The Two Other Marines Swam
For The Nearest Shore, But One Only Reached It, To Recount The Fate
Of His Companions.
August, 1790.
In the beginning of this month, in company with Mr. Dawes
and Mr. Worgan, late surgeon of the 'Sirius', I undertook an expedition
to the southward and westward of Rose Hill, where the country had never
been explored. We remained out seven days, and penetrated to a considerable
distance in a S.S.W. direction, bounding our course at a remarkable hill,
to which, from its conical shape, we gave the name of Pyramid-hill.
Except the discovery of a river (which is unquestionably the Nepean
near its source) to which we gave the name of the Worgan, in honour of one of
our party, nothing very interesting was remarked.
Towards the end of the month, we made a second excursion to the north-west
of Rose Hill, when we again fell in with the Nepean, and traced it to the spot
where it had been first discovered by the party of which I was a member,
fourteen months before, examining the country as we went along.
Little doubt now subsisted that the Hawkesbury and Nepean were one river.
We undertook a third expedition soon after to Broken Bay, which place we found
had not been exaggerated in description, whether its capacious harbour,
or its desolate incultivable shores, be considered. On all these excursions
we brought away, in small bags, as many specimens of the soil of the country
we had passed through, as could be conveniently carried, in order that
by analysis its qualities might be ascertained.
CHAPTER VIII.
Transactions of the Colony in the Beginning of September, 1790.
The tremendous monster who had occasioned the unhappy catastrophe
just recorded was fated to be the cause of farther mischief to us.
On the 7th instant, Captain Nepean, of the New South Wales Corps,
and Mr. White, accompanied by little Nanbaree, and a party of men,
went in a boat to Manly Cove, intending to land there, and walk on to
Broken Bay. On drawing near the shore, a dead whale, in the most disgusting
state of putrefaction, was seen lying on the beach, and at least two hundred
Indians surrounding it, broiling the flesh on different fires, and feasting
on it with the most extravagant marks of greediness and rapture.
As the boat continued to approach, they were observed to fall into confusion
and to pick up their spears, on which our people lay upon their oars
and Nanbaree stepping forward, harangued them for some time, assuring them
that we were friends. Mr. White now called for Baneelon who, on hearing
his name, came forth, and entered into conversation. He was greatly emaciated,
and so far disfigured by a long beard, that our people not without difficulty
recognized their old acquaintance. His answering in broken English,
and inquiring for the governor, however, soon corrected their doubts.
He seemed quite friendly. And soon after Colbee came up, pointing to his leg,
to show that he had freed himself from the fetter which was upon him,
when he had escaped from us.
When Baneelon was told that the governor was not far off, he expressed
great joy, and declared that he would immediately go in search of him,
and if he found him not, would follow him to Sydney. "Have you brought
any hatchets with you?" cried he. Unluckily they had not any which they chose
to spare; but two or three shirts, some handkerchiefs, knives, and
other trifles, were given to them, and seemed to satisfy. Baneelon,
willing to instruct his countrymen, tried to put on a shirt, but managed it
so awkwardly, that a man of the name of M'Entire, the governor's gamekeeper,
was directed by Mr. White to assist him. This man, who was well known to him,
he positively forbade to approach, eyeing him ferociously, and with every mark
of horror and resentment. He was in consequence left to himself,
and the conversation proceeded as before. The length of his beard seemed
to annoy him much, and he expressed eager wishes to be shaved,
asking repeatedly for a razor. A pair of scissors was given to him,
and he shewed he had not forgotten how to use such an instrument,
for he forthwith began to clip his hair with it.
During this time, the women and children, to the number of more than fifty,
stood at a distance, and refused all invitations, which could be conveyed
by signs and gestures, to approach nearer. "Which of them is your old
favourite, Barangaroo, of whom you used to speak so often?"
"Oh," said he, "she is become the wife of Colbee! But I have got
'bulla muree deein' (two large women) to compensate for her loss."
It was observed that he had received two wounds, in addition to his former
numerous ones, since he had left us; one of them from a spear,
which had passed through the fleshy part of his arm; and the other displayed
itself in a large scar above his left eye. They were both healed,
and probably were acquired in the conflict wherein he had asserted
his pretensions to the two ladies.
Nanbaree, all this while, though he continued to interrogate his countrymen,
and to interpret on both sides, shewed little desire to return to their
society, and stuck very close to his new friends. On being asked the cause
of their present meeting, Baneelon pointed to the whale, which stunk
immoderately, and Colbee made signals, that it was common among them
to cat until the stomach was so overladen as to occasion sickness.
Their demand of hatchets being re-iterated, notwithstanding our refusal,
they were asked why they had not brought with them some of their own?
They excused themselves by saying, that on an occasion of the present sort,
they always left them at home, and cut up the whale with the shell
which is affixed to the end of the throwing-stick.
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