A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume II Part 30

It is thought to be a general rule, that a monsoon blowing directly in from the sea, produces rain, and from off the land, fine weather, with sea and land breezes; this I found exemplified on the west side of the Gulph of Carpentaria, where the rainy north-west monsoon, which then came off the land, brought fine weather: the rain came with eastern winds, which set in occasionally and blew strong for two or three days together.

It seems even possible, that what may be the dry season on the North Coast in general, may be the most rainy on the west side of the Gulph; but of this I have doubts.

According to Dampier, the winds and seasons on the north-west coast of Terra Australis are nearly the same as above mentioned upon the North Coast; but he found the sea and land breezes, during the south-east monsoon, to blow with much greater strength.

In speaking of the currents, I return to the tropical part of the East Coast. Within the Barrier Reefs, it is not the current, for there is almost none, but the tides which demand attention; and these, so far as they came under my observation, have been already described, and are marked on the charts. At a distance from the barrier there is a current of some strength, at least during the prevalence of south-east winds; but instead of setting southward, as I have described it to do from Sandy Cape to Cape Howe, the current follows the direction of the trade wind, and sets to the north-west, with some variation on either side, at the rate of half a mile, and from thence to one mile an hour. This I found to continue amongst the reefs of Torres' Strait, nearly as far as Murray's Islands; but from thence onward through the strait, its direction in October was nearly west, something more than half a mile; and so continued across the Gulph of Carpentaria to Cape Arnhem, with a little inclination toward the south.

Along the north coast of Terra Australis, the current seems to run as the wind blows. In March, before the south-east monsoon was regularly set in, I found no determinate current until the end of the month, when Timor was in sight, and it then set westward, three quarters of a mile an hour; but in the November following, I carried it all the way from Cape Arnhem, as captain Bligh had done from Torres' Strait in September 1792; the rate being from half a mile to one mile and a quarter in the hour.

The navigation along the tropical part of the East Coast, within the Barrier Reefs, is not likely to be soon followed, any more than that round the sh.o.r.es of the Gulph of Carpentaria; nor does much remain to be said upon them, beyond what will be found in this Book II, and in the charts; and in speaking of the outer navigation, my remarks will be more perspicuous and useful if I accompany a ship from Port Jackson, through Torres' Strait; pointing out the courses to be steered, and the precautions to be taken for avoiding the dangers. It is supposed that the ship has a time keeper, whose rate of going and error from mean Greenwich time have been found at Sydney Cove, taking its longitude at 151 11' 49"

east; and that the commander is not one who feels alarm at the mere sight of breakers: without a time keeper I scarcely dare recommend a ship to go through Torres' Strait; and from timidity in the commander, perhaps more danger is to be antic.i.p.ated than from rashness. The best season for sailing is June or July; and it must not be earlier than March, nor later than the end of September.

[NORTH COAST. SAILING DIRECTIONS.]

On quitting Port Jackson, the course to be steered is N. E. by E. by compa.s.s, to longitude about 155, when the land will be fifty leagues off; then North, also by compa.s.s, as far as lat.i.tude 24. Thus far no danger lies in the way; but there is then the _Cato's Bank_, a dry sand frequented by birds and surrounded with a reef (Atlas, Plate X), and further northward is _Wreck Reef_, both discovered in the future part of this voyage. Wreck Reef consists of six distinct patches of coral, extending twenty miles east and west; upon four of them there are dry banks, also frequented by birds, and the easternmost bank is covered with wiry gra.s.s and some shrubs, and is called _Bird Islet_. Their situations are these:

Cato's Bank 23 6' south, 155 23' east Bird Islet 22 11 155 27

The bearing and distance of these dangers must be successively worked, and a course steered so as to leave them half a degree to the westward; but for fear of an error in the time keeper the lat.i.tude 23 20' should not be pa.s.sed in the night. It is better to make short tacks till daylight, than to heave to; and allowance should be made for a probable current of one mile an hour to the north-west. A good lookout must be constantly kept; and a confidential officer should now go to the masthead every two hours in the day and to the fore yard at night, to listen as well as look; for in dark nights the breakers may often be heard before they can be seen. It will not be amiss, if the time of the day be favourable, to make Bird Islet, which is well settled, in order to see how the longitude by time keeper agrees; and should it err, the difference, or more, must be added to, or subtracted from its future longitudes; for it is most probable that the error will continue to augment the same way, more especially if the time keeper be a good one.

