Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
On the following day we again heard them shouting and hallooing but it
was some time before we could observe their situation; at last five were
discovered by the aid of a telescope, seated on the summit of a hill
behind the beach, occupied in making spears; at a little distance were
two others, one of whom was distinguished to be the native that had
escaped unwounded; the other, a stranger, was chopping a branch off a
tree, which he was seen to trim and scrape into a rough spear. During the
time they were thus employed, they frequently hallooed to us; no notice
was however taken of their cries, although the temptation was very great
of firing a shot over their heads to show them that they were still
within our reach. As soon as they had finished their work and had made
about a dozen spears, they all got up and walked away.
After they disappeared behind the hill it was thought not unlikely that
they would attack our people at the watering-place; the party were
therefore sent away in the afternoon well armed, but the natives did not
make their appearance, and the boats returned at sunset without having
been disturbed. The tide was so trifling and the difficulty of loading
the boat so great that only ninety gallons of water were procured; and as
we were not likely to make quicker progress unless we waited for the
spring-tides, we gave up all idea of completing our water, and made
preparations to leave the bay.
August 10.
On the following day (10th) as there was no wind all the morning, I sent
for another turn of water but only obtained enough for one day's issue;
for the tide did not rise more than four feet. In the meantime I visited
the extreme point on the west side of the bay, and examined in my way
some openings in the land that, from their appearance, promised to afford
water: as it was low tide I could not enter them, for they were blocked
up by banks of sand and rocks; but on my return the tide was higher, and
I pulled about one mile up the northernmost inlet, where I was again
stopped by the shoalness of the water. All these places must afford
abundance of fresh water during the rainy season, and perhaps are seldom
without; and, as this was a year of unusual drought, it is not improbable
that the river in which we watered generally afforded a very considerable
stream; if so, from its proximity to the anchorage, the bay is of great
importance, and is an excellent place for refreshment: turtle might be
procured at the islands in its vicinity, and abundance of very fine fish
at the sandy beach: the anchorage is safe in all parts, being protected
from the sea by the islands in the offing, which front the bay. There is
also abundance of wood that may be cut close to the waterside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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