Discoveries in Australia Volume I Part 29

The weather was gloomy with pa.s.sing showers of rain and a moderate South-South-East breeze; but all was bright again by daylight (July 1st) when Magnetical Island bore South 9 degrees West, and the south and largest of the Palm Isles North 81 degrees West, which, corresponding with the log, showed there had been no current during the night.

Magnetical Island was so named by Cook, because he fancied it affected the Endeavour's compa.s.s in pa.s.sing it. There is good anchorage on the west side, where it is densely covered with trees, amidst which a few straggling pines reared their lofty and angular-shaped heads, giving by their variety a picturesque appearance to the scene.* We pa.s.sed the Palm Islands early in the forenoon. The largest we found to be 750 feet high, with a remarkable white rock off its South-East extreme.

(*Footnote. See the view annexed.)

THE CORDILLERA.

Behind these isles we saw numerous blue streaks of smoke from the fires of the natives, indicating the state of population on the slope of that lofty range of hills, which may be called the Cordillera of Eastern Australia, and which at this point, tower to a great height, overlooking the coast.* We were abreast about noon of its most remarkable feature, Mount Hinchinbrook, in lat.i.tude 18 degrees 22 minutes South, rising to the height, according to our observations, of 3500 feet.

(*Footnote. The proximity of this high land to the coast, may account for the gloomy weather of the previous night.)

Although a number of fires being once seen is not always a sign in Australia of a densely populated part of the country, yet when they are constantly visible, as in this part of the continent, it is fair to infer, that the inhabitants are numerous, and the soil fertile. I might further remark, that Captain King found the natives well disposed; and at Goold Island, in this neighbourhood, they even came on board his vessel uninvited, an evidence of friendship and confidence, rarely characterizing a race of beings so wary as are generally the inhabitants of Australia.

It is not a little singular that the alt.i.tude of Mount Hinchinbrook should be identical with what Strzelecki considers the mean height of the Cordillera, which he traced continually on foot, from 31 to 44 degrees South lat.i.tude giving to the highest point, 6500 feet in lat.i.tude 36 degrees 20 minutes South, the name of Mount Kosciusko, for reasons most admirably and feelingly expressed, and which we therefore, in justice to his patriotic sentiments, give below in his own words.* It will thus be seen that there is a northerly dip in the cordillera of 3000 feet in 18 degrees of lat.i.tude.

(*Footnote. "The particular configuration of this eminence struck me so forcibly, by the similarity it bears to a tumulus elevated in Krakow, over the tomb of the patriot Kosciusko, that although in a foreign country, on foreign ground, but amongst a free people, who appreciate freedom and its votaries, I could not refrain from giving it the name of Mount Kosciusko.")

The great height of this range, and the extreme abruptness of its eastern face, where no waters are thrown off, renders it more than probable that on the western side there is land of great fertility. Whatever waters originate on its summit and slopes, must flow towards the interior, and there give rise to rivers emptying themselves into the Gulf of Carpentaria, or by first forming lagoons, feed streams of some magnitude even, during their overflow.

HALIFAX BAY.

It is the general opinion of every voyager who has sailed along the coast of Halifax Bay, that it is the most interesting portion of the north-east side of the continent; as, combining the several facts which we have above given, we have every reason to believe that the discovery of fertile and therefore valuable land, will one day reward the labours of the explorer.

Nothing was seen by us of the San Antonio reef, laid down in the charts as fronting the Palm Isles; but this was subsequently accounted for by Captain Stanley, who found that it was sixteen miles north of its supposed position, being in lat.i.tude 18 degrees 17 minutes South, and twenty-four miles distant from the nearest land, Hillock Point.

This fact is the more satisfactory and important that, from its present position, as laid down in the chart, being supposed to be near the Palm Islands, it was apt to create an unpleasant state of anxiety in the mind of those navigating these waters during thick weather or at night.

