Port King
John Murray was the first European to lay eyes upon the waters of Port Phillip Bay. A stiff wind made approach to the unknown lee shore too risky, so he was afforded only the briefest of glimpses as he sailed past the Heads in the Lady Nelson in January 1802. He returned to the bay on 14 February, entering and conducting a partial survey, which resulted in a tragic first contact. Murray named the place Port King, but Governor King used his prerogative to change the name to honour the ‘old Governor’ Arthur Phillip.
Tuesday 5 January—Winds from SE to East with clear weather, at a quarter past 1 p.m. Cape Shanks1 bore NEbN nine miles. Kept running down along the land steering west and WbN in order to train the whole of this land along, found it impossible to survey any part of the coast as yet from the numerous natives fires which covered this low shore in one volume of smoke. At 3 p.m. we saw a head land bearing WNW distant about twelve miles and an opening in the land that had the appearance of an harbour NW ten or twelve miles, bore away for this at last, it having the appearance of fine steady weather, altho’ the wind now blowing was dead on the whole of this shore, yet I knew she would work off in case we were deceived. Accordingly kept standing down for this entrance, which every minute from its appearance made us shure it was a good harbour. At 5 p.m. saw a small island in the entrance, and observed that between it and the main lay a reef in appearance.
On my seeing this we bore away to leeward of this rock and I had the first mate and bosun at the masthead looking out. At this time I suppose we were within 11/2 mile of the entrance as we thought, and I perceived that the sea broke short, and was withal heavy, hove the lead and found only 10 fathoms water.2 Astonished at this I hauled our wind and call’d out to them at the masthead to know if they saw any danger, but none was at the time seen.
I bore away again and deep’d into 11 fathoms, when Mr Bowen called out rocks ahead. Immediately hauled our wind and stood off, on closer observation of my own and going often to the masthead, I saw that the reef did not nearly stretch itself across the whole way but inside saw a fine sheet of smooth water, of great extent, from the wind blowing dead on this shore and fresh. I was obliged to haul off under a press of sail to clear the land, but with a determination to overhaul it by and by, as no doubt it has a channel into it, and is apparently a fine harbour of large extent, kept pressing sail and by 8 p.m. the extremes of land bore from NW to west, distance twenty miles I fancy…
The apparent soil of all the land from Elizabeth’s Cove3 to Cape Shanks is excellent, after you round Cape Shanks and stand down to the westward, the land is invariably low and sandy with little hummocks here and there of grass and small bushes till you get down as far as this supposed harbour. On the opposite side of it the land gently rises a little for about ten or twelve miles; seemingly good ground, it then sweeps away in a long bite of low land which we just could perceive at sundown. Had the wind moderated or the sea gone down I would certainly have run down to that low land and train’d it along as well as every other part of this bay; in the present state of wind and sea it would not have been prudent or safe…
14 February—…At half-past 10 south Head of the new harbour or port N by E eight miles distant; by noon the island at the entrance of the harbour bore N half a mile distant. At this time we had a view of this part of the spacious harbour, its entrance is wide enough to work any vessel in, but in 10 fathoms. Bar stretches itself a good way across, and, with a strong tide out and wind in, the ripple is such as to cause a stranger to suspect rock or shoals ahead.
15 February—Working up, the port with a very strong ebb against us, we however gained ground. The southern shore of this noble harbour is bold high land in general and not clothed as all the land at western point is with thick brush but with stout trees of various kinds and in some places falls nothing short, in beauty and appearance, of Greenwich Park. Away to the eastward at the distance of twenty miles the land is mountainous, in particular there is one very high mountain which in the meantime I named Arthur’s Seat from its resemblance to a mountain of that name a few miles from Edinburgh…to the NE by N, about five miles from the south shore lies a cluster of small rocky islands and all round them a shoal of sand; plenty of swans and pelicans were found on them when the boat was down, from which I named them Swan Isles4. To the NE by E there is an opening, and from our masthead no land could be seen in it. The northern shores are low with a sandy beach all along. At half-past 3 p.m. we got to anchor in a sandy cove in 7 fathoms water…I went on shore and walked through the woods a couple of miles. The ground was hard and pleasant to walk on. The trees are at a good distance from each other and no brush intercepts you. The soil is good as far as we may be judges. I saw several native huts and very likely they have burnt off several hundred acres of ground. Young grass we found springing up over all the ground we walked; the only birds we saw were a few parrots. We found some shells on the beach and returned on board. I have named this harbour Port King in honour of Governor P. G. King under whose orders I act.
