Explorers Treated Kindly by Natives

On May 15 the schooner Victoria was taken round to the head of Port Lincoln (proper). James H. Hughes, the surveyor, landed to survey the head of the port and the back of North Side Hill, to the bottom of South (Louth?) Bay. I cannot trace any report of Hughes' work.

Robert Cock proceeded overland to Coffin's Bay accompanied by two men. They travelled through barren, stony country, camping about 6 p.m. Several emus and kangaroos were seen. The following morning break-fast was partaken after two hours' walking, which had brought them to a rather elevated hill composed of granite. From the hill a good view was obtained of the port, Sleaford Bay, and the valley proceeding from North Side Hill. Marble Range was seen, and then Robert Cock makes the unfortunate mistake of say it was the same range as seen to the west ward, from Curtain Point.

He had thought the country south-west of Port Augusta of today bad enough, but the country they now were travelling over eclipsed any thing he had previously met. A few bushes, an occasional patch of grass, seldom seeing either bird or beast, still they trudged on, still over a very poor country. They met with no water, until a tribe of six natives seeing them searching for water, took the party to a waterhole by the sea side in Coffin's Bay.

It is worth recording Cock's remarks about the natives : " They seem to vie with each other in showing us kindness ; and although much agitated at first they ultimately came to us without spear or waddie." The natives gave the party a fire stick, and having received some biscuits they left promising to return the following morning to show where the whaling vessels were anchored. Apparently the natives failed to return.

On May 17, following the natives' path alongside the coast line, the party found that the water near the shore was salt, but higher up the pools were quite fresh. The soil was poor and bare of grass, with a few gumtrees. The party came suddenly upon a tribe of natives fishing, and almost immediately on their wives and children. To prevent a sudden appearance the white party called out to attract attention, and kept a respectable distance from the natives when passing them, but the natives did not move.

SAILING SHIPS SEEN

From the top of a hill, they had an extensive view of the bay and saw three vessels standing off, but they soon came to anchor, 10 miles off shore. After breakfast, the party travelled along the margin of the bay for nine miles and then proceeded to a very high hill to the north-ward, from which North Side Hill bears south east. Between this high hill (Mt. Dutton?) and Mt. Greenly, it was said, there was a large rushy flat with a channel running through it. Between Mt. Greenly and the hills to the east (probably Marble Range) the country was covered with heath and grass with an occasional clump of scraggy gumtrees. The opinion was expressed that the country should be suitable for sheep.

To the east similar country existed, but was flooded in winter. A lake was seen three miles from the shore, three miles in length and one and a half miles broad (was this Lake Wangary?) and water was seen 10 miles to the northward. This must have been Lake Greenly. Dutton must have seen it, but did not remark on it.

From this high hill they crossed to South (Louth ?) Bay. To the north and south of their track it was considered there were some 400 or 500 square miles of sheep pasture, but Robert Cock said : "The only really good place worth purchasing, is on the north and west of Point Boston." On May 18 a party of natives was seen ahead, and on being called to "they at once approached without waddies or spears and were particularly friendly. They sat down with us and had tea. They continued with us to another spring, when we again sat down together in perfect confidence. They were much surprised and delighted at a song which one of our party sung them. Three fine young fellows accompanied us to the top of a hill, and dug up some roots, which was the only food we had. Here we squatted together and they seemed disappointed that we did not press them to continue with us.

NATIVE'S BONES

"It strangely happened that, on the very spot where we were lying, the bones of a native were scattered about; but they informed us that they were perfectly aware of the circumstance." In view of the tragedies of the next three years it is desirable that Cock's views of the natives should be given in full.

From this hill they had a view of 'South Bay.' Throughout the account the words 'South Bay' and 'South Island' are used. It is hard to reconcile the term as 'Louth.'

It was said that the valley between this last referred hill and North Side Hill Range was a very poor soil, with little grass, stunted gumtrees and scrub, but pretty fair sheep pasturage. The beach was reached at 4 p.m. There J. H. Hughes was met and a scanty tea was partaken of. On May 19 for breakfast, periwinkles was the only item on the menu, after which Hughes continued surveying towards 'South Bay'' and Robert Cock walked inland from the deep bight north of Boston Point, on a course S 70 degrees E (?) for four miles, passing three channels, one containing good water. Two of the channels met and the tide flowed up for about three miles. It was stated that on the plain the channel of a large stream was seen, 20 to 70 yards wide and deep, with only 3 ft. on the bar at high water. The tide rushed in with great impetuosity. Surely this description must represent the River Tod, which had been recently discovered.

The soil was said to be light but productive, having grass, sheoaks and stunted gums. A suitable location for a special survey was said to be due west of Boston Point, and the point itself was said to be a desirable place for a township. The bar at the mouth of the river could be easily deepened so that, with Boston Point, would give the necessary shipping accommodation.

On May 20 and 21, owing to strong north-north-east; winds, Robert Cock was unable to land. On the 22nd the schooner was taken from Boston Bay northwards and anchored in ' South ' Bay. Between the centre of ' South ' Bay and the island there was a good harbor and a sand-spit ran from the island to the mainland. The party landed and found the "scenery really very beautiful." The soil was sandy, but grass plentiful. On the hills facing the gulf and immediately at their bottom good pasture and fair arable , land was found to exist. Birds and kangaroos were plentiful. Between the Gulf and the hills, varying from six to 10 miles, close scrub existed, and to the north, as far as the eye could see, the same conditions pertained It was estimated. that there were 120 square miles of country suitable for occupation.

