No signs of any religion have been observed among them, yet they are not entirely ignorant of a future state, as they say the bones of the dead are in the grave, and the body is in the clouds; or, as those we have had with us may have been misunderstood, they probably mean that the soul is in the clouds: Wolare-warrè once asked the judge-advocate, if the white men went to the clouds also. The sun, moon, and stars, they call Werè (bad): the native girl once went into very violent convulsions on seeing a falling star, and said that every body would be destroyed, although some who were about her observed, that she particularly alluded to the "Murray nowey," the Sirius.
The Emu, (Maroang) the Patagorang, and the Menagine, (a small animal) are all named "Goa-long," which term is supposed to mean an animal, as Wolarewarrè uses it in contradistinction to a bird or a fish: on being asked, if the Emu was a bird, (Binyan) he shook his head, and said, "Goa-long." He calls Governor Phillip, Beanga (father); and names himself, Dooroow (son): the judge and commissary he calls Babunna (brother). He sings a great deal, and with much variety: the following are some words which were caught--"E eye at wangewah-wandeliah chiango wandego mangenny wakey angoul barre boa lah barrema." He throws the spear ninety yards with great force and exactness. In counting the numerals, he cannot reckon beyond four; viz. One, Wogul, or Ya-ole; Two, Bulla and Yablowxe; Three, Boorooi, or Brewè; Four, Cal-una-long. On laying down a fifth object, he named it with the rest, "Marry-diolo." He calls the four principal winds by the following names:--The North, Boo-roo-way; The South, Bain-marree; The West, Bow-wan; The East, Gonie-mah.
The natives sing an hymn or song of joy, from day-break until sunrise. They procure fire with infinite labour, by fixing the pointed end of a round piece of stick into a hole made in a flat piece of wood, and twirling it round swiftly betwixt both hands, sliding them at the same time upwards and downwards until the operator is fatigued, when he is relieved by some of his companions, who are all seated in a circle for that purpose, and each takes his turn in the operation until fire is procured: this being the process, it is no wonder that they are never seen without a piece of lighted wood in their hand.
Chapter XVI
VOYAGE TO BATAVIA AND VOYAGE FROM BATAVIA TO ENGLAND
April 1790 to December 1790
Lieutenant King sails for Batavia.--Meets with a dangerous shoal.--Discovers Tench's-Island.--A description of the inhabitants.--Prince William-Henry's Island described.--Touches at Kercolang.--A description of the inhabitants, their cloathing and utensils.--Passes through the Streights of Salayer.--Arrival at Batavia.--Interview with the governor.--Batavia described.--Situation and extent.--Manners and customs of the inhabitants.--Government and police.--Annual exports.--Departure from Batavia.--Mortality amongst the sailors.--Arrival at the Isle of France.--An account of that island.--Sails from the Isle of France.--Arrival in the English Channel.
Having received the dispatches for his Majesty's principal Secretary of State, and for the Secretary of the Admiralty, from Governor Phillip, together with his order for me to go on board the Supply, and to proced in her to Batavia, and from thence, to make the best of my way to England, with the above dispatches, and Lieutenant Ball having also received his orders, I took my leave of the governor, and at noon on the 17th of April, we set sail; carrying with us the fervent prayers of those we left behind, for our safety.
From this time till the 22d, we had variable weather, the wind in general from the south-east. Lieutenant Ball was directed to call at Norfolk-Island, if it did not occasion him too much loss of time; but, as the winds seemed to hang to the eastward, there was every probability of losing at least a fortnight; and, as the Supply did not carry any thing which could be of the least assistance to those on the island, he thought proper to proceed on the voyage, and accordingly bore up in order to go to the westward of the shoal seen by the Golden-Grove, in latitude 29° 25' south, and 159° 59' east longitude: Lieutenant Shortland also saw another shoal, as hath already been mentioned, which may probably be the same, if they exist: this, however, seems to be a matter of doubt, as Lieutenant Ball, in July, 1789, cruized in these and the adjacent latitudes and longitudes for a fortnight, and could not see the least appearance either of an island or shoals; although Mr. Blackburn, the master of the Supply, who was at that time on board the Golden-Grove, is very confident that a shoal was seen in that vessel.