Dusky Sound Wreck.

[The "old Indiaman" referred to above is the remains of a Sydney Cove nondescript, the Endeavour, traces of which are still found in Facile Harbour Speculation has from time to time been rife as to its original. Wild theories have been put forward, the latest being that it is the remains of the Endeavour sailed by the illustrious Captain Cook. She is nothing more than an old transport that brought out a cargo of convicts to the Cove. Being in a state of starvation, the convict authorities chartered her to obtain supplies, and visit Dusky en route. Arriving there, she was so completely waterlogged that she had to taken into Facile and scuttled. Data thereanent annexed.]

Captain Bampton to Lieutenant-Governor King, dated, "Snow, Fancy, off Norfolk Island, Jauary 19, 1796. I beg leave to acquaint you that I sailed page 176from Port Jackson in the Endeavour with the Fancy September 19, 1795, but having unfortunately suffered the disaster of the Endeavour being shipwrecked, and having only a few days provisions of rice alone to subsist upon, and that at half allowance, under such unfortunate circumstances I have taken the liberty of requesting your humane assistance for such necessary supplies as I stand in need of, and his Majesty's stores will admit to enable me to return to India. I also beg leave to inform you that I have between 25 and 30 people who secreted themselves on board the Endeavour, unknown to me or any of the officers, whose time of transportation is not yet expired. I therefore hope you will be so kind as to send boats and a guard to take them on shore; as likewise, a number of others whom I permitted by leave of Governor Hunter to have a passage to India, but, from my unfortunate situation, cannot take them farther.

A despatch, dated Norfolk Island, January 19, 1796, reports: —I have the honour to enclose lists of persons landed here from the Fancy (Snow) and Providence (schooner). They are real objects of pity, being so debilitated from extreme hunger that it will be some time before any labour can be got from them. Captain Bampton informs me that in Dusky he left a schooner of 60 tons almost built, which may be expected here with the remainder of the people belonging to the Endeavour in about three weeks. It may be necessary to explain, the loss of that ship was occasioned by stress of weather, which compelled the master and officers to run her ashore at Facile Harbour, Dusky Bay, where she lies bilged. Such stores belonging to the wreck as could not be taken away by the three small vessels are left at Dusky Bay in storehouses, under the care of four men who are to remain there, until a vessel can be sent from India to take them off.,

A despatch, dated Sydney, January 10, 1798—the Governor of N.S.W. to the Home Office—reports further on the subject:—In the accounts received from Norfolk Island, an American scow—the Mercury—which had refitted here, having called in there (Norfolk Island) and landed 35. people left at Dusky when the ship Endeavour was lost about twenty months before. As I had long been apprehensive some of these people might still be in that melancholy situation, upon the master of this American having offered to go thither and take off such people as he might find, and land them on Norfolk Island, on condition that I would permit his taking from the wreck what stores he might want, I refused my sanction to his taking anything from the wreck, but said he might make what terms he could with the people he might find belonging to her, and that I would give him a letter to the commanding officer at Norfolk Island to permit his landing these people. This service he has performed under many difficulties, and has sent me a copy of his agreement with these unfortunate people, whose deplorable situation for so long a time had given me so much concern.

Despatch, Lieutenat-Governor Grose, dated Sydney, September 3, 1793:— The vessel sent in frame by the Pitt has at length been put into the waiter. … She will sail for Dusky Bay, in New Zealand, immediately, in order to ascertain how far that place, which, I understand, posesses all the advantages of Norfolk Island, with the addition of a safe harbour and seal-fishery, may tend to the benefit of his Majesty's service, as connected with these establishments.

Saunders News Letter, of date July 15, 1793, publishes a letter dated from Norfolk Island, November 19, 1793. The able and painstaking F. M. Balden; Esq., editor of Sydney Historical Records, in a marginal note, attributes it to Mr Thomas Jameson, assistant-surgeon to the settlement. Therein it is stated:—The Britannia is chartered to bring provisions, etc., for this colony page 177from Bengal. Captain Raven sailed from Port Jackson in October last for Dusky Bay, where he left a party twelve months ago, to kill seals. On his return he found them all well, and they had about 4590 sealskins, although they were very deficient of tackle to kill them with. During their stay at this bay they built a small vessel of 150 tons burden entirely out of the wood of the country, which, they say, is equal to the English oak, and grows in great abundance. The bay is large, commodious, and well sheltered from the winds. During their stay at the bay they caught such an abundance of fish, and a kind of wood-hen which cannot fly, having no long feathers in its wings; and they had scarce any occasion for their salt meat all the time they remained there. They saw no natives, but, on one of their excursions into the country, they found a fire in a small hut. They left some axes, etc., on a tree which lay in front of the hut, but the natives had not removed them when they left the island. They speak so highly of the country, for the goodness of the soil and the fine timber with which it abounds, that it may be an object to Government in course of time.