Account of a Voyage of Discovery Part 12

On pa.s.sing which she should haul up east by south, giving Reef Island a birth of at least a mile.

[Sidenote: Plan of Napakiang.]

[Sidenote: Directions on approaching Napakiang.]

[Sidenote: Reef Island.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Sidenote: Directions for entering Napakiang roads.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: NAPAKIANG ROADS

_on the S.W. Side of the_ GREAT LOO CHOO Island

_Laid down from actual survey by Captain Basil Hall R.N. H.M. Sloop LYRA_ 1816]

[Sidenote: Capstan Rock.]

[Sidenote: Best anchorage off the mouths of two rivulets.]

[Sidenote: The northern entrance.]

On approaching the main land a conspicuous wooded point will be seen, having rocks on its summit like the ruins of an abbey; this forms the south side of the anchorage, and is considerably more to the westward than the north-east side. The harbour of Napakiang will soon be seen at the south side of the bay; steer directly in for this, giving Abbey Point a birth of half a mile, and when directly between the south end of the outer reefs and Abbey Point haul up east by north. There is a very remarkable rock on the south-east side of the anchorage resembling the head of a capstan. It would be safest to anchor when this bears about south-south-east half a mile at most, in order to avoid a dangerous coral tongue, which lies north a little easterly from it, three-quarters of a mile; but as this anchorage is exposed, the ship may proceed farther in as soon as the exact place of the reef has been ascertained by boats; and if she proposes staying any time, she may warp into Barnpool, taking the precaution of placing a boat on each side of the entrance. There are two rivulets at this place, and probably the best anchorage is off their mouths, the bottom consisting of the mud brought down by the stream. There is a well on the eastern side supplied by a spring, and there are landing places at the entrance of both harbours.

There is a safe pa.s.sage between the reef, on which the base was measured, and the outer ones. The Lyra pa.s.sed through this three times; and if the object is to go to the northward it ought to be followed, provided the wind will admit of steering north and two points on each side of it. The leading mark for going by this pa.s.sage is Capstan Fort or Rock, on with a remarkable nose formed by the trees on the highest distant land; these are on when they bear about south by east half east.

It would certainly not be advisable for a stranger to enter by this pa.s.sage, but he may run on coming from the northward along the sh.o.r.e at the distance of two or three miles till Reef Island bears west, and then he should look sharply out for the reefs, keeping outside them till near Abbey Point, then act as before directed. On running down towards Napakiang from the northward a remarkable bluff table land will be seen to the southward of Abbey Point. The west face of Abbey Point ought to be kept just on with the east end of the table land; this will take you further out than is absolutely necessary; but it is safe; and when Reef Island is just on with the northern of the group of distant islands you will be exactly off the north entrance.

[Sidenote: Appearance of land in coming from the northward towards Napakiang.]

[Sidenote: Not to be attempted by a stranger.]

[Sidenote: Dangerous coral reef about four leagues south-west by west from Napakiang.]

On coming from the southward the only danger that lies in the way is a coral reef even with the water's edge; it is of a circular form, and at low water several rocks shew on it. On every occasion that we pa.s.sed the sea broke high upon it; but from what we saw of other similar reefs, it seems very probable that when the water is smooth it will give no warning: it is about eight miles west, 15 north of the extreme south point of the island, and lies in lat.i.tude 26 7' north, and longitude 127 26' east of Greenwich.

[Sidenote: Port Melville.]

[Sidenote: Directions to approach it, and to anchor previous to entering the harbour.]

Port Melville is on the north-west side of the island. A ship wishing to enter it ought to make the Sugar Loaf Peak, and steer between it and the cl.u.s.ter of islands to the northward, directly for the bottom of the bight, which lies between the Sugar Loaf and the north end of the island; here Herbert's Island will be seen close to the sh.o.r.e, run in towards its western end, anchor when it bears east one-third of a mile, and the Sugar Loaf west one-quarter north, barely shut in with a low dark green point of land; here you will have from seventeen to twenty fathoms.

[Sidenote: Boats should be sent to buoy the channel.]

The entrance of the harbour is narrow, and ought not to be attempted without previous examination by the boats of a ship wishing to enter it.

With a very little trouble the pa.s.sage might be buoyed: a large ship will probably find it expedient to warp in and out.

[Sidenote: Eye-draught of Port Melville.]

The eye-draught, with the directions on it, render much further notice here superfluous. The harbour is secure, and sufficiently capacious for a numerous fleet. It extends in a north and south direction for about two miles, varying in breadth and form in a very remarkable manner; at the lower or north end there are two basons of a circular form, and have from nine to fifteen fathoms, soft bottom; these are about one-third of a mile across. At some places the steep rocks which form the banks approach within an hundred yards of one another; here the water is sixteen, eighteen, and twenty fathoms. There are many fine coves, some with shelving sh.o.r.es, and others steep-to. Every part of the harbour is secured from the sea, and many parts from all winds: it is well calculated for the re-equipment of ships, for it is not only secure as an anchorage, but offers conveniences for landing men and stores, and also for heaving down or careening a ship.

[Sidenote: Villages of Cooee and of Oonting.]

