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First Contacts EXTRACTS FROM ORIGINAL, OFFICIAL AND OTHER DOCUMENTARY SOURCES OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN INTERACTIONS BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS AND EUROPEAN VISITORS ON VARIOUS COASTS OF AUSTRALIA TO 1772
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RELATING TO: The Voyage of the Duyfken - Willem Janszoon (Master) and Jan Lodewijkszoon van Rosingeyn (Supercargo) , West Cape York, Queensland, 1606. |
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"...Saw also four men creeping towards them on hands and feet. When our folk, coming out of a hollow upon a height, approached them suddenly, they leapt to >>130 their feet and fled at full speed, which was clearly seen by us in the boat; they were black savages, entirely naked, without any cover...." |
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"...the skipper, together with one of the steersmen, the sergeant and 6 soldiers landed round Leewinnen Cape, finding there three black men, hung with skins like those of Cap de Bonne Esperance [Cape of Good Hope] with whom, however, they could not come to parley.
On the spot where the blacks had been sitting,..." |
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"...seeing that our people could not be induced by their grimaces, violent gestures, yelling and flourishing of assegais [spears], and all kinds of weapons, to retreat from the shore, they were imprudent enough to throw some of their assegais, or rather sharpened sticks, at our men, with the intention of wounding and intimidating them, but their chief..." |
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"...We then showed them trifles, which appeared to please them; this persuaded M. Marion to send them some by way of two men who immediately jumped into the water. One of the islanders, keen to profit sooner from our generosity, wished to go to meet them, but was forced to retrace his steps, the surf being too strong for him. Once ashore, our people were surrounded by savages who caressed them and touched them all over the body..." |
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"...who appeared in great numbers threw stones at the people the Dutch sent ashore in 1643; these people were often seen giving smoke signals by which they apparently conveyed the news to their neighbours that Strangers were on the coast. They seem to lead a miserable life, run about naked, and eat Obys [tubers] and other roots of trees...." |
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"...At noon all hands came on board to dinner. The Indians, about 12 in number, as soon as they saw our boat put off Came down to the houses. Close by there was our watering place at which stood our cask: the lookd at them but did not touch them, their business was merely to take away two of four boats which they had left at the houses;..." |
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"...Four Indians appeared on the opposite shore; they had with them a Canoe made of wood with an outrigger in which two of them embarked and came towards the ship but stop’d at the distance of a long Musquet shot, talking much and very loud to us. We hollowd to them and waving made them all the signs we could to come nearer; by degrees they venturd almost insensibly nearer and nearer till they were quite along side, often holding up their Lances as if to shew us that if we usd them ill they had weapons and would return our attack..." |
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"...At this time we saw several people a Shore four of whome were carrying a small boat or Canoe… … Mr Banks, Dr Solander, Tupia and my self put off in the yawl and pull’d in for the land to a place where we saw four or five natives who took to the woods as we approachd the Shore..." |
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"...the captain and some other went on shore, and saw afew of the natives, but could not get near them. We saw, too, about twenty of them from the ship, who sttod gazing at us upon the beach; also smoke arising out of the woods …" |
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The first white man who made his appearance at Port Fairy … was considered by the aborigines to be a supernatural being; and, as he was discovered in the act of smoking a pipe, they said he must be made of fire, for they saw smoke coming out of his mouth. Though they were ready to attack a stranger, they took care not to go near this man of fire.... |
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