State Library of NSW
Georges Island June 1769
the [indecipherable] it is 250 feet by 2 it is built in the same manner as we do steps leading up to a Sun Dial ot fountain erected in the Middle of a Square where there is a flite of steps on each side. in this building there are 11 of such steps each step is about 4 feet in height & the breadth 4.7 but they decreased both in height & breadth from the bottom to the Top in the middle of the Top stand the Image of a Bird carved in Wood & near it lay the broken one of a Fish carved in Stone. There was no hollow or Cavity in the inside the whole being filled up with stones, the outside was faced partly with hewn stones & partly with others & they were placed in such a manner as to look very agreeable to the Eye some of the hewn stones were 4.7 by 2.4 & 15 ins thick & had been squared & Polished with some sort of an EdgeTool. On the East side was inclosed with a stone wall a piece of ground in form of a square 360 feet by 354 in this was growing several Cypress Trees & Plantains and about this Marine was several smaller ones all going to decay, & on the Beach before them and the Sea lay Scatter'd up & down a great quantity of human bones. not far from the great Morie was 2 or 3 pretty large Altars where lay the Scull bones of some Hogs & dogs. This Monument stands of the So side of Opooreonoo upon a low point of land about 100 Yards from the Sea. It appears to have been built many Years & was in a State of decay as most of their Mories are from this it should seem that this Island hath been in a more Flourishing state than it is at present or that Religious Customs are like most other Nations, by these people less observed. we took up our Quarters near this Morie for the night & early in the Morning proceeded on our rout & without meeting with anything remarkable got on Board the Ship on Saturday 1st of July having made the Circuit of the whole Island which I estimated at something more than 30 Leagues. The Plan or Sketch which I have drawn altho' it cannot be very accurate yet it will be found sufficient to point out without the Situation of the different Bays & Harbours & the true figure of the Island & I believe is without any Material error ---- (reasons for the paucity of Provisions) In the first 2 or 3 Days out upon this excursion we labour'd under some difficulty for want of Provision particularly bread an Article we took but little of with us not troubling but we should get bread fruit [indecipherable] sufficient for that fruit wholy overtly not one to [indecipherable] on the Seas & all other fruits & roots very Scarce; the Natives live now on Sour fruit which is made from bread fruit, & some bread fruit [indecipherable] plantains that they get from the Mountains where the Season is later [indecipherable] a Nut not unlike a [Chef's?] nut & which are now in perfection, but all these Articles are at present very scarce and therefore it is no wonder that the Natives have not supplyd us with these things of Late upon my return to the Ship I found that the provisions had been all examin'd & the water got onboard amounting to 65 Tons I now determined to get everything off from the Shore & leave the place as soon as possible the getting the general Articles onboard & Scraping & paying the Ship's [sides?] took us up the whole of the following [indecipherable] without anything remarkable happening until
July Sunday 9th When sometime in the Middle Watch Clement Webb & Sam Gibson both Marines & young Men found means to get away from the
This page has its status set to Ready for review and is no longer transcribable.