Tuvai put on shore. 



Hooru Island. Matthews' Rock. 



VP-W snTTTH WATT?a Ball's Pyramid. Port Jacks 

 HEW hOUlH WALES. Arrival at Sydney. 



Port Jackson entered. 



117 



with the shore, and resolved to take advantage of 

 it by landing the prisoner Tuvai. I conceived 

 that this would accomplish all the ends I had in 

 view in removing him from his native island, par- 

 ticularly as the course of the wind is such, for the 

 greater part of the year, as to prevent canoes pro- 

 ceeding from Wallis Island to the Samoan Group, 

 and there is in consequence no communication be- 

 tween them. His fate would of course remain a 

 mystery to his countrymen, and the impression I 

 had hoped to produce on their minds would be 

 effectually made. My original intention had been 

 to land him at Hoorn Island, which is two days' 

 sail further to the south ; but a similar opportunity 

 might not perhaps have presented itself there. 



Having decided on this course, I committed him 

 to the charge of the person who had boarded us, 

 and gave particular directions that he, with his 

 rolls of tapa, should be immediately taken and 

 presented to the chief. The customs of the islanders 

 promised that this would insure him good treat- 

 ment, by giving him at once a protector ; or at 

 least that he would be only robbed by a single 

 person, and not exposed to the pillage of the whole 

 population, who would in all probability have 

 stripped him of his property the instant he landed, 

 if not restrained by the authority of a chief. 



Tuvai seemed delighted at being released from 

 his confinement on ship-board, and took his leave 

 by shaking hands with the sentry. Thus, while 

 the culprit has not been exposed to any unneces- 

 sary severity of punishment, I feel satisfied that I 

 fully accomplished my object of convincing his 

 countrymen that they could not hope to commit 

 murders upon their white visitors with impunity. 



These islands appear to be well wooded, and we 

 saw many large native houses upon them. As we 

 drew near, we perceived upon a rocky flat a few 

 natives waving a white flag. The native who came 

 on board informed me that the inhabitants were 

 numerous, and that among them there were ten 

 white men. 



The entrance to the lagoon is on the south side 

 of the Group, and the pilot, if so he may be called, 

 informed me that there was ample room for the 

 ship to pass within the reef. Wood, water, and 

 refreshments may be obtained here. 



Hoorn Island we made the following day. It 

 was discovered in 1616 by Schouten and Le Maire. 

 Its highest point is two thousand five hundred 

 feet above the sea ; on its northern side many 

 rocks are visible, and the whole surface appears 

 bold and precipitous, affording, as far as we could 

 perceive, little soil for cultivation. Cocoa-palms 

 in considerable numbers, were, however, observed 

 upon a low point projecting from its southern side. 

 This island is inhabited, and I have been informed 

 that an unsuccessful attempt to establish a mission 

 upon it was made by the Catholics in 1840. 



On the 18th we saw Matthews' Rock, whose 

 height we ascertained to be 1 186 feet. It is of a 

 conical shape, about a mile in circumference, and 

 principally composed of conglomerate. A dike of 

 basalt was observed occupying about a third of the 

 width of the island. In order to obtain specimens, 

 a boat was despatched to endeavour to effect a 

 landing : the undertaking proved difficult, but was 

 accomplished by Dr. Fox and Midshipman Henry, 

 who swam through the surf. They brought off 

 some specimens of porphyritic rock, and a few 



small crystals of selenite. Patches were seen on 

 the northern side of the island appearing as if 

 covered with sulphur. As has been so often men- 

 tioned in speaking of other uninhabited islands, 

 great numbers of birds were seen upon and around 

 it. This island is in latitude 22 2?' S., longitude 

 172 10' 33" E. 



On the 26th November we made Ball's Pyra- 

 mid, which appears to be a barren rock rising 

 abruptly from the sea. 



At sunset on the 29th of November we made 

 the light-house on the headland of Port Jackson. 

 We had a fair wind for entering the harbour, and 

 although the night was dark, and we had no pilot, 

 yet as it was important to avoid any loss of time, I 

 determined to run in. I adopted this resolution, 

 because, although we were all unacquainted with the 

 channel, I was assured that the charts in our pos- 

 session might be depended upon, and I stood on 

 under a press of sail, accompanied by the Peacock. 

 At 8 P.M. we found ourselves at the entrance of the 

 harbour. Here a light erected on a shoal called 

 the Sow and Pigs, since the publication of the 

 charts, caused a momentary hesitation, but it was 

 not long before it was determined where it was 

 placed, and with this new aid, I decided to run up 

 and anchor off the Cove. In this I succeeded, and 

 the Peacock, directed by signal, followed the Vin- 

 cennes. At half-past 10 P.M. we quietly dropped 

 anchor off the Cove, in the midst of the shipping, 

 without any one having the least idea of our 

 arrival. 



When the good people of Sydney looked abroad 

 in the morning, they were much astonished to see 

 two men-of-war lying among their shipping, which 

 had entered their harbour in spite of the difficulties 

 of the channel, without being reported, and un- 

 known to the pilots. Their streets were speedily 

 alive with our officers and men, who were de- 

 lighted at finding themselves once more in a 

 civilized country, and one where their own lan- 

 guage was spoken. 



The Porpoise and Flying- Fish arrived the next 

 day. 



Our consul, J. W. Williams, Esq., came early on 

 board to welcome us. He communicated the in- 

 formation that the Relief had arrived safely, and 

 landed all our stores, which were ready for us and 

 close at hand ; after which, and about ten days 

 before our arrival, she had sailed for the United 

 States. 



Our arrival was duly announced by an officer, 

 and through him I was informed that the governor, 

 Sir George Gipps, would be happy to receive me 

 at eleven o'clock. . In compliance with this intima- 

 tion, I had the honour of waiting upon his ex- 

 cellency at that hour, in company with Captain 

 Hudson, and our consul. I made my apologies 

 for having entered the harbour in so unceremonious 

 a manner, and stated the reasons why I could not 

 tender the customary salutes. 



The reception I met with was truly kind : every 

 assistance which lay in his power was cordially 

 offered ; and I was assured that I had only to 

 make my wants known to have them supplied. 

 The use of Fort Macquarie was immediately 

 granted me for an observatory, a position which, 

 being within hail of my ship, gave me great facili- 

 ties for conducting my experiments, and at the 

 same time superintending my other duties. 



