A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume I Part 4

S. W., they worked through. between Dungeness and Warriors Islands, with the flood tide. They then anch.o.r.ed in 11 fathoms; the first Island bearing S. S. E. to S W. three leagues, and the second E. by S. S.

July 28. Having a fresh breeze at E. S. E., the long boat was sent ahead, and the ships followed, to the westward. They pa.s.sed Turtle-backed Island, the Cap, and the Brothers, on one side, and Nichols' Key on the other: the soundings gradually shoaling from 12 to 7 fathoms. Upon the Cap, Mr. Bampton "saw a volcano burning with great violence," which induced him to give it the name of _Fire Island_; not knowing that it had before been named. At noon, the Brothers, with the Cap and Turtle-backed Island behind, bore S. E. by S. to S. E. four miles; and Mount Cornwallis N. 16 W.

The water continued to shoal; and at three p.m., the ships anch.o.r.ed in 5 fathoms, sand, sh.e.l.ls, and stones; the Brothers bearing E. by S. S.

five leagues, and Mount Cornwallis N. by E. E. There were two large islands in sight in the S. S. W. W. to S. W. S., at the distance of eight or ten leagues; and many nearer reefs in the same direction.

July 29. The long boat was sent to sound in the north-west; and when the ebb tide slacked, the ships followed: wind at E. S. E. The soundings increased from 5 to 7 fathoms; and afterwards varied between these depths, until noon; when the lat.i.tude observed was 9 42' south.* The Brothers then bore S. 64 E.; Mount Cornwallis N. 38 E; and a long, low island (Turn-again., of Bligh,) N. 35 to 58 W. At three p.m. the reefs were so numerous, that the ships were obliged to anchor, until the boats could sound for a pa.s.sage: the depth here was 4 fathoms, on a bottom of rotten stones and coral.

[* This lat.i.tude is from 4' to 6' more _south_ than captain Bligh's positions; and the same difference occurs in all the observations, where a comparison can be made.]

July 31. They weighed, and hauled the wind eastward, to pa.s.s round Turn-again Island; bearing away occasionally to avoid small reefs: the soundings 5 to 4 fathoms. After pa.s.sing round, they anch.o.r.ed in 5 fathoms; until the boats should sound between the reefs which appeared on every side: Turn-again Island then bore S. 56 to 83 W. about two leagues, Mount Cornwallis N. 56 E., the Brothers S. 50 E.; the lat.i.tude observed was 9 32', and longitude from four sights of the sun and moon, 140 58' east. Next afternoon, in proceeding to the north-westward, the Chesterfield struck upon a bank in eight feet water; but the coral giving way to the ship, she went over without injury. In the evening, they both anch.o.r.ed in 4 fathoms, gravel and sh.e.l.ls; Mount Cornwallis bearing E.

S., and a long tract of land from N. W. by N. to N. E., at the distance of five or six leagues. Turn-again Island bore S. S. E. E. to S. W., four miles; and thither the ships ran on Aug. 3, and anch.o.r.ed in 3 fathoms, fine sand, within a quarter of a mile of the sh.o.r.e; the extremes bearing S. 58 E. to 60 W. The purpose for which they came to this island, was to procure wood, water, and refreshments; during the time necessary for the boats to explore a pa.s.sage through the innumerable reefs and banks, which occupy this part of the Strait.

Messieurs Bampton and Alt remained here seventeen days; being afraid to move with the strong south-east winds which blew during the greater part of the time. Turn-again Island is flat, low, and swampy; and about three miles in length, by half that s.p.a.ce in breadth. (Mr. Bampton's chart makes it the double of these dimensions; and, generally, the islands in it exceed the description of the journal in about the same proportion: the journal seems to be the preferable authority.) The reefs which surround Turn-again Island, extend a great distance to the east and west; particularly in the latter direction, where there are many dry sand banks. The island is mostly over-run with mangroves; and at the top of the flood, the wood cutters were obliged to work in the water; and were, at all times, exceedingly annoyed with musketoes. The island is said, in the journal, to be in 9 34; south and 140 55' east; which is 3' to the south and 1 24' west of its situation in the chart of captain Bligh.

No other refreshment than small quant.i.ties of fish, crabs, and sh.e.l.l-fish, being procurable here, the ships crews were further reduced in their short allowance. With respect to fresh water, their situation was still worse: None could be obtained upon Turn-again Island; and had not captain Bampton ingeniously contrived a _still_, their state would have been truly deplorable. He caused a cover, with a hole in the centre, to be fitted by the carpenter upon a large cooking pot; and over the hole he funded an inverted tea kettle, with the spout cut off. To the stump of the spout, was fitted a part of the tube of a speaking trumpet; and this was lengthened by a gun barrel, which pa.s.sed through a cask of salt water, serving as a cooler. From this machine, good fresh water, to the amount of twenty-five to forty gallons per day, was procured; and obtained a preference to that contained in the few casks remaining in the Hormuzeer.

