The Mermaid? Re-envisaging the 1818 exploration of Enderby Island, Murujuga, Western Australia

Abstract

Archaeological surveys documenting Aboriginal petroglyphs across the Dampier Archipelago (Murujuga) discovered a depiction of a sailing ship on Enderby Island. We argue that this is a depiction of His Majesty’s Cutter (HMC) Mermaid, captained by the British naval officer Phillip Parker King in his survey of Australia’s coastlines between 1817 and 1822. Archaeological evidence and a range of historical sources are used to interpret the image as part of a suite of commemorative mark-making behaviors along the Western Australian coast by King and members of his crew. This engraved ship depiction provides additional insights into cross-cultural encounters documented by King with the Yaburara people of the Dampier Archipelago. As this occurred early in British imperial recording of Australia’s North West coastline, this provides new insights into Yaburara people’s traditional lifeways prior to the significant impacts that followed the colonization of North West Western Australia.

Keywords:

• Rock art
• Dampier Archipelago
• British exploration
• Aboriginal history
• Australia

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research forms part of Murujuga: Dynamics of the Dreaming Australian Research Council funded Linkage Project (LP140100393) with Industry partner RioTinto. JM, AP, and PV are Chief Investigators; KM is Partner Investigator; JD is Project Manager on this Project. The discovery of this image occurred during a visit to Enderby Island for the clearance of the Project work’s program by senior male custodians of Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation. This was facilitated by the Murujuga Land and Sea Unit. Peter Veth and MAC Ranger Waylon Coppin found the ship depiction during this inspection. Systematic survey of the sample transect was completed by JM, KM, and JD, assisted by Sarah de Koning and Victoria Anderson. Photographic recording and microscopic analysis of the HMC Mermaid panel was completed by JM and AP; the motif was digitally enhanced by JM and traced by KM; data auditing was done by Sarah de Koning and JM; mapping was provided by KM. Historical analysis was conducted by TS and the boat’s characteristics were analyzed by RA. Kieran Hosty from the Australian National Maritime Museum sourced HMC Mermaid archival material from the State Library of NSW. All authors contributed to the text.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.