The Mammoth Book of Travel in Dangerous Places

by John Keay

  Tuesday 1st May Gentle breezes northerly. In the p.m. ten of the natives again visited the watering place. I being on board at this time went emmidiatly ashore but before I got there they were going away, I follow’d them alone and unarm’d some distance along the shore but they would not stop until they got farther off than I choose to trust myself; these were arm’d in the same manner as those that came yesterday. In the evening I sent some hands to haul the saine but they caught but a very few fish. A little after sun rise I found the variation to be 11°3' east. Last night Torby Sutherland seaman departed this life and in the a.m. his body was buried ashore at the watering place which occasioned my calling the south point of this bay after his name. This morning a party of us went ashore to some hutts not far from the watering place where some of the natives are daly seen, here we left several articles such as cloth, looking glasses, combs, beeds nails etc. After this we made an excursion into the country which we found deversified with woods, lawns and marshes; the woods are free from under wood of every kind and the trees are at such a distance from one a nother that the whole country or at least great part of it might be cultivated without being oblig’d to cut down a single tree; we found the soil every where except in the marshes to be a light white sand and produceth a quantity of good grass which grows in little tufts about as big as one can hold in ones hand and pretty close to one another, in this manner the surface of the ground is coated in the woods between the trees. Dr. Solander had a bad sight of a small animal some thing like a rabbit and we found the dung of an animal which must feed upon grass and which we judged could not be less than a deer, we also saw the track of a dog or some such like animal. We met with some hurts and places where the natives had been and at our first seting out one of them was seen the others I suppose had fled upon our approach. I saw some trees that had been cut down by the natives with some sort of a blunt instrument and several trees that were barked the bark of which had been cut by the same instrument, in many of the trees, especialy the palms, were cut steps about 3 or 4 feet asunder for the conveniency of climeing them. We found 2 sorts of gum one sort of which is like Gum Dragon and is the same as I suppose Tasman took for gum lac, it is extracted from the largest tree in the woods.

  Wednesday 2nd Between 3 and 4 o’clock in the p.m. we returnd out of the country and after dinner went a shore to the watering place where we had not been long before 17 or 18 of the natives appear’d in sight. In the morning I had sent Mr. Gore with a boat up to the head of the bay to dridge for oysters; in his return to the ship he and another person came by land and met with these people who follow’d him at the distance of 19 or 20 yards; when ever Mr. Gore made a stand and face’d them they stood also and not withstanding they were all arm’d they never offerd to attack him, but after he had parted from them and they were met by Dr. Munkhouse and one or two more who upon makeing a sham retreat they throw’d 3 darts after them, after which they began to retire. Dr. Solander, I, and Tupia made all the haste we could after them but could by neither words nor actions prevail upon them to come near us. Mr. Gore saw some up the bay who by signs invited him ashore which he prudantly declined. In the a.m. had the wind at se with rain which prevented me from makeing an excursion up to the head of the bay as I intended.

  Thursday 3rd Winds at the SE a gentle breeze and fair weather. In the p.m. I made a little excursion along the sea coast to the southward accompaned by Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander. At our first entering the woods we saw 3 of the natives who made off as soon as they saw us; more of them were seen by others of our people who likewise made off as soon as they found they were discover’d. In the a.m., I went in the pinnace to the head of the bay accompan’d by Dr. Solander and Munkhouse in order to examine the country and to try to form some connections with the natives: in our way theither we met with 10 or 12 of them fishing each in a small canoe who retired in to shoald water upon our approach, others again we saw at the first place we landed at who took to their canoes and fled before we came near them: after this we took water and went almost to the head of the inlet where we landed and travel’d some distance inland. We found the face of the country much the same as I have before described but the land much richer, for in stead of sand I found in many places a deep black soil which we thought was capable of produceing any kind of grain, at present it produceth besides timber as fine meadow as ever was seen. However we found it not all like this, some few places were very rocky but this I beleive to be uncommon; the stone is sandy and very proper for building etc. After we had sufficiently examined this part we return’d to the boat and seeing some smoke and canoes at a nother part we went theirther in hopes of meeting with the people but they made off as we approached. There were six canoes and six small fires near the shore and muscles roasting upon them and a few oysters laying near, from this we conjectured that there had been just six people who had been out each in his canoe picking up the shell fish and come a shore to eat them where each had made his fire to dress them by; we taisted of their cheer and left them in return strings of beeds etc. Near to this place at the foot of a tree was a small well or spring of water. The day being now far spent we set out on our return to the ship.

  Friday 4th Winds northerly serene weather. Upon my return to the ship in the evening I found that none of the natives had appear’d near the watering place but about 20 of them had been fishing in their canoes at no great distance from us. In the a.m., as the wind would not permit us to sail I sent out some parties into the country to try to form some connections with the natives. One of the midshipmen met with a very old man and woman and two small children; they were close to the water side where several more were in their canoes gathering shell fish and he being alone was afraid to make any stay with the two old people least he should be discoverd by those in the canoes. He gave them a bird he had short which they would not touch neither did they speak one word but seem’d to be much frighten’d, they were quite naked even the woman had nothing to cover her nuditie. Dr. Munkhouse and a nother man being in the woods not far from the watering place discovered six more of the natives who at first seemd to wait his coming but as he was going up to them had a dart thrown at him out of a tree which narrowly escaped him, as soon as the fellow had thrown the dart he descended the tree and made off and with him all the rest and these were all that were met with the course of this day.

