Volume II Part 23 (1/2)
During our stay at Sydney so the officers of the shi+p, the principal of which were the departure for England of Captain Wickhahly recovered from the attack of dysentery he experienced on our first arrival at Swan River, and the promotion of the writer to the vacancy thus created Lieutenants Eland; the former was succeeded by Lieutenant Grahae soh Torres Strait,coain rounded Breaksea Spit, having touched on the way for a meridian distance at Port Stephens
(Footnote We ran out of Port Stephens before a westerly gale After passing between Entrance Island and Soldier Point, we steered for Salamander Head, and then for Tomaree Summit, when it was over the centre of the first projection inside Nelson Head, which led over the south-west corner of the shoal patch lying abreast of Red Point in 4 fathoms When Nelson Head just shut in Yacaba extre it hauled over North-East 1/2 East for the western part of Yacaba Head, keeping a white spot on the second point inside Nelson Head, just open of the latter, until the leading iven in my former visit to Port Stephens) were on)
SINGULAR CORROBORY
Whilst at the latter place, I witnessed a corrobory presenting a peculiar feature As soon as it was dark, a number of heaps of fuel scattered here and there were sireen was speedily lighted up by the flames When the illumination was complete, the men, painted with spots and lines of white co sideways or in file, starunt, gesticulating violently all the tiether their weapons The peculiar feature in this corrobory, was the throwing of the kiley, or booht and extraordinary convolutions of this weaponeffect
As ere rounding Breaksea Spit, we ladly availed the anxious to repeat our last netic observations, we anchored under Cape Upstart We likewise availed ourselves of the visit to complete the examination of the bay on the east side of the Cape The 7th was a renalized by a very unusual fall in the barometer between 8 AM, and 2 PM, from 3014 to 3000, when the breeze which had been fresh in the ale with squalls At 3, the wind shi+fted to the southward, and at 8 when it ain rose to 3017 It is these sudden breezes that are so fatal to shi+ps caught off the outer barrier without an opening to get within its shelter No traces of natives were seen; but the supply of water was as abundant as before, and we took the opportunity of co our stock
MAGNETICAL ISLAND
On the 8th in the evening we left for Magnetical Island, about half a mile off the west side of which we anchored next day in 5 fathoradually to the head of the bay A small rocky islet, to which our observations refer, bore south half a rees 7 rees 29 reyish kind of slate; but on Magnetical Island I discovered no local attraction affecting the needle, so as to warrant the nah piece of land, with an ill-defined peak in the centre, 1770 feet high
A description and view of it have been given in the first volume We remained there five days, in order to rate the chronoe estuary had been reported by Captain King; but of this we could see nothing, and cae The land certainly was low in that direction, and trending in to the southward appeared afterwards to wind round to South-West, offering facilities for getting over the range before spoken of as 3,600 feet high, and bounding the shore of Halifax Bay We were, however, glad of this opportunity of exa a portion of the continent, that had always excited the attention of those who passed, by its fertile aspect
HALIFAX BAY
A party landed in the south corner of Halifax Bay, on a long flat sandy beach, which at high-water is coether by a sort of spinifex, we got into a luxuriant growth of grass, rich and soft, with a springing sort of feel to the feet A feallaby were started in this, but we obtained none; and seeing a group of rich-looking eucalypti and tea-trees, some of us bent our steps thitherwards, and found a sh the sand towards the beach There was no time to trace it; but for some distance inland we could follow its course with the eye, froht and sandy, covered with dense creepers, and innuustifolia in splendid flower,a space of three feet in diameter, with a proportionate stem of about five feet from the earth The hum of insects, and sudden disturbance of rich-coloured parrots, screa, short, rapid flight of the dove, with itsway inland, whereas ere not three hundred yards from the beach We noended our way towards a srass, inus to tear our way through the so Mr Bynoe flushed a native; but before the rest of the party could coht The simultaneous cries of ”here's a native!” ”where!” ”here!” ”there he goes stark naked,” rose; and before ALL EYES could catch a gli branches of his wild solitude, and without a cry of fear or joy, he was lost to us, perhaps for ever! We burst through the same brushwood he had recently thrown aside, and entered a labyrinth of forest trees, without finding a clue to the direction he had taken
The whole of the country appeared to be granitic; the eminence on which we stood bore that character, and some parts, near the beach, were thrown into h-water, completely surrounded by the flux of tide The view inland was intercepted by hills and trees, the for the sa was thinly lined with ss
