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The following references to Cedar in the Shoalhaven have been taken
The Sydney Gazette, 4th of January 1812:
“On Monday last arrived the Speedwell colonial vessel from a place called Shoal Haven, which lies about mid-way between Jarvis’s Bay [Jervis Bay] and the Five Islands [Illawarra], whereat she procured a cargo of cedar, said to be of good quality. The above place was at first found to produce cedar by occasional travellers in pursuit of pheasants and other birds; and was about six or seven years ago visited by Lieutenant Oxley of the Navy, in an open pinnace: from whose report it had not since been noticed. The people belonging to the Speedwell affirm that they have discovered a river or very considerable inlet not before known, and within the entrance of which they proceeded from 15 to 20 miles. As often as they were obliged to land they found the most active vigilance necessary to their protection against the natives, who appeared to be numerous and athletic. The place appears to have been very properly named Shoal Haven, as the above small vessel, being only 15 tons, grounded several times, and found the utmost difficulty in getting in and out at high water.”
Given the distance travelled this was definitely the Shoalhaven River and the Speedwell must have reached somewhere above the present location of Nowra.
Sydney Gazette, 13th of March 1813:
“We are extremely sorry to report the loss of the schooner Mercury, the property of Mrs. Reibey; and of the schooner Endeavour, Mr. H. Kable, jun. [See also], at Shoal Haven, on the 2nd instant, both landing cargoes of cedar. Happily, however no lives were lost.”
The Sydney Gazette, 20th of March 1813:
“The crew of the Mercury and Endeavour have come in from Shoal Haven, some over-land, and others in a vessel sent down for their relief. The Cumberand arrived from thence yesterday, after much risque in working out. The Endeavour was wrecked about half an hour before the Mercury; which after vessel first lost her rudder on a sand-bank extending across the mouth of the Haven, and becoming unmanageable in a rough sea, was struck upon a rock, and broke her keel -
“From the previous loss of her only boat, her crew had some difficulty in reaching the shore, which with assistance from the other vessels at the place was nevertheless happily effected. The party who came in by land consisted of Mr. Chase, master of the Endeavour, and four others, who seeing no prospect of relief on account of unfavourable winds, determined on a land travel, without a native guide, a pocket compass, or any knowledge of the trackless wild they were to pass. On Sunday morning last they left their companions, and set out on their journey, with no other dependence than a couple of muskets and a pistol either for their protection or support, and having already subsisted 17 days on the cabbage tree. On the night of their departure and after 12 hours fatiguing travel they met with three natives, from whom by dint of menace and entreaty they gained 2 or 4 pounds of fish. Next morning they had to cross a wide river [possibly Werri Lagoon], and one of the party not being able to swim, a raft was constructed, on which the others floated him to the opposite side. On the evening of the second day another deep river obstructed their progress [Minnamurra River], and they were too much exhausted immediately to attempt a passage, having eaten nothing but grass during the day. They became hopeless of ever reaching these settlements, and were in the deepest despondency, when the appearance of a native dog once more aroused them into action. They killed and were obliged to eat part of the animal, giving the remainder to the three natives they had been with before, and who now re appeared, but neither offered to molest or assist them. Thus miserably regaled, they crossed this river as they had done the former, and on the third morning proceeded forward with pain and anxiety. & mostly bare-footed. This day they crossed another river [Lake Illawarra], and found themselves within a few miles of the Five Islands, but could obtain no assistance from the natives, and never broke their fast at all. Thursday passed over in the same dreadful way, and on Friday morning nothing but the hope that they were within a few miles of Botany Bay could have induced them to proceed a step further. At night disappointed in their expectations, they abandoned themselves in despair - but Providence still inclining to to their preservation, they perceived a fire close at hand, which the natives had quitted, and by its side were 8 or 9 small fish. Thus encouraged, hope once more returned, and yesterday eventually they reached Botany Bay.”
An exploration party which managed to cross over land from Jervis Bay to the Crookhaven River reported that no cedar was to be found on the south side of the river; the following report is taken from the Sydney Gazette of the 17th of April 1813:
“The Matilda, Capt. Collins, which sailed on Sunday the 25th ult., for the purpose of exploring Shoal Haven, returned last Tuesday. On Wdenesday the 29th she went into Jarvis’s Bay [Jervis Bay], which is about 24 miles to the southward of Shoal’s Haven, and next morning a party went from the vessel and returned after a day’s travel. The following party, consisting of a Naval and Military Officer, Mr. Archer, Deputy Commissary, and the Commander of the Matilda, and six of the Samarang’s and three of the Matilda’s ship’s company, set out with three natives as guides; who staid by the party 24 hours, and then deserted them when at a distance of 12 or 14 miles from the vessel.