[TORRES STRAIT. SAILING DIRECTIONS.]

(Atlas, Plate I.)

Having pa.s.sed Wreck Reef, there are no other _known_ dangers near the route for Torres' Strait, till we come to _Diana's Bank_; but as others may exist, it will be prudent to lie to, or preferably to make short tacks in the night, during the rest of the pa.s.sage to the Strait. In light nights, however, and moderate weather, there would be not much risk in closely following the c.u.mberland's track, carrying no more sail than will allow of the ship being conveniently hauled to the wind; but if an unusual number of b.o.o.bies and gannets be seen in the evening, there is strong suspicion of a bank and reef being near; and the direction which the birds take, if they all go one way as is usual in an evening, will nearly show its bearing. The longitude of Diana's Bank, according to M.

de Bougainville, is 151 19' from Greenwich; but his longitude at the New Hebrides, some days before, was 54' too far east, according to captain Cook; and it is therefore most probable, that Diana's Bank lies in 15 41' south, 150 25' east.

I should steer, after pa.s.sing Wreck Reef, so as to go a full degree to the east of this position; and having so done, the next object of attention is the Eastern Fields, reefs which lie a degree from those where Torres' Strait may be said to commence. The position to be worked is, Eastern Fields (Atlas, Plate XIII), north-east end, 10 2' south, 145 45' east; and from this I would pa.s.s half a degree to the eastward.

But if the Strait should be attempted without a time keeper, it will be advisable for a ship to make that part of New Guinea lying in about 10 south and 147 east, which may be seen as far as twelve or fifteen leagues in clear weather; and having corrected the dead-reckoning longitude by this land, to allow afterwards eighteen miles a day for a current setting to the W. N. W. The best lat.i.tude for pa.s.sing the Eastern Fields, is 9 45' to 50', steering a W. by S. course, by compa.s.s; and it will afterwards be proper, so long as there is daylight and no reefs seen, to carry all sail for the Pandora's Entrance, which is the best opening yet known to the Strait. It is formed by reefs, and is eleven or twelve miles wide, and lies, Pandora's Entrance, the middle, in 9 54'

S., 144 42' E. and it is very possible, if the Eastern Fields be pa.s.sed in the morning, to get through without seeing the breakers, and obtain a sight of Murray's Islands before dark. But it is most probable that reefs will be first met with; and should the lat.i.tude of the ship be then uncertain, even to 5', the wind must be hauled until an observation can be had, for it is by the lat.i.tude alone that the first reefs can be distinguished one from the other.

The reefs being in sight and the lat.i.tude known, a ship will steer for the Pandora's Entrance, if she can fetch it; but if too much to the north, she may pa.s.s round the north end of Portlock's Reef, and haul up S. W. for Murray's Islands, which are visible eight or ten leagues from the deck in fine weather. (See View No. 10 in Plate XVIII. of the Atlas.) It is best to approach these islands from the N. E. by N., following the Investigator's track, and to anchor the first night on the north side of the largest island, or otherwise under the reefs which lie to the north-east; but if neither can be reached before dark, haul to the wind and make short trips till daylight, in the s.p.a.ce between these reefs and Portlock's Reef.

