MELVILLE ISLAND. 129 opinion of Captain Laws, whose judgment on such subjects cannot be called in question. Having made these few general observations, relative to Melville Island, I shall proceed to give a slight sketch of Raffles Bay (the second-formed British settlement on the north coast of New Holland); and as, during my sojourn there, I had much intercourse with the Aborigines, and embraced every opportunity of acquiring information concerning them, my remarks may, perhaps, not be deemed altogether devoid of interest. K CHAPTER IX. A British Settlement formed at Raffles Bay-Extract from the Diary of the Commandant-Extract from Mr. Duncan's Journal, containing an account of the occurrences attending the formation of the Settlement, and also the narrative of a Lascar, relative to the Aborigines of the North-east Coast of New Holland. JUDGING from the accounts received, respecting the settlement at Melville Island, that it was likely to prove a failure, and being unwilling to abandon the north coast of New Holland, the Home Government determined to make another trial. Captain Stirling, of H. M. S. Success, being charged with the execution of this important commission, sailed from Sydney, accompanied by three merchant vessels, which conveyed the troops, volunteers, provisions, and stores. On the 17th of June, 1827, they arrived at Raffles Bay', where it was determined to form the new settle 1 Raffles Bay was discovered by Captain King, on the 16th of April, 1820, and so named by him, from his having had an opportunity of forwarding a letter to Sir Stamford Raffles by a Malay proa, several of which he met, for the first time, on that day.-Vide King's Australia. FORT WELLINGTON. 131 ment, without spending time in search of a more desirable situation. Various reasons, which it is now needless to mention, have been assigned for this supposed precipitancy. Suffice it to say, the settlement was formed on the 18th of June, and named, in honour of the day, Fort Wellington. Having been favoured, by the courtesy of the Colonial Government, with an inspection of all the official documents, relative to Melville Island and Raffles Bay, I have availed myself of this privilege on several occasions, and am thereby enabled to present the reader with the following extracts from the diary of Captain Smyth, the first Commandant of Raffles Bay; and, as they afford a concise account of events which occurred in the formation of the settlement, they will, I have no doubt, be considered very interesting. Memorandum of passing events, from the commencement of the New Settlement at Fort Wellington, in Raffles Bay, on the Northern Coast of New Holland. “Sunday, June 17th, 1827.-Came to anchor in Raffles Bay, at eleven, A. M., three and a half fathoms water, about a mile from the shore. Surveyed by Captain Stirling, and selected by him as the fittest situation on which to found the new settlement, on the northeast side of the bay. "The bay appears capable of sheltering any number of vessels, but the water is shoal for a mile from the shore; even small boats cannot get in at low water, except at one point, about three quarters of a mile from the camp, to the N.N.W." "Monday, June 18th.-Early this morning, sent parties on shore, protected, with tents, &c., which were immediately fixed, at four, 132 EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY P. M. Captain Stirling, with part of the officers and crew of H. M. S. Success, came on shore; also myself, and detachment from the Lansdowne, when the British flag was hoisted, and possession taken of this land by Captain Stirling, in the name, and on the behalf of, His Majesty King George the Fourth;-the Success firing a royal salute, the 39th and marines a feu de joie, concluding with three hearty cheers, which were answered by the crew remaining on board the Success, Marquis of Lansdowne, and Amity and Caledonian brigs. The settlement is named, by Captain Stirling, Fort Wellington, in honour of the anniversary of that day's achievements at Waterloo." "Tuesday, June 19th.-Hoisted the union at sunrise. Troops and mechanics employed in disembarking cattle, and securing them on shore. Employed all hands, after breakfast, in bringing public stores on shore. About forty of the crew of the Success, under the command of Lieutenant Belcher, R. N., commenced their preparations for building a substantial log-house and battery. Gardener employed in preparing ground for seeds and plants." “Friday, June 22d.-Ten or twelve of the natives seen about a mile from the camp, to the west. They fled on the approach of the watering party from the Lansdowne, leaving two spears and a wamero on the ground, which were brought off by the officer in charge of the watering party." "Saturday, June 23d.-Our whale-boat being very leaky, having suffered considerable injury in the passage, needed repair, and I placed her under the shade of some mangrove trees at the water's edge, about 300 yards off the camp. Lashed her by stem-and-stern, and took out the plug, that she might fill at high water. Cabbage and raddish seeds sown this day. At ten, P. M., the native dogs made an incessant howling in the vicinity of the camp." "Sunday, June 24th.-Seamen drew their seine at daylight; caught an abundance of mullet, some few soles, bream, and a variety of nondescripts. I tried the settlement seine (which, in fact, is not one as specified in the invoice, but a common net, without a purse or cod); caught no fish. Received a mess from the Success's boat for all hands. Fired the dry grass round the camp, having ranged men to stop it within certain limits; it burnt most furiously. Sent another party in search of the heifer that had strayed: one of the party being a little in the rear of the others, was chased by a number of OF THE COMMANDANT OF RAFFLES BAY. 133 natives with spears (about seventy or one hundred), who fled on his reaching his party." "Monday, June 25th.-Peach slips put in the ground. Collected a quantity of trepang, of which there is an abundance lying in the mud along the shore; boiled some, and reduced it nearly to a jelly. I conceive it may make very good soup when we know how to dress it. The largest and finest specimens are grey, with a light grey belly: the black are not numerous, and very small. I can perceive no difference in favour of the latter, when made into soup. Some very fine light brown clay was brought me by one of the prisoners, Potts, a potter he pronounced it to be very good for any purpose to which clay is applied, and reports that there is a bed of it, of some acres, about three miles to the south, near a river. I shall ascertain the truth of this circumstance as soon as time will permit." "Tuesday, June 26th.-Success's crew and ourselves employed from daylight till sunset, as usual. The heat very oppressive; myriads of the green ants on every tree, excessively annoying to the workmen; the flies, also, are intolerably numerous and troublesome, and particularly attack the eyes; most of the men find it absolutely necessary to put something over the face as a safeguard, and, even with this precaution, I have some men with sore eyes. Gardener put some potatoes in the ground this day. At nine this morning, discovered the whale-boat was gone from her birth. Sent an armed party along the coast to the N.W., and went in the same direction in a boat myself; found she had been taken by the natives to the mouth of a small fresh-water river, about three miles off, hauled up, high and dry, and stripped of every particle of iron about her; both ends opened, and rendered altogether useless. The ship's pinnace brought her back. Seeds sown on Saturday appeared above ground. Four sentinels on duty this night." "Saturday, June 30th.-Gardener, this day, planted sugar cane. This night, we were disturbed by the natives, and about two o'clock I heard the sentinel challenge: I arose, and was informed by him that ten or twelve had come within a few yards of him; the darkness of the night prevented his seeing them sooner, when he challenged, and they fled. I went on the beach, and, with a lanthorn, found, by the tracks of their feet, that the sentry was correct. At daylight, I |