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 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. BY COMMAND OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF THE ADMIRALTY. ALSO A NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN OWEN STANLEY'S VISITS TO THE ISLANDS IN THE ARAFURA SEA. BY J. LORT STOKES, COMMANDER, R.N. VOLUME 1. LONDON: T. AND W. BOONE, 29, NEW BOND STREET. 1846. NATIVES OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. I.R. Fitzmaurice del. TO CAPTAIN ROBERT FITZROY, R.N. THE FOLLOWING WORK IS DEDICATED AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS DISTINGUISHED MERIT, AND AS A TOKEN OF HEARTFELT GRATITUDE AND RESPECT, BY HIS OLD SHIPMATE AND FAITHFUL FRIEND, THE AUTHOR. INTRODUCTION. I cannot allow these volumes to go before the public, without expressing my thanks to the following gentlemen for assistance, afforded to me in the course of the composition of this work: To Captain Beaufort, R.N., F.R.S., Hydrographer to the Admiralty, for his kindness in furnishing me with some of the accompanying charts; to Sir John Richardson, F.R.S; J.E. Gray, Esquire, F.R.S.; E. Doubleday, Esquire, F.L.S., and A. White, Esquire, M.E.S., for their valuable contributions on Natural History, to be found in the Appendix; to J. Gould, Esquire, F.R.S., for a list of birds collected during the voyage of the Beagle; to Lieutenants Gore and Fitzmaurice, for many of the sketches which illustrate the work; and to B. Bynoe, Esquire, F.R.C.S., for several interesting papers which will be found dispersed in the following pages. Captain Owen Stanley, R.N., F.R.S., also merits my warmest thanks, for the important addition to the work of his visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea. I have to explain, that when the name Australasia is used in the following pages, it is intended to include Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) and all the islands in the vicinity of the Australian continent. All bearings and courses, unless it is specified to the contrary, are magnetic, according to the variation during the period of the Beagle's voyage. The longitudes are generally given from meridians in Australia, as I much question whether any portion of the continent is accurately determined with reference to Greenwich. Sydney, Port Essington, and Swan River, have been the meridians selected; and the respective positions of those places, within a minute of the truth, I consider to be as follows: Swan River (Scott's Jetty, Fremantle) 115 degrees 47 minutes East. Port Essington (Government house) 132 degrees 13 minutes East. Sydney (Fort Macquarie) 151 degrees 16 minutes East. CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1. CHAPTER 1.1. INTRODUCTION. Objects of the Voyage. The Beagle commissioned. Her former career. Her first Commander. Instructions from the Admiralty and the Hydrographer. Officers and Crew. Arrival at Plymouth. Embark Lieutenants Grey and Lushington's Exploring Party. Chronometric Departure. Farewell glance at Plymouth. Death of King William the Fourth. CHAPTER 1.2. PLYMOUTH TO BAHIA. Sail from Plymouth. The Eight Stones. Peak of Tenerife. Approach to Santa Cruz. La Cueva de Los Guanches. Trade with Mogadore. Intercourse between Mogadore and Mombas. Reason to regret Mombas having been given up. Sail from Tenerife. Search for rocks near the equator. Arrival at San Salvador. Appearance of Bahia. State of the Country. Slave Trade. And results of Slavery. Extension of the Slave Trade on the eastern coast of Africa. Moral condition of the Negroes. Middy's Grave. Departure from Bahia. Mr. "Very Well Dice". CHAPTER 1.3. FROM THE CAPE TO SWAN RIVER. A gale. Anchor in Simon's Bay. H.M.S. Thalia. Captain Harris, and his Adventures in Southern Africa. Proceedings of the Land Party. Leave Simon's Bay. An overloaded ship. Heavy weather and wet decks. Island of Amsterdam. Its true longitude. St. Paul's. Water. Westerly variation. Rottnest Island. Gage's Road. Swan River Settlement. Fremantle. An inland lake. Plans for the future. Illness of Captain Wickham. Tidal Phenomena. Perth. Approach to it. Narrow escape of the first settlers. The Darling Range. Abundant Harvest. Singular flight of strange birds. Curious Cliff near Swan River. Bald Head. Mr. Darwin's Theory. The Natives. Miago. Anecdotes of Natives. Their Superstitions. Barbarous traditions, their uses and their lessons. CHAPTER 1.4. FROM SWAN RIVER TO ROEBUCK BAY. Sail from Gage's Road. Search for a bank. Currents and soundings. Houtman's Abrolhos. Fruitless search for Ritchie's Reef. Indications of a squall. Deep sea soundings. Atmospheric Temperature. Fish. A squall. Anchor off the mouth of Roebuck Bay. A heavy squall. Driven from our anchorage. Cape Villaret. Anchor in Roebuck Bay. Excursion on shore. Visit from the Natives. Mr. Bynoe's account of them. A stranger among them. Captain Grey's account of an almost white race in Australia. Birds, Snakes, and Turtle. Move the Ship. Miago, and the Black Fellows. The wicked men of the North. Clouds of Magellan. Face of the Country. Natives. Heat and Sickness. Miago on shore. Mr. Usborne wounded. Failure in Roebuck Bay. Native notions. CHAPTER 1.5. FROM ROEBUCK BAY TO SKELETON POINT. Departure from Roebuck Bay. Appearance of the Country. Progress to the northward. Hills and