To The
North-West We Could Trace It Upwards Of Twenty Miles, Winding Among
Forest Hills And A Generally Fine Looking Country.
The lake was studded
with numerous islands of forest lands, the interior of the lake being
apparently deep water with sandy beaches to the main and islands.
The
whole appearance of the lake was extremely picturesque and beautiful.
October 28. - This day's journey afforded tolerably good travelling,
with the exception of the last two miles, when, quitting the beach,
we ascended a high hill over the lake, and again descended to a
small bay under a point of land south of Cape Hawke, where we halted for
the evening: having accomplished ten miles. Although we were obliged to
halt the greater part of the day, the extreme heat of the weather,
combined with the motion of the horse, rendered it impossible for our
poor wounded man to proceed. From this point Cape Hawke bore North Peak
on Ditto 357., highest part of the South Brother, N. 1. E.; North Brother,
N. 7. E.; line of coast westerly, N. 306.; a point N. 328 1/2 mile;
ditto N. 136 1/2. E.; ten or twelve chains islet of Sugarloaf Point,
N. 168. The rocks off ditto, N. 173. Sugarloaf Point, 174 1/2.
October 29. - The coast projecting into bold and perpendicular headlands
obliged us to keep at a distance from it, and travel over an elevated
range, from whence we saw that an extensive series of lakes, probably
forming one large one, continued at the back of the coast line nearly
as far as Blackhead. At five miles we descended from the range on a
small beach which terminated our day's journey; the nature of the
coast line preventing us from travelling along it. I therefore went
with two men to mark out a road for the horses to the beach on the
south-west side of Sugarloaf Point. The line we were obliged to pursue,
led us through a most miserable scrubby country, formed into irregular
steep hills of white sand, without a blade of grass, or herbage of any
kind; but with abundance of small black butted gums, red gums, etc. We
found the road across, to be too far for us to attempt this evening.
Indeed it was near sunset when I returned to the tent. The natives
are extremely numerous along this part of the coast; these extensive
lakes, which abound with fish, being extremely favourable to their
easy subsistence: large troops of them appear on the beaches, whilst
their canoes on the lakes are equally numerous. In the morning their
fires are to be observed in every direction: they evidently appear
to shun us, and we have no wish for a farther acquaintance. When we
stopped for the night, the lake was only separated from the sea by
a narrow neck of sand, and at spring tides, with an easterly wind,
it must be forced over it. This neck of sand appears likely to be
occasionally washed away, and to form a shallow opening into this
portion of the lake. Its principal entrance I expect to find southerly;
we however observed no tides in it, which makes us conclude it will
have but a shoal entrance. From this point, the Sugarloaf Point,
and island of it in one, bore N. 14 1/2, and the direction of the
lake was N. 275.
October 30. - We passed for five miles and a half through the country
described yesterday, when we arrived on the beach south-west of the
Sugarloaf Point. The rock off ditto bearing N. 88. E.; Shoal of ditto,
120., and Blackhead, N. 212 1/2; we went nearly six miles farther
on the beach, and halted near a rocky point for the evening. This
beach was a peculiarly productive one to us; a great number of fine
fish resembling salmon, had been pursued through the surf by larger
fish, and were left dry by the retiring tide: we picked up thirty-six,
and a welcome prize they proved to us. We had just got the tents
pitched, when a number of unarmed natives appeared upon the hill
near us, and among them a woman and a child. As they came in peace, so in
peace were they received. They approached the tents without any
hesitation, and in the course of an hour, their numbers amounted to
upwards of thirty, men, women, and children. Most of these people seemed
to have been at Newcastle, and appeared a friendly and peaceable set. We
did all in our power to continue these good dispositions by shaving the
men, cutting the hair of the children, and bestowing on them such little
articles as we could spare; not without a hope, that our kindness might
be of service to others, who might under different circumstances be
thrown among them. They were so far from showing the least jealousy of
their women, that every circumstance indicated that their favours might
be purchased: however that may be, we did not avail ourselves of this
privilege. Kindling their fires close to our tents, they seemed to have
taken up their quarters for the night. The weather had appeared to
threaten rain, and as they all departed about ten o'clock, it was
attributed to the circumstance of their being without shelter; and we
expected a friendly visit from them in the morning. From this station,
Blackhead bore N. 197.; and the island off Sugarloaf Point, N. 70. E.
The peak over the north entrance into Port Stephens, N. 211.
October 31. - The rain of the night still continuing in the morning,
and the tide not being sufficiently low to let us pass round the head,
we did not set off so early as usual. Dr. Harris and Mr. Evans had
gone to bathe near the point, and within one hundred and fifty yards
of the tent. Mr. Evans had already bathed and had began to dress
himself, when four natives, whom we recognised as being among those
whom we had treated so kindly yesterday, made their appearance with
their spears in their hands, in the attitude of throwing them from
the cliffs above.
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