Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2: Discoveries in Australia; with an Account of the Coasts and Rivers; Explored and Surveyed During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in The; Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command of the Lords Commissioners; Of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits; To the Islands in the Arafura SeaStokes, John Lort
History
Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2: Discoveries in Australia; with an Account of the Coasts and Rivers; Explored and Surveyed During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in The; Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command of the Lords Commissioners; Of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits; To the Islands in the Arafura Sea
Stokes, John Lort
Australia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Australia
After emerging from this ravine we found ourselves near the highest point
of the island, of which we had a good view. Every part exhibited abundant
signs of industry and cultivation, although parched up from want of rain.
The chief of Wauriti received us with great hospitality, and offered
refreshments of tea, rice cake, and a sort of beer, made from the Sago
palm.
MISSIONARY ESTABLISHMENT.
He then escorted us round the village, which contains a very good church
and schoolhouse, constructed under the direction of a Dutch Missionary,
who had been for some years a resident on the island, with his family,
and who appeared to have been very successful in converting the natives;
but the distress occasioned by the want of rain was too great a trial of
their faith; they declared that their old gods had sent the drought upon
them as a punishment for deserting them, for they had never had such a
visitation before Christianity had been introduced into the island. The
poor Missionary's influence was over; he was obliged to quit the island,
and went to Amboyna. A mile north of Wauriti we visited a smaller village
inhabited by the descendants of some Dutch families, who had lived upon
the island many years ago. They were quite different in appearance from
the natives, and some of the women were very goodlooking. In returning to
the ship, we examined an old Dutch fort built on the beach, but now in a
very dilapidated state. It consisted simply of a square building, with
bastions at the opposite angles. At sunset we made sail for Letti, off
which we anchored the next day, in 13 fathoms; half a mile north of the
Missionary establishment; where we found a resident minister and his
family, and two others from another part of the island staying with them.
A visit from Europeans was, to them, an event of rare occurrence, and
must have been an interesting break in their monotonous lives; they had
been very successful in their labours, and had converted many of the
natives. They had several establishments on the island; the one we
visited consisted of a church, schoolhouse, and house for the missionary;
the church had been built more than 100 years, and was a very substantial
edifice. The school appeared to be well attended by the native children.
The island of Letti, which is about 10 miles in extent, had also suffered
much from the want of rain, but was fast recovering its green appearance.
A high ridge of hills extends along the centre of the island from east to
west; the sides of which, sloping gradually towards the sea, are covered
with trees, and the whole island presents an appearance of great
fertility. The anchorage off Letti, which we surveyed, is very good
during the south-east monsoon, but affords no shelter when the wind blows
in an opposite direction. There may be an anchorage on the south side of
the island, which we did not visit, that would be available during the
North-West monsoon.
SERWATTY GROUP.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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