A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume II Part 18

543 corrected, it is preferably 137 3' 15" E.

The rates of the time keepers were found from afternoon's alt.i.tudes in an artificial horizon, between the 16th and 26th; and the means, with their errors from mean Greenwich time, at noon there on the last day of observation, were as under:

Earnshaw's No. 543, slow 2h 29' 11.17" and losing 14.93" per day Earnshaw's No. 520, slow 4h 11' 37.59" and losing 28.25" per day

This rate of No. 543 is only 0.19" more than that found at Sweers'

Island, and so far as the six sets of lunars may be relied on, the longitude by this time keeper was not far from the truth; the letting down on the pa.s.sage therefore did not seem to have produced any change; but in No. 520, the rate is more than 8" greater, and the longitude was getting 1' per day too much to the east, as well before as after it was let down. The coast from Sweers' to Observation Island is consequently laid down by No. 543, with the small accelerating correction arising from the 0.19" increase of rate in 16.4 days.

_Variation_ of the theodolite, observed on the east side of South-west Island, 2 22' east.

In the bearings taken at different parts within the group, the variation seemed to differ from 2 30' to l 30'. The largest variations were on the east sides of the islands, and the smallest on the west sides; seeming to show an attraction of the land upon the south end of the needle. On board the ship, when coasting along the east side of Vanderlin's Island, and the whole group lay to the west, the variation appeared from the bearings to be as much as 4 east.

The best observation made on the _tide_, was on the 23rd, during my boat excursion to the south end of Vanderlin's Island. On that morning the moon pa.s.sed over the meridian at sixteen minutes past ten, and the perpendicular movements of the tide were as follows. At seven o'clock, when I left the sh.o.r.e, the tide was falling; on landing at nine it was stationary, and appeared to be low water; at noon it rose fast, and at three was still rising, and continued so to do, but slowly, until seven in the evening, The tide then began to fall; but after subsiding one foot, it rose again until ten o'clock, and had then attained its greatest height. Low water took place therefore about an hour before, and high water at _eleven hours and a quarter after_ the moon pa.s.sed the meridian: the rise appeared to be from four to seven feet. At Wellesley's Islands high water had taken place an hour and a half earlier, which seems extraordinary, if, as it necessarily must, the flood come from the northward. I think it very probable, that the tide in both places will follow what was observed in King George's Sound on the South Coast; where high water, after becoming gradually later till midnight, happened on the following day before seven in the evening, and then later as before.

The break of three hours in the tide here, is somewhat remarkable: it was not observed amongst Wellesley's Islands, where the tide ran twelve hours each way; but was found to increase as we proceeded west and northward until it became six hours, and the tides a.s.sumed the usual course.

CHAPTER VIII.

Departure from Sir Edward Pellew's Group.

Coast from thence westward.

Cape Maria found to be an island.

Limmen's Bight. Coast northward to Cape Barrow: landing on it.

Circ.u.mnavigation of Groote Eylandt.

Specimens of native art at Chasm Island.

Anchorage in North-west Bay, Groote Eylandt; with remarks and nautical observations.

Blue-mud Bay. Skirmish with the natives.

Cape Shield.

Mount Grindall.

Coast to Caledon Bay.

Occurrences in that bay, with remarks on the country and inhabitants.

Astronomical and nautical observations.

[NORTH COAST. GULPH OF CARPENTARIA.]

MONDAY 27 DECEMBER 1802

(Atlas, Plate XIV.)

At daylight of Dec. 27, we got under way from Pellew's Group; and pa.s.sing between the small isles near Cape Pellew, stretched off to sea with a fresh breeze at W. N. W. At noon the cape bore S. 26 W. four leagues, and towards evening we weathered it, having 10 fathoms water at the distance of five miles; the soundings afterwards diminished gradually to 4 fathoms, at two miles from West Island, where the anchor was dropped on a muddy bottom, for the night. Next morning [TUESDAY 28 DECEMBER 1802], the wind being still at north-west, we again stretched out to sea; and at noon, when the lat.i.tude was 15 24', Cape Pellew bore S. 60 E.

four leagues. We were then standing south-westward; and at three o'clock, West Isle bore from S. 74 E. to about South, the last extreme being hidden by an islet and rock distant two-and-half miles. The main coast was in sight to the south and westward, and we stood for it until six; the ship was then tacked to the north-east, in 3 fathoms, the sh.o.r.e being three miles off, and extending from behind West Island to N. 36 W. It was low, mostly sandy, and covered with wood behind the beaches; and except that some places on the sh.o.r.e were rocky, it altogether resembled the more eastern parts of the gulph. At dusk, the anchor was let go in 6 fathoms, mud and sh.e.l.ls.

WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 1802

A small reef was seen in the morning, two miles to the north-east of the ship, and about seven from the coast. We pa.s.sed half a mile to windward of it with 3 fathoms, and stretched off to sea until noon, with the usual north-western wind; the lat.i.tude was then 15 7', longitude 135 40', and we tacked towards the land, which was not in sight from the mast head. At six in the evening it was distant two leagues, and the extremes bore S. 26 E. to 74 W., the first being the same part which had been set at N. 36 W., the evening before. At seven, we tacked from the sh.o.r.e in 3 fathoms, and on the water deepening to 4, anch.o.r.ed on coa.r.s.e sandy ground. In working along the sh.o.r.e next day [THURSDAY 30 DECEMBER 1802], we met with a shoal of sand and rocks., as far as three leagues off the land; the outer part, upon which we had less than 2 fathoms at noon, lying in 15 13' south and 136 16' east. After getting clear of this danger, we stretched off until dusk; and then anch.o.r.ed in 9 fathoms, grey sand, some back hills being visible in the S. W. by W., but no part of the low sh.o.r.e.

FRIDAY 31 DECEMBER 1802

We had the wind at W. by S. in the morning, and stood off until noon, nine or ten leagues from the coast; two small lumps of land were then seen, bearing S. 53 and 58 W., and at the mast head they were perceived to join, and apparently to form an island. On the wind veering to the south and eastward we steered for it, and before sunset got to an anchor in a small bay on its south side, in 4 fathoms; the extremes of the island bearing N. 81 E. one mile and a half, to S. 83 W. three miles.

The main land was visible three or four leagues to the southward, and a projecting part of the back hills, which at first made like a head land, bore S. 3 W.

A similar error to that at the Capes Van Diemen and Vanderlin has been made here in the Dutch chart, this island being represented as a projection of the main land, and called Cape Maria. To the west of it is marked a large bay or bight, called Limmen's Bogt, where the coast turns north-eastward to a projecting cape without name, which has a shoal, forty miles in length, running out from it; and between this shoal and Cape Maria, is laid down a small island. In these particulars, the old chart was found to be correct as to the general matter of fact, but erroneous in the forms and positions.

SAt.u.r.dAY 1 JANUARY 1803

Fires were seen at night, upon the island; and early in the morning I landed with the botanical gentlemen, to examine the productions and take bearings. My attention was attracted by something like a native's hut, which proved to be an ant hill composed of red earth, about eight feet high, and formed like a hayc.o.c.k; the inhabitants were the same feeble race of insect as before seen at the Prince of Wales' Islands, and the least pressure was sufficient to crush them. From the highest hill on the south side of the island, I set the furthest visible extremity of the main land to the eastward, near which is a low islet, at S. 21 50' E.; from thence it extended past the projecting part of the hills to N. 80 W., where it was lost in Limmen's Bight; but re-appearing 16 further north, it was distinguishable to N. 33 W.

The length of the island is about seven miles, N. E. and S. W., by a variable breadth from one to four miles; and its northern extremity, to which I continue the name of _Cape Maria_, lies in 14 50' south, and 135 53' east. A slaty rock seemed to form its basis; the surface is hilly, well covered with wood, and gra.s.s grows up from amongst the loose stones; and notwithstanding its barren soil, the appearance from the ship was green and pleasant. That men were upon the island was shown by the fires, and it was corroborated by the fresh prints of feet upon the sand; but they eluded our search, and we did not find either canoes or habitations.

