XXXIII. 
On June 9th we anchored at No. 4 Howick Group. 
Our next stage was Flinders’ Island. The land along which we passed was very rough and rocky ; 
indeed, Cape Melville is the most wonderful conglomeration of rocks I ever saw. 
Two days more took us to Cape Grenville [June 12th]. On the first of these we anchored off Cape 
Sidmouth, on the next near the Piper Islands. Our stay at Cape Grenville of five days was occupied on 
the part of the crew in refilling our empty water tanks, and on that of the collectors by doing what they 
could in their respective lines. Our success, however, was not very great. The weather was stormy and 
wet, and the country was the most arid and barren that can well be imagined. 
On June 18th, the morning after we left Cape Grenville, we sailed through the Albany Passage, past 
the settlement of Somerset, and cast anchor about a mile and a-half beyond it in Mud Bay. 
The Chevert was detained here until the 26th June, awaiting the arrival of the mail from Sydney. 
The time was employed constantly in collecting, but without any very marked success. The country near 
the settlement is densely wooded, but of the poorest possible character. 
Our course after leaving Australia was due north to Warrior Island, a distance of 60 miles ; but, as 
we were late in getting away from our anchorage, we were compelled to drop anchor the first night under 
the lee of Sue Island, one of three low wooded islets lying about five miles apart, known as the “ Three 
Sisters,” the others being named Bet and Poll. The most notable thing about Sue Island was that the 
anchorage ground we were on, about a mile north-west of the island, seemed to be perfectly covered with 
masses of the young pearlshell, and we subsequently found the same to be the case off Bet Island. On the 
following day we anchored off Warrior Island—a mere sandbank of small extent, and without vegetation, 
but the birthplace and home of the strongest, most numerous, and most adventurous of the races inhabiting 
the islands of Torres Straits. 
On Tuesday morning, June 28th, we proceeded on our course to New Guinea, making for the mouth of 
the Katow River. Our direction was nearly due north, the wind was fair though strong, and the great 
Warrior Reef, which stretches almost without a break from Warrior Island to the coast of New Guinea 
near Bristow Island, effectually sheltered us from the heavy sea to which we would otherwise have been 
exposed. We anticipated, therefore, an easy run of a few hours to the Katow, and our pilot, Tongatabu 
Joe, assured us that the way was clear and open. We found ourselves, however, soon after the shore of 
New Guinea had become distinctly visible and while we were still nearly twelve miles from land, involved 
in a mass of reefs in little more than two fathoms of water, and it took five days of unremitting work on 
the part of the captain in sounding and buoying our way, two miles at a time, before we finally dropped 
anchor about one and a-half miles from the mouth of the Katow River and village of Mohatta. 
Next morning [July 3rd] we were visited by two canoes, with about twelve men in each. In one was 
Maino, the head man of the village of Mohatta ; in the other Owta, the head man of a village three miles 
further west, and just visible from the ship. They came on board with the utmost confidence. 
Shortly afterwards we landed, to the number of twenty-two, in the fishing and surf boats, and were 
received at the village by the elder members of the tribe, seated in a circle upon a large piece of 
new matting. 
On our first day ashore we walked for a little distance along the beach, attended by all the youngsters 
of the village, who seemed quite delighted at our visit, and kept supplying us with grasshoppers and every 
living thing they could pick up, with the greatest diligence. 
A few birds were shot, but Mr, Masters found all attempts to penetrate the jungle ineffectual. 
e 
