Part 7 (1/2)
”Monday, February 15th PM Working up, the port with a very strong ebb against us, ever gained ground The southern shore of this noble harbour is bold high land in general and not clothed as all the land at Western Point is with thick brush but with stout trees of various kinds and in so short, in beauty and appearance, of Greenwich Park Away to the eastward at the distance of 20 miles the land is h mountain which in the meantime I named Arthur's Seat from its resehto the north-east by north, about 5 miles from the south shore lies a cluster of small rocky islands and all round them a shoal of sand; plenty of swans and pelicans were found on them when the boat was down, from which I named the, and from our masthead no land could be seen in it The northern shores are loith a sandy beach all along At half-past 3 PM we got to anchor in a sandy cove in 7 fatho north-east by north distance 5 miles, a bold rocky point which I na sandy point named Point Palmer west, 1 1/2 miles, and the nearest point of the shore south-west 1/2 of a h the woods a couple of round was hard and pleasant to walk on The trees are at a good distance froood as far as we es I saw several native huts and very likely they have burnt off several hundred acres of ground Young grass we found springing up over all the ground alked; the only birds ere a few parrots We found some shells on the beach and returned on board I have na afterwards renamed the harbour Port Phillip in honour of the first Governor of New South Wales) in honour of Governor PG King under whose orders I act Set a third watch of the people with an officer In theto Swan isles for swans and on board we caught a few rock fish At noon the gig returned with 3 live and 4 dead swans
”Tuesday, February 16th After dinner I took a walk through the woods of this part of the country, attended by one soldier and our carpenter to exah is simply to say that it nearly resembles a walk on Blackheath and the Park if we set out of question the houses and gardens of the latter The hills and valleys rise and fall with inexpressible elegance We discovered no water nor any neood of consequence, but it is ireat want of water can be here from the number of native huts and fires we fell in with in oure sheet of water was seen which I ae river; we also perceived that this port trained away under Cape Shanks
”On our return to the boat Andrew Luck found a perfect nautilus shell; he made me a present of it, indeed it is but coood, attentive and decent behaviour of this old man ever since he joined this vessel renders hiht and some rock fish At sundown a native fire was seen about aearly I sent Mr Bowen and Bond armed to speak them, neither fell in with theht air at north-east and dropped a few hted by the natives and presently perceived several of them come out of the Bush, but theinto the wood out of sight At 11 AM we came to an anchor in 5 fathoms water, handed sails, etc, as there was a native fire burning a little way inland
”I sent the launch with Mr Bowen and 4 hands armed to see if any natives were here, and before the boat was half-way on shore we had the satisfaction of seeing 18 or 20 men and boys coreen bank waiting the approach of our boat hich I had sent soive thely landed in the midst of the on both sides--in an hour the boat returned Mr
Bowen had dressed them in our white shi+rts and invited theed for all this Got a basket of straw neatly enough made They were all clothed in the skins of opossuo and one basket They wished much to knohat our arms were and their use and did not see sticks--no woain with solasses, tomahawk and a picture as presents to induce them to part with their weapons and dresses as also to inform us where there ater This day all hands put upon two-thirds allowance of bread
”Wednesday, February 17th Fresh light airs inclinable to calhout this 24 hours The boat (as ) proceeded to the shore and was as before received in a friendly manner by the natives, all of ere seated in a circle on a beautiful spot of grass near a high point of land Mr Bowen and all the crew consisting of 5 men and the boy, Mr Brabyn, went up with their dinners in their hands and sat down in thethe natives how to eat bread, etc, and gave theave thes I had sent as well as several of his own things--stripping himself almost naked to comply with their wishes, and his example was followed by the whole of the boat's crew As there o fine-looking boys ast theain their confidence by his attention to their youngsters, both of whom he dressed in his shi+rts, handkerchiefs, trowsers, etc
”Allto give and all we got was 2 spears, a basket and a ain took fro, this however the officer took no offence at being determined if at all possible to keep on friendly terms with thens too significant not to be understood to gain intelligence where water was to be found or on what beaches shells were most plentiful, to all such enquiries they turned a deaf ear and only see what our people had even to the last shi+rt; by this time our people had nearly finished their dinners and Isaac Moss having the boat in charge got up and alking slowly down to her At this time the Boy Brabyn happened to turn his head towards the wood and saw aa spear at Moss as well as a large body (not before seen) behind a large fallen tree with their spears all in readiness for throwing The boy immediately cried out to Mr Boas at that very ti out bread to all the party he was sitting a that he would be speared, but before the words were out of his erous kind, was thrown at and did not escape Moss by a yard and in an instant the whole of the treacherous body that Mr Bowen and 4 of our people were sitting in the ht and left and at once left them all open to the party in aan to throw spears; still such was the forbearance of the officer that only one piece was fired over their heads but this was found only to create a sed to teach the sticks
