CHAPTER XLIX 



MORESBY 

 FIRST CRUISE OF THE "BASILISK" TO TORRES STRAIT, 1871 



CAPTAIN MORESBY TAKES STEAM CRUISER " BASILISK " BY INNER ROUTE TO CAPE YORK. 

 CARRIES HORSES AND STORES FOR SOMERSET. ABUSES IN LABOUR TRAFFIC. MEETS 

 AND TAKES POSSESSION OF SCHOONER " PERI," WITH THIRTEEN SOLOMON ISLANDERS. 

 THEIR STORY. CARGO OF KIDNAPPED ISLANDERS TAKEN TO FIJI BY THE " NUKA- 

 LOW " AND HIRED OUT. ElGHTY TRANSFERRED TO " ?ERI " FOR CONVEYANCE TO 

 OTHER ISLANDS OF FIJIAN GROUP. SHORT RATIONS AND HARSH TREATMENT AT 

 SEA CAUSE RISING. WHITE OFFICERS AND FIJIAN CREW THROWN OVERBOARD. 

 SOLOMON ISLANDERS IGNORANT OF NAVIGATION. " PERI " DRIFTED 1,800 MILES. 

 STARVATION. ONLY THIRTEEN OF THE EIGHTY MEN LEFT. THESE TAKEN TO 

 CARDWELL. AFTERWARDS TO SYDNEY AND ULTIMATELY RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES. 

 FRANK JARDINE AT SOMERSET. THE ABORIGINES. CHARTING IN TORRES STRAIT. 

 MORESBY ROCK. SADDLE AND GABBA ISLANDS. MOURILYAN REEF. PEARL- 

 SHELLING AT GABBA. INQUIRY INTO RECRUITING IN THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS 

 FOR PEARL-SHELLING INDUSTRY. DOUGLAS AND CHESTER AGREE IN DENOUNCING 

 ABUSES. LEGISLATION FOLLOWS. LICENSING AND GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION OF 

 LABOUR VESSELS AND CONTRACTS WITH LABOURERS. CHARTING SAIBAI ISLAND. 

 WARRIOR ISLAND. A POWERFUL TRIBE. COMPARATIVELY ADVANCED NATIVES. 

 PEARL-SHELLING STATION. MISSIONARIES (NATIVES OF LOYALTY GROUP) FROM 

 CORNWALLIS AND SAIBAI ISLANDS BEGGING AT WARRIOR ISLAND. " BASILISK " 

 THROUGH BASILISK PASS. To LIZARD ISLAND. To COOK'S LANDING-PLACE IN 

 ENDEAVOUR ESTUARY (COOKTOWN FOUNDED Two YEARS LATER). To CARDWELL. 

 BRIG " MARIA," WITH PROSPECTORS FOR NEW GUINEA, WRECKED ON BRAMBLE 

 REEF. CAPTAIN AND Six MEN MAKE FOR CARDWELL IN BOAT. LAND AT TAM 

 O' SHANTER POINT. CAPTAIN AND THREE MEN KILLED BY NATIVES. THREE MEN 

 REACH CARDWELL. THE BOAT FOUND BY LIEUTENANT SABBEN, WHO HAD HURRIED 

 IN GIG FROM CARDWELL. HEAVY ATTACK ON SABBEN'S PARTY BY NATIVES REPULSED. 

 Two RAFTS AND THREE BOATS LEAVE THE WRECK. NINE MEN CLINGING TO 

 RIGGING OF SINKING SHIP. BOATS REACH CARDWELL AFTER GREAT HARDSHIPS. 

 MATE, IN CHARGE OF ONE BOAT WITH THIRTEEN MEN, GOES MAD. TATE, ACTING 

 SURGEON,WAS IN CHARGE OF Two BOATS WITH FlFTEEN MEN. " BASILISK " REACHES 

 CARDWELL. POLICE MAGISTRATE REQUESTS NAVAL ASSISTANCE. MORESBY LENDS A 

 LIEUTENANT AND FOURTEEN MEN, WHO JOIN NATIVE TROOPERS IN A VISIT TO SCENE 

 OF CAPTAIN'S DEATH. " BLOODY VENGEANCE." " BASILISK " TO COOPER'S POINT 

 AND RESCUES ElGHT MEN OUT OF THE THIRTEEN ON THE LARGER REEF. THEY HAD 

 BEEN KEPT ALIVE BY THE KlNDNESS OF THE NATIVES, WHO GAVE THEM FOOD. 

 SMALLER RAFT (CARRYING TWELVE MEN) FOUND. ALL THE MEN HAD BEEN KILLED. 

 " BASILISK " TO PERCY ISLAND, ROCKHAMPTON, BRISBANE AND SYDNEY, 6TH 

 APRIL, 1871. 



HER Majesty's cruiser " Basilisk," commanded by CAPTAIN 

 (afterwards Admiral) JOHN MORESBY, R.N., was a paddle- 

 steamer of 1,031 tons burthen and 400 horse-power 

 and carried five guns. 



352 