Murray's Islands should not be pa.s.sed, or quitted if the ship have anch.o.r.ed there, later than ten or eleven o'clock in the morning; because the sun will be getting ahead and obscure the sight before another good anchorage can be secured. On pa.s.sing the islands, keep the reef which lies five miles to the north about a mile on the starbord hand, steering W. S. by compa.s.s, with a boat ahead; for in this part there are many tide ripplings scarcely to be distinguished from the reefs. Having pa.s.sed the ripplings, haul a point more to the southward; and after having run eight or ten miles, from the time that the largest island bore south, there will be very few reefs to the northward, and Darnley's Island will be seen. On the larbord hand there will be a great ma.s.s of reefs: and these it is necessary to follow at the distance of two or three miles, steering mostly W. S. W., and gradually more southward as they are found to trend. Some small patches will occasionally be met with; but having the boat to go ahead, and the commander, or a careful officer looking out aloft, the Investigator's track between them may be safely followed. The leading mark in all this part of the course, is the line of the great south-eastern reefs; and the situation of the ship may be known at any time, by laying down cross bearings of Murray's and Darnley's Islands on the chart, allowing, if the ship's head be westward and the compa.s.s on the top of the binnacle, 5 of east variation.

Several low, woody isles will come in sight ahead, or on the starbord bow; and before reaching the end of the south-eastern reefs, _Hay-way Island_, which is the southernmost of them, will be seen to the southwest; and here I would recommend the ship to anchor for the night.

If this island can be pa.s.sed, however, before three in the afternoon, and the sun do not obscure the sight, she may push on south-westward till an hour before sunset; and anchor under the lee of any of those sand banks which lie in the route, the ground being better here than in the eastern part of the Strait.

From Half-way Island, continue to follow the Investigator's track, steering S. W. to S. W. by W. by compa.s.s, as the small reefs and banks will allow; and here there is no necessity for a boat to be kept ahead.

The flat top of one of the York Isles, called Mount Adolphus by captain Bligh, will be the first high land seen, and afterwards Mount Ernest; the cross bearings of which will show the situation on the chart, until the Double Isle, which makes as two small hummocks, comes in sight. Steer then for Double Isle, pa.s.s on the north side, and haul south-westward for Wednesday Island, which will be three leagues distant. Pa.s.s it also on the north side, about one mile, and the same by Hammond's Island, which lies next to it. There will be an extensive reef on the starbord hand, but the smallest distance between it and the islands is above two miles; and a W. S. W. course by compa.s.s, will lead fair through the pa.s.sage, with soundings from 9 to 6 fathoms. b.o.o.by Isle will presently be seen a-head, appearing at first like a white sand bank; it may be pa.s.sed within a mile or two on either side, and is the last of the dangers, if it can be cla.s.sed under them, of Torres' Strait. A ship should afterwards steer, by compa.s.s, W. by S. thirty or forty miles; and the course may then be directed for any part of the world.

In case the approach of night, or any other circ.u.mstance should make it desirable, shelter may be had under the Prince of Wales' Islands, or under b.o.o.by Isle; and if a boat be sent on sh.o.r.e at dusk to b.o.o.by Isle, many birds, and perhaps some turtle' may be procured.

This pa.s.sage through Torres' Strait will occupy from three to five days, according to the freshness of the south-east trade, and the degree of caution which a commander may see necessary to employ.* He will, of course, sound continually, though it have not been specified; and keep a boat ahead with sounding signals, from the time of pa.s.sing Murray's Isles till Half-way Island is in sight, and wherever else there appears to him a necessity. Should he miss the Investigator's track in any part, which is very possible, there is no occasion for alarm; most, if not all the inner reefs have deep channels through them at every four or five miles, and by these he may regain the track, with the a.s.sistance of his boat.

[* The most expeditious pa.s.sage known to have been made through the Strait, previously to the Investigator, was that of captains Bligh and Portlock, in nineteen days; the account of which, as also, that of Messrs. Bampton and Alt in the Introduction, a commander should previously read with the chart before him; and if he do the same with the pa.s.sage of the Investigator, in Chapter V. of this Book II., and that of the c.u.mberland in Chapter III. following, he will have a tolerably correct notion of the dangers in Torres' Strait, and of the advantage in pursuing the route above described.]

