Documentary Source other than original Journal
Mahroot 1845
“Report from the Select Committee on the Condition of the Aborigines: Evidence of Mahroot, alias the Boatswain”
NSW Legislative Council Votes and Proceedings 1845
in K Willey 1979
When the Sky Fell Down
Sydney: Collins, pp.51-2.
pp.51-2
They [the Dharug] thought they [the British] was the devil when>>52 they landed first, they did not know what to make of them. When they saw them going up the masts they thought they was oppossums.
Voyage of the Endeavour
Journal – recorded by Joseph Banks
J C Beaglehole (ed.) 1962
The “Endeavour” Journal of Joseph Banks 1768 – 1771,
Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 2 vols.
2:52 [Bulli district, south coast of NSW, 27 April 1770]
Four men were at this time observed briskly walking along the shore, two of which carried on their shoulders a small canoe …
¾ SENTENCE
To see something of them however we resolvd and the Yawl, a boat just capable of carrying the Captn; Dr Solander and myself and 4 rowers was accordingly prepared. They sat on the rocks expecting us but when we came within a quarter of a mile they ran away hastily into the countrey ….
2 ½ SENTENCES
In the course of the night many fires were seen.
2:53 [entering Botany Bay, 28 April 1770]
A small smoak arising from a very barren place directed our glasses that way and we soon and we soon saw about 10 people, who on our approach left the fire and retired to a little eminence where they could conveniently see the ship; soon after this two Canoes carrying 2 men each landed on the beach under them, the men hauled up their boats and went to their fellows upon the hill>>
<< Our boat which had been sent ahead to sound now approached the place and the all retired higher up on the hill.; we saw however that at the beach or landing place one man at least was hid among some rocks … …
2:53 [in Botany Bay, 28 April 1770
Our boat proceeded along shore and the Indians followed her at a distance.
½ SENTENCE
in a cove a little within the harbour the came down to the beach and invited our people to land by many signs and word[s] which he [an unnamed officer] did not understand; all however were armed with long pikes and a wooden weapon made something like a scymetar.>>
<< During this time the Indians who had not followed the boat remained on the rocks opposite the ship, threatening and menacing with their pikes and swords – two in particular who were painted with white, their faces seemingly only dusted over with it, their bodies painted with broad strokes drawn over their breasts and backs resembling much a soldiers cross belts, and their legs and thighs also with such like broad strokes drawn round them which imitated broad garters or bracelets
1 SENTENCE
These two seemed to talk earnestly together, at times brandishing their crooked weapons at us in a token of defiance.
2:54 [4 canoes with a man in each, spear fishing, under south head in Botany Bay, 28 April 1770]
These people seemed to be totally engag’d in what the were about: the ship passed within a quarter of a mile of them and et the scarce lifted their eyes from their employment; I was almost inclind to think that attentive to their business and deafned by the noise of the surf they neither saw nor heard her go past them.
2:54 [at anchor in Botany Bay opposite small encampment, afternoon, 28 April 1770]
an old women followed by three children came out of the wood … … when she came to the houses 3 more younger children came out of one to meet her. She often looked at the ship but expressed neither surprize nor concern. Soon after she lighted a fire and the four Canoes came in from fishing; the people landed, hauld up their boats and began to dress their dinner to all appearances totally unmovd at us, tho we were within a little more than ½ a mile of them.
2:54-55 [boats manned for landing, after dinner, 28 April 1770]
as soon as we approachd the rocks tow of the men came down upon them, each armd with a lance of about 10 feet long and a short stick which he seemed to handle as a machine to throw the lance. They called to us very loud in a harsh sounding Language … … shaking their lances and menacing, in all appearance resolvd to dispute our landing to the utmost tho they were but two and we were 30 or 40 at least. In this manner we parleyd with them for about quarter of an hour, they waving us to be gone, we again signing that we wanted water and that we meant them no harm. They remaind resolute so a musquet was fird over them, the Effect of which was that the Youngest of the two dropd a bundle of lances on the rock at the instant that he heard the report. A Musquet loaded with small shot was now fird at the Eldest of the two who was about 40 yards from the boat; it struck him on the legs but he minded it ver little so another was immediately fird at him; on this he ran up to the house about 100 yards distant (pp55) and soon returned with a shield. In the meantime we had landed on the rock. He immediately threw a lance at us and the young man another which fell among the thickest of us but hurt nobody; 2 more musquets with small shot were then fird at them on which the Eldest threw one more lance and then ran away as did the other.
2:56 [29 April 1770]
The fires (fishing fires as we supposed) were seen during the greatest part of the night.
1 SENTENCE
No signs of people were to be seen.
2:56 [noon, 29 April 1770]
At noon all hands came on board to dinner. The Indians, about 12 in number, as soon as they saw our boat put off Came down to the houses. Close by there was our watering place at which stood our cask: the lookd at them but did not touch them, their business was merely to take away two of four boats which they had left at the houses;
2:56 [evening, 29 April 1770]
In the Evening 15 of them armd came towards our waterers; they sent two before the rest, our people did the same; they however did not wait for a meeting but gently retird
continued under 8: Further interactions