Ida Lee

“ And no one ever watched it, for no one ever knew;
Still there it lived and flourished, and scent of flowerets small
Was carried by the breezes across the high stone wall.
It reached the great man’s window, was wafted thro’ the door,
And made the air seem fresher than ever it was before.
It reached the great man’s heart, too, and whispered in his ear,
To tell a loving message, in accents sweet and clear.
He saw once more his birthplace and childhood’s happy years;
’Tis not a vision only, the brain both sees and hears. ”

“ These old charts cannot fail to interest students of Australian history. It is possible that they do not include all that were sent home at first, nor are the Lady Nelson's logbooks complete; those however of Grant and Murray, Curtoys and Symons, give us the story of the work carried out by those energetic seamen. They are writings worthy of being more widely known, for they are records left by men who sailed uncharted seas along unknown coasts in days which will not come again—men who have helped to give to later generations a spacious continent with a limitless horizon. ”

“ In one short breath, like foam upon the sea,
When rising winds the ocean bubbles free,
They shape themselves and vanish into space,
And others quickly follow in their place.
The heated day departs, yet gentle night,
Though venturing nearer, veils her face from sight,
Patient awaiting that belovèd hour
When like a queen, she rises, full of power,
To grasp the fallen sceptre of the day,
And calm her subjects, casting care away,
While freshening dewdrops cool the fevered land,
With gentle touch as of a mother’s hand. ”

“ The Lady Nelson lay abreast of a fine sandy beach suitable for hauling the seine, and the commander's party, which included Mr. Barrallier and the Sydney native, went on shore. A number of blacks immediately surrounded Euranabie and began to converse with him, using many words that seemed to resemble the Sydney dialect, such as 'Bail,' which Grant says signified 'No,' and 'Maun' to take off or carry away. These natives, when the seine was hauled, showed their delight by gathering round and giving their assistance unsolicited. ”

“ Throughout the world one patriotic zeal
Binds the vast empire, as with links of steel,
To that sweet peaceful Isle we call our home.
Thither, from mountain top, or crested foam,
We turn our thoughts (as flowers turn to the sun) ,
And cherish high what there our fathers won.
If far away we watch the sunlight fade,
Beyond the range (where in past years, dismayed
The tired explorer stood, with weary brow,
And gazed across the mallee high and low) ,
We thrust the shadows back, and think the while
How men forget their fears to win her smile. ”

“ The soil throughout this sound is nothing but sand a good way up the hills and after that you chiefly find rocks with here and there a shott of grass. The hills are covered very thick with brushwood, a great part of which is decayed and rotten and renders it a business of labour to ascend any of them. They are also very high—we have seen nothing new on them. A few parrots are to be seen and now and then a snake of a large size, these with kangaroos, gulls, redbills, form the inhabitants of these islands, sometimes a seal comes in shore but very seldom and with much care. ”

“ From over wide seas the white chieftains had come
To rest in our mountains and claim our dear home;{26}
’Twas morn in the vale when we rose up to fight,
’Twas darker than darkness, that fell ere the night.
Our farewells were short, as thro’ thicket we sprang,
All armed with sharp spears and the curved boomerang;
My people loud shouted their battle-cry old,
A quick answer came, by the bullet soon told!
I prayed as I fell, “May I speedily die
With those who, around me, now silently lie
Like reeds in a tempest, struck low by the rain,
Who never to life will awaken again!” ”

“ It is the best place in the harbour for any vessel to lay in whether her stay is short or long...The soil of this island as far as we have penetrated is very sandy; no black mould is seen, the trees are very small and very decayed, nor does the small shrubbery grow with much vigour although pleasing to the eye; in short this cove and island can supply a ship in abundance with what is generally considered the greatest of her wants yet I fancy it would poorly pay a settler. ”

“ All noiselessly, with one consent,
Their work but on one object bent,
They carry out a sovereign will,
And never rest, and ne’er are still.
They look like beings who frequent
A nether world—their time is spent
In weaving sorrow, grief, and pain
For those who sail the boundless main. ”

“ At half-past ten the Lady Nelson anchored in this cove in four fathoms water, fine sandy bottom, having run over a shallow some four cables' length which was easily distinguished by the colour of the water. The native who came on board was a middle-aged man, stout and muscular, who showed no symptoms of fear. It was evident that he had seen white men before and he often repeated the words "blanket" and "woman." ”

“ Where waits my beloved one, my queen and my bride?
’Twas seldom she wandered thus far from my side.
I hear not, I see not the world where they live;
No day-dream reveals it, or comfort will give
To passionate longing; hope dies in the heart
Of man when he dwells from his fellows apart. ”

“ On this beach we caught the first day plenty of fish and it is remarkable that since few have been caught. Bearing south-west from this place at about 2 miles distance is a small island of pines with two or three rocks lying about it, to the westward at a distance of 8 or 9 miles is a rugged island with two peaks covered with pines, one of them much higher than the other, and to the north-west about 10 or 11 miles is an island of table-land with a bluff head on its southern end all round are islands of different sizes but this watering island cannot be mistaken or missed. ”

“ The dewdrops linger on the flowers,
The birds’ sweet singing chimes the hours,
I love to sit there listening,
And watch the fish there glistening.
They glance and dart both in and out,
And turn themselves all round about,
Where lilies grow. ”

