[* From Collins' Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol. I. p. 610-611]
[** Voyage de D'Entrecasteaux, par M. de Rossel. Tome I. p. 552 et seq. These words are written after the French pronunciation of the letters.]
The following anatomical admeasurement of one of the best proportioned of our visitors was furnished by the surgeon, Mr. Hugh Bell:
Our operations at the observatory were not favoured by the weather; but a sufficient number of observations was obtained for all the purposes of navigation:
The Latitude of the tents in Princess-Royal Harbour, from three meridian zenith distances of the sun, observed with Ramsden's universal theodolite, was 35° 2' 5" south.
Longitude from thirty-one sets of distances of the sun east and west of the moon, of which the particulars are given in Table I of the Appendix to this volume, 117° 53' 10" east.
These being reduced by the survey to BALD HEAD, at the entrance of the sound, will place it in
The mean rates of the time keepers, deduced from equal altitudes taken on and between Dec. 15 and Jan. 1, and their errors from mean time at Greenwich, at noon there on the last day of observation, were as under:
The longitude of the tents given by the time keepers on the first day of observation, with the Cape rates, was as follows:
The two first, which generally throughout the voyage showed themselves to be the best time keepers, were on a mean 13' 56" to the east of the lunar observations; but by using rates accelerating in arithmetic progression from those of the Cape of Good Hope to the new ones of King George's Sound, the mean of Earnshaw's two time keepers will then differ only 8' 19" to the east in forty-four days. In fixing the position of places from Cape Leeuwin to the Sound, these accelerating rates have been used; and the longitude has been further corrected by allowing an equal proportion of the error, 8' 19", according to the number of days after Nov. 1, when the last observations were made at the Cape of Good Hope. In the Appendix, the nature of these corrections is more particularly explained.
[* The situation of Bald Head, in captain Vancouver's chart, is 35° 6' 40" south, and 118° 16' 30" east from lunar observations which were not corrected for the errors of the astronomical tables. The situation assigned to Bald Head in the voyage of the French admiral D'Entrecasteaux, is 35° 10' south, and 118° 2' 40" east; but since the admiral passed it at six in the evening, and in blowing weather, an error of a few minutes may have entered into both latitude and longitude.]
The height of the thermometer at the tents, as observed at noon, varied between 80° and 64°. On board the ship, it never exceeded 70½°, nor was below 60°. The range of the barometer was from 29,42 inches in a gale of wind from the westward, to 30,28 inches in a moderate breeze from south-west.
The increase being probably occasioned by the iron ballast in the bread room underneath.
The Variation given by three compasses at the observatory was 6° 22½' west, by Walker's meridional compass 5° 25', and by the surveying theodolite 8° 17'; but upon the eastern part of the flat granite rock, on the south side of the sound, two theodolites gave only 4° 1' west. On board the ship, at anchor off Point Possession, the variation from the three compasses on the binnacle., when the head was southeastward, was 9° 28'; or, corrected to the meridian, 7° 12' west. It seems not easy to say what ought to be considered as the true variation; but the mean of the observations at the tents being 6° 42', and on board the ship 7° 12', I conceive it will not be far wrong if taken at 7° 0' west.
This is what I allowed in tracing a base line upon the beach between the two harbours; and the back bearings from different stations did not vary more than a degree from it, except at the west end of Michaelmas Island, where the variation, in one spot, was greater by 3°.
The above different variations show that the needle was affected by the rocks; and there will be frequent occasion, in the course of the voyage, to point out similar anomalies in the observations on land; for they were found to take place upon almost all those parts of Terra Australis, where the basis stone is of granite, as here; and also in those where green-stone, porphyry, basaltes, or iron-stone prevail; whereas in the lime, or grit-stone countries, the needle did not appear to suffer any derangement. In the Appendix No. II. to the second volume, where the changes on ship board, which arose from altering the direction of the head, are explained, this subject of the differences on shore is mentioned; for they also were not without a certain degree of regularity.
