Those men proceeded overland to Port Jackson, where they gave
the first information of this daring and piratical transaction. Two
boats, well manned and armed, were immediately dispatched after them,
under the command of Lieutenant Shortland of the _Reliance_.
One of these boats returned in a few days, without having seen any thing
of them; but Lieutenant Shortland proceeded with the other, a whale boat,
as far as Port Stephens, where he thought it probable they might have
taken shelter; but on the 19th, having been absent thirteen days, he
returned without discovering the smallest trace of them or the boat. His
pursuit, however, had not been without its advantage; for on his return
he entered a river which he named Hunter river, about ten leagues to the
southward of Port Stephens into which he carried three fathoms water, in
the shoalest part of its entrance, finding deep water and good anchorage
within. The entrance of this river was but narrow, and covered by a high
rocky island, lying right off it, so as to leave a good passage round the
north end of the island, between that and the shore.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103