Continent of Smoke
by
Jeff Timbery, Alberta Hornsby, John & Clare MacDonald
Episode Four
28th April 1770
6am
THE SHIP ADJACENT ENTRANCE TO BOTANY BAY.
First light. Wind southerly. Clear weather.
On the Quarterdeck, COOK AND SEVERAL OTHERS, officers, and civilians, all with their GLASSES, inspect AN OPENING in the cliffs of the barren coast.
(Botany Bay – Kamay – Eora country and Dharawal country)
COOK
It appears to be tolerable well sheltered (to Lieut Hickes) Is the pinnace seaworthy Mister Hickes?
HICKES (London accent)
Repaired and ready Captain.
COOK
Hoist her out then Sir and have the Master sound the entrance.
HICKES
Very well Sir (To the Master). Muster a crew for the pinnace Mister Molineux and prepare to sound the entrance.
MOLINEUX (Lancashire accent)
Aye aye Sir (to Masters Mate Pickersgill). Shorten sail and make ready to lower the boat Mister Pickersgill.
PICKERSGILL (Yorkshire accent)
Vessel to heave to Sir. Main topsail to brace aback.
MOLINEUX (to Boatswain Gathrey)
Muster the boat crew Boatswain.
BOATSWAIN GATHREY (pipes the order)
Man the pinnace! Coxswain Evans have your men clear the boat there! Look sharp!
The ship comes alive with activity as the PEOPLE hasten to their stations.
The PINNACE is raised, swung out and lowered into the water. COXSWAIN EVANS and TWO OTHERS already on board fend her off the ship’s side with boathooks.
MOLINEUX and his CREW board the pinnace and set off for the opening.
Aboard the ship, BANKS observing through his telescope, directs the OTHERS’ attention to some SMOKE rising from the seashore on the northern point of BOTANY BAY.
Through Banks’s telescope TEN PEOPLE (men, women and children) are clearly visible.
(Coastal Dharug people of the Kameygal clan)
As the PINNACE approaches the position THE PEOPLE divide. ONE GROUP shadows MOLINEUX as he sounds along the north shore of the bay. The other GROUP remains on the high point observing the SHIP.
On forecastle of the SHIP PARKINSON, with reference THROUGH HIS TELESCOPE, makes a hurried sketch of TWO PAINTED WARRIORS who form part of the group observing the ship.
(Kameygal clan warriors)
Sydney Parkinson’s drawing
They are armed with spears and woomeras.
They are painted, “…having a white streak round their thighs, two below their knees, one like a sash over their shoulders, which runs diagonally downwards, and another across their foreheads. Both men and women were quite naked, very lean and raw-boned; their complexion dark, their hair black and frizzled, their heads unadorned, and the beards of the men bushy”(as per Parkinson’s description and sketch above).
MAGRA is looking over Parkinson’s shoulder.
MAGRA (to Parkinson)
On his chest… it appears like the rude figure of a man …
PARKINSON
Or like Our Lord’s crucifixion?
Nearby BANKS and MARINE SERGEANT EDGCUMBE observe the TWO PAINTED WARRIORS through their TELESCOPES.
BANKS
Their attire rather resembles your own cross belts Sergeant Edgecumbe.
EDGCUMBE
Without the breeches or jacket Mister Banks!
BANKS
What do you make of the shorter weapon? It has something of the appearance of a scimitar does it not?
EDGCUMBE
It appears to shine; as if it be some kind of metal.
BANKS
Metal? I think not. Wood perhaps; smeared with the same white pigment with which their bodies are painted.
EDGCUMBE
Could be you’re right Mister Banks. It appears we surprised ’em at their ablutions!
On shore the TWO PAINTED WARRIORS brandish their weapons in defiance.
BANKS
They certainly appear to resent the intrusion Sergeant.
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BOTANY BAY. NORTH SHORE.
THE PINNACE.
The PINNACE rounds the point of a cove a little within the harbour, MOLINEUX AND HIS CREW are met with the OTHER GROUP of people. They too are armed with spears and woomeras. They have descended to the beach, where they WAVE AND CALL to the Europeans, inviting them to come ashore.
MOLINEUX (referring to the unknown language shouted from the shore)
That’s not an accent I’ve heard in my part of the world chum!
Laughter from some of the crew.
CREWMAN ANDERSON (A Scot from Inverness)
That’s brogue inae sur?