“The following is an extract of a journal accurately kept during the survey; for the liberty of publishing which we acknowledge the highest sense of obligation to the Gentleman from whom we receive it : -
“Brig Matilda, Wednesday, March 29. - Got boats out, and sounded about the Bay - Greatest depth of water 15 1/2 fathoms; least 3 1/2 fathoms. The bay in general appears calculated to afford an excellent shelter for vessels to run into in a gale of wind, when so circumstanced that they cannot clear the land, with the wind to the eastward. The entrance is very bold, and affords sufficient water for the largest ships in the British service. The Bay lies east and west; and at the bottom of it a long flat sand runs out, which is nearly dry at low water. To the northward of the flat there is a river [Carramar Creek], which we entered with the vessel’s boats, the tide being on the last quarter ebb, and proceeded up about the distance of a mile, when we grounded. the tide fast ebbing we endeavoured to track the boats up, but found this impracticable, owing to the softness of the ground, which was mostly a depth of mud. We were in consequence obliged to relinquish any further progress for this day, and determined to return to the vessel without loss of time, least the entrance of the river should be dry before we could reach it. With much labour and difficulty we tracked the boats back, but unfortunately the entrance was dry; and we were obliged to wait for the flowing of the tide, which did not commence until 3 1/2 hours afterwards. This circumstance, however, afforded me an opportunity of ascertaining the rise of the water; which I found to be eight feet in height. At night we returned to the vessel, and early next morning set out again for the purpose of exploring the above mentioned river, which we now entered with the tide on the first quarter flood: this enabled us to cross a long flat at a short distance from the entrance of the river, which is divided into reaches. Perceiving three natives, who were waving at us, we took them in as guides, and proceeded upwards with a view of exploring it to its extremity, which was soon effected, as it reached but about 6 miles, and turned out to be only an incursory arm extending from the northern part of the Bay. Its soundings were very irregular, in some places full 7 fathoms, and in others not more than 4 feet, with a muddy bottom. Unable to penetrate further by water, we found it advisable to send the boats back to the vessel, and endeavour to cross by land over to Shoal Haven, which we conjectured to be about 11 miles distant. We landed on a marsh, and travelled the distance of a mile and a quarter with great difficulty; sinking knee-deep at every step. At the end of the marsh, however, we arrived at an extensive plain, perhaps from 30 to 40 miles in circumference, with very few large trees, but a number of what is called the grass-tree, which bears the Piaria or bastard pine apple. On the northern verge of this plain we entered a thick wood, which under guidance of the 3 natives we penetrated until we reached a large lagoon 3 miles in breadth [Lake Wollumboola], and crowded with numerous black swans, duck, and geese, and which empts [sic] itself into the sea. We travelled by the side of the lagoon, and at length arrived at a large bay that fronts the sea [Crookhaven Bight], which though very extensive, being not less than six miles across at the mouth, appeared to be very unsafe for vessels to bring up in, if the wind should be at all to the eastward, as it lies completely open to the sea. It would have been very satisfactory to have sounded this bay, but without boats it was of course impossible. Keeping along the beach we arrived at the mouth of the lagoon, and found a sand-bar stretching directly across to the opposite shore. The tide was now at ebb, & running very strong, we were at first apprehensive that we should not be able to wade across in the direction we wished; but a native going first, we followed, and got over with little difficulty, the water not exceeding four foot in depth. Here we found ourselves in a beautiful scope of country, about five or six miles in length; at the extremity of which we had a thick bush to contend against for about two miles - and here another lagoon presented itself, considerably larger than the former [Curleys Bay, on the Crookhaven River]. This was a very disheartening circumstance: it was 2 P.M. and we were much fatigued; however, we determined on perseverance, and halted for a time to refresh. Our guides fared as we did, and exhibited no signs of discontent; but after they were well regaled, two of them suddenly disappeared: but the third still remaining, we hoped yet to effect our purpose of making an overland passage to Shoal Haven. Our remaining guide, however, shortly after forsook us. Regardless of our fire arms, he made a sudden vault into the lagoon, and directed his course to the opposite bank, which he gained in safety, and thus we were reduced to the necessity of abandoning our project, and endeavouring with the assistance of a pocket compass, to make the best of our way back to the vessel, which we accomplished the same