120 EARLY HISTORY OF BRUNY ISLAND, 



"and East from Adventure Bay by a long narrow neck of 

 "land, which in some parts is only 250 or 300 yards across. 

 "To the N.E. it forms a high peninsula extending to the en- 

 " trances of these two bays. To the North and West is the 

 "main land. The greatest extent is about eight miles from 

 "North to South, and about half the distance across. It 

 "has a small island in the middle, and is perfectly land- 

 locked. From the shore of the Isthmus is a bank on 

 "which are numerous oysters and muscles. The muscles 

 "were larger, but not so good as those about Adventure 

 "Bay." "The harbour is fine and capacious, perfectly 

 "free from surf, while on the East side of the Isthmus the 

 "sea broke with great fury. - ' 



Bligh also refers to the "wigwams" of the aborigines. 

 He describes these as being in the form of a perfect sec- 

 tion of a beehive, the open part to the N.E. The covering 

 was large pieces of bark, but was neither wind nor water- 

 tight. Around these temporary shelters were scattered 

 many mussel shells and the remains of crayfish, also hand- 

 fuls of fine shavings, and a bundle of bark about two feet 

 long intended for a flambeau. The wigwam was capable 

 of covering about six people. Bligh himself was unable 

 to personally interview any of the aborigines, but some 

 of the crew met several bands of natives in 

 the bush, and as a result of their observations 

 they reported that the women wore a vestige of clothing 

 in the shape of strips of animals' skins, but that the men 

 were quite naked. The latter had thick bushy beards, 

 but "no paint or dirt was observed about their skins, nor 

 "was the women's hair cut in the manner described by 

 "Capt. Cook." The natives were armed with short sticks 

 ("waddies") and spears about ten feet long. 



Bligh deals to a small extent with the natural 

 history of the locality. One of his descriptions is of 

 great interest, as it is probably the earliest record of the 

 Tasmanian "Porcupine-Anteater" (Tachyglosms (Echidna) 

 aculeata var. seinsa). Bligh records that on Feb- 

 ruary 18th, 1792, "Lieut. Guthrie in excursion to-day 

 "killed an animal of very odd form. It was 17 ins. long 

 "and the sime size round the- shoulders, to which rather 

 "a small flat head is connected so close, that it can 

 "scarcely be said to have a neck. — It has no mouth like 

 "any other animal, but a kind of Duck Bill, 2 ins. long, 

 "which opens at the extremity, where it will not admit 

 "above the size of a small pistol ball. — The tongue is very 

 "small. It has four legs which carry the belly about an 

 "inch or two from the ground, and on each fore foot it has 

 "three very strong claws an inch long and two about a 

 "quarter of an inch. On the hind feet, it has the same 

 "number, but they resemble more the thumb and fingers 



