Sep 10, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Sep 12, 1792
Revised Sep 16 2021
Island O S14°W to S70°E about 1½ Mile – P N61°E [blank] Miles Turtle back Island S56°W 8 Miles A long Island to the Southward in with West Point of O S14°W 10 or 12 Miles distant The Cap S86°W 4 Leagues The Brothers N80°W 5 Leagues
Island Q N37W 5 Leagues Brothers S71°W 4′ – Cap S9°W 5 Miles Turtle back Island S19°E 3 Leagues O SEbE¼E about 5 Leagues
1 pm: Fresh Breezes and fair Weather Assistant made the Signal for Assistance fired several Great Guns & Musketts at Canoes which had attacked her
4 pm: At 4 The Brig made the Signal to anchor – brought up with Small Bower in 10 Fathoms Coarse Sand veered to ½ Cable – Island O about 1½ distant At 4½ [4..30] Veered away the whole Cable Service – Down Top Gallant yards and hoisted in the Boats
8 pm: Moderate Breezes and cloudy
12 mid: Hove in the half Cable Service
4 am: Moderate Breezes and fine Weather
5 am: at Day break Out Boats and up Top Gallant yards
9 am: At 9 the Assistant weighed the Boats ahead leading – At 9:30 Weighed and stood after her
10 am: Boats ahead sounding & Lead constantly going
11 am: At 11 Saw an high lump of an Island Q in the NW
12 noon: At [Noon] Moderate Breezes & fair Weather About 4′ distant
from the Brothers – O or Dungeness Island almost out of Sight
Assistant and Boats ahead leading
We had no Idea of the Indians having any hostile Intention, after they had traded with us so fairly before
– at first we saw two Canoes upon the reef, as I have said making Signs to us, and I counted six others
upon the great reef of P these collected together and came towards us. when we saw the Cutter and Brig
firing at them, we concluded they had attacked the Cutter but we afterwards found they had fired a flight
of Arrows at the Assistant and wounded three Men. we immediately got the Marines under Arms and Great Guns
and Swivels loaded with rounds and Grape. the first Muskett shot was fired at a large Canoe containing
about 20 Men they immediately set up a Shout and collected themselves closer together, and we fired away
upon them as fast as we could load. the second great shot that was fired, struck the stern of the large
Canoe and must have raked her nearly fore and aft. the Indians immediately leaped over board and swam away
to their Companions that were at a greater Distance like so many Porpoises, the Marines firing upon them
the whole Time – At the Commencement of our firing the Indians all were flat in the Canoes some of them
with their Arms out to paddle. after the decisive Shot they all made away in the manner as fast as possible
except the deserted Canoe in which we saw only one Man remaining who I suppose was not able to follow his
Companions. she drifted past us and about an Hour afterwards when they thought us at too great a Distance to
hurt them we saw them go to her and with our Glasses could see them making Signals to their Companions, as
we supposed expressive of Grief and Consternation – No Doubt she was greatly injured and they must
have had many Men killed but here they certainly deserved it
Sep 10, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Sep 12, 1792