The following precautions must not be neglected: a strict and constant look-out at the mast head, by the commander or his most confidential officer, all the time that the ship is amongst the reefs--not to pa.s.s Murray's Islands without seeing them, since they are the leading mark for getting into the proper track--and on anchoring there, or at any other inhabited island, a strict watch must be kept on the natives, who will come off in canoes to barter a few cocoa-nuts, plantains, and their arms, for hatchets and other iron ware. No boat should be sent to an island where there are inhabitants; but if distress make it necessary, two or three should go together, well armed; for they will certainly be attacked, if the Indians have been able to lay a plan and collect their strength. A British seaman will, at the same time, studiously avoid all cause of quarrel with these poor misguided people, and not fire upon them but where self-defence makes it indispensable.

Most of the dry sands and the uninhabited islands in the Strait appear to be frequented by turtle; and in the month of August, September, or later, it is probable some might be taken by landing a party of men, who should silently watch for their coming on sh.o.r.e at dusk. I do not know the kind of turtle most common in the Strait; at b.o.o.by Isle they were hawkes-bill, which furnish the finest tortoise sh.e.l.l, but are small and not the best for food.

The advantage in point of time, which this route presents to a ship bound from the Great Ocean to India, or to the Cape of Good Hope, will be best seen by a statement of two pa.s.sages made at the same season; the one by Torres' Strait, the other round New Guinea.

I sailed from Port Jackson in company with the Bridgewater, an extra East-Indiaman; and we made Wreck Reef in eight days. From thence the Bridgewater steered round Louisiade, through Bougainville's Strait, Dampier's Strait, Pitt's Pa.s.sage, and the Strait of Salayer; and arrived at Batavia in _eighty-eight days_. I left Wreck Reef some time afterward, in a small schooner of twenty-nine tons; took ten days to reach Torres'

Strait, three to pa.s.s through it, seventeen to reach Coepang Bay, and ten more to pa.s.s the longitude of Java Head. Adding to these the eight days to Wreck Reef, the pa.s.sage from Port Jackson to Java Head was _forty-eight days_, including various deviations and stoppages for surveying; and it was princ.i.p.ally made in a vessel which sailed no more than four or five knots, when the Bridgewater would have gone six or eight. The difference, nevertheless, in favour of Torres' Strait, was forty days; so that it seems within bounds to say, that in going from Port Jackson to India or the Cape of Good Hope, it offers an advantage over the northern route of six weeks; and of four weeks in going from the more eastern parts of the Great Ocean. In point of safety, I know not whether Torres' Strait have not also the advantage; for although it be certainly more dangerous than any one of the eastern pa.s.sages, it is doubtful whether it be more so than a four or six weeks extra navigation amongst the straits and islands to the east and north of New Guinea, where some new shoal, bank, or island is discovered by every vessel going that way. For myself, I should not hesitate to prefer Torres' Strait, were it only on this account; considering the long continuance of the danger in one case, as being more than a counterbalance to the superior degree of it in the other.

With respect to a pa.s.sage through Torres' Strait in the opposite direction--from the Indian Sea to the Great Ocean--it has not, to my knowledge, been attempted; and I have some doubt of its practicability. A ship would have an advantage in entering the strait by its least dangerous side; but as the pa.s.sage could be made only in December, January, or February, the rainy squally weather which probably will then prevail, would augment the danger from the reefs ten fold. The experiment is therefore too hazardous for any except a ship on discovery; whose business it is to encounter, and even to seek danger, when it may produce any important benefit to geography and navigation.

BOOK III.

OCCURRENCES FROM THE TIME OF QUITTING PORT JACKSON, IN 1803, ARRIVING IN ENGLAND IN 1810.

CHAPTER I.

Departure from Port Jackson in the Porpoise, accompanied by the Bridgewater and Cato.

The Cato's Bank.

Shipwreck of the Porpoise and Cato in the night.

The crews get on a sand bank; where they are left by the Bridgewater.

Provisions saved.

Regulations on the bank.

