RESCUE OF AN EXPLORING PARTY.

Evening Star, Issue 3491, 1 May 1874, Page 3

RESCUE OF AN EXPLORING PARTY.

• The ‘Northern Territory Times,’ a journal started at Palmerston, gives very full particulars of the trip of the Flying Cloud to Port Essington, in search of three persons named Sinclair, Miller, and James Robertson, who towards the end of December left Port Darwin with two companions in an open boat, bound for Port Essington, where they intended to examine the country, and also to ascertain what prospects there wore of establishing fisheries or other industries along the coast, On February 5 the vessel arrived at the settlement at some distance from Port Essington Heads, and having come to anchor, the others went ashore and spent a few hours in looking round On returning to the vessel, they found two Natives had come alongside in a canoe, but they could not speak a word of English, and did not seem to understand questions about v m Af BI ?S boat. Presently, however, another Native made his appearance on the beach, and, the canoe fetched him on board. This proved tq be a tall one-eyed blackfellow, who. introduced himself as Fat Jack (though he was remarkably thin), and who said he was “English.” On further questioning, he said he remembered the officers and men of the old settlement; he had been to Singapore, and China with a Captain Bisset; and he said he could speak Malay as well as English. ,$e the other Natives had several articles which Sinclair had given

them, and he said that after the boat was lost, he offered to build a hut for the white men; but they persisted in trying to get back to Port Dar ivin, so he gave them two canoes, and sent two Natives to assist in managing them ; but he advised them not to leave the coast unless the weather was due. He thought, therefore, that they might still be on the Peninsula in the neighborhood of Trepangßay, or Cape Don—the point neare#t to Melville Island. Jack a 1 so produced the following document, which had been given to him by one of the white men (Miller) John Davis behaved very kind and good to three Englishmen cast on shore at Point Vushon, January 24, 1874 —James Miller, Mr Sinclair, James Robinson.” Having heard all these statements of the Natives, Captain Marsh determined to sail with the tide at daylight next morning, and if possible get round to Trepang Bay, with the hope of picking up the three white men. He asked Davis to send one of the Natives overland to the place where the white men would be, inthe event of their not having started _on their voyage. To this Davis agreed, and at once selected an. active intelligent blackfellow called Smike, who, with another, immediately departed for the opposite coast, carrying a letter wrapped up in oilskin, addressed to Sinclair. The captain was considering the desirability of trying to sail round to Trepang Bay again, when a loud shout came from the Natives who were camped on the beach, and presently a blackfellow ‘ and some white men came out of the bush. These proved to be Smike, and the' three castaways—Sinclair, Robertson, and ; Miller. They wefce ‘immediately brought on board, and it was then quite clear that they had not been sent for a bit too early. Mr Sinclair had no clothing but a waistcoat, and a piece of canvas tied round his waist. He was without hat.i shoes, and trousers, and his arms and legs were covered with deep scratches and partly healed wounds, the result of exposure to a broiling sun and long travelling through the prickly underwood of the bush. The other two had not suffered so much, as they had been lucky enough to preserve some amount of clothing. It appeared that they had been living ashore some weeks. , On leaving Port Darwin early ia January they touched first at Melville Island, then at Trepang Bay, and then at Port Essington ; and it was on their return from the latter place that they got their boat knocked to pieces near Vashon Head. This compelled them to take to the bush, where the Natives: were very kind to them, and Jack Davis bailfci them a hut, where they remained some time. They then thought they would try to get back to Port Darwin; and Davis therefoie gave, them two canoes -a small one for Miller, and a large one for the other two. He also seat some Natives with them, arid they started, along the coast towards Cape Don, in the direction of Melville Island., But Miller left the others, as there had been a comple mis- i understanding between them almost from the beginning ; and then after a while the black fellows left them, and soob by some means or other they lost the sails of their canoe, and could not pull the boat, so that by the time Smike came up with them they were in a very pretty plight^ —no boats, no food,-scarcely any clothing, their firearms useless, and their compass, chart, &c., lost overboard;