GIFT OF pffOFESSOR C.A. KOFOID I SHIPWRECK STIRLING CASTLE, CONTAINING A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE OF THE DREADFUL SUFFERINGS OF THE CREW, AND THE CRUEL MURDER OF CAPTAIN ERASER BY THE SAVAGES. ALSO, THE HORRIBLE BARBARITY OF THE CANNIBALS INFLICTED UPON THE CAPTAIN'S WIDOW, WHOSE UNPARALLELED SUFFERINGS AHE STATED BY HERSELF, AND CORROBORATtD BY THE OTHER SURVIVORS. TO WHICH IS ADDED, THE NARRATIVE OF THE WRECK OF THE CHARLES EATON, IN THE SAME LATITUDE. Embellished with Engravingiy Portraits, and Scenes illustrative of the Narrative. By JOHN CURTIS. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY GEORGE VIRTUE, IVY LANE, AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. M.DCCC.XXXYIII. GIFT OP PROFESS 3R C..-.. X'FJIO LONDON : JOHN RIDER, PRINTER| 14, Bartholomew Close. INDEX. Africa, America, and Asia referred to, 335. Alligators, 317. Amboyna Islands, 254, 305. Australia, description of, 336, 367. sermon by the Bishop of, 95. Author, reflections of the, 114, 129, 211, 216, &c. 's observations on Baxter, 101. Batavia, a description of, 255, 321. Baxter, Mr. John, accounts of, 31, 55, 78, 81 — 100. his interviews with the Lord Mayor, &c., 212, 327, 331. Bourke, Governor of New South Wales, 176, 300. Boydary, Isle of, 297, 306, 319. Britisli Government, 324, settlement, 333, Christians, 335. Brown, the chief officer of the Stirling Castle, 79, his cruel death 155. ivigl6880 IT INDEX. Carrallis, the black steward, 160, 174. Caffre tribes, 334. Canadian savages, 334, Cape Lewin, 299. Compang, (or Konpang,) 299. Constantine, carpenter of the Stirling Castle, 303. 308. Canvey Key, 308, Reef bay, 309. Caddon, Island of, 313. Croker Island, 316. Cameron, Captain, 321, 322. China and Chinese, 333, 336. ** Comet, the ship," lines on the loss of, 76. Crew of the Stirling Castle, summary of the fates of, 24 ; refer- ence to the conduct of, 31, 33, 39, 49. Convicts, their sufferings at Moreton Bay, 171, advice to, 171 Cowper, (the poet,) quoted, 120 and elsewhere. Cunningham, Mr., his work upon New South Wales quoted, 108. Christianity in the South Sea Isles, account of, 334. Darge, Robert, peremptory conduct of, 50, his narrative, 220 to 242. Darling, Governor, who esome regulation of, 110. D'Oyley, affecting account of, and respecting his wife and children, 297 to 321. •' Duppah," a native of Murray's Island, account of, 308. Darnley, Isle of, 308, 310. Eaton, Charles, narrative of the wreck of, 243 ; names of the captain, crew, and passengers, 246. reference to, 300, 304, 306, 309, 330. Eliza Reef described, 137. Elliott and Doyle drowned, 77. European sailors, blameable conduct of, 330. Epistolary correspondence — Rev. P. Learmoutli to the Lord Mayor, 121. INDEX. V Epistolary correspondence — Lieutenant Otter to a gallant relative, 182. S. Owen, Esq., of Moreton Bay, to a relative, 203. Miss Eraser, (the captain's daughter) to Mr. Baxter, 204. Mr. Dowling, of Liverpool, to the Lord Mayor, 206. Mrs. Greene (late Eraser,) to the editor of the Morning Advertiser, 217. A letter signed, " Thomas Kelly, Mayor," to the public Journals, 217. A letter relative to the Charles Eaton, 259. W. Bayley, Esq., to Lord Glenelg, 265. A clergyman's respecting his lost son, 271, &c. Captain Carr to the editor of the Canton Register, 272. Sir Charles D'Oyley, Bart., to W. Bayley, Esq., 274. Captain Lewis to W. Bayley, Esq., 291. Sir George Grey to W. Bayley, Esq., 297. Female, intrepidity of, 113. Eraser, Captain, his illness, 35 ; devotional spirit, 37 ; inter- view with savages, 40 ; disaffection among his crew, 42, 49 ; barters with the natives, 44 ; robbed and denuded by another savage tribe, 52 ; taken captive, 61 ; speared, 71, 75 ; public anxiety for the orphan children of, 121 : piety of, 131; his conference with chiefs, 141 ; his captivity, and barbarous death, 145, 147. Mrs. commencement of the narrative of, 118; her description of the wreck, and delivery of a child, 129 ; her conjugal affection and journeyings, 129 — 139 ; captivity and dreadful sufferings of, 143 ; degrading employment, 143—145; beholds the death of her husband, 147; also of Mr. Brown, 155; her escape, 163; arrival at Moreton Bay, 170; departure for Sydney, arrival and kind recep- tion 178—195; sails for England in the Mediterranean Packet, 197 ; her application, and kind reception at the Mansion House, 201, 212, 231. I vi INDEX. Graham, a brave convict, rescues Mrs. Fraser, Baxter, and others, 161 ; his reward, 369. Glenelg, Lord, Mrs. Eraser's unsuccessful application to, 322. God's ways to man, observement of, 354. Hobart Town described, 10. Hardy's, Sir Charles, Island, Torres Straits, referred to, 304. Halkett's account of the American Indians quoted, 302. Hanham and Carey separated from their companions, 79. Juan Fernandez, thie Isle of, engulfed by the sea, 3. Ireland, John, (of the Charles Eaton) and the child D'Oyley referred to, 297—323. liis account of the Massacre of the persons be- longing to the Charles Eaton, 300. Isabella, the ship, referred to, 299, 317, 322. Infernal den, 315. Kangaroo dogs described, 57, 315. Lewis, Captain, referred to, 298, 314. Lang, Dr., quoted from, 356. London Missionary Society referred to, 335. Major, James, his mangled remains discovered, 193. Murray's Island, the natives of referred to, 298, 307, 310—320. Moore, Captain, (commander of the Charles Eaton,) 301 — 304. Moreton Bay, 64, 170, 177. Mayor's, the Lord, urbanity to Mrs. Fraser, 207. Missionary Magazine, quoted, 283, 340 Missions, observations on, 335, rms of others, give some countenance. The reefs render the navigation of this ocean exceedingly mgerous. In some of its seas these rocks reach the surface, jrhile ill others they lie dangerously concealed, having over lem (as is the case with Eliza Reef) only a few feet of water, 'oe to the mariner, who, in consequence of unacquaintance nth the seas, or the power of the currents, gets entangled longst the pointed spires of this '' sub-marine city." The intelligent Captain Cook was neither able to foresee nor Lvoid such dangers. It happened at one time, by a singularly >rtunate accident, that the point of a rock that had pierced his ressel, was broken off, and by sticking in the place, and acting IS a plug, saved it from destruction ! T 138 SHIPWRECK OF THE by way of ornament as well as of conquest. Baxter having given up several articles which were de- manded from him, is said to have had a severe struggle in order to save a brooch, in which was inclosed the hair of his aunt; but the attempt which he made at concealment infuriated the natives to such an extent, that he received a severe thrashing from the waddies of his assailants, who, as a matter of course, deprived him of his favourite ornament.'^ The apprehensions of the remaining party hav- ing been excited in no inconsiderable degree by the menacing conduct of the natives, they at length agreed to leave the inhospitable spot, and travel along the beach with Providence for their guide. * The writer has had the pleasure of an interview with Mr. Baxter's aunt, whose hair he so highly prized. Before he' 'arrives at the end, the reader will be indulged with one of her" poetic effusions, addressed to Captain James Fraser, which hei thinks will prove that the muse does not conftne herself to the sylvan shades in the western parts of the metropolitan suburbs, but that she sometimes takes a flight to the marine region^ between Wapping and the Isle of Dogs. STIRLING CASTLE. 139 CHAPTER XI. James. —Dare you follow me, love, as you were wont? Eliza,— J)diYQ I !— yes ; to death ! to death ! In life and death, I will be with thee ! James. — This way, love. Courage I we soon may gain some refuge. Our journey has been a stormy one, but Heaven will aid us ! I only grieve, dear, that through me you are an out- cast! Eliza. — Hush ! — deserted as we are, and penniless, in the wanderer's home we shall have the exile's solace — the provi- dence of God, who ever aids the destitute, and soothes the wretched. MONCRIEFF. The captain and his wife, as well as his faithful companions, Baxter and Brown, and the other persons named in a former part of the narrative, now commenced their journey, taking with them as much provisions as they could procure, and other portable articles which might be useful Owing to the debility of Captain Fraser, it was agreed that he, Mr. Brown, and our fair narrator, should continue to walk slowly behind, while Baxter and the other men should proceed, in order to discover and halt at some proper resting-place, where they should overtake them. The three per- sons already alluded to, had not been left above 140 SHIPWRECK OF THE an hour, before they were followed and attacked by a party of the natives, who had been in the habit of supplying them with fish, &c., while they were encamped on the beach. They demanded some articles, which, after a little hesitation, were delivered to them ; but without inflicting any heavy corporal punishment, they suddenly left them, and returned to plunder the deserted tent. It ap- peared evident (so thought the survivors), that the natives were loth to part with them ; by gestures, of an apparently amicable kind, they endeavoured to entice them to return, and at the same time showed them by signs, that they would fall in with other tribes who would spear, or otherwise ill-treat them. When they came up, their first attack was made on the Captain, who, although feeble, made some resistance, for which he received a severe incised spear wound on one of his cheeks. They afterwards divested them of every article of apparel, and the sex of Mrs. Fraser did not exempt her from this revolting exposure, as little as it shielded her from the weight of their waddies. This appeared too much for the enfeebled mind of Captain Fraser to bear. In the moment of dis- pondency he said, *^ We had better give ourselves up at once, and consent to return with them." They, however, proceeded on their miserabl journey. Subsequent to this, they fell in with anotlie tribe, who came down upon them vociferatin STIRLING CASTLE. 141 yells which caused the hearts of the fugitives to tremble within them. It then became apparent that resistance would be vain, and Captain Fraser renewed his request that his little band should give themselves up quietly, and put their trust in God, who alone could deliver them. His party then joined hands in assent to the dreadful pro- posal, there being indeed no alternative ; at the same time they renewed their pledge of fidelity to each other, whatever might be their future lot. Captain Fraser took the momentary opportunity which presented itself, of cautioning and instruct- ing them how to act, as he considered that passive Robedience would have the most likely effect of ameliorating their condition. On the near approach of the tribe, Captain Fraser made a signal to an old man with an amaz- ing long beard, who he thought was a chief, and signified by signs that he wanted to confer with (n.^ The grotesque figure approached him * It is very much doubted whether the natives on this bar- )arous coast have any chiefs; and our narrators state, that they lever beheld any distinction in the tribes to which they were inited; they had all things in common, and the men seemed to pave no control over each other. This circumstance, perhaps, MS the most insuperable bar to their civilization, and tends to Ifetard their exaltation from their barbarous and debased con- dition. It is said (and experience has proved its truth), that the first symptom of advancement in a savage body, is the esta- blishment of chiefs, either elected or hereditary, to whom all 142 SHIPWRECK OF THE with an air of much dignity, and laid hold of Captain Eraser's chin, and then he rubbed his hands up and down his naked person ; finally, he looked into his eyes with a penetrating scrutiny, after which he uttered a violent scream, which made the rocks echo, and then made joyful gesti- culations to the tribe to which he belonged, and who had halted at a little distance, to watch what was going on with an apparently anxious curiosity ; in fact, wonder and amazement seemed to pervade their minds. After the old man, another of the tribe, whose bearing was more lofty than some of his fellows, approached, and subjected Mrs. Fraser, Brown the chief officer, and Baxter, to the same ordeal which theii^kader had undergone ; but on this occasion no violence was used toward either of the unfortunate captives. After the natives had thus far satisfied their curiosity, the scrutineers withdrew to their tribe, with whom they held a long conference, of the nature of which of course the narrators were igno- rant, but the acts which followed pretty clearly proves that they were settling between themselves pay submission, and to whose protection they trust their per- sons and properties. But here, no such institution exists; might alone appears to constitute right ; and as, consequently, the weak and industrious have no protection against the strong and lawless, they have no inducement to accumulate that which might draw down violence upon their persons. STIRLING CASTLE. 143 as to which of the party should become the pro- perty of the sub- divided tribe. At the conclusion of the conference, the savages approached them in small numbers, and each took away one of the meii into the bush, but they laid no hand on Mrs. Fraser, who was left alone on the beach, near to which she remained all that day and night, and uotil nearly sun-set on the follow- ing day, when she beheld a great number of naked female savages approaching her, while she was in quest of oysters and fresh water. When they came near, the unfortunate lady had her arms laid across her bosom, to shield her person as much as possible from the fierce oblique rays of the setting sun, which had a very powerful efl:ect, of course, upon a delicate female so recently denuded of her cloth- ing. Her position and destitute state caused derision and mirth to these heartless brutes, and after some fierce, shrill yells, they one and all be- gan to gather handfuls of wet salt sand from the beach, and throw all over her person, until (to use her own expression) she was completely stuccoed all over ; and the sand being of an adhesive qua- lity, caused an excoriation of the skin, which became in a short time excruciating almost beyond endurance. The female savages, however, exercised some forbearance, as they did not maltreat her by any further act of violence. They eventually all went into the bush. When she arrived there, she saw a 144 SHIPWRECK OV THE woman who had two children, one an infant sitting across her neck, and the other walking by her side. This poor creature was an invalid, afflicted with painful and loathsome ulcers, from her right shoulder to her hip joint. It fell to the lot of Mrs. Fraser at first to attend to this woman, and as she used every effort to assuage her sufferings, the poor savage evinced a good deal of compassion ; she, however, did not appear to suffer acute pain. Such was the scarcity of provision at this time, that the poor invalid actually ate the vermin which preyed upon her excoriated flesh, and tried to persuade her nurse to do the same ! As a proof that this wild, untutored being possessed a sense of grati- tude, she always interposed as much as she was able whenever Mrs. Fraser was attacked by the other natives, but in her feeble state she could not always prevent sufferings the most horrible, and insults the most revolting ; to these she was the more subjected, as she had to go out into the wood, as we shall show by and by, to collect wood and water for the tribe. Mrs. Fraser gives an affecting anecdote relative to the afflicted woman just alluded to : — In the middle of the day, when the Hies and insects were busy, she used to get her to cover her up with leaves, in order to shield her sores from the stinging of their fangs and probosces. This circumstance reminded Mrs. Fraser of the nursery tales she had read when a child ; and the invalid and her two STIRLING CASTLE. 145 infant children reminded her of the story of ^^ The Children in the Wood," who were thus covered by Robin-redbreasts ; hence she gave her the name of Roh'hia, and addressed her by it all the time she remained in her company. When she was out, wood-gathering, Mrs. Fraser occasionally met with Baxter in her path, he being in the same pursuit as herself, but they dared not remain together, for fear of being detected. On one occasion, when she met him, she said, *' John, how are you getting on?" He replied, ^^ You need scarcely ask that: look at me, and see what a state my body is in !" After she had been some time in the bush, part of the crew were taken across the lake, each with a difterent tribe, and they all went in a contrary direction. Her opinion is, that they went either upon a hunting or fishing excursion. After four days' separation, she met with her husband accidentally in the bush, where he was gathering wood for his tribe. At the time they met, he was dragging a branch of a tree after him, as he was unable to carry it, his back being so dreadfully excoriated by the heat of the sun. When they came in contact, the first thing she said was, ^' Why did you leave me on the beach ?" He replied that he could not help it, as the savages dragged him away from her by force, but he thought every moment, that she (Mrs. F.) was coming after him. After a little more conversation, he said imploringly, ''Eliza, wilt thou help me with this tree ?" She replied, *' How can I do it u 146 SHIPWRECK OF THE with such a load as I have on my shoulders ?" His reply was, '^ Because thou art now stronger than me !" She then intreated him to continue where he was, while she went and kindled her fire, after which she would return and assist him with his burden. While they were thus conferring together, she beheld several natives, which very much alarmed her, and apprised her husband of the fact, as she could not conceal from him the apprehension which she felt, that one or both of them would be subjected to severe punishment. He turned to her and placidly exclaimed, '* My dear, they will not meddle with me !" In order to avoid their observation as much as possible, she laid down her load, and concealed herself behind a huge tree, from which, however, she could see what was passing. She was well aware of the dispositions of the natives, and the probability that they would be angry at seeing her husband in conversation with her, instead of con- veying the' wood to the tent ; as it was a portion of the tribe Captain Fracer belonged to, who appeared in sight. The natives remained stationary for a considerable time, and engaged in an affray with each other, all the parties being much excited and out of temper, which circumstance she accounts for on the supposition that they had been on a fishing excursion which proved unsuccessful. It appeared by the concurrent statement of all the narrators, that the ferocity of their tempers is abated or STIRLING CASTLE. 147 increased, in proportion to the success they meet with in their hunting and fishing excursions, as they were l«ss rigid in their demands and more complaisant when they had an abundant supply of provisions, which to say the truth, was very seldom the case. After the contention between the jarring party was terminated, the greater part of them withdrew, leaving three or four, who walked in the direction toward Captain and Mrs. Fraser. They suddenly stopped, when one of the party poised his spear, which he hurled at Captain Fraser, and the deadly weapon struck him near the shoulder blade, and passing through his body, came out at his breast ! Mrs. Fraser then darted from her hiding place and exclaimed, ^' O Jesus of Nazareth ! can I stand this ?" With the boldness of a frantic woman, she ran and drew the accursed weapon from the body of her dying husband, but no blood flowed from the wound at the time. The captain fell immediately, and blood then flowed in copious streams from his mouth, nose, and ears, and before the current produced suffocation, he faintly articulated, '' O Eliza ! I am gone !" — these were tlie last words uttered by the unfortunate victim of barbarian vengeance. "^ * Mrs. Fraser says, that immediately after this, she felt her tin swim, and a sound in her head like the ringing of bells, id fell to the ground completely petrified and bereft of 148 SHIPWRECK OF THE After the death of her husband, she considers that the cruelties inflicted upon her were of a more frequent and severe nature, than they were during his life-time ; but whether that be so or not, her mental suffering must have been aug- mented in a ten-fold degree, the husband of her youth having been slain, and she a captive in the | power of his murderers. One thing is quite certain from her recital, viz. that more severe manual labour was exacted from her, and one of her degrading employments was to climb the high trees, by means of cutting notches in the bark, in the manner described in a preceding chapter. I Being unused to so dangerous an exercise, of course she was slow in her movements, and awkward in the use of the sharp instrument put into her hands for the purpose of incising the bark, to make scotches for her feet. In order to make her quicken her pace, these worse than blood-hounds followed her, sense. How long she remained on the spot in a state of insen- sibility she is unable to say, but by the sun she knows tliat several hours must have elapsed before she came to herself, and then she found that she was at the encampment (if it deseivc^^ the appellation) in the midst of her own tribe, which was unlv a short distance from the spot where the captain her husband was slain. She could never learn to a certainty what becamo of the. corpse of her beloved husband, but she agrees with the opinion of Baxter on that subject, viz. that his body was laid in the place alluded to by him, and which was resorted to on evenings when the natives gambolled and made merry. I STIRLING CASTLE. 149 and applied fire-brands to her person, in order to make her climb with greater facility, or more perhaps to enjoy the pleasure of exciting her alarm, and glorying in her wri things. Besides this, the ulterior object they had in view, was that she should bring down honey from the combs, which were lodged in the branches, as in that continent it appears the bees lodge their nectar on the su mmits of trees of great altitude . In case the combs were honeyless, she v/as instructed to throw them down, that the natives might pick out and eat the maggots or other insects which had tenanted them. She stated, that when after immense labour and great risk she descended a tree, without any success, her task-masters demanded that she should breathe in their faces, in order that they might be satisfied that she had not partaken of any of the sweet food — if this had been found to be the case, she apprehends that she should have met with a severe punishment. The unfortunate lady at- tempted to cast a veil over part of her sufferings, which in truth were the most revolting of all, and which were explained to us by Baxter, who was a frequent eye-witness of them : but the same delicacy which restrained her tongue, restrains our pen from describing them . The mere conception of the pangs she must have endured, both bodily and mentally, strikes us with amazement that human nature could jxist under them, and almost freezes our blood. A system of espionage was sometimes adopted 150 SHIPWRECK OF THE when she went into the bush in search of wood and water, lest she should by chance pick up any thing to eat instead of carrying it to the tribe ; hence it was that a child often followed her to watch her movements. Had she been fortunate enough to have picked up a disabled bird, or dead quadruped, she considers that she should not have been able to elude the prying eye of her young chaperon, for even the children of these tribes are remarkable for their cunning and shrewdness. However, in this respect she was never fortunate enough to have an opportunity of putting them to the test. The patience with which her husband endured his captivity, is narrated by his relict with a de- gree of religious enthusiasm. At times, when the tribe were kinder to him than usual, the cap- tain appeared to be apprehensive of treachery, and from this cause he gave offence. No doubt but he had read or heard of those barbarians, who make a point of fawning and caressing the human being whom they intend for the next sacrifice. On the day before his death they gave him an extra quantity of fish, which greatly surprised him. At first he refused to eat it until he had finished his task of wood-gathering. This circumstance Mrs. Fraser says gave great umbrage to some of the tribe, and she felt fearful that they would resent in some way the inattention of the captain to their act of kindness. Induced by this fear, an appre- STIRLING CASTLE. 151 lension, which alas ! was but too well grounded, she persuaded her tottering partner to comply with their wishes, to which he reluctantly assented. In another part of her narrative she gives an account of the sufferings and awful end of Mr. Brown. At the time of this melancholy occurrence their number was reduced to six, and they were divided among as many tribes, or perhaps, more properly speaking, the sub-divided parts of one tribe ; for although feuds, strife, and bloodshed often occurred among themselves, they nevertheless kept up a community of interests whenever any prize fell into their hands, whether their colour was red or black. ^ * It would seem that they often invade the rights, and com- mit depredations upon each other ; and one species of plunder which is most frequent, and in which they seem to glory, is robbing each other of their women. This is not done by stratagem, or enticement, or by force, when the parties meet or pass each other in the passes or ravines in the bush ; such a capture would entail an awful penalty upon the inamorato who had the temerity to engage in such a daring enterprize. This species of theft is generally committed in the night time, when the two parties assemble for the purpose of a cor- robery, in which exercise both sexes join. It is now that the gay red Lothario casts a wistful eye upon one of the sable ladies of the tribe with whom he is carousing, and if he can elude the lynx eyes of his companions, and bear her ofF, the prize is deemed a lawful one, and he may detain the lady as long as he pleases, which is seldom of long duration, for these fickle- minded beings soon yield to satiety, and the woman is sent back to her kindred and friends. 