society provided Murray with a small steamer and some young assistants.[1]
The tender " Restless " was at Somerset, with rations for the " Basilisk" which had to remain in this neighbourhood till the beginning of June, when a relieving ship was due. By this time the air was full of rumours concerning the true object of various Russian, French, Italian and American SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIONS to New Guinea.
During the stay of the " Basilisk " at Somerset, NAVIGATING LIEUTENANT CONNOR made a trigonometrical survey of the harbour. When the " Basilisk " left, he was left behind, with Mr. Mid- shipman GRANT as his second-in-charge, to survey the northern shores of Torres Strait.
The " Basilisk " left Somerset on 2Oth March, Moresby having been requested by Lord Normanby to assist Jardine in looking for a better site for the settlement than Somerset. Considerations of safe anchorage and a plentiful water supply led him to recommend HAMMOND ISLAND, after a short visit.
With the object of seeing that all was right on the pearling stations, the " Basilisk " visited several islands, to find the industry at a standstill, while the Government licences were awaited.
CORNWALLIS ISLAND was revisited, and the " Basilisk " left for WARRIOR ISLAND on 26th March. She left again for the east coast of New Guinea on 28th March. BRAMBLE CAY and YULE ISLAND were visited and the ROBERT HALL SOUND, New Guinea (146 3' E.), was surveyed, and the eastern limit of New Guinea was for the first time correctly defined. The survey of a portion of the north-east coast of New Guinea was then commenced.
On 21st April, 1873, Moresby took the " Basilisk " through the CHINA STRAIT, round the eastern end of New Guinea. The strait and the islands to the east, viz., HAYTER, BASILISK and MORESBY, were his own discoveries. On the 24th, he TOOK POSSESSION of these islands for Queen Victoria. Shortly afterwards he left the China Strait for SOMERSET, which was reached in ten days. Here CONNOR AND GRANT reported themselves, having spent two laborious months in open boats, and having surveyed 46 miles of the great WARRIOR REEF and 148 miles of the southern coast of NEW GUINEA and ISLANDS, including SAIBAI and CORNWALLIS.
Once more the " Basilisk " toured the pearling stations, to find the industry still stagnant, work having been suspended pending the arrival of licences, and all the Polynesian labourers sent to their homes. She finally LEFT SOMERSET on 24th May, arriving at BRISBANE on 2ist June, and SYDNEY on 22nd July, 1873.
- ↑ The Rev. S. Macfarlane and the Rev. A. W. Murray first established a mission at Somerset. In 1871, they established another in Murray Island. Past and Present of Thursday Island and Torres Strait, by the Hon. John Douglas, C.M.G., Government Resident. Thursday Island. Brisbane, 1900.