There are several large villages on the sh.o.r.es of an extensive bay, communicating with the sea to the north-eastward, at the upper or south end of the line of harbours, and one called Oonting on the west side of the lower harbour; there is another of some extent, on the south side of Herbert's Island, called Cooee.

By permission of Captain Maxwell, I have named this excellent harbour, Port Melville, in honour of Lord Viscount Melville, First Lord of the Admiralty.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Draught_ _of_ PORT MELVILLE _on the N.W. side of_ _GREAT LOO-CHOO_ Island _by_ _Captain Basil Hall_ _and_ _the_ OFFICERS _of_ _His Majesty's Sloop_ LYRA _11th Octr. 1816._]

From the top of a range of hills which we ascended, rising on the south side of the upper bay of Port Melville, we could see the south-west corner of the great western bay, the whole range of Port Melville, and the coasts adjacent.

[Sidenote: Geographical position of Port Melville.]

The lat.i.tude of Herbert's Island, which lies directly off the entrance of Port Melville, is 26 42-2/3' north, by meridian alt.i.tude of the sun observed on sh.o.r.e. Its longitude, which is also the longitude of Port Melville, is 127 55' east, or 17' east of Napakiang observatory. The Sugar Loaf bears from the centre of the island, west 4-1/2 north, about ten miles.

[Sidenote: Coast skirted by coral reefs.]

As the whole part of this coast is skirted by dangerous coral reefs, the greatest attention should be paid to the lead, and the ship ought to be put about the instant that the water shoals to eight, seven, or six fathoms. On running in for the west end of Herbert's Island, on the morning of the 11th of October, we pa.s.sed over a coral ledge having nine fathoms on it. The west point of Herbert's Island bore at this time south 8 40' west, distant four or five miles. Before and after pa.s.sing this we had from thirty to sixty fathoms; whether it was shoaler than nine fathoms at any place, was not ascertained, but the circ.u.mstance is deserving of notice, and ought to teach the necessity of constant vigilance, when near coral reefs.

[Sidenote: Montgomery islands.]

The cl.u.s.ter of islands to the northward of Port Melville lies between 26 54' and 27 4-1/2' north, the north end of the northern one being in longitude 127 57' east, or 19' east of the observatory. It does not appear that there is any good anchorage about them; and there are dangerous reefs off the south and south-western ones.

[Sidenote: Hope Point.]

The north end of the Great Loo-choo lies in 26 52-1/2' north, and this is probably within one, or at most two miles of the truth. We observed in 27 00' 15" north, at which time the northern extreme bore east 59 south, nine miles by estimation, an inference which was checked by the distance run on a direct course afterwards. The longitude is 128 9'

east, or 31' east of the observatory.

[Sidenote: Sidmouth Point.]

The coast from the north point runs south-east by east, with some minor deviations, nearly four leagues: great pains were taken to ascertain this precisely, as the former charts not only place it many miles further north, but make the coast at this end lie east and west. The north-east point lies in 26 47' north, and longitude 128 18' east, or 40' east of the observatory. The lat.i.tude was determined by the meridian alt.i.tude of Sirius and an alt.i.tude of Polaris, so near daylight that the horizon was well defined; but as this point, off which there is a small island, was some miles north of the ship at the time of observation, the above lat.i.tude may err possibly two miles. It was intended to have examined two islands which lie to the north-eastward of the north point, but a strong current in the night carried us so far to leeward, that we could not effect this object; the situation, therefore, of these two islands, may perhaps not be accurately laid down in the chart.

[Sidenote: Barrow's Bay.]

The deep indenture about the middle of the east side of the island is unsafe to enter during the north-east monsoon: as the wind, however, had westing in it, we sailed up to within three or four miles of the top, carrying from thirty to twenty fathoms water; but when about to haul in for the north side, where there appeared to be a bay, we shoaled suddenly from twenty-four to eight fathoms: the helm was instantly put down, and when head to wind, we had only five fathoms. While in stays the water was observed to wash on a rock not a hundred yards to leeward of us, on which we must infallibly have struck, had we bore up instead of tacking.

[Sidenote: South-east coast dangerous.]

From the north-east to the south-east point, the coast runs south 40 west; the sh.o.r.e to the north-east of this deep bight is bold, and seems clear; that on the south-west side of it presents a formidable barrier of islands and coral reefs, which break to a great distance: in fine weather this part of the coast ought to be approached very cautiously.

[Sidenote: South Point.]

[Sidenote: Reef.]

The southern extreme of this island lies in lat.i.tude 26 4' 46" north, determined with great care by the meridian alt.i.tude of the sun on sh.o.r.e; and in longitude 127 35' east, or 3' west of the observatory. There is good anchorage from twenty to thirty fathoms, south a little easterly, of this point. Between this point and the group of islands to the westward, there is a dangerous reef, already spoken of; it lies in 26 7' north, and 127 26' east; it bears 26' west, 15 north from the south point of the island, distant eight miles. Immediately round the point on the west side there is a shallow harbour, formed by coral reefs, but the entrance is narrow and intricate.

[Sidenote: South-western group.]

We stood over to the largest of the south-west group, on the east side of which there stands out a conical rock, behind which it was thought that a harbour might lie, but upon examination, it proved only fit for boats; it lies in 26 11' north.