Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1Grey, George
History
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1
Grey, George
Natural history -- Australia -- Western Australia; Western Australia -- Discovery and exploration
I then clambered up on the rocks, and from thence made my way to the
beach; but no sooner had I gained it than I heard a native call from the
top of the cliffs, and the answering cries of his comrades rang through
the wood as they followed me along; my pistol was so thoroughly soaked in
my passage across the inlet that it was quite useless except as a club.
To attempt to swim back again after the narrow escape I had just had
would have been madness; besides which if I had succeeded I should have
lost the object for which I had put my life at hazard. Nothing therefore
was left but to walk along shore to the schooner, trusting, in my
defenceless state, that I might not fall in with any natives. It was now
dark and the shore was so broken and rocky that I got terribly cut and
bruised, and was, moreover, so weak from my exertions in swimming that
when I arrived opposite the vessel I could scarcely hail. Some of those
on board however heard me (as I found afterwards) and shouted in reply;
but their voices never reached my ears, and I imagined they were too far
for I could not now see the vessel.
I made one or two more efforts to hail the Lynher, but the noise I made
had now attracted the notice of the natives and I heard their cries in
several directions round me; this rendered my situation an unpleasant one
for I was worn out, naked, and defenceless: at first I thought to return
and rejoin my party, and even turned back for a short distance with this
intention, but I found myself too weak for such an undertaking and
changed my plans; resolving to remain nearly opposite to the vessel until
the morning, and resting my chance of safety upon being discovered from
it before the natives found me.
TAKEN UP BY THE LYNHER'S BOAT.
With this intent I returned to the position from which I had lately
hailed, and crept into a hole in the rocks whence I could still
occasionally hear the calls of the natives; but, being thoroughly worn
out, I soon forgot my toils and dangers in a very sound and comfortable
sleep. I might have slept for some two hours when I was roused by hearing
a voice shout "Mr. Grey;" still however feeling rather distrustful of the
truth of my mental impressions, and unwilling to betray my whereabouts to
the natives, I returned no answer, but, putting out my head from my
secret place of rest, I waited patiently for a solution of my doubts. But
again I certainly heard the same voice shout "Mr. Grey," and I moreover
now distinctly recognised the noise of oars working in the rowlocks; I
therefore hailed "Lynher, ahoy," and all my doubts were completely put at
rest by the hearty cheers which greeted my ear as Mr. Smith, the mate of
the schooner, called out, "Where shall we pull in, Sir?"
FORTUNATE DELIVERY AND THE PARTY REGAIN THE LYNHER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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