Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania

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Royal Society of Tasmania, 1896
 

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Page 42 - It is a shameful and unblessed thing to take the scum of people and wicked condemned men, to be the people with whom you plant; and not only so, but it spoileth the plantation ; for they will ever live like rogues, and not fall to work, but be lazy, and do mischief, and spend victuals, and be quickly weary...
Page 42 - Soon after midnight, our ships were involved in an ocean of rolling fragments of ice, hard as floating rocks of granite, which were dashed against them by the waves with so much violence, that their masts quivered as if they would fall, at every successive blow ; and the destruction of the ships seemed inevitable from the tremendous shocks they received.
Page 41 - ... that there is nothing more certain than death, and nothing more uncertain than the hour of the same, he has therefore resolved to make a solemn testament.
Page 17 - The dwelling of devils in human shape, the refuse of Botany Bay, the doubly damned." In spite of Governor King's partiality for the settlement he had founded, it was becoming evident to the Home Authorities that Norfolk Island was never likely to become a successful Colony, and that it would always continue to be an expensive burden on the Government. Dr. Lang, in his
Page 43 - ... sufficient to fill the stoutest heart, that was not supported by trust in Him who controls all events, with dismay; and I should commit an act of injustice to my companions if I did not express my admiration of their conduct on this trying occasion-, throughout a period of twenty-eight hours, during any one of which there appeared to be very little hope that we should live to see another, the coolness, steady obedience, and untiring exertions of each individual were every way worthy of British...
Page 43 - By backing and filling the sails, we endeavoured to avoid collision with the larger masses ; but this was not always possible : in the early part of the storm, the rudder of the Erebus was so much damaged as to be no longer of any use; and about the same time I was informed by signal that the Terror's was completely destroyed, and nearly torn away from the stern-post.
Page 43 - We had hoped that, as we drifted deeper into the pack, we should get beyond the reach of the tempest ; but in this we were mistaken. Hour passed away after hour, without the least mitigation of the awful circumstances in which we were placed. Indeed, there seemed to be but little probability of our ships holding together much longer, so frequent and violent were the shocks they sustained. The loud crashing noise of the straining and working of the timbers and decks, as she was driven against some...
Page 49 - Strait, at Graham's Land. The expedition should then proceed to Victoria Land, where a second similar party should winter, probably in Macmurdo Bay, near Mount Erebus. The ships should not become frozen in, nor attempt to winter in the far south, but should return towards the north, conducting observations of various kinds along the outer margins of the ice.
Page 12 - Island ; and were assured that as soon as they had taught our women " emoukaeurakake," ie to work the flax, they should be sent home again. On this promise they readily consented to give all the information they possessed, and which turned out to be very little. This operation was found to be, among them, the peculiar province of the women ; and as Hoodoo was a warrior, and Toogee a priest, they gave the Governor to understand, that dressing of flax never made any part of their studies.
Page 43 - ... the heavy fragments of crushing bergs, over which the ocean rolled its mountainous waves, throwing huge masses one upon another, and then again burying them deep beneath its foaming waters, dashing and grinding them together with fearful violence. The awful grandeur of such a scene can neither be imagined nor described, far less can the feelings of those who witnessed it be understood.

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