Journal of Landsboroughs Expedition from Carpentaria | Page 2

under its feet, had not been able to stand during the gale,
and in consequence had been trampled underfoot by the other horses
and so much injured that we were compelled to destroy it. About an
hour before dark we reached, with a fresh and favourable breeze, a
point between the two largest of the Sir Charles Hardy's Islands, where
one of the anchors was let go and, upon its dragging, another was let go,
which dragged also, until we were close to the lee shore, when it held,
fortunately, till after daylight of the morning of Wednesday the 4th
instant when, the cable parting, the brig went ashore broadside onto the
reef which extends for about half a mile from the base of the bold rocky
island. The waves breaking over the ship, the masts were cut away and
fell over the side. The smallest boat was then launched and
immediately broke in pieces. While the wreck of a masts was being
cleared away by a good swimmer called Muller, a Dutchman, in order
to get a clear sea to launch the ship's large boat, our party took the
opportunity of feeding and watering the horses, and in the meantime
the tide had fallen so much that Muller found footing. The boat was
launched safely and, on being asked by Captain Kirby, I went ashore
with Mr. Martin, the supercargo, and a part of the crew. We found we
could wade on shore; and, on the previous evening having seen the
masts of a ship on the other side of the island, Mr. Martin and I went

across and found it was a vessel which had sunk within half a mile of
the shore in deep water.
At the abandoned camp of the shipwrecked crew we found a copy of
The Argus newspaper of the 14th June, a barrel of peas, fragments of
paper bearing the names of the Lady Kinnaird and Captain Chorley on
them, a part of a child's dress, etc.
On our return to the wreck of a Firefly, we found the crew very busily
engaged in carrying stores on shore on their backs, as Captain Kirby
did not like using the boat for that service, being afraid of having it
injured. In the evening we fed and watered the horses, and Mr.
Campbell offered to remain on board if he got someone to assist him to
attend to the horses during the night; but as there were drunken sailors
on board, and I thought the breaking up of the old Firefly not
improbable, I did not like remaining or asking anyone else to do so.
After the ship struck, the officers and crew considered themselves
under no discipline, taking from the stores whatever they wanted, and, I
am sorry to say, much of the Expedition spiced beef and other things
were stolen, and many things destroyed from recklessness; but I am
pleased to add that, after your arrival, when order and sobriety became
prevalent, from the prompt and wise measures adopted by you, a
considerable quantity of the slops were recovered by a diligent search
through the effects brought on shore by the crew of the Firefly.
Shortly after the ship struck I overheard one of the officers say that we
were all alike; and now that the vessel was a wreck the cargo belonged
to no one in particular; and one of our party overheard another officer
say to the crew: "There are twenty-two pairs of (Expedition) boots;
help yourselves. There are a pair each for all hands, and a pair to
spare."
On the afternoon of Wednesday 4th instant (the day on which we were
wrecked) with Captain Kirby's approval I offered the carpenter five
pounds to cut the vessel close down to the water's edge to get the horses
out. (This, under the circumstances, I hope will meet also your
approval.) This he agreed to, and on the following morning when it was
almost high-water, he (the carpenter) and Muller swam off to the wreck

to do so, and shortly afterwards, when I had found a good place on the
island for watering the horses, I accompanied Messrs. Campbell and
Martin and three of my aboriginals to the wreck to assist the carpenter
in making a breach in the side of the Firefly. To do this work the only
tools the carpenter and his assistants had were two adzes and two small
tomahawks. My aboriginals, Jamie, Fisherman, and Jackie, worked
hard with the tomahawks, and were most able assistants in cutting the
vessel down.
On Friday (the 6th instant) we landed safely twenty-five of the horses.
We were obliged to land them chiefly at low-water, and then we had to
use every precaution to prevent them swimming off to sea; for some of
them