Dusky Sound, designated "Dusky Bay," figures largely in the Records. That is in, a measure due to the fact Captain Cook's lengthened stay therein brought it prominently into notice. In a Parliamentary committee of 1838, the Hon. E. Barrington says:—"There is a settlement of 200 or 300 English, who are represented of late as sufficiently numerous to defend themselves against the natives at Queen Charlotte Sound, in Cook Strait. We hear also, on what I consider satisfactory authority, that there is forming a sort of nucleus for a very discreditable kind of establishment in Dusky Bay, which is to the south of the Southern Island again, so that the population is pouring in on every side, and completely out of the influence of the missionaries, who have been able, at anyrate, to keep them in some kind of check." What is here mentioned as a discreditable establishment alludes to

A Piratical Nest,

which is known to have rendezvoused in the sound. In August, 1828, the brig Cyprus, conveying 31 convicts, under a corporal's guard, from Hobart Town to Macquarie Harbour,—the latter being rigorous or secondary punishment settlement of the day—was seized and taken possession of by the convicts. She was in command of a skipper named Carew. Getting becalmed, in Recherche Bay, on the Tasmanian coast, after allowing the irons to be taken off certain of the convicts, he and the surgeon-superintendent went in the ship's boat to fish. A seaman named Swallow, whose name afterwards became popular as the "Bold Captain Swallow," had distinguished himself as a daring and withal skilful seaman. On a prior occasion, when the vessel was in imminent danger and every soul on board expected death, he volunteered to cut adrift the rigging, which had been shattered in a severe storm. Being a bold, intrepid, rowdy character, despite his good services, he got into bad grace with the convict authorities, and was despatched per Cyprus too the more rigorous settlement. Headed by Swallow, the guard was overpowered and driven below. They were then disarmed, and sent ashore on a wild, desolate part of the coast. The ship's crew and thirteen convicts elected to leave the vessel. Swallow, who took command, allowed them a quantity of ship's stores, and afterwards voluntarily sent further supplies, which, considering what the ship carried, was deemed handsome. After enduring considerable hardship, the shore party was rescued, and returned to Hobart. Meantime, Swallow and the others set sail. As soon as they lost sight of land, a course was steered for New Zealand. Reaching its coast, they esconsed themselves in Dusky Bay, where they rendezvoused for a time, until all probability of pursuit had been abandoned. Some of the party remained at Dusky in the avowed character of a seal gang. The others proceeded in the Cyprus to the Friendly Islands, thence to the Islands of the Japanese. Eventually the Cyprus reached China. The account they gave of themselves being suspected, they were seized and brought before a committee of supercargoes, who handed them over to an English man-of-war. Hobart Town Courier, July 24, 1830, supplies the sequel: —"News reached us by the Nimrod that our colonial brig Cyprus, which was piratically carried away from Recherche. Bay, after visiting New Zealand, reached Canton, where, being overhauled by a King's ship, and her papers not being able to bear close scrutiny, and other suspicious circumstances appearing, the crew were placed under arrest. One or two of the number came forward, and disclosed the whole matter. In consequence, the men were put in close confinement, and with the vessel, may be expeted back in Hobart Town, under convoy of one of the sloops of war on the Indian station."

Another vessel "cut out" at Hobart concealed for some time in the sound. Subsequently she was run ashore at Java. The runaways proceeded to Batavia, where they were detected and sent back to Hobart.

page 172

The Trial, a brig "cut out" at Sydney, was discovered a wreck on the coast, but no account was ever got of the runaways. A fine schooner, the Eclipse, was "cut out" by convicts in 1825 at Newcastle, and was never properly accounted for. There is reason to assume the mysterious Haast River wreck had to do with that craft.

[Re Haast River wreck. In the year 1866 a piece of wreck was found in the bush, 300 feet above high-water mark, on the eastern bank of Tauperikaka, near Haast River, three miles south of Arnott Point. Portions of it were cut off and sent to Hokitika, and, upon these being examined, many suppositions were raised as to its identity, such as the possibility of its being a portion of La Perouse's missing vessels, or some missing whaler. Sealers well acquainted on the coast as late as 1840-41 were interrogated, but knew nothing of the wreck, nor had they previously heard of its existence. That is the only wreck on these southern coasts remaining unaccounted for.]

Sydney Customs Records of November 26, 1814, report: —The brig Campbell Macquarie (Burnett, master), arrived here. She reports having left the Matilda (Fowler, master), at Otaheite, with a short crew, having lost 14 of his men on the south-west coast of New Zealand, together with three of his boats. One was stolen by the natives, another was carried off by six of his crew of Lascars, supposed to be rendezvousing in Dusky Bay. The third was sent with his chief officer (Brown), two Europeans, and five Lascars to Cloudy (Chalky) Bay, all of whom are supposed to have foundered, as no tidings were got of either boat or crew. Latterly the ship's provisions became so scant that only half a pound of potatoes were allowed per day.

