Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume II Part 13

It was impossible to go out by the dangerous channel through which we entered; but as Sunday Strait, through which the brig had been drifted before we went to Mauritius, appeared free from danger, we directed our course to it.

February 17.

And, after being underweigh all the night near its inner entrance, during which we had once nearly struck on a reef of rocks, found ourselves at daylight drifting through it with a rapid ebb-tide without a breath of wind. The tide however lasted long enough to carry us out, and when the flood commenced, which would have drifted us back again, a fresh breeze sprang up from the westward and very soon carried us clear of the influence of the tide.

With respect to the opening we had now left there were many conflicting opinions among us, but I have every reason to think that the land from Cape Leveque to Point Gantheaume is an island and that there is also a communication between Cygnet and Collier's Bays, behind the islands of the Archipelago, where it is also probable there is an opening trending to the south-east. The great rise and fall of the tides in the neighbourhood of Point Gantheaume gives a plausibility to this opinion; and the only thing that I know against it is the trifling depth of the water between that point and Cape Villaret. This however may be caused by the numerous banks and channels existing there, and which, of themselves alone, are indicative of the opening being something more than a mere bay.

As sunset approached the eastern horizon was as usual in commotion; heavy dense clouds were collected, from which we had thunder and lightning. At seven o'clock the appearance was more threatening and, as a squall was evidently approaching, the sails were taken in and preparation made to meet it: soon after eight o'clock it pa.s.sed rapidly over and brought a strong gust of wind, before which we were obliged to scud. After blowing most tempestuously for an hour the wind moderated, and the night pa.s.sed without any repet.i.tion of it; we had however run five miles to leeward: had we been obliged to do this last night when underway in Cygnet Bay, or been drifted back this evening by the ebb-tide, we should have been very dangerously placed, from being surrounded by islands and blinded by the darkness of the night. Whilst this squall lasted the barometer was in no way affected, but the thermometer fell two degrees, having stood all the afternoon at 89 3/4 degrees.

February 18.

During the remainder of the night we stood off and on and experienced a current setting in the direction of North 52 degrees West one mile per hour. At eight o'clock the next morning (18th) Adele Island was seen; and in the afternoon we pa.s.sed at a mile and a half from the western side of the reef which surrounds it. This island is low and sandy and covered with small bushes; it is about two or three miles in length; a dry sand extends for five miles from its south end, and as far as one mile from its north-west point; but the covered part of the reef is more extensive, and appeared rocky. At the distance of three miles and a half, in a north-west direction from its north end, are two dry sandbanks which are probably covered at high-water. Light-coloured water extended for three miles to the westward and for fourteen miles to the north-west; but the water is probably deep enough over it for any vessel to pa.s.s: we steered over the tail within the coloured water, but had no bottom with forty-five fathoms. In many parts near the island the rocks must be very little below the surface of the water, for the sea occasionally broke upon them.

We then steered to the East and East-North-East and at night made short trips on either tack. The weather was extremely sultry during the afternoon, the thermometer being at 89 degrees, and when exposed to the sun the mercury rose to 125 degrees. Towards sunset large flights of b.o.o.bies, terns, and other sea-birds pa.s.sed by, flying towards the islands. One or two stopped to notice us and flew round the brig several times.

February 19.

The night was fine with light south-west winds; but we had lightning in the North-East, from which quarter at daylight the weather clouded in; and, from the increasing dampness of the atmosphere, indicated rain.

At noon we were in 15 degrees 12 minutes 15 seconds South and 7 minutes 1 second east of the anchorage in Cygnet Bay. The wind was from the southward with dull cloudy weather. Large flights of birds were about the vessel, preying upon small fish swimming among the seaweed, of which we pa.s.sed a great quant.i.ty. As the evening approached the weather clouded in and threatened us with another squall from the eastward. The thermometer stood at 88 degrees, and the barometer at 29.81 inches: half an hour before sunset the clouds, which had collected in the eastern horizon, began to thicken and approach us with loud thunder and vivid lightning: all the sails, except the topsails which were lowered, were furled just in time to avoid any bad effects from the squall, which commenced with a strong gust from East-South-East and East; it lasted about an hour, during the latter part of which we had very heavy rain. At eight o'clock the wind fell to a calm and was afterwards baffling and light from north to east and south-east.

