogs and a little trouble they may be had on the hills in the vicinity of either cove Wood is plentiful and no trouble in getting it
”Monday, 30th Novehout
The soil throughout this sound is nothing but sand a good way up the hills and after that you chiefly find rocks with here and there a shott of grass The hills are covered very thick with brushwood, a great part of which is decayed and rotten and renders it a business of labour to ascend any of the new on them A few parrots are to be seen and now and then a snake of a large size, these with kangaroos, gulls, redbills, form the inhabitants of these islands, sometimes a seal comes in shore but very seldom and with much care
”Thursday, 3rd Deceet noto stand byshe drove and ere obliged to let go salePM Got altitudes for Governor King's chronoaroos to the opposite or west side of the land from the cove we lay in and for fresh water
”Friday, 4th December At sundown party returned--reported no fresh water to be found on that side of island, got 3 kangaroos, some shell-fish, and knocked down 2 seals AM Hove up our BB ( Best bower, that is the starboard bower) At 11 weighed and h, strong wind at east Got sight of rock laying off this island At noon bore up to survey s winds, hazy At 1 PM hove toAt 3 PM body of Kent's Group bore east by south distance 15 or 16 miles At half-past 4 the five Seal Islands bore north-north-east distance 8 or 9 milesSaw Sir R Curtis's Island west by south 10west-north-west 13 or 14thick and almost calm hauled close to ye wind off and onAt 4 AM the Promontory bore west 7 or 8to run between thea fine breeze was surprised to lose all ye wind in an instant as we stood in under ye land--although ere not less than 3 or 4 miles from ye mainland it fell calmPut the helm a starboard, put sweeps on her, and pulled her out into ye wind againAt 10 AM passed a rerees 10 minutes 0 seconds south
”Sunday, 6th Dece north-north-west distance 6 or 7 ot close up with Grant's Point and Seal Island
”Monday, 7th Dece up at south-west Stood in for the entrance with all sail and the sweeps At 6 PM gained entrance and passed between Grant's Point and Seal Island which island seemed as full of seals as ere last there, a circuton or Mr Rushford (
Presu up the harbour with a south-ind, at 7 came to anchor in Elizabeth's Cove in 6 fatho and I went on shore to observe if any signs of strangers were to be seen Saw nothing to make me think the cove had been visited since we left in May last, in short the only difference was that the land appeared in a higher state of verdure now than it was at that time At 4 AM out launch and sent the first officer and five armed men to the river for fresh waterat 10 AM stood further up the harbour
”Tuesday, 8th December At 4 PM came to an anchor off Lady Nelson's Point and I went on shore and shot a few birds At 2 PM came on board; up anchor and ran over into 2 fathoms water as near theto Churchill's Island and there found everything as we left it--I mean the remains of our fires and huts; the wheat and corn that Lieutenant Grant had sown in April last was in full vigour, 6 ft high and alrown into seed; the potatoes have disappeared--I fancy that the different animals that inhabit the island ret not having tie spot and sow the wheat already grown, as the next crop would be large I never saw finer wheat or corn in ar-cane
”Wednesday, 9th December At 1 PM the first officer in the launch returned on board with a load of water; on his exa see presumption that no vessel had been there, as naturally they would have replaced their water The river has been flooded since last April, as a temporary hut we built was found with part of the bank washed away; the banks of the river were found all in a high state of verdure and in ns of native canoes or huts have been discovered, indeed, there is less appearance of natives now than ere here last; for then many remains of huts, part of a canoe and their beaten tracks were to be found on all parts of the banks of this little river, all of which have vanished The party caught and shot 5 pairs of swans, out of which 3 pairs were young, and brought on board alive, the others were old and we ht on board a pair of young geese which however are very scarce, but few parrots--the ducks are as shy as everAt 3 PM sent the second mate to Churchill's Island to cut down the wheat on purpose to feed the young sith it, at sundown they returned on board with it in the whole perhaps a bushel in quantity with a good deal mixed with oats and barley all fine of their kind--some potatoes were also found and 2 onions At 8 AM the launch returned with a load of water, the officer reported that George Yates had gone to sleep on watch, left the launch deep loaded in i swamped as the tide rose, andsurprised by natives if any should be about, for which cri an old offence of his--I pardoned hi on his watch at Sydney
