CHAPTER XXI
The _Norfolk_ proceeds to Hervey's Bay Some account of it Curlew Island She returns to Port Jackson Observations on the currents and tides along the coast A criminal court assembled Order respecting the issuing of government notes Public works September A ship arrives from America The _Buffalo_ sails for the Cape The governor crosses the Nepean A calf killed October Convicts found on board the _Hillsborough_ and _Hunter_ The master of the _Hunter_ tried A young ox stolen Ration reduced Price of Grain fixed
In his passage to Hervey's Bay, the next place of his destination, Mr. Flinders was not more than two days; passing the Wide Bay of Captain Cook on the 1st and Sandy Cape on the 2nd of August. The southerly wind of the day veering round in the evening to the eastward compelled him during the night to keep at a distance from the land; but, returning to it in the morning, he found that Captain Cook's description of the coast applied exceedingly well, so far as the distance of the sloop from the shore would enable him to judge.
During this short run he passed one of those spotted flat-tailed snakes which were first noticed by Captain Cook in this latitude, and which appeared to be of the kind observed by Captain Dampier on the north west coast of New Holland. Mr. Flinders had observed the same sort of snake among the islands between New Guinea and New Holland, when on board His Majesty's ship _Providence_; it was therefore probable, that it might be found upon most parts of this coast, which were situated within, or in the verge of, the Tropic.
In this bay Mr. Flinders remained until the 7th, during which time he had sailed round the interior of it, but without being able to enter any opening that might have led him to a river. It was deep and extensive, the soundings in it very irregular, and in several places he was prevented by breakers from approaching the shore.
Hauling up for an opening which he was desirous of examining, he came to a small sandy islet, which lay at the mouth of it. Being unable to find a passage into the opening with the sloop, he came to an anchor, and went ashore upon this island, which was surrounded with shoal water. The base of it he found to be a hard stone, over which was a covering of sand, mixed with pieces of coral and shells. There was a little cluster of palms upon it, and some other small trees. Two or three large trees were lying upon the shore, thrown down either by wind or the flood, assisted by the weight of the trees themselves, which the depth of soil was not sufficient to support. They were a tough, hard, and close-grained wood. Being about half ebb, the surrounding shoal was dry. On it were some thousand curlews and gulls, and some pelicans; but all too shy to allow of his approach within musket shot. Upon one of the trees was stuck the cap of a small whale's skull, and in one of the sockets of the eyes was a bird's nest apparently of the last season.
This islet must at times be visited by natives; for they found three spears, and near them was hidden a small shield, of the same form and substance as that seen in Pumice-Stone river. The spears were of solid wood, of twelve feet in length, and could not have been used with a throwing-stick. One of them was barbed with a small piece of some animal's bone.
From the trending of the shores of this harbour, it was divided into two bays, an upper and a lower bay; the former of which was the smallest, and, in comparison with the latter, resembled the cod to a seine. The shore on the east side of this bay (the upper) was high, and bounded by white, steep cliffs; whence Mr. Flinders was induced to hope that a deep channel might be found there, being unwilling to believe that there was not a good passage even to the head of a sheet of water of six or seven miles square, and into which most probably one or more streams of water emptied themselves.
With the intention of attempting the eastern passage into this upper bay, he returned on board from his visit to the islet (which he named Curlew-Islet, and which is in the latitude of 25 degrees 17 minutes S) and got the sloop under weigh; but was obliged to give up the idea, on finding the shoal water so extensive as to make it probable that it joined a line of breakers; and, the sun being near the horizon, to get clear of the shoal water before dark became a principal concern, and together induced him to shape a course for a sloping hummock on the west side of the bay.
The soundings deepened gradually to six fathoms; but, shoaling again to three and even two fathoms, Mr Flinders suspected that the flood tide might have set the vessel to the southward toward the shore; this, however, did not appear to have happened; for at daylight the following morning her situation was what he supposed it would be, the sloping hummock bearing W 5 degrees N and their distance off shore about two miles, the wind having remained at SW during the whole night.
Keeping along the shore until nine o'clock, the water shoaled to nine feet, and obliged them to haul off to the NE. Being now to the northward of where Captain Cook had laid down the coast line, and the land being visible at W 10 degrees N from the deck, and as far as NW from the mast head, he judged it unnecessary to pursue the research any longer, under the supposition of there being a double bay, and therefore continued his course for the extreme of Break Sea Spit, the sloping hummock bearing S 9 degrees E at the time of altering the course.
