Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake Volume Ii Part 14

We travelled over stony hills, the tops of which were occasionally composed of white flint (?), with rusty veins running through it. On the sides of the hills were broken rocks containing mica, hornblende, and crystals of quartz. The gra.s.s on these hills had all been newly burned.

October 29.

Sunday; prayers at eleven o'clock. We this day shot three small wallabies, which were a great treat to us.

October 30.

This day Luff was taken very lame, being seized with severe pain and stiffness in the right leg; he was quite unable to walk, so we burned the other two round tents to enable him to ride.

November 1 and 2.

We again had to kill a horse which was too weak, and disposed of it as we had our former ones.

November 3.

We were cutting through scrub all day, intersected by deep gullies and rocky hills; we crossed a small river, with very uneven rocky bottom, about three feet deep; where we crossed it, it was running southerly, and as there had been a heavy storm a few days previously, the current was rapid; five of our horses fell in crossing it--the one carrying my specimens in a very bad place; we were obliged to cut the girths, and before I could secure his load two bags of seeds were washed away; we tied our horses to trees, and encamped in a thick bamboo scrub by the side of the river.

November 4.

This morning Jackey went to examine a scrub through which we wanted to pa.s.s, and while out, shot a fine ca.s.sowary; it was very dark and heavy, not so long on the leg as the common emu, and had a larger body, shorter neck, with a large red, stiff, h.o.r.n.y comb on its head; Mr. Wall skinned it, but from the many difficulties with which he had to contend, the skin was spoiled before it could be properly preserved.

November 5.

We travelled a short distance to the top of a hill, from which Jackey had seen gra.s.s from a tree. We were obliged to kill another horse to-day, and cured the flesh as usual.

November 6.

We were compelled to shoot two other horses to day, and as we had no other means of taking the meat with us, we skinned one of them, and made the skin into bags, in which we each carried a few pounds of meat on our backs.

November 7 and 8.

We were travelling these two days over very rough rocky ground, intersected with gullies and belts of scrub.

November 9.

We were obliged this morning to start without our breakfast, having no bread baked, and being unable to find water. We followed the course of a creek at the foot of a low range of hills running northward, the range being to the westward. In the evening we found water in the creek.

November 10.

We proceeded along the valley of the creek, which was very uneven, and full of small hillocks. Near the spot where we camped a great number of Panda.n.u.s trees were growing. On each side of the creek there were a few scattered trees and a thick scrub to the westward. The soil was stiff, with plenty of gra.s.s in the valley.

Mr. Kennedy, here, finding from the weak state of some of the men, that it would be impossible for us to reach Cape York before our provisions were exhausted, resolved to form an advance party, consisting of himself, Jackey, Costigan, Luff, and Dunn.

We had but nine horses left, of which number it was proposed that they should take seven, and proceed to Cape York as quickly as possible, to obtain provisions for the rest of the party from the vessel waiting with supplies for our homeward journey.

November 11.

We proceeded along the valley a short distance, with the view of forming our depot as near to Weymouth Bay as possible. We crossed the creek where it turned eastward, on a kind of bank, which intercepted its course, up to which, from the east, the tide came sometimes, so that on that side the creek the water was brackish, but very good water was obtainable on the other side the bank.

After we had camped, we killed our last sheep, and Mr. Kennedy proceeded to the top of a high hill to view the country over which he would have to pa.s.s. Shortly after his return to the camp several natives made their appearance, to whom we made a present of a tin plate and a few fish-hooks, which made them quite friendly. While they were looking at us, a great many brown hawks came hovering over the camp. Wall and Jackey shot fourteen or fifteen of them, in the presence of the natives, who retired to the edge of the scrub, and seemed very much surprised to see the hawks fall as soon as they heard the report of the guns. They went into the scrub at dark, but a good watch was kept all night; though the natives did not again make their appearance. One of our dogs killed a young dog belonging to the natives during the night, which I afterwards ascertained was eaten by Dunn, Luff, Costigan, and G.o.ddard.

November 12.

Sunday: prayers at eleven; Jackey and I went to the beach to see if we could find any salt, as our stock was getting very low, but we could not succeed in finding any.

November 13.

This morning everything was prepared for the departure of Mr. Kennedy and his party, and the last of our mutton was served out equally to each of the party.

Mr. Kennedy gave me written instructions how to act during our stay at Weymouth Bay, it being his intention to send for us by water, if possible, as he expected to meet H.M.S. Bramble at Port Albany. He calculated that he should be from ten to fifteen days before he reached that place, and directed me to keep a sharp lookout from the hill for a vessel; and should I see one, to hoist a flag on the hill. If the natives were friendly I was to put a ball beneath the flag, and above it should they be hostile. In the evening I was to fire three rockets, at intervals of about twenty minutes.

