Early Australian Voyages

J >> John Pinkerton >> Early Australian Voyages


We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals without
any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we got within
three leagues of the north-west cape of New Guinea, called by the Dutch
Cape Mabo. Off this cape there lies a small woody island, and many
islands of different sizes to the north and north-east of it. This part
of New Guinea is high land, adorned with tall trees, that appeared very
green and flourishing. The cape itself is not very high, but ends in a
low sharp point, and on either side there appears another such point at
equal distances, which makes it resemble a diamond. This only appears
when you are abreast of the middle point, and then you have no ground
within three leagues of the shore.

In the afternoon we passed by the cape and stood over for the islands.
Before it was dark we were got within a league of the westernmost, but
had no ground with fifty fathom of line: however, fearing to stand nearer
in the dark, we tacked and stood to the east and plied all night. The
next morning we were got five or six leagues to the eastward of that
island, and, having the wind easterly, we stood in to the northward among
the islands, sounded, and had no ground; then I sent in my boat to sound,
and they had ground with fifty fathom near a mile from the shore. We
tacked before the boat came aboard again, for fear of a shoal that was
about a mile to the east of that island the boat went to, from whence
also a shoal-point stretched out itself till it met the other: they
brought with them such a cockle as I have mentioned in my "Voyage Round
the World" found near Celebes, and they saw many more, some bigger than
that which they brought aboard, as they said, and for this reason I named
it Cockle Island. I sent them to sound again, ordering them to fire a
musket if they found good anchoring; we were then standing to the
southward, with a fine breeze. As soon as they fired, I tacked and stood
in; they told me they had fifty fathom when they fired. I tacked again,
and made all the sail I could to get out, being near some rocky islands
and shoals to leeward of us. The breeze increased, and I thought we were
out of danger, but having a shoal just by us, and the wind failing again,
I ordered the boat to tow us, and by their help we got clear from it. We
had a strong tide setting to the westward.

At one o'clock, being past the shoal, and finding the tide setting to the
westward, I anchored in thirty-five fathom coarse sand, with small coral
and shells. Being nearest to Cockle Island, I immediately sent both the
boats thither, one to cut wood, and the other to fish. At four in the
afternoon, having a small breeze at south-south-west, I made a sign for
my boats to come on board. They brought some wood, and a few small
cockles, none of them exceeding ten pounds' weight, whereas the shell of
the great one weighed seventy-eight pounds; but it was now high water,
and therefore they could get no bigger. They also brought on board some
pigeons, of which we found plenty on all the islands where we touched in
these seas: also in many places we saw many large bats, but killed none,
except those I mentioned at Pub Sabuda. As our boats came aboard, we
weighed and made sail, steering east-south-east as long as the wind held.
In the morning we found we had got four or five leagues to the east of
the place where we weighed. We stood to and fro till eleven; and finding
that we lost ground, anchored in forty-two fathom coarse gravelly sand,
with some coral. This morning we thought we saw a sail.

In the afternoon I went ashore on a small woody island, about two leagues
from us. Here I found the greatest number of pigeons that ever I saw
either in the East or West Indies, and small cockles in the sea round the
island in such quantities that we might have laden the boat in an hour's
time. These were not above ten or twelve pounds' weight. We cut some
wood, and brought off cockles enough for all the ship's company; but
having no small shot, we could kill no pigeons. I returned about four
o'clock, and then my gunner and both mates went thither, and in less than
three-quarters of an hour they killed and brought off ten pigeons. Here
is a tide: the flood sets west and the ebb east, but the latter is very
faint and but of small continuance, and so we found it ever since we came
from Timer: the winds we found easterly, between north-east and
east-south-east, so that if these continue, it is impossible to beat
farther to the eastward on this coast against wind and current. These
easterly winds increased from the time we were in the latitude of about 2
degrees south, and as we drew nigher the line they hung more easterly:
and now being to the north of the continent of New Guinea, where the
coast lies east and west, I find the trade-wind here at east, which yet
in higher latitudes is usually at north-north-west and north-west; and so
I did expect them here, it being to the south of the line.

The 7th, in the morning, I sent my boat ashore on Pigeon Island, and
stayed till noon. In the afternoon my men returned, brought twenty-two
pigeons, and many cockles, some very large, some small: they also brought
one empty shell, that weighed two hundred and fifty-eight pounds.

