An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island Part 20

On counting some of the plants of barley, I found one grain produced 124 stalks; this pleasing prospect induced me to set about building a granary of eighteen feet long by twelve feet wide; and I set the sawyers and carpenters to work in sawing wood for that purpose: some of the labourers were ordered to a.s.sist them in placing the granary on posts, others were employed in making s.h.i.+ngles to cover it with, and the rest were digging a cellar under the surgeon's house, for stowing provisions: the women were employed in picking grubs off the Indian corn.

In the beginning of October, we found a sensible alteration in the weather, it being very warm, except the mornings and evenings, which were still cold: gales of wind were less frequent, and the landing was better in general than it had been for two months back. Some heavy rain fell on the 3d, which lodged the barley, that had been some time in ear, and the rats got to it, so that our return was likely to be but small.

The Indian corn, which was about eight inches high, suffered greatly from the grub-worm, which got into the plant and cut it off close to the ground, destroying forty or fifty plants in the course of one night, which obliged me to keep the women constantly employed in picking them off: every other remedy was tried; such as sprinkling ashes, and lye of ashes round the roots, but with no good effect.

I made an excursion to Mount Pitt in the morning of the 4th, and arrived there at noon: from the top of this mount, I had a complete view of the whole island, and a part of its sea-coast.

The whole exhibited a picturesque scene of luxuriant natural fertility, being one continued thick wood, and I found the soil every where excellent. Within a mile of the summit of Mount Pitt, the ground, which is a red earth, was full of very large holes, and I fell into one of them at every step, as they were concealed by the birds making their burrows aslant. Near the summit of the mount, there grew a number of very large pines, which I was surprised at; it is indeed wonderful how they can withstand the violent gales of wind which often blow here.

On the 13th, at day-light, we saw the Golden-Grove transport lying at an anchor in the road, and soon afterwards, Mr. Donovan, a mids.h.i.+pman belonging to the Sirius, came on sh.o.r.e, and delivered the governor's letters: by this gentleman I also received a letter from Mr. Blackburn, the master of the Supply, informing me that he sailed from Port Jackson on the 24th of September, being ordered by Governor Phillip to conduct the transport to this island; that he had brought Mr. Donovan, a serjeant, a corporal, and five private marines, two gardeners, who were seamen belonging to the Sirius, and twenty-one men and eleven women convicts; also the Supply's jolly-boat and boat's crew, to a.s.sist in unloading the Golden-Grove.

In the course of the 15th, we received on sh.o.r.e the party of marines and all the convicts; also most of the stores, and some provisions. The next day we landed 56 casks of flour, and 18 casks of salt provisions, besides a quant.i.ty of stores.

This day I turned a turtle, which weighed 200 pounds.

Towards evening, the Golden-Grove weighed, and stood off and on during the night. Ever since her arrival the weather had been fine, and not the least surf.

Chapter XIII

TRANSACTIONS AT NORFOLK ISLAND

October 1788 to February 1789

-Quant.i.ty of provisions received by the Golden Grove.--Timber sent to Port Jackson.--Observations on the navigation near Norfolk Island.--Number of persons on the settlement.--Nepean and Phillip Islands described.--Corn reaped.--A party sent to Ball Bay.--Talk-work of the convicts.--The free people exercised.--Plot to seize the island discovered.--Orders made public for the preservation of regularity.--Oath of allegiance administered.--Provisions and stores examined.-

The flood tide running strong all the morning of the 16th, and the wind being to the eastward, prevented the Golden Grove from working up; and though she fetched Point Ross in the afternoon, the flood making, she was swept to leeward.

Having received instructions from Governor Phillip to send all the useful timber I conveniently could to Port Jackson, I set the men to work in cutting spars, and sawing boards for that purpose.

At day-light in the morning of the 17th, the Golden Grove stood into the road and anch.o.r.ed, but the surf ran so high that no boats could pa.s.s before low water, which was at three in the afternoon, when I sent the Coble off; but as the surf increased, I made the signal for her to be hoisted in, and soon afterwards the transport got under weigh.

The next forenoon, the coble came on sh.o.r.e, and soon afterwards the Golden Grove anch.o.r.ed in the road. The same afternoon we landed eighteen casks of flour, and ten of salt provisions.

