Mr. Bowen Accordingly Went Into The Boat And Pulled Down As They Walked, After Pulling About 1 1/2 Miles They Stopped And Beckoned For The Boat To Come In - Here 3 Women Made Their Appearance Each With A Child At Her Back.

Mr. Bowen went on shore here, little passed on either side further than on Mr. Bowen asking for fire to warm himself.

They pointed to the boat and made signs for him to go there and get it the women sometimes shook their hands to him, and the boys laughing and hooping. A few more trifles were here given to them. A little before this all our people got out of the boat stark naked as was desired and walked somewhat near the natives, on which the old man sent the boys away to the women, and he, after having been in a great passion, made signs for us to go to the boat, began to retire with his face to us and brandishing his spear as that everyone thought he would heave it, when our people turned their backs the young men seemed more quiet. As we saw that all hope of further intercourse for the present was at an end Mr. Bowen ordered Bond to fire his piece over their heads in order to make good his retreat to the boat. This had the desired effect, as they one and all were out of sight in an instant. Before this they must have taken the musket for nothing but a stick. All the weapons they possessed were their spears (of a small size) and a stone tomahawk along with the wumera they throw with. With respect to their size the young men were much the same as those of Sydney or Jarvis Bay. They were not deficient in making out our signs, and we were easy able to understand from their motions what they would be at. From there being but little food for them on the beaches here, and their being clothed in the skins of the oppossums, I presume they are Bush natives, the women, I forgot to mention, appeared to be middling well shaped, and good-looking children, they were, however, always at some distance.

"Mr. Bowen and the people having joined the boat came on board. Observed all the remainder of the day they retired back into the woods and about 6 P.M. dous'd their fire at once although it must have covered an acre of ground. At 4 A.M. a light wind sprung up at east, got our kedge hove short, loosed sails and hove up - made sail for Elizabeth's Cove..."

"Tuesday, 5th January. Winds from south-east to east with cloudy weather. At quarter past 1 P.M. Cape Shank bore north-east by north 9 miles. Kept running down along the land steering west and west by north in order to traverse the whole of this land, found it impossible to survey any part of the coast as yet from the numerous native fires which covered this low shore in one volume of smoke. At 3 P.M.* (* i.e. 3 P.M. on January 4th by the civil reckoning. See above note.) we saw ahead land bearing west-north-west distant 12 miles, and an opening in the land that had the appearance of a harbour north-west 10 or 12 miles, bore away for this last it having the appearance of fine steady weather...Accordingly kept standing down for this entrance which every minute from its appearance made us sure it was a good harbour.* (* The entrance to Port Phillip; Murray returned here January 30th.) At 5 P.M. saw a small island in the entrance and observed that between it and the main lay a reef...the 1st Mate and the the Boatswain's Mate at the masthead looking out. At this time I suppose we were within 1 1/2 miles of the entrance...and I perceived that the sea broke short and was withal heavy - hove the lead and found only 10 fathoms water...Astonished at this, I hauled our wind and called out to them at the masthead to know if they saw any danger, but none was seen. I bore away and deepened into 11 fathoms when Mr. Bowen called out "Rocks ahead," immediately hauled our wind and stood off...going often to the masthead I saw that the reef did nearly stretch across the whole way, but inside saw a sheet of smooth water of great extent. From the wind blowing dead on this shore, I was obliged to haul off to clear the land, but with a determination to overhaul it as no doubt it has a channel into it and is apparently a fine harbour of large extent. Kept pressing sail and by 8 P.M. the extremes of land bore from north-west to west distance 20 miles...the wind blew about as much as our vessel likes and I am convinced that no vessel would have done more - I wish I could say as much for her in light winds...At daylight the haze over the land at east, and east-north-east with a heavy sea. I did not like to bear down on a lee shore and so kept our wind stretching for the westernmost side of the bay...no part of this bay as yet has been surveyed owing to the sea, wind and the before-mentioned numerous fires of the natives, but as our courses and distance were all with a free wind till we hauled off...there will be no great mistake found in that part of this bay laid down. Till 8 P.M. from our run from Western Port the soil of all the land from abreast of Elizabeth's Cove to Cape Shanks is excellent; after you round Cape Shanks and stand to west the land is invariably low and sandy with little hummocks here and there of grass and small bushes till you get down as far as this supposed harbour; on the opposite side the land gently rises a little for about 10 or 12 miles, seemingly good ground, it then sweeps away in a long bight of low land which we could just perceive at sundown...At noon saw the distant appearance of land on our larboard beam and from latitude observed 38 degrees 48 minutes 14 seconds, I take it to be somewhere near about Cape Shanks; bore away for Cape Albany Otway.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 32 of 87
Words from 31682 to 32770 of 88304