night. Next day, Friday the 31st, we landed and set out afresh in a north-westerly direction, determining to trust no more to the natives of that quarter, in whom the writer is strictly of opinion no dependence should at any time be placed. Such were the natural impediments that presented themselves, however, that we penetrated but two miles this day, and rested in the bush tiil [sic] the morning following, when we resumed our travel at daylight, and continued on till night, when we once more halted. On Sunday morning we again set forward, and after three miles we had to cross an extensive morass, which we performed with incredible difficulty, frequently sinking to the waist. At the end of this a thick wood lay before us, on passing through which our further progress was completely intercepted by a river [Crookhaven River], which we had no doubt ran through the chain of mountains. We made no effort to pass this river, as the country on the opposite side appeared to be thickly covered with reeds to a very great distance, and we had no doubt of its being one continued morass which it would have been equally rash and fruitless to attempt. We were now not more than 16 miles from the vessel, after three days travel, and surmounting difficulties which were forbidding in the extreme. On Tuesday we retuned to the vessel, having had to ford a river in our passage [Coonemia Creek], by which however we avoided the deep morass above mentioned: and we were all of opinion that a passage overland from Jarvis’s Bay [Jervis Bay] to Shoal Haven is perfectly impracticable. During the journey we saw no cedar trees, but those of she-oak, and the gums, of enormous height & magnitude, some girting not less than three and four and twenty feet near the butt - The latitude of Jarvis’s Bay [Jervis Bay] is 35 degrees 35 minutes S, and the longitude 134 degrees 11 minutes East of Greenwich.”
The Sydney Gazette, 28th of May 1813:
“SHIP NEWS. - This day arrived the brig Mary and Sally from Shoal Haven, with a cargo of Cedar.”
The Sydney Gazette, 24th of August 1814:
“SHIP NEWS. - On Tuesday last arrived from Shoal Haven, the brig Trial, with a cargo of cedar, containing nearly 26,600 feet, being the finest cargo of that valuable article ever procured in this Colony.”
On the 3rd of December 1814, a ‘Government Public Notice’ was published which prohibited the Shoalhaven Cedar Trade (original at State Records of NSW, Colonial Secretary Correspondence 1788-1825, SZ 759, copy at Reel 6038 and 4/17730 Reel 6044) :
“There being Reason to believe that the Indulgence which has been occasionally granted to Masters and Owners of Vessels,, to resort to and bring Timber from Shoal Haven, is subject to considerable Abuse; Notice is hereby given, that no Permission to resort thither will be granted in future; and all persons are hereby prohibited from cutting down or removing Timber from the Shoal Haven after the present Date, on Pain of Prosecution.
“By Command of His Excellency
The Governor,
(Signed) T.J. Campbell,
Secretary.”
Yet another crew was to be lost in pursuit of the ‘red gold’ on the south coast as this report from the Sydney Gazette, 18th of February 1815 details:
“Much apprehension has for some weeks been entertained for the safety of George Wood, of Clarence-street [Sydney], and two men who accompanied him to Shoal Haven, for the purpose of procuring cedar. They went from Sydney nearly a fortnight before Christmas; and a boat went from hence on Thursday the 9th inst. in quest of them, but without any very flattering prospect of restoring them to the society of their friends and families. The boat which went in search of them was formerly the launch of the Three Bees, fitted for the purpose of assisting in procuring cedar. The persons who went in her were G. Philips, tinman and son; and Thos. Brady, a fisherman, accompanied, as is supposed, by a native who joined them after leaving the harbour; and who has since returned to Sydney with a confused account, intimating as some who have conversed with him suppose, the loss of the launch also, at the same time making out that the people who navigated her were saved. Too impicit a belief of this report has passed it off as a matter of fact; whereas it should rather be presumed upon the contrary, that if this native did accompany the launch down, and she had been wrecked, he would have been prevailed upon to stand by the people as a guide, and not have abandoned them, particularly to come to Sydney; from which very circumstance it might even almost yet be hoped, that he had been dispatched hither by Phillips [sic] with intelligence of Wood and his party losing their boats, with a possibility of their yet living though the messenger might be incapable of rendering himself sufficiently intelligible after he arrived. That there was a heavy squall from the southward 12 hours after the launch’s sailing is perfectly recollected; but had she then been wrecked it must have been somewhere about Port Aitken [Port Hacking], from whence the people would in a few days have walked in. All respecting them is therefore doubt and uncertainty at present - from which it is ardently to be hoped we may shortly be agreeably relieved.”
