Volume I Part 8 (1/2)
Roebuck Bay, so named to commemorate the name of Dampier's shi+p, is about sixteen miles across: the southern shores are low, and extensive sandbanks and mud flats are bared at loater Near the North-East point of the bottoe of low cliffs, froed with red, in such a nated with oxide of iron In the neighbourhood of these cliffs the country had aout into extensive plains, lightly tienus Eucalypti, while, on the south shore of the bay, the roves were numerous
Towards the afternoon we discovered a se in Roebuck Bay We steered directly for it, and ithin half a h-water, six fathoms From the masthead I could trace distinctly the course of this inlet, which at this state of the tide appeared to be of great extent; but the bar which locked itsvery heavily, rendered it impossible to take a boat across without evident risk, by which no real good would be obtained, as the rise and fall of the tide, eighteen feet, on this low coast, was h deceptive appearance of this opening Froallant yard I was enabled to take an almost bird's-eye view of the level country stretched apparently at my feet The shore, like the south side of Roebuck Bay, was fringed with roves, while to the North-North-East lay an extensive plain, over which the water seemed, at certain seasons of the year, to flow The country around, for miles, wore the appearance of an interminable and boundless plain, with an almost imperceptible landward elevation, and thickly wooded with stunted trees
In sailing along this part of the coast we found several inaccuracies in Captain King's chart, doubtless owing to the distant viehich he was compelled to content hiainst which he had to contend I was on deck nearly, indeed, the whole of the night, baffled by flying clouds in th, however, I succeeded in ascertaining it to be 17 degrees 40was fine, but the e had experienced the preceding night caused a rather heavy swell, which rendered the attempt to enter this inlet an impracticable task; however, it was tried We found between the shi+p and the shore six, four, and two fathoms, but as the mouth of the inlet was filled with breakers, apparently on a bar extending out half a mile, I was fully convinced that further perseverance would only amount to waste of tiles to fix the position of the boat, we returned on board It appeared at loater to be nearly dry, and then only amounted to a collection of mud and sandbanks The examination quite satisfied me that it partook of the same character as the one already spoken of as seen yesterday, and that they are alike useless
We were soon underway, and standing towards, or rather along, the shore; and as the day advanced, the wind drewus to lay along the shore, North 1/2 East By four PM, ithin two miles of it, in nine fathoe of sandhills, some of which are topped with verdure: several low black rocky points extend for some distance from the flat sandy beach into the sea I have no hesitation in saying, that this is a kind of black sandstone, often found at the bases of most cliffy points, and probably coloured by the chemical action of the saltwater The sandhills, which form the coastline, do not appear to extend more than a mile inland Beyond, the country appeared to subside into the same dull level which is the characteristic feature of e have yet seen of this coast, thickly studded with tirowth than the stunted productions of Roebuck Bay Behind the cliffy parts of the coast the land assumed a more fertile appearance; and this seemed an almost invariable law in the natural history of this neorld
PROGRESS TO THE NORTHWARD
Five miles to the northward of Point Coulo a mile from the shore, with seven fathoms one mile seaward of it The land now trended to the eastward, and fore bay, the south point of which we rounded at half past four PM Thetides appear to inundate the country to a very considerable extent, the land here being lower than any we had yet seen We anchored, at half past eight, in six and a half fathoms, and I ran below to find how our wounded messmate had borne the day
From my usual post, the masthead, I traced the shore from point to point of Carnot Bay, so naineer
A very low sandy point bore North 67 degrees, East 6 miles Sandbanks and breakers completely fortified its shores, and effectually forbid all approach, except under the most favourable circumstances
LAND DISCOVERED BY TASMAN
The several French na portions of this coast, of course, professional courtesy illingly respect; it is, however, only right to mention, that while he contented himself with so distant a view of this part of Australia as to be sometimes completely mistaken in the most is thepreviously landed upon its shores in that very bay, which now bears the nareat republican
DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIVES
Tas quite naked, black in colour, and having curly hair, ”aeys and kalawaeys They came, upon one occasion, fifty in number, to attack a party of the Dutch, who had landed, but took fright at the sight and sound of firearms ”Their proas,” he adds, ”are made of the bark of trees, and they use no houses”
(Footnote Hazeygaeys are synonyais, the name for the short African spear, used by the tribes between Port Natal and the Cape, and which is generally supposed to be the native term for the weapon
Captain Harris, however, states that this supposition is incorrect; and, certainly, its appearance and ter it of a Dutch origin)
Such is the account of this distinguished and trustworthy discoverer, upon whose veracity I should be the last to attempt to affix suspicion: his very simplicity of detail, and the entire absence of rhetorical artifice, would convey sufficient internal evidence of his truth, had not the subsequent progress of Australian discovery served to confirm all the material facts of his narrative I may, however, re our cruise, within the lie the Fourth to the north, an extent of more than 200 reed in having a conoht of the males may be taken to be froh, upon one occasion, I saw one who exceeded this height by an inch They are almost black--in fact, for ordinary description, that word, unqualified by the adverb, serves the purpose best Their liht, but the muscle is finely developed in the superior joint of the ar to their constant use of it in throwing the spear Soirdles of skin and leaves, hardly sufficient, however, to serve any purpose of decency, much less of comfort
PHRENOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Their hair is always dark, soht and sometimes curled, and not unfrequently tied up behind; butno instance of a negro, or woolly, head a them They wear the beard upon the chin, but not upon the upper lip, and allow it to grow to such a length as enables thee; an action which they acconation or conte foreheads, large noses, full lips, and wide mouths: in some cases they want the two foreteeth in the upper jaw, and while, in any one tribe in which the custom prevails, it seems to be unanimous, it does not appear to be, by anythe whole north-western coast The unfavourable i character of their physiognoical conformation is taken into consideration; and certainly, if the principles of that science are ades are woefully deficient in all the qualities which contribute to man's moral suprenorant and incurious to the last degree, they were generally suspicious rather than treacherous, and not insensible to such acts of kindness as they could cole instance of the use, or even existence, of any proa, or canoe; and thened by personal experience, and enforced by the authority of the ators, is, that the canoe is not used upon the north-west coast The negative evidence, at least, is strongly in favour of this presumption; for, whilethe canoe in use in Clarence Strait--the western boundary of the northern coast-- nothing but the raft to the south of that point I cannot, therefore, avoid the conclusion, that, misled by the similarity of external appearance, Tasman mistook the raft of unbarked timber for a bark canoe, such as he may have seen upon other parts of the coast
We had a return of the same kind of squall from the eastward, as we had experienced before our arrival in Roebuck Bay, and froed to escape
January 24
We were again at work by daylight, but were delayed, getting clear of the foul ground, lying off Cape Baskerville, on which ice shoaled the water to three and five fathoms, five and seven miles West and by South from that headland
BEAGLE BAY
The land over it rises to an elevation of nearly 200 feet, and then again beco out a bay, which froood anchorage: it was nale Bay, and may serve hereafter to remind the seamen who benefit by the survey in which that vessel bore so conspicuous a part, of the aations to the Governy that directed her course, and the patient discipline by which, during her long period of active service, so e In the bight forh-water inlets; the es We anchored here, soon after midday, and had every reason to be satisfied with our berth Beagle Bay is about three miles broad and seven deep; the country around is low and open, and traces of water deposit were visible in several spots to indicate its dangerous proximity to the sea The sroves flourished in great abundance on the beach, and along the little creeks that diverge froe anthills, and very sht, were noticed for the first tiht the wind veered round to South-West, and blew quite fresh, a circue here We had, however, no squall, nor any dehich I should hts, without any apparent indication; to these dews, the vegetation of this country, so far as we can judge, seems to owe its principal nourishment and support
VISITED BY NATIVES