Saturday, October 16, 2010

Extracts from Collett Barker's King George Sound Journal

29th April 1830

Mills reported this evening he had been attacked by a shark at the harbours mouth. It was larger than the jolly boat , came up astern with 2 others & on his trying to strike it with the gaff, it had made a rush at the boat, striking it  first with his head & then with the tail. It afterwards came alongside, the fin was higher than the gunnel. They threw fish to it to amuse it until they got into shallow water. 

Extracts from Collett Barker's King George Sound Journal

22 April 1830

...... In a pretty good haul of the seine some mullet were taken. Mokare said that was it not for the present state of affairs, which made it unsafe, he should spear plenty of them by night by making a fire on the beach. Cannot spear them by day.
Told me this evening that Moken had commenced, which he knew by the situation of the black Magellanic cloud near the cross (Whitepepoy). They have some story which i could not clearly make out, of it being an Emu & laying eggs.........

The night being very fine got 3 good stars for the Lat[itude]. The mean of which, two of the cross & Arcturus) made it 35˚ 2' 35"[south].....