SECOND VOYAGE THROUGH TORRES STRAIT 113 



England in 1791. The quotations which follow are from Flinders' 

 Journal. 



Having come to the conclusion, when he threaded Torres Strait 

 in the open boat three years before, that ships attempting the 

 passage from the east should keep in touch with the New Guinea 

 coast, Bligh took the " Providence " and " Assistant " north of his 

 former course. After passing south of the Louisiade Archipelago 

 and the south-eastern part of New Guinea, he sighted the REEFS 

 which he named after Captain PORTLOCK on 1st September, 1792. 

 After seeking vainly for a passage to the south, he steered to the 

 north till he had cleared the Portlock Reef, when he bore NW. 

 and SSW. for the high land which he named DARNLEY ISLAND, and 

 anchored NE. of the island on 4th September, 1792. He might, 

 had he known the soundings, have set a straight course SW. for 

 Dalrymple Island, through what is now charted as " BLIGH 

 ENTRANCE,'' but he did not, preferring to make for the landmark 

 to which he gave the name of Darnley. (SEE MAP A.) 



" $th September, 1792. Boats were again sent to sound the passage. Several 

 large sailing canoes were seen, and the cutter making the signal for assistance, the 

 pinnace was sent to her, well manned and armed. On the return of the boats in the 

 afternoon, it appeared that of four canoes which used their efforts to get up to the 

 cutter, one succeeded. There were in it 15 INDIANS . . . and they made signs which 

 were interpreted to be amicable. These signs the officer imitated, but not thinking 

 it prudent to go so near as to take a green coco-nut which was held up to him, he 

 continued rowing for the ship. A man who was sitting upon the shed erected in the 

 centre of the canoe then said something to those below, and immediately they began 

 to string their bows. Two of them had already fitted arrows, when the officer judged 

 it necessary to fire in his own defence. Six muskets were discharged, and the Indians 

 fell flat into the bottom of the canoe, all except the man on the shed. The seventh 

 musket was fired at him. and he fell also. During this time, the canoe dropped astern, 

 and the three others having joined her, they all gave chase to the cutter, trying to 

 cut her off from the ship ; in which they would probably have succeeded had not 

 the pinnace arrived at that juncture to their assistance. The Indians then hoisted 

 their sails and steered for Darnley's Island. 



" No boats could have been manoeuvred better in working to windward than were 

 these long canoes by the naked savages. Had the four been able to reach the cutter, 

 it is difficult to say whether the superiority of our arms would have been equal to 

 the great difference of numbers, considering the ferocity of these people and the skill 

 with which they seemed to manage their weapons. 



" 6th September. Two boats were sent ahead and the vessels followed them, between 

 Canoe Key and the reef lying from it half a mile to the north. After running 12 

 miles beyond this narrow pass, they anchored in 13 fathoms, the latitude being 9 37' 

 and longitude 143 41' [east of Tobin Cay. R. L. J.]. In the afternoon, they 

 proceeded 5 miles further to the NNW., and Darnley's Island then bore S. 74-75 E., 

 2 leagues. Except on the north side, this island appears to be surrounded with reefs 

 and sandbanks to a considerable distance. In sailing for [from. R. L. J.] Canoe 

 Key, the vessels had left on the larboard hand a long chain of reefs and banks, at the 

 north end of which were three low woody islands, the nearest of these, bearing 

 S. 41 W., 2 or 3 miles from the anchorage, was named NEPEAN ISLAND. . . . 



" This day, several canoes from DARNLEY ISLAND came off to both vessels. On 

 approaching, the Indians clapped upon their heads and exclaimed ' Whou ! whou ! 

 whou ! ' repeatedly, with much vehemence ; at the same time they held out arrows 



