Discoveries in Australia Volume I Part 25

Scarcely any traces are now to be found of the old settlement on a cliffy point of the eastern sh.o.r.e of the harbour. The rapid growth of indigenous vegetation has completely concealed all signs of human industry, and the few settlers in the neighbourhood have helped themselves to the bricks to build their own homes.

We noticed, however, one or two remaining indications of the fact that a settlement had formerly existed on that spot, among others an old flagstaff still erect, on a bluff near the North-East end of Grant Island. A very large domestic cat, also, was seen on the South-East point, doubtless another relic of the first settlers.

The rocks chiefly to be met with at Port Western are a.n.a.logous to those of the Carboniferous series. Over its eastern sh.o.r.e rises a range of woody hills to the height of between five and seven hundred feet, stretching away in a North-East direction. This harbour presents one very curious feature, namely, a sort of ca.n.a.l or gut in the mud flats that front the eastern side of Grant Island. Its depth varies from six to seven fathoms, whilst the width is half a mile. The most remarkable object, however, is the helmet-shaped headland, rising abruptly from the sea to the height of 480 feet, and forming the South-East extreme of Grant Island. It is the more conspicuous from the circ.u.mstance that all the rest of the island is covered with low hills, clothed in an almost impervious scrub. The land at the head of the inner of the two bays I have alluded to in describing Port Western, partakes of the same character, and is intersected by a number of creeks. This greatly increases the difficulty of the overland communication between Port Phillip and the available land on Port Western, travellers being compelled to take a very circuitous road in order to avoid this almost impa.s.sable tract, and reach the banks of Ba.s.s river, where the best soil is found, and which has been named after the enterprising man whose memory must for ever remain intimately connected with this part of the world.

SNAKE ADVENTURE.

A few rare insects were collected by Mr. Emery, whose adventures with snakes bear a great resemblance to some of Waterton's. He was walking out once on Grant Island, when his attention was attracted by the pitiful cries of a bird in a tree close at hand. He soon discovered that a snake*

was in the act of robbing the nest, whilst the mother fluttering round, was endeavouring to scare away the spoiler. Mr. Emery immediately climbed up, and with a courage which few other men would have exhibited, seized the reptile by the back of the neck and killed it. We found that it had already swallowed one of the young ones, which had so extended the skin, and made so large a lump, that we were quite puzzled to know how it could have been got down.

(*Footnote. Lieutenant Emery has this snake still in his possession, stuffed in a masterly style, and set up with the bird in its mouth.)

CAPABILITIES OF PORT WESTERN.

We were astonished to find the tide here nearly an hour later than at Port Phillip, and higher by six feet. The cause of this peculiarity is no doubt to be attributed to the fact of the tides at Port Western being influenced by the easterly flood-stream. The bad weather we experienced during our stay enabled us to judge of the capabilities of the Port, which we were glad to find the finest we had yet seen in Ba.s.s Strait, not so much, however, from its size, for above Grant Island the extent of deep water is limited, as from the great facility of access.

On the 19th we left Port Western, pa.s.sing out by keeping an isolated piece of tableland, called Tortoise Head, on the South-East extremity of French Island, open of the North-East point of Grant Island. The only danger is a sandbank, lying in the centre of the channel, four miles within the entrance. It may always be avoided by keeping a cable's length from the eastern sh.o.r.e.

The western half of the south side of Grant Island, is a line of cliffs, from one to three hundred feet in height. A remarkable pyramidal rock marks the point where this terminates, after which a long range of low hills, covered with scrub, stretches to Cape Wollami, the helmet-shaped headland before-mentioned. A light North-East wind rendered our progress slow towards Cape Patterson, we reaching it by daylight of the 20th. It is a low point, covered with scattered sand hillocks; a few rocky patches here and there front its sand beach.

Finding from the succession of dense fogs that we could not prosecute an easterly examination of the coast, we returned towards Port Phillip, and experienced some unusual swells off Port Western.