On returning to the ship at nine o'clock, we stretched southward for the main coast, with the wind at west. When within five or six miles, the water shoaled to 3 fathoms; and the ship being found to drift to leeward with the tide, a stream anchor was dropped. There seemed to be two tides here in the day, setting nearly east and west, but the rise and fall were so imperceptible by the lead, that it could not be known which was the flood.

The west wind died away at noon, and being succeeded by a sea breeze from the north-eastward, we steered for Limmen's Bight so long as it lasted; and then anch.o.r.ed in 4 fathoms, blue mud, with the island of Cape Maria bearing S. 56 to 86 E., ten or twelve miles. The main land was eight or nine miles off, and visible all round the Bight and as far as N. 6 W.; it was low and woody, and an extensive shelving flat seemed to render it inaccessible to a ship.

At seven in the evening, the land wind came off in a strong squall, with thunder, lightning, and rain; afterwards the weather cleared; and at day light [SUNDAY 2 JANUARY 1803] we followed the line of the coast to the northward. I wished to get as near to it as possible; but the water shoaling to 2 fathoms when six or seven miles off, we ran out east, till it deepened to 4, and then steered north-eastward, parallel to the line of the shoal. A low rock came in sight to seaward, which I took to be the small island laid down to the north-east of Cape Maria, but it lies nearly north from it. At nine o'clock, when the main land was distant seven miles and the depth 6 fathoms,

The low rock, distant 4 miles, bore S. 65 E.

Station hill near C. Maria, dist. 6 leagues, S. 7 E.

A sloping part of the main, higher than the rest, N. 50 W.

Extreme from the mast head, North.

Our lat.i.tude at noon was 14 26' 29", and longitude 135 54'; the main coast was seven miles off, and seen from the mast head as far as N. N. E.

Three miles to the N. 80 E. there were two dry sands, and shoal water extended from them to the north and southward, further than could be distinguished. We had already no more than 3 fathoms; but a sea breeze having set in at E. by S., unfavourably for going without side of the sands, we kept on close to the wind, hoping to find a pa.s.sage within them. The depth varied between 8 and 4 fathoms, till past five o'clock, when it diminished to 2, the main coast being distant five or six miles, and the sands out of sight astern; we then tacked, and stretched E. S. E.

into 4 fathoms, and anch.o.r.ed at dusk on a bottom of gravel. An observation of the moon gave the lat.i.tude here 14 19'; and the variation from an amplitude, with the head E. by S., was 0 43' east, or corrected to the meridian upon the principle often before mentioned, 2 44' east for the true variation.

There is no doubt that the dry banks seen at noon, were meant to be represented in the Dutch chart by the great shoal to the north-east of Cape Maria; but their direction from the cape is there too far eastward; neither do they join to the main land, nor lie out from it more than one-quarter of the distance marked: several turtle were seen in the vicinity of the banks. The main coast in the northern part of Limmen's Bight is not altogether so low as at the head; but the shoal water extends equally far out, and even the southern head of the gulph is not more inaccessible to ships.

We had strong squalls of wind in the night, with rain, thunder, and lightning, and were obliged to drop a second anchor; the wind, however, remained in the north-east, and at daylight [MONDAY 3 JANUARY 1803] we stood for the edge of the shoal. At seven, tacked ship in 3 fathoms; and a breeze coming off the land soon afterward, we steered along the sh.o.r.e until noon, with a good depth of water. Several pieces of distant land, which seemed to be islands of greater elevation than usual, were then seen, from N. by E. to E. S. E.; the main coast was about five miles off, and the furthest part bore north from the mast head. Our lat.i.tude at this time was 14 5', and longitude 136 6' east.

In the afternoon, the soundings became irregular between 4 and 7 fathoms, and the whale boat was sent ahead; but a fresh wind setting in at N. E., the boat was called back, and in being veered astern, got filled with water, broke adrift, and the two men were thrown out. Another boat was lowered down to save them and I ran the ship to leeward and came to an anchor. The whale boat was picked up, as also one of the men; but the other, William Murray, captain of the fore top, being unable to swim, was unfortunately lost.

The weather remained squally, and wind unsettled during the night. In the morning [TUESDAY 4 JANUARY 1803] our course was continued to the northward, leaving extensive land, which I supposed to be the _Groote Eylandt_ of the old charts, six or eight leagues on the starbord hand.