February 20.

At daylight (20th) the morning was dull and cloudy: a bank of heavy threatening clouds, rising from the eastward, induced my steering to the westward to await the issue of this weather, so unfavourable for our doing any good upon the coast, as well as increasing the danger of navigating among reefs and islands where the tides were so strong. The next morning at daylight we had a squall with rain and wind from the eastward after which a fresh breeze set in from the same quarter: as this weather appeared likely to last I very unwillingly determined upon leaving the coast and returning immediately to Port Jackson.

February 21 to 24.

From the 21st until the 24th we had moderate winds between north and south-east which gradually drew us out of the influence of the damp, unwholesome weather we so lately experienced. Our course was held to the northward of Rowley's Shoals which, upon pa.s.sing, we found a strong current setting towards them at the rate of one mile an hour. This indraught increases the danger of navigating near this part but I do not recollect having experienced any when we pa.s.sed them in June, 1818. The current, therefore, that we felt, may be only of temporary duration, and probably caused by the variable state of the wind.

1822. February 24 to March 3.

Between the 24th of February and the 3rd of March we had light and variable winds from all directions but, being more frequent from the eastward than from any other point of the compa.s.s, I became reconciled to the step I had taken of leaving the coast, since it would not have been possible to have reached Port George the Fourth to effect any good.

The thermometer now ranged between 87 and 89 degrees and the weather was consequently extremely oppressive and sultry.

March 3 to 11.

On the 3rd at noon we were in lat.i.tude 18 degrees 45 minutes 18 seconds and longitude 111 degrees 4 minutes 15 seconds when a breeze sprang up from the South-east and carried us within the influence of the trade, which blew steadily between South-South-east and South by East and advanced us on our pa.s.sage but carried us considerably to the westward.

On this course we were accompanied by immense shoals of albicores (s...o...b..r thynnus, Linn.) but they were of small size; very few measured more than twenty inches in length, and the average weight about ten pounds: The meat was very good and tender and as a great number of the fish were caught, proved a grateful relief to our salt diet. The atmosphere was very damp and before the vessel entered the trade we had lightning every night, but it ceased the moment that we were within its limits. Tropic and other oceanic birds, some of a dark brown colour, hovered about us and were our daily companions, particularly the latter which preyed upon the small fish that were pursued by the albicores.

March 11 to 14.

From the 11th to the 14th the trade ceased and the interval was supplied by a northerly wind, veering round to west, which enabled us to make up for the ground we had lost by its having been so much from the southward.

After this we had variable breezes between South and East-South-East but the current, which before had been setting us to the north-west, now set to the north-east; this change was probably occasioned by the south-westerly swell.

On the 14th we were in 27 degrees 49 minutes South, and 101 degrees 1 minute East. Some tropic birds were seen this morning but as yet neither albatrosses nor pintadoes had made their appearance. During the short cessation of the trade the atmosphere was very dry until the south-easterly winds returned, when it became more humid; but as we approached the southern limit of this South-East wind, which may be considered to bear more of the character of a periodical wind than the trade, the atmosphere became altogether drier; it carried us as far as 32 degrees 40 minutes South and 96 degrees 42 minutes West before it veered to the northward of east when, after a calm, we had north-easterly winds and fine weather of which we made good use.

The first albatross was seen in 31 1/4 degrees South and was flying about the brig at the same time with a tropic bird, which is a remarkable occurrence, for I never saw the latter bird before so far without the tropic; but here was one nearly five hundred miles to the southward of it, and at least three hundred leagues from the nearest land; an albatross (Diomedea exulans, Linn.) was shot, but did not measure more than nine feet nine inches across the tips of the wings.

February 25.

On the 25th of February we examined our water and found the casks so much damaged by rats that instead of having thirteen tons we had only nine on board, but as this was thought to be sufficient for our voyage the daily issue was not reduced.

March 28.

On the 28th of March however it was found necessary to make a considerable reduction in the allowance.