No set of Tide was perceived on board, either whilst the ship was in the Sound or in Princess-Royal Harbour; nevertheless it was sometimes found to run with considerable strength in the narrow entrances of both harbours. According to lieutenant Flinders' observations on shore during sixteen days there was only one high water in twenty-four hours, which always took place between six and twelve at night; for after, by gradually becoming later, it had been high water at twelve, the next night it took place soon after six o'clock; and then happened later by three-quarters of an hour each night as before. The greatest rise observed was three feet two inches, and the least two feet eight inches. The accumulation was made in this manner: After low water it rose for several hours; then ceased, and became stationary, or perhaps fell back a little. In a few hours it began to rise again; and in about twelve from the first commencement was high water. It was observed by Captain Cook upon the east coast of this country*, and since by many others, including myself, that the night tide rose considerably higher than that of the day; which is conformable to our observations in King George's Sound; but with this difference, that in the day we had scarcely any tide at all.
[* See Hawkesworth's Voyages, Vol. III. p. 224.]
The base line for my survey of the Sound was of 2.46 geographic miles, measured round the curve of the long beach between the two harbours. The other stations whence bearings were taken with the theodolite were--in the Sound, four; at the entrance of and within Princess-Royal Harbour, three; and in Oyster Harbour, four; at each of which a point with a circle is marked in the plan. The soundings were either taken in the ship, with simultaneous cross bearings, or in boats, generally accompanied with notices of known objects in a line, or the angles between them taken with a sextant.
There are many small but no very essential differences between my plan and that of captain Vancouver. The most important to navigation is that in the soundings going into Oyster Harbour; I could find only thirteen feet over the bar, whereas he marked seventeen; a difference, however, which may not improbably have taken place between 1791 and 1801.
Departure from King George's Sound.
Coast from thence to the Archipelago of the Recherche.
Discovery of Lucky Bay and Thistle's Cove.
The surrounding country, and islands of the Archipelago.
Astronomical and nautical observations.
Goose-Island Bay.
A salt lake.
Nautical observations.
Coast from the Archipelago to the end of Nuyts' Land.
Arrival in a bay of the unknown coast.
Remarks on the preceding examination.
[SOUTH COAST. FROM KING GEORGE'S SOUND.]
JANUARY 1802
In running along that part of the South Coast which lies to the west of King George's Sound, I had endeavoured to keep so close in with the land that the breaking water on the shore should be visible from the ship's deck; by which means our supposed distance would be little subject to error, and no river or opening could escape being seen. This close proximity could not, however, be obtained in every part, especially where the coast retreated far back; but it was always attempted where practicable and unattended with much danger or loss of time; and when it could not be done, I was commonly at the mast head with a glass. All the bearings were laid down so soon as taken whilst the land was in sight, and before retiring to rest I made it a practice to finish up the rough chart for the day, as also my journals of astronomical observations, of bearings, and of remarks. When we hauled off from the coast at night, every precaution was taken to come in with the same point in the morning, as soon after daylight as practicable; and when the situation of the ship relatively to the land of the preceding evening was ascertained, our route along the coast was resumed. This plan, to see and lay down everything myself, required constant attention and much labour, but was absolutely necessary to obtaining that accuracy of which I was desirous; and now, on recommencing the survey from King George's Sound to the eastward, I persevered in the same system; and it was adhered to, although not particularly mentioned, in all the succeeding part of the voyage.
TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 1802
(Atlas, Plate II.)
On the 5th of January, in the morning, we got under way from the Sound, having a fresh wind from the westward and squally weather. I steered between Michaelmas Island and the main, in order to explore better that part of the Sound, and ascertain the extent of a shoal running off from the north-west end of the island. It was found to run out not further than half a mile, at which distance we passed in 5 fathoms water; and at noon, when the east end of Break-sea Island bore S. 30° W., we had 33 fathoms.
Mount Gardner is a high, conic-shaped hill, apparently of granite, very well delineated in captain Vancouver's atlas. It stands upon a projecting cape, round which the shore falls back to the northward, forming a sandy bight where there appeared to be shelter from western winds; indeed, as the coast-line was not distinctly seen round the south-west corner of the bight, it is possible there may be some small inlet in that part.
