214 WHITE— A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 



the latter is shy, and as it runs on the ground and amongst the 

 undergrowth it is difficult to obtain; the natives sometimes 

 snare them. The 'Great Bird' is the shyest of them all. If 

 a stick is cracked, or the slightest noise be made whilst 

 approaching him he is off in an instant. As we lie here at 

 anchor a corner of the island lies to the south of us, the 

 Watalli Channel to the east, the little round island of u Polo 

 Ba'by" (Pig Island) to the north, and the open sea to the west. 

 Northward from Polo Baby lies the Island of "Wamma", on 

 which is situated the town of 'Bobo', a very old trading port 

 for the Malay and Macassar men, and distant about twelve 

 miles. I will not visit Dobo this time as there is nothing to 

 interest me more than I have already seen. I have been very 

 troubled of late with the master and crew, and have deter- 

 mined to return to Australia and fit out with fresh Officers 

 and crew." This is the first time that my father mentions 

 the trouble with his officers and crew, but he had been suffer- 

 ing a great disappointment for many days, and had to put up 

 with a great deal of insolence from the master. The weather 

 was still showery as usual. On Wednesday 4th, the anchor 

 was heaved, and Samuel White gave instructions to the mas- 

 ter to make along the west coast of the Aru's and fetch up 

 at the south end of the Island of Trangan. The wind was very 

 light and weather finer than usual. The yacht kept on her 

 course all night, but the wind being light she made very little 

 headway. About nine next morning the wind freshened, and 

 about 11 a.m. the vessel came to anchor off the west shore of 

 Trangan. Some of the natives were soon off, and the crew 

 with one officer went on shore with the big boat to cut and 

 bring off firewood. Samuel White seems to have stayed on 

 board, as he was very distrustful of his crew, and his sus- 

 picions were well founded as subsequent events will show. 

 The next day the crew were busy bringing off wood. Oocke- 

 rell went on shore and returned with a few birds, amongst 

 them two beautiful little King Birds of Paradise. My father 

 seems to have found it hard to make up his mind to return 

 when there was so much work in front of him; he paced the 

 deck nearly all that night, and seems to have made up his 

 mind, for I have found the following notes written on Satur- 

 day 7th of August : "I gave orders this morning to trim ship 

 by putting some of the stores in the skinning room aft, stow- 

 ing away firewood, and had some spare cable chains shifted aft. 

 I am afraid the master will drop to my move, and guess that 

 I intend to return, I have not told him of my determination 

 yet. A number of natives came off this morning to sell their 