More laughter. Fellow oarsman REARDEN, an Irishman from Cork, throws ANDERSON a bloody look.
REARDEN
F**k you, Scotty!
MOLINEUX
Would you like to be put ashore Anderson, to enquire of our hosts where be their drinkin’ fountain?
Armed with SPEARS, the PEOPLE are a menacing sight.
The crew falls silent.
CREWMAN (leadsman)
By the dip six.
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THE SHIP & ENTRANCE TO BOTANY BAY.
Noon.
The SHIP’S COMPASS, neatly housed within the binnacle.
Helmsman JOHN RAMSAY, an experienced seaman, stands to the weather side of the wheel, his attention aloft, past the LOOK-OUT on the maintop, to the DOGVANE flying at the masthead.
COOK stands beside him conning the vessel.
Astronomer CHARLES GREEN is taking bearings from the quarterdeck, assisted by Masters Mate CHARLES CLERKE.
COOK
Steady as you go!
RAMSAY
Steady as she goes Sir!
COOK
Keep her so!
COOK (Journal entry)
“At Noon the entrance bore NNW distance one mile. Wind southerly clear weather with which we stood into the bay….”
Closer now than they’ve ever been, their many eyes observe in silence as the rocky coastline of this unknown continent glides by to larboard.
COOK
Starboard the helm!
RAMSAY
Helm a-starboard Sir!
COOK
Steady!
RAMSAY
Steady it is Sir!
The VESSEL swings in a long arc to larboard, around the southern point into the smoother water of the Bay, now only a quarter of a mile from shore.
Under the South head on the edge of the surf are FOUR SMALL CANOES. As the SHIP passes the canoes come into view one by one. Each contains a single MAN appearing to be spearing fish.
(Tharawal people of the Gweagal clan)
On deck, BANKS and SOLANDER are among the OBSERVERS. As the ship passes the FIRST CANOE the onlookers stare in silent expectation. Some wave a friendly greeting. The MAN in the first canoe continues his business of fishing without looking up.
They pass the SECOND CANOE. More PEOPLE have joined the row of faces along the larboard rail. They combine to give a warmer greeting, with hardly a man failing to raise his hand. Again, they’re ignored.
Passing the THIRD CANOE and FORTH CANOE some of the ship’s PEOPLE climb into the shrouds, they wave their hats. Others begin calling out. The canoeists fall astern, showing as little regard as their companions.
Looking back at the CANOES from the taffrail on the quarter deck, SOLANDER and BANKS exchange puzzled looks.
BANKS
Rather a different welcome to our Tahitian one.
SOLANDER
Or our New Zealand one.
In silence, Banks and Solander watch the receding CANOES.
During which we hear…
BANKS (Journal entry)
“These people seemed to be totally engaged in what they were about: they scarce lifted their eyes from their employment; I was almost inclined to think that attentive to their business and deafened by the noise of the surf they neither saw nor heard us go past them.”
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The colossal best bower ANCHOR plunges into the water. It falls through the depths, and stabs into the ground with a heavy silent violence.
Endeavour’s Original Best Bower Anchor
JAMES MARIO MAGRA (Midshipman – 24 years – Journal entry)
“At half past one in the afternoon we anchored in six fathom and a half, sandy ground.”
[For Cook, who kept ship’s time, where each day ran from noon until noon, a new day had begun an hour and a half ago. It was now the 29th of April.
For Banks, who kept civil time where each day ran from midnight until midnight the new day would not start until ten and a half hours hence. It was still the 28th April.
This account dates the events as Banks does, in civil time, as we ourselves measure the day….from midnight to midnight.]
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2pm
BOTANY BAY.
THE SHIP ADJACENT THE LANDING PLACE.
THE SHIP rides at anchor HALF A MILE from the SOUTHERN SHORE of the Bay, adjacent A SMALL VILLAGE OF 6 HUTS on the edge of sparse woods. It is deserted.
Dispersed through the rigging and perched on the yardarms, THE SHIP’S COMPANY divide their attention between their duties and the shore, calling comments across to one another.
ARCHIBALD WOLFE shouts towards the shore.
WOLFE ( Able Seaman (AB) from Edinburgh – Scottish accent – 39 years)
Where’re oo me Beauties?….come forth me darlings!
REARDON (A.B. From Cork – Irish accent – 25 years)
They’re hidin’ from thy ugly snout Wolfe, go below and they’ll all come off to us!