The south end of an island, called Ile Pelée (Bald Island) by D'Entrecasteaux, opened round the cape of Mount Gardner at N. 69° E. The French navigator having passed without side of this island, I steered within, through a passage of a short mile wide; and had 17 fathoms for the shoalest water, on a sandy bottom. Bald Island is of moderate elevation, and barren, as its name implies; it is about two-and-half miles in length, and the south end lies in 34° 55' south and 118° 29' east. It lies off a rocky projection of the mainland, at which terminates a ridge of mountain extending three leagues along the shore from the bight behind Mount Gardner. There are a number of small peaks upon the top of this ridge which induced me to give it the name Mount Manypeak.
After clearing the passage of Bald Island I found the shore to trend north-eastward, and to be low and sandy; but at the distance of eight leagues inland there was a chain of rugged mountains, of which the eastern and highest peak, called Mount Rugged, lies N. 11½° W. from the passage. At six we came up with a steep rock, one mile from the main, and then hauled to the wind, offshore, for the night. This lump, which appeared to be of granite, I called Haul-off Rock; it lies in 31° 43' south and 118° 39' east, and two leagues to the south-west of a cliffy point which bears the name of Cape Riche in the French chart.
WEDNESDAY 6 JANUARY 1802
At one in the morning, being seven or eight leagues from the coast and in 45 fathoms, we tacked ship towards the land, having a fresh breeze at west-south-west, with fine weather. Haul-off Rock bore N. 77° W., three or four miles, at six, and we then bore away along the coast. Beyond Cape Riche the shore forms a sandy bight, in which is a small island; and on the north side of another cliffy projection, four leagues further, there is a similar falling back of the coast, where it is probable there is also good shelter for boats, if not a small inlet. At noon a projecting head two miles long, which, from the lumps of rock at the top, I called Cape Knob, was three miles distant; and our observations and bearings of the land were then as under;
The coast is sandy on both sides of Cape Knob, but especially on the west side, where the hillocks at the back of the shore are little else than bare sand.
At four o'clock we had passed the Point Hood of Vancouver; and seeing a channel of nearly a mile in width between it and the two outer of his Doubtful Islands, steered through it with soundings from 20 to 24 fathoms. I then hauled up south-westward, along the inner island and point, and sent away the master to sound between them; it being my intention to anchor, if a sufficient depth should be found for the ship to escape in case the wind came to blow from the eastward: it was then light at south-east-by-south. Mr. Thistle found the opening to be very narrow, and no more than 2 fathoms in the shoalest part; we therefore stood out, repassing within a small black islet, upon which were some seals. At eight, tacked to the southward and weathered the Doubtful Islands.
On the north side of the isles and of Point Hood the shore falls back five or six miles to the west-south-west before it curves northward, and affords good shelter against all winds which do not blow strong from between north-east and east. At the time we stood out of the bay the ship was three miles within the outermost islands, and not more than a cable's length from the shore of Point Hood, and we had 7½ fathoms, sandy bottom. The point and islands are steep and rocky, but the western shores of this great bay are mostly sandy beaches. On the north-western and north sides there are some masses of tolerably high land which appeared to be granitic; and for distinction in the survey they are called West, Middle, and East Mount Barren.
THURSDAY 7 JANUARY 1802
The wind was variable between east and north-by-east during the night. At daybreak the three mounts were in sight, and the north end of the Doubtful Isles bore N. 74° W. three leagues. As the wind veered round to the west and southward, we steered more in for the north side of Doubtful Island Bay; and at noon, our situation and the bearings of the land were these:
Our course was directed to the northward, with the wind at south-east-by-south; but seeing the appearance of an opening in the north-west corner of the bay, with smokes rising there, we steered north-west for it. In an hour the low land was seen from the mast head to extend across the supposed opening, and we then hauled up east-by-north, to the wind, at the distance of five or six miles from the high, rocky shore between the Middle and East Mount Barren. At seven in the evening the eastern mount bore N. 44° W., three leagues, and the coast, which from thence becomes sandy, was seen as far as N. 76° E. A small reef, one of two before laid down both by Vancouver and D'Entrecasteaux, was then observed three or four miles to seaward. It was important to get sight of this reef before dark, for we should otherwise have been at great uncertainty during the night, more especially as the surf upon it broke only at times.