152 SHIPWRECK OF THE Mrs. Fraser appears to have been in the com- pany of Mr. Brown on the morning before he suffered, when they conversed together upon the barbarous death of the captain ; and exhausted as his strength was, he seemed determined, if possible, in some way or other, to be revenged for the death of their mutual friend. He remarked to her, that for the last few days the savages had been ex- tremely kind to him, at which he expressed a great surprise — indeed, from what he had seen of their conduct towards others, he was far from drawing a favourable inference from this apparent sudden change of conduct ; for poor Brown had been treated with great harshness ; indeed the severity of his labour and want of nourishment had reduced him to a skeleton. Mrs. Fraser advised him to try as far as possible to comply with their When one tribe thus robs another, it may well be thought that persons of such revengeful and diabolical dispositions do not fail to make reprisals upon those who have invaded their rights; this they do with a vengeance, and they have been known to carry off five females during one corrobery. It would seem that the fair New-Hollander inherits a portion of that romantic spirit which forms a feature in the character of some of our British ladies, who emphatically declare that there is something quite delicious in an elopement, and a trip to Gretna-Green is delightful. Be this as it may, they are never known to sound an alarm when borne off upon the backs of their lovers ; the inference therefore is, that they are consenting parties. STIRLING CASTLE. 153 wishes, and endeavoured to cheer his drooping spirits by a hope of escape. After this short, and we may say stolen, tete-a-tete, Mrs. Fraser was directed by her sable mistresses to go and fetch wood from the bush, in order to cook the dainties they expected on the anticipated return of a hunting party ; and the performance of this duty took her nearly two hours. ^ On her return to the bivouack, she found * It may excite astonishment in the minds of some of our readers, how it happened that in such an interminable forest of wood, it should be a matter of such difficulty and toil for the natives to procure a sufficient quantity of fuel : we therefore explain the fact. In the northern coast of New Holland there is abundance of brush or underwood, but that is not suited to the purpose of a substantial and perpetual fire. The trees, for the most part, are of amazing height and girth, so that the natives are unable to fell them with their mocoes. There are growing in this wilderness of thorns and briers, several species of the pine tree, one of which, called sappkirusy being of a very resinous nature, easily ignites, and therefore suits their purpose. The manner in which these stately trees are levelled with the ground is curious. When one of them is discovered, the native or the captive, as the case may be, cuts a deep notch near the root, when he rubs two pieces of iron-bark together, and which when ignited, he applies to the flowing sap of the wounded tree, which immediately takes fire, and as the juices flow to the base of the trunk, the fire thus kindled receives constant sup- plies, until at length a separation takes place between the branches and the root, by the tree falling with a crash, which makes the surrounding rocks echo. After the tree is thus felled, the branches are lopped off by the use of the moco, and dragged or carried to the camp for use. This was the last manual X 154 SHIPWRECK OF THE two of the red tribe in earnest conversation with the male part of that whose servant she was ; this being a circumstance very unusual, excited both surprise and alarm in her mind, and gave rise to many very unpleasant conjectures — indeed, she knew not what to think ; but from the gestures and manner of the savages, it struck her that a catastrophe was near at hand ; and in this suppo- sition she was correct. Mr. Brown, at this time, was in a state both of exhaustion and dejection ; however, he cast his intelligent eye upon hei:, as if to inquire whether she was aware of the serious cogitations of the savages. Seeing him much agitated, she by signs endeavoured to soothe his mind, as ^vell as to remind him, that ^'in heaven there is rest.'' After a debate which lasted nearly an hour, the natives arose and went up to Brown, who was reclining on the ground near the place where the conference had been held. They mo- and degrading employment of the lamented Captain Fraser. The bark or rind of the sapphirus is stripped off in shreds, and the most delicate fibres are twisted into a sort of twine, of which the natives make their capacious fishing nets ; and the more solid strips constitute the *' fiendish fire-brands," which are used for the double purpose of light and torture ! Many a luminary of this description did our narrators pluck from the prostrate pine-tree, which afterwards was applied to their naked persons by their merciless and remorseless tormentors. Mercy I remorse ! these are alike alien to the coast, and the natives which inhabit it. STIRLING CASTLE. 155 tioned him to arise from his resting-place, but either from exhaustion or fear, or perhaps both combined, he did not obey the summons. Two of the natives then laid hold of each arm, and in order to induce compliance, they signified that they were going to take him to a repast ! Mrs. Fraser attempted to accompany the party, where- upon they seemed very much offended, and chas- tised her severely for attempting to pry into their secret, and then drove her back to the encamp- ment, where she remained about two hours in a state of mind she says she will ever be unable to describe. Two hours having elapsed, the tribe of mis- creants returned, and after a short parley, the women joining in the discussion, some of them conducted her through the same ravine, the de- clivity of which Brown had descended. She had not proceeded with her brutal conductors more than a mile, before she arrived at an open space or grass plat with which she was familiar ; and on her eyes following the direction of the pointed finger of the exulting savages, she saw the hapless Brown bound hand and foot to a tree, and a slow fire kindled at his feet, where he was writhing in severe agony. She became as it were riveted to the spot, (petrified is the term Mrs. Fraser used,) and for some time incapable of motion or articulation. When she recovered her consciousness, the tortured 156 SHIPWRECK OF THE victim besought her, if ever she reached her native land, to make his relations aware of his dreadful sufferings, and his barbarous end ! A violent stupor came over her, so that she is unable to tell the length of his endurance, but previously she had heard him praying to that God whose word he had been in the daily habit of reading, so long as he had a Bible in his possession — and when it was lost, he derived consolation from the precious promises which he had extracted from it, and treasured up in his mind. Whether the body was only partially or entirely consumed, the fair narrator will not undertake to say, as she never afterwards beheld the dreadful spot where the spirit of her husband's friend took its flight. Providence had ordained that she should be spared the pangs which must have re- sulted from her treading the soil upon which the blood of her husband had been shed, and sprinkled with the ashes of him who had been the friend of both. The hour of deliverance was at hand, and it arrived too at a period when ^' hei^ flesh and her heart failed her,'' In speaking in general terms of these barbarians, Mrs. Fraser says that they all delight in cruelty, and she felt it exercised on her severely, as several bruises from waddies, incisions by spears, and burns from torches, which she will ever bear on her person, would abundantly testify. Whether STIRLING CASTLE. 157 from jealousy because attentions of a diabolical nature were paid her by the men, she knows not ; but the women, with the exception of Rohina^vfeve. incessantly annoying her, in every way which persons skilled in the art of tormenting could devise. They even hated to behold any one do her a little act of kindness ; and sometimes when the entrails of a fish, or a piece of a snake, have been thrown to her for her meal, some of the women would run up and deprive her of her repast. She endeavoured to bear up and endure all the hardships imposed, and contumely poured upon her, in order to avoid a death of lingering agony; and sometimes her spirit was buoyed with the hope that God in his mercy would ^'deliver her from the hands of hlood-thirsty and cruel rnen.^^ To use her own emphatic words she says, ^'The stories which we have read in our childhood, and the representations of savage life we have seen in the theatres in our riper years, are mere trifles and faint representations, when compared with the facts of which I and my unfortunate companions were eye-witnesses. When I first beheld the counte- nances of these savages, and heard their frightful yell, I expected nothing but destruction — although my life has been spared, I never expected to witness the scenes I have beheld, and the abominable insults I have undergone. To me it appears, that as to decency of conduct, and sensibility of mind, 158 SHIPWRECK OF THE there is no difference between tliem and the beasts of the forest, or if there be, it consists in the latter being less ingenious in their cruelty. '' * Like brutes they live, like brutes they die.' "* * These barbarians were not satisfied with applying lighted torches to the persons of their victims, and sometimes igniting a wisp of resinous bark and casting it upon them when they were asleep ; but in order to have sport on gala days, they would take them into a canoe, and throw them overboard, for the purpose of exulting in their struggles to save themselves from drowning. This was her fate, as well as that of the surviving officers and crew of her deceased husband. *^* Since the preceding pages were committed to the press, the Author has received from the narrators several interesting particulars connected with their captivity, which they omitted to state when giving a general detail of their sufferings; these, and any others which may come to hand, will be reserved, and form a miscellaneous chapter hereafter. STIRLING CASTLE. 159 CHAPTER XII. X " Mark me ! — Hear the last of our sea-sorrows ; Here on this island we've arrived." Shakespeare. *' The sorrows of death compassed me, the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow. * * * I was brought low, and He helped me ; 1 was greatly afflicted." Psalm cxvi. Some time before the escape of Baxter, Mrs. Fraser was taken across the bay, where she located with her tribe for several weeks ; and it was a part of her duty to attend upon Robina, the afflicted female, to whose dreadful sufferings allusion has already been made. This change of situation seems to have inspired her with hope that she would, sooner or later, find an opportunity of escaping from her miserable thraldom. She also rejoiced in the midst of her afflictions, that she was removed from the locality of a scene where she had beheld the tortures and death of her affec- tionate husband, and Mr. Brown, his steady and attached friend. She states, that she felt great consolation at times, from a conversation which she I 160 SHIPWRECK OF THE had had with Carrallis the black steward, before he parted company with her, some time previous to her removal to the other side of Wide Bay. That faithful negro assured her that he would embrace the first favourable opportunity to escape from the savages, and proceed through the bush, and if possible reach the British settlement at Moreton Bay. When the difficulty and danger of such an enterprise were suggested to him, he said, that owing to his being a man of colour the natives placed more confidence in him, and did not keep so sharp a look-out upon his wanderings as they did after the white captives. He pledged himself in the most solemn manner, that should he be fortunate enough to escape, he would take the earliest opportunity of giving such information to the government authorities there, as should tend to release his mistress. In that promise she confided, for he had given her many proofs that a sympathiz- ing heart may be encased by a sable skin. After she had been at her new encampment about a month or five weeks, she cannot say which, for her bewildered mind had lost the power of calculation, the hour of her deliverance drew nigh, in consequence of the ingenuity and daring enterprise of the convict Graham, with whose name the reader has already been made acquainted. It appears by the state- ment made to her by Graham, that he fell in with a native with whom he had been acquainted during the time he was a fugitive in the bush, and to whom J STIRLING CASTLE. 161 he gave the wuhriquet of Gormondi/, owing to his being a most inveterate gormandizer. This fellow was an amazingly powerful man, and few of his tribe cared much to offend him. Although he did not stand in the character of a chief with them, yet he formed a useful adjunct to their pa^ty, as he was a mighty man of war as well as a mighty eater. Having made this man his friend, he con- fided to him the nature of his mission to a certain extent, by representing that he was in quest of a white female who was related to him, and as she was ill-treated by the tribe she was with, he told Gormondy if he would rescue her, he (Graham) would reward him with mocoes, tomahawks, and other instruments ; and as an additional induce- ment, he was told that if he got her away and she should be loth to leave the bush, the female should become his exclusive companion. Thus encouraged, he undertook to work her deliverance. After this preliminary was settled, Graham was ordered to proceed to a place w^here he had appointed to meet with Gormondy, and he started a long time be- fore Lieutenant Otter and his soldiers followed in the boat, it having been previously arranged that the harbinger should make a particular mark on the sandy beach where the boat was to halt. On its arrival, he was to proceed with Gormondy from the hiding place, in order to carry their scheme into effect if possible ; and should it be necessary, he was to fire a pistol or blow a trumpet, wifh Y 162 SHIPWRECK OF THE which he was provided, and then the soldiers were to proceed in the direction of the sound. In order to avoid suspicion, Gormondy was to appear hostile to Graham for a time, the latter on this oc- casion being well dressed, in order to excite their cupidity, and they soon divested him of his cloth- ing. He had also provided himself with trinkets of various kinds, as well as some clippings of tin, of which they are very fond, and use as ornaments for the head ; these he distributed to them voluntarily, and intimated that he could get them a quantity more of the same articles. It was then proposed that they should have a corrobery on the occasion, which was agreed to. It had been planned between Graham and Gormondy that during the dance the former was to go down a vista which led to the water-side, and this he did without exciting any suspicion in the minds of the natives. The latter was then to watch his opportunity and run off with Mrs. Fraser, to whom it had been made known by her deliverer, that a plan had been laid for her rescue, and that she was to be placed in a canoe if possible, and cross the lake to an island where an officer and file of men lay in ambush. The unfortunate lady could not describe to us the sensations with which her mind was affected at this period — hopes and fears alternately arose, but the latter she says preponderated. She was enabled, however, at some intervals, to trust in God, and hope for a release ; but as to the manner ^5^31 J-:- ,^^-^-^ m^^^m^mm *^^^^ff^ i^-IV^^' '!^ ,,^^- -.. ^^ ^^^^ ^f^^^'^^!'^ ^ ,.:,..^,v;^ ^^M ^^^M^'^^' ^^ffl ^^^' ^t^'-.V' te^ ^i j^yB \ ■ii i^i ^^^S^^A ^|- ;n ik^^^^i ''W^^,k- . 1?"" ^^ ^ ^IB ^"••^'*4. -.;':■« ■^ n S J I i STIRLING CASTLE. 163 :q which it was to be effected, she was partly igno- rant, especially as Graham had suddenly with- drawn from the company.^ At a period of the dance, when the attention of the party is more ex- cited than at others, Gormondy motioned her to be silent ; he then ran up to the spot where she was standing, and embracing her round the middle with his gigantic arms, he swung her on his back, and (to use her own expression,) ran like lightning between the trees to the beach, where Graham was waiting for them with a canoe, into which she was placed, and the little bark swiftly glided across the smooth surface of the lake, to the middle of which they had arrived before the natives had discovered their absence ; and they not having their canoes on that part of the shore, some time elapsed before pursuit could be made. Before she • joined Lieutenant Otter, however, three or four of the tribe overtook them, and appeared very un- willing to give her up. Graham told them they, would be handsomely rewarded with mocoes and other articles. He then made a signal, and Lieu- *■ Mrs. Fraser states, that notwithstanding the presents Graham made to the natives, they cried woobra, woobra, (an expression of anger,) spat in his face, and poured upon him every contumely, which called for the interference of Gormondy, who assured the tribe that through him (Graham) they would Ieceive a further present. 164 SHIPWRECK OF THE tenant Otter sent her a cloak and petticoat to put on, to prevent her appearing in a state of nudity before the boat's crew and soldiers. At this time she was very much fatigued, owing to the long walk she had the day before, and the joy which she felt, appeared rather to increase than allay her exhaustion. She says, that she felt almost spell- bound ; the work of the last hour seemed to her to be so mysterious that she could scarcely believe it a reality. The sight of Lieutenant Otter, however, and his armed men, soon chased away her fears and her doubts, and her heart was transported with wonder, love, and praise, first to the God of all mercies, who had heard her prayers, and then to the brave officer and men who had risked their lives to save her. Mrs. Fraser now, with sparkling eyes and a grateful heart, expresses, with enthusiasm, the re- ception which she met with at the camp, not only from the brave officer, whose prowess we shall notice by-and-by, but also of the soldiers under his command, who, when she approached the camp, huzzaed, and cried out, '^ The lady! the lady!" it was about midnight when she arrived at the camp, and the first question she remembers putting to Lieutenant Otter, was, '^ What day of the month is it?" for her sufferings and her anxieties had long before destroyed the power of calculation. The officer then told her it was the 17th of August ; STIRLING CASTLE. " 165 SO that she had been in her wretched captivity exactly six weeks.* Soon after she had arrived, Lieutenant Otter introduced her to Mr. Baxter, Hanham, and the boy Carey, when their mutual congratulations were as hearty as they were sincere. At this time she was coloured, and her head be^ dizened with feathers and other ornaments, after the manner of the natives, so that although par- tially dressed, her swarthy shrivelled skin presented a figure truly grotesque to the British soldiers, who I __ ^B* Some of our readers have hinted to us, that the narrators ^Hkst surely have over-coloured theh statements in respect of the suffering which they endured, as they considered it im- possible that human nature could have sustained such an accu- mulated load of affliction. We confess frankly that such thoughts did occasionally flit across our mind ; but when we compared the several statements which were given to us, we found them to harmonize so admirably, that our momentary scepticism was soon chased away. Supposing, however, that any doubts had continued to lurk in our mind, they would have been entirely removed by the circumstance, that at this period of our labours, we have been favoured with a long and circumstantial account from Lieutenant Otter, of the wretched plight in which he found the party, Mrs. Fraser and Baxter in particular, which convinces us that they have very much under-rated their sufferings, rather than exaggerated in the statement. The interesting detail of this gallant officer will be given in a subsequent part of the work, as well as other communications of an important nature, connected with the Shipwreck of THE Stirling Castle. 166 SHIPWRECK OF THE in the midst of their sympathy for her sufferings, could hardly suppress their smiles ; and how could they ? Notwithstanding the writer lays claim to a considerable portion of gravity when penning a narrative fraught with suffering and sorrow, yet he could not refrain from laughing heartily when Mrs. Fraser described her costume and decorations on the day of her escape from worse than Egyptian bondage. The quantity of gum which had been applied to her long hair, together with the fibres of bark, grass, feathers, &c. which were inserted in it, caused her head to appear the size of a band- box.* Lieutenant Otter lost no time in rendering every * They must have appeared exceedingly ludicrous in the eyes of each other ; but as luckily no looking-glass was at hand, they can only speak by comparison. Baxter having arrived before his relative, had already divested himself of his New Holland turban, but his hair was so matted together with the adhesive gum and other filth, that a strong pair of shears became necessary to sever the locks from his head ; and several weeks elapsed before he could entirely free himself from the ridiculous *' anointings" of the savages. A layer of gum had also been placed all over their persons, from head to foot, in order to cause the ochre to adhere, with which they were blackened ; and these combined defied the power of soap-suds and a scrubbing-brush. The poor creatures, however, subjected themselves so frequently to ablutions, thai at length their skin began to crack, and it gradually peeled oil', so that before they left Sydney for Europe, they had shed their coats, and arrived in England clad in a new skin. STIRLING CASTLE. 167 service which he was capable of affording, and these means were of no slight description, as he was amply provided with every necessary of pro- vision and clothing. He first gave her a small quantity of port wine, and afterwards some tea was provided, the relish of which, she says, she shall never forget, as so many dreary weeks had passed since such delicious viands had entered her lips. At this time the boats and the major part of the men who formed the crew, together with a portion of the soldiers, were at least thirty miles from the spot where Lieutenant Otter and his little party had lain in ambuscade, and a question arose as to whether they should remain there until day- break, or commence their march immediately. Graham said, that there were 300 natives at the camp where Gormondy and he had found Mrs. Fraser, and as some of them had already come up, it would be advisable to proceed toward the boat with all speed, and in this Mrs. Fraser heartily concurred ; indeed, she almost insisted upon going, as she was influenced by a dread of again falling into the hands of the barbarians from whom she had been rescued. She appears to have thought nothing of the long distance she had to travel. They at length commenced their journey, and on her way she was assisted by her gallant deliverer, to whom she related the sufferings and privations which she had endured, and thus in some degree beguiled the tedium of her march. As she was 168 SHIPWRECK OF THE reduced to a mere skeleton, and her legs, &c., j one mass of ulcerated sores, in consequence of the application of the fire-brands of her tormentors, tired nature at length gave way, and after she had with great difficulty walked fifteen miles, about half the distance to the boats, she could proceed no further. Lieutenant Otter and his men then carried her on their backs alternately, and they arrived at their boats about nine o'clock on the following morning. When they arrived here, a great number of the natives had assembled on the cliffs, and by their gestures and menaces they ap- peared to be extremely exasperated and hostile : this was what Graham had predicted. Lieutenant Otter wished not to resort to hostile measures, lest it might cause them to wreak their vengeance on any white person who might next fall into their hands. The commander having thus far accom- plished his errand, was anxious to leave the inhos- pitable shore, but unfortunately the wind was as unfavourable as it well could be ; hence they were detained for four days, the blacks keeping a sharp look-out upon their movements all the time. Graham informed her that he told some of the natives who first came up, that if they would not molest him he would get Mrs. Fraser back to them, or tear her to pieces ; this is supposed to have been said with the view of saving his own life, for he well knew the barbarous and revengeful beings with whom he had to deal. STIRLING CASTLE. ^^^ ]g9 Lieutenant Otter, during the delay, administered every comfort to bis fair charge which he judged prudent, and in this respect condiments were ad- ministered as if by a hand versed in another pro- fession than '* deeds of arms;" he, for a time, divested himself of the bold daring of the knight- errant, and became the watching, anxious, and administering nurse. If every soldier acted to an unprotected female, as this gallant champion did to the captain's widow, then should we not hear of so much heart-breaking afflictions, bitter remorse, and odium, which result from conquests made over virtuous simplicity, instead of laurels obtained by military skill, which entitles them to the enthusiastic exclamation — " See the conquering hero comes ! " On the fifth day a fine breeze sprang up, and the sails were forthwith spread, the oars put in requisition, and the boats steered in the direction of Moreton Bay. The officer and soldiers and crew under him were hilarious on their passage ; and well they might, for they had at great risk and with consider- able sufi*ering rescued a lady from the fangs of cruel enemies. They all w^ell knew the kind reception which they should meet with on their arrival at the settlement, and they were not dis- appointed in their anticipations, as we shall pro- ceed to show in the next chapter. Even the con- victs who formed the boats' crew, partook of the 170 SHIPWRECK OF THE general joy, although some of them had under- gone great physical suffering, and narrowly escaped death ; theirs was, it is true, a compulsory duty, but it appeared to be a pleasant one, for, degraded as they were, they manifested a degree of gallantry which was only equalled by the soldiers who formed their body guard. After a sail of thirty-six hours, the boats arrived at the settlement of Moreton Bay, from which they had been absent about ten days."