- The weather was so extremely unfavourable (blowing in
violent squalls with almost constant rain), that it was near dark before
we got every thing safely over.
I had sent on in the morning to examine
the beach for a few miles, and another inlet was discovered about four
miles in advance. We named this lake Farquhar's Lake, after Sir Walter.
October 25. - From the southern point of entrance into this lake the
following bearings were taken. The highest part of the South Brother,
north 6. E.; ditto North Brother, north 18. E.; Cape Hawke, south 3. E.
We set forward at our usual hour. At a mile along the beach we found the
wreck of a small vessel, which was recognised to be the Jane, of Sydney,
belonging to Mills, before mentioned as the owner of the boat in our
possession. It being low water when we arrived at the lagoon seen
yesterday, we crossed it at the mouth, without unlading the horses. We
proceeded along the beach for six or seven miles farther, when we turned
off to the westward to cut off a point of land, and entered an excellent
rising forest country, with rich thick brushes, bordering the coast line.
We travelled in the whole about nine miles and a half, and halted about
three quarters of a mile from the beach, from a point of which (one mile
south-south-east of us), we saw Cape Hawke bearing east 73. S., distant
six or eight miles; and at the extremity of a long curving sandy beach,
about six miles west of the same point, there was an opening which, from
the appearance of the country, we thought might probably form a lake.
October 26. - Two miles and a half farther travelling brought us again on
the beach, along which we went for near seven miles more, when the
opening or lake seen from the point yesterday obliged us to make use of
our boat. On the opposite side to us we saw the wreck of the brig
Governor Hunter, now nearly covered with sand, at high water the
tide washing over her. We had got the horses and great part of the
luggage safely over, and I was on the point of setting out to look
for a place to turn the horses on (the immediate margin of the bay
being a swampy brush); when an alarm was given, that the natives
had speared one of the people. Previous to crossing, we had seen them in
great numbers on the side opposite to us, probably to the amount of
seventy of all ages; but on seeing us launch our boat, they got into
canoes and went two or three miles farther up the lake, still keeping on
the south side. On the north side we did not see any natives, and
although on both sides of the lake we were prepared for them, had they
shown themselves in numbers on the beach, yet all were not on their guard
against individual treachery.
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