The coast round Hervey's Bay was, in general, low near the shore, and on the west side the low land extended to some distance inwards. On that side the land wore a different appearance from that of Sandy Cape, there being few marks of sand, and the shore was mostly rocky. Advancing toward the head, the beaches presented themselves, and continued with little interruption into the upper bay. A large island lying off the entrance to the upper bay showed no marks of sand, but was well covered with wood and verdure. In height, it was equal to the higher parts of the main, and being four or five miles in length, seemed to be a fine island. On the eastern shore the sand was more or less apparent every where increasing in quantity toward the cape. The white cliffs that were noticed before very probably contained chalk; the upper stratum, two or three feet in thickness, being of a superior whiteness in those which were best seen.
With respect to fertility, the general aspect only can be spoken of. About the head of the bay, the trees were of a fair growth; grass seemed sufficiently abundant, and there were few appearances of sand. Some parts of it Mr. Flinders thought were stony.
Of the inhabitants he could only observe, that their smokes were numerous about the bay, and that they at times frequented Curlew islet.
Of the animal, vegetable, or fossil productions of the bay, he could not speak, the shortness of his stay not permitting any examination.
From the appearance of the tide the day that he landed upon the islet, it had been high water between twelve and one o'clock, which was between three and four hours before the moon came upon the meridian.
The mean of nine amplitudes taken in this bay gave the variation 9 degrees 44 minutes east; and of two sets of azimuths 9 degrees 15 minutes east; from both, the mean variation of the azimuth compass was 9 degrees 30 minutes east.
Having cleared the point of Break Sea Spit, on Thursday the 8th he proceeded on his return to Port Jackson. Passing the land between Smoky Cape and the Solitary Isles in the day which had been before passed in the night, he observed that it seemed to be higher than most parts of its coast in the neighbourhood, Mount Warning excepted; and even there it was not so high near the shore. The view that he had of the land at sunset, when Smoky Cape bore S 25 degrees W distant five or six leagues, induced Mr. Flinders to think it probable that there might be an opening to the northward of it.
In the afternoon of Sunday the 18th, there being but little wind, and the weather fine, they were attended by several very large spermaced whales. They were not more than twice the sloop's length from her, coming up on either side at times very near her; and remained playing, or perhaps feeding, in this way for more than two hours.
Their appearance was followed in the evening by a gale from the SW which reduced them to their storm sails, and compelled them to keep off and on during the night. The wind, however, moderating the next day, and a southerly current having been in their favour, Mr. Flinders concluded his labours at dusk in the evening of the 20th; at which time he secured his little vessel alongside his Majesty's ship the _Reliance_ in Port Jackson.
The observations which were made by Mr. Flinders on the set of the current at different parts of the coast, being directly opposite to the remarks of Captain Cook, it may be proper to state them. That great and able seaman says, in his notice of the current on this coast, that 'It always ran with more force in shore than in the offing.' Now, in going to the northward the sloop was kept as near in shore as circumstances would permit; but the whole sum of southing produced in eight entire days, from latitude 33 degrees 45 minutes to 24 degrees 22 minutes south, was sixty-five miles, almost the whole of which were lost off the Three Brothers and Smoky Cape, when their distance from the shore was more than in general it used to be. To counteract this, they had twenty-five miles of northing, reducing the current to thirty miles in eight days, which could scarcely be called a current.
On the other hand, their average distance from the shore, when on their return, was about twelve leagues, or barely within sight of the land; and in running the same difference of latitude in twelve days the sum of the southing was two hundred and eleven miles, and the northing but one mile and a half. Out of this, thirty-four miles were gained in one day when their distance off the shore was the greatest, being between twenty and twenty-five leagues.
From these data it should appear, that the current was strongest at the distance of five, and from thence to twenty or more leagues; and within that, there was some set to the northward. But Mr. Flinders thought it most probable, that the southerly current would prevail nearer to such projecting points of land as Point Danger, Smoky Cape, Red Point, and the Heads of Jervis Bay; perhaps close to them, at such times when its strength was greatest, for in that respect it had been found to vary much: it was even believed at Port Jackson, that the current changes its direction totally during some short space of time.
Of the tides it was scarcely necessary to say any thing; for, by a comparison of the times of high water at Bustard Bay-and at Port Jackson, it should seem that the flood came from the southward; and would therefore produce little or no set along the coast either way, in the greatest part of that space. It was probable, however that, to the southward of Smoky Cape, the flood would draw somewhat from the northward; for there the land trended to the westward of south; and likewise the nearer the coast lies east and west, the more set would be produced by the tide along it; as from Cape Howe to Wilson's Promontory for instance. Again, from Break Sea Spit, the coast trends to the westward of north, which has a tendency to draw the flood from the SE and this was shown by Captain Cook to be the case.
We must here take leave of Captain Flinders, whose skill in exploring unknown coasts and harbours, so amply manifested in this excursion, creates an additional interest in the success of his present undertaking.