^ * Moreton Bay is our furthest northern settlement, and is 480 miles from Port Jackson, it being formed upon the Brisbane river. It has two entrances, and is full of mud-banks, with safe channels between. The river Brisbane is navigable twenty miles up, by ships drawing sixteen feet water, at which point a ridge of rocks crosses its bed. It has been examined more than one hundred miles interiorly, by Major Lockyer and Mr. Gray, and a chan- nel found admitting boats to a great distance. Another consi- derable river has been discovered in Moreton Bay, more south- erly, behind Port- Look out, opening by small channels of good navigable depth; but the interior of the country beyond it has not been explored. The country on each side of the Brisbane consists of rich brushy thickly-wooded flats toward the river, with open hilly forest land, extending backwards, rather stony, but well coated with grass. One uniform bank is presented toward the right, of the same description of forest-land, while toward the left, the high hills, comprising the Mount Warintr range, are seen in the horizon. Trees of the most luxuriant growth, particularly a species of cypress, resembling the Nor- folk Island pine, with a stem of from fifty to eighty feet without [^K^^^ STIRLING CASTLE, a branch, here abound, and will no doubt form a valuable addition to the future resources of the colony. A quantity of land is already under cultivation, and, doubt- less, whenever the time arrives for the settling of this our territory, a tract of country will be laid open, unequalled for soil, climate, and other natural capabilities, by any other in the same latitude on the face of the globe. The settlement at Moreton Bay has been established for a number of years, and belongs to the British government; and like Port Macquarie and Norfolk Island, are dependencies under the jurisdiction of the governor of the colony of New South Wales. In the course of a few years after this colony was planted, the number of convicts sent from the United Kingdom had greatly accumulated, and as they were assigned over to free settlers for a certain term of years, it became a great sti- mulus to emigration from the parent country, especially among small farmers and others, who were only possessed of a limited capital. In the course of a few years many of the convicts re- newed those predatory habits which had been the cause of their expatriation, and the necessity of a coiirt of criminal judicature soon became manifest ; and one was soon after established, the judge of which had power delegated to administer the statute law of the land, as well as the laws which were specially for the government of the infant colony. As may well be imagined, owing to the abandoned characters of many of the convicts, not only theft and other high offences were frequent, but also acts of insubordination were apparent, which had they not been timely checked, would have led to open rebellion and bloodshed. It was owing to these circumstances that Moreton Bay was constituted a penal settlement, to which the judge had power to transport convicts and other offenders for the term of their natural lives, or any period of years which their offences might w-arrant. At this isolated and almost desolate spot the discipline is of the severest kind imaginable, and the necessity of inflicting it is often made apparent; but even in its most mitigated form it is abject slavery in the most ]72 SHIPWRECK OF THE extended sense of the term. Within the last few years, our criminal laws have been so modified that the judges of assize have power to mark down incorrigible offenders as fit persons to be sent to the penal settlement, it being considered that trans- portation, in the ordinary sense of the term, would not be an adequate punishment for their crimes. The misguided hapless wretches who find themselves at More- ton Bay, know, when it is too late, that the strong arm of the law is too powerful for them, and the startling truth of holy writ rushes upon them in vengeful tone, ** Surely the way of transgressors is hard.'' Even here there are gradations of pu- nishment, which the lieutenant governor regulates and varies as the recklessness or obedience of the convict may warrant. These wretched men are employed in the severest labour, such as felling huge trees and dragging them to the sea shore, which is deemed (to use the language of the sufferers) " an Elysian employment, when compared with the infernal subterraneous regions of the stone quarry." Sometimes, by way of punish- ment, example, or security, an incorrigible convict is placed in what they term ** fifty-six pounders," viz., irons of that weight, and the waist-belt or supporter being denied, they have to drag the ponderous load after them every step they take. Others, again, are subject to frequent and severe flagellations, a reduc- tion of the dietary allowance, &c. &c. ; indeed, they are some- times driven to a state of frenzy, which causes them to rush into inevitable destruction. This anonymous narrative has already fallen into the hands of those who have known the writer long, and he feels sure that they will give him credit for not over-colouring any statement he makes ; but if, in pourtraying a scene of human wretchedness, it would be necessary he should do so, it is when alluding to cir- cumstances which have relation to the most sceptical beings he has ever had to deal with. They seem frequently to be inca- pable of belief, and if the apparition of one of their late '* bang- up " fraternity were to appear before them, perhaps they would not give credence to his statement. For the last thirty-six con- STIRLING CASTLE. 173 secutive months, the learned Recorder of London has sounded the trump of caution on the "day of judgment," in order to alarm the fears of his gallery auditory ; and, doubtless, his voice has deterred some of the uninitiated from the commission of crime. Should we ever publish the long-solicited " Voice from Sydney," we think the veil will be removed, and cracksmen (burglars) be taught, that in the region to which their steps surely tend, " locks, bolts, and bars fly not asunder," and divers (swell-mobsmen) convinced, that should they ever reach the penal settlement, they will, like Dives, implore some father Abraham to send a messenger to warn others against coming to that place of torment ! The caution is now given — trans- gressors, " Be wise betimes, Uis madness to defer ! " When we arrive at the principal colony, we shall make a few remarks upon the convict population ; but we were induced to be the more diffuse in this place, because we have information relative to those abandoned outcasts which few possess ; and our wish is, that the faint outline of sorrow, suffering, slavery, and privation, (for faint it is) may have the tendency to deter from crime. If this be done in one instance, the writer will be gratified, and the reader will, upon the same principle, excuse what he might deem a prolix, if not an irrelevant annotation. One of the public journals has recently described the penal colonies of Australia, as inhabited by " the most de- moralized society that ever existed on the face of the earth ; a community of criminals, among whom there is neither repen- tance nor shame, who boast of their crimes, grow rich on the wages of vice, sometimes ultimately live in splendid profligacy, and leave their possessions to children, reared without the slightest sense of moral obligation, and in utter ignorance of the precepts of religion ! " 174 SHIPWRECK OF THE CHAPTER XIII. " For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visitedj me." Matt. xxv. 35, 36. It appears that on the arrival of Carrallis at Moreton Bay, he gave such information relative to the wreck of the Stirling Castle, the cruel death of some of the crew, and the horrible captivity of a few survivors, that Captain Fyans, the com- mandant at the settlement, consulted with the officers of the corps stationed there as to what should be done, being aware that his power did not extend far enough to order any one of them to undertake the perilous expedition which was con- templated. Lieutenant Otter, as we have shown, instantly volunteered to start, and the necessary preliminaries were soon settled : of the manner in which the object was achieved, our readers are already apprised. When the boat neared the shore of the penal settlement, Mrs. Fraser, ill and fatigued as she was, rejoiced exceedingly in the change which had so unexpectedly taken place. ^ She was told that the ladies there were anxiously STIRLING CASTLE. 175 awaiting her arrival, and assured that every thing which humanity could suggest and benevolence perform would be done in order to alleviate her sufferings and restore her health. She found on her landing that her gallant deliverer had under- rated the kindness she was to participate, for so eager were the assembled ladies to make her their guest, that a contention arose among them as to with whom she should domicile, although it was apparent, invalid as Mrs. Fraser was, that she would require great and long attention. The palm of victory was at length awarded to Mrs. Rachel Owen, the lady of a gentleman con- nected with the commissariat department. Of this lady the narrator speaks with lively gratitude, amounting almost to enthusiasm, and declares that the kind and sisterly attention paid to her for several weeks with unremitting assiduity, will never be obliterated from her memory. Nothing which could have the most remote tendency to recruit her health, exhilarate her drooping spirits, or promote her personal enjoyment, was withheld. Such was the uniform manner in whicli those attentions were paid, that, to use her own words, she was '' almost killed with kindness." Nor were these acts of benevolent feeling confined to Mrs. Owen, for she was daily visited and nursed by the ladies of the place ; and she mentions, with kind recollection, the lady of Dr. Robinson, her medical attendant. I As may well be supposed. Captain Fyans (the 176 SHIPWRECK OF THE lieutenant-governor of the settlement), and the military gentlemen, were most unremitting in their inquiries and attentions. During the time she tarried at the bay she had occasional interviews with Mr. Baxter, the second mate, who, although in an enfeebled state, had become an out-patient at the hospital, when they congratulated each other that they had been emancipated from a barbarous land to a neighbouring soil which was inhabited by Christians, who, like the good Samaritan, poured oil and wine into their wounds. During the time the invalids were at Moreton Bay, communications were sent to Sydney by Captain Fyans, at every opportunity, respecting their state of health ; and when it was considered that they were arrived at such a stage of convales- cence that they might be removed without danger to the metropolis, Sir R. Bourke, the governor, was apprised of the fact, and he forthwith caused an armed revenue-cutter to be fitted out to fetch them to Sydney ; it being considered that the mild temperature of the climate would conduce to their complete recovery ; and moreover, that they could be better accommodated than at Moreton Bay. The revenue-cutter, '* Prince George," hav- ing been fitted out with every thing necessary for a coasting voyage of 500 miles, sailed from Sydney early in October, and proceeded to within fifty miles of the penal settlement, when the anchor STIRLING CASTLE. 177 was dropped, and Captain Roach, the commander of the cutter, went to the pilot station, and gave orders that Captain Fyans should be apprised of his arrival at the Point '^ Look-out ;"" and upon these orders the pilot acted. '^ As soon as Captain Fyans received the communication, Mrs. Fraser, Baxter, and the rest were apprised of the fact, and the ^^ note of preparation" was sounded, and promptly obeyed. Not but that they had been kindly treated, but still they felt an irresistible desire to make towards home. England and Scotland were uppermost in their minds ; the thought of parents, children, rela- tives, rushed upon their memory with renewed impetuosity; hence, the disagreeable sensation of parting from kind friends was greatly neutralised ; yet the separation was an affecting one, and par ticularly the final adieu between Baxter and the * Mr. Baxter states, that the penal settlement of Moreton Bay is what is termed " a bar-harbour," into which it would be unsafe for a vessel to enter at low water, as a bar runs across it from north to south. Vessels beyond a certain tonnage never venture over the shoals, and hence the pilot station here alluded to. When convicts or stores are brought from the colony to the settlement, the vessels stop at the pilot station, and the freight is removed into craft, which are kept on purpose to convey the passengers and cargo thither from " Point Look-out." It was in one of these vessels that the narrators and their companions were conveyed. " Point Look-out" is described as being about fifty miles from the penal settlement, and 450 from Sydney. 2 A 178 SHIPWRECK OF THE humane Serjeants (Perry and Burns), who have been honourably mentioned in a preceding part of our narrative. Every thing being arranged for a final sepa- ration, Baxter, Carrallis, Carey (the boy,) Hanham, Youlden, and Darge, embarked in a whale-boat, manned with eight men at the oars, and a helms- man, in order to proceed down the river to the Prince George cutter. They started about eleven o'clock, A.M. ; and Mrs. Fraser and the lady of Dr. Robinson, with her domestic attendant, together with Lieutenant Otter, entered a skiff about three P.M., the vessel being manned with scientific steersmen, &c. ; and although, numerically con- sidered, a diminutive crew, yet the parties compos- ing it were well versed in the knowledge of the sub-marine pinnacles which had their base between the settlement and the bar to the Bay ; and thus by manoeuvre they reached '^ Point Look-out" nearly as soon as the whale-boat, whose greater draught of water caused them to take a more zig- zag course.'^' The brave captain of the ^^ Prince George,'' who * In a subsequent number will be given a map, which will show the kititude and longitude of " Point Look-out," and the other places connected with this history ; and as it has been delineated by a gentleman conversant in nautical lore, we fearlessly augur that it will be examined with peculiar interest by at least one class of our numerous readers. STIRLING CASTLE. 179 lad been sent from Sydney for the purpose already named, having received information by the crew and passengers of the whale-boat that more dis- tinguished visitors would shortly arrive ; with *'the heart of a true British sailor" he prepared for their reception and accommodation ; and al- though on their arrival they were not saluted by '^fire and smoke," they were hailed with hearty exclamations of welcome, and regaled with as elegant and substantial dejeune a la fourchette as could be expected in the cabin of a revenue cutter. The assemblage of this trio of vessels we should have been delighted to have beheld. What a congress ! what congratulations and confabulations too ! Moreover, what an heterogeneous mixture of character ! There stood the heroine of our history, as one rescued almost by miracle from the grasp of brutal men, with every eye fixed upon her, and every eye sparkled that gazed. Although in a physical point of view she was partially re- covered, yet she was still ^' haggard, poor, and lean," and bearing evident marks of the tortures which she had undergone, and of the degrading disfigurements to which her person had been sub- jected by the hand of ferocious barbarity.* * Circumstances have arisen at this period of our history which imperatively call upon the author to deviate from the track which he had originally marked out; and although thp subject- matter of his remaining details must necessarily be transposed, 180 SHIPWRECK OF THE There stood Lieutenant Otter like a brave cham- pion, and his eyes flashed in those of the captain of the Prince George with a conscious but unas- suming pride — and well he might ! We are sure and the unity of the whole in some degree destroyed, " Neces- sity has no law ;" and happy is he that the imperious dame does not impose upon him the task of seeking aid from her two daughters, invention and subterfuge. For some days past there has been an excitement in the public mind in consequence of a letter which has been inserted in most of the public journals in reference to Mrs. Fraser, signed by Mr. Dowling, the super- intendent of police at Liverpool : which letter, the author begs to state, contains conclusions drawn from improper premises, as will be shown in the sequel ; for all the correspondence which this letter has given rise to, will find a place in our pages. Some of our readers, we know, have drawn an unfavourable inference because Mrs. Fraser concealed a fact, which she had certainly better have disclosed, as will be shown by and by, for we shall <* nothing extenuate," which may be construed into imposition, yet at the same time every allowance will be made for what is certainly a deviation from strict rectitude of conduct, the more especially as her motive for concealment was dictated by a desire for the benefit of her fatherless children. Why this comparatively " slight trespass," when contrasted with her sufferings, and the destitute state of her offspring, should have created " all this stir," we know not ; or why the hand of charity should be withdrawn from her innocent orphans, we cannot divine. At all events it is cruel and un-English to give the lie to the detail of her sufferings, and perhaps the sneers which have been directed to the writer of them may recoil upon those who are easily cheated by an evil report, because they only superficially investigate the good one. STIRLING castle/ 181 that he will be noted in some conspicuous leaf of the ladies' albums for 1838 ; and we shall be not a little surprised if the beautiful L. E. L. does not immortalize him by her redundant pen, ere the In our introductory chapter we said, and we repeat it, fearless of contradiction, " It will be our object to narrate and arrange them (i. e. the sufferings of the survivors connected with the Stirling Castle) link by link in the chain of melancholy detail. In doing this we shall not be under the painful necessity of contradicting the facts already before the public, but we shall be enabled to confirm them by unquestion- able corroborative testimony , both oral and documentary." The pledge has already been partly redeemed, and we con- ceive that the best way to show that Mrs. Fraser is not " an ingenious impostor," and ** a base fabricator" of lies in order " to gull the benevolent," is by inserting a letter written by Lieutenant Otter, her gallant deliverer, to his cousin, a gentle- man ranking high in the army, by which it will be made manifest that the hapless woman in her detail to us, has much under- rated rather than exaggerated her sufferings. It cannot be expected that scepticism can be chased^ away in a moment, but one request the writer begs personally to make, and that is, that investigation (aided by comparison) may be made, and judgment suspended, until the " summary chapter" is presented to view, when, he believes, that puerile as may be the diction and style of his writing, yet bearing the impress Of veracity based upon strict investigation, he will retire from his humble, yet to him, arduous labour, by placing Nil Des- PERANDUM at the top, and Finis Coronat Opus at the bottom. Without further remark, we insert, by way both of explana- tion and annotation, the letter of Lieutenant Otter : only observing, that if after that any doubt as to the accuracy of the 182 SHIPWRECK OF THE close of that year ; for Miss Landon, in her inno- cence and beauty, knows as well how to entwine laurels, and place them on the brow of '' the Chevalier,'' as does Mr. T. H. Bayly to depict the amiability and '' the Kindness of Women.'' copy should remain, the sceptic may see the original if he pleases. The following is the letter to which we have referred, and we give it verbatim et literatim^ premising, that, written to a relative, its publication was never contemplated. Had that been so, the gallant writer would have been diffuse rather than succinct in his detail. *' Moreton Bay, Sept., 1836. *' I got a week's leave of absence to go down to the bay, for the purpose of amusing myself with catching turtle. The wind proved favourable for the sport, when we had got to the pilot's station; and after remaining a few days there, I thought I would take a day's shooting at a place called Brisbane Island, which is situated at the north side of the bay. I accordingly proceeded to that place, and whilst out with my gun, fell in with two men whom I took to be natives. When they came up, however, they addressed me, to my astonishment, in English, and told mo that they were part of the crew of a vessel called the Stirling Castle, which had sailed from Sydney to Singapore about three weeks previously, and had been wrecked on one of the Borrean i-eefs, near the extreme of Torres Straits. The whole of tlie crew, with the captain (Fraser), his wife, and two mates, had got away from the wreck after a fortnight's dreadful sutTering. -One of the boats, in which were the above-mentioned persons and some sailors, eleven in all, they had been forced to beach a little below Sandy Cape, about 200 miles to the northward of this : the other boat had parted from them a few days before, '^^^ STIRLING CASTLii. 183 BAfter mutual congratulations had been inter- changed, the captain of the cutter requested a detail of the sufferings of the party he was delegated to take charge of. Lieutenant Otter became the and they saw no more of it. They went on to say, that soon after their landing, the natives came down and took every thing from them that they had saved, stripped them all perfectly naked, forced them to fetch wood and water, and treated them with the most savage cruelty. They themselves, with another who had been obliged from weakness to stop about twenty-five miles behind, had managed to get across to the main land, for they had seen the boat ashore on an island. After travelling for six weeks along the coast, in which journey they suffered uncommon hardships from the cruelty of the different tribes they fell in with, they most providentially had arrived at Bris- bane Island just in time to meet with me. They had crossed the narrow channel which separates this island from the main land the day before I arrived ; and as I was to leave it the next morning, it would have been long before they would have been seen or heard of, as the island is hardly ever visited ; and they did not know themselves where they were, or how far from the settlement. " I immediately dispatched two men after the unfortunate fellow who had been left behind, and he was brought to me naked and black as the two others. After that I started for the settlement (Moreton Bay). On reporting the circumstance to the commandant. Captain Fyans, two whale-boats were got ready, and being provisioned for three weeks, the command of the squadron was given to me, for the purpose of endeavouring to rescue the remainder of the crew, particularly the unfortunate lady, who was treated with as much cruelty as any of the rest, the savages having no regard for the beau sexe. We were pro- 184 SHIPWRECK OF THE spokesman, and gave a recital which caused the captain to listen with the taciturnity of a dumb spectator. The gallant officer pointed to the lady he had vicled with soups, wine, clothes, &c. for the men ; and I wj furnished by two of the ladies of the settlement with femaj attire for Mrs. Fraser. A person accompanied me as an intel preter, and proved of the greatest service, as he had formerl been a runaway, and had resided nearly six years amongst the natives, with whose language he was well acquainted. (Graham.) " We lost no time in getting out to sea, and in two days after leaving the pilot-station, we put into a river about seventy miles to the northward, as we expected intelligence from some of the natives. After some trouble, Graham, our interpreter, heard of two white men being in the native camp, and by promising hatchets to the savages, he induced them to bring the white men in. The poor fellows were wild with joy at seeing us, and they could hardly believe their senses, as they never expected to be liberated. They told us that the captain and first mate had sunk under their sufferings, that Mrs. Fraser was alive when they last saw her, at a place about forty miles off, but undergoing every hardship; and that two of the crew were drowned in endeavouring to swim the channel. I now sent one boat round the next point, about forty or fifty miles distant, while I started off on foot with three others, armed only with pistols, for fear of alarming the blacks, who are much afraid of a gun. When we had proceeded about six miles, the treacherous wretches attacked us with clubs, and forced us back to the boats, as we were hardly able to keep them off with our pistols, which they had but little fear of. We were obliged to fire at them several times in our own defence, although much against my will, as I was afraid of their retaliating upon the unhappy people in their power. We now STIRLING CASTLE. 