In the afternoon I went on shore near the north extremity of the Cape, to procure some bearings; after which we strolled about, and found a temporary stream of water falling into the sea. In walking past a grove of pandanus trees, which grew near the water, we disturbed a prodigious quantity of bronze-winged butterflies, reminding us, in point of number, of the Euploea hamata, at Cape Cleveland in 1819. It proved to be a variety of the Urania orontes (Godart) of Amboyna and the other Indian Islands. Mr. Cunningham took advantage of the Dick's boat going to the bottom of the bay, to cut grass: near their landing-place he found some natives' huts; some of which were of more substantial construction than usual, and were thatched with palm leaves: inside of one he found a fishing rod, and a line, five or six fathoms long, furnished with a hook made from a shell, like the hooks of the South Sea Islanders: he also found a small basket, made from the leaf of a palm-tree, lying near the remains of their fireplaces, which were strewed with broken exuviae of their shell-fish repasts.
A canoe twelve feet long, similar to the one described at Blomfield's Rivulet (volume 1) was also seen; and, like it, was not more than nine inches wide at the bilge. A small kangaroo was seen by Mr. Cunningham feeding upon the grass, but fled the moment that it saw him approaching.
Nothing more was seen of the natives, nor were any heard, or suspected of being near us; had there been any number the party would have been placed in an awkward situation, for upon landing, they all incautiously, and very imprudently, separated, to amuse themselves as they were inclined, without regarding the situation of the boat, which was soon left dry by the ebbing tide; and it was eight o'clock at night before they succeeded in launching her. Immediately after its return, for which we had been waiting four hours, we got underweigh, and were only just in time to save the breeze, which carried us out into the offing: after a short calm, the wind gradually freshened from South-South-West, and we steered on under easy sail towards Cape Tribulation.
June 19.
On passing the cape two reefs were seen to seaward, which had previously escaped our notice.
In the afternoon we anchored in ten fathoms, at about half a mile from the north-west end of the reef that stretches for two miles to the northward of the south-westernmost Hope Island; and, as it was low water and the reef uncovered, we walked across it. It is formed principally of coral, on the surface of which we found the gray trepang; a small Chama gigas, a cypraea, a pretty azure-coloured species of asteria, and a few bivalve shells. The few birds that frequented the reef were very shy, and flew away at our approach: they were principally pelicans and terns.
June 20.
After weighing the next morning, we steered North 1/2 West, a course farther to seaward than we had previously taken, in order to see the reefs more distinctly, and to prove the width and extent of this part of the channel; but the sun was shining in the direction of our course, and the shadows of the clouds upon the water were at times so deceptious that, whilst they often caused appearances of reefs where none existed, they concealed others that, for the same reason, were not seen until we were close to them. Having now the charge of two merchant-vessels, it was necessary to proceed with caution, and therefore we steered nearly over our last year's track, but notwithstanding, we now discovered several new reefs, and informed ourselves of the extent and shape of others which had escaped our previous observation.
As we were rounding the two islands that lie close to the south side of Lizard Island, a native was seen in a canoe, paddling towards another who was sitting on the rocks watching our movements; and, as we hauled round the south point of the bay, two others were observed walking towards the beach; upon seeing us they stopped short and retreated up the hill; but, after we anchored and sent a boat on shore, which was accompanied by one from the Dick, they advanced, and without much hesitation, came forward and communicated with our party. They carried spears with them, and each of our gentlemen had their fowling-pieces: the appearance of Bundell, who on these occasions always took his clothes off, perhaps gave them greater confidence. After some vociferous and unintelligible parley, one of our gentlemen, in order to give them further cause for the surprise which they had already manifested to a great extent, unadvisedly fired his fowling-piece; upon which, as might be expected, they became distrustful and frightened, and, fixing their spears in their throwing sticks, walked backwards at a quick pace, and withdrew altogether towards the hills.
Lizard Island, and the Direction Isles to the south-westward, are of very different character to the other islands which front this coast, being high, rising to peaks, and of granitic formation. Captain Cook, in his description of Lizard Island, mentions it as being a good place to refresh at, on account of its supplying both wood and water; but, at the same time we were there, the latter was not found, although the rain had been lately falling in great quantity; with the former, however, it is well supplied. This island, from its connection with Captain Cook's misfortunes during his perilous navigation within the reefs, will always be an interesting feature in the history of the discovery and examination of this coast, and deserves a more appropriate appellation.