The wind being at south-by-east, we tacked and stood westward, nearly in our afternoon's track, until midnight; and the breeze having then veered to south-west, we were able to stretch off south-south-east to windward of the breakers. At half-past five in the morning [FRIDAY 8 JANUARY 1802], East Mount Barren was four leagues distant to the northward, and our course was resumed along the shore. The breakers were passed at the distance of two miles, and the mount was set over them, bearing N. 38° W. at seven o'clock. The second small reef lies nearly east-north-east from the first, and was left three miles to the northward.
On the preceding evening a small rocky island had been seen indistinctly from the mast head, and it now again came in sight to the eastward. The French ships had passed without side of this island, and I therefore steered to go between it and the mainland; but breaking water was seen to extend so far to the north that the uncertainty of finding a passage made the attempt too dangerous with the wind right aft. We accordingly hauled up to windward of the island, and had 38 fathoms between it and a small reef lying S. 72° W., between two and three miles from it. The island is low, smooth, and sterile, and is frequented by seals; its latitude is 34° 6' and longitude 120° 28', and it lies eight or nine miles from the mainland.
At noon the rocky island was near ten miles astern, and a cluster of four small islets appeared in the offing at the distance of four leagues. The nearest part of the main land, seven or eight miles distant, was low and sandy, as it had been all the way from East Mount Barren, and continued to be to the furthest extreme visible from the masthead; there were, however, a few scattered sandy hillocks on the shore, but nothing could be seen of the back country. Our situation, and the bearings taken at this time were as under:
We passed at nearly an equal distance between the four rocky islets and the main land, that is to say, at six or eight miles from each; and at five o'clock were abreast of a projecting part of the coast where the sandy hills seemed to form white cliffs. This is called Cap des Basses (Shoal Cape) in the French chart; and we saw, in fact, an islet under the land, surrounded with much broken water, and the soundings decreased from 35 to 25 fathoms soon after passing it at the distance of five or six miles. There was an appearance of small inlets on each side of Shoal Cape, but as admiral D'Entrecasteaux passed within three miles and does not mark any, it was probably a deception, caused by the land being very low between the sand hills.
[SOUTH COAST. RECHERCHE'S ARCHIPELAGO.]
Before sunset the westernmost isle of D'Entrecasteaux's Archipel de la Recherche was in sight to the eastward, and at half-past seven our distance from it was about six miles. The French admiral had mostly skirted round the archipelago, a sufficient reason for me to attempt passing through the middle, if the weather did not make the experiment too dangerous. It was fine at this time, and the breeze moderate at south-south-west; and I therefore took measures to be in with the western group as early on the following morning as possible, to have the whole day for getting through.
SATURDAY 9 JANUARY 1802
At a quarter-past five we bore away for the south end of the westernmost island, passed in within a mile and a half at seven, and steered eastward for the clusters rising ahead and on both bows. At noon the number of rocks above water, the patches of breakers, and the islands with which we were surrounded made it necessary to heave to, in order to take the angles of so many objects with some degree of accuracy. The situation of the ship, and the three most material bearings were these:
This last peak had been visible from daybreak, and appears to be the top of the imperfectly formed Ile de Remarque of D'Entrecasteaux's chart. and from it I measured with a sextant the angles of most of the other objects. The long reef of rocks called La Chaussée (The Causeway) was four or five miles distant to the southward; and a sunken rock, upon which the sea broke at times, was three miles off to the north-east. The islands were more particularly numerous to the east-south-east, where our course lay; but as they were generally high, with bold rocky shores, and we had hitherto found deep water, I bore away for them so soon as all the bearings were obtained.
The chart alone can give any adequate idea of this labyrinth of islands and rocks, or of our track amongst them until half past five in the evening. We were then abreast of the Ile du Mondrain, and the view from the mast head was almost as crowded as before; but with this difference, that the islands were smaller, and the low rocks and patches of breakers more numerous. Seeing no probability of reaching a space of clear water in which to stand off and on during the night, and no prospect of shelter under any of the islands, I found myself under the necessity of adopting a hazardous measure; and with the concurrence of the master's opinion, we steered directly before the wind for the main coast, where the appearance of some beaches, behind other islands, gave a hope of finding anchorage. At seven in the evening we entered a small sandy bay; and finding it sheltered everywhere except to the south-westward, in which direction there were many islands and rocks in the offing to break off the sea, the anchor was dropped in 7 fathoms, sandy bottom. The master sounded round the ship, but nothing was found to injure the cables; and except the water being shallow in the north-west corner of the bay, there was no danger to be apprehended, unless from strong south-west winds. The critical circumstance under which this place was discovered induced me to give it the name of LUCKY BAY.
