Of our people came up and also grappled
him, strange to tell he made such violent struggles as to get away from
them all nor did the contents of the officer's piece bring him up
although one ball passed through his arm and the other in the side - he
was traced a good distance by his blood - the remaining pieces were by
this time fired and our party gave chase to them all.
"On board I kept a strict look-out with the glass and we lay only a
little more than a quarter of a mile off the point where they were seated
on. I plainly saw the natives running through the wood which was by no
means thick - one fellow in particular had been dressed in one of my white
shirts and the officer had tyed the wrists of it with string, which
hindered his getting it off - him we plainly saw from the vessel pass the
roots of black trees with such speed as more to resemble a large white
bird flying than a man. To increase their panic as they passed along I
gave them a discharge of our guns loaded with round and grape but am
almost certain that they did them no damage; by this time our people
returned from the chase, having found on the way back a number of spears,
dresses and baskets, etc. Made the boat signal and they came off.
"Thus did this treachery and unprovoked attack meet with its just
punishment and at the same time taught us a useful lesson to be more
cautious in future. With respect to the size of these natives they are
much the same as at Sydney, their understanding better though, for they
easily made out our signs when it answered their purposes or inclination.
When it did not they could be dull enough. They were all clothed in
opossum skins and in each basket a certain quantity of gum was found. Not
the least sign of a canoe has been seen. I conclude they live entirely
inland, and if we may judge from the number of their fires and other
marks this part of the country is not thin of inhabitants. Their spears
are of various kinds and all of them more dangerous than any I have yet
seen. The workmanship of their dresses, their lines and baskets are far
from despicable, their mogo or stone axes are such as common at Sydney.
"In the afternoon the boat went to Swan Isles and caught three live swans
of a large size, and in the morning the launch went with Mr. Power and a
party well armed to sound for a channel round which the vessel might sail
in order to survey the port. Usefully employed on board. Latitude 38
degrees 20 minutes south.
"Thursday, February 18th. Pleasant weather throughout. The launch
returned having been fortunate enough to discover...fresh water and a
channel all round this part of the Port from 10 to 14 fathoms. I took a
long range through the woods attended with an armed party. We discovered
nothing new but found several of the things we gave the natives which in
their fright they had dropped. The ground we walked over was open and the
same as before described, with good soil. The tide where we lie flows
full and changes at 3 hours in the afternoon, and its perpendicular rise
is about 6 feet up and down.
"Friday, February 19th. Another overhaul of the woods took place but
nothing (not before mentioned) was found. Numbers of native tracks, fires
and huts were seen. One native fire in sight on Arthur's Seat distant
about 10 miles.
"Saturday, February 20th. Sent an armed party and our carpenter a long
range through the woods to try the different kinds of wood, none however
was found of use, the trees being almost invariably oak and other wood
quite common at Sydney. A red waistcoat of Mr. Brabyn's was found with
some bread in each pocket, in this he had dressed one of the native boys,
who in his fear left it I fancy, as soon as he had found how to get it
off, for it was buttoned on him.
"Sunday, February 21st. Finding we could not move higher up the port with
the vessel I sent the launch over the western side to examine the passage
into a harbour or river I saw from the hill on 16th inst.
"Monday, February 22nd. At noon the launch returned, having found an
entrance into the sheet of water they were sent to overhaul, but only at
high water, 7 or 8 feet of it, consequently no harbour for shipping. The
boat proceeded a mile and a half, and, in running that, caught 20 swans
of a large size without wasting one charge of shot, which by-the-bye is
now become a scarce article, not above 3 or 4 pounds being in the vessel;
however from the report made of this place it may lead to something of
more consequence. I shall after the survey of the Port is completed give
it a good overhaul. I must mention here that both our boats are now in
such a state of decay from age and constant mending and patching that
they both keep a hand constantly bailing when pulling or sailing, this
circumstance it is needless to mention in a certain degree retards our
proceedings.
"Tuesday, February 23rd. I went in the launch and sounded a few miles of
the Port up towards the watering place. The soundings were 9 feet to 6
fathoms, bottom fine sand, further out perhaps a deeper channel may exist
(this will be ascertained in the survey). Afterwards we walked through
the country some distance, found the soil invariably good, the ground
almost clear and the ranges of trees as regular as they are in general in
the Park, with fine strong short grass underfoot.