By Aug. 20., when the weather had become more moderate, the boats had sounded amongst the reefs in all directions; but there appeared to be no practicable pa.s.sage out of this labyrinth, except to the north-west. In that direction the ships proceeded three hours, in from 6 to 3 fathoms.

Next afternoon, they steered westward, with the flood tide; and again anch.o.r.ed in 3 fathoms, sand and gravel. The coast of New Guinea then extended from N. by E. E. to N. W. N.; and the north-west end of a long island, to which the name of _Talbot_ was given, bore N. by E. E.

nine or ten miles.

Aug. 22, At day-light they followed the long boat to the westward., in soundings from 2 to 4 fathoms. At seven o'clock, the Hormuzeer grounded in 2 fathoms; upon a bank whence Talbot's Island bore N. N. E. to E. N.

E., eight or ten miles, and where the observed lat.i.tude was 9 27' south.

She remained upon this bank until the morning of the 24th; when Mr.

Bampton got into a channel of 13 fathoms, which had been found by the boats, and the ship did not appear to have received other damage, than the loss of the false keel. The _still_ continued to be kept at work, day and night.

Aug. 27. Messieurs Bampton and Alt proceeded onward in a track which had been sounded by the boats. At sunset, they came to, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of New Guinea then bearing N. W. by W. to N. E. by E., three or four leagues. Some further progress was made next morning; and at noon, when at anchor in 3 fathoms, and in lat.i.tude 9 26', an island was discovered bearing S. W. S. five or six leagues; which received, eventually, the name of DELIVERANCE ISLAND.

Aug. 29. The Hormuzeer grounded at low water; from which it appeared that the tide had fallen twelve feet, though then at the neaps. When the ship floated, they made sail to the westward; and deepened the water to 9 and 12 fathoms. At noon, it had again shoaled to 6; Deliverance Island bearing S. S. W. W. nine or ten miles, and New Guinea N. W. to N. by E.

E. four or five leagues: lat.i.tude observed 9 25' south. After proceeding a little further westward, they anch.o.r.ed in 5 fathoms.

Aug. 30. The soundings varied as before, between 4 and 10 fathoms: the bottom, rotten coral intermixed with sand. At noon, when the lat.i.tude was 9 21', Deliverance Island was just in sight from the deck, in the S. E.

by S.; and the extremes of New Guinea bore N. E. by E. to N. W. W., ten or twelve miles.* In the afternoon, the depth again decreased to 4 fathoms, and obliged them to anchor until morning. On the 31st, the ships appear to have steered south-westward, leaving on the starbord hand a very extensive bank, on which the long boat had 2 fathoms water: the soundings from the Hormuzeer were from 3 to 7 fathoms. At noon, the lat.i.tude was 9 27', and no land in sight. The soundings then increased gradually; and at sunset, no bottom could be found at 40 fathoms. A swell coming from S. S. W. announced an open sea in that direction; and that the dangers of Torres' Strait were, at length, surmounted.

[* Mr. Bampton's chart and journal are more at variance here than in the preceding parts of the Strait, and I have found it very difficult to adjust them; but have attempted it in Plate XIII.]

This pa.s.sage of the Hormuzeer and Chesterfield in _seventy-two_ days, with that made in _nineteen_, by the captains Bligh and Portlock, displayed the extraordinary dangers of the Strait; and appear to have deterred all other commanders from following them, up to the time of the Investigator. Their accounts confirm the truth of Torres having pa.s.sed through it, by showing the correctness of the sketch contained in his letter to the King of Spain.

CONCLUSIVE REMARKS.

The sole remaining information, relative to the North Coast of Terra Australis, was contained in a note, transcribed by Mr. Dalrymple, from a work of burgomaster WITSEN upon the _Migration of Mankind_. The place of which the burgomaster speaks, is evidently on the coast of Carpentaria, near the head of the Gulph; but it is called _New Guinea; and he wrote in 1705_. The note is as follows; but upon whose authority it was given, does not appear:

"In 16 10' south, longitude 159 17'" (east of Teneriffe, or between 142 and 143 east of Greenwich,) "the people swam on board of a Dutch ship; and when they received a present of a piece of linen, they laid it upon their head in token of grat.i.tude: Every where thereabout, all the people are malicious. They use arrows, and bows of such a length, that one end rests on the ground when shooting. They have also _hazeygaeys_ and _kalawaeys_, and attacked the Dutch; but did not know the execution of the guns." On summing up the whole of the knowledge which had been acquired of the North Coast, it will appear, that natural history, geography, and navigation had still much to learn of this part of the world; and more particularly, that they required the accomplishment of the following objects:

1st. _A general survey of TORRES' STRAIT_. The navigation from the Pacific, or Great Ocean to all parts of India, and to the Cape of Good Hope, would be greatly facilitated, if a pa.s.sage through the Strait, moderately free from danger, could be discovered; since _five or six weeks_ of the usual route, by the north of New Guinea or the more eastern islands, would thereby be saved. Notwithstanding the great obstacles which navigators had encountered in some parts of the Strait, there was still room to hope, that an examination of the whole, made with care and perseverance, would bring such a pa.s.sage to light. A survey of it was, therefore, an object much to be desired; not only for the merchants and seamen trading to these parts, but also from the benefits which would certainly accrue therefrom to general navigation and geography.

2nd. _An examination of the sh.o.r.es of the GULPH OF CARPENTARIA_. The real form of this gulph remained in as great doubt with geographers, as were the manner how, and time when it acquired its name.* The east side of the Gulph had been explored to the lat.i.tude of 17, and many rivers were there marked and named; but how far the representation given of it by the Dutch was faithful--what were the productions, and what its inhabitants--were, in a great measure, uncertain. Or rather it was certain, that those early navigators did not possess the means of fixing the positions and forms of lands, with any thing like the accuracy of modern science; and that they could have known very little of the productions, or inhabitants. Of the rest of the Gulph no one could say, with any confidence, upon what authority its form had been given in the charts; so that conjecture, being at liberty to appropriate the Gulph of Carpentaria to itself, had made it the entrance to a vast arm of the sea, dividing Terra Australis into two, or more, islands.

[* I am aware that the president de Brossed says, "This same year also (1628) CARPENTARIA was thus named by P. Carpenter, who discovered it when general in the service of the Dutch Company. He returned from India to Europe, in the month of June 1628, with five ships richly laden." (_Hist.

des Nav. aux Terres Aust_. Tome I. 433). But the president here seems to give either his own, or the Abbe' Prevost's conjectures, for matters of fact. We have seen, that the coast called Carpentaria was discovered long before 1628; and it is, besides, little probable, that Carpenter should have been making discoveries with five ships richly laden and homeward bound. This name of Carpentaria does not once appear in Tasman's Instructions, dated in 1644; but is found in Thevenot's chart of 1663.]

3rd. _A more exact investigation of the bays, shoals, islands, and coasts of ARNHEM'S, and the northern VAN DIEMEN'S, LANDS_. The information upon these was attended with uncertainty; first, because the state of navigation was very low at the time of their discovery; and second, from want of the details and authorities upon which they had been laid down.

The old charts contained large islands lying off the coast, under the names of _T' Hoog Landt_ or _Wessel's Eylandt_, and _Crocodils Eylanden_; but of which little more was known than that, if they existed, they must lie to the eastward of 135 from Greenwich. Of the R. Spult, and other large streams represented to intersect the coast, the existence even was doubtful. That the coast was dangerous, and sh.o.r.es sandy, seemed to be confirmed by Mr McCluer's chart; and that they were peopled by "divers cruel, poor, and brutal nations," was certainly not improbable, but it rested upon very suspicious authority. The Instructions to Tasman. said, in 1644, "Nova Guinea has been found to be inhabited by cruel, wild, savages; and as _it is uncertain what sort of people the inhabitants of the South Lands are_, it may be presumed that they are also wild and barbarous savages, rather than a civilized people." This uncertainty, with respect to the natives of Arnhem's and the northern Van Diemen's Lands, remained, in a great degree, at the end of the eighteenth century.

Thus, whatever could bear the name of _exact_, whether in natural history, geography, or navigation, was yet to be learned of a country possessing five hundred leagues of sea-coast; and placed in a climate and neighbourhood, where the richest productions of both the vegetable and mineral kingdoms were known to exist. A voyage which should have had no other view, than the survey of Torres' Strait and the thorough investigation of the North Coast of Terra Australis, could not have been accused of wanting an object worthy of national consideration.

PRIOR DISCOVERIES IN TERRA AUSTRALIS.

SECTION II.

WESTERN COASTS.

Preliminary Observations.

Discoveries of Hartog: Edel: of the Ship Leeuwin: the Vianen: of Pelsert: Tasman: Dampier: Vlaming: Dampier.

Conclusive Remarks.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. (ATLAS Pl. I.)

Under the term WESTERN COASTS, is comprehended the s.p.a.ce from the western extremity of the northern _Van Diemen's Land_ to the _North-west Cape_ of New Holland; and from thence, southward to _Cape Leeuwin_. The first is usually termed the North-west, and the second the West Coast: Taken together, they present an extent of sh.o.r.e of between seven and eight hundred leagues in length; lying in the fine climates comprised between the 11th and 35th degrees of south lat.i.tude.

