16

Monday 19th [underlined] (Continued)
about 3 pm in a bay S of C. Dombey. Too
late to make an excursion ashore. Tried fishing
but got nothing beyond a couple of small sharks.
Turned in after a game - very cold SE wind.
Tuesday 20th [underlined]. Breakfast at 7a.m. Messrs Brown
Gee, Basedow & the Skipper & 3 boys went ashore at
7.30 to try reach Barthelemy Hills, leaving me nominally
in charge of the boat. The 2 Malays washed decks etc.
& I tried a bit of fishing, but without much success.
The bottom is very muddy here, denoting the presence
of a river, which it is hoped we shall find, as it is
not marked on the charts. The party returned @ 4.30
having been unable to pass a long swamp which was
encountered; but having made the acquaintance of
a tribe of natives. The dinghy was sent back
with flour, pipes & tobacco etc. & we had our tea,
which included fried shark. The evening passed very
quickly, though we did nothing special, & we turned in.
Wednesday 21st [underlined] - Shortest day - Went ashore with Mr.
Basedow, the Skipper - Bubs & Loman. A group of about
20 natives met us on the beach, & soon became friendly.
Their lubras were on the other side of the Bay, & one of the
men sent another one along the beach to fetch them up.