Part 5 (2/2)
”Saturday, 26th Deceale continued to increase and a sea got up still higher than it had yet been at any ti as possible for riding out the gale, the hardest by far I ever saw in this country, and as it blew dead on the shore outside nothing less than the greatest providence could have saved us had we got to sea either of the times I atteood weather7 PM the weather looking very bad,us as hard as ever, at half-past 9 caale continued, however, we felt little here as we lay right under the land
”Sunday, 27th Deceht Henry Willis and John Missing asleep in their watch, put both in irons 8 AM vessel droveshe tailed in on a ht the best bower and with the long boat lay it ahead to heave her off At noon hove into 1/2 2 fathoms
”Monday, 28th December Wind at south-west at 3 PMup anchor and ran to leeward of Lady Nelson's Point
”Tuesday, 29th December Winds at south-west shi+fted to north-west and freshened into a gale with cloudy weather: thus has this kind of weather bound us here this last 12 daysSent the first mate and a party to see and shoot some birds
”Wednesday, 30th December First part the wind veered to south-west and blew so hard that ere obliged to give her the long service of the cable although we lay under the land and not half a mile from it No fires have been seen these last three or four days
”Thursday, 21st December First anda number of swans near Churchill's Island, sent the First Mate in the boat to see and get soh to catch sixUp anchor and run down into Elizabeth's Cove At half-past 6 PM
caot on board two or 300 gallons of water and some wood The as in fine order, overflowed and water clear We here discovered another spring the banks of which were covered ater-cresses and wild blackberries, got so inland on the island so from west-north-hich threw the sea into the cove--not at all pleasant I therefore up anchor and again ran up under Lady Nelson's Point
”Friday, 1st January 1802 All this 24 hours it has been blowing a hard galeThe New Year was ushered in with us splicing the main brace and three cheers; by the weather with a black squall of wind and rain
Released Robert Warren
”Saturday, 2nd January Strong gales with hard squalls, later cloudy New slung our two Nun buoys; sent officer and so way off in north-east Branch
”Sunday, January 3rd PM Sent the 1st Mate with 4 hands in launch to the River to try for some birds
”Monday, 4th January Variable weather At 2 PM the launch returned We have got at last soe of the natives of this part of the country The following is the substance of the report of Mr Bowen, 1st Mate:--
”At 7 AM left the head of Fresh Water River having in vain looked for so (a few ducks excepted), having proceeded down the river, and being nearly half-way on board he observed a fire lighted on the beach between Crownhead and the entrance of the River and thinking it could be nothing but natives he immediately put back to prove this As the boat approached the beach these blacks were perceived sitting in the same form as those of Sydney, and each of them had a bundle of spears in their hands Our people hallowed them which they instantly answered and did not seem at all alarmed on the nearer approach of the boat, three boys made their appearance As between the beach and the boat there lay a bank of et quite so close as he could wish, however, he singly got out and began to walk towards them, which when they perceived, they jumped upon their feet and it was now perceived that one of thee bushy beard and the rest of his face bes men They were all clothed with the skins of oppossums as far as their middle, and this old man seemed to have command over the others As Mr
Bowen advanced they all pulled off their dress and ns to the officer that before he came any nearer he must do the same; this was iain and Mr Bowen, plucking a root of fern, advanced pretty close to the it up; they seeot within a few yards of this party the old an to handle his spears Mr Bowen then threw thetheain threw him back the tomahawk, and all except the old man sat down Mr Bowen then broke a piece of stick and cut it with the toain reached it to the men ventured to reach his hand and take it out of the officer's but would by no means be so familiar as to shake hands Mr Bowen then ate soave them some which they did not eat, but carefully laid it by under so some ducks they took no other notice of them than to examine in what manner they were killed, what their ideas on that head e know not as they did not take the least notice of our firearms even when, towards the latter end of the parley, it was found necessary to point one at the breast of the old ns
”All this tiood deal of wonder at the colour of Mr
Bowen's skin, and one of the young ns to him that he ns for Mr