Landing was very good until the evening of the 21st, and during that time we received the whole of the stores and provisions from the Golden Grove: I also received two sows and fourteen young pigs belonging to the crown, and a she-goat, which was the property of Mr. Collins, the judge-advocate. The provisions received were--one hundred and twenty-six barrels of flour, thirty-nine tierces of beef and twenty-two tierces of pork, twenty-three firkins of b.u.t.ter, thirty-three casks of peas, and five puncheons of rum, which were about seventeen months provisions at the following ratio:--For one man for a week, flour, seven pounds: beef, three pounds and a half: pork, two pounds: b.u.t.ter, six ounces: peas, three pints. For one woman for a week, flour, four pounds and a half: beef, two pounds and a quarter: pork, one pound and a quarter: b.u.t.ter, four ounces: peas, two pints. It should be observed, that the above ratio was full avoirdupoise weight, without any deduction whatever.

During the night of the 22d, we had very strong gales of wind, and at day-light, I perceived the Golden Grove had left the road; I afterwards learnt that she parted her cable at ten o'clock, and was not more than her own length to windward of the reef of rocks which lie off the south-east end of Nepean Island in pa.s.sing it.

From this time to the 28th, we had only three days good landing, during which a number of spars and planks were sent on board the Golden Grove, for Port Jackson. Previous to the departure of that vessel, I wrote a letter to Mr. Blackburn, requesting him to communicate his remarks on the navigation round these islands; as he had a better opportunity of making himself acquainted with it than I possibly could have, to which he returned the following answer; and, from the abilities of this officer, I believe his observations are very accurate.

"North-north-west, about five miles from Duncombe Bay, there is a bank of coa.r.s.e sand and coral, with sixteen and seventeen fathoms on it, between which and the anchoring place there are twenty-five fathoms: there are also soundings north-east from Phillip Isle, from thirty-five to twenty-five fathoms at least four leagues off; at which distance it is foulest and shoallest.

The bearings, when at anchor in Duncombe Bay, were Cook's rocks east-south-east, and the rocks off Point Howe, west-south-west one quarter west, the landing rock south, distance off one mile; the depth nineteen fathoms, coa.r.s.e sand and coral. The best anchorage in the Cascade Bay is with the great cascade south-west, and Cook's Point north-east; distance off sh.o.r.e about a mile and a half; the ground tolerably good. Cascade Bay is a very good road in the strong south-west wind, and very smooth water; the landing is easy, as is the access to the island. As the ebb goes very strong nine hours to the eastward, the most convenient place for anchoring off Sydney Bay, on account of the boats, is, with the body of Nepean's Isle east-north-east half east, or east by north; the flag-staff north-north-east half east, Point Ross north-west by west, and the west end of Phillip Isle south-south-east nineteen fathoms; _but here the ground is rocky:_ the best anchoring is with the middle of Nepean Isle east-north-east half east, the west end of Phillip Isle south by east, the outermost breaker off Point Ross north-west by west half west, the flag-staff north by east half east, and Collins's Head north-east by east half east, seventeen fathoms clear ground.

"The tides round the island are very strong, and from the observations I have been able to make, and the difficulty we always found in the Supply of getting from Cascade Bay round to Sydney Bay, (which ever end of the island we tried at) I have every reason to believe that the flood sets south-south-west, and the ebb north-north-east: it flows about seven o'clock all round the island: now as the ebb runs nine hours north-north-east, it strikes directly against Rocky Point, which divides the tide, the eastern part runs with rapidity through the islands, and then resumes its former course of north-north-east: the other part goes north-north-west past Anson Bay, round the west end of the island, and then north-north-east; so that in coming from the north side of the island (unless the wind gives aslant) you have the tide right a-head which-ever end of the island you attempt to get round. As to the flood it runs but three hours, and with little strength."

The master of the Golden Grove's observations, which I requested him to communicate to me, are as follow:--"The flood comes directly from the south-east, strikes in with Ball Bay, and sets up through between the islands: the other part, as it divides itself, sets round the north-east part of the island; so that a s.h.i.+p coming round from Cascade Bay, can never work up with the wind to the southward and westward, as both tides take her directly on the weather bow. From what I have seen of Ball Bay, I by no means like it; my reason is, it is a bay that a s.h.i.+p can never get out of with an _in-blowing wind_, and I do not think it a safe one to ride in: the Cascade Bay I give much the preference to, as it can hardly happen but a s.h.i.+p can get to sea on one tack or another, and ride in very smooth water at anchor.

