The kind Murray Islander taking leave of the Orphans.
See page [61].
The next night, Captain Lewis amused the islanders with a display of rockets, and firing of great guns, with which they were highly delighted.
Before the ship sailed, Dupper went and collected a quantity of cocoa-nuts, yams, and tobacco, which he brought on board for me. He then asked who was to have the care of my canoe, bow and arrows, and other articles? I said, his son Bowdoo; with which he seemed very well satisfied.
He seemed to feel pained at parting; he cried, hugged me, and then cried again; at last he told me to come back soon, and bring him plenty of things, and not to forget ‘torre’. I then bade farewell to the poor old man, and the rest of the natives, who patted and fondled William in his new dress, and on Tuesday, the 28th of June, at about eight o’clock in the morning, we left Murray’s Island.
The Isabella schooner had been fitted out to search the islands for the white people who had been shipwrecked in the Charles Eaton, or might be left on them from any shipwreck. I went with the vessel to all those islands they had not searched before they discovered us; and my speaking the language was of great service.
On one of the islands, we found a figure made of tortoise shell, painted something like a man’s face, round which were tied forty-five skulls. These we took on board. We observed that they were more or less injured. Several of them were supposed to have belonged to Europeans, and one to a woman.
Our voyage was prosperous, and we arrived at Sidney without any accident. Great excitement had been caused in this place by the melancholy disappearance of so many persons; and the rumor of our story, and of the fate of the Charles Eaton and crew, made William and myself objects of great curiosity.
I was taken to the governor of the colony, Sir Richard Bourke; to whom I related as much of this narrative as I could recollect. I had forty shillings given to me by the captain of the Japan, a whaler that we passed on our journey home. This money enabled me to buy some clothes. Sir Richard Bourke placed some money in the hands of a person in Sidney, to defray my expenses during the time I stayed there; the remainder of which sum I have received since my arrival in London.
A lady named Mrs. Slade, whose husband is a government officer in Sidney, hearing that the name of one of the boys brought by the Isabella was Doyley, made inquiries respecting him, and found that he was the son of an old and esteemed friend. She immediately requested permission to take charge of poor William; who was accordingly given into her charge.