185 pescued, and with a look of pride blended with jpmpassion, he entered into a succinct detail of ^er sufferings ; and, as far as delicacy would per- lit, the insults which she had undergone. He ibarked, and followed the former boat around the aforesaid )int into a wide bay, which we reached before night. About ^0 days afterwards, we got the second mate, and such a miser- ible skeleton I never beheld, quite black, and naked. The jcount of his sufferings was horrible, as he had been tortured a variety of ways because he was too weak to drag the heavy jogs of fire-wood, in obedience to the wishes of the savages. We learned to our mortification, that Mrs. Fraser, who had )een some time alone amongst the savages, had only a few days )efore passed the very spot where we were, but that she had )een carried off by a large party of blacks who were going to ight another tribe, some forty miles distant ; and Graham told le he knew the very spot where she was. I sent him off directly the place, he having previously stripped himself, the only ^ay of escaping ill usage from those brutes; and I followed lext morning along the beach to support him if it should be requisite, accompanied by three men well armed with muskets lis time. " After we had gone about thirty miles we came to a mark in the sand, the signal agreed upon for us to stop and wait for lim. We had not been here half an hour, when he appeared |yrith four natives on the top of the cliflP above us. When he jame down the hill, the blacks, on seeing us armed, attempted run away, but he persuaded them by promises of hatchets to [turn back. I went up to meet him, and you may conceive my Ijoy and satisfaction when he told me that Mrs. Fraser was ^•waiting on the top of the hill until I sent her a cloak. I im- [mediately gave him a cloak and petticoat, and shortly after- 2 B 186 SHIPWRECK OF THE also stated the manner in which she had beei treated, and the opinion which Dr. Robinson had given as to the measures which ought to be resorted to in order to insure a thorough physical and wards she appeared. You never saw such an object. Although only thirty -eight years of age, she looked like an old woman of seventy, perfectly Mack, and dreadfully crippled from the suf- ferings she had undergone. I went to meet her, and she caught my hand, burst into tears ^ and sunk down quite exhausted. She was a mere skeleton, the skin literally hanging upon her bones, whilst her legs were a mass of sores^ where the savages had tortured her with firebrands. Notwithstanding her miserable plight, it was absolutely necessary for us to start homewards, though she had already come nine or ten miles, as there were about 300 natives in the camp, who, Graham said, would most likely attack us in the night, for many of them had been un- willing to give her up. He had fortunately met with one of his former friends, a kind of chief, through whose influence he had succeeded. So treacherous are the natives, that it is impossible to tYust one of them for a moment. ** After having given the poor woman some port wine, which I had brought with me in a flask, and some tea, which she thought was nectar from heaven, she insisted upon immediately setting out, though we had nearly thirty miles to walk. On the road she gave me a dismal account of her hardships and priva- tions, interrupting herself with bursts of gratitude, which it was painful to listen to. Her husbatid had been speared before her face about a month back, and had gradually pined, until his death, totally neglected. Any attempt of hers to approach him was followed by blows on the head. When he died they dragged the body away by the heels, and buried it in the sand. The unfortunate first mate suffered still more. They burnt his STIRLING CASTLE. 187 mental healthiness in the system. From words which fell from his lips, Jt appears evident that the unfortunate woman, notwithstanding her kind treatment at the settlement, had evinced symptoms legs with fire-brands to such a degree, that, on his crawling into the water, the flesh all dropped off from the bones, which were laid bare up to the knees, and in this way he lay helpless, and was starved to death. On one occasion, when she attempted to take him a few cockles, they knocked her down with a club, and dragged her through a pond by the arms and legs. " When we met her, she had been two days without food, and had subsisted the most part of the time on a kind of fern root which is found in the swamps. Now and then she would get the tail or fin of a fish, when the savages had a superabun- dance. This she was obliged to earn by dragging heavy logs of wood and fetching water; and she Was not allowed to enter their huts ; but, destitute of all covering as she was, she was obliged to lie out the whole night, even in the heaviest rains. " This is but a slight sketch of what she went through — a detailed account would fill a quire of paper. When we had got about half-way to our boats, we were obliged to carry her in turns. We did not arrive until the next morning ; when, after taking some rest, she begged I would send her some hot water, as she was anxious to restore her face and person to their natural colour. I suspect she found it no easy task, as, besides her ex- posure to the sun and wind, the natives, in order to bring her as near as possible to their own complexion, had rubbed her every day with charcoal and fat. '* Our only anxiety was to get away, as we had accomplished our errand, and the blacks were keeping us constantly on the watch. We were detained by contrary winds for four days, during which one of our men got a spear sent through his thigh. 188 SHIPWRECK OF THE of aberration of mind, and as we have before gently hinted, we think we have seen a tendency that way ourselves. And if it be so, who can wonder ? Many a lady has found an asylum in a mad-house for life in consequence of bereavements less painful, — who have never experienced the pains, privations, and insults of the female we are alluding to. Mrs. Robinson appeared to be deeply affected at the idea of parting with the lady who had been the object of her solicitude in the hours of afflic- tion, which was not yet chased away : the tale of her sorrows had deeply impressed her sensitive mind. Baxter and his male companions also stood there as objects of interest and commiser- ation, for, although convalescent, they were, to use Baxter's own term, miserable objects — indeed, from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet there was no soundness in them. Two of the party, we are informed, have paid the debt of nature ; and those who survive will never be pos- sessed of their pristine physical power. The party who composed the crew and guard of At length we had a fair breeze, and reached the settlement in two days and a night. ** Since our arrival Mrs. Fraser has been suffering very much from the effects of hardships, which showed themselves in pains in her limbs and joints. She is now coming fast round, and I daresay will be soon quite well.'' I STIRLING CASTLE. 189 our little convoy, banished as some of them were through transgression, appeared to partake in the joyful congratulations which were interchanged by their superiors ; for sorrow and suffering oft-times humanize the heart and awaken its best sym- pathies, which in the days of adventurous crime, lie almost, if not entirely, dormant. The object those have in view who inflict punishment is, that in the school of coercion transgressors may learn wisdom ; and in enforcing it, they act upon the principle adopted by the moral Governor of the universe, in his chastening dealings with the chil- dren of men. ^' At length the time arrived when Lieutenant Otter must retrograde to the settlement, and the Prince George proceed on her voyage ; and the friends parted, never more, perhaps, to meet again. It appears to us, from the expressions of the nar- rators, that they will ever have a grateful and * A very intelligent convict, who had a hair-breadth escape from the gallows, in one of his Sydney epistles to us, contrasts his former condition in society (a most respectable one,) with his present state of degradation and suffering ; and ere the victim to the artifice of an insidious " Millwood " concludes, he expresses a determination to endure to the end with resigna- tion. Although in a distant part of the bush, and employed as " a hewer of wood and drawer of water," he declares (and who dare doubt his sincerity ? ) that the Bible is his only solace, and quotes the following passage — " Before I was afflicted I went astray — but now have I kept Thy word." 190 SHIPWRECK OF THE lively recollection of the numerous acts of kindness which they received at Moreton Bay — indeed, gra- titude demands that it should be so, and that they never ought to cease to pray for their welfare. \1 Any change or movement which would carry them toward their natal land, neutralized the pangs of separation. Exiled as they had been, and sufferers as they were, they could feelingly exclaim with our favourite poet, " England, with all thy faults, I love thee still." '* There are, who strongly love to roam, And find in wildest haunts their home ; And some in halls of lordly state, Who yet are homeless — desolate. The sailor's home is on the main — The warrior's on the tented plain — The maiden's in the bower of rest — The infant's on its mother's breast ; But Britain is a home to 7ne, A land remote from slavery." — Anonymous. STIRLING CASTLE. 191 CHAPTER XIV. " Now redeem'd exiles cheerfully retreat Unto the shore t'which error bends its way, E'en to the penal shore of Botany Bay." Anonymous. Captain Roach having weighed anchor, pro- ceeded not direct to Sydney, but, obedient to the orders which were given him by Sir R. Bourke, the governor, to sail coast-wise on his return, in order to discover if possible whether any other of the crew of the Stirling Castle were yet alive, as there were then three missing, of whom Hodge could give no account. The cutter had not sailed more than 100 miles north of "Point Look-out" before the crew saw a number of fires on or near the beach ; and owing to the stillness of the water and a slight breeze, Baxter could easily distinguish the boisterous coheeing of the natives, a proof that they were in one of their merriest moods. Captain Roach consulted those who had a pain- ful experience of the manners of the barbarians, and was advised to keep out from the shore until day-break, because if any of the missing crew were in their hands, intimidation arising from the 192 SHIPWRECK OF THE I approach of an armed cutter, might cause the natives to hurry the captives further into the bush, or perhaps at once destroy them. Perhaps we may not be accused of uncharitable feeling, when we candidly express, that the nar- rators felt a repugnance at nearing the shore, lest they should become victims to the fatal and un- erring spear, or again taken into captivity : if this were so, it partakes not of cowardice, but emanates from that strong inherent principle in our nature — self-preservation. Be this as it may. Captain Roach had his pre- scribed orders, and like a brave and obedient com- mander, he followed them up to the very letter. On the following morning he proceeded to the beach, and with his crew went on shore. The natives had retired into the bush, and all was silence save the muttering of the rippling ocean, and the warbling of the splendidly fledged birds which abound in that latitude. Sounds were echoed, which would have been well defined, had they reached an European ear, but no one ap- proached. They had not proceeded far along the coast near the sea shore, ere their attention was attracted by the impress of human feet on the earth. These the enterprising party followed until they came to a spot, where it was evident a recent corrohery had been held. It was not long before one of the crew sounded an alarm, which caused all his companions to fly to the spot from whence STIRLING CASTLE. 193 the sound proceeded . On their arrival, they beheld their companion riveted to the spot in a state approaching to petrifaction ; and no wonder, for his eyes were fixed upon the disfigured body and extremities of a person who has already been named in this narrative — they were the remains of James Major I It appeared, from small fragments of bones which lay near his disfigured trunk, that the natives had placed his head on a fire, which consumed the thorax, and descended obliquely to a part of the left side of the abdomen, when it appeared to have satiated its vengeance, or perhaps its flame was extinguished by the gushing of the heart's blood of the victim ! From appearances, it was calculated that the sacrifice had been made two or three days before the landing of our exploring party ; and, but for a comparatively trivial circumstance at first view, it would never have been known who the suff'erer had been, or to what nation he belonged. Baxter, Darge, and others of the rescued, were conveyed to the spot, when, with one voice, they proclaimed that it was their late shipmate. Major. And how did they identify him ? It was thus : — From some cause or other, the sanguinary brutes who put him to death, had, either from forgetful- ness, or that their rapacity was blunted by a deed of bloodshed, failed to denude him of a well-known waistcoat, the colour and remaining buttons of 2c 194 SHIPWRECK OF THE which were recognized by Baxter and his com- panions. We have already stated the progress which the fire had made upon the disfigured and headless corpse. But the work of destruction did not end here, — it was quite apparent that the kangaroo dogs had made a hearty meal on the most fleshy part of the thighs and legs of the poor fellow, so that what remained of him was a horrid spectacle to behold. Well might the first dis- coverer have been petrified ; for even when relating the particulars to us for the purpose of narration, Baxter's flesh quivered as though he had been torn by pincers, and made the blood of the author curdle in his veins. When describing Major's aptitude as a seaman, and descanting upon the good qualities of his unfortunate defunct friend, the tear of the sailor, than which we think nothing is more affecting, gushed from his lashes — a tear, we doubt not, excited by gratitude combined with regret — gratitude for his own preservation — regret for the fate of his companions. Nor need he have been ashamed of that tear, for his very expression excited sympathy, which brought to our mind the words of a sublime poet — " If you have tears, prepare to shed them now." But to return from what may be deemed the field of prosing reflection, let us attend the funeral obsequies of poor Major. After many a STIRLING CASTLE. 195 |5gh of regret for his untimely end, all that remained of a handsome young man of twenty- three, was committed to the grave ; the burial service of the church, so far as it could be recol- lected, was recited ; and it may be gratifying to his relatives, should they ever read this history, to know, that although buried on a barbarous shore, his Immble grave was surrounded by those who did not '' mimic sorrow when their hearts were not sad." After the melancholy obsequies, the cutter pro- ceeded on her voyage, and every creek and inlet was explored with care and steady perseverance, without any important discovery being made. They sailed in the direction of the metropolis of the new world, and early on the fifth day after they left Point Look-out, they reached Sydney- Head on Saturday, October 15th, 1836. When our party landed on a once barbarous soil, which had become more than demi-amjelized, they found that a change of hemisphere had not altered the character of a feeling which will ever reflect honour upon the mother country — they were, as at Brisbane River, hailed with enthusiasm, as though they had achieved a great victory. Not- withstanding provision had been made for their succour, and entertainment, by the humane go- vernor, yet the respectable inhabitants were de- sirous that they should have the party billeted upon them, so anxious were they to hear the re- 196 SHIPWRECK OF THE cital of the troubles they had seen and the con- flicts they had passed, during the interval since the survivors had left Sydney.* Mrs. Fraser stated to us many instances of kind- ness which she met with : indeed, familiarized as are the inhabitants with the history of crime and cruelty, this case of the crew of the Stirling Castle was viewed as something out of the common course of events — a sort of paragon of savage barbarity and human endurance combined. The excitement occasioned by their arrival was not confined to one class of persons, for those of all * We are requested by Baxter to notice the kind and hos- pitable attention paid to him by Mr. Tegg, the son of a cele- brated London bookseller, who has settled in Sydney, where he is carrying on a flourishing business; literature being his staple commodity. Mrs. Fraser also expressed a wish that we should introduce into our history the names of some of the gentry of Sydney, who have shown her extraordinary acts of kindness. Her desire is complied with, because it appears to have emanated from a grateful heart : and she expressed a hope, that when the history of the Stirling Castle arrived at New South Wales, it would be seen, that those who pitied her in the days of her widowhood and low estate, were not forgotten after she had changed her condition in life. The following are the principal names which she mentioned, viz. — The Rev. Mr. Marsdeii, of Paramatta, Captain Duke and Lady, Captain Monroe, Captain Davis, Captain Lewis, D. Thompson, Esq., Colonial Secretary, Madame Debac, Mr. and Mrs. Slade, and Mrs. Vitie. I STIRLING CASTLE. 197 ranks, from the mitred head down to the mechanic, partook of the general joy. Shortly after their arrival, the inhabitants re- quested the Right Reverend the Bishop of Aus- tralia to hold a special public service in St. James's church, and to preach a sermon of thanksgiving for the deliverance of a portion of the ill-fated crew. The Right Rev. Prelate cheerfully obeyed the call, and the whole of the party, with the excep- tion of Hodge, (who was very lame) attended the solemn service ; and perhaps the spacious church had never been so crowded before. After remaining for a considerable time in Sydney, Mrs. Fraser embarked on board the Mediterranean Packet ^ Captain Greene, which sailed on the 16th of February, 1837, from Syd- ney, and after a pleasant voyage of five months, she arrived at Liverpool on the 16th of July.* * In a former part of this history, it was intimated, that we should now and then append a note relative to the interesting colony of which Sydney is the capital. For the present, we subjoin the following brief sketch, reserving others which have been penned for future insertion. The general features of the colony of New South Wales are widely different in many respects from that part of the continent on which the persons connected with this lamentable history were cast, and so are the manners of the natives, more es- pecially those who resided in those parts of the bush most contiguous to the metropolis, as well as of the inland settlements which have been formed ; in the latter respect, perhaps, the 198 SHIPWRECK OF THE change already apparent, has had its origin and progress in the frequent coalition between them and the British settlers. It matters but little, we conceive, by what means the savage nature of men is subdued, and civilization extended; whether from the effect of fear, or from a sordid policy, so that the important point be achieved. This salubrious and beautifully picturesque colony exhibits a range of hills and valleys, mountains and plains, and along the sea coast the mountains rise to an elevation of from 3000 to 4000 feet, running nearly parallel with the coast, at a distance of from forty to fifty miles, the intervening space being an undulating plain, intersected by several rivers which have their rise in the elevation just mentioned ; beyond which a consider- able extent of table land stretches in every direction, gradually depressing towards the interior. The boundary of the New South Wales territory is imper- fectly defined : it may be said, however, to extend coastwise between the parallels of 36° and 28** S. lat., or about 500 miles along the sea shore ; while the greatest distance yet settled inland, can scarcely be said to be more than 200 miles. The portion in which land may be selected, was fixed by a govern- ment order, dated October 1820, and comprised 34,505 square miles, or 22,083,200 acres; the boundaries being on the east to the sea coast, from the mouth of the Manning river in 32° S. lat. ; on the north, the river Manning from the sea coast westward, to a range of mountains, including all those valleys and ravines which descend to the rivers Goulburn and Hunter; on the west, a line, nearly along the line of the meridian of 148" W. long.; and on the south, from Mount Murray (in the latitude of Bateman's Bay) to the Munro River, in 36° S. lat. The total number of uhite inhabitants, when the last census was taken, amounted to upwards of 100,000, of whom about 25,000 were prisoners, — the residue of upwards of 90,000 male and female convicts who have been transported to the settlement since its formation in 1788. STIRLING CASTLE. 199 CHAPTER XV. " Nothing extenuate, nor aught set down in malice." In this latitude of our historical voyage, during which no accident has been noted down in our log-booky a *'reef" made its appearance, which called into requisition all our nautical experience, and forced into active service all the skill in sea- manship which we possessed ; but having on board the sheet-anchor of truth, we felt confident that although our voyage might be a little retarded, we should not founder, because as well as the anchor, we had the mirror of truth, and should dispel the mist, which so suddenly and unex- pectedly hovered around us ; so that eventually we should have a clear sky, and smooth water. Not wishing to dare the threatened danger, to use a nautical phrase, we backed a little, and hauled off until we got before the wind, and mak- ing sail, we cast anchor in the Bay of ''Public Confidence.^' Having made these preliminary remarks, we now proceed to detail circumstances which have occurred since the widow of the late Captain Fraser 200 SHIPWRECK OF THE arrived in England : and in doing so it will be ne- cessary to blend epistolary documents witb historical remarks, in order that the facts to which we allude may appear before the public in an intelligible form . After the arrival of Mrs. Fraser at Liverpool, and her sojourn there for some time, in order to recover from the fatigues of a long voyage, she was advised by her friends to proceed to London, in order to lay her case before the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, and the more espe- cially as she possessed documents signed by the authorities at New South Wales, verifying the truth of her statement, and recommending her as an object worthy of the commiseration and assistance of the Home Government. The lady made her way to the metropolis, and presented a respect- ful petition to the Colonial Office, to which was annexed a brief historical detail of the suffer- ings she had undergone. The petition set forth the destitute state of her three fatherless children, and implored that some provision should be made for them, either temporary or permanent, as Her Majesty's government might deem meet. Her papers and certificates were received, and she was told to call again in two or three days, to ascertain whether there would be any reply. On the fourth day after the delivery she applied again at the Colonial Office, for ihe purpose already named, when it was intimated that the documents had STIRLING CASTLE. 