  Saturday 5th In the p.m. I went with a party of men over to the north shore and while some hands were hauling the saine a party of us made an excursion of 3 or 4 miles into the country or rather along the sea coast. We met with nothing remarkable, great part of the country for some distance in land from the sea coast is mostly a barren heath diversified with marshes and morasses. Upon our return to the boat we found they had caught a great number of small fish which the sailors call leather jackets on account of their having a very thick skin, they are known in the West Indias. I had sent the yawl in the morning to fish for sting rays who return’d in the evening with upwards of 4 hundred weight; one single one wieghd 240 lb exclusive of the entrails. In the a.m. as the wind still continued northerly I sent the yawl again afishing and I went with a party of men into the country but met with nothing extraordinary.

  Sunday 6th In the evening the yawl return’d from fishing having caught two sting rays weighing near 600 pounds. The great quantity of new plants etc. Mr. Banks & Dr. Solander collected in this place occasioned my giveing it the name of Botany Bay. It is situated in the latitude of 34°0's, longitude 208° 37' west; it is capacious safe and commodious, it may be known by the land on the sea-coast which is of a pretty even and moderate height, rather higher than it is farther inland with steep rocky clifts next the sea and looks like a long island lying close under the shore: the entrance of the harbour lies about the middle of this land, in coming from the southward it is discovered before you are abreast of it which you cannot do in coming from the northward; the entrance is little more than a mile broad and lies in WNW. To sail into it keep the south shore on board until within
a small bare island which lies close under the north shore, being within that island the deepest water is on that side 7, 6 and five fathom a good way up. There is shoal’d water a good way off from the south shore from the inner south point qu[i]te to the head of the harbour, but over towards the north and nw shore is a channell of 12 or 14 feet water at low water 3 or 4 leagues up to a place where there is 3 & 4 fathom but here I found very little fresh water. We anchord near the south shore about a mile within the entrance for the conveniency of sailing with a southerly wind and the getting of fresh water but I afterwards found a very fine stream of fresh water on the north shore in the first sandy cove within the Island before which a ship might lay almost land lock’d and wood for fuel may be got every where: altho wood is here in great plenty yet there is very little variety, the largest trees are as large or larger than our oaks in England and grows a good deal like them and yeilds a reddish gum, the wood itself is heavy hard and black like Lignum Vitae; another sort that grows tall and strait some thing like pines, the wood of this is hard and ponderous and something of the nature of American live oaks, these two are all the timber trees I met with. There are a few sorts of shrubs and several palm trees, and mangroves about the head of the harbour. The country is woody low and flat as far inland as we could see and I believe that the soil is in general sandy, in the wood are a variety of very boutifull birds such as cocatoo’s, lorryquets, parrots etc. and crows exactly like those we have in England. Water fowl are no less plenty about the head of the harbour where there are large flats of sand and mud on which they seek their food, the most of these were unknown to us, one sort especialy which was black and white and as large as a goose but most like a pelican. On the sand and mud banks are oysters, muscles, cockles etc. which I believe are the chief support of the inhabitants, who go into shoald water with their litde canoes and pick them out of the sand and mud with their hands and sometimes roast and eat them in the canoe, having often a fire for that purpose as I suppose, for I know no other it can be for. The natives do not appear to be numberous neither do they seem to live in large bodies but dispers’d in small parties along by the water side; those I saw were about as tall as Europeans, of a very dark brown colour but not black nor had they wooly frizled hair, but black and lank much like ours. No sort of cloathing or ornaments were ever seen by any of us upon any one of them or in or about any of their hutts, from which I conclude that they never wear any. Some we saw that had their faces and bodies painted with a sort of white paint or pigment. Altho I have said that shell fish is their chief support yet they catch other sorts of fish some of which we found roasting on the fire the first time we landed, some of these they strike with gigs and others they catch with hook and line; we have seen them strike fish with gigs and hooks and lines were found in their hutts. Sting rays I believe they do not eat because I never saw the least remains of one near any of their hutts or fire places. However we could know but very little of their customs as we never were able to form any connections with them, they had not so much as touch’d the things we had left in their hutts on purpose for them to take away. During our stay in this harbour I caused the English Colours to be display’d ashore every day and an inscription to be cut out upon one of the trees near the watering place seting forth the ships name, date etc. Having seen every thing this place afforded we at day light in the morning weigh’d with a light breeze at NW and put to sea and the wind soon after coming to the southward we steer’d along shore NNE and at noon we were by observation in the latitude of 33°50's about 2 or 3 miles from the land and abreast of a bay or harbour wherein there appered to be safe anchorage which I call’d Port Jackson. It lies 3 Leagues to the northward of Botany Bay. I had almost forgot to mention that it is high water in this bay at the full and change of the moon about 8 o’clock and rises and falls upon a perpendicular about 4 or 5 feet.

