A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume II Part 25

The construction of my chart, and taking bearings from the north end of Bosanquet's Island, occupied me the next day [SAt.u.r.dAY 26 FEBRUARY 1803]; astronomical observations were also taken; and it appeared that the cliffy east end of Bosanquet's Island, a mile north of the anchorage, was in 11 57 1/3' south, and 136 19' east. According to the swinging of the ship in the evenings, the flood tide ceased to run at eight hours and a half after the moon pa.s.sed the upper meridian, whereas in the mornings it ceased seven hours and a half after the moon pa.s.sed below; whether the same difference took place in the times of high water by the sh.o.r.e, I cannot tell; but if the mean of the morning's and evening's tides be taken as the time of high water, it will follow _eight hours after_ the moon, the same nearly as in Malay Road.

[NORTH COAST. ARNHEM BAY.]

SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY 1803

In the morning of the 27th, we steered south-westward between Inglis'

Island and the main, to explore the opening on the west side of Mallison's Island. The tide, which was in our favour, so stirred up the soft mud, that we did not perceive a shoal until from 4, the depth diminished to 2 fathoms, and the ship stuck fast. This was at less than a mile from the north-east head of Inglis' Island, yet the deepest water lay within; and towards noon, by carrying out a stream anchor, we got there into 10 fathoms, without having suffered any apparent injury. On the approach of low water next morning [MONDAY 28 FEBRUARY 1803], we resumed our course, keeping nearly midway between the main coast and the island, with soundings from 13 to 7 fathoms, muddy ground; the sh.o.r.es are above two miles asunder, but the reefs from each side occupy more than half of the open s.p.a.ce. On clearing the south end of the pa.s.sage, the boat ahead made signal for 4 fathoms, and we tacked, but afterwards followed till noon; heavy rain then came on, and the wind dying away, an anchor was dropped in 6 fathoms.

There was a rippling not far from the ship, and the master found it to be on a narrow shoal extending north and south, which seems to have been formed in the eddy of the tides. We got under way, on a breeze from N. W.

bringing finer weather; and at two o'clock pa.s.sed over the shoal with soundings twice in 3 fathoms, and afterwards in 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14. The bearings taken in 3 fathoms were,

Inglis' Island, north-east head, N. 50 E.

Inglis' Island, low south-west point, N. 15 W.

Mallison's I., high south-east head, S. 3 E.

At six o'clock we entered the opening, and steered south-eastward into a vast piece of water where the land could not be seen from the mast head; and the soundings were deep, though irregular, varying from 11 to 33 fathoms. At half past eight, being well within the opening, we tacked towards Mallison's Island, and came to an anchor in 15 fathoms, sand and sh.e.l.ls.

TUESDAY 1 MARCH 1803

In the morning, our distance from the south side of the island was found to be something above a mile, and the extremes bore N. 64 W. to 39 E.

In going to the sh.o.r.e with a party of the gentlemen I carried a good depth all the way, there being 5 fathoms within a few yards of a little beach where a stream of fresh water descended from the hills. A first view of the cliffs led me to think they contained coals; but this appearance arose from the colour of the slate, of which the lower parts are composed. The top of the island is of sand stone, similar to the English Company's Islands; and it seemed to be equally, or more barren than they, and to be dest.i.tute of any rich vallies.

My bearings were taken on the south-eastern head; but even from thence, the land was not visible to the southward beyond a low islet surrounded with shoals, and to the E. S. E. it was but faintly seen. The west side of the entrance was composed of broken land, like islands, extending out far to the northward; on the east, the s.p.a.ce which separated Mallison's Island from the nearest part of the main seemed to be not more than half a mile broad, and was so filled with rocks as scarcely to admit the pa.s.sage of a boat. This part of the main land is a projecting cape, low without side but forming a steep head within; and I have named it _Cape Newbald_. The most essential bearings were these:--

Inglis' I. station on the north-east head, N. 39 5' E.

Inglis' I. west extreme, N. 15 18 W.

Furthest western land visible, N. 26 10 W.

Probable Island, low north point, N. 39 2 W.

Low islet up the bay, dist. ten miles, S. 7 to 9 13 E.

These bearings and the observations place the south-east head of Mallison's Island in 12 11' south, and 136 8' east.

