Discoveries in Australia Volume I Part 6

ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE.

At noon we were in lat.i.tude 18 degrees 26 minutes South, longitude 119 degrees 18 minutes East, and in soundings of 75 fathoms, fine white sand, broken sh.e.l.ls, and fragments of dead coral. There was only a slight variation in the atmospheric temperature of two degrees during the twenty-four hours, the highest in the day being 85, and the lowest at night 83. The water was very smooth, but as night approached it thundered and lightened heavily and vividly, and most of us noticed and suffered from a particularly oppressive and overpowering state of the atmosphere, which the heat indicated by the thermometer was by no means sufficiently intense to account for.

January 14.

During the last twenty-four hours we had made but 51 miles progress in the direction of Roebuck Bay; our noon observations placed us in lat.i.tude 18 degrees 25 minutes South, longitude 120 degrees 13 minutes East, being about 80 miles from the nearest land. We obtained soundings at 72 fathoms, yellow sand and broken sh.e.l.ls. During the afternoon, it being nearly a calm, we found ourselves surrounded by quant.i.ties of fish, about the size of the mackerel, and apparently in pursuit of a number of small and almost transparent members of the finny tribe, not larger than the minnow.

We sounded at sunset, and found bottom at 52 fathoms, which shoaled by half-past ten to 39. The circ.u.mstance, however, occasioned no surprise, as we had run South-South-East 25 miles, in a direct line for that low portion of the coast from which the flat we were running over extends.

The first part of the night we had the wind at North-North-East, the breeze steady, and the water as smooth as gla.s.s; but as the watch wore on, quick flashes of forked lightning, and the suspicious appearance of gathering clouds in the South-East, gave warning of the unwelcome approach of a heavy squall.

HEAVY SQUALL.

At eleven we lay becalmed for ten minutes between two contending winds; that from the South, however, presently prevailed, and s.h.i.+fting to the South-East, blew hard: meantime, a dark ma.s.s of clouds in the East-South-East appeared suddenly to a.s.sume the form of a deep-caverned archway, and moved rapidly towards us; in a few minutes, the s.h.i.+p was heeling majestically to the pa.s.sing gust, the lightning flashed vividly and rapidly around us, alternately concealing and revealing the troubled surface of the foam-covered sea, while the thunder rolled heavily over our heads.

The squall was heavy while it lasted, commencing at East-South-East and ending at East-North-East. It was accompanied by heavy rain. Towards the end of the middle watch, the weather began to a.s.sume a more settled appearance, and we had a moderate breeze from the north; but between five and six o'clock A.M., it s.h.i.+fted suddenly by the West to South-South-East, and became light. We sounded repeatedly during the night in from 32 to 35 fathoms, the same kind of bottom as before; which we found agree very well with those reported in the account of the French expedition under Captain Baudin.

From the specimens of the squalls we experienced the last two nights, and which appear to be pretty regular in their visitation, I am inclined to believe they do not extend any considerable distance from the land. They give the seaman ample warning of their approach; yet, since they always come on in the night, when their violence cannot be properly estimated, the s.h.i.+p's head should (if circ.u.mstances permit) be kept to the westward (West-North-West) until the short-lived fury of the storm has exhausted itself.

January 15.

We progressed with light and variable airs through the day, gradually shoaling our water till nine P.M., when the anchor was dropped in 14 fathoms, having previously pa.s.sed over a rocky ledge of apparently coral formation, in 13 1/2 fathoms. The land over the south point of Roebuck Bay bore East-South-East, about 17 miles distant; but we did not see it till the following morning.

DRIVEN FROM THE ANCHORAGE.

The evening wore a threatening aspect, though not apparently so much to be dreaded as that of yesterday; however, we were disagreeably out in our antic.i.p.ations, for about three o'clock A.M. (January 16) a heavy squall burst on us, veering from East-South-East to East-North-East, broke our best bower anchor, and drove us half a mile out to sea, when the remaining fluke hooked a rock and brought us up. It rained and blew till daylight, then we were again favoured with fine weather, and light westerly winds. The land was now in sight, Cape Villaret being the most northerly point, and bearing East-South-East some 16 or 17 miles. The hillock upon this cape, and two other hummocks, lying to the southward, formed the only prominent features of the low land in sight.

CAPE VILLARET.

At this anchorage the flood-tide set East and by North, from one to one and a half knots per hour. Before weighing I procured a specimen of live coral from the depth of 11 fathoms.

Light airs, and the aid of the flood-tide, carried us into the centre of Roebuck Bay, where we came to an anchor in 7 fathoms, Cape Villaret bearing South by West 1/2 West about 10 miles. The fall of the tide here was no less than 18 feet.

As we closed with the land, I had a good opportunity of speculating upon its appearance, and the probability of our investigation confirming or contradicting the opinion entertained by Captains King and Dampier, that a channel would be found to connect Roebuck Bay with an opening behind Buccaneers Archipelago, thus making Dampier's Land an island. I confess, my own impressions at first sight differed from that of those high authorities, nor did a nearer examination shake my opinion. Cape Villaret, a short ridge lying East and West, and about 150 feet high, was still the most remarkable object; the sand on its side having a curious red appearance. From the masthead the land was not visible to the eastward for the s.p.a.ce of one point of the compa.s.s; yet its level character, and the shoalness of the water, led alike to the opinion that no such communication as supposed would be found to exist.

