2)! 



Boat detained. Attempt to 

 relieve. Accident. 



SOUTHERN CRUISE. 



Wollaston's Island. Natives. 

 Return to Orange Island. 



At 1 P.M., being desirous of sending provisions 

 to the party on shore, Lieutenant Hartstein was 

 ordered to take charge of two boats, to communi- 

 cate with them, and give them supplies. 



My intention was to effect this by having a line 

 floated on shore by which to haul the seal boat or 

 yawl, having provisions lashed in her, through the 

 surf by the party on shore. Instructions to this 

 effect were given to Lieutenant Hartstein, who was 

 enjoined not to risk the lives of the men. We 

 watched them attentively with our glasses. Shortly 

 after they had anchored their boats outside the surf, 

 we perceived Lieutenant Hartstein and three men 

 strapping on their life-preservers, and preparing 

 themselves fora lauding in the boat. I felt under 

 great apprehensions of accident. Placing, however, 

 great confidence in that officer's judgment, I was 

 assured he would not risk the lives of the men, 

 and his own, on such an occasion. It was with 

 great anxiety we watched their proceedings; in a 

 few moments afterwards they were separated from 

 the other boat, still apparently making prepara- 

 tions. In an instant they were borne on the crest 

 of the rollers, and immediately disappeared. Some 

 few minutes after, the boat was seen bottom up 

 among the rollers. Presently the other boat's 

 crew were seen pulling in haste towards a person; 

 one was picked up, then another. We looked in- 

 tently for the rest, but no signs of them were seen. 

 We then endeavoured to count the party on shore, 

 and we thought it had increased, but the constant 

 motion of the vessel rendered it impossible to keep 

 our glasses fixed on them for a sufficient length of 

 time to ascertain their number. We now saw the 

 boat returning ; it soon reached the vessel, and 

 Lieutenant Hartstein and Samuel Stretch proved 

 to be the two that had been saved. Both were 

 much exhausted. The persons in the boat, while 

 yet at a distance from the brig, to relieve our 

 anxiety, gave us the joyful intelligence that Wil- 

 liams and Moore had reached the shore in safety. 



Lieutenant Hartstein, on recovering from his 

 exhaustion, informed me, that on arriving at the 

 surf and anchoring the boat, he found it impossible 

 to carry into effect the intention of getting a line 

 on shore. He then concluded that in the surf- 

 boat, with oars, and a line from the boat outside, 

 they might land in safety. Samuel Stretch, John 

 Williams, and Samuel Moore, volunteered to ac- 

 company him. They strapped on their life-pre- 

 servers, with which they were provided, and were 

 preparing themselves for the trial, when a wave 

 curling without them, carried them forward with 

 rapidity; in an instant the boat was thrown end 

 over, and they found themselves struggling for life 

 in a furious surf. Had it not been for the life- 

 preservers, they must all have been drowned. The 

 under-tow assisted in bringing Stretch and himself 

 out, (neither of whom could swim,) together with 

 the boat. Williams and Moore swam to the 

 beach. 



The night proved dark and stormy, and the 

 squalls were furious. 



The morning of the 21st dawned with no better 

 prospect. All our endeavours to get a supply of 

 provisions to the party on shore by kites, &c., 

 failed, and it was now deemed advisable for the 

 safety of the brig, to slip our cables and go to sea 

 on the making of the flood, which sets out of the 

 bay. Previous to this time, we were employed in 



supplying the yawl with provisions, intending to 

 leave her as a buoy to our cable and anchor; and to 

 prevent her from sinking, our India-rubber life- 

 spars were lashed in her. 



We did not again reach Good Success Bay until 

 the night of the 25th, after five days' absence, when 

 we found the party had got the provisions, and 

 were all well. At daylight on the 20th they came 

 on board. On the 27th we recovered our anchor, 

 and on the 28th set sail for Orange Harbour. 



On the evening of the 2yth, having entered Nas- 

 sau Bay (it being quite dark), as we were standing 

 as we supposed over for Orange Harbour, we heard 

 the surf, and suddenly discovered that we were 

 close in and among the kelp; we immediately an- 

 chored in six fathoms. 



At daylight we found ourselves in a snug cove of 

 Wollaston's Island, and discovered that it was the 

 false pack-saddle to the southward of the island 

 which had served to mislead us. 



We were here visited by a canoe with six 

 natives, two old women, two young men, and two 

 children. The two women were paddling, and the 

 fire was burning in the usual place. They ap- 

 proached the vessel, singing their rude song, " Hey 

 meh leh," and continued it until they came along- 

 side. The expression of the younger ones was ex- 

 tremely prepossessing, evincing much intelligence 

 and good humour. They ate ham and bread vora- 

 ciously, distending their large mouths, and showing 

 a strong and beautiful set of teeth. A few strips of 

 red flannel distributed among them produced great 

 pleasure ; they tied it around their heads as a sort 

 of turban. Knowing they were fond of music, I had 

 the fife played, the only instrument we could muster. 

 They seemed much struck with the sound. The 

 tune of "Yankee Doodle" they did not understand; 

 but when " Bonnets of Blue" was played, they 

 were all in motion keeping time to it. The vessel 

 at this time was under way, and no presents could 

 persuade them to continue any longer with us. 

 There was some disposition in the younger ones, 

 but the adults refused to be taken where the fickle- 

 ness of their climate might subject them to be 

 blown off. We found them also extremely imi- 

 tative, repeating over our words and mimicking 

 our motions. They were all quite naked. 



I have seldom seen so happy a group. They 

 were extremely lively and cheerful, and any tiling 

 but miserable, if we could have avoided contrasting 

 their condition with our own. 



The colour of the young men was a pale, and of 

 the old a dark copper colour. Their heads were 

 covered with ashes, but their exterior left a pleas- 

 ing impression. Contentment was pictured in their 

 countenances and actions, and produced a moral 

 effect that will long be remembered. 



On the 30th we reached Orange Harbour. While 

 yet off the port, we made signal for the boats, and 

 were soon joined by them, and learned witli much 

 pleasure that they were all well. The Sea-Gull 

 had returned safely. Lieutenant Craven having 

 entertained some fears of the safety of the launch, 

 which had been absent on a surveying excur- 

 sion, had despatched that vessel in pursuit of 

 her. 



The Sea-Gull returned to Orange Harbour from 

 the southern cruise on the 22ud of March, having, 

 after parting company, visited, as directed, Decep- 

 tion Island. 



