Cullen - Bartlett Dynasty Collection

Chapter 11

SIRIUS again remained in Port Jackson until the 7th March, 1790 when she left on her last voyage which was to Norfolk Island to land marines, convicts and stores.

SIRIUS again remained in Port Jackson until the 7th March, 1790 when she left on her last voyage which was to Norfolk Island to land marines, convicts and stores.The island was reached on March 13, unloading at Cascade Bay took place on the 13th and 14th of March after which the passengers walked across the island to the settlement at Sydney Bay. Heavy weather then kept the SIRIUS at sea for four days, but when it improved on the 18th, Captain Hunter lay off Sydney Bay on the south side of Norfolk to land the provisions.

The island was reached on March 13, unloading at Cascade Bay took place on the 13th and 14th of March after which the passengers walked across the island to the settlement at Sydney Bay. Heavy weather then kept the SIRIUS at sea for four days, but when it improved on the 18th, Captain Hunter lay off Sydney Bay on the south side of Norfolk to land the provisions. As the boats were loading from her, the SIRIUS drifted too far into the bay to get out again and was wrecked on a reef near the settlement. By a hawser with a traveller on it, all were saved through the surf, along with much of stores and provisions but the SIRIUS was a total wreck.1

As the boats were loading from her, the SIRIUS drifted too far into the bay to get out again and was wrecked on a reef near the settlement. By a hawser with a traveller on it, all were saved through the surf, along with much of stores and provisions but the SIRIUS was a total wreck.“On 13 March 1790, she arrived at Norfolk Island, with the SUPPLY, to transfer a group of Marines and convicts. Here, on 19 March 1790, her life came to an end when the wind forced her on to the reef, as her Captain, John Hunter, tried to tack out to sea.

“On 13 March 1790, she arrived at Norfolk Island, with the SUPPLY, to transfer a group of Marines and convicts. Here, on 19 March 1790, her life came to an end when the wind forced her on to the reef, as her Captain, John Hunter, tried to tack out to sea.The Marines and convicts had been landed before the wreck. After the wreck, the ship`s crew was saved and, in the days and months which followed, the stores and equipment were retrieved. The wreck of the SIRIUS remained visible on the reef for nearly 12 months before a storm forced her from view. The loss of the SIRIUS was a terrible setback for the settlements at Sydney Cove and on Norfolk.” 2

The Marines and convicts had been landed before the wreck. After the wreck, the ship`s crew was saved and, in the days and months which followed, the stores and equipment were retrieved. The wreck of the SIRIUS remained visible on the reef for nearly 12 months before a storm forced her from view. The loss of the SIRIUS was a terrible setback for the settlements at Sydney Cove and on NorfolkCalled to muster before work, Cullen strode to the clearing in the centre of the settlement. Government House loomed over the gathering of convict men and women. Mutterings, questioning looks, shuffling feet, and sweat on foreheads, aggravated the anxiety pulsing through the group. With practised obedience, silence fell when Governor Phillip appeared.

‘I will not delay you long from your work. If we call your name, you will remain here at the end of muster. If we do not call your name, move off to work.’

There was no explanation. Scenes from the last few days scurried in Cullen’s mind like rats over a spilled wheat sack. What had he done wrong?

They called names in what appeared to be a random order. Cullen relaxed when the sheer volume of convicts indicated punishment was unlikely.

‘Move closer together so you can hear me,’ Captain Hunter roared at the chosen convicts, Cullen among them. ‘You are all going to Norfolk Island. Governor Phillip has had you selected as worthy of supporting yourselves in a new colony. If we all stay here, we will starve. Crops aren’t growing and livestock is dying or running off into the trees never to be seen again. HMS Sirius and Supply will leave next week. Time for you to start a new life. Dismissed.’

HMSSiriusSupplyThey’d sent Richard Morgan to Norfolk Island six months after the fleet arrived in Port Jackson; he left his wife Lizzie behind. Cullen had no concerns about leaving anyone. Since John’s death he had kept to himself, worked without correction or punishment and until today, thought he was invisible.

A wheat sack slung over his shoulder holding his few belongings, Cullen made his way on board HMS Sirius. At forty-eight he wondered why, as one of the oldest convicts in Port Jackson, he would be a farmer on an island in the middle of nowhere. He was fit for his age, had avoided scurvy and dysentery and kept out of trouble. He was strong, and since the flogging had worked without complaint. Why would they not keep him in the settlement? It didn’t matter where he went, he would never return to England and if the Governor thought he was a farmer, then that’s what he would be.

