THE LADY NELSON ON DISCOVERY IN COMPANY WITH H.M.S. INVESTIGATOR.
"Thursday, July 22nd, 1802. Preparing for sea. At 2 P.M. the Investigator
made the signal for all persons to return on board. At 3 P.M. weighed and
made sail down the harbour: by 1/2 past 7, cleared the Heads; 1/2 past 9
North Head of Port Jackson, south-south-west distant 18 miles.
"Friday, July 23rd. At 4 P.M. the Coal Island bore north by east 15 or 16
miles and the South Head of Port Stephens north-north-east 20 or 22
miles...Received orders to keep ahead during the night and show a light
now and then, steering north-east by east. At 8 spoke the Commander who
told us to keep in his wake.
"Saturday, July 24th. At half-past 5 P.M. the Commander made the signal
to come within hail, spoke him and was ordered to keep near him during
night.
"Sunday, July 25th. From noon until 11 P.M. gale continued with a high
sea which continually broke on board. At daylight we perceived from the
land that a southern current ran so strong that we were nearly in the
same place as at noon...
"Monday, July 26th. Standing down along shore. By 4 P.M. saw what we
supposed was a ship and supposed it to be the Investigator, accordingly
stood in for her, but a squall of rain coming on hindered our seeing her;
fired a gun but no answer was received, at 8 fired a second gun with a
light at the masthead but got no answer...Bore north-north-east and to
our surprise by midnight found ourselves close to a very high head of
land which owing to being covered with clouds we did not before see.* (*
Point Danger.) Turned up the hands and made all sail and by 1 A.M. with
much difficulty we cleared it...
"Monday, July 27th. At 2 P.M. Solitary Islands bore west by north distant
7 miles.
"Wednesday, July 28th. At 1 P.M. Mount Warning bore west by north distant
15 or 16 miles...At daylight saw the land from west-south-west to N.W.S.,
noon the northern end of Moreton Island bore west by north distant 5 or 6
leagues.* (* Flinders examined Moreton Bay and Pumicestone River in 1799
but Oxley made the discovery that Point Lookout was situated on
Stradbroke Island and that Moreton Bay extended as far south as 28
degrees where it communicated with the sea.)
"Thursday, July 29th. At 8 A.M. Double Island Point bore north-west by
west about 5 or 6 miles. Stood into Wide Bay in hopes of finding the
Investigator there, as we stood round the northern end of Double Island
saw a number of natives who waved their hands to us; all round the bay
were numbers of fires. In the mouth and on the south side of Wide Bay* (*
Coast of Queensland.) lie two rocks with bold water round them, not laid
down in the chart, and those rocks bare from the north end of Double
Island north-east by north distance 1 1/2 miles.
"Friday, July 30th. At 5 P.M. the north extremes of the land bore north
1/2 east distant 15 or 16 miles. Observed numerous natives all along the
coast. At sunrise Indian Head bore north-north-west distant 3 miles, as
we neared it, counted 25 natives on it. Made all sail for Sandy Cape and
by 11 A.M. entered a passage between two reefs, at the same time from the
masthead saw the Investigator bearing north-west distant about 10 or 11
miles.* (* The Investigator had anchored under Breaksea Spit about 9
miles north-north-east from Sandy Cape.)
"Saturday, July 31st. Fine weather. At 2 P.M. on the turn of tide sent
the boat ahead to tow, hove up, and made all sail; cleared the shoals
that surrounded this reef. The Investigator standing down to us sent a
boat with the Master on board to give assistance if wanted, at half-past
4 P.M. ye Commander came to; at 5 P.M. we also came to in 4 fathoms of
water - bottom fine sand and waited on ye Commander. At half-past 6 A.M.
hove up and made sail in shore and at half-past 8 A.M. came to near
enough to cover the landing of the boats of both vessels. Captain
Flinders and a number of the officers and gentlemen landed and I went on
shore with an armed party in order to get wood. In a little time Captain
Flinders and his party were joined by about 30 of the natives all of whom
laid down their arms and we continued on friendly terms with them all the
time the parties were on shore. Captain Flinders made them presents of
red caps, tomahawks, etc. with which they were much pleased and gave back
some baskets and nets. With respect to the persons of these natives, I
perceived little or no difference from the Sydney blacks; their language
is much different, as Bungaree could not understand a word they said.* (*
"These people were entirely naked but were more 'fleshy' than those at
Port Jackson perhaps from being able to obtain a better supply of fish
with "scoop nets" which are not known on the southern coast. A species of
pandanus grew here in abundance and the valleys contained trees of the
Casuarina and Eucalyptus." Flinders.)
"Sunday, August 1st. Fine weather. At 2 P.M. the gentlemen with their
parties returned to the beach. We all embarked in the Investigator's
boat, got on board the Lady Nelson; at 3 P.M. came to in 5 fathoms,
Captain Flinders then left us.
