Discoveries in Australia Volume I Part 28

In the evening steering North-West by West we pa.s.sed over a coral bank three miles wide, the least water on which was nine fathoms. From this depth we procured a specimen of living coral. This bank was again crossed in June, 1841, a mile and a half further to the South-West, when the depth was only seven fathoms. It lies eight miles South-South-West from a low islet, four miles from which in a West-South-West direction is a coral patch, nearly dry. This islet, in lat.i.tude 23 degrees 34 minutes South to which we gave the name of Mast Head, forms the south-western of a group fronting Cape Capricorn. The latter has a hump on its extreme, resembling a hayc.o.c.k, and by our observations* is in lat.i.tude 23 degrees 30 minutes 30 seconds South, which is two miles south of its position in the chart. As we were detained by light winds in the neighbourhood, I had more than one opportunity of detecting this error. By midnight we were about 18 miles North by West from Cape Capricorn, when we felt a swell from the eastward, which a.s.sured me there was an opening in the reefs on the north side of the group of islets fronting the Cape.

(*Footnote. Hummock Island is alike in error with Cape Capricorn, but all the distant points agree with the Beagle's observation.)

FLAT ISLAND.

June 22.

There was a light air from South-West till near noon, then one from seaward which freshened and became in the afternoon steady at South-East, a quarter it afterwards prevailed from. We were at the time pa.s.sing about three miles from Flat Island, in 27 fathoms, an increase in the soundings we had but just got into. We were glad to find the ship's position, fixed by points both far and near, agree with the observations, a fact I can only account for here, from the circ.u.mstance, that Flinders laid down the coast about Port Bowen by observations on sh.o.r.e, whereas that in the neighbourhood of Cape Capricorn, was from those made with the sea-horizon which he found differ very materially.

During the day we added to the chart the position of two peaks, 1900 feet high, lying about 20 miles South-West by West from Cape Manifold, and forming the northern end of a high rocky range. A current was also noticed setting north a mile an hour. The entrance of Port Bowen bore West-South-West 15 miles at midnight, when the depth was 30 fathoms.

NORTHUMBERLAND ISLES.

June 22.

From thence we steered to pa.s.s between Number 1 and Number 2 of the Northumberland Isles, in order that we might lay down their outlines correctly, and also determine the positions of some small islets lying on the South-West side of Number 1. The most remarkable land in sight in the morning was Mount Westall, named by Flinders after the talented artist who accompanied him, and which forms the highest part of the eastern sh.o.r.e of Shoalwater Bay. The soundings during the night were very regular, only varying from 30 to 33 fathoms with a soft muddy bottom, mixed occasionally with which the lead brought up small stones. The summit of Number 1 of the Northumberland Isles forms a remarkable peak 720 feet high; a sandy bay on the west side promised good anchorage, and on its south-east and northern sides were some high detached rocks. The heights of the other parts of the group vary from two to six hundred feet. The crests of the western isles are covered with pine trees, which give them a curious jagged appearance. In the afternoon we pa.s.sed in 34 fathoms four miles from the eastern side of the Percy Isles, which enabled us to add their eastern extremity in the chart. The mainland falling so much back soon after pa.s.sing Port Bowen, we could form no idea of its character, but certainly what we had seen did not leave a favourable impression of its apparent fertility.

SANDALWOOD.

Captains Flinders and King, having given a description of the Percy Isles, it will not be necessary for me to say anything about them, further than that they are composed of a trap-like compound with an aspect of serpentine, and that either on them or the Northumberland Isles, sandalwood has been found of late, and taken by a Tasmanian vessel to the China market. Just before dark, the soundings decreased to 29 fathoms, Pine Peak of Percy Group, bearing South-West 10 miles. Our course was now shaped for Cape Gloucester, the extreme of the c.u.mberland Isles; and about this time we felt the flood-tide setting South-West by West nearly a knot an hour, a sure indication of there being openings in the barriers in that direction. The great distance at which this part of it lies from the islands will render its examination a difficult and hazardous undertaking. The night was anything but favourable for sailing among islands, being very hazy, with pa.s.sing rain squalls. At midnight we pa.s.sed nearly two miles from the North-East side of k of the c.u.mberland Group, in 27 fathoms, in which depth we continued till getting abreast of Pentecost Island, the next evening, the 24th, when it increased to 35 fathoms, but still on the same kind of green sandy mud bottom. At 10 P.M.

we pa.s.sed about seven miles from Cape Gloucester, which at that part was nearly 1600 feet high. Yet the night was so hazy, that it was only visible at intervals. Here we noticed many ripplings which we afterwards found indicated a North-North-West current of a knot and a half an hour, caused no doubt by the proximity of a part of the barrier, the distance between it and Cape Gloucester being only 13 miles. I may here observe that the barometer was very high with these fresh South-East winds and hazy weather, and rather low during the light North-West winds we experienced in the neighbourhood of Cape Capricorn.

CAPE UPSTART.

June 25.

At daylight the Beagle was a few miles east of Cape Upstart, in 17 fathoms, having pa.s.sed two miles from the north side of Holborn Island, in 28 fathoms. The above headland received its name from Captain Cook, and peculiarly deserves it, appearing in fact from the lowness of the land behind, actually to start up out of the water.