HMS SiriusEven though dark rain clouds hung low as Sirius and Supply encroached on Norfolk Island’s treacherous shoreline, the majesty of the lofty trees waving a welcome, and the squawk of sea birds spying on the ships from their position of superiority out of reach of predators, dropped sprinkles of hope into Cullen’s heart. The optimism spread through the convicts on board Sirius. None had seen anything more spectacular.

SiriusSupplySiriusWith the island tantalizingly close Cullen allowed himself time to think about catching up with his friends Richard Morgan and Abraham Hands. He smiled, picturing Abraham’s smile as the two embraced. More subdued but just as friendly, Richard would reach out to shake his hand in welcome.

Marines shouted orders to get below jolting Cullen from his daydream, just as he felt Sirius roll from a change in wind direction.

Sirius Once again locked in the dark below deck, Cullen felt the ship moving away from Norfolk Island, away from the majestic trees and the cacophony of thousands of birds.

‘Are we going back to Port Jackson?’ William Thompson, another convict from Scarborough asked Cullen.

Scarborough‘Doubt it. Maybe going out to sea to calmer waters. We won’t know until they decide to tell us.’

The sound of the anchor being dropped for the second time this day, was the only sign the passengers needed, to know Sirius had found another opportunity to land at Norfolk Island.

SiriusThe hatch opened to let in the grey shadows of the hovering storm clouds. ‘Everyone on deck.’

Cullen stood back and waited while the other felons made their way to the upper deck. One of the last to find a place within hearing distance, he listened while the First Mate fought to be heard over the wind as it tried to unwrap the sails tied to the masts.

‘This is Cascade Bay. Female convicts and women with children will be offloaded here from Sirius and Supply, as will the marines. It is a ten minute walk back around to Sydney Bay. The marines will lead the way.’

SiriusSupplyThe male convicts helped the marines organise the evacuation of women and children onto the small boats that bobbed alongside Sirius and Supply. As the last boat was rowed ashore, navigating its way through the rocks that threatened to splinter it into firewood if it got too close, the grey clouds burst, and their contents poured down on to those standing on shore and those still struggling to get there. Still on deck, rain saturating their clothes and the wind biting their ears and faces, the men waited for orders.

SiriusSupply‘Captain says we’re staying here until the weather settles. No more going ashore today. As you were.’

‘First mate seems more concerned about the welfare of his ship than the rest of us,’ William Thompson complained.

Nodding in agreement, with nothing more to be done while the wind whipped up the waves, Cullen made his way below deck to ride out the storm and dry off.

It didn’t escape Cullen that he was once again trapped on a ship at the mercy of its captain. Seeing the irony in the restlessness that three days confined to Sirius caused when he’d been on ships for three years before landing in New South Wales, Cullen tried to calm himself. Clenching his fists open and shut, moving from one foot to the other, and running his hand through his hair, Cullen struggled with the anxiety.

SiriusThe weather settled enough for orders to filter through that this day, the rest of the men would go ashore at Cascade Bay.

In pouring rain and biting wind, Cullen and his fellow prisoners climbed down the ladders on the side of Sirius and settled into her boats, huddling as the rain penetrated the threadbare clothing they’d worn from Port Jackson.

Sirius‘There’s no-one here,’ wailed one man who’d reached the top of the low cliff face.

The wind picked up the response from someone on the sand below and swept it out to sea. Cullen heard ‘…Sydney Bay, ten minutes.’

Cullen’s clothes clung to his frame and dripped water into his worn-out boots. Folding his arms over his chest and shivering with cold, he and the rest of the men walked across the island, following the muddy prints left by the women and children and marines three days earlier. Looking back at Sirius wallowing around in the surf, Cullen wished Captain Hunter well.

SiriusAs the sodden group made its way into the settlement at Sydney Bay, the rain stopped. Shivering with cold and trepidation, the prisoners were ushered around a large fire to warm up and dry off.

Put in tents the first night on the island, Cullen lay on the makeshift bed he fashioned out of branches he’d dragged from under the huge pine trees that towered over the intruders. Exhausted from the events of the last few days, Cullen slept soundly on his bed of pine needles.

Watching from the cliffs that lined Sydney Bay, Cullen and the other convicts had enough sailing knowledge to realise something was wrong. The wind changed direction and Captain Hunter had Sirius turn to sail away from it, but she struck the coral reef and took on water.

SiriusAll men from the island congregated on the sand and waded into the shallows to help. Some pulled ropes connected to the ship at one end and rocks on the shore at the other, guiding sailors who were abandoning the ship. Some swam into the treacherous water to rescue supplies being thrown overboard.

Cullen, wading into the water up to his waist, to guide floating barrels to shore, marvelled at the skill of Captain Hunter as he tried to navigate his ship away from the rocks that were tearing cavernous holes in her side.