“ We then stood on for the sandy capes or bluffs and by half-past 9 A.M. the largest and perpendicular one bore south by west distant 8 or 9 miles, this I named Cape Farewell. I took a departure from it intending to run to Cape Albany (Otway) ; the wind from 4 A.M. has blown at east-north-east and from that to north-east with its usual hazy dirty weather, in consequence of which we kept our wind till noon to be certain of clearing the shoals and breakers lying off this end of the island. ”

“ Outshines the gloom and cheers the distant camp,
Where with their flocks the drovers spend the night
In restful slumber until morning light.
One stage is finished! stars gleam in the sky
As weary heads on pillowing saddles lie.
Around the men sweet dreams their cobwebs spin,
And soon shut out the day’s unrestful din. ”

“ Away to the eastward at the distance of 20 miles the land is mountainous, in particular there is one very high mountain which in the meantime I named Arthur's Seat from its resemblance to a mountain of that name a few miles from Edinburgh...to the north-east by north, about 5 miles from the south shore lies a cluster of small rocky islands and all round them a shoal of sand; plenty of swans and pelicans were found on them when the boat was down, from which I named them Swan Isles. To the north-east by east there is an opening, and from our masthead no land could be seen in it. ”

“ Do not heed the dead wood cracking,
Or the sparks beneath your feet.
Beat and blind them, crush and kill them,
Till their blackened embers lie
Stark in ashes, and around you,
One by one in darkness die. ”

“ From the wind blowing dead on this shore, I was obliged to haul off to clear the land, but with a determination to overhaul it as no doubt it has a channel into it and is apparently a fine harbour of large extent. Kept pressing sail and by 8 P.M. the extremes of land bore from north-west to west distance 20 miles...the wind blew about as much as our vessel likes and I am convinced that no vessel would have done more—I wish I could say as much for her in light winds...At daylight the haze over the land at east, and east-north-east with a heavy sea. ”

“ But the lights which flicker thro’ it
Are not those we see at dawn.
Mount the Arab! Take wet sacking!
Wet it must be, mind, not dry;
We must save the master’s cattle,
If we perish while we try.
Ride on faster, you are younger,
Tie your horse to yonder tree,
Break some overhanging branches
One for you and one for me.{2}
Face the fire and do not shirk it,
Never mind the smoke and heat ”

“ The harbour is very open and a good deal of sea heaves in, but small vessels can up anchor and just run round to the opposite side of Cat Island—there is a snug cove entirely secure from all southerly winds where they may anchor, taking care to be off from this last place, if the wind comes from the northward. From the Grand Capshine the land trends away in a south-east and south direction as far as Cape Barren; from where we lay the Bay of Shoals bore south by west distant 15 miles. ”

“ Where silver-like thread the tarantula weaves;
I see thro’ the green the bright web he hath spun,
And kingfishers dazzling the light of the sun;
From nests in the banks quick they flash in and out. ”

“ At half-past 3 P.M. we got to anchor in a sandy cove in 7 fathoms water, bottom fine sand—Swan Isles bearing north-east by north distance 5 miles, a bold rocky point which I named Point Paterson east-south-east 1 1/2 miles, a long sandy point named Point Palmer west, 1 1/2 miles, and the nearest point of the shore south-west 1/2 of a mile distant.
"I went on shore and walked through the woods a couple of miles. The ground was hard and pleasant to walk on. The trees are at a good distance from each other and no brush intercepts you. The soil is good as far as we may be judges. ”

“ I plainly saw the natives running through the wood which was by no means thick—one fellow in particular had been dressed in one of my white shirts and the officer had tyed the wrists of it with string, which hindered his getting it off—him we plainly saw from the vessel pass the roots of black trees with such speed as more to resemble a large white bird flying than a man. ”

“ Found at the bottom of the bay a river to run south-south-east and north-north-west about 3 miles, and one from the west-south-west to west-north-west there is about 4 fathoms water, it is not safe for any vessel drawing more than 12 feet to attempt entering, the tide runs out at 2 knots and flows about 8 or 10 feet. There is a shoal running off towards the starboard shore about west from the leeward shore, half-way up the bottom is a fine sand. There is a lagoon runs all along the deep bay aback of the beach ”

“ At 1 P.M. came to anchor—the bottom coarse sand—from where we lay East point of land bore east-north-east distant 10 miles, the Seal Reef south by east 3 or 4 miles...we sounded every part of this place where a vessel would most likely anchor and found it 14 to 7 fathoms. At 2 P.M. Mr. Bowen came off, he brought on board 3 seals with hair of prime fur and told me there was a vast quantity on shore. Elephants are also in abundance and the woods full of kangaroo, emus, badgers, etc., some few shells were found, no water seen as yet. ”

“ At noon on the 12th of April, Mr. Symons records that he became very mutinous. An Otaheitan in the ship informed the Commander that he had asked one of the Chiefs to go on shore and bring his men to attack the vessel. Tippahee's residence was at the Bay of Islands, and it seems fortunate that Lieutenant Symons was able to land him safely among his own people, for according to the Sydney Gazette he wielded great power and was acknowledged to be a great Chief by the New Zealanders "from the North Cape to his own dwelling place." ”