Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake Volume I Part 6

December 21st.

Since we left Port Molle, the winds have been variable from the northward and eastward, with calms, and the weather quite unsettled with occasional rain. While nearly becalmed, several opportunities were afforded for dredging from the s.h.i.+p, and many new and curious marine animals were procured.

KEPPEL'S ISLE.

Today we had the wind from East-South-East, gradually freshening to a moderate gale with the sea getting up, and in the evening it was judged expedient to bear up and run for an anchorage under the largest Keppel's Isle, where we brought up in five and a half fathoms, sand. A line of breaking water a quarter of a mile to leeward, was afterwards found to be caused by a dangerous reef not indicated upon the chart, where, instead, an anchorage was marked, a circ.u.mstance which might have led to serious results, had we run in during the night.

Keppel's Isle is from ten to twelve miles in circ.u.mference--it is distant from the mainland six miles. That portion of it seen from our anchorage presented rather a pleasant appearance; some fine verdant gra.s.sy-looking places were, however, found on closer inspection to be poor stony or sandy ground, thinly covered with tufts of coa.r.s.e gra.s.s. Behind a long sandy beach abreast of the s.h.i.+p, an extensive hollow apparently running back for two or three miles, flanked by low wooded hills, was found to be a mangrove swamp traversed by several branches of a salt.w.a.ter creek, by which the flood-tide gains admittance. Here I found numbers of a singular fish of the genus Chironectes leaping with great activity over the mud among the arched roots of the mangroves, among which small crabs (Ocypoda and Macrophthalmus) were making for their burrows in all directions.

Fresh water appeared scarce--I came upon one small well, and beside it a large sh.e.l.l for the purpose of drinking from. I followed the recent tracks of two natives, but they concealed themselves among the mangroves, with their usual caution, although armed with spears, as I could see by the marks left during their hurried flight, and they knew that I was alone. A small group of women and children were afterwards met with by a shooting party from the s.h.i.+p, but they ran off affrighted, leaving behind their baskets, which were filled with a small blue gregarious crab, common upon the sandy beaches.

After leaving our anchorage under Keppel's Island, we continued working to the southward against a strong South-East wind. On the 24th while standing in for the land, about 11 P.M., the s.h.i.+p was suddenly found to be within a cable's length of the rocks off the North-East end of Facing Island, on which we were fortunate in not having to spend our Christmas.

Next day a water-snake (Hypotrophis jukesii) four feet two inches long was caught when we were several miles off the land; it had accidentally been hooked by the tail by someone fis.h.i.+ng for albacore, several of which fine fish were taken hereabouts. We rounded Breaksea Spit on December 29th, and two days afterwards arrived at Moreton Bay, were we found the Bramble.

During our stay at Yule's Roads, we had much gloomy blowing weather, with drizzly rain, and a heavy gale from North-East to North-North-East.

ARRIVE AT SYDNEY.

After replenis.h.i.+ng our nearly exhausted stock of water, we sailed for Sydney, which we reached on January 14th, 1848. During this pa.s.sage we were much aided by the strong current, and had usually the wind between South-East and East-South-East, with occasional calms.

RECENT OCCURRENCES IN SYDNEY.

February 2nd, 1848.

During our absence from Sydney, and since our arrival, some events of great importance to the colony had occurred. Public attention had been strongly directed towards the question of Steam Communication with India and England, the facilitating of which was one of the princ.i.p.al objects of the Voyage of the Rattlesnake.* Meetings to discuss the practicability of forming railroads** had also been held. Dr. Leichhardt, the well-known, indefatigable traveller, had started with a party to attempt to traverse the Continent of Australia, and reach Swan River--and Mr.

Kennedy had returned from tracing the Victoria River of Sir Thomas Mitch.e.l.l, which he found to become lost in the stony desert of Sturt, instead of disemboguing into the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria, as some had conjectured.

(*Footnote. This project, I regret to add, has not yet been carried into effect, nor does there appear to be any reasonable prospect of its speedy accomplishment.)

(**Footnote. I have lately heard that the first Australian railroad has actually been commenced at Sydney.)

FOUNDATION OF THE COLONY.

During our stay the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the colony was celebrated, and a large proportion of the 50,000 inhabitants of Sydney and the neighbourhood joined in the festivities and amus.e.m.e.nts commemorating so glorious a day in the annals of their adopted country.

When witnessing the gaieties of the regatta, I could not help reflecting on the simple narrative of the first founder of what may hereafter become a great empire, a mighty monument of the genius of the Anglo-Saxon race.

"The spot chosen for our encampment," says Colonel Collins, "was at the head of the cove near the run of fresh water which stole silently along through a very thick wood, the stillness of which had then, for the first time since the creation, been interrupted by the rude sound of the labourer's axe, and the downfall of its ancient inhabitants; a stillness and tranquillity which from that day were to give place to the voice of labour, the confusion of camps, and the busy hum of its new possessors."*

(Footnote. Collins' New South Wales 2nd edition page 10.)