SUNDAY 10 JANUARY 1802
I had intended to pursue our route through the archipelago in the morning; but the scientific gentlemen having expressed a desire for the ship to remain two or three days, to give them an opportunity of examining the productions of the country, it was complied with; and they landed soon after daylight. I went on shore also, to make observations upon the rates of the time-keepers; and afterwards ascended a hill at the back of the bay to take angles with a theodolite. A party of the gentlemen were upon the top, eating a fruit not much unlike green walnuts in external appearance, and invited me to partake; but having breakfasted, and not much liking their flavour, I did but taste them. Mr. Thistle and some others who had eaten liberally were taken sick, and remained unwell all the day afterward. The plant which produced these nuts was a species of zamia (Zamia spiralis of Brown's Prodr. flor. Nov. Holl., I. 348); a class of plants nearly allied to the third kind of palm found by captain Cook on the East Coast, the fruit of which produced the same deleterious effects on board the Endeavour.*
[* Hawkesworth, Vol. III. p. 220.,221.]
The weather, unfortunately for my bearings, was so hazy that unless objects were eminently conspicuous they could not be distinguished beyond four or five leagues. My list, however, contained forty-five islands and clusters of rocks, independently of many patches of breakers where nothing above water appeared; yet most of those in the western part of the archipelago were invisible, either from their distance or from being hidden by other lands.
In turning from the view of these complicated dangers to that of the interior country the prospect was but little improved. Sand and stone, with the slightest covering of vegetation, every where presented themselves on the lower lands; and the many shining parts of the sides of the hills showed them to be still more bare. The vegetation, indeed, consisted of an abundant variety of shrubs and small plants, and yielded a delightful harvest to the botanists; but to the herdsmen and cultivator it promised nothing: not a blade of grass, nor a square yard of soil from which the seed delivered to it could be expected back, was perceivable by the eye in its course over these arid plains.
Upon a rock on the side of the hill I found a large nest, very similar to those seen in King George's Sound. There were in it several masses resembling those which contain the hair and bones of mice, and are disgorged by the owls in England after the flesh is digested. These masses were larger, and consisted of the hair of seals and of land animals, of the scaly feathers of penguins, and the bones of birds and small quadrupeds. Possibly the constructor of the nest might be an enormous owl, and if so, the cause of the bird being never seen, whilst the nests were not scarce, would be from its not going out until dark; but from the very open and exposed situations in which the nests were found, I should rather judge it to be of the eagle kind, and that its powers are such as to render it heedless of any attempts from the natives upon its young.
MONDAY 11 JANUARY 1802
On the following morning I sent the master to examine a small bay or cove lying two miles to the westward of Lucky Bay. He found it to be capable of receiving one ship, which might be placed in perfect security in the western corner, with anchors out on the off bow and quarter, and hawsers on the other side fast to the shore. She would thus lie in from 3 to 5 fathoms, almost near enough to lay a stage to the beach. There was wood for fuel; and at less than a hundred yards from the shore, a lake of fresh water, one mile in circumference, from which a small stream runs into the cove; but another stream, descending from the hills nearer into the western corner, would better suit the purposes of a ship. This account was from the master, after whom this little but useful discovery was named Thistle's Cove. It seems to be much superior to Lucky Bay, where neither wood nor water can be procured without much time and trouble, nor is the shelter so complete.
TUESDAY 11 JANUARY 1802
Next day Mr. Thistle was sent to examine the coast and islands to the eastward, when he found the archipelago to be full as dangerous in that direction as to the west. He landed upon an island three leagues distant, and brought me from thence a list of other islands and rocks further on, whose bearings had been taken. Several seals were procured on this and the preceding day, and some fish were caught alongside the ship; but our success was much impeded by three monstrous sharks, in whose presence no other fish dared to appear. After some attempts we succeeded in taking one of them; but to get it on board required as much preparation as for hoisting in the launch. The length of it, however, was no more than twelve feet three inches, but the circumference of the body was eight feet. Amongst the vast quantity of substances contained in the stomach was a tolerably large seal, bitten in two, and swallowed with half of the spear sticking in it with which it had probably been killed by the natives. The stench of this ravenous monster was great even before it was dead; and when the stomach was opened it became intolerable.