Cliffs. French Names and French Navigators. Tasman, and his account of the Natives. Hazeygaeys and Assagais. His Authenticity as an Historian. Description of the Natives. Marks and mutilations. Phrenological Development. Moral condition. Proas, Canoes, and Rafts. Another squall. Anchor in Beagle Bay. Face of the Country. Palm Trees. Dew. Hauling the Seine. A meeting with Natives. Eastern Salutation. Miago's conduct towards, and opinion of, his countrymen. Mutilation of the Hand. Native smokes seen. Move further to the North-East. Point Emeriau. Cape Leveque. Point Swan. Tide-races. Search for water. Encountered by Natives. Return to the Ship. The attempt renewed. Conduct of the Natives. Effect of a Congreve Rocket after dark. A successful haul. More Natives. Miago's Heroism. The plague of Flies. Dampier's description of it. Native Habitations. Underweigh. Wind and weather. Tidal Phenomenon. Natural History. Singular Kangaroo. Bustard. [...]... removal The grey Ibis Our parting legacy CHAPTER 1.6 POINT CUNNINGHAM TO FITZROY RIVER Survey the Coast to Point Cunningham Move the Ship Mosquitoes Southern View of King's Sound Singular vitreous Formation Move to the south of Point Cunningham Captain King's limit Termination of Cliffy Range Disaster Bay An Exploring Party leave in the boats The shore A freshwater lake Valentine Island Native Fire and... Governor Travertine Limestone Leave Hobart Singular Current Appearance of Land in the neighbourhood of Sydney Position of Lighthouse Entrance and first view of Port Jackson Scenery on passing up the Harbour Meet the Expedition bound to Port Essington Apparent increase of Sydney Cause of Decline Expedition sails for Port Essington Illawarra Botany Bay La Perouse's Monument Aborigines Meet Captain King Appearance... and Lushington's Exploring Party Chronometric Departure Farewell glance at Plymouth Death of King William the Fourth For more than half a century, the connection between Great Britain and her Australian possessions has been one of growing interest; and men of the highest eminence have foreseen and foretold the ultimate importance of that vast continent, over which, within the memory of living man,... only open a route to the interior, but afford facilities for colonizing a part of Australia, so near our East Indian territories, as to render its occupation an object of evident importance His Majesty's Government therefore determined to send out an expedition to explore and survey such portions of the Australian coasts as were wholly or in part unknown to Captains Flinders and King H.M SLOOP BEAGLE For... places well adapted for that purpose; but on these points you will take pains to acquire all the information which can be obtained from the residents at Swan River Another circumstance which prevents any precise instructions being given to you on this head, is the uncertainty that prevails here respecting the weather which you may at that period find in those latitudes, and which it is possible may be... it Discover error in longitude of Cape Reefs at the mouth of Port Essington Arrive at the latter CHAPTER 1.11 Port Essington Bearings from shoals in the Harbour Appearance of the Settlement Meet Captain Stanley Church Point Record Prospects of the Settlement Buffaloes escape Fence across neck of Peninsula Lieutenant P.B Stewart explores the Country Natives Uses of Sand Tumuli-building Birds Beautiful...Cinnamon Kangaroo Quails Goanas and Lizards Ant Hills Fishing over the side A day in the Bush A flood of fire Soil and Productions White Ibis Curious Tree Rain water Geology of the Cliffs Weigh, and graze a Rock, or Touch and go The Twins Sunday Strait Roe's Group Miago and his friends A black dog A day of rest Native raft Captain King and the Bathurst A gale Point Cunningham Successful... Commence Surveying Operations First Settlement Escaped Convict His residence with the Natives Sail for King Island Examine Coast to Cape Otway King Island Meet Sealers on New Year Islands Franklin Road Solitary Residence of Captain Smith Soil Advantageous position for a Penal Settlement Leafless appearance of Trees Examine West Coast Fitzmaurice Bay Stokes' Point Seal Bay Geological Formation Examine Coast... voyage were achieved, but in consequence of his retirement in March 1841, owing to ill health, the command of the Beagle was entrusted to the author of the following pages; and as, by a singular combination of circumstances, no less than three long and hazardous voyages of discovery have been successfully completed in this vessel, some account of her here may not be wholly uninteresting The reader will be... UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, ETC Whereas his Majesty's surveying vessel, Beagle, under your command, has been fitted out for the purpose of exploring certain parts of the north-west coast of New Holland, and of surveying the best channels in the straits of Bass and Torres, you are hereby required and directed, as soon as she shall be in all respects ready, to repair to Plymouth Sound, in . to the south of Point Cunningham. Captain King's limit. Termination of Cliffy Range. Disaster Bay. An Exploring Party leave in the boats. The. the islands in the vicinity of the Australian continent. All bearings and courses, unless it is specified to the contrary, are magnetic, according to the