Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2 / Performed between the years 1818 and 1822

by Philip Parker King

On our return, which was over the same ground as we had passed in the morning, we landed near two or three gullies on the inner side of the island, which forms the eastern boundary of Munster Water, but were unsuccessful in all our searches after fresh water.

August 6.

At daylight on the 6th we got underweigh to a light air of wind from the southward, to leave Prince Regent's River; but notwithstanding the vessel was under all sail she was very nearly thrown upon Lammas Island by the tide, which was setting with great strength through the shoal passage between it and Sight Point: as we passed without it we were not more than five yards from the rocks. The wind then fell to a dead calm and the brig was perfectly immovable in the water; but, drifted by the tide and whirled round by the eddies, we were fast approaching the body of the largest Midway Island, with a very great uncertainty on which side of it the tide would drift us: when we were about three hundred yards from the island the direction of the stream changed and carried us round its south-east side, at about two hundred yards from the shore, but close to the low rocks off its east end, on which we landed two days since. We were under great anxiety for fear of being driven over the reef, on which there could not have been sufficient water to have floated us; but our fears of that danger were soon over for the tide swept us rapidly round it. At this moment a light air sprang up which lasted only five minutes, but it was sufficient to carry us past the junction of the Rothsay and Munster Waters with the main stream. The vessel was at times unmanageable from the violent whirlpools through which we passed, and was more than once whirled completely round upon her keel; but our former experience of a similar event prepared us to expect it, and the yards were as quickly braced round.

Having passed all the dangers, the ebb-tide very soon carried us out of the river into Hanover Bay. In passing the easternmost of the outer isles, the shrill voices of natives were heard calling to us, and Bundell returned their shout, but it was some time before we could discern them on account of the very rugged nature of the island: at last three Indians were observed standing upon the rocks near the summit of the island but, as the tide was running out with great strength, we were soon out of hearing.

Soon after one o'clock the brig was anchored at about half a mile off the sandy beach in Hanover Bay, in eight fathoms (half flood) muddy bottom. The boats were immediately hoisted out and sent up the river, but the tide was ebbing and the difficulty of filling the casks so great that, after great labour, we only procured a puncheon of water. The launch was moored without the rocky bed of the river, while the jolly-boat conveyed the baricas to her as they were filled, but even the latter could not get within three hundred yards of the water, so that the people had to carry the baricas over the rugged bed of the river for that distance, which made the work laborious and slow; still however it was much less distressing than the fatigue of watering from the cascade in Prince Regent's River. At night a successful haul of the seine supplied our people with abundance of fish, among which were mullets weighing from three to five pounds; cavallos, whitings, silver fish, breams, and two species of guard-fish.

August 7.

While our people were employed the next morning in washing the decks, they heard at a distance the voices of natives; at eight o'clock they were again heard and at ten o'clock they were close by; shortly afterwards three, of whom one was a woman, were seen standing on the rocks waving their arms. Being curious to communicate with the inhabitants of this part of the coast, since we had not seen any between this and Vansittart Bay, a party consisting of the surgeon, Mr. Bedwell, Mr. Baskerville, and myself, went on shore to the place where the natives were seated waiting for us. Bundell, who generally accompanied us on these occasions divested of his clothes, stood up in the bow of the boat, and, as we approached the shore, made signs of friendship, which the natives returned, and appeared quite unconcerned at our approach. On landing we climbed the rocks on which the two men were standing, when we found that the woman had walked away: upon our approach they retired a few paces and evidently eyed us in a distrustful manner; but, as they had dropped their spears, and repeated the sign of peace that we had made to them, we did not hesitate to walk towards them unarmed, desiring the boat's crew to be prepared with the muskets, if called. When we joined them they had their spears poised ready to throw, but on our presenting them with some of the fish that we had caught the preceding evening they dropped their spears and immediately returned us something in exchange; one gave a belt, made of opossum fur, to Bundell; and the other, the tallest of the two, gave me a club that he carried in his hand, a short stick about eighteen inches long, pointed at both ends. This exchange of presents appeared to establish a mutual confidence between us, and, to strengthen it, I presented my friend with a clasped knife, after showing him its use, the possession of which appeared to give him great pleasure.

By this time Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Bedwell joined us; the latter gentleman was unarmed, but the former had a pistol concealed under his coat and carried a fish which he held out for them to take; but, as they would not approach us nearer than two or three yards, he threw it towards them, when the shortest native picked it up. Upon this accession to our numbers they began to talk to each other, and at the same time picked up their spears; but as the latter appeared only to be a cautionary movement we did not anticipate their mischievous intentions. I then, with a view to amuse them, made signs to my friend for the knife, which he put into my hands without showing the least reluctance, upon which he was again instructed how to open and shut it; but as this, instead of pacifying, only served to increase their anger, the knife was thrown at his feet, which he instantly picked up, and then both retired a few paces in a very suspicious manner.

We were at this time about three or four yards from the natives, who were talking to each other in a most animated way, and evidently intent upon some object; and, as it appeared probable that, if we remained any longer, a rupture would ensue, it was proposed that our party should retire to the boat, under the idea that they would follow us down; no sooner, however, had we waved to them our farewell, and turned our backs to descend the rocks, than they unexpectedly, and in the most treacherous manner, threw their spears; one of which, striking a rock, broke and fell harmless to the ground, but the other, which was thrown by the tallest man, wounded Mr. Montgomery in the back; the natives then, without waiting to throw their second spears, made off, closely pursued by Bundell, who had armed himself with the broken spear; but they were out of sight in a moment, and, by the time that the muskets were brought to our assistance, were doubtless out of gun-shot. A pursuit was, however, commenced, but our progress was so much impeded by the rugged and rocky nature of the ground and by the abundance and intricate growth of the shrubs and trees that we very soon desisted, and returned to the boat, to which Mr. Montgomery had been in the meantime carried, complaining of great weakness from loss of blood.