Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1

Chapter 4. Hanover Bay.

NEW AND DANGEROUS SHOAL. ARRIVAL OFF THE COAST OF AUSTRALIA. ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY FROM SHIP-BOARD. LAND AT HIGH BLUFF POINT. WALK TO HANOVER BAY. DISTRESS FOR WANT OF WATER ON THE ROUTE. LOSS OF OUR THREE DOGS. TRACES OF NATIVES. THEIR HUTS. ALARMING DEBILITY OF THE MEN. EFFORTS TO REACH THE VESSEL. SWIM AN INLET OF THE SEA. DANGER IN THE PASSAGE ACROSS AND AFTER LANDING. THE PARTY REGAIN THE LYNHER.

Chapter 5. At Hanover Bay.

PLAGUE OF FLIES. ENTRANCE TO PRINCE REGENT'S RIVER. EFFECT OF TIDES. GREEN ANTS. DESCRIPTION OF LANDING-PLACE, AND ENCAMPMENT AT HANOVER BAY. FATE OF TWO OF THE DOGS. LABOUR OF DISEMBARKING STORES. NATIVES. REMARKABLE FISHES. PREPARATIONS FOR SENDING THE VESSEL TO TIMOR.

Chapter 6. Hanover Bay and Its Vicinity.

NATIVES SEEN. FIRST EXCURSION. CHARACTER OF THE SCENERY. GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENA. CUCKOO-PHEASANT. SPORTING. NATIVE HAUNTS. ATTACK OF NATIVES. RETURN TO HANOVER BAY. PROCEEDINGS THERE DURING MY ABSENCE. CHRISTMAS DINNER. PLANTING USEFUL SEEDS. WALK TO MUNSTER WATER. ISTHMUS NEAR HANOVER BAY. HILL OF SHELLS. COUNTRY ABOUT PRINCE REGENT'S RIVER. GOUTY-STEMMED TREES. SINGULAR PIECES OF SANDSTONE.

Chapter 7. Hanover Bay and Its Vicinity.

OCCUPATION AT THE CAMP. RETURN OF THE LYNHER. RELATION OF PROCEEDINGS AT TIMOR AND ROTI. NEW ISLAND SEEN. TROUBLE WITH THE HORSES. EXCURSION BY WATER TO PRINCE REGENT'S RIVER. CHARACTER OF ITS SHORES. SCENERY AND THUNDERSTORM. DEPARTURE FOR THE INTERIOR. DIFFICULTIES OF THE ROUTE. SICKNESS AND MORTALITY AMONG THE HORSES AND STOCK. CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.

Chapter 8. to the Glenelg River.

MEETING AND ENCOUNTER WITH THE NATIVES. UNFORTUNATE RESULTS. DESCENT FROM THE SANDSTONE RANGE. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW VOLCANIC COUNTRY. DISCOVERY AND CHARACTER OF THE GLENELG RIVER. IMPEDIMENTS FROM MARSHES AND STREAMS. PROGRESS TOWARDS THE UPPER PART OF THE GLENELG.

Chapter 9. to the Upper Glenelg.

WORKS OF NATIVE INDUSTRY. MOUNT LYELL. MAGNIFICENT PROSPECT. MARKS OF INUNDATIONS. NATIVES. COCKATOOS. TORRENTS OF RAIN. SWAMPS. SNAKE AND KANGAROO. NATIVE BRIDGE. PRECIPITOUS PASS. FRILLED LIZARD. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. WILD OATS. CURIOUS BIRDS. PAINTED CAVE. CROSS A LARGE RIVER. NATURAL GRAPERY. FORD THE GLENELG. WEAKNESS OF THE MEN. ANOTHER PAINTED CAVE. NARROW ESCAPE. IMPASSABLE SANDSTONE RANGES.

Chapter 10. Return to Hanover Bay.

UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR A PASS. PREPARATIONS TO RETURN. LIGHT EXPLORING PARTY SENT FORWARD UNDER LIEUTENANT LUSHINGTON. THEIR REPORT. COMMENCEMENT OF MARCH BACK. CHANGE OF TRACK. CURIOUS MOUNDS OF STONES. PASS MOUNT LYELL. RECOVERY OF BURIED STORES. ANXIETY ON APPROACHING HANOVER BAY. REJOIN THE LYNHER. MEETING WITH THE BEAGLE. STATE OF THE PLANTS AND SEEDS LEFT AT THE ENCAMPMENT. REEMBARKATION. SAIL FOR THE MAURITIUS.

Chapter 11. Natural History. Climate. Aborigines.

DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. NEW KANGAROO. NEW DOMESTIC DOG. CHECKS ON INCREASE OF ANIMALS. INFLUENCE OF MAN ON THEIR HABITS. TRACES OF AN ANIMAL WITH A DIVIDED HOOF. BIRDS. EMUS. ALLIGATORS. CLIMATE. PROOFS OF ITS SALUBRITY. THERMOMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS. ABORIGINES, THEIR HABITS AND MANNERS. INDIVIDUALS OF AN ALIEN RACE. SIMILARITY OF CUSTOMS WITH OTHER AUSTRALIAN TRIBES. CAVES. DRAWINGS. TOMBS.

Chapter 12. Physical Geography. Commercial Prospects.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. MOUNTAIN RANGES. RIVERS. VALLEYS. PRODUCTIONS SUITED FOR CULTIVATION. COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS. TRADE WITH THE ASIATIC ARCHIPELAGO. METHOD OF BARTER. SUCCESS OF AMERICAN VESSELS. TRADING PRODUCTS OF THE SEVERAL ISLANDS.

Chapter 13. At Swan River.

PLAN FOR RETURNING TO THE NORTH-WEST COAST. WHY ABANDONED. EXCURSION TO THE NORTH OF PERTH. STORY-TELLING TO NATIVES. LAKES. DELAY, AND BIVOUACK. NATIVE TOILETTE. MEETING WITH A NEW TRIBE. CURIOUS SUPERSTITIONS. REVENGEFUL COMBAT AND MURDER PREVENTED. RETURN TO PERTH. EXCURSION IN SEARCH OF MR. ELLIOTT. CAUSE OF IT. THE MURRAY RIVER. WILD CATTLE. NATIVE TRACKING. CROSS THE DARLING RANGE. CONDITION OF DISTANT SETTLERS. ROUTE ALONG MR. ELLIOTT'S TRACKS. KILLING A KANGAROO. LOSE THE TRACKS. NATIVE GRAVE. ESTUARY OF THE LESCHENAULT. MEET WITH MR. ELLIOTT. RETURN TO PERTH.

Chapter 14. From Swan River to the Shores of Shark Bay.

PLAN OF EXPEDITION. SAIL FROM SWAN RIVER FOR SHARK BAY. LAND AT BERNIER ISLAND. DESCRIPTION OF IT. BURY THE STORES. INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER. LOSS OF A BOAT IN REEMBARKING. PULL FOR DORRE ISLAND. ITS CHARACTER. HURRICANE. BOATS DRIVEN ASHORE. DISTRESS FOR WATER. SAIL FOR THE MAIN. GROUND ON A SANDBANK. EXTENSIVE SHALLOWS. FAIL IN MAKING THE LAND. ANCHOR OFF MANGROVE CREEK.

Chapter 15. the Gascoyne River.

ENTER A MANGROVE CREEK. SEARCH FOR AND COMPLETE OUR WATER. EXAMINE ANOTHER CREEK. CHARACTER OF THEIR SCENERY. DISCOVER ONE MOUTH OF THE GASCOYNE RIVER, AND EXPLORE THE COUNTRY IN ITS VICINITY. SURVEY OF MOUTHS OF THIS RIVER AND BABBAGE ISLAND. EXPLORE THE COUNTRY INLAND TO THE NORTH OF THE RIVER. INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES. SAIL FROM THE GASCOYNE.

Chapter 16. to Kolaina and Back to the Gascoyne.

EXAMINE THE COAST TO THE NORTH OF THE GASCOYNE. LYELL'S RANGE. BOAT SWAMPED IN BEACHING. STATE OF PROVISIONS. SEARCH FOR WATER. REMARKABLE PLAINS. INDISPOSITION OF SEVERAL OF THE PARTY. EXAMINATION OF THE SHORE TO THE NORTHWARD, AND OF THE COUNTRY TO THE SOUTH-EAST. AFFRAY WITH THE NATIVES. CONTINUED FOUL WEATHER. PUT TO SEA. COMPELLED AGAIN TO BEACH THE BOATS. ADJACENT COUNTRY EXPLORED. LAUNCH THE BOATS, AND ENTER NORTHERN MOUTH OF THE GASCOYNE. CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.

Chapter 17. From the Gascoyne to Gantheaume Bay.