  Cook’s ship, the Endeavour in the South Seas. Courtesy of the Mansell Collection.

  ESCAPE FROM THE OUTBACK

  Charles Sturt

  (1795–1869)

  After pioneering journeys to the Darling and Murray rivers, Sturt in 1844–5 headed north for the heart of Australia. Since the continent appeared to have few seaward draining rivers it was assumed that, like Africa, it must boast an inland lake region; a boat was therefore included amongst the expedition’s equipment. But Sturt failed to reach the geographical centre of the continent, and the largest stretch of water found was Coopers Creek, later to figure so prominently in the endeavours of Burke and Wills. Sturt’s painful retreat during the hottest summer on record formed a fitting prelude to the Wills Saga.

  Before we finally left the neighbourhood where our hopes had so often been raised and depressed, I gave the name of Cooper’s Creek to the fine watercourse we had so anxiously traced, as a proof of my great respect for Mr. Cooper, the Judge of South Australia. I am not conversant in the language of praise, but thus much will I venture to say, that whether in his public or private capacity, Mr. Cooper was equally entitled to this record of my feelings towards him. I would gladly have laid this creek down as a river, but as it had no current I did not feel myself justified in so doing. Had it been nearer the located districts of South Australia, its discovery would have been a matter of some importance. As it is we know not what changes or speculations may lead the white man to its banks. Purposes of utility were amongst the first objects I had in view in my pursuit of geographical discovery; nor do I think that any country, however barren, can be explored without the attainment of some good end. Circumstances may yet arise to give a value to my recent labours, and my name may be remembered by after generations in Australia, as the first who tried to penetrate to its centre. If I failed in that great object, I have one consolation in the retrospect of my past services. My path amongst savage tribes has been a bloodless one, not but that I have often been placed in situations of risk and danger, when I might have been justified in shedding blood, but I trust I have ever made allowances for human timidity, and respected the customs and prejudices of the rudest people. I hope, indeed, that in this my last expedition, I have not done discredit to the good opinion Sir C. Napier, an officer I knew not, was pleased to entertain of me. Most assuredly in my intercourse with the savage, I have endeavoured to elevate the character of the white man. Justice and humanity have been my guides, but while I have the consolation to know that no European will follow my track into the Desert without experiencing kindness from its tenants, I have to regret that the progress of civilized man into an uncivilized region, is almost invariably attended with misfortune to its original inhabitants.

  Charles Sturt, from a painting by Crossland. From Mrs Napier Charles Sturt, Life of Charles Sturt. London, 1889.

  I struck Cooper’s Creek in lat. 27° 44', and in long. 140° 22', and traced it upwards to lat. 27° 56', and long. 142° 00'. There can be no doubt but that it would support a number of cattle upon its banks, but its agricultural capabilities appear to me doubtful, for the region in which it lies is subject evidently to variations of temperature and seasons that must, I should say, be inimical to cereal productions; nevertheless I should suppose its soil would yield sufficient to support any population that might settle on it.

  By half past eleven of the 9th November we had again got quietly settled, and I then found leisure to make such arrangements as might suggest themselves for our further retreat. To insure the safety of the animals as much as possible, I determined to leave all my spare provisions and weightier stores behind, and during the afternoon we were engaged making the loads as compact and as light as we could.

  It was not, however, the fear of the water in Strzelecki’s Creek having dried up, that was at this moment the only cause of anxiety to me, for I thought it more than probable that Mr. Browne had been obliged to retreat from Fort Grey, in which case I should still have a journey before me to the old depôt of 170 miles or more, under privations, to the horses at least, of no ordinary character; and I had great doubts as to the practicability of our
final retreat upon the Darling. The drought had now continued so long, and the heat been so severe, that I apprehended we might be obliged to remain another summer in these fearful solitudes. The weather was terrifically hot, and appeared to have set in unusually early.

  Under such circumstances, and with so many causes to render my mind anxious, the reader will believe I did not sleep much. The men were as restless as myself, so that we commenced our journey before the sun had risen on the morning of the 10th of November, to give the horses time to take their journey leisurely. Slowly we retraced our steps, nor did I stop for a moment until we had got to within five miles of our destination, at which distance we saw a single native running after us, and taking it into my head that he might be a messenger from Mr. Browne, I pulled up to wait for him, but curiosity alone had induced him to come forward. When he got to within a hundred yards, he stopped and approached no nearer. This little delay made it after sunset before we reached the upper pool (not the one Mr. Browne and I had discovered), and were relieved from present anxiety by finding a thick puddle still remaining in it, so that I halted for the night. Slommy, Bawley, and the colt had hard work to keep up with the other horses, and it really grieved me to see them so reduced. My own horse was even now beginning to give way, but I had carried a great load upon him.