DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0330
292 kirby’s wonderful museum.
Henry Turnbull stated, that he had sailed as second
mate on board the Active, from this country, in the month
of September, 1808, and continued in the ship till 21st May,
1809: he then arrived in her at Kent’s Groupe, a cluster
of islands in the South Seas. Before they arrived at Kent’s
Groupe, they had explored several small islands in quest of
seals, and touched another cluster of islands, called Crow
Islands; and in the course of their researches, before they
reached Kent’s Groupe, they had got between 1200 and 2000
seal skins : he quitted the ship in a boat, with some of the
crew, by order of his commander, to get some more seal
skins for the voyage, and they proceeded to an island, called
the Slipper, in Bass’s streights: he was accompanied by
seven men, but he never saw his ship afterwards, from that day
to this. The ship was bound to those streights, for the very
purpose of fishing and seal catching ; and of course pro-.-
ceeded to every place they thought most likely to forward
their object, in obtaining the completion of their cargo.
When he and his companions returned from Slipper Island
to Kent’s Groupe, where they had left the ship safe at an-
chor, they found she was not there, and he never saw her
more. The winds had blown very heavy from the north-
westward, and the vessel went round to the westward point.
By some mismanagement, it happened, that while those on
board the vessel were looking out for the witness and his
companions, and he was looking for them, they missed each
other, and he never met the ship more; after waiting a con-
siderable time, in vain expectation, and seeing no further
hopes of finding the vessel, he and his companions resolved
to proceed for New South Wales, the distance to which, in the
way they were to proceed, was about 160 miles, and they were
obliged to make it in an open boat: he could not exactly
say, within a few days, when he reached Western Port;
but it was early in the next year after he had been left at
the Slipper. It was about March 1810 5 but he there found
Henry Turnbull stated, that he had sailed as second
mate on board the Active, from this country, in the month
of September, 1808, and continued in the ship till 21st May,
1809: he then arrived in her at Kent’s Groupe, a cluster
of islands in the South Seas. Before they arrived at Kent’s
Groupe, they had explored several small islands in quest of
seals, and touched another cluster of islands, called Crow
Islands; and in the course of their researches, before they
reached Kent’s Groupe, they had got between 1200 and 2000
seal skins : he quitted the ship in a boat, with some of the
crew, by order of his commander, to get some more seal
skins for the voyage, and they proceeded to an island, called
the Slipper, in Bass’s streights: he was accompanied by
seven men, but he never saw his ship afterwards, from that day
to this. The ship was bound to those streights, for the very
purpose of fishing and seal catching ; and of course pro-.-
ceeded to every place they thought most likely to forward
their object, in obtaining the completion of their cargo.
When he and his companions returned from Slipper Island
to Kent’s Groupe, where they had left the ship safe at an-
chor, they found she was not there, and he never saw her
more. The winds had blown very heavy from the north-
westward, and the vessel went round to the westward point.
By some mismanagement, it happened, that while those on
board the vessel were looking out for the witness and his
companions, and he was looking for them, they missed each
other, and he never met the ship more; after waiting a con-
siderable time, in vain expectation, and seeing no further
hopes of finding the vessel, he and his companions resolved
to proceed for New South Wales, the distance to which, in the
way they were to proceed, was about 160 miles, and they were
obliged to make it in an open boat: he could not exactly
say, within a few days, when he reached Western Port;
but it was early in the next year after he had been left at
the Slipper. It was about March 1810 5 but he there found