20 
MEMOIRS OF THE QUEEN SLAHI) MUSEUM, 
AN INTERESTING RELIC OF THE EARLY 
DAYS OF AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION. 
By R. Hamlyn-Harris, D.Sc., Etc. (Director). 
(Illustrated in Plate XI.) 
The exceptional interest attaching to the “ Investigator” tree from Sweers 
Island/ Gulf of Carpentaria, demands some slight notice, in view of the fact 
tliat the greater portion of the tree has now been safely housed in one of the 
larger cases in the Aboriginal Court of the Queensland Museum. It would 
appear that the first date and name to he marked upon this tree was “ 1781 
Lowy,” the name of an early Dutch sailing vessel commanded by Captain Tasman, 
and secondly “ 1798,” together with some Chinese' characters. It was usual at 
that early date for the Chinese to visit the Gulf waters for the purpose of 
collecting beche-de-mer. Some years prior to the arrival of Captain Flinders on 
Wednesday, 17th November, 1802, a junk was Avrecked on the island, and a 
number of the crew Avho were saved lived on the Island until rescued by a 
Macassar prow. The mast of the junk was of teak-vA’ood, and is still, I believe, 
to be seen on the beach. 
Flinders marked this tree with the figures and Avord “ 1802 Investigator” 
prior to his leaving the island in December of the same year. The Avords ‘ ‘ Kobert 
Devine” (first lieutenant) are remarkably well cut. 
In 1841 Captain Stokes' inscribed the name of his vessel, the “ Beagle.” 
upon the tree. The exact situation of the “Investigator” tree and the Avell 
close to it he obtained from Flinders’ charts and diary. 
In 1856 “ Chimmo,” a lieutenant and naval surA'eyor in command of the 
“ Sandfly,” cut his name on the tree. In his diary he speaks of finding a well 
AAhich Flinders sank on Sweers Island and AA'hich he describes as being rather 
brackish. Further, the tree Arms found and marked by Cajrtain Norman, of the 
' Voyage of Terra Australis in H.M.S. ‘ ‘ Investigator, ’ ’ commanded by Matthew 
Flinders, London, 181d, volume 2, page 135. 
^ Two Chinese spoons and some coins, from this very point where Captain Flinders saw 
the skeletons referred to in The Voyage to Terra Australis, are now in the possession of 
Captain W. C. Thomson, s.s. Wyandra/^ to whom I am indebted for much valuable assistance. 
® Stokes, Discoveries in Australia, London, 1846, volume 2, page 270. 