Sydney Gazette, 25th of February 1815:
“The fate that has unhappily attended the late George Wood and his associates, Jones and Dawson, who had proceeded towards Shoal Haven to procure cedar, is now placed beyond all doubt, by the return of Messrs. Batty and Howell, who went in quest of them over-land. Wood and his companions had proceeded from hence a fortnight before Christmas, in the employ of MR. BLAXCELL, with a fine launch, well found in necessaries best suited to their purpose. As soon as the length of time they were provided for expired, their return was of course looked for, as there was no probability of their augmenting their resources, by fishing, fowling, or foresting; as they had gone provisioned for a certain time to be employed in labour only, and could therefore only depend upon their prudential calculation for their supplies lasting them back to Sydney, whither their return was to be expected the latter end of January. February arrived, however, and no intelligence concerning them: a few days passed over without any very alarming conjectures; but when an entire week had elapsed, their families and friends became hourly the more anxious; and their employer, sparing no time in ascertaining the cause of their delay, dispatched a party by water, comprising Messrs. Philips, son, and Brady, as mentioned in the Gazette of last week; and another party by land, consisting of Messrs. Batty & Howell, who returned last Tuesday with reliques sufficient to demonstrate that Wood and his companions are no more - while the most ardent enquiries failed in ascertaining the precise causes of their death. On Thursday the 9th ult. both parties set out; and the launch, the loss of which was also reported, returned last Sunday, without information, but without experiencing any accident. Batty and Howell, however, loading themselves with sufficient provisions and other necessaries which travellers accustomed to the woods know to be the best adapted, persevered in one of the most toilsome pursuits that could possibly have been embarked in, until they arrived at the spot where they found the launch that had conveyed Wood and his associates thither, out of the reach of the tide and surf. Here also they discovered the mutilated remains of a human body, which some friendly natives who had joined them as conductors, pronounced to be poor Wood’s, whom they had well known during his life time. This was indeed a dismal spectacle - the face was gone, but the hinder parts of the head were yet a good deal undecayed, as were also the legs, thighs, and arms, from which the hands were absent. They took a lock of hair from the head, and the bone of the lower jaw, which was loose, from the decay of the tendons that had united it; and these melancholy evidences of the performance of their engagement they have brought in with them, together with a powder horn, sewing palm, handkerchief, and part of a jacket, recognized to have been taken hence by one or other of the three ill-fated men. The bodies of Jones and Dawson were not found, nor were any of their muskets; but there remained on the beach a cask with a quantity of salt pork in it, the hoops of which had been taken off, and a box that had contained their apparel and other necessaries was stripped of its hinges. Their guides, who were now eight in number, advised them not to delay at the fatal place, which was from 25 to 30 miles from the Five Islands [Illawarra], and estimated at upwards of 100 miles from Sydney, as they were in momentary apprehension of being assailed by numbers that were then possibly in concealment round about them, by whom they were as likely to be killed and eaten themselves; and to strengthen their persuasions, they attributed the total absence of Jones and Dawson, as well as the loss of the hands from the body under view, to a cannibal propensity in the natives of that part of the Coast: but as this suggestion is utterly inconsonant to the observations hitherto made on the manners and inclinations of any of the native tribes we have occasionally met with, we are inclined to treat it as a fiction resorted to with a view of magnifying the terrors of their situation, and thereby the more readily prevailing on the two persons under their guidance to abandon a spot that exhibited a picture of horror, and was then equally unsafe to all.