We returned on board at eleven, and then steered eastward along the south side of Cape Newbald; the flood tide, which set in that direction, having induced the hope of finding a river there. The wind was light and scant, so that we advanced princ.i.p.ally by means of the tide; and finding it to run against us at five in the evening, anch.o.r.ed in 5 fathoms, mud and sh.e.l.ls, eight or nine miles above the entrance of the bay, and one and a half from a rocky point on the Cape-Newbald side. We proceeded with the flood tide, next morning [WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 1803], in a varying depth from 3 to 5 fathoms; and after advancing four or five miles, it was found impossible to go further without risk of getting aground, and we therefore came to an anchor. The land on the east side of the bay was distant three miles, and no other than a shallow opening in the north-east corner could be seen; a disappointment which left little to be expected in the southern parts of the bay, to which no set of tide had been perceived. In consequence, I gave up the intention of further prosecuting the examination in the ship, in favour of going round in my boat; and directed lieutenant Fowler, so soon as the botanical gentlemen should have explored the productions on the nearest part of Cape Newbald, to return with the ship to the entrance of the bay, and anchor near some low cliffs on the western side, where the botanists could again pursue their researches until my arrival.

Mr. Bauer the natural-history painter, himself a good botanist, expressed a wish to accompany me, and with Mr. Bell, the surgeon, we went off in the afternoon, steering S. S. E. for a small beach in the low, woody sh.o.r.e, five or six miles off. Squalls of wind with heavy rain prevented sounding in the first half of the way; but we then had nine feet, and nearly the same to the beach, where we landed at dusk. The wood was very thick here, the ground swampy, and the musketoes numerous and fierce; so that between them and our wet clothes we had very little rest.

THURSDAY 3 MARCH 1803

In the morning, after bearings had been taken from a projecting part of the ironstone sh.o.r.e, we steered four miles to the S. S. W., mostly in 2 fathoms, to some low cliffs of red earth; where Mr. Bauer examined the productions of the main land, whilst I took bearings from a small islet or bank of iron ore, lying near it.

The ship at anchor, dist. 8 or 9 miles, bore N. 1 15' E.

Mallison's I., south-western cliffs, N. 50 25 W.

Low islet in the bay, centre., S. 89 30 W.

Seeing that the sh.o.r.e took a western direction about five miles further on, we steered for the low islet; and at a mile from the land had 3, and afterwards 5 fathoms until approaching a long sandy spit, which extends out from the east end of the islet and was then dry. I landed upon it in time to observe the sun's meridian alt.i.tude, which gave 12 22' 6" south, but a pa.s.sing cloud deprived me of the supplement. The islet is little else than a bed of sand, though covered with bushes and small trees; there were upon it many marks of turtle and of turtle feasts; and finding the musketoes less numerous than on the main, we stopped to repose during the heat of the day.

In the afternoon, after taking bearings, we steered over to the south side of the bay, four miles off, with soundings from 7 at the deepest, to 3 fathoms at a mile from the iron-stone sh.o.r.e. The land is low and covered with wood, and the traces of kangaroo being numerous, the surgeon was induced to make a little excursion into the wood, whilst I took bearings and Mr. Bauer pursued his botanical researches. Mr. Bell found the country to be tolerably fertile, but had no success in his hunting; and at night we returned to the islet to sleep, hoping to procure some turtle; but no more than three came on sh.o.r.e, and one only was caught, the laying season appearing to be mostly past.

FRIDAY 4 MARCH 1803

At daylight we steered for a low rocky island, seven or eight miles to the W. N. W., where I took angles from the iron-stone rocks at its south end, and Mr. Bauer examined the vegetable productions. To the S. S. W., about five miles, was a woody point, on the east side of which no land was visible; and the depth of water in coming across from Low Islet having been as much as 10 fathoms, it left a suspicion that a river might fall into the south-west corner of the bay, and induced me to row over to the point. The soundings diminished from 5 to 3 fathoms; in which depth the boat being brought to a grapnel, I found the lat.i.tude to be 12 20'

27", from observations to the north and south, and set Low Islet E. 7 S.

by a pocket compa.s.s.

From thence to the point the water was shallow, and the open s.p.a.ce proved to be a shoal bight, with very low land at the back. After I had taken bearings, to ascertain the position of the point and form this side of the bay, we returned northward, pa.s.sing on the west side of the rocky island; and the ship having arrived at the appointed station, got on board at eight o'clock in the evening.

SAt.u.r.dAY 5 MARCH 1803

On laying down the plan of this extensive bay, I was somewhat surprised to see the great similarity of its form to one marked near the same situation in the Dutch chart. It bears no name; but as not a doubt remains of Tasman, or perhaps some earlier navigator, having explored it, I have given it the appellation of the land in which it is situate, and call it ARNHEM BAY. So far as an extent of secure anchoring ground is concerned, it equals any harbour within my knowledge; there being more than a hundred square miles of s.p.a.ce fit for the reception of ships, and the bottom seemed to be every where good. Of the inducements to visit Arnhem Bay, not much can be said. Wood is plentiful at all the sh.o.r.es, and the stream which ran down the hills at Mallison's Island would have supplied us conveniently with water, had it been wanted; but in three months afterwards it would probably be dried up. In the upper parts of the bay the sh.o.r.es are low, and over-run with mangroves in many places; but near the entrance they may be approached by a ship, and there are beaches for hauling the seine, where, however, we had not much success.