Finding that there was yet some time to spare before the arrival of the usual period for leaving Sydney to pa.s.s through Torres Strait, Captain Stanley resolved upon acting in accordance with the expressed wishes of the Colonial Government, that he should make an inspection of the various lighthouses in Ba.s.s Strait, and for that purpose sailed from Sydney on February 2nd, with the Rattlesnake and Bramble. The Asp and one of the galleys accompanied us as far as Botany Bay, which they were to be employed in surveying during our absence, under the orders of Lieutenant Simpson.

Ba.s.s STRAIT.

On February 8th, we pa.s.sed between Kent's and Hogan's groups (in Ba.s.s Strait); the lighthouse on the former of these, perched upon a hill 829 feet high, is admirably situated, and although the night was rather hazy, the light (revolving) shone out with great brilliance, and was afterwards seen from the Bramble's deck, when thirty-seven miles distant. We caught, in the narrows of the Strait, numbers of baracoudas, a very bold and ravenous fish, and withal a good-eating one, measuring from two to three feet in length; they bite eagerly at a hook towing astern, baited with a piece of red or white rag, and are taken in greatest numbers when several miles distant from the land, and the vessel is going from four to eight knots through the water.

Two days afterwards, the weather being extremely favourable for the purpose, I got several hauls with the dredge in forty-five fathoms, sandy bottom, and, in addition to many curious crustacea and sh.e.l.lfish, a number of very fine zoophytes, almost all of them new to science, were in such abundance as quickly to fill the net.

February 11th.

While standing off and on the land during a fog, a partial clearing up showed the entrance to Port Phillip, with its lighthouse,* and after pa.s.sing through between the heads, with the usual strong tide ripple, we reached the anchorage at Hobson's Bay after dark.

(*Footnote. Of this Captain Stanley remarks: "In consequence of being placed so far within the heads, the light is visible to seaward only between the bearings of South 1/2 West and South-west 1/2 West. A better position would be on Lonsdale Point, when the light would be seen by vessels coming from the eastward as soon as they rounded Cape Schank. It would also serve as a leading mark for navigating the southern channel, but the tower would require to be of considerable height to show the light over Shortland's Bluff to vessels inside the harbour.")

I found no alteration in William's Town, since a former visit made two years ago. The place appeared to be completely at a standstill, as a small straggling village of 200 inhabitants, chiefly dependent upon the s.h.i.+pping for support.

ARRIVE AT PORT PHILLIP. MELBOURNE.

Far different was it with Melbourne, the capital of the district. On our way in a steamer up the Yarra-Yarra, several large and recently constructed boiling-down establishments in full work indicated the extensive operation of the tallow-manufacturing process. The town (or city as it may, I believe, be termed) appeared to have wonderfully increased of late, and a quiet business-like air prevailed. Everywhere we met bullock-teams and drays recently arrived with wool, or on their return to the sheep stations with supplies, but there were few loungers like ourselves in the streets, nearly everyone seeming to have his time fully occupied.

It appeared to be the general and loudly expressed opinion, so far as we could judge, that the separation of the Port Phillip district from New South Wales, and its formation into an independent colony, would materially advance the interests and conduce to the prosperity of the former; and that the large surplus revenue which is annually transmitted to Sydney ought to be spent among the people who have raised it.*

(*Footnote. These and other claims of the colonists have, I need scarcely add, been fully admitted by the recent separation from New South Wales of the Port Phillip district, now the colony of Victoria.)

GEELONG.

One day some of us made up a party to visit Geelong, the town in this district of next importance to Melbourne, from which it is distant, by water, fifty-five miles. The western sh.o.r.es of Port Phillip, along which we pa.s.sed, are low, thinly wooded, and bear a very monotonous aspect.

Vast numbers of a large sea-jelly (Rhizostoma mosaica) gave the water quite a milky appearance. I was surprised to find the town, only a few years old, to be one already containing about 3000 inhabitants. It is built on a range of low gravelly banks facing the harbour, from which it extends backwards in a straggling manner towards the river Barwon, which, at the distance of a mile and a half, was then 100 yards wide, deep, and without current. The town of Geelong derives its consequence from being a convenient outlet for the wool and other produce of the southern districts of Port Phillip--perhaps the best sheep country in Australia.

Four or five vessels were then loading for England. Unfortunately, Corio Harbour, on the sh.o.r.es of which the town is built, is blocked up by a bar, and vessels of moderate size are obliged to remain in Geelong Bay, about five miles off, while discharging or receiving cargo.

PORT DALRYMPLE.