HARTOG. 1616.

The recital of discoveries in Tasman's instructions speaks of the first knowledge gained of these coasts in the following terms: "In the years 1616, 1618, 1619, and 1622, the west coast of this _Great unknown_ SOUTH LAND, from 35 to 22 south lat.i.tude, was discovered by outward-bound ships; and among them by the ship _Endragt_." The recital gives no further particulars; but from thence, and from a ma.n.u.script chart by _Eessel Gerrits_, 1627,* there seems to be sufficient authority for attributing the first authenticated discovery of any part of the Western Coasts to DIRK HARTOG, commander of the ship _Endragt_, outward-bound from Holland to India. He appears to have first seen the West Coast in lat.i.tude about 26 south; and to have sailed northward along it, to about 23; giving the name LANDT DE ENDRAGT, to the country so discovered. An important part of his discovery was _Dirk Hartog's Road_ (at the entrance of a sound afterwards called _Shark's Bay_, by Dampier), lying a little south Of 25. Upon one of the islands which form the road there was found, first in 1697, and afterwards in 1801, a plate of tin, bearing the following inscription.

[* See Dalrymple's _Collection concerning Papua_, note, page 6.]

"Anno 1616, the 25th of October arrived here the ship _Endragt_ of Amsterdam; the first merchant _Gillis Miebais_ of Luik, _Dirk Hartog_ of Amsterdam, captain. They sailed from hence for Bantam, the 27th Do." On the lower part, as far as could be distinguished in 1697, was cut with a knife, "The under merchant _Jan Stins_; chief mate _Pieter Dookus_ of Bill. Ao. 1616."

The _Mauritius_, another outward-bound ship, appears to have made some further discovery upon the West Coast, in July 1618, particularly Of WILLEM'S RIVER, near the North-west Cape; but no further particulars are known.

EDEL. 1619.

In Campbell's edition of _Harris' Voyages_ (p. 325), it is said, "The next year the LAND OF EDEL was found, and received its name from the discoverer.". The president De Brosses says nearly the same thing (Tome I. P. 432); whence, combining this with the Dutch recital and the chart of Eessel Gerritz, it should appear that J. DE EDEL commanded an outward-bound ship; and, in July 1619, accidentally fell in with that part of the West Coast to which his name is applied. The extent of Edel's discovery appears, from Thevenot's chart, to have been from about the lat.i.tude 29, northward to 26, where the Land of Endragt commences; but in a chart of this coast, by _Van Keulen_, the name is extended southward to 32 20', past the island Rottenest, which, according to Thevenot, should rather have been the discovery of the ship Leeuwin.

The great reef lying off the coast of Edel, called _Houtman's Abrolhos_, was discovered at the same time; probably by Edel, or by some ship in the same squadron.

THE LEEUWIN. 1622.

I do not find it any where said who commanded the _Leeuwin_, or Lioness; but it should appear, that this was also one of the outward-bound ships which fell in with the West Coast. In Thevenot's chart, Leeuwin's Land comprehends about ninety leagues of the south-west extremity of New Holland; and, from the lat.i.tude of 35, extends northward to about 31; but in later publications, it has been much restricted in its northern limit, apparently, upon the authority of Van Keulen.

THE VIANEN. 1628.

The next discovery upon the Western Coasts was that of the ship _Vianen_, one of the seven which returned to Europe under the command of the governor-general Carpenter. The Dutch recital speaks of this discovery in the following terms. The coast was seen "again accidentally in the year 1628, on the north side, in the lat.i.tude 21 south, by the ship Vianen, homeward bound from India; when they coasted two-hundred miles, without gaining any knowledge of this Great Country; only observing a foul and barren sh.o.r.e, green fields, and very wild, black, barbarous inhabitants."

This was the part called DE WITT'S LAND; but whether the name were applied by the captain of the Vianen does not appear in the recital. De Brosses says, "William de Witt gave his own name to the country which he saw in 1628, to the north of Remessen's River; and which _Viane_, a Dutch captain, had, to his misfortune, discovered in the month of January in the same year; when he was driven upon this coast of De Witt, in 21 of lat.i.tude, and lost all his riches." The confusion that reigns in the president's account does not render it improbable, that the country might have received its _name_ in the way he describes, and in the year 1628; for, in 1644, _De Witt's Land_ is used as a known term for this part of the North-west Coast.

PELSERT. 1629.

Thus far, the parts of the Western Coasts have been distinguished by little else than the dates and limits of their discovery; for, in fact, this is all that has reached us from these early navigators. The following account is of a different character: it is extracted from the twenty-first piece in Thevenot's collection; and, in the table of contents, is said to be translated from the Dutch.