We saw no other stone on the low sh.o.r.es than iron ore, similar to that found in the upper part of Melville Bay, and on Point Middle in Caledon Bay; and it seems probable, that iron runs through the s.p.a.ce of country comprehended between the heads of the three bays, although the exterior sh.o.r.es and the hills be either granitic, argillaceous, or of sand stone.

The flat country where the iron ore is found, seems to afford a good soil, well-clothed with gra.s.s and wood, much superior to that where granite or sand stone prevails; this I judge from what was seen near the heads of the bays, for our excursions inland were necessarily very confined, and for myself, I did not quit the water side at Arnhem Bay, being disabled by s...o...b..tic ulcers on my feet.

This country does not seem to be much peopled, though traces of men were found wherever we landed; in the woods were several species of birds, mostly of the parrot kind, and the marks of kangaroo were numerous, as at Melville Bay. These circ.u.mstances would be in favour of any colony which might be established in the neighbourhood; but should such a step come to be contemplated, it would be highly necessary, in the first place, to see what the country is in the dry season, from June to November; for it is to be apprehended that the vegetation may then be dried up, and the sources of fresh water almost entirely fail.

The middle of the entrance into Arnhem Bay is in lat.i.tude 12 11' south, and longitude 136 3' east. Azimuths taken on board the ship, when at anchor in the north-eastern part of the bay and the head E. by N., gave 0 48' east variation, which corrected to the meridian, would be 2 31'

east; but the most allowed to the bearings on sh.o.r.e is 1 40', and the least 1, no greater difference being produced by the iron stone upon which some were taken. From general observation, the time of high water was nearly the same as in Malay Road, or about _eight hours after_ the moon's pa.s.sage, and the rise seemed to be six or eight feet.

Before noon of the 5th we quitted Arnhem Bay, and steered northward along the chain of islands extending out from the west side of the entrance. On approaching the north end of Probable Island the soundings diminished to 4 fathoms, and a short tack was made to the S. E.; and the flood tide becoming too strong to be stemmed with a light breeze, an anchor was dropped in 17 fathoms, sand and stones. A dry reef had been set from Mallison's Island, and should have lain about two miles S. E. from this anchorage; but it was not seen from the ship, being probably covered by the tide. There were two natives, with a canoe, under Probable Island, and some others were standing on the beach; but no attempt was made to approach the ship, nor did I send on sh.o.r.e to them.

SUNDAY 6 MARCH 1803

In the morning we had a moderate breeze at E. S. E., and pursued the line of the main coast and islands to the northward at the distance of three or four miles, with soundings from 10 to 17 fathoms. Both the coast and islands are in general so low and near to each other, that it was difficult to say whether some were not connected; at eleven, however, we approached two which certainly were islands, and there being a clear pa.s.sage between the surrounding reefs of a mile and a half wide, we steered through it with 12 to 17 fathoms. The north-easternmost most, which I have named after captain _Cunningham_ of the navy, is four or five miles in circ.u.mference, and of moderate elevation; and lies in 11 47' south and 136 6' east by the survey.

[NORTH COAST. WESSEL'S ISLANDS.]

A third chain of islands commences here, which, like Bromby's and the English Company's Islands, extend out north-eastward from the coast. I have frequently observed a great similarity both in the ground plans and elevations of hills, and of islands in the vicinity of each other; but do not recollect another instance of such a likeness in the arrangement of cl.u.s.ters of islands. This third chain is doubtless what is marked in the Dutch chart as one long island, and in some charts is called Wessel's Eylandt; which name I retain with a slight modification, calling them WESSEL'S ISLANDS. They had been seen from the north end of Cotton's Island to reach as far as thirty miles out from the main coast; but this is not more than half their extent, if the Dutch chart be at all correct.

At noon, when Cunningham's Island bore from S. 1 to 26 E., at the distance of two miles, the furthest visible part of Wessel's Islands bore N. 53 E.; it was not distant, for the weather was squally with rain, and both prevented us from seeing far and obscured the sun. To the westward, we had land at the distance of three or four miles; and from its north-east end, which is named _Point Dale_, three small isles with rocks extended out to the bearing of N. 16 E., which we could not weather without making a tack. At three they were pa.s.sed; and at six in the evening the outer islet bore S. 14 E., four leagues, and the most western part of the land of Point Dale, S. 36 W.; but whether this last were an island or a part of the main, was still doubtful.