Chronometers being chiefly affected by changes of temperature, it was necessary to ascertain the rates of those in the Beagle again before reaching Port Essington, for a correct measurement of the difference of meridians between that place and Port Stephens. The bay on the west side of Cape Upstart had been recommended by Captain King for that purpose, as he had considered it likely to be the mouth of an opening. This conjecture the low land in the head of the bay, together with a singular break in the distant hills seemed fully to justify. We accordingly entered the bay and anch.o.r.ed half a mile within the North-East point.

This took us till the afternoon to reach, in consequence of our having a light land breeze until 3 P.M. when it became steady from North-East, drawing round to south, after sunset, and veering to South-West again in the morning. This alternation of land and seabreezes continued during our stay, for three or four successive days.

In the evening we landed and ascended the North-East extremity of the Cape, from whence we saw at once that hopes of discovering any opening were delusive, the low sh.o.r.es of the Bay could be traced all round, except in the North-West corner, where a point shut out our view.

EXPLORATION OF A RIVER.

On sweeping the western sh.o.r.e with a spygla.s.s, I discovered the mouth of a river about a mile to the north of a hillock marked in Captain King's chart. This river was made the object of an exploring party, and next day Captain Wickham and Lieutenant Eden, went on that interesting service. It has two entrances, both very shallow, and is of little importance, being on a lee sh.o.r.e and fronted by a bar, which seems to break at all times of the tide. However, as there is such very safe anchorage near, the discovery may hereafter prove of some value. Captain Wickham found it fresh ten miles from the entrance, but at that point it is nearly lost in the sands, and so very shallow that the natives have a fishing weir across it. The land, which appears to be much cut up with creeks, is very flat on both sides, and is subject to inundations. This was evident from the signs of drift, to the height of six feet, on the trees that grew along the banks, themselves not more than a couple of yards above high-water mark.

The exploring party saw a few natives, but they were too shy to communicate. One was discovered on a long flat, crawling on his hands and knees, to catch a glimpse of the strange intruders, and looking more like a great insect than a man. In the distance up the river a good many smokes appeared; but I doubt whether this may be considered as denoting a densely populated country, as fires are kindled by the Australian natives, both as signals and for the purposes of hunting.

GEOLOGICAL QUERIES.

Previous to my departure from England, I had the pleasure of hearing a valuable paper by my friend Mr. Darwin, on the formation of coral islands,* read at the Geological Society; my attention being thus awakened to the subject, the interest of this important paper was to me greatly enhanced by a series of queries, kindly furnished by Mr. Darwin, and drawn up with a view to confirm or invalidate his views, his purpose being to elicit truth from a combination of well attested facts, and by inducing the research of others to further the objects of science.

Among these queries was the following: "Are there ma.s.ses of coral or beds of sh.e.l.ls some yards above high water mark, on the coast fronting the barrier reef?"

(*Footnote. See also the Hydrographer's Instructions supra.)

RAISED BEACHES.

Captain King, in answer to the above states, that some of the islands within the reef have beaches of broken coral; and, as an instance, he refers to Fitzroy island.

I will, myself, here adduce what may be deemed an important fact; and which, if allowed its due weight, will go far to weaken the arguments brought forward in favour of the subsidence of the North-East coast of Australia. I found a flat nearly a quarter of a mile broad, in a quiet sheltered cove, within the cape, thickly strewed with dead coral and sh.e.l.ls, forming, in fact, a perfect bed of them--a raised beach of twelve feet above high-water mark. On the sandy beach fronting it, also a few feet above high-water mark, was a concretion of sand and dead coral, forming a ma.s.s about fifty yards long. Fronting this, for about the width of one hundred and fifty feet, was a wall of coral with two feet water on it; and immediately outside, five fathoms, with a fine sandy bottom, slightly sloping off. The annexed woodcut will better explain what we have here endeavoured to bring before the reader.

SECTION OF THE COAST.

This small coral-strewed flat where our observations were made, and the results of which are as follows; lat.i.tude 19 degrees 42 3/4 minutes South; longitude 15 degrees 36 1/2 minutes East of Port Essington, is surrounded by an amphitheatre of hills. Had it been on the seaward side of the Cape, I might have been readier to imagine that it could have been thrown up by the sea in its ordinary action, or when suddenly disturbed by an earthquake wave; but as the contrary is the case, it seemed impossible to come to any other conclusion, than that an upheaval had taken place. The whole of Cape Upstart is a granite ma.s.s, and its crests are covered with boulders, some of which have rolled down and form rather conspicuous objects on the sh.o.r.es and points of the bay.

PUMICE STONE.

Near the North-West extremity of the Cape just at high-water mark, I noticed some pumice stones, small and not having the appearance of belonging to a recent eruption, which seems to agree with the opinion expressed by the Reverend W.G. Clarke in the Tasmanian Journal. He considers, and I think justly, that its origin may be in the Solomon, New Caledonia, or some other of the volcanic islands to the east of Australia, from whence it drifted, as it has been found on all parts of the coast, to the southern portion of which it has doubtless been carried by the current. Captain Wickham did not remark any above the entrance of the river he explored, on the western side of the bay, which bears out the opinion I have above expressed. A curious fact, mentioned by Mr.