The party left at the depot under my charge were eight in number. The provisions consisted of two horses and twenty-eight pounds of flour, the former being very poor and weak.

Not knowing whether he could send for us by water or not, Mr. Kennedy directed me to make my provisions last at least six weeks, saying that it was possible I might get relief fourteen days after his departure, and to keep a very sharp lookout after that time.

I packed up all the dried meat we had left (75 pounds) and 18 pounds of flour for Mr. Kennedy to take with him, and about one pound of tea was divided between the two parties. These, with their firearms, and a few necessaries of a light description, were all the party took with them.

Mr. Kennedy requested me to register the height of the thermometer during my stay at the Bay. The whole of the party left at the camp were very weak, Luff being the weakest man that proceeded with the party to Cape York.

Before leaving Mr. Kennedy told me that he expected to meet with some difficulties for the first few days, from the nature of the country he had seen from the hill. I did not mention this to the rest of the party, for fear it might still further tend to depress their spirits, as three or four of them even now seemed to despair of ever reaching our destination. I did all in my power to keep them in good heart, but they were saddened and depressed from long suffering.

We removed our camp back across the creek to the side of the high bare hill on which I was to hoist a flag, and from which I could look out for a vessel. It also afforded us a security from the natives, as we could see them at a greater distance. The lat.i.tude of this camp was 12 degrees 35 minutes South.

And thus we settled down in the spot which was to be the burial place of so many of our party--which was fated to be the scene of so much intense suffering, and of such heart-sickening hope deferred. Wearied out by long endurance of trials that would have tried the courage and shaken the fort.i.tude of the strongest, a sort of sluggish indifference prevailed, that prevented the development of those active energies which were so necessary to support us in our critical position. The duties of our camp were performed as if by habit, and knowing how utterly useless complaint must be, the men seldom repined aloud.

November 14.

We killed the smallest horse early this morning, and had all the meat cut up and on the stage to dry by nine o'clock. I made the blood, heart, liver, kidneys, and tripe last us three days, as they would not keep longer, and we mixed our allowance of flour with them. We had no salt to season them with, as all our salt was required to put in the blood to prevent it turning sour. The heat during this day was very great, the thermometer at noon in the shade standing at 110 degrees. Douglas was very weak. The natives came this afternoon, but did not stay long.

November 16.

The natives this day brought us a few small pieces of fish, but they were old and hardly eatable. I would not allow them to come near the camp, but made signs to them to sit down at a distance, and when they had done so I went to them and distributed a few fish-hooks. Douglas died this morning, and we buried him at dusk when the natives were gone, and I read the funeral service over him. He was the first of our party we had lost, and his death, the sad precursor of so many more, cast an additional gloom over us.

November 18.

The natives came and brought some of their gins (women) with them. They would only allow one of us at a time to go near them. The women wore very neatly fringed girdles hanging loose about their loins, and shaded themselves with large fan-palm leaves. The girdles were made of the leaves of the Cordyline. Both men and women were very stout, strong, well-made people--some of the men standing six feet high. They brought us some fish, which they called mingii, but it was such as they would not even eat themselves; also a kind of paste, made of different kinds of leaves and roots, mixed with the inside of the roasted mangrove seeds, all pounded up together, then heated over a fire in a large sh.e.l.l. This paste they call dakiaa.* Although we did not much like the taste of the paste, and it was very full of sand, we ate some of it as a vegetable.

(*Footnote. This is identical with the biyu of Cape York. See Volume 2.)

November 19.

This morning about fifty or sixty natives, all strongly armed with spears, made their appearance, and by their gestures and manner it was quite evident they intended to attack us if opportunity offered. As we always kept our firearms in readiness, we stood out in a line, with our guns in our hands. I made signs to them to keep back, but they pretended not to understand us, holding up pieces of fish, crying out mingii, mingii (fish, fish) to induce us to come for them, but their designs upon us were too transparent for that. They kept us standing a good while, for I was anxious to refrain from firing on them if possible, and at length they left us without any actually hostile demonstration. Being Sunday, I read prayers to-day.

November 20.

Taylor died this morning, and we buried him in the evening, by the side of Douglas, and I read the funeral service over him.

November 21.

About sixty natives came to the camp this morning, well armed with spears, and pieces of fish, which they held up to us, to entice us to come to them. We took no notice, however, of their invitations, but preparing our firearms, we turned out. They were now closing round us in all directions, many of them with their spears in their throwing-sticks, ready for use--pointing them to their own necks and sides, and showing us by their postures how we should writhe with pain when they struck us.