Jan. 12, 1857.] NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 259 



lagoons among the coral reefs, GO of which were taken upwards of 

 3 cwt. each. In my notices, I informed Mr. Gregory of this fact, 

 and recommended his sending the vessel there, if in want of fresh 

 provisions. I also found in a hard, sandy patch, on nearly the 

 centre of this island, the bones of five persons, who had either died 

 of starvation or had been buried there. They all lay in the same 

 position with heads to the north ; I do not think a grave had been 

 dug, but that the drift sands had accumulated about the bodies, and 

 formed one grave. They had no spears, arms, or any implements near 

 them. A few turtle-bones, shells of the haliotus and helix, were in 

 heaps around. There was not a jaw to be seen with the upper 

 tooth extracted, which is the custom among the North Australians 

 when they arrive at puberty. This circumstance made me conclude 

 they were not aboriginals, but probably a portion of the crew of 

 the Malay proa we had found wrecked on Sweers Island. The 

 North Australians generally bury their dead on trees, or in caves, 

 wrapped in bark or matting, and with their heads to the east, and 

 have always some of their war or fishing implements near them. 

 No indications of these funeral ceremonies were near these skeletons, 

 of which I have preserved one head for examination. 



On Sweers Island, the fresh-water well of Flinders was destroyed 

 by the natives ; not, I believe, intentionally, but accidentally, from 

 constantly running in and out to draw water. The well dug by 

 Captain Stokes of the ' Beagle,' was also destroyed, but proving to 

 be in the best position, I had it redug and cleared, and we obtained 

 five tons of water from it, and left a notice also to show the Australian 

 expedition where they would find it ; planting near and about it 

 pumpkin-seed, onions, and Indian com. The natives were few and 

 very shy. If they, who were watching us most intently from Bentinck 

 Island, were surprised at seeing a ship under sail like the ' Beagle,' 

 what must have been their wonder when they saw the ' Torch ' move 

 through the water by smoke? There was not a native seen on 

 Sweers Island, although there were many there, and their not 

 coming near us may be possibly attributable to fear at so wonderful 

 a structure, moving without the aid of sails or wind. 



About a mile east of this well, we found the remains of the 

 * Investigator's ' well, completely blocked up, having only a slight 

 undulation to mark its spot. We halted under the *' tree," which 

 still plainly bore the. inscriptions of the * Investigator ' and ' Beagle,' 

 the former carved 54 years since and the latter 15. Fortunately I 

 had a bottle in my bag, and I made all heave-to under the tree 

 and join in drinking with a glass of the "Queen's own" to the 

 memory of the adventurous and intrepid Flinders, and to the health 