From noon we steered North-North-West, and at 6 P.M. Dunk Island bore South-West eight miles distant; our soundings varying, during that period, from thirteen to fifteen fathoms. During the day we had several opportunities of satisfactorily testing the accuracy of Captain King's chart. While pa.s.sing Barnard's Group, soon after dark, we found a current setting West-North-West nearly a mile an hour, a rate at which it kept during the whole night, but in a North-North-West direction. During the day we had a light breeze from South-South-East, which shifted to West-South-West during the night. Numerous native fires were observed burning on the sh.o.r.e during the first watch, at the foot of the b.e.l.l.e.n.den Ker hills, remarkable mountains of considerable alt.i.tude.

FITZROY ISLAND.

July 2.

Soon after midnight we were abreast of Frankland Group, and at 7 A.M.

pa.s.sed three miles to the eastward of Fitzroy Island, where our soundings increased to seventeen fathoms, with a current running upwards of a mile an hour to the North-West, an increased velocity, which may be accounted for by the proximity of the reefs to a projection of the coast forming Cape Grafton. I must not, however, pa.s.s an island which like Fitzroy, carried in its name a pleasing a.s.sociation to many on board the Beagle, without a word of notice, particularly as its features are in themselves sufficiently remarkable, having a singular peaked summit 550 feet high, near the north-east end. On the western side is a little cove where Captain King found snug anchorage.

REEF NEAR LOW ISLES.

Pa.s.sing midway between Green Island, which is about twenty feet high, encircled with a coral reef, and Cape Grafton, we steered North-West 1/2 North for a shoal on which Her Majesty's Ship Imogene grounded; and at noon, were exactly on the spot, in lat.i.tude 16 degrees 24 1/4 minutes South by observations and bearings of the land, Low Isles being West-North-West four miles. Here we found sixteen fathoms, not having had less than seventeen since the morning. There was no appearance of any such reef nearer than that laid down by Lieutenant Roe, bearing east from the above-mentioned Low Isles and under which Her Majesty's Ship Tamar anch.o.r.ed. It must therefore have been on the North-West part of this reef that the Imogene struck, and the south part must be the reef laid down in the chart as having been seen by her to the southward, which accounts for our not seeing it from the Beagle. We pa.s.sed through several patches of discoloured water, caused by washings from reefs to windward, which are very deceptive. At sunset the anchor was dropped in thirteen fathoms, for the first time since leaving Port Stephens. The south point of Weary Bay bore West-North-West three miles, and Cape Tribulation South by East six miles. Near the middle of the former, I noticed a patch of discoloured water, which has since been found by a merchant vessel to be a shoal.

HOPE ISLANDS.

The land over the latter place is very high, presenting several singular peaks, one more prominent than the rest, in the shape of a finger. That over Trinity Bay, which we were the greater part of the day crossing, is also of great alt.i.tude. In its south corner we noticed the river-like opening spoken of by Captain King, lying in the rear of some remarkable peaks. We had been informed by him, that the greater part of the coast between Weary Bay and Endeavour River, including the Hope Islands, had been altered from his original survey, a tracing of which he had furnished us with previous to leaving Sydney. The few bearings we obtained while at anchor, induced us to consider it correct, a fact we further proved during the early part of the next day's run, as the course steered from our anchorage North by West 1/2 West, carried us a little more than a mile west of the Hope Islands. Had their a.s.signed position in the chart been correct, our course would have led us right over the western isle. On detecting this error, we found it necessary to re-survey this part of the coast, and it affords me much pleasure, after so doing, to be able to bear testimony to the extreme correctness of Captain King's original chart above alluded to. Soon after pa.s.sing the Hope Islands, we saw the reef where Cook's vessel had so miraculous an escape, after grinding on the rocks for 23 hours, as graphically described in his voyages. It is called Endeavour Reef, from this circ.u.mstance.

CAPE BEDFORD.

Continuing on the same course, we pa.s.sed three miles from Cape Bedford, at 4 P.M. This is one of the most remarkable features on the coast, being a bluff detached piece of tableland, surmounted by a singular low line of cliffs, reminding me forcibly of the lava-capped hills on the river Santa Cruz, in eastern Patagonia. As far as I could judge, by the aid of a good gla.s.s, it seemed to be composed of a mixture of red sand and ironstone, of a very deep red hue, bearing a great similarity to the country on the North-West coast, in lat.i.tude 15 1/4 degrees South.

