THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. RATTLESNAKE ***

Produced by Sue Asscher

NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE

OF

H.M.S. RATTLESNAKE,

COMMANDED BY THE LATE

CAPTAIN OWEN STANLEY, R.N., F.R.S. ETC.

DURING THE YEARS 1846-1850.

INCLUDING DISCOVERIES AND SURVEYS IN

NEW GUINEA, THE LOUISIADE ARCHIPELAGO,

ETC.

TO WHICH IS ADDED THE ACCOUNT OF

MR. E.B. KENNEDY'S EXPEDITION

FOR THE EXPLORATION OF THE CAPE YORK PENINSULA.

BY JOHN MACGILLIVRAY, F.R.G.S.

NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE

SANCTION OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF THE ADMIRALTY.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOLUME 1.

1852.

TO

MRS. STANLEY,

THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

AS A TRIBUTE OF RESPECT TO THE MEMORY OF HER SON,

UNDER WHOSE DIRECTION THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTS

OF THE

VOYAGE OF THE RATTLESNAKE

WERE SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED.

PREFACE.

It was originally intended that an account of the Surveying Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake should have been undertaken conjointly by the late Captain Owen Stanley and myself, in which case the narrative would have been constructed from the materials afforded by the journals of both, and the necessary remarks upon hydrographical subjects would have been furnished by that officer, whose lamented death in March, 1850, prevented this arrangement from being carried out. Not having had access to Captain Stanley's private journals, I considered myself fortunate, when the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty--in addition to sanctioning the publication of my account of the Voyage in question--directed that every facility should be afforded me in consulting the manuscript charts and other hydrographical results at their disposal, and to Rear-Admiral Sir F. Beaufort, C.B., Commander C.B. Yule, R.N., and Lieutenant J. Dayman, R.N., I beg to express my thanks for the liberal manner in which they carried out their Lordships' intentions.

To the other gentlemen who have contributed Appendices to this work--George Busk, Esquire F.R.S., Dr. R.G. Latham, Professor Edward Forbes, F.R.S., and Adam White, Esquire, F.L.S.--I have also to offer my best thanks. It also affords me great pleasure to record my obligations to T. Huxley, Esquire R.N., F.R.S., late Assistant-Surgeon of the Rattlesnake, for the handsome manner in which he allowed me to select from his collection of drawings those which now appear as illustrations; and I may express the hope, which in common with many others I entertain, that the whole of his researches in marine zoology may speedily be laid before the scientific world. My own collections in Natural History have been submitted to the examination of various eminent naturalists. Many of the novelties have already been described, and the remainder will appear from time to time.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME 1.

CHAPTER 1.1.

Objects of the Voyage. Admiralty Instructions. Hydrographer's Instructions. Sail from Plymouth. Arrive at Madeira. Funchal. Visit to Curral. Try for Deep Sea Soundings. Crossing the Line. Arrive at Rio de Janeiro. City of Rio and Neighbourhood. Dredging in Botafogo Bay. Slavery. Religious Processions. Brazilian Character. Cross the South Atlantic. Temperature of the Sea. Oceanic Birds. Pelagic Animals. Arrive at Simon's Bay. Survey the Bay. Caffre War. Observations on the Waves. Arrive at Mauritius. Port Louis. Visit to Pamplemousses. La Pouce Mountain. Try for Deep Sea Soundings. Arrive at Hobart Town.

CHAPTER 1.2.

Arrive at Sydney. Bramble is attached to the Expedition. Survey Entrance of Port Jackson and Twofold Bay. Sail upon our First Northern Cruise. Arrive at Moreton Bay. Proceedings there. Natives at Moreton Island. Arrive at Port Curtis. Settlement of North Australia. Excursions made in Neighbourhood. Natural Productions. Call at the Percy Isles. Port Molle and Cape Upstart. Unable to find Fresh Water. Return to Sydney. Recent Occurrences there. Sail for Bass Strait. Visit Port Phillip and Port Dalrymple. Inspect the Lighthouses of the Strait.

CHAPTER 1.3.

Sail on our Second Northern Cruise. Entrance to the Inner Passage. Arrive at Rockingham Bay. Land Mr. Kennedy's Expedition. Commence the Survey at Dunk Island. Communication with Natives. Barnard Isles. Botanical Sketch. Examine a New River. Frankland Isles. Find the Cocoanut Palm. Fitzroy Island. The Will-o-the-Wisp and her Story. Trinity Bay. Animals of a Coral Reef. Stay at Lizard Island. Howick, Pelican, and Claremont Isles. Bird Isles. Meet party of Natives in Distress. Cairncross Island. Arrive at Cape York.

CHAPTER 1.4.

Water the Ship. Vessel with Supplies