201 ot passed a thorough review, and she was told to call again on a day named by one of the principal clerks ; and to this injunction she was punctual. When she again called, she was told that Lord Glenelg had perused her papers, and had left word, that if his lordship saw any reason he would com- municate with her. This was understood to be, what in official parlance it really was, '^ your petition is dismissed;'' for no further notice was taken of it. Anxiously desirous that something might be done for her children, it was natural that she should " run to every avenue and seek for help ;" and her steps were directed, by the advice of some friends, to the Rev. G. C. Smith, of Wellclose square, in order to ascertain whether that gentle- man could get at least one of her boys into the asylum for the childreu of shipwrecked captains and sailors. And who can blame her for the laud- able effort ? At the time she so went, Mr. Smith was on a periodical and distant tour, but one of the officers connected with the excellent institution alluded to, after hearing her dismal recital, advised her to go to the Mansion-house, and detail her history to the Lord Mayor, who, she was informed ^ was a benevolent gentleman, and would, doubtless, advise her how to act in her hour of extremity. This advice she followed, and the result of her application to his lordship is already partially before our readers, but the full details will be 2d 202 SHIPWRECK OF THE given hereafter. We allude to this circumstance thus early, in order to show that she could not have contemplated that the sympathetic feelings of the public would have been so much excited in favour of herself and children ; nor did she dream that her testimony would be confirmed by Baxter and Darge, as she did not know that either of them was in London. The chief magistrate lent a willing ear to the melancholy recital of her bereavement, suffering, and the destitution of her children ; and having afforded temporary relief, he said he w^ould make the necessary inquiries into her distressing case. She stated that she had a daughter fifteen years of age, and two boys, one nine, and the other seven, who had been residing at Stromness, in a state of destitution, and they had no one to look to for future support, but to the owners of the Stirlijig Castle and a humane public. As a matter of course, the recital of Mrs. Fraser appeared fully detailed in most of the London journals, and from thence transcribed into some of the provincial newspapers ; and as will be made manifest in the sequel, the humanity of the be- nevolent was aroused, and '^ their purses were unstrung." As soon as the report of the then partially recited narrative had been circulated, the Lord Mayor received documents from various quarters, which were confirmatory of the veracity of the statement STIRLING CASTLE. 203 which had been made to him, and among the first was the following from a highly respectable gentle- man, the scion of a stock which will ever be held in deserved estimation, and will recur to the mind, when Slavery is the topic of conversation. As the docuhient is one of our many confirma- tory links in the chain of evidence, we give it in- sertion verbatim. " Southampton^ August 22, J 837. "Mr. Wiiberforce has the honour of inclosing foi* the Lotd Mayor's inspection, a letter written by Stephen Owen, Esq., an officer in the Commissariat department, stationed at Moreton Bay. '* The letter is addressed to Mr. Owen, and relates to the case of Mrs. Fraser, which has been recently made ktiowil to your Lordship. "As the cover of the letter has been torn, Mr. Wiiberforce conceives that it inay not be improper for him to state that fVom his own knowledge of the handwritihg t)f Mh Owen, \Vhb is thfe brother-in-law of Mr. Wiiberforce, he c^il positively dfeClat^, the inclosed letter and the part of the address on the torn cover, to be the writing of that gentleman." This communication inclosed a letter from Mr. Owen, dated 2nd October, 1836, from which the following is an extract : — " I send you a few lines by Mrs. Fraser, who has been passing some time here with us, and who has been made a widow on our shores by the cruel handsof the blacks, after suffering shipwreck. Poor Mrs. Fraser, after witnessing the death of her husband from the ill-usage of the blacks, had to submit to great cruelties and hardships, until, through God's mercy, she was rescued by a party who were sent in search of the shipwrecked crew. 204 SHIPWRECK OF THE *' Mrs. Fraser is about to proceed to her children in Scotland ; and should she pass through London in her way, and find an opportunity, will make you a short visit."* Mr. Baxter, the second officer of the Stirling Castle, having seen an account in the newspapers, waited upon his lordship, and produced a letter addressed to him by the daughter of his deceased relative, Captain Fraser, which he received in London, on the ]6th of August, in reply to one written by him on the 1st of the same month. The following are such extracts from the juvenile epistle as we deem advisable to publish. The letter is dated from Stromness, August 10th, 1837. " I received your kind letter of the 1st of August, dated London, and am happy to hear you are once more arrived in safety in your native land, as it was more than was expected. I have received a letter from my dear mother, upon her arrival in Liverpool, and I am looking for her daily at Stromness. She intimated that she was to call at London and at Greenock before coming to Orkney. It is likely you have seen her before this reaches you. Little was I thinking when at London that it was to be the last interview with my dear father, that I was no more to behold him in this world ; but to be taken away from me by. death in such a cruel manner by savages ! But, oh ! that we may meet in that heavenly country, where separation is unknown, to sing the song of the Lamb, through the endless ages of eternity. James and David are fine boys, and attend the school * Mrs. Fraser was also the bearer of a miniature likeness of Mr. Owen to his mother, a highly respectable lady, residing in the vicinity of London, and she speaks of that gentleman's kindness to her in enthusiastic terms of gratitude. STIRLING CASTLE. 205 closely. Give my kind love to your mother, and aunt Mary, and little Hannah, and may every blessing attend them in this world. David sends his love to his cousin Hannah, with half a dozen kisses. I will write again after my mamma's arrival at Stromness, and give you all the particulars. Uncle John would be very happy to receive a letter from you, to give an account if his son lived a heavenly life, for he received an account of his death. Your affectionate cousin, " Jane Eaiil Fraser." To Mr. J. Baxter, ^c. ^c. In this stage of the inquiry, his lordship was induced to express the satisfaction which he felt, that under such extraordinary circumstances of suffering, he had interfered as chief magistrate to engage the sympathies of the public. Docu- ments continually arrived, and testimony adduced, which strongly confirmed the truth of the statement which had been made to him in the first instance. Long after we had progressed with our narrative, a letter appeared in many of the London papers, as we have already stated, which excited a sensation, aroused a suspicion, and caused (to use the mildest phrase) many gratuitous and ill-natured remarks. Having previously made an incidental observation in relation to this epistle, we now give it verbatim, our maxim being to conceal nothing from the view of our readers, which is even in the most remote degree connected with this history. This letter was inserted in the Morning Advertiser on the 27th of September, and we give it exactly 206 SHIPWRECK OF THE as we cut it from the columns of that respectable journal. Mrs. fraser. This person, whose extraordinary adventures amongst savages have lately excited the sympathy of the public, is now suspected of being an impostor. It appears she is not in distress, but the wife of Greene, the captain of the vessel in which she came to England. The following is a copy of a letter transmitted by Mr. Dowling, Inspector of Police at Liverpool, to the Lord Mayor : — " Central Police-office ^ Liverpool. " My Lord — Finding that a person calling herself Mrs. Fraser, the widow of the unfortunate master of the Stirling Castle, has been making a statement to your Lordship in order to excite the compassion of the humane and obtain money, I think it my duty to acquaint you that she landed here some few weeks back, and applied to me, detailing the same circumstances of distress as those which appear to have interested your Lord- ship in her behalf. I communicated with the mayor and parochial authorities of the town, who most humanely entered upon the pleasing task of giving her effectual relief; but on the second interview I had with her, an evident exaggeration of her sufferings whilst in captivity, caused a suspicion, and her relief was suspended till inquiries were made, when it turned out that she had married in Sydney, New South Wales, the master of the vessel in which she arrived here, (the Mediterranean Packet) who is a man in good circumstances, and who it now appears accompanied her to London (leaving his vessel here in dock,) no doubt solely for the purpose of raising money by imposing on your Lordship and the public. Her husband, whose name is Greene, is the person who so warm-heartedly confirmed her state- ment before your Lordship. '* Her explanation upon the discovery of her imposition, STIRLING CASTLE. 207 attempted here was, that her husband (Greene) used her very ill, and she wished to go to London and separate from him ; and he, on being sent for, agreed to furnish her with the means to go ; after which, however, they remained here some time, and I saw her on more than one occasion elegantly dressed. The mate of the vessel stated that she had a very good wardrobe, and it is certain that, as the wife, of Greene, she cannot be in distress. " I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient servant, (Signed) " M. M. G. Dowling, '* Commissioner of Police." About the same period, Mrs. Fraser (for at present so we shall designate her,) sent a letter to the editor of the Morning Advertiser, which being inserted in that journal on the 29th of September, was as a matter of course transcribed into other papers, and therefore had a wide circulation ; which letter we also insert with the double view of ex- tending it, as she gives her own reasons for keeping secret the relation in which she stood to Captain Greene of the Mediterranean Packet, the gentleman who brought her to England. The following is an exact copy of the letter alluded to, and upon which, and the other epistolary correspondence, we shall make a few remarks by and by. To the Editor of the Morning Advertiser, Sir, — Glancing over the Morning Advertiser of the 27th instant, I observed a copy of a letter that had been transmitted to the Lord Mayor, by a Mr. M. G. Dowling, Police Inspector at Liverpool, but to which no date is affixed. You will allow me to inform you and the public, that the said letter was receive4 at the Mansion-house about a month since. 208 siirpwuECK of toe and that the contents, after having been analysed, did not seem to prejudice the mind of his lordship against me ; neither do I now conclude its having effected a change, though it has now emanated therefrom, and appeared before the public. With regard to the charges therein against me, I further beg to be permitted to explain the cause which stimulated me to proceed hither, which, 1 presume, will remove from the public mind every idea of being an impostor, as the writer impudently alleges. In the first place, I came to London to ascertain the real position of the late Captain Eraser's affairs, whose transactions with various parties remained open when the Stirling Castle sailed from the St. Katherine's Docks. Secondly, my instructions at Sydney were, on my arrival in Liverpool to proceed to London, appear personally before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and pray that Government would extend relief to my orphan children. Immediately after arriving, I proceeded to the Colonial office, but could not obtain an audience with his lordship, or any fur- ther understanding relative to my petition, than that I would be written to in the course of two or three days. After having waited upwards of a vveek, and receiving no communication whatever therefrom, I at length came to a resolution (as the only alterna- tive remaining) to appear in person before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, who, after hearing the detailed narrative of mv personal sufferings among the New Hollanders, and the destitu- tion of my orphans, kindly expressed his readiness to be in any wise instrumental to alleviate the distressed circumstances of my family. I would further observe, that when an appeal was made to public sympathy, it was understood at the Mansion-house that whatever the humane and benevolent community would deposit in the hands of the Lord Mayor, should be appropriated solely for the benefit of my three children. Regarding the writer's allegations against Captain Greene, I would have him know that he is no impostor, neither did he STIRLING CASTLE. 209 leave his vessel in dock vith an intention of imposing on the Lord Mayor of the city of- London, nor yet the public ; but with a view, after having settled his own private affairs, to re- turn to New Zealand. I am, Sir, yours respectfully, Sept. 28, 1837. E. A. Greene (late Fraser). With respect to the letter written by Mr. Wil- berforce to the Lord Mayor, and the extract it contained from one written by Stephen Owen, Esq., we shall only observe, en passant^ that the docu- ment alone goes to prove that Mrs. Greene was the person she represented herself to be, viz., the widow of Capt. Fraser, and her identity was abun- dantly confirmed by packages of which she was the bearer to this country. That her sufferings have been of a very extraor- dinary kind, has already been fully established by the publication of Lieut. Otter's letter ; and we repeat, that we feel convinced we have much under-rated those sufferings, as we have in our possession facts connected with the brutal treat- ment of this helpless woman, (and could produce a living witness who would verify them on oath,) which, if we dared to publish, would excite an in- voluntary shudder of horror and disgust in every well-regulated mind. The extracts we have made from the simple epistle of Capt. Fraser's eldest child, written to Baxter, her relative, and one of the officers of her unfortunate father, speaks for itself, and the simple 2 E 210 SHIPWRECK OF THE style in which it is written will, we doubt not, ex- cite a sympathetic feeling in the mind of her own sex, which will doubtless be increased, when the letter of the Rev. P. Learmouth is referred to, whith depicts in glowing colours the state of desti- tution in which the young female and her two brothers have long been placed. (Vide page 121). With respect to the letter written by Mr. Dow- Ijng, we shall make a few remarks, and we are bound to do so injustice to ourselves, and for the information of our readers. We know Mr. Dow- ling to be a most honourable and intelligent gen- tleman, and w^ell qualified to fill the high situation which he occupies in the second commercial port in the empire. And we are also assured that he possesses too much humanity to make a statement which he knew would have a tendency to stem the current of generosity \yhen directed to any in- dividual, much less would he do so in a case where three destitute orphan children were to be the recipients of the contributions of the bene- volent, and who were rendered fatherless under circumstances the most appalling. His letter has however, had that temporary eflfect, and we are sure that when Mr. Dowling learns the fact, he will regret it ; but it is quite evident that when he wrote it, he was not aware into what channel the streams of benevolence were flowing. Of the fact stated by Mr. Dowling, of the mar- riage of Mrs, Fraser with Capt. Greene, of course I STIRLING CASTLE. 211 we were ignorant ; and, as there was no document to attest it, we were willing to doubt the accuracy of those who had given the information to that gentleman upon the subject. When the parties next returned to London, (for they had been in the suburbs,) it was deemed ad- visable to investigate the fact ; and a rev. gentle- man, who had taken an interest in the affair, sought an interview with Capt. Greene ; and when it took place, he candidly told that gentleman a rumour was abroad that he had married, or was about to marry, Mrs. Fraser. Capt. Greene frankly acknowledged the fact, and much regretted that it had been concealed ; but, as her papers were signed by the authorities at Sydney, while she was yet a widow, it was thought advisable by her, that she should present herself as such to the Home Government, as the jhange in her condition of life did not alter the lestitute position in which her fatherless children stood. It is due to Capt. Greene to state that he expressed great regret that there had been any concealment about the matter ; but he spurns the insinuation that ''he accompanied her to London (leaving his vessel in dock,) no doubt solely for the purpose of raising money by imposing on the Lord Mayor and the public." With this part of Mr. Dow- ling's letter we have nothing to do ; but, leaving him and Capt. Greene to fight their own battle, we cannot refrain from remarking that from what we have seen and heard of Capt. Greene, we think 212 SHIPWRECK OF THE him incapable of being influenced by sinister motives, or to be guilty of ^' gross imposition." Then, as it respects Mrs. Greene, much may be said in palliation of her offence, for such we readily deem it, and so it has been intimated to her. It appears quite evident, when she first came to Lon- don, that neither she nor Capt. Greene had the most remote idea of appealing to the public. She came furnished with documents from the governor of the colony she had left, which she hoped would be favourably received b}^ the government ; but after a long journey to London, and waiting several days, she learned, much to her astonishment and sorrow, that her Majesty's Secretary of State, to whom her petition and papers were addressed, did not so entertain them as to hold out hope of receiving pecuniary or other aid from that quarter, for the benefit of her destitute children. It is worthy of remark, too, that at the time of this application, the fact of her second marriage was not known, so that it could not have been a barrier to the prayer of her petition. There is something said in Mr. Bowling's letter, respecting matrimonial jars between the married couple before they left Liverpool. With that we have nothing to do ; it might be so, it might not ; but as our oft-quoted Olney poet says, — "The kindest and the happiest pair Will find occasion to forbear ; And something every day they live, To pity, and perhaps forgive." STIRLING CASTLE. 213 We were often in the company of Capt. Greene and his wife, and long before it was known in what relation they stood to each other. It then occurred to us, from the mutual attentions paid, that the lady would at no distant period be Mrs. Greene ; but in our ignorant speculation, it again occurred to our mind, that her unremitting attention to the gentleman arose from a grateful recollection of favours which he had bestowed in bringing her as an exile from the most distant part of the globe to her native country. We are aware that Mrs. Greene is charged with great indiscretion in so speedily throwing off the weeds of widowhood. If this be an error, it is one into which many have fallen ; as when the proper mate is chosen, ladies as well as gentlemen make ^the proper time for marrying quite a secondary I'Consideration. Here she was in Sydney, in a state bordering upon utter destitution. She became acquainted with Capt. Greene, a gentleman well-known and highly respected there, and supposed to be a per- son in very comfortable circumstances. Perhaps he first viewed her, as did hundreds of others, as an object of commiseration ; and at length pity [gave way to a platonic affection, which ripened into a more tender sensibility. Capt. Greene could not have been induced to an alliance with the view of aggrandizement, and therefore we must believe him to have been 214 SHIPWRECK OF THE actuated by a manly and honourable feeling when he entered the sanctuary of God, and solemnly pledged himself to a poor, forlorn, debilitated female, that he would *' take her for better for worse," and succour and comfort her all the days of his life. Here was Mrs. Fraser, a virtuous woman, struggling with adversity, who, in devotion to her husband, with whom she had lived in connubial felicity for eighteen years, left all, to journey with him to the most distant part of another hemi- sphere, regardless alike of danger and death. Capt. Greene had offered her a passage home in the Mediterranean Packet weeks before he proposed the question which had reference to the altar of Hymen. Supposing Mrs. Fraser had given a de- cided negative to that question, and she had sailed a five months' voyage as a " companion," instead of a ''wife," — what then? Her virtue would doubt- less have been preserved, (for virtuous who can doubt her to have been ?) but her reputation pro- bably might not ; for even then, superficial readers, depreciating gossips (men as well as women) would have insinuated by rascally inuendoes, that which would have robbed her of her fair fame ; and all these, too, emanating from persons who knew nothing of her, and never took the trouble to con- sider the precarious situation in which she stood. We have already conceded that she has acted unwisely in concealing a fact, which, had it been STIRLING CASTLE. 215 acknowledged, could not have branded either her or her new partner with dishonour : although it might have caused a degree of censure among the slanderers and prudes of the day, yet by some it would have been considered a romantic adven- ture, and by others, a "holy alliance." She has, we admit, acted foolishly in concealing a fact ; but that ought to be construed in the most favour- able terms. Had she stated, and persisted in a falsehood, then the case would have been different, and she would not have interested the writer of this history in the attempt to palliate her offence. Had that been the case, she would have found no advocate in him, but, as far as he is concerned, would have been left as an object of v/ell-merited contumely. Having made these remarks, we beseech our readers to forget her error, which at most is a venial one ; and let those who have thought uncharitably of her reflect, that had they been placed in the same circumstances, and surrounded with the same difficulties, and having the same floomy prospect before them, they might have [fallen into the same snare, and entered into a )rovident, though according to the general notion of the world, a premature and ill-timed alliance. jShe is fully aware that she has sinned against strict etiquette, and been guilty of an indiscreet secrecy ; and we are ready to admit these facts ; but without her knowledge, we have attempted an apology. 216 SHIPWRECK OF THE But after all, what has this deviation from eti- quette and propriety to do with her previous history and its heart-rending sufferings ? Moreover, why should it have an unfavourable effect upon the minds of the well-disposed part of the community, in respect of her destitute orphans ? Even had the widow of the lamented Captain Fraser been volatile and gay — yea, had she evinced the most unblush- ing and barefaced depravity ; would it in any way have changed the destitute condition of her three poor children, the legitimate offspring of a brave and unfortunate man? Surely not. Then, where, we ask, is the propriety of exclaiming, as some have, — '^ We will not contribute to the fund for the benefit of the orphans?" Why not? has the mother committed any act of immorality ? Not that we are aware of. What is it then ? what evil has she done? Why, she has concealed from us the fact, that she married Captain Greene of the Mediterranean Packet ! With respect to Mrs. Greene's letter to the Morn- ing Advertiser, we shall make no comments on it, but we point out that passage to our readersj where she declares — ** / at length came to the resolution to appear before the Lord Mayor in person, who, after hearing the detailed nar- rative of 7?iy personal sufferings ar.ong the New Hollanders, and the destitution of my orphans, kindly expressed his readiness to he in anyivise instrumental to alleviate the distressed circum- stances of my family. " / would further observe, that when an appeal was made to STIRLING CASTLE. 217 public sympathy f it was understood at the Mansion House that whatever the humane and benevolent community would deposit in the hands of the Lord Mayor should be appropriated solely for the benefit of my three children.'* In consequence of the publicity which was given to Mr. Bowling's letter, and the remarks which were made on it by certain parts of the public press, the chief magistrate appears to have felt it imperative on him to write an explanatory letter, in order to place the matter to which Mr. Bowling had referred in its proper light, and if possible, thereby to stem the torrent of unmerited censure, sarcasm and reflection ; and his lordship's effort appears (at the period we are writing) to have produced t'le desired effect. In fairness to the implicated, we subjoin the letter in reply. "Mr. Editor, — Having observed in the morning papers of the 27th instant, the copy of a letter sent from Liverpool, to the Lord Mayor, relative to statements made by Mrs. Fraser; it becomes necessary, for the satisfaction of those benevolent persons who came forward to alleviate her distresses, to say, that the fact of her marriage with Captain Greene was kept back by her on her first application at the Mansion House, but the Lord Mayor having received a letter from Lieutenant Otter, fully substantiating the account of her sufferings, and the murder of her husband, (who bore a most excellent character) as well as from the Rev. Peter Learmouth, minister of Stromness, of the destitute state of the children of Captain Fraser ; determined to let the subscriptions proceed for their benefit: and Mr. Lear- mouth and the kirk session have undertaken for the same being disposed of in the manner most conducive to their future welfare ; 2f -< ^ 218 SHIPWRECK OF THE Mrs. Greene herself receiving but a moderate sum for neces- saries, and to convey her to Stromness. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Thomas Kelly, Mayor. Mansion, House, September 2Sth. A lord mayor, and even personages standing much higher on the graduated ladder of '^social compact," from the elevated station which they occupy, must ever expect to become the objects of praise or censure, according to the estimation in which their motives and actions are rated : and the}^ are too often, without cause, subjected to illiberal and ribald attacks, in order to supply with food the vitiated palates of those who seldom, e^^ercise the little understanding of which they are masters, either to condemn a bad action or to appreciate a good one. With respect to the part which his lordship has taken in regard to the orphan children of the late Capt. Fraser, we consider it meritorious and praise- worthy, and it was to be expected that he would have been exempted from sarcasm, and shielded from the charge of credulity. We would have* those who made that charge know, that his lorclsliip is not a gentleman to be easily gulled ; on the con- trary, he is rather sceptical than otherwise, and examines matters with a scrutiny, wliich by some, perliaps, might almost be deemed fastidious, before he expresses his opinion upon any subject. As a magistrate, he has been proverbial for rigidly search- STIRLING CASTLE. 219 ing after truth, in order to ascertain whether decep- tion lurked beneath plausible representations. In the matter now under review, his lordship and his secretaries have been unremitting; and whoever may attempt to rob him of well-earned laurels, the orphan children of Captain Fraser will, doubtless, estimate his kindness so long as they exist. His lordship, who, we believe, acted under the voice of a provisional committee, thought proper to act in the manner he has, in reference to the circumstance which gave rise to his letter, and upon which we offer no further comment. With respect to the amount of subscriptions al- ready received, we are ignorant, but we know that temporary aid has been afforded where it was most needed : and before we conclude our labours, the public will be furnished with the amount re ceived by his lordship ; and the manner in which it has been, or is meant to be appropriated, will he detailed in our columns, as it forms one of the component parts of our history.* * The author hopes he will not be charged with egotism when he states, that his literary associates have signified to him their entire satisfaction at the manner in which he has replied to the letter of Mr. Dowling; and, prognosticating tliat during his future short voyage he will have a fair gdle arid a ^inobtli sea, they have advised him to " heave anchor,'' and set his sails. 220 SHIPWRECK OF THE CHAPTER XVII. " That in the mouth of two or three witnesses^ every word may be established.'' Matt, xviii. 16. " We've confirmation strong as holy writ." Shakspeare. THE NARRATIVE, &c. OF ROBERT DARGE. The name of Robert Darge has frequently oc- curred in the foregoing pages. He was one of the seamen taken on board at Sydney, when Capt. Eraser was about to proceed from thence to Singa- pore, and one of the crew who has reason to be thankful that he fared better, during his sojourn among the savages, than the majority of his com- panions. Being a native of Scotland, and an able- bodied seaman, he obtained an appointment to a vessel bound from Sydney to London, after he was rendered, by medical attention, *^fit for sea." This person, having seen the accounts published in the journals of the statements made by Mrs. Eraser and Mr. Baxter, came to London without the knowledge of either of them, and presented STIRLING CASTLE. 221 himself before the Lord Mayor, by whom he was interrogated, with the intent that he should either confirm or invalidate the testimony of the previous narrators. When subjected to interrogation, he said that, but for seeing the published accounts, he should not have known that Baxter or any of his late companions had been in London. We consider the statement of this man very important to the purpose for which we are induced to use it ; that is, as a link in the chain of confirmation^ and we deem it the more valuable, because it is quite clear that there was a shyness between him and Baxter, and, whether she had just cause or not, we know that he was no favourite with Mrs. Fraser. It may be recollected that Darge was one of the first to start the pinnace party ; and before he left Capt. Fraser and the small remnant of the crew behind, he in- sisted upon an equal division of the fire-arms and ammunition, which gave considerable umbrage at the time, and the circumstance is not erased from the mind of the captain's widow. He stated that when in the hands of the natives, he was worked so hard continually, that his health was greatly impaired, and he was reduced to a mere skeleton ; indeed, so deeply rooted were the injuries which he had sustained, though more favourably dealt with than it appeared Mrs. Fraser, Baxter, and others had been, he questioned whether he should ever entirely recover his former strength. 222 SHIPWRECK OF THE He appears to attribute his suffering- more to the severity of his labour, and being exposed naked to heavy rains, dense fogs, and furious blasts, than to acts of torture practised on his person by the na- tives. It is the opinion of Darge, that the tribe to which he was attached was more humane than that with which Captain Fraser, his wife, Baxter, Brown, and others, were connected ; and no doubt he is right in his conjecture, for all writers agree that the zero of civilization is at the northern point of Australia, and proceeding thence along the coast southward, the tribes of natives become gradually less sanguinary. One of the causes as- signed for this difference of character, is that the natives on the southern part of the continent of New Holland are better supplied with provisions than their northern brethren ; hence their minds are not so liable to be excited by the pinchings of hunger. Darge confirms the statements of the previous narrators with respect to the manners and customs of the natives, and says that all captives as well as themselves, are subjected to a state of nuda- tion, without regard to age, sex, or condition.* * There appears to be one deviation alone from the general rule, according to the concurrent statement of all the party. Young women, before they unite with the other sex, (for marriage it can hardly be called,) generally Wear a piecfe of bark fastened round the waist; but afterwards, even this frail attempt at decency is cast aside. STIRLING CASTLE. 223 When questioned as to whether, although the iatives had killed some of his companions, he had |ny serious apprehensions for the safety of his own fife, Darge replied that generally speaking he had no such apprehension, but he could not very well define the reason why he considered himself more liable to exemption from destruction than others ; a fair inference, however, is, that being naturally abler-bodied man, they considered his services Lore valuable than some of the less muscular por- tion of the captives. There was, he said, a general deep-rooted hatred in the breasts of the natives to fwhite men ; and the reason which he assigns for its being engendered is the fact of their having been frequently and sometimes very wantonly fired upon by the soldiery and constabulary force con- nected with the colonial settlement. He mentioned the fact of one of the men belonging to his tribe having lost his leg owing to a shot from one of the military, who had an inveterate enmity to him, and he insidiously attempted his life several times. The deprivation of a limb, which rendered him wholly unfit for hunting and fishing excursions, caused him often to be worked up to a fit of frenzy. The narrator proceeded to state that intercourse frequently takes place between the natives on the southern coast of Australia and the military, and it not unfrequently happened that these tribes would betray a bush-ranger into their hands for the reward of a moco or axe. There were some run- 224 SHIPWRECK OF THE away convicts whom government evinced more anxiety to recover than others ; and whenever this was the case, some one of the less barbarous tribes was sure to be employed to restore him into their hands ; and for any important service rendered, they were sometimes rewarded with a fish-hook, which they highly prize, and call it gillu-gillu. When interrogated as to whether the men were attached to their ^^ glims,'' and behaved kindly to them on general occasions; he replied, that they were very cruel to them, and treated them shame- fully ; yet he could discover that while they were often beaten with brutal severity, the offspring were indulged in every way in their power. From what he had heard, he had no doubt but that some of the tribes along the coast were guilty of cannibalism, but he saw nothing to induce the belief that the tribe with which he located was ; at all events, if the fact was so, he never saw any human flesh served up in their daily repasts. Darge also states with Baxter, that the natives never give any thing into the hand of their captives, but throw the article intended to be conveyed, at them, the miserable allowance of food not excepted. Some- times he had only some fish-bones to make a dinner of; and when they were cast at him, the children used every endeavour to deprive him of his scanty morsel, and in this attempt, the dogs, which have also a great aversion to a white person, used to join, .so that he often lost a portion of I STIRLING CASTLE. 225 tPie food which had been intended for him. He fully confirmed the statements of Mrs. Fraser and Baxter as to the mode of decorating their captives, after they had denuded them of their European clothing. He describes, that after they had smeared his head with gum, they put the long feathers of cockatoos and parrots on each side of it, between which they inserted small feathers of the most beautiful birds which abound in that otherwise desolate region. It appears that his was one of the red tribes ; for in order that he should appear as much like one of themselves as possible, they coloured his eye-brows and cheeks with a deep red-ochre ; in fact, they made him look "3. perfect fright." There was one painful operation to which Darge was subjected, which Baxter escaped, it not being so general a custom among the black as the red tribes, viz. plucking out the hair, beard, and whiskers by the roots. The pain which the poor fellow endured was excruciating ; indeed it was more than he could bear. It should be observed, however, that in inflicting this punish- ment, they were influenced by etiquette or fashion, rather than by a desire to cause bodily anguish, for they all practise the same custom on one another, as to be beardless and whiskerless is in their rude minds a mark of beauty. During the course of initiation, they daubed him all over from head to foot with gum and red-ochre, and then pointed with the finger of command to the water, to which he was to 2 G 226 SHIPWRteCK OF tHE go, and behold the horrid metamorphosis which he had Undergone. Notwithstanding the natives could see themselves very plain in the smooth, glass-like ocean, they were so intent npon the t'oilet, and securing the beauty of their persons, that they formed small vessels of {)ieces of bark, in order to hold water, to enable them to have a stedfast gaze at their grotesque head-dress, and they were indulgent enough to request Darge to have recourse to the same expedient. He states that the tribe he was with were very expert fisher- men, and much attached to the sporty but in that employment he w^as seldom indulged, his labour being by far more irksome. Sometimes, but very rarely, a large fish got into the shallows, near thfe beach, from which it was unable to retreat, until the flow of the tide. One of their modes of attack w^^s by hurling a spear at it, which they can send to a great distance ; and when that failed, the whole party went into the sea, with an immense net, in the capacious meshes of which they entwined the finny captive, and dragged him to the shore, with repeated cooheeing, and other symptoms of rejoicing. The fishing nets are made of the soft fibres of tlie bark of a resinous tree, which are extremely strong, atid wheh joined together, the natives call them ^^ coriir/iii.'' s Darge, who appears to be a sensible man, ende«P Voured to ascertain whether they performed any ^tts of devotion, or observed religious rites or I I STIRLING CASTLE. ^27 ceremonies of any kind ; but he could make no discovery, so as to warrant a full belief that they worshipped any divinity ; but if they paid adora- tion at all, it was to the moon, which at its change caused great rejoicing, and they called it *' Currahuro.'' He proceeded to state that he did not see any person connected with the Stirling Castle, killed. He had separated from Captain Fraser some time before the melancholy death of that gentleman ; and it may be recollected that he took the com- mand of the pinnace, which was afterwards lost, and the crew fell into the hands of the natives. After Darge had remained some time w^ith one tribe, he was turned over to another ; when, to his astonishment, as well as gratification, he found two white men connected with it. They were both English con vie Is, and one of them had been in the bush five years, and the other ten years. One of these bush-rangers they called '* lursiy'' and the other, who was a person of great altitude, christened himself '' Tallhoy.'' They were both completely naked, and Tursi told him that he committed an offence in England for which he was doomed to suffer death, but eventually his punish- ment was commuted to banishment to New South Wales for life. The measure of his iniquity not being full, he continued his predatory habits on his arrival in the colony, and being apprehended was convicted, and a second time cast for de^ith ; which 228 SHIPWRECK OF THE sentence would have assuredly been carried into execution, had he not been fortunate enough to make his escape to the bush. Time appeared to have reconciled the mind of this daring outlaw to his fate, for he said that he was perfectly satis- fied with the vagabond wandering life he led, and had made up his mind to live and die there. This person is described as being of an intelligent and communicative tarn of mind ; but although he expressed himself in the language of resignation, if not of contentment, his body, and that of his fugitive companion, was reduced to a mere skele- ton. To us it appears that the seeming apathy of this man, and the callousness to his destiny evinced by Tallboy, may be accounted for on the ground that they had only the choice of two dreadful evils, and they preferred that which was the most toler- able. Were they to offend the natives, and be delivered by them into the hands of the government authorities, death, or a punishment more painful and protracted, inevitably awaited them. 2\irsi informed Darge that he had always been on the sea coast during every successive winter, which created great alarm in his mind, and had an un- favourable influence upon his health, as the chance of his being taken by a scouring party, or com- pany of traders, was much greater than when in the interior. He congratulated himself that sum- mer was approaching, when he should accompany his tribe up to the mountains in quest of honey STIRLING CASTLE. 229 and kangaroos. The nectar, which in a favour- able season- is collected in great quantities, is care- fully preserved for the winter consumption, and in the summer they live principally upon young kangaroos, the natives not having the knowledge of the art of preserving the flesh of these animals, and if they did possess it, their immense distance from the sea (sometimes 200 and 300 miles) would preclude them from providing a winter stock. From the best sources of information within our reach, we are of opinion that by nature these natives are so indolent, that they would not exert themselves if the means of preservation were to be showered around their rude encampments — in fact they obey at least one scriptural injunction, — ^' Take no thought for the morrow what ye shall eaty or what ye shall drink,^' See. The narrator then stated the manner in which he contrived to escape, which was briefly as follows. He, as well as Carrallis and Youlden, his com- panions, by obedient servitude, kept on tolerable terms with the natives ; and, perhaps, their con- dition was in some degree meliorated by the inter- ference of the two bush-rangers, who being well versed in the language of the savages, explained that the captives were their countrymen. Youlden was very ill in consequence of hard labour and scanty fare ; and the heart of one of the natives seemed to be moved by pity. Darge made this man a confidant, and promised that if he would 230 SHIPWRECK OF THE convey them to some place near to where the colo- nists resided, he should be rewarded with a ^' moco'" (axe,) and some ^^ gillu gillues,'' (fishing liooks.) The temptation was too powerful to be withstood, and the plan was laid, and they only had to wait patiently for a favourable opportunity to put it in execution, which was very precarious, as the tribe were on the eve of proceeding on their way from the vicinity of the sea-shore to the mountains. At length the long-desired day arrived, and Darge, Carrallis, and Youlden, withdrew from the encamp- ment, accompanied by the native, who was well acquainted with every mountain, ravine, and pass, in this interminable thicket. They had not pro- ceeded far on their hazardous journey ere the strength of Youlden failed him ; he could pro- ceed no farther, and the other parties were so debilitated that they were unable to carry him. They had no alternative but to leave him in the bush, perhaps to starve ! They well knew the danger of parleying, for if the tribe should over- take them, destruction was inevitable, and of such a catastrophe even the native conductor evinced a dreadful anticipation. The separation was a painful one, but it was necessar}^, and Youlden was forced to yield to a fate which appeared in- evitable, for by Darge's account there seemed to be '^ hut a step between him and death.'' Before the bewildered travellers left their companion, they both solemnly pledged themselves that if their own STIRLING CASTLE. 231 deliverance was effected, they would not lose a moment in attempting his rescue, by availing themselves of the assistance of their conductor, who would be able to retrace his steps to the spot. Poor fellow ! what must have been the sensations of his mind when he saw his fellow shipmates, as he might well suppose, for the last time, as they passed through the thicket? — We cannot by possi- bility conceive. Happily for the invalid, his de- liverance was near at hand, and never was the truth of the proverb, '* Man's extremity is God's opportunity," more forcibly verified than in the case of Youlden.* The two exiles and their sable conductor had not proceeded many miles after they left their companion, ere they heard shots fired at short intervals. Never did they hear so welcome a sound ; joy and gladness chased away fatigue and sorrow • — they believed that the hour of emancipation had arrived ; and to use the emphatic expression of Darge, '^ Our hearts leaped within us for joy." As may be supposed, however, the poor native who was auxiliary to their escape, w^s filled with * We. understand that notwithstanding his partial recovery Avas effected by the aid of medical attention, both at Moreton Bay and subsequently at Sydney, his constitution was so much impaired by labour, cruel usage, and anxiety, that he afterwards relapsed, and became a victim to a pulmonary complaint, at the early age of twenty-four. 232 SHIPWRECK OF THE different sensations, for all the Australian tribes have an inveterate dread and hatred of fire-arms, and the reports of the guns caused him to tremble, yet the hope of obtaining the promised rewards prompted him, in some degree, to scr^w up his courage. After the lapse of a little time, the sensation of joy was raised to its highest pitch — an object met their view — it could not be a delusion — what was that object? An European soldier in a foraging dress of British uniform. And who was that soldier? — Why, it was a gentlem.an who afterwards became a bold adventurer ; it was the gallant Lieutenant Otter !^' It appears that Mr. Otter, with several friends, were out on parole to indulge in a shooting excursion, and a kind Providence directed him to this spot, which circumstance resulted in the sal- vation of several fellow-mortals from a degrading captivity. When Lieutenant Otter approached * The author, with exultation, refers his readers, and par- ticularly those who indulged in ill-natured remarks, and cir- culated unfounded surmises, to the letter written by Lieutenant Otter, (vide page 182,) and fearlessly asks them whether scepticism can any longer inherit their minds? Is the HisroiiY OF THE Wreck of the Stirling Castle " a cunningly -devised fable,'" or what he pledged it should be, — a plain unvarnished narrative of truth ? *'Tack to the larboard, and stand off to sea; For it runs smooth, the wind is fair, — The canvas spread, — away we go !" — Fitz Ball. STIRLING CASTLE. 233 Darge and Carrallis, he was surprised to find that they accosted him in the English language, and the first impression on his mind was that they were bush-rangers (fugitive convicts) ; and had that been the fact, there can be no doubt but he would have done his duty. Ac this time the news of the wreck of the Stirling Castle had not reached Moreton Bay, and Darge was the first to give the melancholy recital. Finding that they were ship- wrecked British sailors, no time was lost in ad- ministering comfort to their bodies and minds. The gallant officer being joined by some of his sporting companions, they were hastily informed of the precarious state of poor Youlden, who lay at a few miles distance in the bush, and, as may be supposed, humanity directed their attention to that quarter. The services of the native conductor were again called into active requisition ; and after par- taking of a slight repast, and receiving an assur- ance of a handsome reward, he started with the coxswain of the vessel and others, and on the following morning they arrived with the invalid borne on their shoulders, when he met with the kindest treatment which limited means could bestow. After hearing the recital of the party, Lieutenant Otter determined to forego his own pleasure, and proceed to Brisbane river forthwith, in order that succour might be afforded to the invalided party who had thus accidentally fallen into his care ; and the wind being favourable to 2 H i Q34 SHIPWRECK OF THE his views, his little bark soon glided over the expansive bay to the penal settlement. No sooner had he arrived than a council was held, at which Captain Fyans, the commandant, or as he is more officially termed, the lieutenant-governor, presided. The particulars, as far as they could be elicited from Darge, who commanded the pinnace after the major part of the crew abandoned Captain Fraser, were carefully reduced to writing. As Darge and Carrallis could only account for the fate of the pinnace crew, a wide field of conjecture was opened as to what had become of Captain Fraser, his wife, and Baxter and Brown ; but the natural inference was that they were in captivity on the coast near where the pinnace separated from the long-boat company. It having been conceded on all hands that prompt measures should be adopted, the officers connected with the little garrison were asked which of them would volunteer to command the exploring party, when Lieutenant Otter stepped forth, and exclaimed, '^ Hei^e I am, send me.'" As neither himself nor any of the file of soldiers who accompanied him were versed in the knowledge of the jargon of the Australians, for language it cannot well be called, it was ob- vious that they needed an interpreter. The eves of the privy council were then directed towards that class of their captives termed *' captured bush- rangers," when it was unanimously agreed that Graham would be a very proper person to act in STIRLING CASTLE. 23>5 that important capacity, not only on acconnt of the intelligence of his mind, but from his know- ledge of the language, habits and customs of the natives, among whom he had lived as a fugitive for nearly six years, and thereby had, in a great degree, secured their confidence. Graham was sent for, and interrogated as to the facilities he could probably afford in the enterprise, and every- thing was explained to him with regard to locality, as far as could be ascertained by the evidence before them. At the conclusion Graham suggested such measures as he thought best to effect the rescue of the survivors from the wreck. One of his plans was a very simple one, and that was, that Lieutenant Otter should be provided with a good number of '^ mocoes," and himself with some tinsel and small articles of but little value : these sug- gestions were wisely adopted, and the result of the venture (if we may so term it) has alread}/ been particularized in another place. Graham, notwith standing he had broken the laws of his native country, and moreover those also of the colony to which he was banished, and in the end a runaway, was respected by his superiors on account both of his native talent, and the decorous manner in which he conducted himself ; but the recollection of his expertness prohibited those little indulgences which humanity might have induced the com- mandant to bestow. It was well known that his besetting sin was a desire for libert}^, and no i 236 SHIPWRECK OF THE wonder. Captain Fyans considered that the best plan he could adopt to excite the spirit of enter- prise in the captive was to exercise the discretionary power he possessed to its utmost extent ; hence he pledged himself to Graham, that if he would bend the energies of his mind to the accomplishment of the desired object, in case of his efforts being successful he should immediately be released from the penal settlement, and '^ a ticket of leave" granted him to return to Sydney. As a further stimulus to exertion, he was told that if his conduct warranted further interference on his behalf, the governor of the colony would recommend him to the British government as a fit object to re- ceive a free pardon. Graham, with a beating heart, gladly joined issue to the terms proposed, and it was not long before the expedition started ; and the happy result of the cruise has already been made known to our readers. The steady manner in which he proceeded (for every thing was left to him,) enabled Lieutenant Otter to make a favourable report, and the rescued lady and the other survivors rejoiced to see him divested of the manacles and badges of slavery, when he had, at the risk of his life, rescued them from a more horrible slavery, if possible, than his own. ^ * The author could, if he pleased, inform his readers of the nature of the offence for which the gallant fellow was banished by the fiat of the judges at the Justice Hall, Old Bailey, about STIRLING CASTLE. 