At four o'clock we weighed, having a small westerly wind and a tide with
us; at seven in the evening we anchored in forty-two fathom, near King
William's Island, where I went ashore the next morning, drank His
Majesty's health, and honoured it with his name. It is about two leagues
and a half in length, very high and extraordinarily well clothed with
woods; the trees are of divers sorts, most unknown to us, but all very
green and flourishing; many of them had flowers, some white, some purple,
others yellow: all which smelt very fragrantly: the trees are generally
tall and straight bodied, and may be fit for any use. I saw one of a
clean body, without knot or limb, sixty or seventy feet high by
estimation; it was three of my fathoms about, and kept its bigness,
without any sensible decrease, even to the top. The mould of the island
is black, but not deep, it being very rocky. On the sides and top of the
island are many palmetto trees, whose heads we could discern over all the
other trees, but their bodies we could not see.

About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward, between
the main and King William's Island, leaving the island on our larboard
side, and sounding till we were past the island, and then we had no
ground. Here we found the flood setting east-by-north, and the ebb west-
by-south; there were shoals and small islands between us and the main,
which caused the tide to set very inconstantly, and make many whirlings
in the water; yet we did not find the tide to set strong any way, nor the
water to rise much.

On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William's Island, we plied all
day between the main and other islands, having easterly winds and fair
weather till seven the next morning; then we had very hard rain till
eight, and saw many shoals of fish. We lay becalmed off a pretty deep
bay on New Guinea, about twelve or fourteen leagues wide, and seven or
eight leagues deep, having low land near its bottom, but high land
without. The easternmost part of New Guinea seen bore east-by-south,
distant twelve leagues; Cape Mabo west-south-west half-south, distant
seven leagues.

At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and continued till six in the
evening, so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay still off
the forementioned bay, having King William's Island still in sight,
though distant by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues west. We saw many
shoals of small fish, some sharks, and seven or eight dolphins, but
caught none. In the afternoon, being about four leagues from the shore,
we saw an opening in the land, which seemed to afford good harbour. In
the evening we saw a large fire there, and I intended to go in (if winds
and weather would permit) to get some acquaintance with the natives.

Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo, to the 12th, we had small
easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times, where I made
my men cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a westerly wind
should present, and so we plied to the eastward, as winds and currents
would permit, having not got in all above thirty leagues to the eastward
of Cape Mabo; but on the 12th, at four in the afternoon, a small gale
sprang up at north-east-by-north, with rain; at five it shuffled about to
north-west, from thence to the south-west, and continued between those
two points a pretty brisk gale, so that we made sail and steered away
north-east, till the 13th, in the morning, to get about the Cape of Good
Hope. When it was day we steered north-east half east, then north-east-
by-east till seven o'clock, and, being then seven or eight leagues off
shore, we steered away east, the shore trending east-by-south. We had
very much rain all night, so that we could not carry much sail, yet we
had a very steady gale. At eight this morning the weather cleared up,
and the wind decreased to a fine top-gallant gale, and settled at west-by-
south. We had more rain these three days past, than all the voyage, in
so short a time. We were now about six leagues from the land of New
Guinea, which appeared very high; and we saw two headlands about twenty
leagues asunder, the one to the east and the other to the west, which
last is called the Cape of Good Hope. We found variation east 4 degrees.

The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o'clock, it blew a very
brisk gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south-west. At
two it flew about at once to the south-south-west, and rained very hard.
The wind settled some time at west-south-west, and we steered east-north-
east till three in the morning; then the wind and rain abating, we
steered east-half-north for fear of coming near the land. Presently
after, it being a little clear, the man at the bowsprit end called out,
"Land on our starboard bow." We looked out and saw it plain: I presently
sounded, and had but ten fathom, soft ground. The master, being somewhat
scared, came running in haste with this news, and said it was best to
anchor. I told him no, but sound again; then we had twelve fathom; the
next cast, thirteen and a half; the fourth, seventeen fathom; and then no
ground with fifty fathom line. However, we kept off the island, and did
not go so fast but that we could see any other danger before we came nigh
it; for here might have been more islands not laid down in my drafts
besides this, for I searched all the drafts I had, if perchance I might
find any island in the one which was not in the others, but I could find
none near us. When it was day we were about five leagues off the land we
saw; but, I believe, not above five miles, or at most two leagues, off it
when we first saw it in the night.