Five days after clearing the Heads of Port Phillip, we had crossed Ba.s.s Strait,* and anch.o.r.ed in Port Dalrymple, on the northern coast of Van Diemen's Land, and remained there sufficiently long to obtain rates for the chronometers, and connect it by meridian distance with William's Town, and Sydney.** The two lighthouses of Banks' Strait only now remained unvisited, that on the Kent Group, and another on Cape Otway, having been left to Lieutenant Yule.

(*Footnote. For every information required by navigators pa.s.sing through Ba.s.s Strait, I would refer to Discoveries in Australia, with an account of the Coasts and Rivers explored and surveyed during the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the years 1837 to 1843 by J. Lort Stokes, Commander, R.N., and to the Admiralty chart by Captain Stokes. On this subject I find a ma.n.u.script note by Captain Stanley: "Stokes has mentioned in his chart that there is little or no tide in Ba.s.s Strait. Such may be the case, but I have invariably found a very strong current, depending both as to force and direction upon the prevailing winds. On one occasion, during a westerly gale, it set to the eastward with a velocity of at least three knots per hour. I mention this circ.u.mstance, as from Captain Stokes' remarks, strangers might be led to suppose there were no currents in the Strait, and neglect to take the usual precautions.")

(**Footnote. It is unnecessary to give separately the various meridian distances obtained by the Rattlesnake and Bramble, as these will be found, with the various circ.u.mstances affecting their value, in the Appendix.)

GOOSE ISLAND.

March 3rd.

With the help of a strong westerly wind we reached Goose Island at 5 P.M., and a party from the s.h.i.+p landed immediately after anchoring. The island is one and a half miles in length, by one in greatest breadth. The rock is a coa.r.s.e sienite, forming detached bare ma.s.ses and ridges, but none of considerable height. In the hollows the soil appears rich, dark, and pulverulent, with much admixture of unformed bird-guano. The scanty vegetation is apparently limited to a gra.s.s growing in tussocks, and a few maritime plants. The ground resembles a rabbit warren, being everywhere undermined by the burrows of the mutton-bird, a dark shearwater (Puffinus brevicaudus) the size of a pigeon. A person in walking across the island can scarcely avoid frequently stumbling among these burrows, from the earth giving way under his feet, and I was told by one of the residents that snakes are very numerous in these holes, living upon the mutton-birds; I myself trod upon one which, fortunately, was too sluggish to escape before I had time to shoot it, and ascertain it to be the well-known black snake of the Australian colonists (Acanthophis tortor) a very poisonous species. Among the seafowl, a large gull (Larus pacificus) was exceedingly plentiful, together with a smaller one (Xema jamesonii) and a few penguins (Spheniscus minor.) A fine flock of wild geese (Cereopsis novae hollandiae) was seen, but they were too wary to allow of close approach. About dusk clouds of mutton-birds came in from the sea, and we amused ourselves with chasing them over the ground among their burrows, and as many specimens as I required were speedily provided by knocking them down with a stick. As usual with the Petrel family they bite severely if incautiously handled, and disgorge a quant.i.ty of offensive oily matter, the smell of which pervades the whole island, a which the clothes I then wore retained for a long time afterwards.

The party in charge of the lighthouse have numbers of goats, pigs, and sheep, and also raise a few potatoes and other vegetables; still their life is a hard one--more so comparatively, than that of the keepers of the Eddystone or Bell Rock lights at home, as they communicate with Van Diemen's Land only twice a year, and are often in want of fuel, which they have to send for to a neighbouring island.

SWAN ISLAND.

March 4th.

Aided by the remains of a strong westerly wind, with which we at one time logged ten and a half knots--a great feat for the old Rattlesnake, jury-rigged as she was for surveying service, we pa.s.sed through part of Banks' Strait, and anch.o.r.ed off Swan Island at 9 A.M. The rock is a fine-grained basalt, exposed only on the sh.o.r.e, the remainder of the island being a series of sandhills covered with low shrubs and luxuriant gra.s.s growing in tufts. Having left Captain Stanley's party on their way to the lighthouse, I found on the western side of the island a long sandy beach strewed with marine rejectamenta, among which were many new species of zoophytes; the number and variety of sponges was very great, but nearly all had suffered so much from exposure to the sun and weather, as to be useless as specimens. Returning to the s.h.i.+p before noon, we immediately got underweigh for Sydney.

RETURN TO SYDNEY.

March 9th.

Yesterday morning we picked up a strong South-South-East wind, which brought us off Botany Bay by 8 A.M., but the weather being thick with rain, and the land doubtful, being seen only in occasional glimpses, it was judged prudent to haul off, standing in again during a clearing. At length the lighthouse was distinguished, when we bore up, and in little more than an hour reached our former anchorage in Farm Cove.

CHAPTER 1.3.