Leaving Cape Bedford, we went in search of a shoal laid down by H.M.S.

Victor, as lying two miles to the West-South-West of Three Isles. Both Captain King and Lieutenant Roe had expressed a doubt of its existence in the position marked, a doubt which our researches fully justified; and therefore, as it at present stands, it should be expunged from the chart.

From thence we steered north for Lizard Island, the remarkable peak on which soon rose in sight; this course took us within three miles of Cape Flattery, where a couple of peaks, with a slope between them, render it a conspicuous headland.

About seven miles west from thence, there is a strange alteration in the appearance of the country, changing from moderately high conical-shaped hills, to lofty table ranges about 500, or 600 feet in height, trending about South-West and by West.

LIZARD ISLAND.

Having still a little moonlight, we were enabled to keep underweigh part of the night, and during the first watch came to in 13 fathoms, in a bay on the west side of Lizard Island, the extremes bearing from South 1/2 East to East-North-East. During the day we experienced a northerly current, varying from three quarters to half an knot an hour.

July 3.

We remained at this anchorage, until the following morning, for the purpose of determining the position of the island, and of visiting the peak, which we found to be nearly twelve hundred feet high. I ascended by a slope rising from the sh.o.r.e of the small bay where our observations were taken, and which may be easily distinguished, from being the second from the north point of the island. Their result was to place it in lat.i.tude 14 degrees 40 3/4 minutes South longitude 13 degrees 17 3/4 minutes East of Port Essington. Variation by the mean of five or six needles was 7 3/4 degrees East being half a degree more than it was at Cape Upstart. Other magnetic observations were also made, consisting of those for the dip and intensity.

In a valley to the left of the slope by which we ascended the peak, were noticed several very remarkable, low and spreading trees, with a dark green foliage, and leaves large, ovate, and obtuse. The branches, from which, when broken, a milky juice exuded, were thick and glossy, of an ash colour; at their extremity they were thin, with long pendulous stems, supporting a bell-shaped flower, of a rich crimson hue; these hung in great profusion, and contrasting with the surrounding dark green verdure, presented a very beautiful and striking appearance. The diameter of the trunk of the largest tree was 20 inches, and the height 25 feet.

Lieutenant Emery painted a most faithful representation of one of them, by means of which we found on our arrival at Port Essington, that neither the professional nor amateur botanists, had any knowledge of it. To them and to ourselves it was alike perfectly new.

CAPTAIN COOK.

On the preceding evening I had refreshed my memory by reading Cook's account of his visit to the same spot, and was thus able minutely to follow in the footsteps of the immortal navigator. There is an inexpressible charm in thus treading in the track of the mighty dead, and my feelings on attaining the summit of the peak, where the foot of the white man, had perhaps but once before rested, will easily be understood.

Below to the eastward stretched a vast expanse of water, broken at the distance of about eight miles, by a long narrow line of detached reefs, on which there ran a white crest of foaming breakers, marking the outer edge of the Great Barrier, a name which few seamen could hear with indifference when in its vicinity. If I felt emotions of delight, on first perceiving the extent of a danger so justly dreaded, how much stronger must have been the feelings of Captain Cook, when from the same spot years before, he saw by a gap in the line of broken water, there was a chance of his once more gaining the open sea, after being confined to the eastern sh.o.r.es of the Australian continent, for a distance of 750 miles.

Though the dangers of this inner channel had proved so nearly fatal to his ship, the truth of the homely adage, which describes all as happening for the best, was here fully borne out, as the very fact of his position enabled Captain Cook to make considerable discoveries along the coast--just as by the mishap on Endeavour Reef, the presence of a river was made apparent, and some slight knowledge of the aborigines obtained, as well as numerous facts ill.u.s.trative of the natural and vegetable productions of the locality.

PROVIDENCE CHANNEL.

Little did he think at that time, however, when standing on the summit of the peak, that he was about as it were to thread the eye of a needle, by pa.s.sing through another break, in a manner which can only be designated as providential. This gap in the great reef is now known as Providence Channel, a name which must ever remind us of Him, who in moments when our lives hang as by a thread, is ever watchful, and spares us in the exercise of his inscrutable will.

