30 October 1830 - Journies of G.A.Robinson

Extract From: N. J. B. Plomley ed. 'Friendly Mission, the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson', Halstead Press for Tasmanian Historical Research Association, Hobart, 1966.

Important note: The material below is 'read only'. The text has been transcribed for reasons of personal interest only. It appears here without footnotes and may contain textual errors. Any reference and or citation must be to/from the 'journals and papers' in its hardcopy form. Friendly Mission (1966) is in the collections of most large public libraries. In addition, its first reprint (2008) has also recently become available.

Robinson's Journal 30 October 1830

Delightful pleasant weather, wind east. Travelled on, expecting the river was near. The whole extent of coast from King Georges Point to St Helens Point is heathy. Anxious to get the people forward, was in advance frequently threequarters of a mile. Hundreds of beautiful heaths of variegated hue and all in blossom and sending forth their exhalation, some in scent like the hawthorn, rivers with the numerous swans swimming stately along, rendered the scene delightfully pleasant. I had now got somewhat accustomed to carrying a knapsack or otherwise the pleasure of the scenery would have been greatly marred. Saw a hyaena and a number of forest kangaroo. About five miles from St Helens Point is a large saltwater inlet, but the entrance is barred with sand: and about seven miles, at a point of land, is a singular rock, which from its white appearance and seen as coming down the coast at a distance, looks like a whaleboat under canvas. All the coast is strewed with shells which have been burnt by the natives. Some years since they must have been numerous, but from George Town on the north to Georges River on the east there is no indications except at Cape Portland of natives having been, not the least track, no bush burnt. St Helens Point is low and from appearance not more than half a mile in width, so that as we crossed over a hill to Georges River could see the Barren Island. Sojourned for the night about two miles up the river. The whole of the people knocked up. The mosquitoes exceedingly troublesome to-night.

According to the manner in which Georges River is laid down in the chart (i.e. several miles to the north of St Helens Point), I concluded I should reach it some miles before I got to it. When the traveller is misled by the chart it is very discouraging. The coast being indented with bays, he is led to hope or expect that every point he comes to is the place of his destination, and when he reaches it then he finds that another presents itself. He walks to it expecting that surely he will see the place he wishes, and so he is led on until miles have passed away and what he expected to see at the fore part of the day he don't find until night or next morning.

Note: TAN.LE.BONE.YER or Sall said that Brown sent her to sleep with the sealers for one night and they gave him a kangaroo skin.

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