TORRES' STRAITS. [From the N. S. Wales Government Gazette.]

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 96, 3 April 1847, Page 2

TORRES' STRAITS. [From the N. S. Wales Government Gazette.]

Colonial Secretary's Office, Sydney, 6th ftfnrch, 1847. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to direct the iqllp\Yin,g pxtract from the Journal of Lieut. C. 13. Yule, R. N., commanding H.M.S. Bramble, whilst recently employed in the Survey of Torres 1 Straits, and of a portion of Ihe coast of New Guinea, be published for general information. I Hy His Excellency's command, j E. Deas Thompson.

[Extract from the Journal of Lieut. C. B. Yule, commanding H. M. S. Bramble.'] I left Sydney on the 21st December, 18-15, in company with the Castlereagh, and proceeded to the noithward, to resume the survey of New Guinea, but in con- ; sequence of adverse winds and the great delay caused, l)y keeping company with the tender, I did not reach ! Cape York until the 30th of March. I anchored oft" Bramble Key on the 4th of April, where I waited three days to rate chronometers. On the 9th we weighed, in company with the Castlereagh, and shaped a course for New Guinea. On the I Oth we had a view of the coast, which was generally flat, with mountains in the distance. In consequence of the winds being light and variable, we did not reach the position where I intended cqminencing my triangulations until the 15th of April. This delay, however, enabled me to reconnoitre the country, which greatly improved in appearance as we advanced to the eastward. The scenery at daybreak was generally grand, the distant lofty mountains being then visible. There was one, the most distant and highest, which was particularly conspicuous, from its peculiar peak, resembling' a chimney. As the nun rose, however, we generally lost sight of them. At sunset of the 15th of April, we anchoied close under a bluff cape, .which I called Cape Possession, in latitude 83438 south, longitude 146*27 east, on which I intended to land next day, to obtain astronomical observations for determining its position. At daylight I again had a fine view of a range of mountains, and easily distinguished the most distant and lofty one, which had before excited my admiration by its grand appearance. I called it Mount Victoria, and found by approximate calculation that it was from nine thousand to ten thousand feet high. Between Mount Victoria and the shqre were several ranges of mountains < of inferior altitude, which gave me reason to suppose , hat the lower intervening country was well watered and ertile. i At £'45, a.m., we wpighed with a light land breeze,] and stood two miles on a south course, in older that' I might take up a more favourable position to commence the survey; we anchored at 7 a.m., abreast, the southern extremity of the Promontory I have before mentioned, as a favourable position for commencing my triangulalions. I directed by signal that the Castlereagh should keep under sail , soon after we anchored, Mr. Aird came on board, when 1 made known to him my intended plans for the survey : I also directed him to keep near the shore during the day, with the view of protecting or assisting our boats, if necessary, when communicating with the shore. At half-past 8, A. m., I left the Bramble in the f\rst gig, accompanied by Mr. Wright, Master's Assistant ; the ciew, consisting of live seamen aud onp marine, all well armed< The second gig went with us in charge of Mr. Pollard, accompanied by Mr. Sweatinan ; the crew, consisting of five seamen aud one marine, also well armed. Thus equipped, I considered we were a good match for any hostile encounter with the natives. In about threequarters of an hour after leaving the Bramble we got close to the back of the surf", which was breaking heavily on a sandy beach, where I purposed landing, for some time I doubted the propriety of landing, but as I was very anxious to obtain my observations for latitude and meridian distance with the quicksilver horison, and as this bay was shut in from the native villages, by which I hoped to escape the notice of the inhabitants, until we found a more convenient opportunity of forming their acquaintance, 1 determined on landing ; the first gig was then anchored at the back of the surf, from which by a line I was veered through the surf in the second gig, accompanied by Mr. Sweatman, three seamen, and two marines. It was y/ith great difficulty that we were enabled to land without wetting our instruments, arms, and ammunition, which we only kept dry by holding them over our heads ; immediately after landing, I succeeded in getting forenoon altitudes for meridian distance. 1 then hoisted a small representation of the Union Jack, and took possession of this country in the name of Her Majesty, from Bristow Island to as far in a south- eastern direction as 1 oould distinguish and chart the laud ; I called this Cape Possession in consequence. The sun's meridian passage fortunately just came within the limits of my quiutant (by Cary), and having got a good set of circummeridional altitudes, and a careful angle of elevation of the Bramble's main truck for base, 1 did not think il prudent to wait for afternoon altitudes for time, as the suit had greatly increased since I landed, and 1 thought it high time to embark. Accordingly 1 made signs for the mcond gig to oe backed in as belore, which was done i-jith driLxulty, owing to a strong current running & pniallul course with tiie beach. The suif was breaking with too great violence to enable all to go off at one tup; 1 thereiore had the chronometer, my quintain, 'rtiiicifil horiKuii, and some oi thu arms put into tlu •n f before she got half ivay through the breakers,

