Discoveries in Australia Volume II Part 23

During our stay at Sydney some important changes took place among the officers of the s.h.i.+p, the princ.i.p.al of which were the departure for England of Captain Wickham, who had never thoroughly 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 Emery and Eden also left for England; the former was succeeded by Lieutenant Graham Gore.

This almost total change in the arrangements of the s.h.i.+p requiring some delay, and the season for pa.s.sing through Torres Strait, moreover, not having commenced, it was the 3rd of June 1841, before the Beagle again 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 pa.s.sing 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 extreme, we steered for the former, and pa.s.sing 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 marks for running out (which I have before given 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 simultaneously ignited, and the whole surface of the green was speedily lighted up by the flames. When the illumination was complete, the men, painted with spots and lines of white commenced the dance, which consisted in running sideways or in file, stamping with great violence, and emitting an inharmonious grunt, gesticulating violently all the time, and brandis.h.i.+ng and striking together their weapons. The peculiar feature in this corrobory, was the throwing of the kiley, or boomerang, lighted at one end; the remarkable flight and extraordinary convolutions of this weapon marked by a bright line of fire, had a singular and startling effect.

As we were rounding Breaksea Spit, we met four merchant s.h.i.+ps, who gladly availed themselves of our convoy. On the 6th, being anxious to repeat our last meridian distance, and also the magnetic observations, we anch.o.r.ed 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 remarkably gloomy day, signalized by a very unusual fall in the barometer between 8 A.M., and 2 P.M., from 30.14 to 30.00, when the breeze which had been fresh in the morning, increased to a gale with squalls. At 3, the wind s.h.i.+fted to the southward, and at 8 when it moderated, the barometer again rose to 30.17. It is these sudden breezes that are so fatal to s.h.i.+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 completing 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 anch.o.r.ed next day in 5 fathoms. The depth from thence shoals in gradually to the head of the bay. A small rocky islet, to which our observations refer, bore south half a mile, in lat.i.tude 19 degrees 7 minutes 10 seconds South and longitude 4 degrees 29 minutes 12 seconds West of Sydney. On this I found a greyish kind of slate; but on Magnetical Island I discovered no local attraction affecting the needle, so as to warrant the name bestowed by Cook. It is a high 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 chronometers, and to examine the head of Halifax Bay, where a large estuary had been reported by Captain King; but of this we could see nothing, and came to the conclusion that he must have been deceived by mirage. 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 sh.o.r.e of Halifax Bay. We were, however, glad of this opportunity of examining a portion of the continent, that had always excited the attention of those who pa.s.sed, 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 completely covered. Crossing some small sand dunes, bound together by a sort of spinifex, we got into a luxuriant growth of gra.s.s, rich and soft, with a springing sort of feel to the feet. A few wallaby 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 small stream of fresh water, which filtered itself through 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, from the luxuriant vegetation it nourished. The soil was light and sandy, covered with dense creepers, and innumerable quant.i.ties of the Angustifolia in splendid flower, many of the cl.u.s.ters occupying a s.p.a.ce 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, screaming and fluttering through the branches, and the strong, short, rapid flight of the dove, with its melancholy cooing, transported us in imagination a long way inland, whereas we were not three hundred yards from the beach. We now wended our way towards a small eminence, through long gra.s.s, in most places interwoven with creepers, compelling us to tear our way through them in the ascent.

ASTONISH A NATIVE.

In doing so Mr. Bynoe flushed a native; but before the rest of the party could come up, he had taken to flight. The simultaneous cries of "here's a native!" "where!" "here!" "there he goes stark naked," rose; and before ALL EYES could catch a glimpse, his dark figure insensibly blended with the waving 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 ma.s.sive blocks, at high-water, completely surrounded by the flux of tide. The view inland was intercepted by hills and trees, the former a.s.suming the same appearance as the one we were on, but higher. Our game-bag was thinly lined with small curlews, oyster-catchers, and sanderlings.