The Notorious Black Goff

referred to in the annexed furnishes a character sketch of the period. He escaped in a whaler from Sydney Cove, and after rousing among the seal islands, put in appearance at Dusky Bay, where he made himself notorious as leader of a piratical gang. His name figures amongst the list of prisoners illegally at large, published in the felonaries, 1816-17. He and his party boarded a whaler, and nearly succeeded in securing it. Sydney Gazette, February 17, 1819, supplies particulars:—"A day or two after the whaler dropped anchor in one of the Dusky Coves, Goff and his men appeared, representing themselves to be sealers employed by Sydney firms. The skipper detected something contradictory in their statements, which put him on his guard, and, without exciting suspicion, their movements were closely watched. They stated their camp was on an island at some distance, and, on taking their departure, promised to return next day, and lend a hand watering the ship. Being still suspicious of his visitors, extra watch was set, and other preparations made against surprise. Events proved these were not in vain. Early next morning before daybreak, the watch was alarmed seeing a man climbing up the chains. The preconcerted signal was given, and just as the intruder got in over the rail, he received a charge of shot, which stretched him on the deck. His comrades, finding the ship prepared, got back into their boat, and pushed off. A volley of musketry was sent after them, but in the darkness it was supposed to have gone wide of the mark. When they had leisure to look to the victim of this rash enterprise, he was found to be dead. Being well armed, we may infer that, had the ship been taken, not a soul aboard would have been spared. Not feeling safe in such dangerous proximity, the whaler coasted away further south, where she reported the misadventure to Captain West, who brought these particulars to this port."—Sydney Customs Records.

A few years thereafter, Goff was retaken, and being deemed a most dangerous character, was shipped to Norfolk Island. This must have been the year 1825. Norfolk as a penal settlement was abandoned between 1807 and page 173that year. An MS. history of the island in Hobart Museum, under date October 1, 1826, furnishes the following:—"An investigation took place, in the presence of the officers of the island, to ascertain the cause of the mutiny, when it appeared clearly and satisfactorily, from the evidence given, that prisoner Thomas Goff, with a few others, had induced the remainder of their fellow-prisoners, by their deceitful counsel, to revolt. Goff, better known as "Black Goff," was himself the murderer of Corporal Wilson, and his chief accomplices, who were yet at large on Philip Island, were those who wounded the two privates. Goff had persuaded his companions that if they could obtain possession of the boats and provisions, he would be able to reach a large tract of land, not more than one hundred miles distant to the northward of the island, and from thence their escape would be easy, from the number of vessels passing that way. He assured them he had been there and witnessed vessels—particularly American vessels—and their boats ashore at that place. This plausible story succeeded so far as this wretch wished, whose real intentions were, with a chosen few, to seize the best of the boats and all the provisions, and endeavour, with their booty, to reach New Zealand, thereby leaving his betrayed companions to their fate on Philip Island. But the determined and decisive pursuit of them the morning after the mutiny by Captain Donaldson and his party, and the retaking of the boats and provisions, prevented the diabolical intentions of Goff succeeding. To secure this man and bring him to justice was the determination of the commandant, and on November 28 he, with a select party of military, again landed on Philip Island, before daybreak, and secured the path to the peaks. He then commenced a vigilant search for the mutineers (25 in number), and after several hours they discovered and pursued them. From their conduct, it appears evident they had seen the boat, and therefore knew they were sought for, and as their old retreat to the peaks was cut off, they made for the cliffs, and in this situation they well knew they could not be successfully attacked, and from their knowledge of the localities they could reach retreats not safe for the pursuers to follow. However, towards evening, Captain Donaldson succeeded in drawing Goff and a few others from the cliffs to the interior of the island when, after a desperate resistance, Black Goff was badly wounded, and he and his accomplices secured and brought in custody to Norfolk. A few days after this, Goff, who had previously been a pirate, with four principals in the mutiny, were fully committed to take their trial at Sydney for revolt and murder. Along with upwards of 30 other prisoners they were, by a summary sentence of the commandant, ordered the heaviest irons on the island. Thus was the first attempt of the penal prisoners to get possession of the island frustrated, and tranquility restored."

"Extraordinary Animal Of The Kangaroo Species."