I could load the Golden Grove very well with timber or masts, taking the advantage of the winds in Cascade and Sydney bays."

As I was very much in want of a carpenter, a man who had been discharged from the Sirius, and was on board the Golden Grove as a sailor, offered to remain on the island on any terms, but I could make no agreement with him, not being impowered to take any step of that kind; I therefore informed him, that if he chose to remain he must take it on himself: this he with great readiness consented to, and I found him a great acquisition.

The Golden Grove sailed for Port Jackson on the 29th.

As an encouragement to the convicts who came by the Golden Grove, I gave them from the time of their landing until the 30th to build houses for themselves, and to clear away a little garden ground. The huts were very soon built, being composed of logs, and thatched with bullrushes and flaggs, which made them very comfortable; and as a farther encouragement, I gave some of them (who had the best characters) permission to build their houses in the vale, and to clear away ground near them for their own use.

The settlement now consisted of the following persons, viz.

Mr. Stephen Dunnavan, mids.h.i.+pman of the Sirius 1 Mr. Thomas Jamieson, surgeon's first mate of ditto 1 Mr. John Altree, a.s.sistant-surgeon 1 Roger Morley, Robert Webb, Thomas Webb, seamen belonging to ditto 3 John Livington, carpenter, late belonging to ditto 1 Serjeant, corporal, six private marines 8 16 free.

Male convicts 29 Female convicts 17 The total number, besides two children, 62

Soon after the departure of the Golden Grove, I made public the following extract from Governor Phillip's letter to me:--

"You will return any marine, convict, or other person, with whose conduct you are not satisfied; and you are at liberty to permit those, whose good behaviour merits the indulgence, to work one day in the week on lots of land, one or two acres of ground to a convict, which you will cause to be pointed out for that purpose, and which they may consider as their own property while they behave well; after the time for which they are sentenced may expire, lands will be granted them, if they wish to remain as settlers, and you may give them such part of the public stock to breed from, as you may judge proper, forbidding any person on the island ever to sell any fowl, hog, or any other animal, without having first obtained your permission; and you are not to permit the killing of any live stock until you have a sufficient quant.i.ty on the island for your support, except in cases of sickness.

"You will make the report to me, when opportunity offers, of such who are not convicts, and who are desirous of settling on the island; and you are at liberty to permit them to cultivate ground for their own benefit, not exceeding ten acres to any one person; they will receive the indulgence of such part of the live stock as you may judge necessary to give them, but neither settler, nor any other person on the island, is to be at liberty to kill any animal without having obtained your permission.

Hereafter, grants will be made to those who wish to remain on the island, of a larger extent of ground."

During the month of November, the weather was very warm, except four days, when we had strong gales of wind from the southward, which made it as cold as winter.

On the 14th, I planted about thirty rod of ground with Indian corn: some which had been planted in September was now five feet high, and the wheat grew so very rank that I was obliged to crop it.

I went out in the coble on the 22d, and sounded between Point Hunter and Nepean Isle: there is a good channel, and there are not less than three fathoms close to Point Hunter; and on the north side of Nepean Isle in mid-channel, there are eight fathoms water.

On the 29th, I landed on Nepean Island, and found it to consist entirely of one ma.s.s of sand, held together by the surrounding cliffs, which are a border of hard rocks: notwithstanding there was not the least appearance of earth or mould on the island, yet there were upwards of two hundred very fine pines growing on it; the surface was covered with a kind of coa.r.s.e gra.s.s.

The weather being now very hot, I changed the working hours, and gave the labourers from half past ten o'clock until half past twelve, to avoid the heat of the sun: they were employed in clearing ground for cultivation, making s.h.i.+ngles, cutting a road from the settlement to Ball Bay, and reaping wheat and barley.

The heat of the sun split the weather boarding with which my house was covered; and it being very leaky, I fet the carpenters and sawyers to work to put a new roof on, and to raise the house five feet, in order to make room for stores and provisions.

At day-light in the morning of the 2d of December, I went in the coble to Phillip Isle, where I landed on a rock, in a small bay on the north side. It was with difficulty that I ascended the first hills, which were covered with a sharp long gra.s.s that cut like a knife; this was interspersed with brushwood. The soil is a light red earth, and was so full of holes, which had been made by the birds, that walking was very laborious. A small valley runs the whole length of the island, in which, and on some of the hills, a few pines grow, but I think the whole island does not produce more than one hundred and fifty. I found no fresh water on the island, but probably there may be some, as I saw a number of hawks, pigeons, and parrots; but as I had only two convicts to row the boat, I left the island, and got to Sydney Bay in the evening.

