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Bounty Logbook Remarks, Sep. 3, 1788

In Adventure Bay Van Diemens Land

Wednesday, Sep. 3, 1788

This day it continued fair Weather but generally calm, and as I could not get out, I still kept taking on board Wood and Plank which I would not have stayed any longer for, provided I could have got to Sea. The Ship also was unmoored, and Cloathes & Bedding were examined and put in order, and the Ship well cleaned. Many Whales were frequently in the Bay and my People continued to catch plenty of Fish with Hook and Line, which turning to much greater advantage than the Seine, I have totally laid it aside while here.

My presents and friendly interview with the Natives induced one to think they would have been round near the Ship, but I saw nothing more of them than fires at Night at those places we had seen them before. On the return of Wm. Brown I made every enquiry concerning his being among the Natives, and he related it nearly as follows. That looking for Plants, he saw two or three people and ventured among them. That they proved to be an Old grey headed Man, a young Woman, and two or three Children nearly of a size, and about four years old. After his joining them the Man apparently frightened, with some severity sent away the young Woman who did not at all like it, the Children cried very much at his unexpected appearance, but giving the Old Man a Knife and being familiar with him, he became reconciled and they were good friends. He had nothing to remark but a common Wigwam, with a few Skins (most likely the Kongoroo) spread on the ground, and a basket made of Rushes. This was all the information as he gave it; but I put to him several questions among which was whether they had Hair or Wool. The latter he said he was fully assured of, and that he saw no difference in them from Negroes, for that they were perfectly black and Wooly headed. There was no appearance of any Place producing any thing from Culture, and he beleived they lived on nothing but shell Fish, as he had remarked in every Spot where he had met with their Wigwams. There were three of these miserable huts of shelter, but he saw only one Man more than he had already described, who soon left them, and the Old Man desired him to walk on before him as if desirous to conduct him to more of his country men; but I came at the Beach just at the moment, and by my beckoning to Brown, he proceeded to the Ship as I have already described, without meeting with any other Person. One can only remark from this mans interview, that if they have anything like a Village or constant place of residence, it is as wretched as all their temporary ones; that they do not cultivate any kind of Roots; and that their appearance is so much like a Negroe that he considered them as such. It was from this Interview perhaps that they all came down to me, and that their residence here is owing to the easy communication between the two Bays & I may also with great propriety supose there are very few Inhabitants. My Carpenters were now employed fixing Tubs in my Cabbin with Mr. Nelsons Plants, about 70 of which he collected that were either New or Valuable.

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