the boat shipped a heavy sea, at which time an oar broke (one pf thqs,p infamously had articles supplied to H. M. Navy by Sunley) when the second gig broached too, and immediately filled, everything being washed out of her except the chronometer and my quintant, which were safely landed witho.ut much injury, both being packed nearly water tight ; the artificial horizon, arms, and every thing that would not float, being lost. One man who could np£ swim held on to the boat, and was lost to our sight for a considerable time, when I feared he was drowned ; but a heavy sea at length drove him ashore in a very exhausted condition. The second gig's anchor having been let go at the back of the surf, she did not drive on the beach, I therefore entertained hopes that the first gig's crew would be able to get her out of the breakers and bale her out; as 1 expected, every exertion was made, and the boat was got outside the breakers in safety ; but the great swell rolling in, utterly put it out of the people's power to bale the boat out. At this time I observed the Castlereagh about two miles beyond Cape Possession, under sail ; I therefore made signs for Mr. Wright in the first gig to tow the second gig towards the Castkrmgh, which I concluded would attract Mr. Airds attention. In this I was not mistaken, as the Castlereagh was immediately anchored aboi}t one mile and'a half off, her boats being immediately sent to tjie relief of ours. In the interim, I directed that everything which was washed on shore should be collected together, after which we all huddled close under a bush near the beach, whence we could see our boats, and be hid from the view of the natives as much as possible. The Castlereagh' s boats having closed the Bramble's, the second gig was soon baled out, when all four boats pulled up abreast of us outside the surf, which had continued to increase. The Cqttlereagh at tl\e same Jime weighed, which I confess alarmed me much, as I knew very few persons could have beep left on board after she had despatched two boats' crews ; I therefore concluded we were discovered by the natives beyond Cape Possession ; I was in a few moments confirmed in my fears by seeing Mr. Andrews prepare to push his boat through the surf; I waved him back, when he energetically pointed towards Cape Possession ; I fully understood his sign (that natives were coming), but still waved him to be off, as I knew his gallant attempt to relieve us would fail, and that he and his boat's crew would be added to those already in distress, on shore. He, however, pushed through the surf, when, as I expected, his boat was upset, and all his arms, ammunition, &c, lost. At the same moment, w.e observed crowds of natives coming round the point of Cape Possession, armed wi}h spears, clubs, and stone axes ; our arms and ammunition had been all lost or destroyed, our situation was therefore most defenceless, and I may say our retreat hopeless, the boats at the back of the surf being unable to afford us the least relief. I then thought it best to show no signs of fear or mistrust, but to make friends with the natives, and to amuse them until the next tide should enable a boat to back through the surf. In the interim, Mr. Andrews with his four men, and assisted by some others, made three attempts to launch his boat, which failed, and she was ultimately dashed to nieces, against the rocks. I advanced alone with playful gestures, waving a branch of green leavps in token of peace. One man poised a spear at me, but the others stared at me with more wonder depicted on their countenances than ferocity. I then offered them some bits of tobacco, which they would not approach near enough to take from my hands. This shyness unfortunately did not continue long, for when the main body came up, amounting to eighty or ninety armed mjsn, they became troublesome, and laid their hands on everything they could get hold of that was lying Qn the beach. ' To these robberies I attempted to put a stop, and made them some presents instead ; but the savages ■ knew our hopeless contrition, and became every moment more daring and rapacious ; and to add to our tribulation, we observed two large canoes, each containing thirty or forty men, come round Possession Point, and hover between the Castlereagh and the boats, as if with the intention qf cutting off the latter. The .pastlefeagh unfortunately could npt take advantage of her guns, by firing grape or canister, as we were completely intermixed with the natives. At this critical stage of our anxiety, the second gig, at all hazards, was veered through the surf, and to our great joy four or five men were drawn off in safety ; a second attempt was made, and also succeeded. Then came the awful moment for us, who waited for the last trip, for only a few moments before I baulked a native, when taking a deliberate aim at one of our last men that embarked. natives, now seeing our numbers decrease, laid hands on us in the most indolent manner. My quintant was first wrested from my coxswain, who, in a tone of grief, made known the circumstance ; I immediately turned rouud and exclaimed, "Oh, don't part with that !" b^ut it was too late, and when I endeavoured to recover it, I found a club wielded over my head. In making my escape from this wretch, I was secured by four others, who first took the Government micrometer, which was slung round my neck ; I then endeavoured to struggle out of their clutches and escape with the pocket chionometer and note book ; but these, as well as every article of clothing I had about my body, were stripped off, when the second gig opportunely was again backed \n; and in this forlorn state Mr. Pollard, two marines, and I, waded off, and were dragged into the boat. We then went on board the Castlereagh, which was at anchor about a mile from the shore ; the canoes slowly made off to the north-westward, after we had embarked. The boats having been hoisted up, and secured, we got the a/ichor up, and proceeded out to the Bramble, aiid anchored close to herat 6*30 p.m. I immediately afterwards returned to the Bramble, truly thankful for haying escaped with our lives. < The loss of instruments grieved me exceedingly, particularly as the nature of the coast rendered it next to impossible for us to effect a safe landing to attempt their recovery. From the accounts I had heard of the ferocity of the natives when the Fly had been surveying last year on this coast, I confess I fully expected death would be my fate in a few minutes, apd thought on the similar position poor Captain Skyring was in when murdered by the natives at Cape Roxo. If we had been possessed of six or eight muskets, and a supply of ammunition, I think the natives might easily have bpen checked, but being defenceless my only hope was to dissemble our fears, and amuse them, to give us time until we could effect our escape. Tliese people varied n complexion, from black to a light copper color. They appeared well made and active. All of them were ornamented, but some piucli more so than others. Their earripgs were made of rings of tortoiseshell, a number of them being fastened together and suspended from the lower parts of the ears, in which are holes stretched so large ai to admit easily of a man's thumb being passed through them. The cartilage dividing the nostrils is perforated in like manner, and the perforation being occupied bjr a piece of white shell ground to the size and shape of a shilling. Most of these people wore round their heads neat platted fillets, into which were woven feathers erect, resembling those qf the emu. They wore besides armlets, necklaces, and other orna-' ments. I observed one man who had a sort of mantle, the material of which it was' made much resembled the oloth made by the South Sea Islanders. Contrary to the custom of the natives of Australia, these people were none of them entirely naked. Their arms consisted of bows, arrows, clubs, and stone axes. Most of the adults had small calabashes containing lime or chinam, which they chewed with lome vegeta,-

