28 



BiHit iMnlnrd.— Attempt to 

 relieve — AmU«dC. 



SOUTHERN CRUISE. 



WollaAton's lilnnd.— N/live*. 

 lletnni In ouiij,'!- Ul.u.il 



At I l\M., being desirous nf sending provisions 

 to (lie party i>n shore, Lieutenant llartstcin was 

 ordered to take clini-|;e of two boats, to communi- 

 cate with them, ninl j^i vt? 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. I nstructions to this 

 effect, were given to Lieutenant Hart-stein, who was 

 enjoined not to risk the lives of the men. We 

 watched them attentively with our glasses. Short Iv- 

 an" er they had anchored their hnnts outside the surf, 

 we perceived Lieutenant Jlartstein and three men 

 strapping on their life -preservers, and preparing 

 themselves forn landing 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, 

 au<l his own, on such an invasion. It was with 

 great anxiety we watched their proceedings; in a 

 tew moments afterwards they were separated from 

 the other boat, mill apparently making prepara- 

 tions. In an instant tht y were borne on the crost 

 of the rollers, and immediately disappeared. Some 

 few minutes after, the boat was seen bottom up 

 among the rollers. Presently the other boats 

 crow were seen pulling in haste towards a person; 

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

 tently for the rest, but no Bigns 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, ami 

 Lieutenant llartstcin and Samuel Stretch proved 

 to be the two that had been saved. Doth 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 Moor.- bad roachrd the shore in nafety. 



Lieutenant Hartstein, on recovering from his 

 exhaustion, informed me, that eu arriving at the 

 surf ami anchoring the Loat, he found it impossible 

 to carry into effect the intention of getting it line 

 on shore. He then concluded that in the surf- 

 hunt, with oars, and a Jiue from the boat outside, 

 iliey might land in safety. Samuel Stretch, John 

 Williams, and Samuel Moore, volunteered to ac- 

 coiupuny him. They Hlrapped on their life-pre- 

 servers, with which they were provided, and were 

 preparing themselves for the trial, whin a wave 

 curling without them, carried them forward with 

 rapidity; in an instant the boat was thrown cud 

 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 wlomi could swim,) together wiili 

 the boat. Williams and Moore swam to the 



l-caell. 



The night proved dark and stormy, and the 

 sipuills 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, iV.c, 

 failed, and it was now deemed advisable for the 

 safety of the brig, to slip our cables nnd go tn sea 

 on the making Of the th<od, 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 bitoy to our cable and anchor; ;nid to 

 prevent her from sinking, our India-rubber life- 

 span? won lushed in her. 



We did not again roach <!ood Success Hay 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 2tith they came 

 on board. I in the 2Jth we recovered our anchor, 

 and on the 28th set sail for Orange Harbour. 



On the evening of the 2!)th, having entered Nas- 

 sau Hay (it being quite dark), as we w ere 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 hi a ming cove of 

 Wolkihtou'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 hero visited by a canoe with six 

 natives, two old women, two young men, iind two 

 children. The two women were paddling, nnd the 

 tire was burning in the usual place. They ap- 

 proached the vessel, singiug their rude song, ^Iley 

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

 side. The expression of the younger ones was ox- 

 tromely prepossessing, evincing much intelligence 

 and good humour. They ate ham nud bread vora- 

 ciously, distending their large mouths, and showiug 

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

 red flannel distributed among them produced groat 

 pleasure ; they lied it around their head- a- .i «-.rt 

 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 Hoodie" they did not understand; 

 but when 1,1 lloiinets of Blue" was played, the\ 

 were all in motion keeping time to it. The vessel 

 at this time was under way, and uo presents could 

 persuade them to continue any longer with OS, 

 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 unite naked. 



1 have seldom seen so happy a group. They 

 were extremely lively anil cheerful, and any thing 

 but miserable, if we could have avoided contrasting 

 their condition with our own. 



The colour of the young men wns 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 wjis pictured in (heir 

 conn i. nances nnd actions, and produced a moral 

 effect that will long he remembered. 



On the 30th we reached Orange Harbour. While 

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

 were soon joined by ihein, and learned with much 

 pleasure that they were all well. The Sea-Uull 

 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. 



Ihe Sen-did! returned to Orange Harbour from 

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

 after parting company, visited, as directed, Decep- 

 tion Island. 