For the last several days the wind had inclined from the eastward, and at this time blew a steady breeze at E. by S., with fine weather; as if the north-west monsoon were pa.s.sed, and the south-east trade had resumed its course. We had continued the survey of the coast for more than one-half of the six months which the master and carpenter had judged the ship might run without much risk, provided she remained in fine weather and no accident happened; and the remainder of the time being not much more than necessary for us to reach Port Jackson, I judged it imprudent to continue the investigation longer. In addition to the rottenness of the ship, the state of my own health and that of the ship's company were urgent to terminate the examination here; for nearly all had become debilitated from the heat and moisture of the climate--from being a good deal fatigued--and from the want of nourishing food. I was myself disabled by s...o...b..tic sores from going to the mast head, or making any more expeditions in boats; and as the whole of the surveying department rested upon me, our further stay was without one of its princ.i.p.al objects. It was not, however, without much regret that I quitted the coast; both from its numerous harbours and better soil, and its greater proximity to our Indian possessions having made it become daily more interesting; and also, after struggling three months against foul winds, from their now being fair as could be wished for prosecuting the further examination.

The accomplishment of the survey was, in fact, an object so near to my heart, that could I have foreseen the train of ills that were to follow the decay of the Investigator and prevent the survey being resumed--and had my existence depended upon the expression of a wish, I do not know that it would have received utterance; but Infinite Wisdom has, in infinite mercy, reserved the knowledge of futurity to itself.

[NORTH COAST. TOWARDS TIMOR.]

(Atlas Plate I.)

On quitting Wessel's Islands, we steered a north-west course all night, under easy sail; having a warrant officer placed at the look-out, and the lead hove every quarter of an hour. The soundings increased very gradually till daylight [MONDAY 7 MARCH 1803], when we had 30 fathoms; and no land being distinguishable, the course was then altered to W. by S. Our lat.i.tude at noon was 10 56' 40", longitude by timekeeper 135 10'; and I judged that part of the coast seen by lieutenant McCluer, in 1791, to lie about fifty miles to the southward. This was the first land seen by him in his course from New Guinea; and according to the comparison afterwards made of his longitude, it should not lie more than twelve leagues from the western part of Point Dale.

Mr. McCluer saw some islands near the coast, and amongst others an outer one called New Year's Isle, in lat.i.tude 10 52' south and 133 12' east, which I purposed to visit in the hope of procuring turtle. But our friendly trade wind gradually died away, and was succeeded by light airs from the N. W. and S. W., by calms, and afterwards by light winds from the north-eastward; so that it was not until daylight of the 12th [SAt.u.r.dAY 12 MARCH 1803], that the island was seen. At eleven o'clock, lieutenant Fowler went on sh.o.r.e to examine the beach for traces of turtle; but finding none recent, he returned before two, and we again made sail to the westward.

New Year's Isle is a bed of sand mixed with broken coral, thrown up on a coral reef. It is four or five miles in circ.u.mference, and the higher parts are thickly covered with shrubs and brush wood; but much of it is over-run with mangroves, and laid under water by the tide. Fresh prints of feet on the sand showed that the natives had either visited it very lately, or were then upon the island; turtle also had been there, but their traces were of an old date. The reef extends about a mile off, all round; we had 22 fathoms very near the outer edge, and saw no other danger. Broken land was perceived to the southward, probably the inner isles marked by lieutenant McCluer; and six or seven leagues to the S. W.

was a part of the main, somewhat higher but equally sandy, which we traced above half a degree to the westward. I made the _lat.i.tude_ of the island to be 10 55' south, and _longitude_ by time keeper corrected 133 4' east; being 3' more south and 8' less east than Mr. McCluer's position. The _variation_ of the compa.s.s, from azimuths taken twenty leagues to the east of New Year's Isle, was 1 55' east, with the ship's head W. N. W.; and at thirteen leagues on the west side, 1 20' with the head N. W.; these being corrected to the meridian, will be 0 23' and 0 12' east. The _tide_ ran strong to the N. W. whilst it was ebbing by the sh.o.r.e, so that the flood would seem to come from the westward; whereas in the neighbourhood of Cape Arnhem the flood came mostly from the opposite direction: whether this change were a general one, or arose from some opening to the S. E. of New Year's Isle, our knowledge of the coast was too imperfect to determine.