16 February—After dinner I took a walk through the woods of this part of the country, attended by one soldier and our carpenter to examine the wood. To describe this part I walked through is simply to say that it nearly resembles a walk on Black-heath and the Park if we set out of question the houses and gardens of the latter. The hills and valleys rise and fall with inexpressible elegance. We discovered no water nor any new wood of consequence, but it is impossible that a great want of water can be here from the number of native huts and fires we fell in with in our march…
At sundown a native fire was seen about a mile inland; in the morning early I sent Mr Bowen and Bond armed to speak with them, neither fell in with them. At 9 a.m. hove up our bower with a light air at NE and dropped a few miles further up the port. We now saw the same fire just lighted by the natives and presently perceived several of them come out of the bush, but the moment they saw the vessel they sprang into the wood out of sight. At 11 a.m. we came to an anchor in 5 fathoms of water, handed sails, etc., as there was a native fire burning a little way inland.
I sent the launch with Mr Bowen and four hands armed to see if any natives were here, and before the boat was halfway on shore we had the satisfaction of seeing eighteen or twenty men and boys come out of the wood and seat themselves down on a green bank waiting the approach of our boat with which I had sent some shirts and other trifles to give them; the boat accordingly landed in the midst of them and a friendly intercourse took place with dancing on both sides—in an hour the boat returned.
Mr Bowen had dressed them in our white shirts and invited them on board; this however they declined, but exchanged for all this. Got a basket of straw neatly enough made. They were all clothed in the skins of opossums and each had a bundle of spears, a stone mogo5 and one basket. They wished much to know what our arms were and their use and did not seem entirely to believe Mr Bowen that they were only walking sticks—no women were amongst them. I sent the boat again with some bread, looking-glasses, tomahawk and a picture as presents to induce them to part with their weapons and dresses as also to inform us where there was water. This day all hands put upon two-thirds allowance of bread.
17 February—The boat proceeded to the shore and was as before received in a friendly manner by the natives, all of whom were seated in a circle on a beautiful spot of grass near a high point of land. Mr Bowen and all the crew consisting of five men and the boy, Mr Brabyn, went up with their dinners in their hands and sat down in the midst of them (eighteen in number) and began to eat showing the natives how to eat bread, etc., and gave them anything they chose to ask for. Mr Bowen gave them all the things I had sent as well as several of his own things— stripping himself almost naked to comply with their wishes, and his example was followed by the whole of the boat’s crew. As there was two fine-looking boys amongst them I sent Mr Brabyn on shore purposely to see and gain their confidence by his attention to their youngsters, both of whom he dressed in his shirts, handkerchiefs, trowsers, etc.
All matters continued in this state while our people had anything to give and all we got was two spears, a basket and a mogo and even these they again took from the seamen that had them in keeping. This, however, the officer took no offence at being determined if at all possible to keep on friendly terms with them. It was in vain that the officer and crew tried by signs too significant not to be understood to gain intelligence where water was to be found or on what beaches shells were most plentiful; to all such inquiries they turned a deaf ear and only seemed intent on getting what our people had even to the last shirt. By this time our people had nearly finished their dinners and Isaac Moss having the boat in charge got up and was walking slowly down to her.
At this time the boy Brabyn happened to turn his head towards the wood and saw a man in the very act of throwing a spear at Moss as well as a large body (not before seen) behind a large fallen tree with their spears all in readiness for throwing. The boy immediately cried out to Mr Bowen who was at that very time in the act of serving out bread to all the party he was sitting among that he would be speared. But before the words were out of his mouth, a spear of the most dangerous kind was thrown at and did not escape Moss by a yard, and in an instant the whole of the treacherous body that Mr Bowen and four of our people were sitting in the midst of opened out to the right and left, and at once left them all open to the party in ambush who immediately were on their feet and began to throw spears. Still, such was the forbearance of the officer that only one piece was fired over their heads but this was found only to create a small panic, and our party was obliged to teach them by fatal experience the effect of our walking sticks.
