izo NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



with the ships round the northern reefs and sandbanks to the bay on the north-west 

 side of Darnley Island, which was named TREACHEROUS BAY. 



" gth July. In the afternoon they anchored, . . . the extremes of the island 

 bearing E.JN. to SW. by S., and the nearest part distant a quarter of a mile. A 

 boat was sent on shore, and returned at sunset with a few coco-nuts, but without 

 having seen any of the inhabitants. 



" loth July. An armed party of 44 men landed from the ships, under the 

 command of Mr. Dell. After hoisting the Union Jack and TAKING POSSESSION of this 

 and the neighbouring islands and coast of New Guinea in the name of His Majesty, 

 they examined the huts, and found the greatcoats of Captain Hill, Mr. Carter and 

 Mr. Shaw, with several other things which had belonged to them and to the boat's 

 crew, so that no doubt was entertained of their having been MURDERED. In the 

 evening, the party arrived from making the tour of the island, having burnt and 

 destroyed 135 huts, 16 canoes measuring from 50 to 70 feet in length, and various 

 plantations of sugar-cane. The natives appeared to have retired to the hills in the 

 centre of the island, as not one of them could be discovered. . . . The plantations 

 of the natives, which were extensive and numerous in the plains, contained yams, 

 sweet potatoes, plantains and sugar-canes, included within neat fences of bamboo, 

 and coco-nut trees were very abundant, particularly near the habitations. 



" The habitations of the Indians were generally placed at the heads of the small 

 coves, and formed into villages of ten or twelve huts each. ... In each of the huts 

 . . . were suspended two or three human skulls, and several strings of hands, five 

 or six on a string. These were hung round a wooden image, rudely carved into the 

 representation of a man or of some bird. ... In one hut, containing much the 

 greater number of skulls, a kind of gum was found burning before one of these 

 images. . . . 



" The corpse of a man who had been shot we found disposed of in the following 

 manner. Six stakes were driven into the ground about three feet from each other 

 and six feet high. A platform of twigs was worked upon them at the height of about 

 five feet, and upon this the body was laid, without covering ; but the putrid state of 

 the corpse did not allow of a close inspection. 



" I lib July. The ' Hormuzeer ' stood north. In the afternoon both ships 

 anchored off STEPHENS' ISLAND. An armed party was immediately sent ashore to 

 obtain intelligence, if possible, of the lost whaleboat. The NATIVES were assembled 

 in hostile array upon the hills, sounding their conches, but after lancing a few arrows 

 they fled. Several were wounded by the shots fired in return, but they succeeded 

 in escaping to a canoe at the back of the island and getting off, all except one boy, 

 who was taken unhurt. In the huts which were burnt, several things were found, 

 and amongst them a sheet of copper which belonged to the ' Chesterfield. 1 



" 12th July. Stephens' Island was traversed all over, and a spike nail, with the 

 King's broad arrow upon it, was brought on board. [Note by Flinders : ' It had 

 probably been obtained from the crews of either the " Providence " or " Assistant," 

 which had been anchored under Stephens' Island nine months before.'] 



" i-^th July. A boat was sent to CAMPBELL'S ISLAND, but it did not contain either 

 plantations, coco-nut trees or fixed habitations. . . . 



" In the afternoon, the ships proceeded to the westward, but, meeting with 

 many reefs, they hauled more to the north, and discovered BRISTOW ISLAND, lying 

 close to the coast of New Guinea. Their attempts to find a passage here were 

 fruitless, and, after incurring much danger, the Chesterfield ' getting aground, they 

 returned to their former anchorage in the evening of 



" 21 st July. The banks, reefs and land seen during these eight days will be found 

 marked in Plate XIII. 



" Two canoes immediately came off from STEPHENS' ISLAND, and one of the 

 natives remained on board the ' Hormuzeer ' till 8 o'clock. He seemed to be without 

 fear, and when inquiry was made after the lost boat and people, he pointed to a whale- 

 boat and made signs that such a one had been at Darnley's Island, and that six of 