The "Sydney Packet" (Owen, master), on her return trip from New Zealand, 1831, reports, for the information of the Collector of Customs (Sydney), one of her gangs, quartered in Dusky Bay, discovered an extraordinary animal of the kangaroo species. They were boating in a cove at a sequestered part of the inlet, and got in amongst ledges of rocks running up to the edge of the bush on a plain surface. The animal was perched on the edge of the bush nibbling the foliage. It stood on its hind legs, the lower part of the body curved into a sharply-pointed tail, the end of which trailed behind, like the skirts of a robe. In that way they calculated it stood at least 30 feet high, allowing five feet for the drag in the tail. They confirmed these calculations by measuring the height of the trees at which they had seen it nibbling. They watched for some time before making their presence known, and, being to windward, succeeded all the better. They saw it break down a heavy branch with seeming ease, turning it over, and tilting it up in search of the food. On discovering their presence, it regarded them attentively, and then, seemingly page 174Satisfied they were not to be trusted made a spring forward to the edge of the rocks. In that one leap it covered twenty yards without making any apparently extra effort. Landing on all fours, it instantly re-erected itself, and, with a tremendous bound, dived into the water. Being somewhat dubious of its purposes, the sealers bent to their oars, and got out of the way. They lost sight of the animal for a couple of minutes. When next seen, it was ploughing its way down the sound at a wonderful speed, shearing the water asunder into fan-tailed ripples, visible in that and other effects from one side of the sound to the other. Whatever this animal may have been, three definite conclusions are based on these observations—namely, that it is herbivorous, amphibious, and its great strength lies in the tail.

Dr George Bass's Ventures And Adventures.

Dusky Bay is in evidence amongst the earliest of the Sydney Records. In an MS. of the Record Office, George Bass, whose name is identified with the through pass between Victoria and Tasmania, writes one Captain Waterhouse, dated Sydney, January 3, 1803: —"In my letter from Sandwich Islands in May last, I told you we had been at Dusky Bay, in New Zealand; at least, I think so. I shall go to Dusky again this voyage for the purpose of picking up two anchors and breaking the iron fastenings out of an old Indianman that lies there deserted, with the intention of selling the former to the Spaniards. Of the little iron we took out that voyage, it was converted by our smith into axes, and we made a good thing out of it by selling them to the savages. Now, we shall be prepared for breaking her up." Again, on February 2, Bass writes from Port Jackson: —"I have written to you thrice from thence, since my arrival from the South Sea Islands. In a few hours I shall proceed again on another pork voyage, but it combines circumstances of a different nature also. From this place I go to New Zealand to pick up something more from the wreck of the old Endeavour in Dusky Bay, then visit some of the islands lying south of it, in search of seals and fish. The former, should they be found, are intended to furnish cargo for England immediately on my return from this trip. The fish are to answer a proposal I made Government to establish a fishery, on condition of receiving an exclusive privilege of the south part of New Zealand and of its neighbouring isles, which privileges is at once to be granted to me." A draft memorandum or communication, apparently addressed to the Governor, was unearthed from amongst the Customs Records. It is to a great extent illegible. So far as it could be deciphered, it went to show Bass's proposals were as follow: —"That he should have the exclusive right for seven years of that part of New Zealand lying south of a line drawn due east from Dusky Sound to the eastern coast, to about where Dunedin now stands; also Bounty, Antipodes, and Snares, together with ten leagues of the sea around each of these coasts." If he succeeded in establishing the industry he stipulated, he was to get an extension of 21 years. Then follow argumentive problems, seemingly put forward by Bass, in support of his application. "If I can draw up food from the sea," he writes, "in places which are now lying useless to the world, surely I am entitled to make an exclusive property of the fruits of my ingenuity, as much as the man who obtains letters patent." In a further communication from Bass to his friend Captain Waterhouse, he explains: —"The New Zealand fishery is not to be set in motion till after my return to England, when I mean to seize upon my dear Bess, bring her out here, and make a 'poissarde' of her, when she cannot fail to have plenty use for her tongue. We have, I assure you, great plans in our heads, but, like the basket of eggs, all depends on the success of the voyage I am now upon."

Bass's fisheries project came to naught. After visiting Dusky, and possessing himself of the ironwork and anchors, he proceeded in his ship, the Venus, to Spanish America. It was, in effect, a privateering expedition. Its terms were: "You buy my goods, or, otherwise, I open fire on your ports." It was page 175a time of war, and these were by no means uncommon stipulations. Arriving off the coast of Peru, the Venus entered the port of Callao, and opened negotiations with the inhabitants, who showed no disposition to trade. Thereupon Bass assumed the aggressive, which seemed to produce the desired effect. The corregidor, or chief magistrate, invited Bass to meet him and his Cabildo, or Council, to arrange terms. These were adjusted to the mutual satisfaction. That, however, was only a trap to get him and his ship's company into their power. They were accordingly seized, and thrown into prison. The brig was confiscated, and Bass and his officers condemned to perpetual servitude in the mines. They were made to work the azogue, or quicksilver deposits, at Guanca-velica. These mines were notorious for exuding poisonous vapours, and we can understand our adventurous Britons, sooner or later, succumbed to their fatal environments. At all events, they are not again heard of.