This is a small island, but pretty high; I named it Providence. About
five leagues to the southward of this there is another island, which is
called William Scouten's Island, and laid down in our drafts: it is a
high island, and about twenty leagues big.

It was by mere providence that we missed the small island; for, had not
the wind come to west-south-west, and blown hard, so that we steered east-
north-east, we had been upon it by our course that we steered before, if
we could not have seen it. This morning we saw many great trees and logs
swim by us, which, it is probable, came out of some great rivers on the
main.

On the 16th we crossed the line, and found variation 6 degrees 26 minutes
east. The 18th, by my observation at noon, we found that we had had a
current setting to the southward, and probably that drew us in so nigh
Scouten's Island. For this twenty-four hours we steered east-by-north
with a large wind, yet made but an east-by-south half south course,
though the variation was not above 7 degrees east.

The 21st we had a current setting to the northward, which is against the
true trade monsoon, it being now near the full moon. I did expect it
here, as in all other places. We had variation 8 degrees 45 minutes
east. The 22nd we found but little current, if any; it set to the
southward.

On the 23rd, in the afternoon, we saw two snakes, and the next morning
another passing by us, which was furiously assaulted by two fishes, that
had kept us company five or six days; they were shaped like mackerel, and
were about that bigness and length, and of a yellow-greenish colour. The
snake swam away from them very fast, keeping his head above water; the
fish snapped at his tail, but when he turned himself, that fish would
withdraw, and another would snap, so that by turns they kept him
employed, yet he still defended himself, and swam away a great pace, till
they were out of sight.

The 25th, betimes in the morning, we saw an island to the southward of
us, at about fifteen leagues' distance. We steered away for it,
supposing it to be that which the Dutch call Wishart's Island; but,
finding it otherwise, I called it Matthias, it being that saint's day.
This island is about nine or ten leagues long, mountainous and woody,
with many savannahs, and some spots of land which seemed to be cleared.

At eight in the evening we lay by, intending, if I could, to anchor under
Matthias Isle; but the next morning, seeing another island about seven or
eight leagues to the eastward of it, we steered away for it. At noon we
came up fair with its south-west end, intending to run along by it and
anchor on the south-east side, but the tornadoes came in so thick and
hard that I could not venture in. This island is pretty low and plain,
and clothed with wood; the trees were very green, and appeared to be
large and tall, as thick as they could stand one by another. It is about
two or three leagues long, and at the south-west point there is another
small, low, woody island, about a mile round, and about a mile from the
other. Between them there runs a reef of rocks which joins them. (The
biggest I named Squally Island.)

Seeing we could not anchor here, I stood away to the southward, to make
the main; but having many hard squalls and tornadoes, we were often
forced to hand all our sails and steer more easterly to go before it. On
the 26th at four o'clock it cleared up to a hard sky and a brisk settled
gale; then we made as much sail as we could. At five it cleared up over
the land, and we saw, as we thought, Cape Solomaswer bearing south-south-
east, distance ten leagues. We had many great logs and trees swimming by
us all this afternoon, and much grass; we steered in south-south-east
till six, then the wind slackened, and we stood off till seven, having
little wind; then we lay by till ten, at which time we made sail, and
steered away east all night. The next morning, as soon as it was light,
we made all the sail we could, and steered away east-south-east, as the
land lay, being fair in sight of it, and not above seven leagues'
distance. We passed by many small low woody islands which lay between us
and the main, not laid down in our drafts. We found variation 9 degrees
50 minutes east.

The 28th we had many violent tornadoes, wind, rain, and some spouts, and
in the tornadoes the wind shifted. In the night we had fair weather, but
more lightning than we had seen at any time this voyage. This morning we
left a large high island on our larboard side, called in the Dutch drafts
Wishart's Isle, about six leagues from the main; and, seeing many smokes
upon the main, I therefore steered towards it.