Clarke is, that one piece, perfectly water-worn, was found upon a high mountain, full twenty-five miles inland from the mouth of Clarence River.

Was this carried thither by one of the natives, or does it indicate that pumice drifted to this part of the continent at a time when, if ever, it was on a level with the ocean? I further remarked in this place, many of the land sh.e.l.ls common to this and other parts of the coast.

There was great difficulty in attaining the loftiest point of the Cape, which I found to be two thousand feet high. From thence our party commanded a view of the whole of the bay, and discovered that we were, strictly speaking, standing upon an island, a small creek winding round the southern foot of the high land, and connecting the bays on the eastern and western side of Cape Upstart.

The break in the hills seen by Captain King, and supposed to indicate an opening, has been already alluded to. On reaching the summit I found that this was merely a valley, containing the head of the plain which stretched from the sh.o.r.es of the bay. On its southern side rose Mount Abbott; but one of the most remarkable features on the coast is Mount Elliott, lying about forty-five miles West and by North from our position. It is a long level hill, with a peak at its northern extremity.

All those in the neighbourhood, as far as I could judge with the spygla.s.s, seemed to be of the same formation with Cape Upstart.

We found this a convenient stopping-place for vessels making the inner pa.s.sage, wood and water being easily procured. The latter is found in a considerable reservoir fed by two streams from the high land of the Cape, lying a mile within the mouth of the bay. From appearances, I should say it would yield an abundant supply at any season of the year.

NATIVES SURPRISED.

There were a few natives loitering about on Cape Upstart when we arrived; and I think we should have communicated with them had it not been for the fright into which they were accidentally thrown. A boat's crew on landing surprised a small party, which instantly dispersed in various directions.

A lad, however, instead of escaping with the rest, stowed himself away in a crack between two boulders of granite. Every endeavour was made to get him to come out of his hidingplace; biscuit was offered him, but he snapped savagely with his teeth at the hand that held it. Finding all attempts fruitless he was left; and no doubt, the account he gave his comrades of us, while under the influence of fright, was sufficiently terrible to take them all away from the neighbourhood. These natives used nets similar to those I had seen on the North-West coast, and in their make, resembling, in a remarkable manner, the ones employed by Europeans.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

In the valley, just within Cape Upstart, a few palms and a species of cotton were growing; and in other places, the never-failing Eucalyptus, of small growth. Certain bulbs* were also found, apparently of the same species as those on the Percy Isles; several of which we removed and presented to the Botanical Garden at Sydney, where we afterwards had the gratification of seeing them in a flourishing state.

(*Footnote. Crinum angustifolium. They belong to the Narcissus, but are in themselves a new order of plant.)

A few quails were shot of the same large kind as that found on all other parts of the continent, also one or two pheasant cuckoos.* They did not differ from those we killed on the North-West coast, although nearly five degrees further south. A very large pigeon was also shot, resembling in colour the common blue rock, but without a bronze mark. We had not seen this species before; it was a very wary bird, and was found in the rocks.

(*Footnote. Centropus phasianellus. Gould.)

NEW KANGAROO.

But the greatest prize our sportsmen shot was a specimen of a small female kangaroo, of a new kind.*

(*Footnote. Deposited in the British Museum, and figured as Petrogale inanata, by Mr. Gould, who being misinformed, has described it as inhabiting the north coast of Australia.)

It measured as follows, just after it was killed: Length of body from tip of nose, 18 inches; length of tail from stump to tip, 19 inches; weight 8 1/2 pounds. Its colour was a slate or light grey on the back, and dirty yellow or light brown on the belly; extreme half of tail black, with hair gradually increasing in length, from the centre to the tip and terminating in a tuft. On the back of the hind legs the hair is longer than on any other part of the body. The nails on the hind feet were short, covered with long hair, and did not project over the pulpy part of the foot, which is well cushioned and rough, giving a firm hold to projecting rocks. The head was small, and sharp towards the muzzle; the ears were short and slightly rounded, the eyes black, and the forearms very short. In this animal the pouch was very superficial. It inhabits the most rugged summits, taking refuge in the clefts of the rocks.

June 30.

In the afternoon we left the anchorage we had been the first to occupy, and standing out of the bay, were much struck by the rugged outline Cape Upstart presents. The huge boulders scattered over the crest of the hills, give it the appearance of a vast ma.s.s of ruins, the clear atmosphere bringing it out in bold relief against the sky. We stood over North-West for the opposite sh.o.r.e, and closing to within three miles of the land changed our course and ran along the singular low point forming the coastline to the North-West of Cape Upstart; and by 9 P.M. rounded its northern extreme called Cape Bowling Green, at a distance of six miles, in 17 fathoms, steering then to pa.s.s about four miles outside the Palm Isles. During the whole night our soundings only varied from 17 to 19 fathoms.

MAGNETICAL ISLAND.