Bowen to go back to the boat and pointed down along the beach to Crown Head Mr Bowen accordingly went into the boat and pulled down as they walked, after pulling about 1 1/2 miles they stopped and beckoned for the boat to come in--here 3 women made their appearance each with a child at her back Mr Boent on shore here, little passed on either side further than on Mr Bowen asking for fire to warns for hiet it the wo and hooping A few iven to theot out of the boat stark naked as was desired and walked somewhat near the natives, on which the oldbeen in a great passion, an to retire with his face to us and brandishi+ng his spear as that everyone thought he would heave it, when our people turned their backs the young men seemed more quiet Asthat all hope of further intercourse for the present was at an end Mr Bowen ordered Bond to fire his piece over their heads in order to ood his retreat to the boat
This had the desired effect, as they one and all were out of sight in an instant Before this theybut a stick All the weapons they possessed were their spears (of a s with the wu men were much the same as those of Sydney or Jarvis Bay They were not deficient in ns, and ere easy able to understand fro but little food for the clothed in the skins of the oppossuot tochildren, they were, however, always at so joined the boat came on board Observed all the remainder of the day they retired back into the woods and about 6 PM dous'd their fire at once although it ht wind sprung up at east, got our kedge hove short, loosed sails and hove up--made sail for Elizabeth's Cove”
”Tuesday, 5th January Winds from south-east to east with cloudy weather
At quarter past 1 PM Cape Shank bore north-east by north 9west and west by north in order to traverse the whole of this land, found it impossible to survey any part of the coast as yet from the numerous native fires which covered this low shore in one volume of smoke At 3 PM ( ie 3 PM on January 4th by the civil reckoning See above note)ahead land bearing west-north-west distant 12in the land that had the appearance of a harbour north-west 10 or 12the appearance of fine steady weatherAccordingly kept standing down for this entrance which every ood harbour ( The entrance to Port Phillip; Murray returned here January 30th) At 5 PM saw a small island in the entrance and observed that between it and the main lay a reefthe 1st Mate and the the Boatswain's Mate at theout At this time I suppose ithin 1 1/2 miles of the entranceand I perceived that the sea broke short and ithal heavy--hove the lead and found only 10 fathoms waterAstonished at this, I hauled our wind and called out to theer, but none was seen I bore away and deepened into 11 fathoms when Mr
Bowen called out ”Rocks ahead,” i often to the masthead I saw that the reef did nearly stretch across the whole way, but inside saw a sheet of s dead on this shore, I was obliged to haul off to clear the land, but with a determination to overhaul it as no doubt it has a channel into it and is apparently a fine harbour of large extent Kept pressing sail and by 8 PM the extremes of land bore from north-west to west distance 20 milesthe wind blew about as much as our vessel likes and I am convinced that no vessel would have done ht windsAt daylight the haze over the land at east, and east-north-east with a heavy sea I did not like to bear down on a lee shore and so kept our wind stretching for the westernmost side of the bayno part of this bay as yet has been surveyed owing to the sea, wind and the before-mentioned numerous fires of the natives, but as our courses and distance were all with a free wind till we hauled offthere will be no great mistake found in that part of this bay laid down Till 8 PM from our run from Western Port the soil of all the land from abreast of Elizabeth's Cove to Cape Shanks is excellent; after you round Cape Shanks and stand to west the land is invariably low and sandy with little huet down as far as this supposed harbour; on the opposite side the land gently rises a little for about 10 or 12bight of low land which we could just perceive at sundownAt noon saw the distant appearance of land on our larboard bearees 48 minutes 14 seconds, I take it to be somewhere near about Cape Shanks; bore away for Cape Albany Otway Altitudes for Tirees 35 rees 35 round from 45 to 33 fathoms Sand mixed with shells and brown specks
”Wednesday, 6th January Kept running for Cape Albany and by 7 PM
having nearly run into its latitude stood off and on during night In theit was very hazy otherould have seen the land At half-past 9 AM saw Cape Albany, bearing west-north-west 10 or 12 er north-west 16 or 17 miles; both these capes h, all the land between is sandy hills and long sandy beach, as also what part of the landstretching into Portland Bay Ground invariably ravel, till the last time e had 24 fathoms fine sand At the time Cape Albany bore 26 or 27 er) but owing to heavy sea and wind did notand pitching a great deal
”Thursday, 7th January Fro winds at north-north-east and a confused heavy seaThis weather settled into hard gale at south-west by 7 a tumultuous sea up and we laboured much and lurched very heavy At 6 AM it cleared--set sails, out all reefs intending to 's Island while this clear weather continued; as it will be seen, unfavourable winds and weather has preventedcoast fro Cape Albany froer Rock; both of these points will be atterees 07 minutes 15 seconds--this confirmed me that we must have been driven eastward