237 Having, from obvious and we hope not improper reasons, digressed from following the recital of Darge, the narrator under review, we resume his statement. When asked whether he was present when Mrs. Fraser arrived at Moreton Bay, he replied that he was, and he assisted in carrying her to her place of domicile, as she was emaciated and quite un- able to walk. {Here is confirmation again.) Darge, in conclusion, gave us a description of the ap- pearance of the various tribes he noticed, and enumerated the marks and circumstances by which they were distinguished, some of which fourteen years ago, but he thinks it prudent to throw a veil over the past — suffice it to say it was, when compared with the crimes of many others who have been expatriated, a venial offence ; and what is more, the only one which he is known to have committed, or at all events convicted of, before he was sentenced to exile. During the time that Graham was on his expedition he kept a regular " log," as our narrators call it, but what we would term a diary of all the incidents which occurred while he was prowling in the bush apart from the lieutenant and his party ; and on his return home with the prize, which obtained his partial liberty, he wrote a piece of poetry on the melancholy subject of which our history treats, which does credit both to his head and his heart. The document, in his own handwriting, is in Liverpool, and application has been made for it ; and we hope, ere long, to be favoured with the loan of it, for the purpose of insertion. From what we have heard from those who have perused it, we are led to think it would form a gem in our history. ^T 238 SHIPWRECK OF THE w(?re natural, while others were artificial. Al- though born in the same latitude, there appears to be a marked difference between the natives in a variety of respects. For instance, the hair of the head of some was lank and smooth, while that of others was crisp and bushy, and that of a third of a woolly appearance, somewhat like that on the head of an Africander. There was also a great disparity in respect of feature ; some tribes had a projecting, and others a reclining forehead. The noses of others were protuberant, and inclined to aquiline, while that feature in the neighbouring tribe would be flat, and the nostrils distended. Darge is of opinion that the company he had the misery to serve were naturally the ugliest of all created beings ; and they rendered themselves the more so by fastidious and voluntary deformations. For instance, in order to make themselves as hideous as possible, at least in the estimation of a European, they used to bore a hole through their nostrils, in which they inserted a piece of the skin of a kangaroo or some other quadruped, which answered the purpose of artificial mustachios. All the parties that we have con- versed with agree that, generally speaking, the altitude of the men is above the ordinary average standard ; yet from this rule there are occasional deviations. The natives of both sexes are remark- able for muscular power and agility; yet, except when necessity excites their energies, a more laz}^ STIRLING CASTLE. 239 set of vagabonds cannot exist. They appear to be under the arbitrary control of animal instinct ; and it may be said of them, (and we mention it more out of commiseration at their degraded con- dition, than of contempt of the moral and intel- lectual debasement of our species,) — they are ^^ earthly, sensual, devilish.'" The women belonging to some of the tribes are l*eported as possessing far more comely features than the males, and many of the girls, before they 'arrive at the age of puberty, are deemed hand- some ; but they are utterly devoid of those tender eensibilities, which shed a halo around European females. In one respect, they manifest a great anxiety, and that is, for the well-being of their tender offspring ; but what of that ? — the lioness and leopardess do the same. The females appear to be more cruel to those in their power than the men ; but this may not arise from innate principle, but engendered by the cniel manner in which they are treated by "their sable and imperious lords; since living in a state of promiscuous concubinage, they have no one to whom they can fly for protection in the hour of insult and coercion. It may be proper to observe, that when the narrators were interrogated, they were apart from ^ach other; indeed, it is our belief, that on no jcasion, if they accidentally came in contact, my thing passed between them. We mention lis, in order to show, that there could be no pre- 240 SHIPWRECK OF THE concert ; we never suspected that there was any, but the plan was adopted, in order to see how their different recitals contradicted each other, or har- monised together. With respect to the latter test, our readers may draw their own conclusions by comparison. It is readily conceded, that Mrs. Fraser and Baxter placed the natives in a lower scale of de- gradation, and possessed of greater ferocity, than Darge. But, as we have before hinted, the latter was connected with a tribe, who, during the winter season, located much |_nearer the European settlement, and either from fear, or the dawn of civilisation, owing to a more frequent intercourse, certainly did not have recourse to torture, in like manner with the northern tribes, among whom the lady alluded to, and the second officer, were cap- tives. There is a further reason, quite distinct from the above, which will account for the difference of treatment, — his companion, Carrallis, was a man of colour ; and the savages are generally less severe in their exactions of labour^, and their inflictions of punishment, in respect of them, than the whites. Carrallis, as we have before stated, was somewhat acquainted with the manners and customs of the natives, and being naturally a humane person, he might have interceded for his companion ; and it may be, that Tursi and I'allhojj exercised some sway in their councils, for it appears that they had become naturalized — demi-barbarized (?) After Darge had remained some weeks at Syd- STIRLING CASTLE. 241 ney, he sailed for England in a ship which had been provided for him by the interference of the government authorities ; and when he gave the detail of his sufferings, he was about to make another voyage to a remote quarter of the earth ; but it was quite apparent that the health of the poor fellow had been greatly impaired. "^ * It appears, from what we have gathered from all the parties with whom we conversed, that the excitement at Sydney was much increased, owing to several other wrecks which had recently taken place in the vicinity of Torres Straits, particularly that of the Charles Eaton, whose captain and crew, as well as every person on board, were murdered, save a lad of the name of Ireland, and a child named D'Oyley, the son of a captain, whose life was doubtless spared in consequence of the sagacity of the youth who was his companion and protector We have now arrived at the termination of what in strictness may be denominated the " Narrative " of the Shipwreck of the Stirling Castle, but we have yet many other interesting matters, which are connected with that sorrowful detail ; and they shall be given ere we close our labours. In the mean time, we call the attention of our readers to the recital of another catastrophe, which in many respects is more appalling in its details than that which has preceded it. After giving a narrative of this dreadful calamity, it will become our duty to give ex- tracts from documents connected with both histories , historical quotations, and other interesting communications, together with such original remarks and reflections as upon review may be deemed necessary. 2i 242 SHIPWRECK OF THE STIRLING CASTLE. In concluding this part of our labour, we feel it incumbent to insert a hymn appropriately penned by the Rev. G. C. Smith, in allusion to the pro- vidential escape of Baxter, Darge, Ireland, and others, from the perils to which they were exposed. Confidence of sailors ! hear us, Wanderers o'er the trackless deep ; Though far off at sea, blest Jesus, Thou our Guardian, wilt not sleep ; Heavenly Pilot, All our crew in safety keep ! Confidence of sailors ! hear us, When the howling tempests roar : Thou alone canst help, O Jesus, Far off from each friendly shore. Captain Saviour ! Steer us till the storm blows o'er. Confidence of sailors ! hear us, When becalmed far off at sea, 'Neath the blazing sun, O Jesus, Lead our weary souls to thee : Rock-like shadow ! Lo, we sail along thy lee. Confidence of sailors ! guide us To the port of endless rest ; Far from sea and land, O Jesus ! — North, or south, or east, or west, — Lord of glory ! In thy heaven we shall be bless'd. Confidence of sailors ! ^ steer us. When we make blest Canaan's shore ; Guide us round the point, O Jesus, Where no waves or tempests roar ; Hail, fair haven ! Praise our God for evermore ! NARRATIVE OF THE MELANCHOLY WRECK OF THE CHARLES EATON, ON ONE OF THE BARRIER REEFS IN THE TORRES STRAITS : WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE OF THE CAPTAIN, PASSENGERS, AND CREW AND OF iHE PROVIDENTIAL RESCUE OF JOHN IRELAND, AGED 16, AND WM. DOYLEY, AGED 3, FROM THE SAVAGES; TOGETHER WITH EXTRACTS FROM INTERESTING AND AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS. CHAPTER XVII. ** I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood. Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porcupine." Shakespeare. In an early page of the History of the Wreck of the Stirling Castle, we made reference to the fatal catastrophe connected with the foundering and shipwreck of the Charles Eaton, only a short time antecedent to the loss of the first-named vessel, and hinted that we should append such an account of it, as we might be able to compile from oral 244 SHIPWRECK OF THE testimony, and original authentic documents. The pledge thus partially made, we are about to redeem. An elegant writer on this mournful sub- ject, when alluding to this heart-rending account, very properly observes : — '* No history can be more interesting or instruc- tive to man, than that of his feilow-men ; and there is something in the life and condition of seamen, particularly when on distant voyages, so diversified and so perilous, as to attract the attention, and engage the sympathy even of the the most indifferent. The leading features in the life of a mariner are alternations of prosperity and adversity, — of hope and despair. Bright sunshine, calm skies, tranquil seas, and magnificent views at one time cheer and exhilarate ; all is gaiety and confidence, and the seaman, naturally thoughtless, gives himself to the enjoyment of the moment, and looks forward with sanguine expectations to the destined harbour, and all the luxuries of a life on shore. Anon, the sky is overcast, the prospect lowers, waves swell tumultuously over waves, — the tempest fearfully increases, — the vessel becomes unmanageable, — reefs, and rocks, and shoals, and quicksands await them on every side : their life hangs as it were in doubt, for many days, and they have no assurance of ultimate safety. Henijo the narratives of those who have escaped ship- wreck, with its concomitant hardships and dangers, have always been perused with the liveliest iu- CHARLES EATON. 245 terest, especially when the events are founded on truth, and brought before the public in their natural simplicity, without the meretricious aid and colouring of fiction.''^ This beautiful but hapless vessel was under the command of Capt. Geo. Fred. Moore, and was manned with a suitable complement of men and officers. She left the .port of London in December, 1833, and cleared the Thames on the 18th of that month. She arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on the 1st of May following, where she waited for four days, to take in fresh water, &c. &c. ; then proceeded to Hobart Town, where she cast anchor on the 15th of June. On the 13th of July, she reached Sydney, and on the 29th of that month, she weighed anchor, to proceed for Canton and Sourabaya. The cargo on board consisted of calicoes and lead, which belonged to Messrs. Glad- stones, Drysdale, and Co., merchants in London. At the time the vessel left Port Jackson, there appear (by an official document, dated Nov. 7th, 1836, signed by Mr. Jeffreys, the Tide Surveyor of the Custom House at Sydney, and transmitted from thence by the Governor of New South Wales, to the Secretary of State for the Colonial depart- * In the latter sentiment we entirely concur ; and it has been the object of the writer, from the moment he commenced his labours, strictly to adhere to truth. 246 SHIPWRECK OF THE ment) to have been the following persons on board, viz. : — G. F. Moore, Esq. Captain and Commander. Passengers* C. G. Armstrong, Esq. Geo. D'Oyiey. Capt. D'Oyley. Wm. D'Oyiey, and Mrs. D'Oyiey. A Native Nurse. List of the Offi cers, Crew^ Sfc. F. Clarke, mate. W. Moore n W. Mayor, do. C. Robinson G. Pyall, do. J. Benny F. Grant, surgeon. R. Loain L.Constantine, carpenter. W. Jeffreys 3 W.Montgomery,steward. J. Wright W. Penny ^ W. Gromble J. Ching J. Miller B. Quin W. Williams A. Quenne / >3 J. Ireland, the boys aved. J. Cain » John Sexton, cabin- boy. W. Hill J * Capt. D'Oyiey was an officer in the Bengal Artillery, and had been upwards of twenty years in the service in India. Mrs. Charlotte D'Oyiey, his wife, a near relative to a most respectable banker of London. The two children, George and William, the former seven, and the latter (who was providentially saved), only two years of age, and attended by a Bengalee female servant. Mr. Armstrong was an English gentleman, bound for China, and about twenty-five years of age. CHARLES EATON. 247 The ship's company consisted of twenty-six persons, viz. the commander, (Captain Moore,) Mr. Clarke, chief mate, the second and third mates, two midshipmen, Mr. Grant, the surgeon, the sail-maker, steward, and sailors, together with two cabin-boys, named John Sexton and John Ireland. [Ireland was saved, and it is through his medium that we have derived many of the following particulars.] When the Charles Eaton left Sydney, she started with, and sailed in the company of a vessel called the Augustus CcBsar, for several days, but in con- sequence of a violent gale, they separated in Torres Straits, on or about the 12th of August. In a previous part of this Narrative, we have made some annotatory remarks relative to this marine passage. It is well known to those who navigate in the eastern part of the globe, as lying betw^een New Guinea and New Holland, and it is consi- dered by all navigators as a route which under the most auspicious circumstances, is beset with intri- cacy and danger. *^ This sea is bestrewed," says a modern writer, '*with coral-reefs and sand- banks ; and it requires every measure which pru- dence can dictate, or caution suggest, to steer carefully through it. Inter-tropical navigation of this kind demands a constant and careful look-out, and even the utmost vigilance will not always insure safety." 248 SHIPWRECK OF THE From the accounts which have been given by some of the five seamen who had the good fortune to escape in the boat to Batavia, it appears that about ten o'clock, a. m. on the 15th of August, the wind then blowing hard, the ill-fated vessel ran foul of a rock, called by navigators, ** the detached reef," which is situate near the entrance into the straits. The Captain, who was a very experienced seaman, either from an anticipation ot danger, or as an act of prudence during the night, ordered the first reef to be taken in the top- sails, so that they might not enter the passage until day-break. Before the morning cleared, however, the wind and current dashed the vessel against the rock with such violence, that the keel and rudder were knocked off, and carried away ; and the Captain did not disguise from the passen- gers and crew his opinion, that the salvation of the vessel was quite hopeless. In this dreadful dilemma, what was to be done ? There was little time for consideration ; but the preservation of human life he judged to be paramount to every thing ; he therefore commanded the boats to be got ready, and stowed with provisions, in order, if possible, to save the passengers and ship's com- pany, by landing them on the Island of Timor, or Timor Laut. When the Charles Eaton first came in contact with the reef, there were four boats : viz., the long boat, two cutters, and a "dandy," In the hour of CHARLES EATON. 249 extremity, three of the seamen seized one of the cutters, and made off; when two others swam after her in great peril of losing their lives, and got on board. Of the four boats which were on board, this was the only one left fit to put to sea, as all the others were damaged at the time the ship struck. They have since solemnly declared that they lay to as much as possible, but the current was. so strong, and the breakers so heavy, that it was impossible for them to near the vessel ; and equally so for any one on board to reach them. Having no alternative, and being anxious for the safety of their own lives, they put off, when all the persons were alive in the forecastle, ex- cepting one (J. Price,) who was drowned by the swamping of one of the cutters, when being lowered into the sea. Owing to the eddying of the current, the cutter made no great distance during the night, and in the morning, they could plainly see the wreck, but no person on board her; hence they concluded that they had met with a watery grave during the night, in consequence of the violent rolling of the sea. When they departed from the view of the wreck, it was early on Sunday morn- ing, being the 17th day of August ; and they were unprovided with a compass or any other nautical instrument by which they might be directed to steer their course. They were in almost as destitute a state in respect of provisions, as the whole consisted of thirty pounds 2 K 050 SHIPWRECK OF THE of hard bread, one small ham, and a keg contain- ing about four gallons of water, which had been put in the instant the boat was lowered. What a pitiful store to be divided and sub-divided among five hearty men, whose cravings of hunger would naturally rather be augmented than decreased by an exposure to the blasts and night dews on the open sea, for which this latitude is proverbial. These men were driven about for fifteen days on the wide expanse of water, and the steersman had nothing to guide him but the sun by day and the stars by night, and these were frequently obscured by the density of the atmosphere. They, however, steered, as they believed, in a westerly direction, in order, if possible, to reach Timor, a well-known island in the Indian ocean, of which Coussang is the principal town.^ At length they descried land, which they all thought was the island they were * Timor island is situated in the Eastern seas, and is 250 miles long, and 40 miles broad. Lat. 9° 30' ; long. 124° 30' E. Gold is found in several of the rivers, both in lumps and grains. Copper also abounds in the Philarem hills. Fort Concordia is the capital of the former, and Delli of the latter ; but their respective boundaries are ill-defined, and the native chiefs, at least many of them, disdain all subordination. The natives resemble the South Sea islanders, rather than the Malays. In the interior they are divided into small communities, and governed by chiefs. They cultivate rice, millet, maize, yams, potatoes, and cotton ; but maize is the staple article of food, with sugar and a species of sago. CHARLES EATON. 251 an quest of; but to their mortification, they soon Idiscovered their mistake. They went on shore, lowever, and provided themselves with some fresh %ater and cocoa-nuts, which, in their destitute and starving condition, were providential supplies ; in- deed, some of the party were nearly exhausted from the want of food, and water to quench their thirst. The five unfortunate men having regaled them- selves, then proceeded along the coast in their boat; but they had not gone far before they were assailed I by a number of native prows. Exhausted by fatigue and entirely unnerved, resistance was out of the question and resignation their only alter- native. The first thing which the natives did, was to |divest them of every article of clothing, and having done this, they upset their boat. They were then hurried up the beach to some distance, when a consultation was held as to the manner in which le captives were to be disposed of. They stood |rembling with fear and anxiety, perceiving as they lought, from the features and ferocious looks of le savages, that the majority were for murdering lem at once. It turned out that they were right in their con- jcture, for the slaughter was about to commence, ^hen two of the tribe, who seemed to have some ifluence over the others, interceded for the poor jllovvs, and their lives were spared. After having 252 SHIPWRECK OF THE remained here for a short time, the mariners ascer- tained that they were on the island of Timor Laut, and in the settlement which is known by the name of Oliliet, The two natives who so kindly inter- posed their authority to save their lives, were called " Lomba" and '' Pabok." At first our countrymen were roughly treated, but after a time, the natives treated them more kindljT^, and even returned them some of their clothes, and abridged their severe labour ; indeed, at last, if they worked at all, it was their own voluntary act. What a contrast between this tribe, and those on the more northern coast of New Hol- land, where Captain Fraser, his wife, and officers, underwent such appalling deaths, cruelties, and indignities 1* While they remained with these rude, but it would seem, demi-civilized people, they subsisted upon Indian corn, yams, a little rice, and oc- * In the course of the period they resided in this island, they learned several interesting particulars ; and among the rest, that the tribe with whom they located, was in a state of warfare with one of a neighbouring settlement, called Lauren. They were also informed, that in one of them, there was an European who had belonged to an English brig, which was wrecked on that coast several years before, when the whole crew were mur- dered by the natives, excepting two boys, one of whom had since died a natural death ; the other is grown to maturity, and is the person alluded to. This information was given by the natives themselves. CHARLES EATON. 253 casionally a piece of fish ; but the quantities given were so exceedingly small, that it only proved just sufficient to keep them alive. It appears from all the accounts which we have heard or read, that from some cause or other, boys and persons of tender age stand a much better chance of being spared than those of riper years. The reason perhaps is, that being feeble, they cannot make resistance, and are more easily ini- tiated into the manners and habits of the natives than adult persons. The narrators then proceed to state, that after they had lived in comparative indolence for thirteen months, a trading prow arrived at the island from Amboyna, when the five seamen begged permis- sion from the chief to depart with that vessel ; to this .request there was at first a direct refusal, but it was so urgently and repeatedly made, that the chief man, whose especial companions they were, hesitated, and relaxed his wonted sternness. At length they hit upon a right expedient. They told the old man that if he would indulge them, and allow tnem to depart, they would shortly return with an English ship ; and as a reward for the care the natives had taken of them, they would bring him a sufficient quantity of arms and ammunition, whereby he would be enabled to conquer all his enemies. It appears that the tribes in this district differ from the New Hollanders, who have not only aversion to, but stand in the most servile fear of 254 SHIPWRECK OF THE fire arms. This was a tempting offer, and a con- ference was held, which resulted in the chiefs giving their consent. After an exchange of friendly salutations they were allowed to go on board the vessel, and in five days they arrived at Amboyna, on the 7th October, 1835.* * Amboyna is one of the largest and most valuable of the Moluccas or Spice islands, in the Indian ocean, off the S. E. coast of Ceram. Central latitude 3* 40' S., longitude ISS** 5' E. This island is the seat of the Molucca government, and the centre of its commerce, and is between fifty and sixty miles in length, which is divided into two very unequal parts by two deep bays, being separated only by a narrow isthmus of a mile across. The general aspect of the island is beautiful, and its climate very healthy for a tropical region. It produces a great variety of handsome woods used in cabinet work ; but its staple commodity is cloves, of which upwards of 600,000 pounds are annually exported. This island was first discovered by the Portuguese, who built a fort and colonized the country. In 1605 it was taken from them by the Dutch, who, with the exception of a few short intervals, have possessed it ever since. In 1796 it fell into the hands of the English, when a census was made of the inhabitants, and the number was found to be 45,252, of whom 17,813 were Protestants, and the rest either Mohammedans or Chinese. The native men wear large whiskers, and go almost naked. Their weapons are bows, darts, scimitars and targets. The chief town is called by the same name as the island, and is situate in the peninsula of Leytimor, on a deep bay, which runs upwards of twenty miles into the island. Latitude 3° 40' S. longitude 126° 7' E. This town is regularly built, with the streets intersecting each other at regular angles, and extremely CHARLES EATON. 