The courts of criminal judicature being assembled on the 29th of the month, one man, Job Williams, was capitally convicted of a burglary; and several others, free people, were ordered to be transported to Norfolk Island. Williams afterwards received a pardon, some favourable circumstances having been laid before the governor, which induced him to extend the mercy vested in him by His Majesty's authority.
The difficulties which were still placed in the way of the commissary in preparing his accounts to be sent home, through the settlers and other persons, who had not come forward, as they were some time since directed, to sign the requisite vouchers for the sums paid them for the grain or pork which they had delivered at the public stores, the commissary was directed not to make immediate payment in future, but to issue the government notes quarterly only, when every person concerned would be obliged to attend, and give the proper receipts for such sums as might be then paid them. This was a most useful regulation, and had been long wanted.
The convicts brought out by the _Hillsborough_ being mostly recovered from the disease and weakness with which they landed, some additional strength was gained to the public gangs, and the different works in hand went on with more spirit than they had done for some time past. In addition to the battery which, under the direction of Lieutenant Kent, had been constructed by the seamen of the _Supply_ on the east point of the cove, the work on Point Maskelyne had been raised and completed with embrasures; some guns were placed in a commanding situation above the wind-mill on the west side; and a work had been erected upon Garden-Island; so that, in point of defence, the settlement at this time wore a respectable appearance.
The weather had for some time past been moderate and temperate.
September.] In the night of the 6th of September, the American ship _Resource_ arrived, after a passage of four months from Rhode Island, bound to China. Mr. Magee, who was last here in the _Grand Turk_ was on board the _Resource_. Having refreshed the people, who certainly required some rest after such a voyage, she sailed again on the 14th; but, to the great injury of such Americans as might visit the settlement after him, the master took away several people, among whom were some seamen belonging to the King's ships on this station. To recruit their numbers, as well as to refresh those he had on board, were probably his motives for coming in; but such conduct was deserving of a representation to the American minister, which the governor accordingly determined to make.
On the morning of the 15th, his Majesty's ship _Buffalo_ sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, thence to return with cattle for the colony. It had been wished to have sent a cargo of coals by her to the Cape; but the repairs which she required had taken up so much time, that to have loaded her with that article would have thrown her departure too far into the season for sailing to the Cape, to admit of her return within the summer months, a measure absolutely necessary for preserving her cattle. This would otherwise have been an object too desirable to have been neglected.
The _Buffalo_ was commanded and manned by the officers and ship's company of the _Supply_. Dispatches were sent to England by this opportunity, and contained, among others, a requisition for such materials as were wanting to carry into effect the endeavour to manufacture woollens and linens, viz a large quantity of reeds from 400 to 1600; two complete sets of hackles; one gross of tow and wool cards, with a quantity of log wood, red wood, copperas, and allum.
Having dispatched this ship, the governor set off on a visit to the wild cattle. Leaving Parramatta on the 24th, he crossed the Nepean the following day, but much further to the northward than he had done before. In this direction he and his party traversed a new tract of country, which was not only beautiful to the eye*, but highly calculated for cultivation and pasturage.
[* What a contrast and relief must an excursion of this kind afford, to the living in the unvarying repetition of criminal courts, and their attendant crimes and punishments!]
On their arrival at the Cow-pasture Plains, they fell in with a herd of the cattle, about twenty in number, and so extremely fierce, that, had it not been for the dogs which were with them, they would probably have been attacked. Some natives, who had accompanied the governor, were so alarmed, that they availed themselves of their expertness in climbing trees, and left their friends to provide for their own safety how they could. These dogs having been hunted at the cattle, much against the governor's wish, by some of the party, who did it, as not thinking their situation perfectly safe, the animals were dismayed at the unusual appearance and went off, but a bull calf, about six months old, was detained by the dogs. Him the governor directed to be let loose; but here a strange circumstance occurred. Having three horses with the party, the calf would not quit them; but, running between their legs, cried out for the flock, which, from his bellowing, there was reason to apprehend would return, to the great danger of the party; one of the gentlemen was therefore obliged to stop his cries by shooting him through the head, and the whole regaled upon veal, a rare dish in this country.
On quitting the Cow-pasture Plains, the party crossed the river again, higher up than they had formerly done; and were led for about four miles over a mountainous country, but adapted either for tillage or pasture. They then crossed a fine tract of level country, rich in the most luxuriant grass, and uncommonly well watered, chains of ponds being found every two or three miles.
October.] On their return they found that the _Eliza_ whaler had arrived from sea, not wanting more than thirty tons of oil to complete her cargo.
