Page:History of West Australia.djvu/479

Rh being made for landing the stores and horses with apparent interest, but when the time came for him to disembark he refused to point out the spot where he had previously landed. Inspector Panter attempted to reason with him, but to no purpose, the man maintaining a stubborn silence, and neither promises nor threats could make him change his demeanour. The convict was reduced from the status of a passenger, and installed in the position of cook. As a suitable landing could not be discovered near where the schooner was anchored, it was decided to go on to Camden Harbour. The voyage thence was marked by an exciting incident, the schooner getting into a "willy willy" near the "Treacherous Reef." Fortunately for all concerned, Captain Owston saw the danger in time, and managed to bring the schooner up in good holding ground, thus saving the vessel and the lives of passengers and crew. As the convict persisted in his refusal to go ashore, Inspector Panter determined to land, and discover the auriferous country without the assistance of a guide. The horses were disembarked, and the party set off in high spirits, sanguine of returning in a few days with untold wealth. They went to a place named Glenell, about twenty miles from the coast, and made a careful search for gold-bearing country, but without success. Inspector Panter then suggested that they should endeavour to discover some good pastoral country, and a start was made in the schooner for Carnot Bay. On arrival there, however, the beach was found to be crowded by natives, whose hostile demonstrations discouraged any attempt to land. As the navigation of the Bay was intricate, Captain Owston decided to wait until the following morning before attempting to work his vessel out to sea, so the night was passed quietly at anchor. The natives remained on the beach all night, their whereabouts being marked by the hundreds of fires that pierced the gloom until morning, and at daybreak the schooner was got under way, a course being shaped for Cape Vailaret. A boat was sent ashore to see if any natives were in the vicinity, and finding the coast clear, Inspector Panter and party landed to examine the nature of the country. The horses swam ashore.

The convict was left on the schooner, and for a couple of days performed the duties assigned to him without demur. This apparent contentment, however, was evidently only to lull suspicion, for one night the startling discovery was made that the convict and the two boats belonging to the schooner were missing, thus preventing any communication with the shore. Captain Owston at once came to the conclusion that the man had made his escape in the smaller boat of the two, with the intention of reaching Java, and cut the other adrift to prevent pursuit in case his absence was discovered before he got away from the ship. He determined to make an attempt to overtake the fugitive, and sailed at once, and the following evening had the satisfaction of picking up the big boat drifting out to sea. He then returned to the anchorage, and on landing found the other boat, but no trace of the convict, who was, however, caught several days later.

On the return Of Inspector Panter and party, after a successful trip of four days, the schooner started on her return journey to Fremantle, with the convict in irons. The arrival of the schooner in Fremantle with the news of the fruitless result of the exploration was a great disappointment to the many people who were anxiously waiting her return, and the convict, for his perfidiousness, was sentenced to three years' additional imprisonment.

The good work done by Captain Owston in navigating almost unknown waters was appreciated by the authorities, and his opinion was so esteemed that he was consulted as to the quality of the land at Camden Harbour. It was due to his report, as to the unhealthy nature of the country, that any thought the authorities had of attempting to open up the port at that time was abandoned.

The Captain again went into the Java trade, giving the command of the vessel to his mate, who made three successful voyages to Roebuck Bay and Cossack with the ship. The little schooner which had navigated the treacherous coast successfully so long then met her "Waterloo," being wrecked on what is now known as "The Perseverance Rock," named after the vessel. Captain Owston's next venture was the Eliza Blanche, the command of which he took himself, and from 1868 to 1871 this well-known trader successfully ran with several cargoes to ports in Java, China, Mauritius, and Melbourne. He also owned the Macquarie, Bonnie Lassie, Ribston, Singalee, Mary Smith, a fleet of vessels engaged in the same trade.

Captain Owston started business as a general merchant in partnership with the Messrs. Pearse.

His ability as a seaman was so well recognised that he was appointed Lloyd's surveyor over forty years ago, which position he held until a few years ago. As a nautical assessor, he was not to be surpassed, and during the twenty-five years he filled the position his decisions gave satisfaction to all concerned.