A sandy spit connects Magnetical Island on the south side with the main, and must be sufficiently shoal at low water to allow the natives to ford over; for we found no canoes with those we met on the island, who were numerous and apparently very well disposed. Although not a large 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 pa.s.sage; the night was hazy, with a few slight squalls, much resembling the weather which we had before experienced in the same place. Towards the close of the 15th, we anch.o.r.ed eight miles from Cape Tribulation, bearing North 11 degrees West. The summit of Snapper Island, bore South 7 degrees East six miles; by which we found that both it and the coast are placed on the charts too much to the eastward.

In pa.s.sing Point Barrow I was very much struck with the similarity which the low line of cliffs, running along the summit of the high land, bears to that on the Victoria River.* We avoided the reef off Cape Flinders, by following the directions given in the first volume, and by making 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 s.h.i.+ps. Our arrival was under rather singular circ.u.mstances. The night being dark, we could not make out even the outline of the high rocky island, which appeared one dark ma.s.s; and the meeting of 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 sh.o.r.e 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 among the heights, than one loud yell of startled natives seemed to rise from one end of the island to the other. The discharge of a signal rocket, however, that curved its flight over the island, instantaneously quieted the uproar, and a death-like silence succeeded.

NATIVES OF TORRES STRAIT.

In the morning we 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 immediate use; but, although 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 come to the southward on a wrecking expedition. They were a much finer race of men, than those met with on the sh.o.r.es 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, meaning iron, in the Murray Island language.

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 fis.h.i.+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 pa.s.sage.

About four or five miles to the southward of Endeavour River, we pa.s.sed some discoloured patches near the sh.o.r.e; and thereabouts a shoal has since been discovered. Having before expressed an opinion that there was a safe pa.s.sage through Endeavour Strait, I resolved to take this opportunity of setting the question at rest. Before pa.s.sing between the Possession Isles, towards the entrance of it, I acquainted the rest of the convoy with my intentions, to give them the option of taking the chance of a pa.s.sage with me, or of proceeding by the ordinary route. They chose the former, and we accordingly entered the Strait, which we found navigable for vessels drawing 18 feet, by pa.s.sing 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 fathoms at low tide; North Wallis Island bearing South 64 degrees East seven miles. There still, however, appeared to be more water to the southward, which determined me to examine this pa.s.sage more minutely on my return from the Gulf. A course was now held for b.o.o.by Island, where we anch.o.r.ed in the evening (the 23rd).

Pa.s.sAGE THROUGH ENDEAVOUR STRAIT.

It was my intention, in order that we might commence our exploration of the Gulf with a good supply, to have searched for water in Port Lihou, on the south side of Cook Island, in Endeavour Strait; but the s.h.i.+ps in company being able to supply us the delay was avoided. Since our last visit, the book at the Post Office, on b.o.o.by 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 seamen; but Dr. Wilson, in his Voyage 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 specimen of a bird, of the same genus as one on the Abrolhos, generally 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, from the specimen we got on b.o.o.by Island, Haemipodius melinatus.

CHAPTER 2.8. GULF OF CARPENTARIA.

Leave b.o.o.by Island.

Eastern sh.o.r.e of Gulf.

Van Diemen's Inlet.

Exploration of.

Party of Natives.

Level country.

Tides.

Visit Bountiful Islands.

Description of them.

Sail for Sweers Island.

Investigator Road.

Natives.

Locusts.

Record of the Investigator's visit.

Dig a well.

Boats explore island and coast to the westward.

Sweers and Bentinck Islands.

Tides.

Take s.h.i.+p over to the main.

Another boat expedition leaves.

s.h.i.+p proceeds to the head of the Gulf.

Discovery and exploration of Disaster Inlet.

Narrow escape.

Description of Interior.

Wild Fowl.

Explore coast to the eastward.

Inlets.

Discover the Flinders.

The Cuckoo.

Ascent of the river.

Night scene.

Burial tree.

Remarks.

Return to the s.h.i.+p.

Exploration of south-western part of Gulf.

Large inlets discovered.

June 26.