Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 1: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822 — John Shaqi
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 1: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 1: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
From Dampier's description of Rosemary Island I was, at first, induced to
think that we had landed upon the identical island he visited; but this
error was soon discovered. An island to the northward, on which are three
hummocks, was soon recognised as Captain Baudin's Ile Romarin, it
therefore bears the name of Rosemary Island in my chart, and I have no
doubt of its being that under which Captain Dampier anchored, but not the
one upon which he landed. To the eastward of Enderby Island, a strait of
nearly two miles wide separates it from Lewis Island; and between Enderby
and Rosemary Islands is Goodwyn Island. The shores of the bay were
plentiful in shell-fish, particularly oysters; and beche de mer* were
also abundant in the crevices of the rocks; but there were no traces of
this part of the coast having been visited by the Malays, who annually
visit it to the eastward, for the purpose of taking that animal. The
tracks of natives and their fireplaces were everywhere visible and around
the latter the bones of kangaroos and fishes were strewed.
(*Footnote. Trepang, a species of Holothuria (Priapulus sp., Lam. iii.
76), an animal collected by the Malays for the Chinese market. Vide
Flinders Terra Australis volume 2 pages 231 and 257.)
On the north side of Rocky Head, in a ravine, under the shade of a ficus,
eight or ten gallons of water were found and brought on board; and near
it on a spot of tolerable soil Mr. Cunningham sowed some peach-stones.
February 26.
At daylight we left this anchorage, and proceeded to penetrate to the
eastward towards a deep bight or strait; the wind was, however, so light,
that we were compelled to anchor until the sea-breeze set in, when the
vessel was again under sail, and proceeded onwards. As we advanced, three
natives were seen in the water, apparently wading from an island in the
centre of the strait towards Lewis Island: the course was immediately
altered to intercept them, but as we approached, it was discovered that
each native was seated on a log of wood, which he propelled through the
water by paddling with his hands. Having hove to close by them, they
became much alarmed, and cried out in loud tones which were increased
when our boat was lowered and despatched after them; but it was not
without the greatest difficulty that Mr. Bedwell succeeded in bringing
one on board. On the boat's coming up with the nearest Indian, he left
his log and, diving under the boat's bottom, swam astern; this he did
whenever the boat approached him, and it was four or five minutes before
he was caught, which was at last effected by seizing him by the hair, in
the act of diving, and dragging him into the boat, against which he
resisted stoutly, and, even when taken, it required two men to hold him
to prevent his escape. During the interval of heaving to and bringing him
on board, the cutter was anchored near the central island, where a tribe
of natives were collected, consisting of about forty persons, of whom the
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