WOLFE (to Antonia Ponto (A. B.) from Venice – 24 years)
Let them hear thy fiddle ‘Tonio!
JEFFS (A.B.)
You’re dreaming Wolfe?…… this ain’t no second Tahiti!
ANTONIA strikes up a TUNE.
On deck THE MARINES are preparing themselves. MARINE PRIVATE CLEMENT WEBB is cleaning his musket. He stops and bows his head.
SERGEANT EDGCUMBE (to Webb)
What’s this man?
Webb looks up. There are tears in his eyes.
PRIVATE SAMUEL GIBSON
He doth remember his Tahitian sweetheart.
Edgecumbe ruffles Webb’s hair in comradery sympathy.
A burly FORECASTLE MAN furling rope on deck calls aloft.
FORECASTLE MAN (shouts)
Hey Young Nick!……
YOUNG NICK (12 years) looks down from his perch high on the topgallant yard.
FORECASTLE MAN
What’s the cure for scurvy lad?
Nick hesitates, knowing he is being set up.
FORECASTLE MAN
….well, what is it lad?
YOUNG NICK
C**t and coconuts!
A roar of laughter around the ship.
MIDSHIPMAN BOOTIE (from the deck)
Nicholas Young!……hold your filthy tongue boy!
YOUNG NICK balances cheekily and dangerously on the spar. Another roar from the COMPANY.
MIDSHIPMAN BOOTIE
You’ll attend to the heads for your cheek then Young!
(‘heads’ – toilets)
CHARLIE WILLIAMS (A. B. – Bristol. 38 years. Calling ashore)
Step out the first ‘o yar! I’ll sit you in me lap and spin yer a yarn!
ON SHORE, an OLD WOMAN (GOOYONG), carrying a bundle of sticks, appears out of the woods. She is naked.
(A Tharawal woman of the Gweagal clan)
THOMAS JONES (A. B. – Wales. 27 years)
There yer are Charlie!
The SAILORS greet her appearance with cheers and laughter.
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THE GREAT CABIN
BANKS and OTHERS of the officers and gentlemen are taking their dinner. The commotion has brought some of them to the cabin windows.
On shore, GOOYONG is followed by THREE CHILDREN. All naked and all carrying bundles of sticks appropriate to their sizes.
They come to the huts, where THREE MORE YOUNGER CHILDREN come out of one of the huts to meet them.
(Charles Green, the astronomer, records they were all boys.)
GOOYONG often looks at THE SHIP, but without surprise or concern. She begins to rekindle the remains of A FIRE.
GOOYONG (to the children)
Them maiyai are a frightened bunch. Always sneaking up but always running away again. The men will see to them if they make any trouble. You kids keep that fire going. I can’t do everything yer know.
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The FOUR CANOES, returning from their fishing, land on the BEACH below the huts. (The same four fishermen seen from the ship as she entered the bay.
GOOYONG (to the children)
Here comes yer daddies now. I hope they’ve got some fish with ’em. You kids are hungry aren’t youse? Yeah, I thought you was.
The CANOEISTS haul up their boats and make their way carrying their ‘catch of the day’ to the HUTS (100 yards from the water’s edge). They too are indifferent to the presence of the ship.
BANKS (who now has his telescope raised)
They remain totally unmoved at us.
DR SOLANDER
Quite extraordinary.
BANKS
Should they attend our landing with as little regard as they did our coming in, we will be well pleased.
SOLANDER
A race of people innocent of any threat from strangers? What country friends is this?
BANKS
Another Eden perhaps. The woman does not copy our mother Eve even in the fig leaf!
Amusement and disbelief among THE COMPANY.
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BUSH – SOUTH SHORE OF BOTANY BAY
FOUR THARAWAL WOMEN are food gathering. Digging for yam (Microseris walteri).
MOOLGO is the oldest (32 years) and most dominant woman amongst the group. GOOWARRA is the second oldest (22 years) and second most talkative woman. ANARDA is 19 years old. EEKA is the youngest, not much older than 15 years.
(All speak in Tharawal language subtitled in English. This continues throughout the text.)
MOOLGO (to Anarda)
When do you think them men will take your son away? Him must be gettin’ close for ceremony.
(Translation in progress)
She adds her latest tuber to the central pile.
ANARDA
Yes, he gettin’ on my nerves. Always hanging around eating too much. Them men need to take him.