Before commencing the investigation of that island, I wished to trace the main coast further on, and if possible, give the botanists an opportunity of examining its productions; for it was upon the main that they usually made the most interesting discoveries, and only once, since entering the Gulph of Carpentaria, had we been able to land there. At seven o'clock we edged in for the coast; and on coming into 3 fathoms, dropped the anchor on a bottom of blue mud, within a mile of the sh.o.r.e. No part of Groote Eylandt was in sight; but an island of considerable extent and elevation, not noticed in the old chart, lay six or seven miles to the E. N. E.; and I have called it BICKERTON'S ISLAND, in compliment to admiral Sir Richard Bickerton. Between it and the main coast is an open s.p.a.ce, from four to six or seven miles wide, through which, to all appearance from this side, a ship might safely pa.s.s.

Whilst the botanical gentlemen landed abreast of the ship, I took the whale boat to a woody islet, five miles off, close to Bickerton's Island, the soundings across the opening in going to it, being from 3 to 7 fathoms. A meridian observation to the north and south, placed the islet in lat.i.tude 13 48' 30", and the points of the opening to the northward bore N. 18 E. and N. 2 W.; this last was the furthest visible part of the main land; and proving afterwards to be a projecting cape, I named it _Cape Barrow_, after John Barrow. Esq., author of the interesting travels at the Cape of Good Hope. The islet is about half a mile long, and though many bushes and some trees grew upon it, is little more than a bed of sand. There were holes in the beach, made by turtle; and besides other proofs of the islet being sometimes visited by the Indians, I found four human skulls lying at the back of the sh.o.r.e.

From the woody islet I crossed over to the main land near the ship, and took another set of bearings for the survey. Upon the sh.o.r.e were pieces of bamboo, and other traces of the same foreign people of whom mention has frequently been made; and three small huts were found, so entirely covered with gra.s.s that no opening was left; but they were empty, and nothing was buried underneath. On the borders of a small fresh lake the botanists reaped a harvest of new plants, without molestation; indeed no natives were seen any where; but several skeletons were found, standing upright in the hollow stumps of trees; and the skulls and bones being smeared or painted, partly red and partly white, made a very strange appearance. Some kangaroos were perceived at a distance; and judging by their foot-marks on the sand, they were rather numerous. The country near the sea side is stony and barren; further back, it rises gently to a small elevation, and seemed to be moderately well covered with gra.s.s and wood.

WEDNESDAY 5 JANUARY 1803

In the morning of the 5th we got under way, and steered eastward for Groote Eylandt, which I now intended to circ.u.mnavigate. In pa.s.sing the south side of Bickerton's Island, we observed in it a deep bight or bay which would afford shelter in the north-west monsoon., if there be depth sufficient for a ship; and the hills at the back being high and woody, there was a probability of its receiving a stream of fresh water. The country round the entrance of the bight, had the appearance of being sandy and sterile.

Between the nearest parts of Groote and Bickerton's Islands is a s.p.a.ce of eight miles, which seemed to offer a perfectly safe pa.s.sage, with soundings, if I may judge from what we had in crossing the south side, between 13 and 17 fathoms; nor can the rather high and woody isle, which lies almost exactly in the middle of the opening, be considered as presenting any obstacle. This isle, from its local position, would seem to be the central one of three laid down in the Dutch chart between Groote Eylandt and the main; but the lat.i.tude corresponds with the southernmost. I call it _Connexion Island_; because my survey round Groote Eylandt was connected by its means, and made in a great measure independent of the time keepers. The centre of Connexion Island, from observations at noon to the north and south, lies in 13 50' south; and the longitude, deduced at three o'clock when the extremes bore N. 20 W.

to 11 E. four miles, would be 136 27' from the best time keeper; but from the survey and lunar observations, 136 24' east should be more correct.

Our distance from the west side of Groote Eylandt at four o'clock, was not quite three miles, and we then bore away southward along the sh.o.r.e, in 8 to 6 fathoms water. This depth diminished gradually to 4 fathoms, and suddenly from that to 2; on which we steered off into 7, and then resumed our southern course. Soon after sunset,

Bickerton's island, south point, bore N. 53 W.