Volume I Part 33 (2/2)

RAFFLES BAY

The terees while land and sea breezes prevailed We should not o Raffles Bay in order to invite the French officers as above alluded to, found that a deep inlet intervening, forave the na reraves of those whose labours had tended to render this part of Australia another outlet for the surplus population of the s of civilization The rapid growth of rank vegetation had swept all else away, and there in solemn solitude, upon that still and silent shore, inal colonists of Raffles Bay, whose praiseworthy efforts were rendered futile, by the unfavourable reports forwarded to Government; reports we cannot think entirely free from prejudice, e know from Captain Law's account, that one of the Commandants declared that he felt disposed to sell out of the ar there One thus prepared to dislike the place, could scarcely be expected to take an interest in the country, or endeavour fully to develop its resources

(Footnote See Wilson's Voyage round the World page 153)

We cannot avoid expressing our regret at the abandonone on so far successfully under Captain Barker's excellenthis kindness to the natives, to whose goode iven one of the causes which assisted in fostering the undertaking Nothing could be more unwise than the hostility shown to the natives by the first settlers, as fro ard to the productions of the country; a knowledge which would otherwise consume much time to acquire This was not the only ood sense and judg the people of Macassar to coht, which would have led in time to very favourable results He was soon, however, co to the Dutch Governor of Macassar, in order to stop the iration, which otherould have been considerable With all these several elements of success, we should doubtless, but for the abandon settlement in Northern Australia The causes which led to its breaking up, are thus succinctly given by Dr Wilson ”The alleged causes were: first, the unhealthiness of the climate; secondly, the hostility of the natives; and thirdly, the non-visitation of the Malays”

These he clearly proved, as we have subsequently done, to be without much foundation; but we ourselves do not soof Raffles Bay, perhaps an ill-chosen site, but rather that the settleiven up When the anxieties and difficulties which universally accompany the forret we have already expressed will be ton was located, all these had to be suffered over again; whereas had the station at Raffles Bay, been transferred thither at once, it would have been now at a very high pitch of perfection Besides, however s waves constantly, it will always prove a check on theislanders, and thus add eneral welfare and civilization of such portions of the globe as fall within the influence of the respected locality

(Footnote In further proof of the prospects of success, which were open to the new settle extract fro, in company with Captain Barker, after their final departure from Raffles Bay ”We were informed by the rate fro recently learned that they would be permitted to do so The total abandonret to the reat advantages froe 179)

LEAVE PORT ESSINGTON

July 24

Finding that we could not procure a supply of provisions froh reluctantly, of short duration, and on theout of Port Essington After rounding Vashon Head, we steered to the ard, along the northern side of the Peninsula, and early in the afternoon anchored in Popham Bay, one point of which is formed by the North-West extrerowing on the point, and fronted by an extensive coral reef, past which a two-knot tide sweeps into the gulf of Van Die boat or small-craft harbour, much frequented by the Malays, who call it Blue- off itsbeen directed towards the openings on the coast opposite Melville Island, we proceeded towards the first, lying on the south side of Clarence Strait It was further iable, and also to examine the south-eastern side of Melville Island

BIRD ISLAND

Finding the western shore of Cobourg Peninsula placed too far froton on the chart, it was deter for the observation spot a s in its centre, and bearing East 1/2 South 1/4 of a mile from where we anchored in nine fatho it alulls The latitude of it according to our observations was 11 degrees 15 1/2 ton 22 1/2 's chart, the North-West extre there placed too far froton, and the North-East point, Cape Croker, too near, it would appear that the discrepancy was chiefly in the position of Port Essington, with respect to the northern extre and ourselves only now differ two miles in the distance between Cape Croker and Popha was calht with it a fresh South-East wind During the night the terees

July 25

On leaving at daylight we crossed over to examine the western shores of Dundas Strait, for having passed it in the night As we stood close along it into the gulf, we found the soundings very irregular Six rees East from Cape Keith, we passed over two patches of only three or four fathoeneral disturbed and discoloured state of the water, it blowing fresh from South-East We found the nature of this part of Melville Island to be low rocky points, separating sandy bays One of the few reh, five miles North-West fro the latter, we crossed over to the opposite eastern entrance point of Clarence Strait, Cape Hotha on our way thither a reef nearly awash, about two rees West fifteen rees East fourteen miles fro was 22 fatho 13 and 15 fatho e reached our anchorage in nine fatho South 43 West, two e shoal which we subsequently found to extend a mile and a half north, and six miles east from the Cape Here we found the tides set West by South and East-North-East fro nearly three hours after high-water, a peculiarity generally occurring in straits

July 26

After one of those soft and lovely evenings so coentle breeze and cloudless sky, ere surprised to find that the loomy There was a very fresh South-South-East ith heavy masses of clouds; the breeze continued until noon, when as usual it subsided Wein the south side of the strait, and in the afternoon a party went on shore near Cape Hotham We found the country very poor and sandy, and elevated about fifteen feet above high-water rowing in great abundance, about thirty or forty feet high; there were also others of a different kind, besides a few palether In solazed and vitrified appearance, as before re's Sound, on the North-West coast

Mr Bynoe, as of the party, added to his collection of birds, a kingfisher, and a specilish blackbird; others were seen and killed, but all coe creaes back

NATIVE COMPANION

The white ibis with a black neck, plentiful in King's Sound, and a large bird, a species of crane, were also seen The latter was of a French grey hue, with the exception of the head, which was black and of the shape of a bittern, co the colonists by the naine how this nainated, as there is no instance of the nativesof the country, and of that only, it is probable, fro this place a few days afterwards, to repeat the observations for the errors of the chronometers,a few natives, but they avoided an interview, disappearing e landed Theythe's Sound did The few huts I fell in with, re's Sound, a representation of which will be found in the portion of the work descriptive of that locality

Those on Cape Hotham, to enter ht, nor were they so substantially built; they were, however, well thatched with the sarass The entrances were carefully closed, except in one instance, when the aperture was so small that it ith difficulty I could crawl in; when I had entered there was nothing to gratifyon trees round these habitations, were speci the Aborigines of Australia, for which reason I have been induced to give the woodcut of one It is a kind of covering for the shoulders, a species of cape, rass

(Footnote I have since heard from Mr Earl, that the women in the South-East part of Van Die round their waist, soiven)

Baskets were also left hanging on the trees, bespeaking the honesty of the inhabitants of this part of the country