January 17.

Collecting materials for the chart was the chief occupation of the day.

Mr. Usborne discovered a high-water inlet in the south sh.o.r.e of the bay, five miles east of Cape Villaret, having a dry bank of sand before it at low-water.

VISIT FROM THE NATIVES.

While the party were on sh.o.r.e, they were visited by six of the natives, a larger race of men than those on the south coast, naked, with the exception of a gra.s.s mat round the waist, and the hair straight and tied up behind, seemingly ignorant of the use of the throwing stick, but carrying spears ill-shapen and unbarbed. One of them had a kiley, or boomerang, and each carried a rude hatchet of stone. None of them had suffered the loss of the front tooth, which, with some tribes, is a distinction of manhood. When asked by signs for fresh water, of which our party saw no traces, they pointed to the South-East; a circ.u.mstance which I record, as it may possibly be of some service to future explorers. As the boat was leaving, one of them, supposing, I presume, that they were out of our reach, and might therefore attack us with impunity, threw a stone at the boat, which luckily did no harm, though hurled with great dexterity and force. Upon this, a pistol was discharged over their heads, when they retired with far greater rapidity than they had advanced.

AN ALMOST WHITE RACE.

Mr. Usborne mentions, in an account of this interview (published in the Nautical Magazine for 1840, page 576) that one of the party differed in several physical characteristics from the rest. After describing them in general terms as being from five feet six, to five feet nine inches tall, broad shoulders, long and slight legs, large heads, and overhanging brows--he continues, "There was an exception in the youngest, who appeared of an entirely different race: his skin was a copper colour, while the others were black; his head was not so large, and more rounded; the overhanging brow was lost; the shoulders more of a European turn; and the body and legs much better proportioned; in fact, he might be considered a well-made man, at our standard of figure." A similar instance of meeting with one of a tribe, not apparently belonging to the same subdivision of the human family as those by whom he was surrounded, is recorded by Captain Grey, who speaks indeed of the existence of a distinct race, totally different (i.e. from the other aborigines) and almost white. I cannot say that I have myself encountered any of these almost white men, whose existence, as a distinct race, Captain Grey appears to have rather hastily admitted; such variation in form and colour as Mr. Usborne alludes to, may, however, be accounted for by the intercourse which the natives on the north coast hold from time to time with the Malays.

Several very large black martins, with white or grey heads, were hovering over the s.h.i.+p this morning; and many flights of small white tern, and a bird, commonly called the razor-bill, pa.s.sed and re-pa.s.sed the s.h.i.+p every morning and evening, flying from the bay to seaward, and returning at sunset. Two water snakes were shot alongside the s.h.i.+p during the day; the largest measured four feet, and was of a dirty yellow colour. A good-sized fish was taken from the stomach of one of them. Their fangs were particularly long, and very much flattened, having no cutting edge whatever.

Some turtle also pa.s.sed the s.h.i.+p to-day, and a day or two afterwards we were fortunate enough to shoot one which weighed 160 pounds: he had ample justice done to his merits. It was high-water at 1.50 P.M., and the stream changed at the same time, a circ.u.mstance conclusively demonstrating that we were not anch.o.r.ed in a strait.

January 18.

We got underweigh in the morning, but from the shallowness of the water anch.o.r.ed within a mile east of our former position.

THE NATIVE MIAGO.

The native Miago, who had accompanied us from Swan River, was most earnest in his inquiries about the savages, as soon as he understood that some of them had been seen. He appeared delighted that these blackfellows, as he calls them, have no throwing sticks; for though at times exceedingly valiant in conversation, and very anxious to kill one of the men, and carry off one of their gins, or wives--the great end, aim, and ambition of all Australian force or policy--he yet evidently holds these northmen in great dread. They are, according to his account, "Bad men--eat men--Perth men tell me so: Perth men say, Miago, you go on sh.o.r.e very little, plenty Quibra men* go, you go." These instructions appear to have been very carefully pressed upon him by his a.s.sociates, and certainly they had succeeded in inspiring him with the utmost dread of this division of his fellow countrymen, which all his boasting about killing some of them and taking one of their women as proof of his prowess, back to Perth, failed to concern.

(*Footnote. i.e. Men of the s.h.i.+p.)

CLOUDS OF MAGELLAN.

He gave me this evening a new reason to account for the appearance of the two small clouds called after the celebrated Magellan, in the following words: "You see," said he, pointing up to the sky, "little smoke." I a.s.sented at once; for certainly the clouds have very much the appearance of that to which he compared them: he then continued: "Perth man tell me, long, long time back, he make fire, smoke go far away up, far away, stop and never go away more." Miago evidently believed that his friend at Perth had really lighted the fire, the smoke of which had thus gone up "far away, far away," to "stop and never go away more." I can easily enough comprehend why the a.s.sertion might be made, and possibly without any intention to deceive upon the part of the a.s.serter, who may first have seen the clouds after watching the ascent of his own fire smoke through the still air, in the same direction; but that it should be implicitly believed, as it evidently was by Miago, upon the mere word of his fellow countryman, did, I own, astonish me; and seems to indicate that, in their social intercourse with each other, they may have more regard for truth than I was at first inclined to give them credit for.

