Islanders and Aborigines at Cape York: An ethnographic reconstruction based on the 1848-1950 'Rattlesnake' journals of O.W. Brierly and information he obtained from Barbara Thompson

Abstract

Although a number of ships had passed through the Prince of Wales Group previously (for example those of Cook, Bligh, Edwards and Flinders) and there are a number of early reports of sightings of ‘Indians’ on the islands, the first significant European contact with the Prince of Wales Islanders seems to have been made by the crew of the Isabella, commanded by Captain C. M. Lewis, while searching for survivors of the CharlesEaton (King 1837:56). In August 1836 a party led by Lewis landed on the north side of Wednesday Island, in response to a group of about twenty Islanders, mainly women, who appeared on the beach calling out and waving branches (a usual Torres Strait sign of peaceful intention). A friendly exchange of presents followed. Later three armed boats went to the head of the bay and found six canoes on the beach and a considerable party standing around some huts. ...

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