In a letter by Captain Cook to Captain Furneux, of the consort ship Adventure, dated July 15, 1772, the latter is instructed as follows:—It is recommended to you that while you are upon the southern parts of New Zealand to endeavour to procure specimens of the different stones you may find in the country, as an opinion has lately been stated that some of them contain minerals or metals.

Whereas scurvey grass, celery, and other vegetables, are to be found in most uncultivated countries, especially in New Zealand, and when boiled with wheat or oatmeal, with a proper quantity of portable broth, makes a very wholesome and nourishing diet, and has been found to be of great use against all scorbutic complaints, which the crews of his Majesty's sloops (Resolution and Adventure) must in some degree have contracted after so long a continuance at sea. You are therefore hereby required and directed, whenever vegetables are to be got, to cause a sufficient quantity to be boiled with the usual allowance of wheat or oatmeal, and portable broth every morning for breakfast for the company of his Majesty's sloop under your command, as well on meat days as on banyan days, and to continue the same so long as vegetables are to be got, or until further orders. Afterwards you are to continue to boil wheat or oatmeal for breakfast on Mondays, as directed by my order of the 6th of December last, but you are to discontinue to serve the additional half-allowance of spirit or wine mentioned in the said order. Given under my hand, on board his Majesty's sloop Resolution, in Dusky Bay, this 28th day of March, 1773.—J. Cook.

[At the date these instructions were issued Captain Furneux was lying in Queen Charlotte's Sound. The ships had separated in a fog, February 8, 1703, near Kerguelen Island. Four months thereafter they rejoined each other at their winter quarters in Queen Charlotte's Sound. The letter of instructions in that case must have been antique before it reached its destination We may take it for granted it was the first document dating from Dusky Sound.]

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.

Dusky—A Dangerous Location.

So bad was the repute Dusky Bay rendezvousing became that it was literally unsafe to be found in the vicinity. In 1882 the American, General Gates, left a seal gang in one of its reaches, who appear to have had some difficulty with the natives. A few weeks afterwards, the inlet was visited by the Elizabeth (Goron, master). In absence of the master, the General Gates's gang visited her, with the benevolent purpose of putting her crew on their guard against surprise. The party consisted of seven—five Europeans, one American, and a Maori. They told the person in charge that the natives were very hostile to the crews of vessels and gangs, and that a party of them had lately killed four of their number. They further stated that one of their boats, cruising among the islands in search of seals, had been taken by the natives, but that the crew, together with the chief officer, the American aforesaid, managed to effect their escape. When Captain Goron returned on board the facts were recounted to him. Meantime, the gang had left for their own quarters. Goron, suspecting their bona fides, proceeded on shore with his boat's crew, took the men prisoners, and brought them to Sydney. Sydney Gazette, January 23, 1823, reports that when brought before the magistrate, Goron wished to impress on the Court that he had just cause to suspect they were runaway convicts, now turned pirates, in our seas. One of the men avowed himself to be an escaped prisoner of the Crown, but the others asserted their freedom, which no one was prepared to deny. They said there was not the smallest doubt but that Captain Riggs, of the General Gates, would come after them as soon as information reached him of the event, which no doubt had now occurred, from the gangs that Captain Goron stationed on the spot. The free men were directed to be remanded till ample satisfaction could be procured as to their actual freedom, and the prisoner was ordered into custody. With regard to the conduct of Captain Goron on the novel occasion, the magistrates, at this stage of the proceeding, could not withhold expressing their entire disapprobation at the perpetration of such an act.

The Customs Records announce that the Elizabeth brought 1500 sealskins, after a short voyage, cruising amongst these sounds, so that, at this time (1823), seals must have been numerous. Further, in support thereof, we find: March 3, 1825, the Elizabeth, then in charge of one Brooks, entered in at Sydney, direct from Dusky, with 3000 fur skins, said to be the "most finely" preserved sample ever brought to hand.

In 1831 the regular trader Prince of Denmark brought a quantity of mineral from New Zealand, which seems to have attracted notice. Be-page 178ing a Southern New Zealand trader, it was known the metal came from some portion of the south coast, but a great deal of reticence was observed as to the exact locality. Drs Malcolm and Boston, assisted by Mr Mchaven, of Sydney, made the following analytical test, which is published in Sydney Gazette, December 31, 1831: —"Platina, 5.000; rhodium, 2.075; palladium, 0.400; iridium, 0.025." The Gazette of January 5, 1832, has the further announcement that Messrs Wyre, M'Laren, and Whyte chartered the schooner Admiral Gifford to carry down miners and machinery for working the ore. A Customs entry of the date details that the Admiral Gifford would go direct to Dusky Bay, and afterwards proceed eastward along the coast for relief of sealing gangs at work in Foveaux Strait. [We therefore conclude Dusky Bay was the scene of the reputed mineral discovery.]