EXTRAORDINARY SOUNDINGS.

The soundings were in general tolerably regular; but in the same neighbourhood we had some extraordinary ones--SEVENTY FATHOMS, on a gravelly bottom. This was nearly one third of the way across from Grant Island to Cape Shanck, seven miles from the latter. The same strange depth was likewise found three miles south from Cape Wollami, with the same kind of gravel bottom, or a very fine kind of shingle. It was a single cast of the lead. On either side in this last case were 39 and 33 fathoms fine sand and sh.e.l.ls. Had it not been for the change in the quality of the bottom, I should have doubted so great a depth, which is the more remarkable from its being the greatest within the Strait.

The next day towards evening we again anch.o.r.ed in Hobson's Bay, where we stayed till the 23rd. This time in getting out of Port Phillip through the southern channel, we met with an accident. I have before mentioned the difficulty of seeing the eastern part of the north bank, which, on this occasion, combined with the dazzling effect of the sun's rays ahead, was the cause of our grounding for a short time near the inner entrance.

It was, therefore, noon next day before we were again outside, when we steered across for the north end of King Island.

January 26.

In pa.s.sing Franklin Road the next morning, we saw a cutter at anchor, doubtless the colonial vessel which is occasionally allowed to visit Captain Smith, and afford him supplies. We pa.s.sed down four miles from the western side of King Island, carrying an outer line of soundings, varying from 40 to 50 fathoms; and in the evening anch.o.r.ed in Fitzmaurice Bay.

BELL ROCK.

Next morning we proceeded in search of Bell Rock,* lying in the middle of the south entrance of Ba.s.s Strait, eight miles South from the northern and largest of Reid's Rocks; but there being only a light air stirring from the westward, we were almost wholly at the mercy of the tide, which carried us midway between its a.s.signed position and the last-mentioned dangers. We pa.s.sed near several small eddies and slight whirlpools, in which no bottom was found in the boats with 25 fathoms. The North-West extremity of Reid's Rock might with propriety be described as a small islet, it being a dark ma.s.s some half a mile long, and rising 25 feet out of the water. The French charts exhibit some sunken rocks to the north of this; but, if they really exist, of which there is great doubt, we saw nothing of them. I may here mention, that great circ.u.mspection should be used by vessels in the neighbourhood of Reid's Rocks, as the soundings do not indicate their approach, and as the tide runs among them with great rapidity.

(*Footnote. A rock was seen in H.M.S. Conway five miles West-South-West from Bell Rock.)

BLACK PYRAMID.

Between them and the Black Pyramid we had 35 and 32 fathoms.

We pa.s.sed the night standing to and fro close to the Pyramid, which I have before described as a dark rocky lump 240 feet high. Its western side is a sombre storm-beaten cliff, whilst to the east it slopes away almost to the water's edge. A few patches of coa.r.s.e gra.s.s may be seen on some sheltered spots. Sealers, I am informed, have landed upon it on certain rare occasions of fine weather, and have been repaid for their daring by capturing a few fur-seals from the rookery that there exists.

The Black Pyramid from some points of view, greatly resembles Curtis Island, near the eastern entrance of the Strait. A mile and a half from its eastern side, there was only 24 fathoms, which was the least water we were in during the night.

January 27.

We found ourselves at daylight in 35 fathoms, two miles South-West from the Pyramid, when we stood away East-South-East, to sound and have a seaward view of the entrance between Hunter Island and Point Woolnorth.

This examination confirmed our former opinion that no ship-channel existed there. But even if there had been one, the pa.s.sage is so strewed with rocks and disturbed by such heavy tide ripples, that it wears a most dangerous appearance from the offing.

Rounding the south side of the south Black Rock, we went between it and Steep Island in 19 fathoms. From thence we steered between the north Black Rock and the west point of Hunter Island in 24 fathoms, having 15 fathoms midway between.

ALBATROSS ISLAND.

