1821. December 23.
On the 23rd December at daylight the land about Cape Chatham was in sight, and a course was directed to the eastward for King George's Sound; where it was my intention to complete our wood and water previous to commencing the examination of the west coast. At four o'clock in the afternoon we hauled round Bald Head and, entering the Sound, soon afterwards anchored at one mile from the entrance of Princess Royal Harbour.
December 24.
Having at our former visit re-fitted at Oyster Harbour, I wished on this occasion to try Princess Royal Harbour; but as I was both unacquainted with its entrance, as well as its convenience for our purposes, excepting from Captain Flinders' account, I hoisted the boat out early the next morning, to make the necessary examination before the sea-breeze commenced. Whilst the boat was preparing a distant shouting was heard, and upon our looking attentively towards the entrance several Indians were seen sitting on the rocks on the north head hallooing and waving to us, but no further notice than a return of their call was taken until after breakfast, when we pulled towards them in the whale-boat. As we drew near the shore they came down to receive us and appeared from their gestures to invite our landing; but in this they were disappointed, for, after a little vociferation and gesture on both sides, we pulled into the harbour, whilst they walked along the beach abreast the boat. As the motions of every one of them were attentively watched it was evident that they were not armed; each wore a kangaroo-skin cloak over his left shoulder that covered the back and breast but left the right arm exposed. Upon reaching the spot which Captain Flinders occupied in the Investigator I found that the brig could not anchor near enough to the shore to carry on our different operations without being impeded by the natives, even though they should be amicably disposed. Our plan was therefore altered and, as the anchorage formerly occupied by the Mermaid in the entrance of Oyster Harbour would be on all accounts more convenient for our purposes, I determined upon going thither.
By this time the natives had reached that part of the beach where the boat was lying, and were wading through the water towards us; but as we had no wish at present to communicate with them, for fear that, by refusing anything we had in the boat, for which their importunity would perhaps be very great, a quarrel might be occasioned, we pulled off into deeper water where we remained for five minutes parleying with them, during which they plainly expressed their disappointment and mortification at our want of confidence. Upon making signs for fresh water, which they instantly understood, they called out to us "badoo, badoo," and pointed to a part of the bay where Captain Flinders has marked a rivulet. Badoo, in the Port Jackson language, means water; it was thought probable that they must have obtained it from some late visitors; and in this opinion we were confirmed, for the word kangaroo was also familiar to them.*
(*Footnote. The San Antonio, merchant brig, the vessel that joined our company during our passage up the east coast, visited this port in December 1820 and communicated with the natives; it is therefore probable that the above words were obtained from that vessel's crew.)
Upon our return towards the entrance the natives walked upon the beach abreast the boat, and kept with her until we pulled out of the entrance, when they resumed their former station upon the rocks and we returned on board.
Upon reaching the brig, the anchor was weighed, and with a fresh sea-breeze from South-East we soon reached Oyster Harbour, but in crossing the bar the vessel took the ground in eleven and a half feet water, and it was some time before we succeeded in heaving her over, and reaching the anchorage we had occupied at our last visit. Whilst warping in, the natives, who had followed the vessel along the sandy beach that separates the two harbours, were amusing themselves near us in striking fish with a single barbed spear, in which sport they appeared to be tolerably successful. As soon as we passed the bar three other natives made their appearance on the east side, who, upon the boat going to that shore to lay out the kedges, took their seats in it as unceremoniously as a passenger would in a ferry-boat; and upon its returning to the brig, came on board, and remained with us all the afternoon, much amused with everything they saw, and totally free from timidity or distrust. Each of our visitors was covered with a mantle of kangaroo-skin, but these were laid aside upon their being clothed with other garments, with the novelty of which they appeared greatly diverted. The natives on the opposite shore seeing that their companions were admitted, were loudly vociferous in their request to be sent for also; but unfortunately for them it was the lee shore, so that no boat went near them; and as we did not wish to be impeded by having so many on the deck at one time, their request was not acceded to and by degrees they separated and retired in different directions.
As soon as the brig was secured two of our visitors went ashore, evidently charged with some message from the other native, but as he voluntarily remained on board nothing hostile was suspected; we therefore landed and dug a hole three feet deep among the grass about two yards above the highest tide-mark, for water; but it was found to be so highly coloured and muddy as it flowed in, that other holes were dug in the sand nearer the edge of the tide-mark, where it was also produced, and proved to be of a much better taste, as well as clearer, from being filtered through the sand.
On examining the place of our former encampment, it was so much altered from the rapid growth of vegetation that we could scarcely recognise its situation. The stem of the casuarina on which the Mermaid's name and the date of our visit had been carved was almost destroyed by fire; and the inscription in consequence so nearly obliterated that the figures 1818, and two or three letters alone remained visible. There was not the least trace of our garden, for the space which it formerly occupied was covered by three or four feet of additional soil, formed of sand and decayed vegetable matter and clothed with a thicket of fine plants in full flower, that would be much prized in any other place than where they were. The initials of the names of some of our people were still very perfect upon the stem of a large Banksia grandis which, from being covered with its superb flowers, bore a magnificent and striking appearance.