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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at http : //books . google . com/ ENTERPRISE IN TROPICAL AUSTRALIA G. WINDSOR EARL, M.R.A.S. LINGUIST TQ THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION, AND COMMISSIONER OF CROWN LANDS FOR PORT ESSINGTON. LONDON: MADDEN AND MALCOLM, LEADENHALL STREET. 1846. TO COMMODORE SIR J. J. GORDON BREMER, K.C.B., K.C.H.,,&c UNDER WH08E SUPERINTENDENCE THE PORT E8SINGTON SETTLE­ MENT WAS FOUNDED; AND WHOSE CHBERFUL PARTICIPATION IN THE LABOURS AND PBIYATIONS THAT MUST ALWAYS FALL TO THE LOT OF PrONEERS OF CIVILIZATION IN A NEW COUNTRY GAYE LIFE TO THE ENTERPRISE, AND RENDERED THAT WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE HA YE BEEN AN ARDUOUS DUTY, A PLEASING AND AGREEABLE TASK, THIS LITTLE WORK IS INSCRIBED BY HIS ATTACHED AND OBEDIENT SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. 47tiK>i By the same Author, Will shortly be published, in One Volume Post Octavo, A GENERAL VIEW OF THE FIELDS OF COMMERCE -ISLANDS AND COUNTRIES ^OF EASTERN ASIA. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. EXPEDITIONS TO THE TROPICAL COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. Expeditions of the Dutch—Voyage of Flinders—Meets with Vessels from Macassar at the Head of the Gulf of Carpentaria—lieute­ nant King's Survey—Discovery of Port Essington—The Melville Island Expedition—Early Struggles—The Raffles' Bay Settlement founded—Encounter with the Natives—Melville Island aban­ doned—Character of the Natives—Progress of Raffles' Bay- Settlement abandoned—The Occupation of the North Coast' of Australia again proposed—Project of the French—The Port 'Es­ sington Expedition fitted out . .1 CHAPTER II. THE PORT ESSINGTON EXPEDITION—VOYAGE THROUGH TORRES STRAIT. Departure of the Expedition from England—Arrival at Sydney-r Preparations for the New Settlement—Sail for Port Essington— Rendezvous off Smoky Cape— Mount Warning—Meet a Whale- ship—Pass round Break-sea Spit—The Great Barrier Reefs— Percy Islands—Cape Upstart—Natives seen—Hoist out the decked Boat—The Mountain Range—Anchor near the Frankland Islands —Fitzroy Island—Natives near the Hope Islands—Cape Tribula­ tion and Captain Cook—Termination of the Mountain Range— Change in the Appearance of the Country—Visit to the Clare- mont Islands—Natives near Cape Direction—Recreations, on Shore—Weymouth Bay and the Bird Islands—The Albany Is­ lands—Excursion to Cape York—The Ceremony of taking Posses­ sion—Natives of Torres Strait-* Booby Island—Leave Torres Strait for Port Essington . , 12 VI CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. PORT ESSINGTON—FOUNDING THE SETTLEMENT. Arrival at Port Essington—Appearance of the Coast—Visit from the Natives—Examination of the Harbour—Site fixed for the Settlement—Occupation and Amusements—The Springs—Topo­ graphy of the Settlement—Progress of the Buildings—Wells— Alligators—Narrow Escape—Intercourse with the Natives—De­ tection of a Pilferer—The Schooner Essington chartered—Dutch Establishments on the Islands—Voyage of the Dourga—Settle­ ment on New Guinea—Fate of the Lady Nelson and Stedcombe— Of the Alexander—Sail from Port Essington—Kissa—Commerce of the Island—Native Traders—The Chief of Obousa—Character of the Natives—Survivor of the Crew of the Stedcombe—Letti— Moa—Return to Kissa—Live Stock*—Arrive at Port Essington— Wreck of the Orontes . ,31 CHAPTER IV. PORT ESSINGTON—PROGRESS OF THE SETTLEMENT. Preparations for the Rainy Season—Excursion of the Britomart to Timor—Arrival of Macassar Prahus — Strange Ships upon the Coast—Arrival of Commodore D'Urville—lieutenant Stanley's Excursion to the Ami Islands and Timor Laut—Departure of the Prahus—Fate of Bapa Padu—Lieutenant Stewart's inland Ex­ cursion—Departure of the Alligator for Sydney—The