Monday, 10.—Our fishing party took to-day no less than ten turtle in their seine. The native prisoner having now been confined six days out of the seven awarded him. Captain Owen thought it better to inflict his intended punishment of thirty-nine lashes to-day, in order that his immediate rage might have time to subside, before being set at liberty on the morrow. It was accordingly carried into effect; and, although he made a most lusty bellowing on the occasion, the whip-cord appeared to make very little impression on his thick skin. I believe he deemed himself peculiarly fortunate in coming off so well, as, judging from his signs, he expected, at least, to have had his throat cut. During his confinement, he roared and blubbered frequently, particularly whenever he was sensible of any canoe approaching the ship. His countrymen, however, appeared to care little about him; on the contrary, they frequently mimicked his noises, as if in ridicule. His father, indeed, and one or two other relatives, took some interest in his fate, and offered ransom for him.
Tuesday, Dec. 11.—Captain Owen, at an early hour, went on board the steam-vessel to commence his intended survey of the island, and did me the honour of inviting me to accompany him. At seven o'clock we left Maidstone Bay, and proceeded towards a place to the eastward of Point William, where Captain Owen intended to land his native prisoner, and from whence he was expecting to receive on board Cut-throat, Bottle-nose, and another chief, known by the name of Good-tempered Jack. The two latter only kept their promise, but, on coming on board, they were so impressed with fear and astonishment, particularly when the paddles began to move, that their hearts failed them, and they retreated to the boat with all possible celerity. The prisoner was allowed to accompany them; but no sooner did the boat approach the shore, than, doubting the reality of his freedom, until entirely out of our reach, he jumped overboard, and, alternately swimming and diving, as if to elude pursuit, he, at length, reached the shore. About a week afterwards, he ventured to make his appearance on the beach, accompanied by Bottle-nose, but was careful not to approach our party, until the officer on duty threw out a signal of encouragement, when he came forward, exchanged his palm-wine for iron hoop, and afterwards joined in the laugh with those around him.
Pursuing our voyage, about noon, a party of natives were observed on the beach, and Capt. Owen determined on paying them a visit, ordering a boat to be lowered for the purpose. Unfortunately, however, it being necessary, while in the act of lowering, to make a few retrograde strokes of the paddle, the boat was drawn into the vortex on the right hand, and nearly cut in two. By this accident, one of the seamen who were in it, was thrown within the paddle, but, miraculously, taken out unhurt; another made his escape on board the vessel; while two more were set adrift in the sea; they were, however, soon picked up by a second boat, which was instantly lowered, and which also succeeded in recovering the wreck of the first. On approaching the shore, the surf was found to be so strong, that Captain Owen was obliged to communicate with the natives from the boat.
A few yams were purchased for some pieces of iron-hoop, which the natives were so eager to become possessed of, that, daring the exchange, they trembled exceedingly from the intensity of their desire. A piece was intentionally thrown into the sea, with the view of giving them a scramble: they all immediately darted with the utmost eagerness into the water, and exerted themselves most strenuously, until one had the luck to find it; when the remainder left him in quiet possession, without evincing the slightest disposition to deprive him of his treasure.
A small island lay off the shore of this place, which Capt. Owen did not consider of sufficient importance to induce him to give it a name. We now continued our survey along the south-eastern side of the island, advancing at the rate of six or seven miles an hour, until half-past five in the evening, when we arrived a-breast of the south-eastern point (Cape Barrow): we then took our bearings, let the steam down, and stood off the land, under easy sail, for the night.
Wednesday, Dec. 12.—An hour after midnight we tacked, and stood towards the land; at daylight, got the steam on, and furled the sails, and at eight in the morning we were off the same point at which our survey of the previous evening had concluded, the current having, during the night, carried us to the south-west, at the rate of about a mile and a half per hour. The part of the island we were now coasting along, was possessed of a very considerable degree of sublimity, the shore being bold and rocky, with various picturesque cataracts descending from the mountains; and the whole face of the country having a wild appearance. During the forenoon, we had two high peaks in view, one of which Captain Owen named after Dr. Burn, the surgeon of the Eden, who first observed it. About half-past ten, we passed a snug little cove, where the natives were occupied in building canoes, and where we observed a considerable quantity of wood piled up, intended for making paddles. Soon afterwards, we passed the entrance of a river, which, out of compliment to myself, Captain Owen named Holman River. A remarkably large stone lay on the beach near its mouth. At noon, we were off a bluff cape, which received the name of Cape Eden. At this time our previously fine weather disappeared, and we had, throughout the remainder of the day, a very hazy atmosphere, with occasional rain.
About one o'clock, a rakish-looking schooner made her appearance, which, from her manoeuvres, such as frequently altering her course, as if she wished to avoid us, we suspected to be a slave-vessel; we, therefore, made full sail in chase, and at three o'clock, had approached near enough to fire a gun at her, when she immediately hoisted English colours, brought to, and proved to be the African, Captain John Smith, twenty-five days from Sierra Leone, and seven from Cape Coast Castle, laden with provisions for the colony, and having on board Hospital-Assistant Cowen, of the Medical Staff, who had volunteered to join the establishment. Captain Owen, having received his letters, ordered her to proceed to Maidstone Bay, while we stood in for George's Bay, on the western side of the island, where we came to anchor soon after four o'clock.
Thursday, Dec. 13.—Soon after breakfast, Dr. Burn landed with three men, and proceeded to a native village, about three miles from the beach, where he was kindly received by an elderly chief, who appeared well acquainted with our countrymen. He could pronounce 'King George,' and a few other English words, and wore as an ornament, suspended from his neck, a brass plate, which had belonged to the cap of a soldier of the Royal African Corps; he had also another brass plate with G.R. upon it. This chief, with his son, accompanied Dr. Burn on board, and was entertained by Captain Owen with fish, yams, and palm-wine; at length, he began to express much anxiety to be gone, and was sent on shore. During the morning, Captain Owen and Lieutenant Badgeley occupied themselves with surveying the bay: after this, we went ashore, when many of the natives assembled round us, and behaved themselves very civilly, although they were, as usual, importunate for iron; offering in exchange yams, palm-wine, fowls, &c. &c. Only one canoe came off to us at this place, containing twelve men, who had a few yams with them, which they appeared very indifferent about parting with; at least, they demanded very exorbitant prices, as a piece of iron for a single yam, for which, at Maidstone Bay, we could have purchased eight or ten. We caught here a large dog-fish, a species of ground shark.
Friday, Dec. 14.—At day-break we were again under weigh, and stood out of George's Bay, making a little to the southward of it, for the purpose of resuming our survey at the point where we left off on the preceding day, in order to give chase to the schooner; we then returned into the bay, running close along, and surveying its shores, leaving it at its northern extremity, and passing round Goat Island; we then stood for Maidstone Bay, where we anchored at one in the afternoon, having surveyed the intermediate coast, as well us the whole extent of the bay, from Cape Bullen to Point William, from whence we had commenced the survey. Thus we completed the circumnavigation of the island.
I shall conclude my account of this short voyage, by giving a few of the geographical and meteorological observations, which have been made since our arrival, with every due attention to accuracy.