255 On their arrival they were conveyed before the Resident of Batavia,"^ when they gave a detail of the particulars, of which we have given an outline, clean. On the south shore of the bay is fort Victoria^ mount- ing six pieces of cannon, and forms the covered-way. From the fort to the town, is an esplanade nearly 250 yards in length, which is terimnated by a handsome range of dwelling-houses, with a double row of mulberry trees in front. There are here two well-built churches, one for the European, and the other for the Malay Christians ; all the other public buildings are in the fort, excepting the Stadt-house, which fronts the esplanade : this is a neat building of two stories, but the houses are only one story high, and they are so built on account of the frequent earthquakes which are experienced on this island. The meri- dian neat prevailing at Amboyna is from 80 to 82 degrees ; and the thermometer, when at its lowest, stands at 72 degrees. * Batavia is the principal town in the island of Java, and situated on the east coast of the East Indies. Latitude 6*' 9' 20" S., longitude 106" 51' 45" E. It is considered as the capital of all the Dutch possessions in the East. The environs of the town contain beautiful shaded walks, with rustic seats and bowers, in which Europeans conceal them- selves from the insupportable warmth of the climate. The returns of the population, at different times, are varying and dissatisfactory. In 1780 they were estimated at 160,000; in 1795 at 116,033; and in 1816 only 42,217, (of whom 15,000 were said to be in slavery.) Batavia was discovered by the Dutch, in the year 1619, by John Pieterson Coen. In 1811 it was taken by the British under the gallant Sir Samuel Auchtermuty, but restored to its founders again at the congress held on the 19th August, 1816. 256 SHIPWRECK OF THE which they all confirmed by oath in his presence, and that of other official persons, as a full and faithful account of what had occurred since the wreck of the Charles Eaton, and the document was signed by each of the deponents in the usual form. In the month of June, 1836, the depositions of the five men reached England, and no time was lost in giving information to those gentlemen who were deeply interested in the fate of this important vessel. This statement, however, although its accuracy was not in the least doubted, or the veracity of the deponents impugned, was instrumental in creating a most intense alarm and apprehension as to the fate of the passengers and the remaining part of the crew ; and, as might be expected, the most agonizing suspense possessed the minds of all those ' who stood in any way related to them. This continued for a considerable time ; but at last the rays of hope which sometimes float across the mind, and exhilarate it for a moment, were entirely withheld, and the dreadful certainty oi the extent of their loss rushed upon them will tremendous force. The Straits of Torres, which have so frequently been alluded to, seem really as if they were destined to be the terror of navigators. This arises from the extreme difficulty of steering through that perilous passage, the irregular courses of the tides, the sudden manner iu which storms CHARLES EATON. 257 and hurricanes arise, and the numercus shoals which are scattered in this vast expanse of water seem to bid defiance to nautical skill, and the steadiest caution. To detail the various wrecks which have happened there, that have come to our knowledge, would fill a large folio, and mau}^ a vessel has, doubtless, foundered, and been swallowed up in that insatiate gulf, of the particu^- lars of which the world will ever remain ignorant. It is not unlikely that the sanguinary character of the natives, who massacre the survivors who fall into their hands, is the most plausible reason which can be assigned why the fates of many other hopeless vessels are never made known. It was only in the year 1829, that the good ship Gover- nor Ready having passed Murray's Island, and the Great Barrier reef, the commander considered that he had surmounted all the principal dangers he had to anticipate. In this confidence the vessel pursued a serpentine course with great rapidity, and guided only by the colour of the water, she was so steered as to pass many sand-banks and reefs in safety. But the ways and thoughts of Him ^' who carries the loind in his fists, and the waters in the hollow of his hand,'' are different to those of mankind. It often happens on land, as well as on the ocean, that when man considers that his anxieties and struggles are ended, and he is ready to say, ** Soul, take thy rest,''' some unex- pected and overwhelming trouble arouses him 2 L 258 SHIPWRECK OF THE from his self- security, and " great fear cortieth upon him^ as upon a woman in her travail.'' Thus it was with the brave commander of the Governor Ready ; for without a moment's warning of the im- pending danger, the vessel struck upon one of the small detached coral reefs which abound in this passage, and such was the violence of the concus- sion, that the water instantly made its way into the ship's bottom. Thus suddenly and almost at mid- day, (it being one o'clock p. m.) all the hopes of the commander, passengers, and crew were annihilated by one fell stroke. No time .was to be lost — the water rushed through the dissevered planks like a flood, and with much difiiculty the boats were lowered in time for all the passengers to escape before the hopeless vessel was engulfed in the ocean. After beating out at sea for several days in the open boats, with scarcely any provisions, their anxieties were allayed by providentially arriving at Timor Island. We have already stated, that the Charles Eaton sailed from Port Jackson in company with the Augustus Caesar, from which she was separated a short time before the catastrophe occurred. Several months after the wreck of the former vessel, an account reached England from the captain of the latter ; but it contained no intelligence of a satisfactory nature, as to the fate of the crew, only serving to confirm the truth of the melancholy accounts which had recently preceded it. The CHARLES EATON. 259 account alluded to was posted at Lloyd's as i follows : — " On the 31st of August, 1834, the second mate and boafs crew of the Augustus Ccesar saw and picked up a wreck on the (S. E. side of Double Island, sufficient to convince them that the ship Charles Eaton was a total wreck at some distance to south-eastward from thence ; and from the weather they had on the 22nd, they much feared for the safety of the crew and passengers." One of the accounts received prior to this date, ^as from Messrs. Borradaile and Co. of the Cape >f Good Hope, which was as follows : — " Captain Cockburn, of the ship Jane and Henry y sailed with the Charles Eaton four days from Sydney, and parted com- pany in a gale of wind ; afterwards fell in with the Augustus CcBsar, which ship sent a boat on shore on Booby Island. The officers reported that they had seen a vessel bottom upwards, and several casks marked Charles Eaton, and also a cuddy door. The Jane and Henry left Batavia on the 17th of October, 1834, and up to that time, the Charles Eaton had not been heard of. These accounts increased the apprehensions of relatives and friends, rather than assuaged the sorrow and painful anxiety which had long filled their minds ; and incertitude appeared to be more distressing than would have been a knowledge of the full extent of their loss. 260 SHIPWRECK OF THE How could it be otherwise ? It was natural that alternate hopes and fears should arise in the human breast ; indeed they prevailed to the greatest pos- sible extent ; and the relatives of the shipwrecked passengers, in the poignancy of their sorrow, cast off the grades of distinction which marked their respective stations in life, and they entered into a kind of social compact, — a society of mourners, weeping for their kindred, '^ because they were not ;" and each was bound in a pledge to the other, to render an account of any intelligence which might reach them to the dejected fraternity, whether the tidings were good or bad. It appears from published documents, that Capt. D'Oyley had been a great number of years on military duty in India, and was in the frequent habit of corresponding with his friends in England, and particularly with Mr. Bayley, his brother-in- law, who resides at Stockton-on-Tees, who had be- come a kind of foster-parent to the Captain's two eldest sons, to whom he communicated from time to time, the progress which each was making in scholastic knowledge. As a proof of the feelings which had been generated in consequence of Mr. Bayley 's disinterested attention to the children, we take the liberty of inserting the following letters, which were the last ever written by the mother of these children. They are dated from Sydney, July 20th, 1834. This amiable lady CHARLES EATON. 261 almost complains of the long silence of her friends in England.* The following are extracts from the letters alluded to ; and we doubt not, but they will be perused with a melancholy pleasure. A reflection arises, — What have the two youths, to whom they have especial reference, lost by the death of such a mother, who doubtless breathed the spirit of her husband, who unhappily shared the same fate as herself! It may be said of them, as of Saul and Jonathan of old, '^ I'hey were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their deaths they were not divided,'' 2 Sam. i. 23. " Sydney, July 20th, 1834. ; " I cannot refrain, my dear brother, from writing a few lines to you, that I may convince you that the hearing of, or from you, forms one of our greatest pleasures; and so assured am I ;that you have a heart formed in nature's finest mould, that I when you are certain that the communicating with us does give us such true and sincere delight, such long silence will never occur again. Surely I am not asking too much, when I request to know of your welfare, and that of our interesting family twice hi the year. The time may yet arrive, when 1 shall show by actions, not words, that your children are most interesting * It has been subsequently ascertained, that this amiable and unfortunate lady, as well as her gallant husband, had written letters almost innumerable, which never arrived for delivery in England. The reason for this appears to be, their having sailed to the Mauritius and New South Wales after they left India, with a view to the Captain's convalescence- 262 SHIPWRECK OF THE objects of our love. Can we ever forget the offspring of him who has shown kindness and affection to our absent boys ? Could we ever forget that they have found a home where we could have wished, and as good as any we could most ardently have desired ? May God reward you and yours for all your kindness to them ! " To show how greatly my husband is liked by the heads in his department, I will tell you, tliat since our departure from India, he has been promoted a step, at a time when we had no reason to expect it. This is highly gratifying to his feelings, as it openly shows the great estimation in which he is held. May he be blessed with life and health, to enable him to remain a few years in India, to prove that the confidence that is placed in him is just, and to enable us to realise a competence to retire with. Hoping that you and your family are well, and our darlings (the two boys) still hold your entire affection, " I remain, with our united love, ** Your attached sister, " Charlotte D'Oyley." To W. Bayley^ Esq, Stockton^ Durham. The following is a postscript to the above : — " When we went in pursuit of health, on my beloved D'Oyley's account, do not suppose that we would not have bent our steps to England, to your abode, and our children : how did inclination tempt us to do this ! But Providence said NO !" The subsequent affecting epistle is the last which she wrote to her sons, above alluded to, who were domiciled with their uncle at Stockton. ** My dear Children, " Your father and myself are experiencing the deepest anxiety, in consequence of the length of time which has elapsed since your last communications were received. Sometimes the CHARLES EATON. 263 painful idea haunts me, that time and absence have effaced us from your little minds, and that we are as entirely forgotten as though we had a long time been dead. This thought is so sadly painful, that I try to drive it away, by calling to mind your dear affectionate ways, when you were both but infants. I am loth to attribute your silence to mere idleness, for I hope that your minds are so properly trained, that a wish formed by your parents will be considered in the light of a command^ and that the performing of this command will be one of your greatest pleasures. To honour your father and mother, my children, is the command of God, the fulfilling of which carries a blessing along with it, and the neglect of it a curse. You cannot know how deeply we both feel our absence from you. A firm con- viction that we were doing our duty, by sending you to Eng- land, enabled us to put this separation into execution, and that for the benefit of your education : the same conviction enables ns to bear up under it, for often, my boys, do tears of anguish flow down our cheeks, because my darlings are far away ; however, could we more frequently hear of your health and happiness, our minds would be more reconciled and easy. I hope I have now said enough to induce you to write regularly. " We quitted HobartTown about a fortnight since, and after a week's trip by sea, we arrived in this country (Sydney), possess- ing a lovely climate, of which, at present, comparatively little is known. What does not energy of mind accomplish? How does it overcome every obstacle ! But a few years back, this shore was unknown to Europeans, and was inhabited by a race of blacks, who are now on the decrease, while the former are increasing wonderfully, and filling the country. Once, this very spot was unacquainted with noise ; now, the bustle of a commercial city reigns throughout. Learn all that is in your power ; for by wisdom and understanding, all things can be accomplished. " We leave Sydney for Sourabaya next week, where we hope to meet a ship direct to Calcutta; hut we may visit many ports, before we arrive at our dear Calcutta ; however, I am quite tired of this 264 SHIPWRECK OF THE wandering life, and long to get settled. Your beloved father's health is, through the bounty of a merciful God, quite restored ; therefore, in this respect, I am quite happy ; he is looking rosy and robust ; but my heart trembles at returning, on his account to the land of the sun, and should he suffer by it, nothing should induce me to remain any longer there ; for life with him is bliss ; without him would be wretchedness extreme. " Your brother George has become a fine tall healthy boy, very mild and amiable, and getting on in his studies. Little Willy (the one saved from the general devastation) is in the enjoyment of health, but too young to begin his lessons. And now may God for ever bless my children ; keep his commandments, and be his servants on earth, so that at death you may enter into his eternal rest. ** I am ever your attached friend and mother, " Charlotte D'Oyley. " Oh what would I give — what would I not give, to kiss my absent lads ! God for ever bless you ! such is my constant prayer." We are satisfied that we shall incur no censure from any party, in consequence of the insertion of these affectionate letters, which so strongly bear the impress of parental affection. Alas, the writer of them, and her husband, were never destined to behold their favourite boys again ! ** Their children dear no more shall they behold, Nor friends, nor sacred home." It was known to the family and friends of Captain D'Oyley, that he and his family had left the east, owing to his declining state of health, and that it was his purpose to return thither again CHARLES EATON. 265 as soon as his recovery was accomplished, in order not only to resume his military duties, but in the expectation of occupying a superior station to which he had been officially appointed. When rumours were afloat in England, that a vessel called the Charles Eaton was wrecked, the friends of that gallant but ill-fated officer lost no time in making every possible inquiry ; and among other places, at the Admiralty, in order to find out if possible, whether Government had received any official account, relative to the vessel in question. The agitated state of Mr. Bayley's feelings may in some degree be imagined, by reading the fol- lowing extracts from his letter : — " From the information I have received," says he, " there is every reason to believe that the whole of the crew and pas- sengers (of the Charles Eaton) had landed on Booby Island, or Double Island, in Torres Straits ; but that many of them, if not all, had been murdered, or carried into captivity by the savages ; and as it is not unusual for the inhabitants of these islands to preserve the females for worse purposes than death itself, / do implore the interference of his Majesty's government to send out a frigate to rescue the poor surviving sufferers, (if there should be any) from what they are now in that case subject. I shall be obliged by your informing me if you can be at all instrumental in the object of my application ; and if not, what course you can recommend me to take, in order to procure the aid of government in this important matter, — im- portant to all who possess any degree of sympathy, but to me in particular.*^ The letter, of which the above is a portion, was 2 M 266 SHIPWRECK OF THE directed to Mr. Stephen of the Admiralty, and by that gentleman forwarded to the Lord Mayor of London, (at that time, Mr. Aid. Copeland, M.P.) After perusing it, his Lordship immediately sent for the owner of the Augustus Ccesar, and in con- sequence, the captain of that vessel was directed to wait upon his lordship at the Mansion House. Upon his arrival. Captain Wiseman gave the chief magistrate a detailed account of all the information which he possessed upon the subject. The following is an abridgment of the detail, but embraces every principal fact connected with the painful inquiry. The ship Charles Eaton, and schooner Jane and Henry ^ sailed from Sydney, New South Wales, in company, on or about the 30th July, 1834. The Augustus Ccesar sailed from thence on the 18th of August, in the same year, and fell in with the Jane and Henry outside of the Barrier Reefs. On passing through Torres Straits in company, we anchored under the lee of Double Island on the 1st of September, and sent a boat on shore with the second mate and crew. They remained on the island about three hours, and walked round it, when they found a quantity of drift wreck from a ship, but could not see the hull, crew, or pas- sengers. They saw a fire and one naked black, who ran away at their approach. On the boat's return to the ship, they brought with them a stern window, several brass locks, and a key with the CHARLES EATON- 267 ship's name on it. From the quantity of wreck seen, it became evident that the ship Charles Eaton had been shipwrecked on some island or reef directly to windward, and at no great distance, probably York or Albany Island. As a number of fires were seen on Wednesday Island during the night, it was not considered safe to venture a landing on it. We went on shore at Booby's Island, and found that they had not been there. On inquiry since my arrival in London, I am informed, that a part of the crew have since reached Batavia, and have given information that several of the passengers and crew are alive, and detained on the island where the ship was wrecked. As Torres Straits is now frequented by a number of valuable British ships, on their way from Australia to India, and the Isle of France, a correct survey of the several channels, and in par- ticular, safe places of anchor age, is much wanted; and it is suggested by some that a few beacons might be erected on the reefs. The persons referred to by Captain Wiseman as having landed at Batavia, were the five seamen, whose deposition made on their landing at that place, has been already noticed. With respect to the suggestion on the subject of beacons, it may not be improper to remark, that Sir Geo. Grey, in a communication to Mr. Bayley, (the brother of Mrs. D'Oyley) stated that the suggestion of Capt. Wiseman, and others, upon this subject, ** had been taken into Q68 SHIPWRECK OF THE serious consideration by His Majesty's govern- ment." The communication does honour to all parties ; but it is right to premise, that when it was penned, government had received further particulars respecting the Charles Eaton, than liave been at present alluded to. The letter is dated from the Admiralty, and addressed to W. Bayley, Esq., Stockton on Tees* " Sir, — I am directed by Lord Glenelg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th instant, in which you inquire whether it is the intention of his lordship to submit to parliament any plan to avoid the re-occurrence of similar calamities to those which the passengers and crew of the " Charles Eaton" ex- perienced on their being wrecked in the Torres Straits. I am directed to acquaint you, in answer, that while his lordship deeply sympathizes with your feelings under the distressing circumstances to which you advert, he is not aware that it would be in the power of parliament to provide any effectual remedy against the calamities to which the crew and passengers of a shipwrecked vessel may be exposed from the uncivilized inhabitants of the country, on the shores of which they may be unfortunately cast. The most effectual security which in his lordship's opinion can be taken for the safety of our countrymen in these seas, is a complete survey of the straits^ and of the adjoining coast of New Holland ; and he is happy to be able to inform you, that one of H. M. ships is about to be despatched to that quarter for this object." In this case, as in many others, it appears that good is likely to result from evil, and that the mis- fortunes of a few may operate for the benefit and advantage of the many. Thus the loss of the '* Charles Eaton" may, by the means now in J CHARLES EATON. 269 progress, be productive of the future safety of many richly freighted vessels, and the still more valuable lives of the crews and passengers. The delay which intervened before Mr. Bayley could obtain a full, true, and particular account, only gave an impetus to his assiduity : hence that gentleman, it would seem, continued to ad- dress the Admiralty at regular intervals, soliciting the earliest information that might reach the government through any channel. It is proper to remark, that to these inquiries. Lord Glenelg, Sir G. Grey, Sir John Barrow, Mr. Wood, and Mr. Stephen were always ready to furnish such replies as they were enabled ; at the same time showing every desire to investigate the subject, and using every effort to procure intelligence. They all showed a marked sympathy with the feelings of private individuals, not always a very conspicuous trait in the character of statesmen, and persons holding high official situations. No greater proof need be given of the interest which was entertained on the subject by the Lords of the Admiralty than that of their having for- warded despatches, as early as possible, to Sir Richard Bourke, governor of New South Wales, commanding him to adopt such measures as to him might seem advisable, in order to ascertain the fate of the shipwrecked persons, and to rescue them from their perilous situation. 270 SHIPWRECK OF THE The instructions from government here alluded to were sent out by the ship Recovery, which Lord Glenelg was pleased personally to notify to Mr. Bayley. It appears, moreover, that similar in-^ structions were forwarded to Rear-Admiral Capel, commander in chief in the East Indian station, with orders to the ships of war on that station to make every exertion in their power for the dis-?^ covery and relief of the captives, were they or any^ of them yet alive. It has since been ascertained, that the gallant Rear-Admiral ordered one of his squadron to proceed to Torres Straits, in search of the unfortunate crew and passengers of the " Charles Eaton." It is due to state that every effort was made, and method taken, which a pa- ternal government could devise, for accomplishing an object that involved so many considerations of sympathy and humanity. We have hitherto principally directed our atten- tion to the unfortunate D'Oyley family, but it is proper to remark, that as there were other persons on board the '' Charles Eaton," as passengers, besides them, of course other individuals in this country to whom they were connected by consan- guinity or otherwise, felt a very deep interest in their fate. Among these there was an Irish gentleman, who had been intimately acquainted with Captain Moore, and Mr. Armstrong. This person repeatedly wrote to Mr. Bayley, whose CHARLES EATON. 271 name has often been mentioned, expressing a most urgent anxiety to be acquainted with any par- ticulars which might arrive by the first post. Among others who made similar applications, imploring information, was a dignified clergyman, whose son was on board the vessel. As fine specimens of parental sensibility, it may not