USELESS BAY.

Mr. Usborne was away to-day in one of the boats, seeking a berth for the s.h.i.+p higher up the bay: upon his return he reported that he had been over the banks before mentioned, upon which he found the water very shoal: the face of the country he described as exceedingly low, with mud lumps not unlike ant-hills,* scattered here and there over the face of it, and several cl.u.s.ters of small trees. Natives also had been seen, though no opportunity of approaching them had occurred, as the moment their restless eyes, or quick ears, detected our approach, they most rapidly retreated.

(*Footnote. Subsequent experience literally verified this opinion.)

HEAT AND SICKNESS.

January 19.

Two boats were despatched this morning, under Mr. Usborne's command, to examine the eastern part of what I think may be named very properly Useless Bay. This would have been my duty, had I not unfortunately been taken ill in the evening of the preceding day: the symptoms were violent headache, and a disordered state of the stomach, caused, the surgeon says, by the oppressive and overpowering heat which we have experienced for the last few days, and the general effects of which seem more distressing to the s.h.i.+p's company than is often experienced under a higher range of the thermometer; the deprivation of all power, or energy, is one of its most unpleasant consequences. I am inclined to think that one reason for its great and wearying effect upon most of us--indeed, more or less, all are suffering from it--is that there is hardly any variation in temperature during the whole twenty-four hours: it sometimes does not amount to more than two or three degrees. Captain Wickham and the surgeon visited an inlet near the s.h.i.+p to-day, which had indeed been looked into, but not explored before. They proceeded to the south-west for about three miles, through a very tortuous channel, dry in many parts at low-water, thickly studded with mangrove bushes, over and through which the tide made its way at high-water, giving to that part of the country the appearance of an extensive mora.s.s. A slightly elevated table-topped range of land was seen from time to time, some eight or nine miles to the south-east, but in its highest elevation did not reach 200 feet. The apparent width of the inlet in no way diminished so far as the exploring party examined it; and this fact, coupled with the general character of the country hereabouts, induces me to suppose that the periodical return of the spring tide, floods the greater part of the coast between the sea sh.o.r.e and the base of the range I have alluded to.

Vampires of a very large kind were here met with, the furthest south we had seen them.

MIAGO ON Sh.o.r.e.

Miago had accompanied this party on sh.o.r.e, though he evidently showed no great devotion to the deed. They said he watched everything, aye, every bush, with the most scrutinizing gaze: his head appeared to turn upon a pivot, so constantly was it in motion, with all that restless watchfulness for which the savage is ever remarkable. The heat to-day either exceeded an average, or else perhaps, as an invalid, I noticed it more closely:

On sh.o.r.e, it was 98 degrees in the shade.

On board, it was 90 degrees in the shade.

Pulling off in the boats 118.

During the day, it fluctuated, between 88 and 94.

A breeze from seaward blew the greater part of each night from West-South-West, hauling round to south in the morning.

January 20.

Our noon observation to-day enabled us to fix the lat.i.tude of Cape Villaret 18 degrees 18 minutes 50 seconds, which precisely agrees with that a.s.signed to it by Captain King.

MR. USBORNE WOUNDED.

In the afternoon the boats returned with Mr. Usborne, who had been unfortunately very severely wounded by the accidental discharge of a musket. It appeared that after a careful examination of the bay, which ended as I had antic.i.p.ated, in proving that no opening to the interior would be found in it, the party were returning to the boats, when, from the accidental explosion of a musket in the hand of one of the party, a ball entered Mr. Usborne's right side, near the spine, between the lower rib and hip bone, making an exit in a line with the navel. This truly unfortunate circ.u.mstance--which for some weeks deprived the expedition of the services of a most valuable officer--occurred about 10 o'clock A.M., but the time and trouble of carrying the sufferer through the mud to the boats, and then pulling some 15 miles, made it near 6 o'clock before he was on board and under the charge of Mr. Bynoe: we were all shocked to see our companion lifted apparently lifeless into the vessel he had so recently quitted full of health, and animated by an anxious desire to do all in his power to conduce to the general success; but were ere long a.s.sured by Mr. Bynoe, whose personal or professional merits need no eulogium from me--and who immediately and most carefully attended our wounded messmate--that the best results might be reasonably hoped for: a prediction shortly afterwards happily verified. At the time this unlucky accident occurred, some twenty natives rushed from the concealment whence they had been doubtless watching all the proceedings of the party, as though they designed to bear a part in what probably seemed to them, as poor Usborne went down, an approaching fray: however, the sight of the two boats in the distance, which upon deploying they had full in view, deterred them from acting upon any hostile intentions, supposing such to have existed in their minds.