On the 8th, I housed all the barley which had been raised on an acre of ground, and was sown in June and July. During the first of its growth, it had a most promising appearance, but when the ear was shot and nearly filled, some heavy rains in September laid a great part of it down, and the quant.i.ty destroyed by the rats and quails was almost incredible: there was every prospect of getting at least fifty bushels of grain, but the whole quant.i.ty, when gleaned, yielded only ten bushels. The barley was very fine, and 116 ears were produced from one grain. Garden vegetables throve very well, and cabbages were cut weighing twenty-six pounds each. I have no doubt but potatoes would thrive very well here; unfortunately, we had only two sets on the island, which were brought by the Golden Grove. Most of the marines and convicts had now very good gardens, but the grub-worm was a great and perpetual enemy to their vegetables.

It has already been observed, that 260 plants of wheat were transplanted the beginning of June; these were threshed on the 15th, and the produce was three quarts of a very fine full grain.

The weather often was very favourable for landing in Sydney-Bay, and the boat was frequently sent out; but the surf often rose presently afterwards which made it dangerous for her to come on sh.o.r.e, so that she was obliged to go to Ball Bay, and men were sent from the settlement to haul her up, which occasioned a great loss of time: I therefore resolved to send Mr.

Altree, who was a very trusty young man, a gardener, and one convict, together with three women to remain there, as they would not only cultivate the ground in the valley, but would, at all times, be ready to a.s.sist in hauling the boat up.

This party went to Ball-Bay on the 18th, where they found landing as fine as could be wished, though the surf ran very high in Sydney-Bay; the wind being at south, and blowing hard.

Some wheat was reaped on the 22d, which had been sown on the 11th of August: the grain was very full and fine, but as it was sown late the stock was not so fine as might have been expected.

The 25th, being Christmas-day, it was observed as a holyday.

The colours were hoisted at sun-rise: I performed divine service; the officers dined with me, and I gave each of the convicts half a pint of rum, and double allowance of beef, to celebrate the festival: the evening concluded with bonfires, which consisted of large piles of wood, that had been previously collected for the occasion. Spring-tides were now at the height, and I sent every person on the 26th to Ball-Bay to make the cut deeper, and to clear away some stones which were washed into it. The wheat which was sown the latter end of August, was reaped on the 29th, and the Indian corn was nearly fit for the sickle.

I now began to perceive a very great difference between the work done since the arrival of the convicts by the Golden-Grove, and what was done before, in proportion to our numbers; the reason was, that when the number of convicts was increased, I had not persons sufficient to overlook them and keep them at work: I therefore adopted the plan of talking them; for which purpose I consulted those whom I thought conversant in the different employments that were carrying on; and their opinions, added to what I had observed myself, determined me to six the different tasks as follow, with which they were all contented. Six men were to cut the timber down on an acre of ground in one week: six men to clear away and turn up an acre of ground fit for receiving seed, in twenty-eight days: two sawyers to saw one hundred feet of sawing each day. At these tasks the convicts would have an opportunity of saving time to themselves; and, as that time was to be employed in clearing gardens and ground to cultivate for their own use, what was thus saved from the public work would not be lost to society; although it was to be feared that some would pa.s.s their time in idleness.

Having six musquets on the island, exclusive of the marines arms, I thought it necessary to instruct the few free persons I had (which were six) in the use of fire-arms, in case the marines should be sick, or any other exigency should happen; I therefore gave orders to Mr. Dunavan to exercise them every Sat.u.r.day morning; and the serjeant was to exercise the marines at the same time, or oftener: I intended that the former, after they were a little expert, should fire half a dozen rounds once a month.

I went in the boat on the 5th, and examined the north and west side of the island, which I found every where surrounded by perpendicular cliffs. I landed on the beach in Anson's-Bay, where I found the remains of a canoe, which had been washed there by the tide; a very good cocoa-nut was also found. This beach is very small, and appeared to be a mere quicksand; there is no fresh water near it, and the bay is surrounded by steep hills, on which there grows a quant.i.ty of the flax-plant.