Aug. 23, 1788
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Logbook Remarks GM
Aug. 25, 1788
Revised Jun 8 2021
Fresh Gales and very strong Squalls with very bright firey Southern Lights that were flying in every direction. The Clouds had rapid motion from the SW, and I attribute to this the very heavy surf that sets in all over the Bay. I could only get my Launch ⅔ loaded by night, and one in the Forenoon, owing to the Prodigious surf, so that our exertions in this part of our business had but an indifferent effect. Mr. Nelson and His assistant diligently employed themselves as before. As their route was different to what it was yesterday, they in like manner found a few places of shelter made by the Inhabitants as already described; and in their return picked up a male oppossum which had been recently killed, or dyed, as it had no wound, unless it had been killed by a blow just above the Tail where we observed the hair was off about the space of a shilling. They also picked up the only article of ingenuity that we have yet been acquainted with, it was a close Cap fitted to come as low as the Ears wove with twisted grass, but very open and only calculated to prevent the Hair from blowing about the face. It would fully have made me determine the Natives of this place had long Hair had I not been acquainted to the contrary, for it is not possible it could either keep out Rain or Cold. We now can see no smokes or any signs of the Natives being in the neighbourhood, and I am much inclined to think that at this time of the year they retire to some shelterd part where they can get muscles and other Shell Fish, which here they must find totally impracticable.
I this day determined to find out the source if any, of the Place I had pitched upon for watering, and tracing the Run of it I found I was mistaken that it came from the Lake as I have before described; on the contrary I found it was only a collection of Rain water that had come from the Hills. From this I traced the Lake again; but from its real western extremity, and I found its only outlet to be about five miles from it through high grass and weeds, having one Arm of a tolerable size leading up towards the Hills. When I tasted and used soap to prove the water before, I found it perfectly fresh and good, but to day I traversed the Banks of it up to the Knee in water which discovered to me I had not adjusted to the tide which at this time was at its height, and had mixed itself so with the Lake as made it very brackish to the taste, and would not bear the use of soap.
Most of the Forrest Trees are now in a state of shedding their bark, and have exactly the appearance of the Rind being designedly stript off. These Trees consist of two kinds as are already described by Captain Cook, and in cutting them found the same red gum as particularly mentioned by Doctor Anderson, but as we met with it only in very small quantities I apprehend this is not the season it discharges itself from the Tree, that being in the return of the Juices after the real acts of Vegetation has done taking place. There are besides those Trees, (which to be sure may be deemed most superb in their growth and branching) several others which may answer many other purposes besides Fuel. One of them bears a leaf something like a Guava Tree, and by a Man who was acquainted with the different kinds of wood in America I was assured it was the Maple. It is a firm good wood and may cut for most purposes except Plank or Masts, but for such uses I saw none large enough of that kind. The Forrest Trees, for as such I shall describe them, are not so highly valuable for Masts even if they could be freed from their immense weight, as they are generally decayed in the head, at least all those we cut down were found so, however their weight is a very great objection, unless in case of necessity; but as I have not discovered that their texture is closer than some of our Trees in England, altho very considerably heavier, it may not be improbable that when the luxuriancy of the Juices are dryed up, by being cut down, they may become light & valuable for shipping. There are a variety of shrubs, and among them what is generally called the New Zealand Tea Tree. The only spot of ground clear of wood is near and about the Lake, it only bears a kind of wire grass and Rushes. At the back of the Beach and among the Trees this grass grows of a finer nature, and having cut some of the best of it, I found my Sheep and Goats to eat it more readily than they did the Hay I brought from the Cape of Good Hope. The soil is very sandy towards the Sea, but as you advance towards the Hills it becomes more rich and Valuable, and I beleive capable of producing anything. I this day had formed a plan of hauling the seine in the Lake, but I found it too deep to ford to the otherside & to get the better of this difficulty required too much time for me to put it in execution. I now ordered the People to be served full allowance of Bread.
Aug. 23, 1788
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Logbook Remarks GM
Aug. 25, 1788