Carried back to times past, we stood upon the summit of the height, dwelling in thought upon the adventurous career of the great navigator, when suddenly, as if by magic, the whole scene below and around was obscured, and we found ourselves wrapped in a dense cloud of vapour, which came sweeping across the island, drenching us to the skin, with a rapidity which spoke volumes for the penetrating character of an Australian fog. Cold and shivering we hailed the temporary re-appearance of the sun with delight, and our clothes were dried almost as speedily as they had been wetted. Our satisfaction was however but of short duration, as the same agreeable operation, of alternate drenching and drying, occurred several times during our stay on the Peak.

BARRIER REEF.

The opening through which Captain Cook pa.s.sed out to sea, bore about North by East 9 miles, the outer line of the Barrier Reef, curving from thence to the North-West, and following the trend of the land. When this singular wall of coral, the most extensive perhaps in the world, is surveyed, it will I think be found to follow the direction of the coast it fronts with such exactness, as to leave little doubt that the vast base on which rests the work of the reef-building Polypifers, was, contrary to the opinion which I am aware prevails, upheaved at the same time with the neighbouring coast of the Australian continent, which it follows for a s.p.a.ce of upwards of a hundred miles.

CORAL REEFS.

From the elevation on which I stood, I had an excellent view of some reefs within the Barrier; whether they encircled an islet, or were wholly beneath the water, their form was circular, although from the ship, and indeed anywhere, viewed from a less height, they appeared oval-shaped.

This detection of my own previously erroneous impressions, seemed to account for the recurrence in charts of elongated-shaped reefs, others having doubtless fallen into the same error. It is very remarkable that on the South-East or windward side of these coral reefs, the circle is of a compact and perfect form, as if to resist the action of the waves, while on the opposite side they were jagged and broken.*

(*Footnote. In the Pacific the islets are generally on the weather side of the lagoon reefs.)

The South-West side of the peak rises perpendicularly from a gra.s.sy flat, which stretches across that part of the island, separating two bays, the beaches of which with the rest on the island are composed of granulated quartz, and coa.r.s.e shingle. A stream of water, rising in the peak, runs through the green, while a few low gumtrees grow in small detached clumps; a ship may therefore procure both water and fuel; finding this to be the case, and as it was a convenient stopping place, we made a plan of the island, connecting it with those in the immediate neighbourhood. It is the more advantageous as an anchorage, in that it can be reached during the night, whereas this could not be done in the inner channel near Turtle Islands, it lying so much to the westward, and being more intricate. Indeed it is not prudent to approach these isles even in the afternoon, from the number of reefs, and the difficulty in seeing them with the sun ahead.

Mr. Bynoe was not fortunate enough to add to his collection of birds; those he observed being only doves and parrots, besides a flycatcher common to parts of the coast, and often before met with by us.

A couple of vampires of the larger and darker species were also seen, and numerous land sh.e.l.ls (Helix) similar to those on Cape Upstart; found near the roots of trees, buried in the decayed vegetation. Two old coconuts and large quant.i.ties of pumicestone were picked up on the south-east side of the island. The prevailing character of the rocks was granitic, out of which some beautiful specimens of hornblende were procured. The entire island was fringed with a narrow strip of coral, but I noticed none of it above high-water mark.

HOWICK GROUP.

July 4.

We took our departure at an early hour, and after running round to sketch the north-east side of the island, stood to the westward for Howick Group. The weather being thick we did not discover the somewhat remarkable peak on Number 1, until we were close to it. Our progress was accelerated by a current running half a knot an hour, and finding the pa.s.sage between Number 1 and 2 of Howick Group, much impeded by rocks, we hauled up between 2 and 3 isles, and on keeping away again West-North-West for Point Barrow, found ourselves close to a reef, almost dry, and extending nearly a mile further off the North-East side of Coles Island, than is laid down in the chart; thus contracting the channel between it and Number 4 island, to a s.p.a.ce of not more than two miles.