The first fire made them run and one received two balls between his shoulders, still some of them made a stop to heave. The second fire they all set off with astonishing speed and most likely one received a mortal wound. Before another piece was fired Mr Bowen laid hold of one of their number and held on till three of our people came up and also grappled him; strange to tell he made such violent struggles as to get away from them all, now did the contents of the officer’s piece bring him up although one ball passed through his arm and the other in his side—he was traced a good distance by his blood—the remaining pieces were by this time fired and our party gave chase to them all.
On board I kept a strict lookout with the glass and we lay only a little more than a quarter of a mile off the point where they were seated on. I plainly saw the natives running through the wood which was by no means thick—one fellow in particular had been dressed in one of my white shirts and the officer had tied the wrists of it with string, which hindered his getting it off— him we plainly saw from the vessel pass the roots of black trees with such speed as more to resemble a large white bird flying than a man. To increase their panic as they passed along I gave them a discharge of our guns loaded with round and grape but am almost certain that they did them no damage; by this time our people returned from the chase, having found on the way back a number of spears, dresses and baskets, etc. Made the boat signal and they came off.
Thus did this treachery and unprovoked attack meet with its just punishment and at the same time taught us a useful lesson to be more cautious in future. With respect to the size of these natives they are much the same as at Sydney, their understanding better though, for they easily made out our signs when it answered their purposes or inclination. When it did not they could be dull enough. They were all clothed in opossum skins and in each basket a certain quantity of gum was found. Not the least sign of a canoe has been seen. I conclude they live entirely inland, and if we may judge from the number of their fires and other marks this part of the country is not thin of inhabitants. Their spears are of various kinds and all of them more dangerous than any I have yet seen. The workmanship of their dresses, their lines and baskets are far from despicable, their mogo or stone axes are such as common at Sydney.
20 February—…Sent an armed party and our carpenter a long range through the woods to try out the different kinds of wood, none however was found of use, the trees being almost invariably oak and other wood quite common at Sydney. A red waistcoat of Mr Brabyn’s was found with some bread in each pocket; in this he had dressed one of the native boys, who in his fear left it I fancy, as soon as he had found how to get it off, for it was buttoned on him.
22 February—At noon the launch returned, having found an entrance into the sheet of water they were sent to overhaul, but only at high water, seven or eight feet of it, consequently no harbour for shipping. The boat proceeded a mile and a half, and, in running that, caught twenty swans of a large size without wasting one charge of shot…
5 March—I went in the launch in search of a channel by which vessels of a larger draught than ours might be got up abreast of the watering place and was fortunate enough to find one a mile at least in breadth lying off the southern shores of this port about three miles and having from 16 to 6 fathoms water in at low water and neap tides; and in this water a vessel of any draught may be secure from all winds at about a mile and a half from the spring at which today I loaded the boat with water and examined it. As far as we are judges it is most excellent water as clear as crystal— lies from the beach about ten or a dozen yards and plenty of it to water the Great Fleet of England; it is nearer the entrance than the foot of Arthur’s Seat by about two miles, and can easily be found out by the land which for a few miles before you come to it is low whereas all the other land on both sides is high with bold points; if a boat then east or E by S from Point Paterson6 nine miles puts into the shore they will not be far off it, there is plenty of duck about it, but so shy that only two have been shot, a circumstance we did not a little regret as they exceed in flavour any I ever eat. We are not complete in water and will soon be wooded.
7 March—…The soil of the land all round the extensive place is good and its appearance exceeds in beauty even the southern shores. The number of large swans seen almost exceeds belief, but by this time most of them could fly, we caught eleven—ten of which were large. All of us slept this night in a pleasant little island with a few handsome trees on it, soil good and so clear as to be fit for the hoe at once. I named it Maria Isle7 after a sister I lost some years past.
8 March—As we now intended sailing in a few days I judged it consistent with His Majesty’s instructions (a copy of which I was furnished with from the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of New South Wales) to take possession of this port in the form and manner laid down by the said instructions, and accordingly at 8 o’clock in the morning the united colours of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were hoisted on board and on Point Paterson, and at one o’clock under a discharge of three volleys of small arms and artillery the port was taken possession of in the name of his Sacred Majesty George the Third of Great Britain and Ireland, King, etc., etc. Served double allowance of grog.
1. Cape Schanck.
2. A fathom is a depth of 1.83 metres.
3. Elizabeth Cove is on the north coast of Phillip Island.
4. Now known as Mud Islands.
5. Stone axe.
6. Now known as Point King.
7. Either Duck Island or Swan Island.