”The first fire made them run and one received two balls between his shoulders, still some of them made a stop to heave; the second fire they all set off with astonishi+ng speed and most likely one received a mortal wound Before another piece was fired Mr Bowen laid hold of one of their nurappled hiet away fro hih his arood distance by his blood--the reave chase to thelass and we lay only a little more than a quarter of a mile off the point where they were seated on I plainly saw the natives running through the hich was by no means thick--one fellow in particular had been dressed in one of my white shi+rts and the officer had tyed the wrists of it with string, which hindered his getting it off--him we plainly saw from the vessel pass the roots of black trees with such speed asthan a ave therape but ae; by this ti found on the way back a nunal and they came off
”Thus did this treachery and unprovoked attack ht us a useful lesson to be more cautious in future With respect to the size of these natives they are h, for they easily ns when it answered their purposes or inclination
When it did not they could be dull enough They were all clothed in opossuun of a canoe has been seen I conclude they live entirely inland, and if we e from the number of their fires and other marks this part of the country is not thin of inhabitants Their spears are of various kinds and all of theerous than any I have yet seen The workmanshi+p of their dresses, their lines and baskets are far froo or stone axes are such as common at Sydney
”In the afternoon the boat went to Swan Isles and caught three live swans of a large size, and in thethe launch ith Mr Power and a party well arht sail in order to survey the port Usefully erees 20 minutes south
”Thursday, February 18th Pleasant weather throughout The launch returned having been fortunate enough to discoverfresh water and a channel all round this part of the Port froh the woods attended with an ar new but found several of the things we gave the natives which in their fright they had dropped The ground alked over was open and the saood soil The tide where we lie flows full and changes at 3 hours in the afternoon, and its perpendicular rise is about 6 feet up and down
”Friday, February 19th Another overhaul of the woods took place but nothing (not before mentioned) was found Numbers of native tracks, fires and huts were seen One native fire in sight on Arthur's Seat distant about 10 miles
”Saturday, February 20th Sent an arh the woods to try the different kinds of wood, none however was found of use, the trees being almost invariably oak and other wood quite common at Sydney A red waistcoat of Mr Brabyn's was found with some bread in each pocket, in this he had dressed one of the native boys, who in his fear left it I fancy, as soon as he had found how to get it off, for it was buttoned on hiher up the port with the vessel I sent the launch over the western side to exae into a harbour or river I saw from the hill on 16th inst
”Monday, February 22nd At noon the launch returned, having found an entrance into the sheet of water they were sent to overhaul, but only at high water, 7 or 8 feet of it, consequently no harbour for shi+pping The boat proceeded a ht 20 swans of a large size without wasting one charge of shot, which by-the-bye is now beco in the vessel; however fro of more consequence I shall after the survey of the Port is coood overhaul I must mention here that both our boats are now in such a state of decay fro that they both keep a hand constantly bailing when pulling or sailing, this circuree retards our proceedings
”Tuesday, February 23rd I went in the launch and sounded a few s were 9 feet to 6 fathoms, bottom fine sand, further out perhaps a deeper channel may exist (this will be ascertained in the survey) Afterwards alked through the country soround aleneral in the Park, with fine strong short grass underfoot
”Wednesday, February 24th First part of these 24 hours had a great deal of thunder and lightning and rain, ale at south-ith squalls at intervals We held on although all ataunto with the soodness of the holding ground
”Thursday, February 25th First part the gale continued, latter fair winds Observed several very large native fires at the foot of Arthur's Seat and on the western side of the port, hauled our seine several ti probably to there being flats of sand lying off them to the distance of 200 yards
”Friday, February 26th Examined the beach and land for about 8boat on shore, turned her up and set our carpenter to work on her, she leaking so , and our so any distance from the vessel in her
”Saturday, February 27th Fine weather andand on survey of harbour A nue native fires on the hills round the eastern and western shores of the Port have been seen these two days past Sent Mr Bowen and Mr Brabyn in the gig to get the Latitude of the north end of Swan Isles and at noon I got the Latitude of a point about 7 ot for the survey of the harbour
”Sunday, February 28th Gave some of the people liberty on shore