Continuing our northern course, we pa.s.sed a mile from the west side of Albatross Island, in 30 and 33 fathoms. It is a dark cliffy isle, the summit of which although 125 feet high, appears to be sometimes washed by the sea. There are one or two finger-shaped points of rock at the south end; and a singular split in the entire island may be seen on the bearing of North 75 degrees East. The wind had now increased to a gale from the westward, and we were obliged to seek shelter under Hunter Island.

January 28.

In the morning the breeze was moderate from North-East, to which quarter it had changed suddenly during the night, veering round from west by the north. By noon it had shifted to East-North-East and had increased to a gale. At 8 P.M. it blew a strong gale with gusts from that quarter. The barometer had now just begun to fall, and was at 29.9. During the day it had been steady at 30.02. This gale lasted, blowing with the same violence (latterly from East) until 1 P.M. the next day, when after a calm of about a quarter of an hour the wind changed suddenly to North with rain, thunder, and vivid lightning, and by 4 P.M. had veered to west and increased once more to a strong gale with heavy squalls. The barometer at the same time began to rise; it had been stationary at 29.6 since the morning.

It was the evening of the 31st before this gale blew over, after veering to the South-West. The barometer at the time was at 29.9, having risen to that height in the morning. The rotatory character of this storm, which resembled those we had experienced on our former visit, induces me to enter thus into details respecting it. These observations, too, may evince more plainly, the necessity of an anchorage at this time of the year being sheltered from both east and west winds.

FIRE ON THREE HUMMOCK ISLAND.

The fire that had been accidentally kindled on Three Hummock Island, when we were last there, was still burning. This conflagration had almost been fatal to Mr. Bynoe, who was out in the scrubs when it burst forth, having with great difficulty forced his way among them in search of specimens for his collection of birds. His attention was suddenly roused by the roaring of the flames as they swept down the sides of the hills, wrapping them in a sheet of fire. The predicament in which he was placed was a most critical one, as he hardly knew which way to turn to avoid the pressing danger. Even when, fortunately, he had taken the right direction, it was with the greatest exertion that he burst through the matted thicket and reached the water's edge before the fire.

Our fishermen were very successful with the hook and line, taking near the rocks great numbers of fish, some of which were a species of rock cod. Alongside the ship we only caught sharks, one of which contained thirty-six young ones.

Although the barometer remained stationery at 29.9 the weather continued so boisterous, and westerly squalls followed each other in such rapid succession, that it was the 3rd of February, before we could commence work in earnest. On that day the ship was moved to near the south end of Hunter Island, where we found a nice quiet anchorage with scarcely any tide off a long sandy beach.

LEAVE FOR CIRCULAR HEAD.

By the 6th we completed what remained to be done of the survey of this part, and proceeded to collect the necessary soundings between Three Hummock Island, and Circular Head, anchoring under the latter the same evening. Here we met Mr. Curr, the Company's Superintendent, who was absent during our first visit. From him we experienced so great hospitality, that our stay appeared shorter than it really was. On the morning of the 9th we again left. It was our intention to have stood over midway across the Strait in search of some islands reported by the French to be thereabouts, though all the local information we could gain on the subject tended to induce a disbelief of their existence.

HEAVY GALE.

But the sky a.s.suming a threatening aspect, and the wind increasing from the westward, we sought shelter under the South-East end of Robbin Island. And it was well we did so; for during the following two days, it blew the heaviest gale we had yet met with in the Strait. A succession of violent gusts from the west, with loud thunder, vivid lightning, and much rain, constantly reminded us of the wisdom of our cautious proceeding. At Port Phillip this same storm was felt very severely. Such was its strength and violence, that many houses were unroofed, and other damage done to a large amount. It pa.s.sed over both Melbourne and Geelong, darkening the air with the clouds of dust it bore along with it, and filling the minds of the inhabitants with the greatest terror and apprehension. They called it a tornado; and it appeared to have quite the rotatory character of a hurricane.

February 11.