VISIT TO FRANKLIN HARBOR

On May 23 the schooner got under weigh for the Lagoon, now Franklin Harbour. It was nearly another year before Governor Gawler gave this place the names of Flinders' Lake and Franklin Harbour. For three days the Victoria made no progress northward, owing to the tempestuous state of the weather. The vessel anchored on May 26 about a mile from the shore. At high water there was three fathoms of water on the bar. The harbor had a most splendid appearance, swarming with fish and fowl ; 12 large snapper being quickly caught.

On May 27, owing to an ebb tide of three knots, the schooner could not be taken into the harbor, so a landing was effected by means of the boat. Robert Cock's description of the harbor is instructive and will be interesting to compare with present day conditions. The water was from three to five fathoms deep. The harbor was about four miles wide and 14 miles long, and was surrounded by a narrow belt of mangroves. The shores were alternatively mud flats — occasionally flooded— and firm ground; the soil was generally poor, with scattered brushwood. It is impossible to locate the route of Cock's wanderings inland.

They went north-west for five miles, inland, and found a considerable and at that time dry channel running from the hills to the harbor and two miles further on a native encampment and waterhole was seen. The hills were said to be four miles wide and 20 miles long, and possessing good sheep pasture.

On the 28th the course was still north-west ; and before the dew dried off the bushes two bottles of water was gathered for dinner. Ten miles of poor country brought them to a channel where salt water was found by digging, rushes indicated fresh water but the ground was too hard to dig.

The morning of May 29 was dry, so no dew formed on the bushes, and so there was no breakfast. Apparently the party was following up a broad and deep channel, and coming to some native pools of brackish water it was able to have a belated breakfast. Two miles to the north-west a hill gave an extensive view of barren country, and the hills appeared rocky, scrubby and destitute of grass.

WATER SCARCITY

Being satisfied that for 50 miles around the harbor the country was unsuitable for a special survey, and that the association would not go further inland, Cock decided to return on a south-south-east course for five miles, when the creek was again encountered. No mention of any contact with the natives was recorded, but Robert Cock said : "The natives in this district are so pressed frequently for want of water that they are accustomed to chew a particular kind of shrub to quench their thirst." To gather this information, he must have had an interview with the natives. Cock and his party were the first to land at the harbor, and to travel inland, and could therefore only get the information locally from the natives. I gather that Point Victoria commemorates the first voyage into Franklin Harbour.

The party was suffering through want of water, having up to this time principally relied on the dew, but the morning of May 30 none formed on the bushes, so an early start on the journey was made. Fortunately at sunrise the dew formed and so breakfast was made. Another channel joined the one they were following. It yielded occasional water, but it was salty, and in some places, pure salt lay in the bed. They followed the channel for upwards of 30 miles, but they left it, where it leaves the hills, to enter the scrub between the gulf and the first range, possibly 25 miles from the harbor, and in all these 25 miles they found the scrub prevailed.

Robert Cock has no entry for May 31. Was the entry lost, or did he get a day cut in his reckoning ? If so this might alter all subsequent dates. Reading the journal there is nothing to indicate that a day's entry has been lost, for on the 30th it was said that no dew formed, and the entry for June 1 reads : "This morning we were again without dew," certainly making the readings appear as for two consecutive days. June 1 was again dry and there was no water and no breakfast. The track led the party through poor scrubby and sandy country and night found them still five miles from the harbor. They had suffered most oppressively "from heat and thirst and were in a most exhausted state." Fortunately for them it was June and not January weather.

RETURN TO SCHOONER

Eight o'clock on the morning of June 1 found them aboard their schooner, having travelled upward of 80 miles, and having been 40 hours without water. Probably this may give a clue to the missing day. On the morning of May 30 two bottles of water were got. This would last until dinner time, leaving (say) 12 hours without water. On June 1 there was no water for another 24 hours, nor for the eight hours on June 2; making 44 hours as against the 40 quoted. Neither kangaroo nor emu was seen on the trip. The schooner was dropped down to the outer harbour and anchored for the night.

On June 3, the bar was crossed and a south west course was steered. On June 4 the vessel anchored between Prince Island and the mainland, about three miles off the mainland. As I do not know the location or the island I will give particulars as gathered from the journal. The course south-west, should have kept them on the Eyre Peninsula side of the Gulf, but I cannot see on the map any island that would suit. I am wondering if Prince Island is the Wardang Island of today. Evidently their anchorage was near the island, for they landed on the island. The soil was found to be decomposed limestone, covered with grass, but neither water, wood nor bush was found. The beach was level with plenty of geese, penguins and other birds. The island appeared to be 4½ miles long by 1¼ miles broad, and from 10 to 80 ft. high. The mainland was not visited, as the captain was anxious to return to the Adelaide side, but judging by appearance, the country was a superior pasture type, with gentle hills, and little wooded. No native fires were seen : the presumption therefore was that water was scarce.

A visit was made to Hardwicke Bay on June 6, and then Port Adelaide was made. We have no report of J. H. Hughes's doings, but if 'South Bay' is 'Louth Bay', then he must have travelled over some good country between "the back of North Side Hill and the bottom of 'South Bay' " of which Robert Cock makes no mention. Probably he realised that the Port Lincoln special survey would take all that land, and therefore kept outside of the possible limits of the Port Lincoln special survey.

As a result of the inspection made by Robert Cock, the Adelaide Survey Association left Eyre Peninsula severely alone, being content with the claim they had lodged on May 10, 1839, for 4,000 acres at Port Victoria (in the names of J. B. Hack and J. Russell) and another claim lodged on June 7, 1839, for a similar area at Port Vincent. The former area was afterwards abandoned in favor for one on the upper Torrens.