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Readings from Primary Sources on Moreton Bay & Brisbane

These "Readings" from Barron Field's book, Geographical Memoirs of New South Wales are reprinted from J.G. Steele, The Explorers of the Moreton Bay District 1770-1830, Brisbane, 1972. They relate the first part of the story of the three castaways, Thomas Pamphlet, John Finnegan and Richard Parsons, Narrative of Thomas Pamphlet, as told to John Uniacke and published in Barron Field's book. Field's version has evidently been redrafted from a manuscript in the Mitchell Library which may well have been in John Uniacke's writing. Steele quotes the manuscript in footnotes whenever it appears to be more accurate.
Note that Footnotes are per J.G. Steele.
Eventually, Finnegan, Pamphlet and Parsons made it down to the southern end of Moreton Island facing Stradbroke Island across South Passage. They then spent some time trying to secure a passage across with visiting Aborigine parties (the Noonuccals) or by otherwise "borrowing" a canoe. On 25 April 1823, they found a large canoe and decided Finnegan and Parsons should cross over and return for Pamphlet as the canoe was not big enough for all with baggage. Pamphlet saw his companions cross over and then had to wait two lonely nights before he was fetched by Finnegan.
Extracts from the Narrative of Thomas Pamphlet
(An Aborigine crosses the South Passage)...
As he approached, however, we retired behind the hill; and when he had hauled up this canoe, he made directly for the fire. We then made our appearance, but no sooner did he observe our colour than he ran back to his boat, and jumping in, pushed rapidly off, shouting and roaring with all his might. In the meantime, another canoe was launched from the opposite side with two men, who met the first about half across the channel, and they then both paddled towards the place where we were sitting. When they had landed, we were unwilling to approach them, lest they should again be frightened, and therefore remained sitting quietly by our fire. The three men then approached cautiously towards us, and, having examined us at a distance, returned to their boats and made signals with some pieces of bark to those on the opposite shore, when two more canoes pushed off, with five or six men in each; and, as soon as these had landed, the whole party, to the number of fourteen, approached us. They were perfectly naked, and had neither spears nor any other kind of weapon with them. They still appeared shy of coming near us, but at last one man came close to the fire, and on our making signs, two or three more followed his example, and in a short time, the whole party had formed a circle round us. Parsons happened to have a pair of scissors which had belonged to Thompson, and their beards being very long, he commenced cutting them, which appeared to delight them greatly. They remained an hour with us; and on rising to go away, we got our bags on our backs, and prepared to accompany them. This, however, they did not seem inclined to permit, but ran down quickly to their boats. We then endeavoured to secure one of their canoes, but they were too quick for us, and jumping in, pushed them rapidly away. We now began to despair of being able to quit the island, and returned very unhappy to some deserted huts, which we had seen about three miles1 before we arrived at the point.

[Crossing the South Passage, 25-27 April 1823]

Here we passed the night. And next morning2 returned to the point, in hopes of being still able to persuade the natives to take across the channel. On approaching it, our joy was excessive at seeing the large canoe, that had appeared first on the preceding day, lying on the beach without any person near it. On looking round, however, we saw two natives, who were apparently proceeding towards the place where our boat had been lost, for we now found we had walked nearly round the island.3 They did not appear to notice us, but kept on their way, upon which we proceeded with all speed to secure the canoe. On examination, we feared that it would not carry us all three with our bags, etc.; so, having consulted a while, I agreed to remain behind, and let Parsons and Finnegan pass over, when it was stipulated that one of them should return and fetch me. They accordingly pushed off, and I retreated to the top of the hill, from whence I was able to see them the whole way across. On the canoe's approaching the shore, I could perceive a great number of natives walking in the water to meet them, which made me very apprehensive that they were about to destroy them; and when they had landed, the whole crowd got round them and moved in toward the bush, which at last hid them from my sight. I remained looking out till evening, expecting to see the canoe every minute, but in vain. I therefore returned to the little well, where we had passed the first night,4 and having kindled a fire, spent a very wretched night, being greatly alarmed lest my companions should have met with some misfortune. In the morning,5 I returned to the beach and made a large fire, in hopes that, on seeing it, the canoe would return for me. However, I was again disappointed, nor was I able to perceive a single native on the shore the whole day. I now began to lament my hard fate, in being left alone in this desolate place, where, after the little flour I had was expended, I must expect to perish either by hunger or the hostility of the natives; and I returned to the well, fully convinced I should never again see either of my unfortunate companions. The next morning,6 in walking along the shore, near the point, I saw a large cask,7 which had drifted ashore from some vessel. Conceiving it might contain some provisions or spirits, I set to work to get some of the hoops off; but when I had succeeded, I found to my disappointment, that it contained only six other casks, one inside the other. They appeared quite fresh, and had not been long in the water: they seemed to be intended to hold oil. While thus employed, I gave many an anxious look to the opposite shore. I was proceeding up the hill again, when I saw the canoe put off with two persons in it, whom, on its nearer approach, I ascertained to be Finnegan and one of the natives. On reaching the beach, the native took his nets on his shoulder, and marched off in the same direction as the two who had before left the canoe; but before he went, he made signs for me to go back with Finnegan. Finnegan now told me that nothing could exceed the kindness with which they had been treated by the natives, who had lodged them in a large hut by themselves, and given them as much fish as they could eat, but that they could not before persuade the natives to let the canoe come over for me; and it was only by accident he was now enabled to come with the native I had seen, who was going to visit his friends on the island.8 The tide was now running out of the channel with great rapidity, and I wished Finnegan either to pull along shore for some distance, or to wait till the tide slacked; but he obstinately persisted in pulling straight across without delay. I was obliged to comply, and we pushed off; but no sooner had we left the shore than, in spite of all our efforts, the current took us out to sea. We still continued paddling for about an hour and a half, by which time we had drifted out close to the breakers, which were very heavy all round us; and, as we had no hope of the canoe's living if she once got among them, we redoubled our efforts, but to no purpose: we were soon in the midst of them; but, contrary to our expectations, the little canoe rode it out much better than a larger boat would have done. We soon got clear of them, and were now in the open sea beyond them. The tide still continued very strong, and we did not relax our efforts to gain the opposite shore, where we saw the natives, and Parsons in the midst of them, running along and watching our progress. At last, after about five hours' hard paddling, the tide turned, and we reached the shore in safety, eight miles9 from the place where we had originally intended to land. We found Parsons and a number of natives waiting on the beach, and were received by them with many demonstrations of joy. They lifted the canoe into the bush, and presented us with several roasted fish, and then conducted us to their huts.

1. Probably only 1½ miles, as their estimates of distance at this time were usually twice the actual distance.
2. 25 April.
3. Pamphlet was mistaken. They were wrecked near the northern end of the island, and had walked just over half-way around it.
4. The first night at the South Passage, i.e. 23 April.
5. 26 April.
6. 27 April.
7. The cask is mentioned towards the end of Oxley's report 29 November - 6 December. Oxley stated that it had come from "The Echo", a whaler.
8. Moreton Island. Pamphlet did not know that the opposite shore was also an island (Stradbroke Island).
9. They would not have rounded Point Lookout which is 7 miles from Amity Point. They probably landed about 4 miles east of Amity Point.