Bond's Providence Logbook Feb 21, 1792

Remarks &c in Adventure Bay. 21st February 1792

1 pm: Light breezes and fair weather at 2 handed sails

3 pm: At 3 Light breezes and cloudy – veered away and unmoored ship and hove in to ⅓ of a Cable on the Best Bower – Fired 4 four pounders and several Swivels as signals to a man belonging to the Assistant, who had purposely left her boat in the Morning – Kept a Light all night at the Mast Head – In Launch and got every thing ready for Sea – Light Airs and calms.

10 pm: Shortened in the Cable occasionally

11 pm: Hauled the Seine this night near some Fires which we ordered to be kindled on the beach, and caught the Cutter half full of small spanish Mackerel, but very good eating. Then other Fish were caught – about a dozen & half of Barracouta and ⅓ the quantity of Elephant Fish – We always had good sport with our Lines alongside, catching the red Cod weighing about a pound or pound & half apiece. – Served Fish in large quantities to the ships company, and sent some on board the Assistant – Ditto Weather and fair.

8 am: Light breezes and fair weather up Top Gallant Yards. Sent Parties on shore in search of the Man belonging to the Assistant. Served Krout & Fish. – The Parties returned from the shore, the Assistant's man being found, who it appeared had absconded from the fear of punishment, having committ4ed some petty Theft. Ignorant of so miserable a situation as his would have been, he had, it seems, determined to remain behind, but overcome by fear he had kept at no great distance from the beach, yet made no effort to regain the vessel, but was found by an officer of the Providence who [?] him.

12 noon: Light Airs and fair weather

Adventure Bay has been sufficiently described by Captains Fourneaux, Cook and Bligh, the loatter indeed has not yet published his remarks on that place, but as his continuence there was much longer that that of the other two, I have great reason to believe his observations better founded. I have thought proper to add to my Log what little information I could obtain, partly from occular knowledge, and likewise from those who pursued different routs from myself – this sketch will at least point out the opinion of one perfectly divested of interested motives, and who writes only to strengthen his future memory.

It lies at the SE extremity of New Holland in Latitude about 43°:22′ South and Longitude 147°·33′ East, the Variation of the Compass between 7° and 8° East. For a better idea of its form & magnitude, Vide an eye sketch on the next leaf; and altho laid down by only one set of bearings, will be sufficiently exact even for future navigation, no obstacle presenting itself towards the anchorage. You have good riding in the south part, Nelson Hill (vide the Chart) bearing South, and Penguin Island any thing to the Northward of East, from 12 to 5 fathoms.

The country round is hilly and entirely covered with wood. In most of the vallies you may find water; but close to the Beach 'tis most probably brackish. If the surf be not too high the NW watering place will deserve the preferance, as it is the best water – to the SE there is no surf, but the water in inferior, even if taken up at one hundred yards within the shore. At this last part it is most convenient for wooding, altho' the same operation may be carried on in any other part when boats can land with safety. The soil towards the shore is a black mould of a lean texture, composed partly of sand and decayed plants &c. on the hills it is more stiff, with a mixture of Loam. Our two Botanists could not discover any edible plant, but a shrub, a species of the philadelphus aromatious answers very well the purpose of Tea. Captain Cook called it The New Zeeland Tea. It is very like small leaved Myrtle, bearing a white flower, and also a small berry with the top divided into five parts. The smell is rather fragrant, and the leaves when dry, are a pleasing succedaneum for Tobacco (smoking). If we may judge from the dung seen when we were on shore, the Kangaroo is in great plenty; yet a transient glimpse of that animal was all we could get when in search of the natural productions of the place. The rocks afford a tolerable quantity of shell-fish, such as Muscles, Oysters, [Ear-fish?] (Auris-Masina) Sea snails &c. all of excellant flavour. With a seine there is also a good supply to be procured, as well as a fine kind of small Cod alongside with Hook & Line. Those in shoal water are the Elephant fish, Mackeral, Plaice & Flounder, Bream, Leather Jacket, Porcupine fish, Ray, a small fish made like a [?], and several others, besides the Shark, [Nevide?] and Gurnard, are accounted very good. The Lagoon is well stocked with another kind of Bream of a delicious flavor, and some small Trout different from those of England. In the woods are a few birds of pretty plumage, and near the beach are many Ducks, Widgeon, Shags, and even sometimes Swans. The Oceanic tribe also affords a change of diet, of these the vvbest is the Gannet, and when well drest not unpleasant food. Some of the natives were seen by a party of gentlemen belonging to the Providence but one only, the Surgeon's Mate, had an interview. Those miserable inhabitants ramble about in search of shell-fish, their chief support. They often build Wig-wams of branches and the bark of trees and throughout the woods near the sea use indelible traces of their visits from the innumerable marks of fires. Timid as Hares, they possess no very dangerous weapons; so that there is but little probability of molestation to any vessel which may call there.

To the northward divided by a narrow sandy neck of land, is the Bay of Frederic Henry. The entrance is not positively known, but supposed to be where represented in the chart, it is a complete shelter.

Adventure Bay

A Sketch of the Bays of Adventure and Frederick Henry drawn by bearings taken at the Anchorage &c. Latitude of [anchorage] 43°·22′·30″S Longitude by Observation 147°:33′ East Variation 8°:00′ East.

The Tide rides and falls at full and change about 4 feet.
Best anchorage Nelsons Hill bearing South with Penguin Island to the NNE from 12 to 5 fathoms a good sand & clay bottom