We left this anchorage, and pa.s.sed three miles from the North-East side of Three Hummock Island where we found only six fathoms, apparently on a bank thrown up by the tide sweeping round its sides. From thence we steered across the Strait to Sea Elephant Rock on the eastern sh.o.r.e of King Island. We saw nothing of the islands laid down by the French, thirteen leagues east of it, and it was my firm belief that they had no existence. Subsequent observation has confirmed this belief. We however found the shoal water supposed to exist thereabouts.

The northern termination of the highland over the south-eastern part of the island which marks Sea Elephant Bay was very apparent as we approached. In the evening we anch.o.r.ed in seven fathoms on the north side of Sea Elephant Rock, which we visited the following morning. It is nearly a mile in circ.u.mference, and 120 feet high, clothed with a coa.r.s.e wiry gra.s.s. A small vessel if properly moored might find shelter under it from easterly gales. We were surprised to find the time of high-water here nearly two hours earlier than at Three Hummock Island; the flood-stream came from the southward.

WILD DOGS.

Of the number of wild dogs that we had heard of as being on this island, we saw only two. From the bones we found of others it is more than probable that they live upon each other at the seasons of the year when the mutton birds having departed; they would otherwise have to depend solely for subsistence on the few sh.e.l.lfish adhering to the rocks. This reminded me of what I once witnessed on an island off the eastern coast of Patagonia. Several herds of deer had once existed upon it; but some persons having turned a number of dogs loose, the original inhabitants were soon destroyed, and the newcomers afterwards devoured each other, so that when I saw them, but a small remnant remained. The dogs on Sea Elephant Rock, which were left by sealers, had grown so wild that they would not allow us to approach them. I saw here some small penguins, a bird we rarely met with in the Strait.

This part of King Island is clothed with thick scrubs, among which we saw numerous tracks of kangaroos, a certain sign that it is not much frequented by civilized or uncivilized man. Leaving this anchorage we examined the eastern sh.o.r.e of the island which we found, as I have before described, to be low and sandy. Pa.s.sing along two miles from it, we had a depth of from 8 to 12 and 15 fathoms. As we approached the northern end, the character of the coast changed, it being formed by rocky points with small sand bays intervening. The reef laid down by the French, two miles from the North-East extremity of the island, we found to be only half a mile South-South-West from it, one of the many errors we discovered in the French chart of the strait. It is a small ugly ledge quite beneath the water, and from the absence of rocky points on the low sandy sh.o.r.e it fronts, is quite unlooked for.

NAVARIN AND HARBINGER ROCKS.

The next day, February 13th, we examined the dangers fronting the north side of the island, consisting of Navarin and Harbinger Rocks, neither of which we found so formidable or so far from the sh.o.r.e as had been reported. The former lies only a mile and a half off the north end, and although we did not pa.s.s between it and the sh.o.r.e, there is little doubt that a pa.s.sage exists. We pa.s.sed between the Harbinger rocks in 27 fathoms; this great depth in their immediate vicinity, gives no warning of their proximity in the night or during thick weather.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY OF PORT PHILLIP.

As it was now necessary for us to think of preparing for our return to the North coast, the proper season for pa.s.sing through Torres Strait also approaching, and the increasing importance of Port Phillip, rendering it desirable to complete our survey of its entrance before our departure; we consequently proceeded thither. We found even soundings of 53 fathoms extend twenty miles North by East from Harbinger Reef, but from thence northwards, the depths gradually decreased. Calms and light winds rendered the pa.s.sage across very tedious. We spent one night at anchor in 31 fathoms near the entrance, about six miles south from Point Flinders, where the tide scarcely ran a knot an hour; the flood-stream set North-East. With these operations closed our work in Ba.s.s Strait, for the present. We had completed the western entrance from Port Western on the north sh.o.r.e and Circular Head on the south. The weather had prevented our doing more, and obtaining as many soundings as we could have wished. It had been unusually boisterous and unsettled, much more so than the winter generally is. From all I could learn such a season had not been experienced in the memory of the oldest inhabitants.