AT CAPE YORK. old 



Cape York^ simply because^ while perfectly agreeing* 

 with Mr. Jukes* and several other persons who 

 have drawn the })uhlic attention to the subject^ I 

 have little in addition to offer. Still a few words on 

 the question may not be out of place. The benefi- 

 cial results to be looked for Avere such a settlement 

 to be formed would be — 



1st. A port of reliig'e would be afforded to the 

 crews of vessels wrecked in Torres Strait, and its 

 approaches, who otherwise must make for Boob}^ 

 Island, and there await the uncertainty of being- 

 picked up by some passing' vessel, or even attempt in 

 the boats to reach Coupang- in Timor, a distance of 

 1 100 miles further. And now that the settlement 

 at Port Essing-ton has been abandoned the necessity 

 for such a place of refuge is still greater. 



2nd. Passing* vessels might be supplied with water 

 and other refreshments, also stores, such as anchors, 

 &c., which last are frequently lost during the pas- 

 sage of the Strait. 



3rd. The knowledo-e of the existence of such a 

 post would speedily exercise a beneficial influence 

 over our intercourse with the natives of Torres Strait, 

 and induce them to refrain from a repetition of the 

 outrages which they have frequently committed 

 upon Europeans; the little trade in tortoiseshell 

 which might be pushed in the Strait (as has fi'e- 

 quently been done before by small vessels from 

 Sydney and even from Hong* Kong) a\ ould no longer 



* 



Voyage of the Fly, vol. i. p. 302. 