Pelorus and Gilmore dispatched from Sydney — Notice respecting Leases of Land—Hurricane—Her Majesty's Ship Pelorus stranded—Return of the Alligator—Trading Vessels from the Indian Archipelago— Progress of Events—Annual Visits of the Macassar Prahus— Arrival of Her Majesty's Ships North Star and Alligator—In­ fluence of the Settlement on the neighbouring Islands of the Indian Archipelago—Arrival of a party of Marines to relieve the Garrison . .54 CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER V. THE COBOURG PENINSULA— GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES, SOIL, AND NATURAL PRODUCTIONS. Nature of the Country—Lakes and Streams—Rivers—Harbours— Valleys and Uplands—Wells — Trees—Patches of Indian Ve­ getation—Timber—Vegetable Productions—Grasses—Wild Ani­ mals—Birds—Jungle-Fowl—Water-Fowl—Irruptions of Hawks —Fish and Turtle —The Carvalho — Salmon — The Trepang Fishery . .72 CHAPTER VI. THE COBOtfRG PENINSULA—SEASONS AND CLIMATE. The Trade Wind—Seasons—Temperature—Climate—Comparative salubrity of Places in the Indian Archipelago — Influences of Swamps and Mud-Banks—Straits and Land-locked Harbours— Failures of Attempts at European Settlement — Climate of the Peninsula generally . .86 CHAPTER VII. GENERAL VIEW OF TROPICAL AUSTRALIA CAPABILITIES FOR PRODUCING ARTICLES OF COMMERCE. Recent Surveys—The Adelaide and Victoria Rivers—Head of the Gulf of Carpentaria — The North-east Coast —The Wild Buffalo—Pastoral Pursuits—Experiments in Culture—Tropical Vegetation—Garden Produce — Articles of Commerce—Sugar Cane — Coffee—The Cotton Plant: Bourbon and Pernambuco Cotton—Cotton Culture at Moreton Ray . 99 CHAPTER VIII. SOURCES OF LAB UR. Effects of Climate on European Labourers—The Aborigines—Im­ ported Labour in Tropical Settlements — Collisions of Races — Vlll CONIES! S. Europeans and the Australian Aborigines — Tropical Labour — Timor Laut.—The Ki Islanders—Over-population at Kissa—The Natives of Rotti—Native Christians—Timorians—People of 05- lebes—Labour at Singapore—Malays, Chinese, and Natives of India—Cost of Labour—Advantages of employing Labourers of different Nations—Comparative Qualities of Indian, Chinese, and Malayan Labourers . 116 CHAPTER IX. SETTLEMENTS IN TROPICAL AUSTRALIA AS CONNECTED WITH THE INTERESTS OF THE SOUTHERN COLONIES. Tropical Plantations—Cotton Culture in India and America— European Superintendence—Tropical Colonization in the United States—Its influence on Emigration from Europe—Slave and Free Labour — Influence of the American System on Great Britain—Movement of the Australian Colonists—Progress of New South Wales—"Van Dieman's Land and Port Philip—Swan JRiver— Supposed Scarcity of Labour in New South Wales — Field of Production in the Southern Colonies—South Australia— Effects of the South Australian System on New South Wales— The late Commercial Crisis—Efforts of the Colonists to retrieve their Affairs—Petition to import Coolie Labour—The Overland Expedition to Port Essington—Efforts pf Jthe Squth Australian Colonists to reach the Northern Coasts—Recent Events in Europe and America as connected with the' Australian Colonies—Con­ cluding Note. .128 ERRATUM. Page 136, third line from the bottom, for parent read present. r LLA- tfX'y^Z-'u ENTERPRISE, &c. CHAPTER I. EXPEDITIONS TO THB TROPICAL COASTS OF AUSTRALIA. Expeditions of the Dutch—Voyage of Minders—Meets with Vessels from Macassar at the Head of the Gulf of Carpentaria—lieute­ nant King's Survey—Discovery of Port Essington—The Melville Island Expedition—Early Struggles—The Raffles Bay Settlement founded—Encounter with the Natives—Melville Island aban­ doned— Character of the Natives—Progress of Raffles Bay — Settlement abandoned—The Occupation of the North Coast of Australia again proposed—Project of the French—The Port Es­ sington Expedition fitted out.