The mainland at this place is high and mountainous, adorned with tall,
flourishing trees; the sides of the hills had many large plantations and
patches of clear land, which, together with the smoke we saw, were
certain signs of its being well inhabited; and I was desirous to have
some commerce with the inhabitants. Being nigh shore, we saw first one
proa; a little after, two or three more, and at last a great many boats
came from all the adjacent bays. When they were forty-six in number they
approached so near us that we could see each other's signs and hear each
other speak, though we could not understand them, nor they us. They made
signs for us to go in towards the shore, pointing that way. It was
squally weather, which at first made me cautious of going too near; but
the weather beginning to look pretty well, I endeavoured to get into a
bay ahead of us, which we could have got into well enough at first; but
while we lay by, we were driven so far to leeward that now it was more
difficult to get in. The natives lay in their proas round us; to whom I
showed beads, knives, glasses, to allure them to come nearer. But they
would not come so nigh as to receive anything from us; therefore I threw
out some things to them, viz., a knife fastened to a piece of board, and
a glass bottle corked up with some beads in it, which they took up, and
seemed well pleased. They often struck their left breast with their
right hand, and as often held up a black truncheon over their heads,
which we thought was a token of friendship, wherefore we did the like.
And when we stood in towards their shore, they seemed to rejoice; but
when we stood off, they frowned, yet kept us company in their proas,
still pointing to the shore. About five o'clock we got within the mouth
of the bay, and sounded several times, but had no ground, though within a
mile of the shore. The basin of this bay was about two miles within us,
into which we might have gone; but as I was not assured of anchorage
there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at this time, it being near
night, and seeing a black tornado rising in the west, which I most
feared. Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by us; and
the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to the other,
where there could not be less than three or four hundred more. What
weapons they had, we knew not, nor yet their design; therefore I had, at
their first coming near us, got up all our small arms, and made several
put on cartouch boxes, to prevent treachery. At last I resolved to go
out again; which, when the natives in their proas perceived, they began
to fling stones at us as fast as they could, being provided with engines
for that purpose, wherefore I named this place Slinger's Bay; but at the
firing of one gun they were all amazed, drew off, and flung no more
stones. They got together, as if consulting what to do; for they did not
make in towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them were killed
or wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but that I
was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I could not
hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me.

The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes, and
men in the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking much pains
to overtake us, but they could not, though we went with an easy sail, and
I could not now stay for them. As I passed by the south-east point I
sounded several times within a mile of the Sandy Bays, but had no ground.
About three leagues to the northward of the south-east point we opened a
large, deep bay, secured from west-north-west and south-west winds. There
were two other islands that lay to the north-east of it, which secured
the bay from north-east winds; one was but small, yet woody; the other
was a league long, inhabited, and full of cocoa-nut trees. I endeavoured
to get into this bay, but there came such flaws off from the high land
over it that I could not. Besides, we had many hard squalls, which
deterred me from it; and, night coming on, I would not run any hazard,
but bore away to the small inhabited island, to see if we could get
anchorage on the east side of it. When we came there we found the island
so narrow, that there could be no shelter; therefore I tacked and stood
towards the greater island again; and being more than midway between
both, I lay by, designing to endeavour for anchorage next morning.
Between seven and eight at night we spied a canoe close by us, and seeing
no more, suffered her to come aboard. She had three men in her, who
brought off five cocoa-nuts, for which I gave each of them a knife and a
string of beads, to encourage them to come off again in the morning: but
before these went away we saw two more canoes coming; therefore we stood
away to the northward from them, and then lay by again till day. We saw
no more boats this night, neither designed to suffer any to come aboard
in the dark.

By nine o'clock the next morning we were got within a league of the great
island, but were kept off by violent gusts of wind. These squalls gave
us warning of their approach by the clouds which hung over the mountains,
and afterwards descended to the foot of them; and then it is we expect
them speedily.