SAIL FROM THE GASCOYNE. A GALE OF WIND. REACH BERNIER ISLAND. DESTRUCTION OF THE DEPOT OF PROVISIONS. REPAIR DAMAGES, AND RETURN TO THE MAIN. ANCHOR TO THE NORTH OF THE GASCOYNE. EXAMINE THE COAST TO THE SOUTHWARD. ITS CHARACTER. STEER FROM THE MAIN. ANOTHER GALE. LAND ON PERRON'S PENINSULA. DESCRIPTION OF IT. ROUND CAPE LESUER. BEACH THE BOATS. SAIL AGAIN FOR DIRK HARTOG'S ISLAND. LAND THERE. PASS OVER TO THE MAIN. DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND. ROUND STEEP POINT, AND PUT BACK AGAIN. PASSAGE TO GANTHEAUME BAY. THE INTERVENING COAST. BOAT TOTALLY WRECKED IN BEACHING IN GANTHEAUME BAY.

...

ERRATUM.

Volume 1 Table: for Castles, Read Chateaux.

...

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

VOLUME 1.

1. Map of the District of the River Glenelg, on the North-Western Coast of Australia, from the surveys of George Grey, Esquire, by John Arrowsmith.

2. Sandstone Cave with Paintings near Glenelg River. Drawn on stone by George Barnard from a sketch by Captain George Grey. M. and N. Hanhart, Lithographic Printers, 64 Charlotte Street, Rathbone Place.

3. Diphya, Sp.

4. Diphya, Sp. (Acalepha.)

5. Salpa, Sp.

6. Hyalea, Sp.

7. Physsophora rosacea.

8. Erichthus vitreus.

9. Janthina exigua.

10. Glaucus, Sp.

11. Phyllosoma, Sp.

12. Attack of Natives near Hanover Bay. Drawn on stone by George Barnard from a sketch by Captain George Grey. M. and N. Hanhart, Lithographic Printers, 64 Charlotte Street, Rathbone Place.

13. Three rows of notches made by people on the Gouty-Stem Tree.

14. Gigantic Ants' Nest and Gouty-Stem Tree. Drawn on stone by George Barnard from a sketch by Captain George Grey. M. and N. Hanhart, Lithographic Printers, 64 Charlotte Street, Rathbone Place.

15.1. Figure drawn on the roof of Cave, discovered March 26th.

15.2. Figure drawn on side of Cave, discovered March 26th.

15.3. Oval drawing in Cave, discovered March 26th.

15.4. Figure drawn in Cave, discovered March 26th.

16. Head cut in Sandstone Rock. Captain Grey, delt. G. Foggo, Lithographer. M. and N. Hanhart, Lithographic Printers.

17. Figure drawn on roof of Cave, discovered March 29th.

18. Supposed Native Tombs. Discovered on the North-Western Coast of New Holland, 7 April 1838. Published by T. & W. Boone, London.

19. Nest or Bower of the Chalmydera nuchalis.

20. Map and Chart of the West Coast of Australia, from Swan River to Shark Bay, Including Houtman's Abrolhos and Port Grey, from the Surveys of Captains Grey, Wickham, and King, and from other official Documents, compiled by John Arrowsmith.

21. Attack of Natives near Kolaina Plains. Drawn on stone by George Barnard from a sketch by Frederick C. Smith, Esquire. M. and N. Hanhart, Lithographic Printers, 64 Charlotte Street, Rathbone Place.

...

DEDICATION.

THE LORD GLENELG,

UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES,

AS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES,

THE EXPEDITIONS

RECORDED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES

WERE UNDERTAKEN,

THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,

IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE

OF HIS ASSISTANCE, HIS COUNSELS, AND HIS KINDNESS,

IN HIS HIGH PUBLIC STATION,

AND

WITH A PROFOUND RESPECT

FOR

HIS PERSONAL AND DOMESTIC VIRTUES.

...

PREFACE.

The following pages contain the results of the author's travels and residence in the western parts of Australia, between the years 1837 and 1840, during which period he traversed extensive regions unknown to the European traveller, and probably never before trodden by the foot of civilized man.

It is not alone with gratification of enlightened curiosity that the countries now first brought to notice are likely to be objects of interest. A knowledge of the districts lying between Swan River and Shark Bay cannot but be of importance to future colonists, whilst the intertropical provinces of the north-west coasts, distinguished as they are by important peculiarities both of character and position, are equally calculated to draw the attention of the literary and enterprising enquirer.

It only remains to state in a few words the circumstances under which this work is given to the public.

The author arrived in England in September, 1840, and was engaged in preparing his notes for publication when he was unexpectedly honoured with an appointment which re-called him to Australia in the month of December following.

Avocations both of a public and private nature arising out of that appointment prevented him from carrying his work through the press during the short period of his residence in this country, and consequently the final arrangement of the impression and the duties of typographical revision devolved on others.

Although no pains have been spared to render these volumes worthy of the public eye, the circumstances under which they appear will naturally occasion them to be marked by defects which, doubtless, would not have escaped the author's notice and correction had he been present.

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