The sea eventually claimed Sirius. After five days trying to keep her away from death, Captain Hunter left his ship as she broke up on the rocks. Half of the supplies destined for the Norfolk Island settlement perished with her.

SiriusThe inhabitants of Norfolk Island, old and new lined the cliffs, watching the tragedy of the Sirius unfold. The Commandant of Norfolk Island, Phillip Gidley King, standing apart from the rest of the settlement, removed his hat and held it over his heart.

SiriusWith the loss of the Sirius, the few days after were filled with disbelief and fear. The newcomers used to living on rations and working with grumbling stomachs, fretted that their lot hadn’t improved. They worked while hungry and with aching muscles.

Sirius,‘Will we ever get away from this type of life?’ Cullen muttered as he and Daniel Daniels a fellow Scarborough convict erected tents and stored supplies salvaged from the Sirius.

ScarboroughSirius‘I hoped to start again here. I brought letters from home. They were in my bag, but no personal belongings have been saved from Sirius,’ Daniels lamented.

Sirius‘I had nothing but the clothes given to us in Port Jackson.’

Muster was listed for eight am on Monday 22nd March. Cullen moved with the rest of the Island’s population as they were set in position under the Union flagstaff. He watched as the marines and sailors stood on the right and the officers lined up in the centre, below the flag. He moved with his fellow transportees to the left. Cullen noticed Richard Morgan and Abraham Hands and moved to line up with them. Morgan looked particularly fit. He had a glow to his skin and held himself in a relaxed and comfortable way. Hands looked strong and at peace, grinning happily as he hugged Cullen. Cullen’s heart skipped a beat of hope.

Major Ross, in full marine regalia, cleared his throat; the shadows from the few clouds hovering in the sky settled on his face. The only sound came from one or two whimpering children. Five hundred and six people who called Norfolk Island home, listened as he asserted his authority. His address started with acknowledging and thanking outgoing Lieutenant Governor Phillip Gidley King.

Cullen looked around in amazement as the three cheers for Gidley King rang louder than the three cheers for King George. Cullen envied Morgan and Hands, it seems they had lived on this island when peace and prosperity prevailed.

A gasp moved across the settlement, like a breeze skipping along the top of a wheat crop as Ross commanded the immediate enforcement of martial law. He lamented that with the loss of Sirius not all the supplies had made it ashore and they faced the possibility of starvation.

SiriusCullen felt his shoulders slump. Isn’t this why he and the others left Port Jackson: to save that colony from starvation?

Ross continued. ‘Every man, woman and child will work to provide shelter and grow food.’ He enlightened them with the punishments for breaking martial law. For stealing food to feed oneself, the punishment was death. For stealing food to barter for rum or foodstuffs, the punishment was flogging until the bones showed. Man or woman, the same punishment. He added, raising his voice to a roar, that children would not get off lightly.

The speech reminded Cullen of Governor Phillip’s edict on arrival in Port Jackson. The hope that sprinkled in his heart when he first sighted Norfolk Island was melting like the late winter snow on London streets.

‘What do we do now?’ he asked Abraham Hands. ‘There’s no barracks.’

Moving close to his friend and putting his hand on his shoulder, Abraham titled his hat back, and said, ‘You are almost free here, James. As long as you do as Major Ross said, and grow food for yourself and the settlement, he’ll leave you alone. Find yourself a plot of land, build a cabin and find a woman to live with. In the meantime,’ he said standing back, ‘you can stay with me.’

Accepting the offer of somewhere to stay while he navigated the requirements to get land and build a cabin, Cullen followed Abraham to his cabin like a starving dog who had just been given a morsel of food.

Although simple, Abraham’s cabin was comfortable and clean. The timber walls from the sawmill that Richard Morgan managed, kept out the howling winds and driving rain. The windows had shutters that closed to keep insects and weather out and opened to let in sunlight and fresh air. One big, welcoming room had a fire on one side with cooking equipment surrounding it, a handmade timber table and four chairs to the left of the fireplace, and a handmade timber, double bed took up the whole wall on the other side. Cullen stood in the cabin, took in a deep breath, put his head back and said a silent prayer to God thanking Him for sending him to Norfolk Island.

‘This is wonderful, Abraham.’

Abraham took off his hat, threw it on the bed, slapped Cullen on the back and told him to sit at the table. ‘It is magnificent, James. Those of us sent here to Norfolk Island are blessed. As long as we keep out of trouble and look after ourselves, we are as good as free men. There are other pieces of furniture I want to create when I have the time. But I am well pleased with what I’ve done so far. I’ll set up a bed for you on the floor until you get your own land.’

For the first time since his arrest in 1785, James Bryan Cullen breathed air belonging to those who lived without restraint.