Measures adopted for getting back to Port Jackson.

Description of Wreck-Reef Bank.

Remarks on the loss of M. de La Perouse.

[EAST COAST. PORT JACKSON]

1803

The third volume of my log book and journal having been lost in the events which succeeded the decay of the Investigator, I have had recourse to a memorandum book and to officers journals to supply the dates and leading facts contained in the first three chapters following; fortunately, my bearings and the astronomical observations taken by lieutenant Flinders and myself were preserved, as also were the rough charts, with one exception; so that there are few cases where this department of the voyage will have materially suffered. There are, however, many circ.u.mstances related in these chapters, which either do not enter at all, or are slightly mentioned in the officers journals; for these, my public papers and copies of letters have princ.i.p.ally furnished materials, and a tolerably faithful memory has supplied the rest. It seemed necessary to explain this, that the reader may know to what the deficiencies and abridgments in some parts of these chapters are to be attributed; and this being premised, I resume the narrative of our preparations for returning to England.

20 JULY 1803

On July 20, lieutenant Fowler quitted the Investigator, with the crew selected for him, and took the command of His Majesty's armed vessel _Porpoise_; and on the following day I went on board with the rest of my officers and people, to go with him as pa.s.sengers. Amongst other preparations for the voyage, a green house was set up on the quarter deck of that ship; and the plants collected in the Investigator from the south, the east, and north coasts of Terra Australis were deposited in it, to be conveyed to His Majesty's botanical garden at Kew; and as we had had the misfortune to lose the gardener of the expedition, and Mr.

Brown, the naturalist, remained behind, a man from Port Jackson was engaged to take care of the plants during the pa.s.sage.

The examination of Torres' Strait was one of the most important articles of my instructions which had been executed only in part; and although I could not pretend to make any regular survey in the Porpoise, it was yet desirable to pa.s.s again through the strait, and lay down as many more of its dangers as circ.u.mstances would admit; and this being represented to governor King, the following paragraph was made an article in lieutenant Fowler's orders.

"The objects which captain Flinders will have to finish in his route through Torres' Strait, requires that he should be a.s.sisted with boats, people, and have the entire direction of the ship as to the courses she is to steer, making and shortening sail, anchoring, and every other prompt attention to his directions as connected with his survey. You are therefore further required to comply with every direction he may give you, to enable him to execute the orders of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; and as it will be necessary that the most expeditious route should be followed, for the purpose of ascertaining the length of time it will take to make the voyage from hence to England, by Torres' Strait, and to enable captain Flinders to be in England as early as possible, you will take especial care to lose no time in getting to England by the route captain Flinders may indicate."

AUGUST 1803

In the beginning of August, the Porpoise was nearly ready to sail; and two ships then lying in Sydney Cove, bound to Batavia, desired leave to accompany us through the Strait. These were the Hon. East-India-Company's extra-ship Bridgewater, of about 750 tons, commanded by E. H. Palmer, Esq., and the ship Cato of London, of about 450 tons, commanded by Mr.

John Park. The company of these ships gave me pleasure; for if we should be able to make a safe and expeditious pa.s.sage through the strait with them, of which I had but little doubt, it would be a manifest proof of the advantage of the route discovered in the Investigator, and tend to bring it into general use. On the 10th [WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST 1803] I took leave of my respected friend the governor of New South Wales, and received his despatches for England; and lieutenant Fowler having given a small code of signals to the Bridgewater and Cato, we sailed out of Port Jackson together, at eleven o'clock of the same morning, and steered north-eastward for Torres' Strait.

Mr. Inman had re-delivered to me the two time-keepers, with a table of their rates deduced from equal alt.i.tudes, but the No. 543 had gone so very irregularly, as not to be ent.i.tled to any confidence; the error of No. 520 from mean Greenwich time at noon there on the 2nd, and its rate of going during the twenty-five preceding days were as under:

Earnshaw's No. 520, fast, 0h 49' 54.85" and losing 33.38" per day.