”Friday, 11th December The very favourable weather we have had since our arrival here is to be thanked for enabling us to so soon fill our water as I expected this business would have detained me 9 or 10 days At noon ran over to Lady Nelson's Point and there anchored in the oon--7 fathoms
”Saturday, 12th Deceet swans; he, however, found none but in afternoon and evening shot two large ones at Lady Nelson's Point PM Having discovered that Robert Warren had laid an infaet the firstto the vessel that he was a notorious thief and e's stores, I, upon the fullest and clearest investigation of theit to be ato deliver hiour of the civil law on our arrival at Sydney should a speedier way of sending hi the cruise AM Sent the firstto look for water swans and birds
”Sunday, 13th Dece shot 9 large and shed 8 and 9 pounds each At sunset native fires on ye distant hills
”Monday, 14th December Sent the first mate and party in a launch to overhaul the back of Tortoise Point
”Tuesday, 15th December AM Hove up and ran over into Elizabeth's Cove where we anchored Sent first mate and boat's cren to Seal Island to procure so the beach 6 or 7here since we left this place
”At 4 PM I returned on board, the launch also came on board, they knocked down a few seals but there was too much surf, in consequence the officer returned, he reported that no person could have visited that island since we left this harbour as the seals were as plentiful as ever and several thousand pups lying on shore As it continued calain sent hiet some of the skins both as specimens for Government and for our own uses as several of the people ithout hats or shoesServed out fishi+ng line and 4 hooks to each ht several rock fish at Grant's Point
”Thursday, 17th Dece ready for sea Observed that for these several days past the native fires had advanced nearer to us, and this day saw one fire that could be no more than 4 or 5 miles inland
”Friday, 18th December At 2 PM the first mate and party returned from Seal Island with some skins which run very smallThis time the officer found res, also a club The Harrington must have been here, but where she could have lain at anchor we could not discover; if any place along this beach, it is curious that not the least signs of her are to be found--as I walked down fro, two soldiers, to cut soh to discover a spring of waterI went on shore and found on clearing it with our hands that at once we got 100 gallons of very good waterIn thein a few days a line of battleshi+ps Pleased with this circuood road to it, we also cleared the spring of all the dirt, roots and boughs of fallen and decayed trees that had got into itwe bailed out of it at least 2 or 3 tons of water and found the bottoetherin half an hour after it was entirely eood water We now filled all our e on board that would hold water intending to go to sea when the ould permit As in this cove wood is in plenty, and the water is not above 50 yards from the seaside; a vessel of any size may be wooded and watered in two or three days and ride secure from all wind either close in or further out It is the best place in the harbour for any vessel to lay in whether her stay is short or longThe soil of this island as far as we have penetrated is very sandy; no black mould is seen, the trees are very sroithto the eye; in short this cove and island can supply a shi+p in abundance hat is generally considered the greatest of her wants yet I fancy it would poorly pay a settler To-daya fire which I fancy could not have been more than 4 miles from Tortoise Point and perhaps 7 from the vessel
”Saturday, 19th Dece made it level and fit to roll butts on At 5 PM saw a large fire lighted on the opposite beach nearer the entrance of the harbour, it ht be 6 or 7 miles from the vessel, and in a little time it was left, and nearer to us, at a little distance fro fro I should be able to speak to thee fire abreast of where we lay, the natives could notno fires were to be seen which was rather odd, as besides this nearest fire, last night there were several others in sightAM I got a large board hung up at the entrance of the road to the well or spring on which was painted, in oil colours, directions for any stranger how to get to the watering-place
”Friday, 25th December At noon suddenly taken with most violent squall at Westthis hurricane of wind increased so rapidly and with such fury that ere obliged to let go the best bower and till all 3 anchors bore the strain she dragged a little, struck top-gallant-mast This squall continued for 4 hours, then settled into a westerly gale with constant thunder and lightning and at intervals very hard rain and also more sea than I supposed possible in this cove At 11 PM parted our warp, my uneasiness at this was not a little however the SB ( Small bower, that is the port bower) a little relieved by best bower held on at night