ble.~ f saw no iron or other metal whatever in their possessiqp, and the astonishment they manifested at everything'lhey saw about us clearly proves their former ignorance of the existence of people of our description. Notwithstanding the maltreatment we received from those natives, I am of opinion that had a desirable place existed where we could conveniently have landed and embarked, we should have received from them no molestation >vha^ever j but when a host of savages see a small party of defenceless strangers stranded upon their shore, with all apparent retreat cut off, and being at the time possessed of glittering instruments, no wonder their cupidity was excited, and that they could not resist the temptation to act as they did ; T only wonder at their sparing our lives. Shipwrecked people in our position have fared worse even on some of the Western Coasts of Eugland, within the last century. After the above mentioned adventure, I carried on a trigonometric survey of the coast northward & westward, until I connected my work with the position at which Capt.Blackwood left off The whole coast appeared thickly inliabitated. Their villages consisted of large and respectable lopking huts, the land near them presenting a very agreeable and fertile appearance. We were frequently visited by the natives, who brought off cocoa nut, sugar cane, sago, a sort of arrowroot, as well as bows, arrows, spears, ornaments, &c. j which they readily exchanged for such trifles as we offered them. They have double and single oanoes ; some of the former being capable of carrying from fifty to on.c hundred men, the latter two or thice. The very lofty and extensive ranges of mountains in the interior led me to suppose that rivers of considerable magnitude exist in New Guinea ; my opinion tyas been subsequently confirmed by the great quantity of fresh water rushing far out to sea. But notwithstanding our very close examination of the coast, we were not so fortunate as to discover any navigable entrance to a river. It is more than probable that there are extensive and navigable rivers which debouch by a delta of small creeks. Having united my work to where Captain Blackwood left on the 3rd June, f proceeded to Port Essington for supplies according to my instructions. In passing through Endeavour Strait, I discovered a dangerous rock on whioh the Heroine struck, its position being as described in the accompanying notice. We remained nearly two months at Fort Essington and the Xi Islets ; we found the inhabitants of Xi JDula very civil and honest in their dealings. We purchased by barter a great quantity of hogs and vegetables both for ourselves and the garrison at Port Essington, where we returned after ten or twelve days' absence with a plentiful supply of fresh stock. Having refitted, we sailed from Port Es•ington on the 13th Sept., 18 16, for Cape York, intending ' to resume the survey of New Guinea ; we beat against a steady trade wind, and arrived at Booby Island in nineteen days, but having unfortunately parted company with the tender, she did not rejoin me in Endeavour Sttait until seven weeks after loaving Port Essington, when I found it would be too late to think of coutinuing the survey of New Guinea, I therefore made up my mind to return to Sydney by Captain King's route, which I hoped would have enabled me to comply with the requisition of the Colonial Government to examine Port Curtis and other places on the east coast. In this undertaking I was also frustrated by the tender's bad sailing qualities, for after seven days' hard beating we only accomplished fifty miles, when the Castlereagh was conrp.el]ed to remain at anchor to repair damages. Being convinced the scores and provisions would never hold out long enough to accomplish half the voyage to Sydney, I had the mortification of being compelled to bear up and return to this port by the western route. Ciis. B. Yutß, Lieutenant and Commander.