A sandy spit connects Magnetical Island on the south side with the main, and must be sufficiently shoal at loater to allow the natives to ford over; for we found no canoes with those we met on the island, ere nue race, they were in very good condition; part of their food, is the native yam, called warran in Western Australia The birds on the island are common to other parts; and the wallaby, of which Mr Bynoe shot three, are light coloured
CORRECT CHART
On the evening of the 13th, we again proceeded on our passage; the night was hazy, with a few slight squalls,the weather which we had before experienced in the saht rees West The surees East six miles; by which we found that both it and the coast are placed on the charts tooPoint Barroas very much struck with the si the suh land, bears to that on the Victoria River We avoided the reef off Cape Flinders, by following the directions given in the first volu a detour to the southward round Princess Charlotte's Bay, were enabled to keep underweigh all night
(Footnote See Sketches)
RESTORATION ISLAND
Continuing, we reached Restoration Island soon after dark on the 19th It was rather a confined anchorage, to be taken up at that hour with five shi+ps Our arrival was under rather singular circu dark, we could not h rocky island, which appeared one darkof the land and sea was only occasionally distinguished by patches of white, where the water broke against the steep rocky sides of the island Not a sound came from the shore as we drew near our berth; but no sooner did the heavy splash of the anchor, and the noise of the cable running out, resound ahts, than one loud yell of startled natives seemed to rise fronal rocket, however, that curved its flight over the island, instantaneously quieted the uproar, and a death-like silence succeeded
NATIVES OF TORRES STRAIT
In thewe found that the island was occupied by a party of natives from Torres Strait Their canoes, which were furnished with outriggers, were hauled up on the beach, and their spears were deposited in the bushes around, ready for ih they seemed to suspect our friendly intentions towards them at first, no disturbance occurred, and some were prevailed upon to come on board Their presence forcibly reminded us of the melancholy fate of the crew of the Charles Eaton; and no doubt they had co expedition They were a much finer race of men, than those met with on the shores of the continent; their voices sounded softer, and their language appeared quite different They instantly recognized the drawing of a Murray Island canoe, in Flinders' Voyage, and constantly kept repeating the word toolic, e
The lobe of their ears was perforated with a large piece of bone; and their hair was like that which I have before described as crisp I noticed that their spears were all pointed with bone, and that the shafts in those used for fishi+ng were large, with a coil of line attached, and a string also connecting the head, which came loose when a porpoise or turtle was struck; whilst the wood, floating, acted as a drag At daylight on the 21st we proceeded on our passage
About four or five miles to the southward of Endeavour River, we passed some discoloured patches near the shore; and thereabouts a shoal has since been discovered Having before expressed an opinion that there was a safe passage through Endeavour Strait, I resolved to take this opportunity of setting the question at rest Before passing between the Possession Isles, towards the entrance of it, I acquainted the rest of the convoy withthe chance of a passage withby the ordinary route They chose the forly entered the Strait, which we found navigable for vessels drawing 18 feet, by passing about a mile and a half to the northward of the Wallis Islands, steering a westerly course In crossing the ridge extending off Cape Cornwall, the least water was 3 1/2 fathorees East seven miles There still, however, appeared to be more water to the southward, which detere more minutely on my return from the Gulf A course was now held for booby Island, where we anchored in the evening (the 23rd)
PassAGE THROUGH ENDEAVOUR STRAIT
It was ht coood supply, to have searched for water in Port Lihou, on the south side of Cook Island, in Endeavour Strait; but the shi+ps in co able to supply us the delay was avoided Since our last visit, the book at the Post Office, on booby Island, had been destroyed by some mischievous visitors, and the box was in a very dilapidated state We repaired the latter, and left a new book with a supply of pens and ink
A ton or two of water was also procured from some holes in the rocks on the island I have before spoken of the heaps of stone which Captain King concluded were erected by seae round the World, mentions some cairns of stone on certain islands to the northward, not previously visited by Europeans, and which must have therefore been the work of natives
THE PAINTED QUAIL
Mr Bynoe was fortunate enough to procure two pigeons of a new species (Ptilinopus superbus) and of beautiful colours; the breast being dark purple, the crown of the head red, and the other parts green; besides one specienerally called a quail, but with this difference, that it only lays four eggs, whereas quails lay fourteen or fifteen It is known to the colonists as the Painted Quail; and has been called by Mr Gould, froot on booby Island, Haemipodius melinatus
CHAPTER 28 GULF OF CARPENTARIA
Leave booby Island
Eastern shore of Gulf
Van Diemen's Inlet
Exploration of