A number of the public labouring servants of the crown having lately absconded from their duty, for the purpose either of living by robbery in the woods, or of getting away in some of the ships now about to sail, that none of those concerned in the concealing them might plead ignorance, public notice was given 'that any officer or man belonging to the above ships, who should be known to have countenanced or assisted the convicts above alluded to in making their escape, would be taken out of the ship, and punished with the utmost severity of the law; and as the most strict and scrupulous search would take place on board, for every convict which should be found concealed, or suffered to remain on board without regular permission, so many of the ship's company should be taken out and detained for daring to encourage such escape. Such of the above public servants as might have taken to concealments on shore for the purpose of avoiding their work, or making their escape from the colony, if they did not return within a week to their respective stations, might, upon discovery, expect the most exemplary punishment; but they would be pardoned for the present attempt if they returned immediately.'
On the day this order was issued, the _Hillsborough_, which was moving out of the Cove, and preparing for sea, was strictly searched, and several convicts being found on board, they were brought on shore, and each received a severe corporal punishment. One of them was excused, on condition of his declaring who the people were that had encouraged their concealment, and prepared hiding places for them. He accordingly deposed to two of the seamen, who were also brought on shore, punished, and afterwards drummed to the wharf, and sent back to their ship. The foregoing order was then published.
How well it was attended to, and what effect the punishment of the seamen and convicts produced, were instantly seen. The _Hunter_*, preparatory to a voyage to Bengal, where she was to freight with goods for the colony, went out of the harbour. A woman named Ann Holmes being missing, the governor ordered an armed boat from the _Reliance_ to follow the ship, with some of the constables, and search her; with directions, if any persons were found on board who had not permission to depart, to bring her into port again. Having found the woman, the ship was brought up the harbour and secured.
[* This ship had been a Spanish prize, and was the property of Mr. Hingston, late master of the _Hillsborough_, and two others, free people belonging to the settlement.]
Several of her crew having behaved in a most insolent and mutinous manner to the officer of the _Reliance_, having armed themselves against the constables with cutlasses, and one of them having presented a musket at the chief constable, they were secured, ordered to be punished on board their own ship, and afterwards turned on shore. But it was necessary to do something more than this; and, a criminal court being assembled for the purpose, the master of the ship was brought to trial, charged with aiding and abetting a female convict to make her escape from the colony. As the offence consisted in aiding a convict, it was requisite to prove that such was the person found on board his ship; but, upon referring to a list of the prisoners who were embarked in the _Royal Admiral_, the ship in which Arm Holmes had been sent out to New South Wales, no specific term of transportation was found annexed to her name. On the question then, whether the master had aided a convict in making an escape, he was acquitted, it not being possible by any document to prove that Holmes was at that moment a convict. But the master was reprehensible in concealing any person whatever in his ship, and ought to have felt the awkwardness of his situation, in being brought before a court for the breach of an order expressly issued a short time before to guard him and others against the offence that he had committed.
When the _Hillsborough_ was searched, not less than thirty convicts were found to have been received on board, against the orders and without the knowledge of the officers, and secreted by the seamen. This ship and the _Hunter_, shortly after these transactions, sailed on their respective voyages.
But although, by the measures which had been adopted, it was supposed that none of these people had escaped in the ships, yet many were still lurking in the woods. About this time a young ox was missing from the government stock-yard at Toongabbie, and there was every reason to suppose had been driven away and slaughtered by some of those wretches. In the hope of discovering the offender, a notice was published, holding out a conditional emancipation, and permission to become a settler, to any convict for life, who would come forward with the information necessary to convict the persons concerned in this destructive kind of robbery; and an absolute emancipation, with permission to quit the colony, to any one transported only for a limited time; but nothing was ever adduced that could lead to a discovery.
The scarcity of wheat at this time in the public stores rendering it necessary to deduct two pounds from the twelve which were issued, addition was made to the weekly allowance of salt meat, eight pounds and a half of beef being issued in lieu of five, and five pounds of pork in lieu of three. This alteration was to continue until the new crops came in.
These wearing at present a very promising appearance, and the various and unforeseen misfortunes which had from time to time attended the exertions of the industrious in agriculture, being, it was hoped, now at an end, the governor, conceiving it to be no longer consistent with his duty to continue the original prices of grain, directed that in future the following should be given, viz, for wheat, per bushel, 8 shillings; for the present barley, per bushel, 6 shillings; and for maize, per bushel, 4 shillings which prices were to commence on the 1st day of January 1800.
The scarcity of wheat in the public store was occasioned by the unbounded extravagance of the labouring people, who had, in consequence of the last unproductive season, reduced those who supported themselves to very great distress; and several persons, who some time since would gladly have sent their wheat to the store at the established price, had now refused it, when the store was capable of receiving it; and, taking advantage of the scarcity which they themselves had occasioned, had raised the price of wheat to £1 10s per bushel: a shameful extortion!