“The natives of the cultivated districts, to whom our knowledge is almost totally confined, frequently represent the mountain tribes as particularly barbarous and ferocious, extending the challenge even to the imputation of a cannibal propensity. But of this we have never had an evidence: from a long experience, on the contrary, we are justified in a very opposite belief. That two of the bodies should be undiscovered is not in itself unsurprising, when the accompanying circumstances are laterally considered. By the appearance of the places where they had made their fires, and the small quantity of ashes produced, it was concluded they had been killed a day or two after their landing; and this supposition was altogether justified by the very decayed state of the body that had been found; the others might have been surprised at some trifling distance, and remained concealed by intervening thickets, which it would have been as dangerous as unprofitable to explore. - It was summer; the natives were on the coast, and could procure abundance of fish, which from habit they prefer to any other eatable whatever, and could be in no necessity to resort to so horrible a means: - Nor does the severing of the hands from the more evident victim, to their barbarity warrant the abominable idea which the guides had artfully and no doubt sagaciously endeavoured to inspire; for we have had a similar instance among the nearer and less estranged tribes, in the case of the unfortunate Isaac Eustace, who was killed the 7th of May last in the district of Appin (for the account of which, together with the connected particulars, which were extremely tragical, we beg to refer the Reader to the Gazette of that month). That the natives of all parts which have hitherto been explored of this country have an inimical feeling towards strangers, experience has sufficiently manifested; but it has also been found, that after a short correspondence they were capable of exchanging civilities, and by their unassuming manner appear to evince a capacity of judging between themselves and a civilized society with a sensibility that may have operated against their own emendation, by at once confounding them with the idea that their obstacles would be insuperable, while it was also to be considered, that they had no assistance, no encouragement, or method pointed out whereby they might hope eventually to enjoy the comforts of a civilized society. It is not impossible, however, that the measures recently adopted for their benefit, though necessarily limited in the origin, may in a short time reward the exertion by giving security to the ship wrecked mariner upon our coasts; while the progeny of the untaught savage shall lift their eyes to Heaven with a zealous fervour, and bless the day that a true Christian came among them.”
Sydney Gazette, 11th of March 1815:
“In the late excursion made by Messrs. Batty and Howell towards Shoal Haven, in search of the late G. Wood and his unfortunate companions, they proceeded (within 14 miles of that place) to the spot where they found the launch beached, and the dead body said by the natives to be Wood’s. This was a distance exceeding 100 miles; which they performed with extreme difficulty and occasional danger, in the space of five days and a half. They reached the Five Islands [Illawarra] on the 4th day of their travel, and there finding several friendly natives, remained with them a night, and next morning set out, accompanied by two men, as guides, who readily undertook to conduct them to the launch, which was on a beach about 39 miles off. On their way thither, they were met by six others, who also faithfully attended them, and considerably alleviated the fatigue of travel by conducting them through less intricate and difficult paths. At a place called Watermoolly, which the travellers could not have passed without making a considerable circuit round the head of a capacious inlet from the sea, the guides conducted them to a spot which was fordable to the tallest of the two travellers, who could not swim, and passable to the other, who could swim, and was frequently out of his depth in crossing it. On their return they accidentally fell in with a party of above 89 in number; from whose alarming menaces and gesticulations they had little room to congratulate themselves on their safety. The guides were themselves intimidated, not upon their own account, but appeared hopeless of appeasing a wrath which threatened their protegees with certain death. They remonstrated, exhorted, supplicated; till at length those who were the objects of the contest, throwing aside all fear, went in among the groupe [sic], and partly by persuasion, partly by menacing with the vengeance which would fall upon them from the white people, should their return be long delayed, they became less violent, and at length, were tranquillized [sic]. Several of the friendly natives accompanied the travellers into Sydney; and experienced from His Excellency the GOVERNOR marks of favor and liberality with which they were highly gratified, and separated with a promise to repeat their good offices on all occasions that should demand their aid.”
Sydney Gazette, 22nd of April 1815:
“An account has been given by William Howell, one of the persons who found the body supposed to be the late George Wood’s near Shoal Haven, that about three weeks since he was at a place called _olye [Illegible], about 35 miles south of Port Jackson; and saw there the remains od a boat that had been wrecked, of 18 feet keel, with a pair of oars, a common ship bed marked No. 143, a keg, a blanket, and an English sack marked ‘Isleworth, Wm. Cooper.’ The sail, for which a blanket had been substituted, was rent to pieces, and her cordage gone. The natives, imagining it to be Howell’s and hid companion’s own boat, as they had been there shortly before, left a quantity of fish for them, supposing they might have gone in search of provisions, but returned in two days after, and found that no one had been there; nor had they ever discerned the impression of a foot near the boat; from which it is concluded no person was in her when she went on shore. Howell brought with him the rudder and catch of the mast. That she had belonged to the colony there could be no doubt from general appearances, and the more particularly from the mending of the sack with spun wool, which is here not unfrequent [sic]. The only conjecture therefore that we can esteem probable respecting her is, that she had been stolen by rash and unthinking persons, for the purpose of attempting an escape from the colony, and who doubtless perished in the effort.”
The Shoalhaven cedar trade was probably, what might be termed sustainable until the arrival of Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft in 1822. Berry had visited the area early in the year aboard the Snapper and in various accounts of that journey described it as ‘indifferently good.’
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