On the 3rd of March, being about five leagues to leeward of the great
island, we saw the mainland ahead, and another great high island to
leeward of us, distant about seven leagues, which we bore away for. It
is called in the Dutch drafts Garret Dennis Isle. It is about fourteen
or fifteen leagues round, high and mountainous, and very woody. Some
trees appeared very large and tall, and the bays by the seaside are well
stared with cocoa-nut trees, where we also saw some small houses. The
sides of the mountains are thickset with plantations, and the mould in
the new-cleared land seemed to be of a brown-reddish colour. This island
is of no regular figure, but is full of points shooting forth into the
sea, between which are many sandy bays, full of cocoa-nut trees. The
middle of the isle lies in 3 degrees 10 minutes south latitude. It is
very populous. The natives are very black, strong, and well-limbed
people, having great round heads, their hair naturally curled and short,
which they shave into several forms, and dye it also of divers
colours--viz., red, white, and yellow. They have broad round faces, with
great bottle-noses, yet agreeable enough till they disfigure them by
painting, and by wearing great things through their noses as big as a
man's thumb, and about four inches long. These are run clear through
both nostrils, one end coming out by one cheek-bone, and the other end
against the other; and their noses so stretched that only a small slip of
them appears about the ornament. They have also great holes in their
ears, wherein they wear such stuff as in their noses. They are very
dexterous, active fellows in their proas, which are very ingeniously
built. They are narrow and long, with outriggers on one side, the head
and stern higher than the rest, and carved into many devices--viz., some
fowl, fish, or a man's head painted or carved; and though it is but
rudely done, yet the resemblance appears plainly, and shows an ingenious
fancy. But with what instruments they make their proas or carved work I
know not, for they seem to be utterly ignorant of iron. They have very
neat paddles, with which they manage their proas dexterously, and make
great way through the water. Their weapons are chiefly lances, swords
and slings, and some bows and arrows. They have also wooden fish-spears
for striking fish. Those that came to assault us in Slinger's Bay on the
main are in all respects like these, and I believe these are alike
treacherous. Their speech is clear and distinct. The words they used
most when near us were _vacousee allamais_, and then they pointed to the
shore. Their signs of friendship are either a great truncheon, or bough
of a tree full of leaves, put on their heads, often striking their heads
with their hands.

The next day, having a fresh gale of wind, we got under a high island,
about four or five leagues round, very woody, and full of plantations
upon the sides of the hills; and in the bays, by the waterside, are
abundance of cocoa-nut trees. It lies in the latitude of 3 degrees 25
minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape Mabo 1,316 miles. On the
south-east part of it are three or four other small woody islands, one
high and peaked, the others low and flat, all bedecked with cocoa-nut
trees and other wood. On the north there is another island of an
indifferent height and of a somewhat larger circumference than the great
high island last mentioned. We passed between this and the high island.
The high island is called in the Dutch drafts Anthony Cave's Island. As
for the flat, low island, and the other small one, it is probable they
were never seen by the Dutch, nor the islands to the north of Garret
Dennis's Island. As soon as we came near Cave's Island some canoes came
about us, and made signs for us to come ashore, as all the rest had done
before, probably thinking we could run the ship aground anywhere, as they
did their proas, for we saw neither sail nor anchor among any of them,
though most Eastern Indians have both. These had proas made of one tree,
well dug, with outriggers on one side; they were but small, yet well
shaped. We endeavoured to anchor, but found no ground within a mile of
the shore. We kept close along the north side, still sounding till we
came to the north-east end, but found no ground, the canoes still
accompanying us, and the bays were covered with men going along as we
sailed. Many of them strove to swim off to us, but we left them astern.
Being at the north-east point, we found a strong current setting to the
north-west, so that though we had steered to keep under the high island,
yet we were driven towards the flat one. At this time three of the
natives came on board. I gave each of them a knife, a looking-glass, and
a string of beads. I showed them pumpkins and cocoa-nut shells, and made
signs to them to bring some aboard, and had presently three cocoa-nuts
out of one of the canoes. I showed them nutmegs, and by their signs I
guessed they had some on the island. I also showed them some gold dust,
which they seemed to know, and called out "Manneel, Manneel," and pointed
towards the land. A while after these men were gone, two or three canoes
came from the flat island, and by signs invited us to their island, at
which the others seemed displeased, and used very menacing gestures and,
I believe, speeches to each other. Night coming on, we stood off to sea,
and having but little wind all night, were driven away to the north-west.
We saw many great fires on the flat island. The last men that came off
to us were all black as those we had seen before, with frizzled hair.
They were very tall, lusty, well-shaped men. They wear great things in
their noses, and paint as the others, but not much. They make the same
signs of friendship, and their language seems to be one; but the others
had proas, and these canoes. On the sides of some of these we saw the
figures of several fish neatly cut, and these last were not so shy as the
others.