April 13.

On the 13th of April the north-west end of Van Diemen's Land came in sight but it was not until the 15th that we entered Ba.s.s Strait by the pa.s.sage between King's and Hunter's Islands. Off Cape Howe we boarded a trading brig belonging to Port Jackson bound to Van Diemen's Land, from which we obtained pleasing and satisfactory news of our friends at Sydney, as also the gratifying intelligence of the promotion of myself to the rank of commander, and of Messrs. Bedwell and Roe to that of lieutenant. The promotion of the latter gentleman was under circ.u.mstances of the most flattering nature, and here not only offers a most satisfactory proof of the approbation bestowed by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty upon my zealous a.s.sistant, but precludes me from the otherwise pleasing task of giving my humble testimonial of his conduct and merits.

Between Cape Howe and Port Jackson we experienced much bad weather, which delayed our arrival so long that we had expended all our bread and were reduced to a very small proportion of water:

April 25.

We however succeeded in effecting our arrival at Sydney by the 25th, after an absence of 344 days.

CHAPTER 5.

The Bathurst sails for England.

Remarks upon some errors in the hydrography of the south coast of Van Diemen's Land.

King George the Third's Sound.

Pa.s.sage to the Cape of Good Hope.

Cross the Atlantic, and arrive at Plymouth Sound.

Observations upon the voyages, and conclusion.

1822. April 25 to September 25.

Upon an examination of the brig's defects after our arrival at Port Jackson her stern and cut-water were found so defective as to require a considerable repair; but from the difficulty of procuring seasoned wood, so long a time elapsed before it was effected that we were not ready for sea until the beginning of September, when other delays of minor importance detained us until the 25th.

At Port Jackson I found orders from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to return to England in the Bathurst when the survey should be completed; but as we were in want of many things that the colony could not furnish, and as we should be detained until the month of February before the monsoon would allow of our going upon the coast; it was deemed most advantageous for the public service to return without making another voyage. Accordingly on the 25th September we sailed from Sydney with the intention of proceeding to the north through Torres Strait, and calling at the Mauritius on our way; but no sooner had we put to sea than a hard gale set in from the north which induced me to bear up and either to go round Van Diemen's Land to the westward, if the wind should favour such a proceeding, or, by doubling the south end of New Zealand to make the eastern pa.s.sage round Cape Horn.

1822. October 6.

Having reached the south-east end of Van Diemen's Land on the 6th of October, and a fresh north-easterly wind setting in at the same time, I determined upon adopting the first plan; and therefore proceeded round the south side of the island, in doing which I had the opportunity of verifying some observations formerly taken by which it appeared that the coast between Storm Bay and the South-west Cape was very erroneously laid down both by Captain Flinders and the French expeditions under d'Entrecasteaux and Baudin.

On my voyage to Macquarie Harbour in 1819 I found so many errors in the bearings that were taken as induced me to suspect an original error, and on this occasion a very considerable one was detected.

When Captain Flinders pa.s.sed round Van Diemen's Land in the Norfolk he obtained a meridional supplementary alt.i.tude of the sun to the south, his vessel being under the land, which made the South-west Cape in 43 degrees 29 minutes South; but finding the next day that his instrument was 2 minutes 40 seconds in error to the north he a.s.signed to the cape a position of 43 degrees 32 minutes. In the Introduction to his voyage* he makes some remarks in a note upon the positions a.s.signed to it by Captains Cook and Furneaux; the latter officer placed it in 43 degrees 39 minutes, in which I also found it to be by its transient bearing from the South Cape. By a series of bearings carried along the coast its position is thirty-three miles West 3 degrees South true, from the South Cape.

(*Footnote. Flinders volume 1 Introduction page 179.)

All parts of the coast in this interval are proportionally in error as to lat.i.tude but tolerably well placed in reference to the coast. The subjoined are the positions now a.s.signed to the following places, namely:

COLUMN 1: NAME OF PLACE.

COLUMN 2: LAt.i.tUDE.

COLUMN 3: LONGITUDE ACCORDING TO CAPTAIN FLINDERS' SURVEY.