WEDNESDAY 13 JANUARY 1802
On the 13th the wind blew fresh from the eastward; and as we could not sail with the ship, lieutenant Fowler and Mr. Thistle went over to Mondrain Island, the largest we had yet seen in the archipelago. An observation of the latitude and a set of angles were there taken, and they brought back some seals of a reddish fur, and a few small kangaroos of a species different from any I had before seen. The island was covered with brush wood; but some of the party, either from accident or design, set it on fire, and the wind being fresh, there was a general blaze in the evening all over the island.
Very little other stone was seen about Lucky Bay than granite; and all the surrounding hills, as well as the islands visited, were composed of varieties of the same substance; and some specimens from Mondrain Island contained garnets. In many places the surface of the rocks was scaling off in layers, and in the steep parts great lumps had fallen off, and some caverns were formed in the cliffs. This propensity to decomposition was more remarkable in the high peak of Cape Le Grand, about five miles to the westward, to which Mr. Brown made an excursion. He found a perforation at the top forming an arch of great width and height, and above it, at the very summit of the peak, were loose pieces of granite of considerable size.
There did not appear to be any Indians at this time in the neighbourhood of Lucky Bay; but from their fire places, it was judged that they had not quitted it long since. Geese and ducks were found here, and not being very shy, some of them were killed by the shore parties. The goose was also found upon the islands; and is the same bird spoken of in the Introduction [**] as resembling the bernacle goose, and frequenting Furneaux's Islands in Bass Strait.*
[* This goose is described by M. Labillardière, page 258 of the London translation, as a new species of swan.]
[** "Of the birds which frequent Furneaux's Islands, the most valuable are the goose and black swan; but this last is rarely seen here, even in the freshwater pools, and except to breed, seems never to go on shore. The goose approaches nearest to the description of the species called bernacle; it feeds upon grass, and seldom takes to the water. I found this bird in considerable numbers on the smaller isles, but principally upon Preservation Island; its usual weight was from seven to ten pounds, and it formed our best repasts, but had become shy. Gannets, shags, gulls, and red-bills were occasionally seen; as also crows, hawks, paroquets, and a few smaller birds. Fish were not plentiful, but some were taken with hook and line from the rocks."]
The latitude, observed upon a point of the main land on the east side of Lucky Bay, from one supplement of the sun's altitude, was 33° 59' 45"; but as the supplement of the preceding day gave 39" less than the mean of both observations, I consider the true latitude to be more nearly 34° 0' 20" S.
The longitude from sixteen sets of distances of the sun east and west of the moon, of which the individual results are given in Table II of the Appendix to this volume, was 122° 15' 42"; but from the two best time keepers, in which, from the short period since leaving King George's Sound, I put most confidence, it will be more correctly 122° 14' 14" E.
Dip of the south end of the needle, taken on shore upon the granite rock, 66° 4' 0"
But I am inclined to think it was attracted by the granite; and that, had the needle been considerably elevated, it would not have shown more dip than at King George's Sound, where it was 64°.
The variation deduced from observations taken on shore, morning and evening, with three compasses placed on the same rock, was 2° 35' west; with Walker's meridional compass, 4° 55'; and with the surveying theodolite 0° 30' west.* An amplitude taken on board the ship, with the head east-south-east, gave 7° 25', which, reduced to what it should be with the head in the meridian, is 4° 26' west. The mean, and what I consider to be nearest the true variation in this neighbourhood, will be 3° 6' west.
[* It is remarkable, that the difference between these three kinds of instruments is directly the reverse here of what it was in King George's Sound.]
This is what I allowed upon the bearings taken with the theodolite upon the top of the hill behind the bay, and it appeared to be the same upon two small islands, one to the east and the other west, where Mr. Thistle took angles; but at Mondrain Island there seemed to be considerable differences.