Eeka the youngest of the women lifts her head swiping the sandflies from about her face. She has a yam daisy in her hair. MOOLGO catches sight of it and laughs mockingly.
MOOLGO (to Eeka)
Youse still dopy on that Mareeyango?
Eeka shyly smiles. The other women look up from digging suddenly interested.
MOOLGO (to Eeka)
Why you not baby mama yet?
ANARDA
She not goin’ with her husband. She lookin’ wrong way, at Mareeyango.
EEKA looks shame but says nothing.
MOOLGO (to Eeka)
Youse better forget that unless youse want a beating. Your husband he will know. Men always know.
ANARDA
She’s right them men always know when youse is a bad wife.
MOOLGO
Youse need to stop dreaming and work harder. Youse gonna get the bad spirits the way youse is goin’. Them bad spirits bring trouble for us all. That one no good.
ANARDA
She’s right youse’ll get in trouble with that one. I don’t know what it is you like about him.
GOWARRA who has not yet said anything picks one of the larger of the yam tubers they have been collecting and exhibits it to the other women who all collapse into howling laughter. Even Eeka can’t help but giggle.
SMOKE FROM THE FIRE BACK AT THE HUTS can be seen rising into the sky.
MOOLGO (noticing the smoke)
Them blokes must be back from fishin’. Youse comin’?
ANARDA
When I finish gettin’ this out (a root vegetable).Youse go on.
MOOLGO
See you later then.
MOOLGO and EEKA walk away. ANARDA and GOOWARRA remain.
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THE HUTS AT THE LANDING PLACE.
There are SIX HUTS arranged in association.
The FIRST HUT, foremost towards the shore, belongs to COOMAN (the oldest man of the whole group 41 years), and his OLD WIFE GOOYONG. Together they have TWO CHILDREN (one younger, one older). COOMAN’S SECOND WIFE is EEKA (15 years and childless).
The SECOND HUT, behind and aside from the first hut, belongs to PADUO (the second oldest man – 40 years – Cooman’s brother). PADUO has TWO WIVES. The eldest is MOOLGO, the younger ANARDA. Between them all they have TWO CHILDREN (one younger, one older).
The THIRD HUT, behind and to the other side of the first hut, belongs to MOOLA (22 years). He has ONE WIFE, GOOWARRA. Together they have TWO CHILDREN (one young, one older).
The FORTH HUT, set back behind the others is a “YOUNG MAN’S HUT” where MAREEYANGO (17 years) sleeps. He is unmarried. He is a visitor from the Wodi Wodi Clan (Five Islands).
THE FIFTH and SIXTH HUTS are deserted. They belong to TWO UNMARRIED MEN presently away hunting and visiting another clan in search of wives.
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It’s 3.30pm. MOOLGO and EEKA have arrived back at the CAMP. They sit at their separate HUTS around their FIRES with their respective husbands.
MOOLGO is cooking YAMS while PADUO impales his FISH on sharp sticks which he fixes in the ground close to the FIRE. The eldest of their two children is helping his father, the youngster crawling on his mother.
MOOLA is alone, kindling his FIRE in front of his HUT, his eldest child helping, his youngest watching.
At the FIRST HUT, COOMAN and his two wives (GOOYONG and EEKA) attend to cooking YAMS in the coals, and FISH spitted on sticks before the FIRE. MAREEYANGO sit near EEKA. The TWO CHILDREN sit with their back to us. They’re all having their dinner. Eating their fish and yams, apparently unconcerned by the presence of the ship anchored a quarter of a mile away in the bay. Only the children notice when Eeka submissively and surreptitiously hands Mareeyango some YAM. Warily, Mareeyango accepts.
COMMOTION from the SAILORS ON BOARD THE SHIP reaches their ears.
COOMAN
They’re maiyai alright, for sure. Hiding out there in their barangga. Too frightened to come ashore. Shouting at us.
(Translation in progress)
GOOYONG
What kind of language is that? It don’t sound like anything. It sounds like cockatoos learned ’em to talk.
EEKA
They’re laughin’ at us.
COOMAN
I’ll give them something to laugh about if they come ashore. After we’ve had dinner we’ll chase ’em away.
MAREEYANGO
Look!
The GROUP look up from their dinner to see TWO SHIP’S BOATS advancing towards the shore.
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To be continued in Episode Five