Before entering the archipelago, the variation was observed to be 9° 21' west, with the ship's head east-south-east; but at three leagues to the east of Termination Island, in the following year, and with the head at east-north-east, it was no more than 3° 50' west. From the first, I should deduce the true variation on the west side of the archipelago to be 6° 28', and off Termination Island, from the second, to be 0° 57' west; both of which coincide with the other observations in showing the islands of the archipelago to possess a considerable degree of magnetic attraction.
The rise of tide in Lucky Bay was so trifling, that under the circumstances of our stay no attention was paid to it.
THURSDAY 14 JANUARY 1802
In the morning of the 14th, the wind being then light from the northward, we got under way and steered for Mondrain Island. In our route eastward from thence, several low rocks and patches of breakers were left on each side, besides small islands whose bearings had been taken from the hill behind Lucky Bay; the depth of water, however, was between 20 and 30 fathoms. The wind was then moderate from the south-westward, but the weather so hazy that there was much difficulty, and some uncertainty, in recognizing the different islands.
At half-past ten we steered more towards the main land, that no opening in it might escape unseen; and at noon, hove to for the purpose of taking bearings. The latitude observed to the north was 34° 2', and longitude 122° 36'. A chain of islands and breakers lay about two miles to the northward; and amongst the cluster to the east were two islands with peaks upon them, which, from their similarity, were named the Twins: the southernmost and nearest bore E. 7° N., three leagues. The nearest part of the main land was a projection with hills upon it which had been set from Lucky Bay, whence it is nearly five leagues distant; the intermediate space being a large bight with a low, sandy coast at the back, and containing many small islands and breakers. To the eastward of the hilly projection the coast seemed again to be sandy; but although our distance from it was not more than six or seven miles, it was scarcely visible through the haze.
After the bearings were obtained we bore away along the south side of the chain of islands and rocks; and at half-past one steered north-east to look for a place of shelter, either amongst the cluster near the Twins or in the opposite main land. The water shoaled amongst the small islands, from 30 to 10 fathoms, and suddenly to 3, when the bottom was distinctly seen under the ship. The next cast was 7 fathoms, and we steered on eastward for two islets three-quarters of a mile asunder, between which the master was sent to sound. On his making the signal we followed through, having 20 fathoms, and afterwards hauled the wind to the south-east, seeing no hope of shelter either amongst the islands or near the main land. The coast stretched eastward with little sinuosity, and was sandy, but not so low as before.
At six o'clock we had some larger, flat islands to windward, and in the east-south-east was one much higher and of greater extent, which proved to be the I. du Milieu (Middle Island) of D'Entrecasteaux. Betwixt this island and his Cap Aride on the main there were many small isles and apparently passages; and we therefore bore away in the hope of finding anchorage against the approaching night. Many patches of breakers were passed; and seeing a small bay in the north side of Middle Island, we stood in for it under shortened sail, and came to an anchor in 7 fathoms, sandy bottom, off the first of three small beaches. The island sheltered us from east-north-east, round by the south to west-by-north; and to the northward there was, besides the main land, a number of reefs and small isles, of which the nearest and largest was a quarter of a mile distant, as Middle Island was on the other side. The master was immediately sent to examine the passage through to the eastward, that we might know whether there were a possibility of escape in case the anchor should not hold; for the wind blew fresh at west-south-west, and threw some swell into the bay; he found 3 fathoms in the shallow part of the opening.
FRIDAY 15 JANUARY 1802
The botanists landed in the morning upon Middle Island; for I had determined to stop a day or two, as well for their accommodation as to improve my chart of the archipelago. I went to the northern island, which is one mile long and near half a mile in breadth, and found it to be covered with tufts of wiry grass intermixed with a few shrubs. Some of the little, blue penguins, like those of Bass Strait, harboured under the bushes; and amongst the grass and upon the shores were a number of the bernacle geese, of which we killed nine, mostly with sticks; and sixteen more were procured in the course of the day.
After taking bearings from the uppermost of the small elevations of GOOSE ISLAND, as it was now named, I ascended the high north-western hill of Middle Island, which afforded a more extensive view. The furthest visible part of the main land was a projecting cape, with a broad-topped hill upon it bearing N. 58° E., six or seven leagues. This projection not having been seen by D'Entrecasteaux, was named after the late admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, under whom I had the honour of entering the naval service. The shore betwixt Cape Pasley and Cape Arid is low and sandy, and falls back in a large bight, nearly similar to what is formed on the west side of Cape Arid. Behind that cape was a high bank of sand, which stretched from one bight nearly to the other, and had the appearance of having been the sea shore not very long since.
(Atlas, Plate XVII. View 5.*)
[* This view was taken in the following year, at five leagues distant from Middle Island, but it shows the form of the mount, and of the granitic ridge.]
The mount upon which I stood is the highest part of a ridge of almost bare granite, extending along, or rather forming the west side of Middle Island. The other parts of the island are low, and thickly covered with brush wood and some trees, where a small species of kangaroo seemed to be numerous, though none were caught. In the north-eastern part was a small lake of a rose colour, the water of which, as I was informed by Mr. Thistle who visited it, was so saturated with salt that sufficient quantities were crystallised near the shores to load a ship. The specimen he brought on board was of a good quality, and required no other process than drying to be fit for use. This lake is at the back of the easternmost of three small beaches on the north side of the island, and it might be concluded that the salt was formed by the evaporation of the water oozing through the bank which separates it from the sea; but as, in the small drainings from the hills, the water was too salt to be drinkable, this may admit of a doubt.
SATURDAY 16 JANUARY 1802
On Saturday morning a part of the people were employed cutting a boat load of fire wood, and the master was again sent to sound the passage out to the eastward, and amongst the rocks lying beyond it. The shallowest depth he found was 3 fathoms, after which the water deepened to 7 and 10, past the north-east point and out to sea. He landed upon some of the rocky islets, and brought from thence twenty-seven more geese, some of them alive. The botanical gentlemen employed the day in going round Middle Island, but they found very little to reward their labour. A piece of fir plank, with nails in it, which seemed to have been part of a ship's deck, was picked up on the shore; but no trace of the island having been visited, either by Europeans or the natives of the main land, was any where seen.
The basis stone of this, as it appears to be of all the islands as well as of the coast of the archipelago, is granitic; but at the south side of Middle Island there is a thick crust of calcareous rock over it, as there is at the south end of Goose Island. It was also on the south side of King George's Sound that the calcareous rock covered the granite; a coincidence which may perhaps afford some light to the geologist.
The latitude of Goose Island Bay, for so this anchorage was named, is 34° 5' 23" south, and longitude by the two best time keepers corrected 123° 9' 30",5 east; the observations being made on the middlemost of the three southern beaches.
The variation from azimuth, observed on the binnacle when the ship's head was west-south-west, was 0° 54' west, and in the following year similar observations taken at anchor one mile to the eastward, with the head east, gave 6° 10' west; whence I deduce the variation which would have been obtained with the head at north or south, to be 3° 25' west. From the bearings on shore, compared with the latitudes and longitudes, it appeared to be 5¼° on the centre of Goose Island; and 4° upon the granitic mount of Middle Island.
No run of tide was observed, notwithstanding the narrowness of the channel, where the ship lay.
Goose-Island Bay may be useful as a place of refreshment, but the geese were not found to be so numerous at a different season of the year: a few hair seals may be procured, probably at all times. The wood is a species of eucalyptus, neither abundant nor large; but two or three ships may be supplied with fuel. Fresh water was not to be obtained upon either of the islands; but upon the opposite Cape Arid, five miles to the north, I judged there might be small streams running down from the hills. The lake of salt will be the greatest inducement for vessels to stop in this bay; they must not, however, come to it in the winter season, as there will be occasion to show hereafter.
SUNDAY 17 JANUARY 1802
On the 17th in the morning, the anchor was weighed and we steered out eastward. The shallowest water was seventeen feet, between the south-east point of Goose Island and the opposite west point of the middle beach; after which it deepened; and abreast of the middle rock there was 7 fathoms. Having cleared the islets lying off the north-east point of Middle Island, we steered for Cape Pasley, leaving the South-East Isles of the archipelago far distant on the starbord hand. A low islet and some rocks lie three miles to the south of the Cape, and the soundings we had in passing between them were 28 and 34 fathoms.
The wind at this time was moderate at south-west, with fine weather. Middle Island and Cape Arid were still visible at noon, and the Eastern Group, which, according to D'Entrecasteaux, terminated the archipelago, was coming in sight. Our situation and most material bearings were then as under: