Discoveries in Australia Volume II Part 12

Red apple : Quonni : - : Affects salt grounds.

Swamp oak : Yeymbac : - : Name applies rather to the paper-like bark--used to hold water, to cover houses, etc.

Rough-topped blackboy : Barro : Zantha : Resin makes a powerful cement.

Native yam : Werrang : - : Said to grow to a large size to the North.

Native potato : Tubuc : Orchis.

Native turnip : Canno.

New Zealand flax : - : Phormium tenax : This grows pretty abnndantly, I forget the native name.

(*Footnote. The letter a is sounded broad and full as in Father.)

SAFETY OF GAGE ROADS.

The result of our soundings between Rottnest Island and the main, showed that a bank extended out to the north-east, from the foul ground off the Stragglers, sufficiently to check, in some measure, the vast body of water rolling in from the north-west; and thereby adding to the safety of Gage Roads, provided vessels anchor in the proper berth, which is in seven or eight fathoms, on sandy mud, about a mile from the gaol, bearing East by North. A quarter of a mile nearer the sh.o.r.e the bottom shoals rapidly to four and three fathoms, on rocky ground slightly coated with sand. It is therefore not likely a ship, well found, can drag her anchor up a bank so steep as that inclination in the bottom forms. The wrecks that have occurred in this anchorage may be traced to vessels not selecting a proper berth. From their desire to be near the sh.o.r.e they get into the shoal rocky ground; a breeze comes on when they are in no way prepared, in the midst of discharging cargo; and in some cases, before a second anchor can be let go, the ship is driven on sh.o.r.e. Thus, through the want of judgment exhibited by a few individuals, has a whole community suffered in the manner I have alluded to, when speaking of the loss of the Orontes at Port Essington.*

(*Footnote. See volume 1.)

CHAPTER 2.5.

Sail from Swan River.

Search for the supposed Turtle-dove Shoal.

Approach to Houtman's Abrolhos.

Find an anchorage.

View of the Lagoon.

Guano.

Remnants of the wreck of the Batavia.

Pelsart Group.

Visit the Main.

Geelvink Channel.

Enter Champion Bay.

Appearance of the Country.

Striking resemblance of various portions of the coast of Australia.

Leave Champion Bay.

Coast to the northward.

Resume our examination of the Abrolhos.

Easter Group.

Good Friday Harbour.

Lizards on Rat Island.

Coral formation.

Snapper Bank.

Zeewyk Pa.s.sage.

Discoveries on Gun Island.

The Mangrove Islets.

Singular Sunset.

Heavy gale.

Wallaby Islands.

Flag Hill.

Slaughter Point.

Observations of Mr. Bynoe on the Marsupiata.

General character of the reefs.

Tidal observations.

Visit North Island.

Leave Houtman's Abrolhos.

General observations.

Proceed to Depuch Island.

Drawings on the rocks.

Native youth.

New bird and kangaroo.

Effects of Mirage.

Examine coast to the Turtle Isles.

Geographe Shoals.

Number of turtles.

Bedout Island.

Scott's Reef.

Approach to Timor.

Pulo Douw.

Scene on entering Coepang Bay.

Surprise of Swan River native.

Visit to the Resident.

His stories.

Fort Concordia.

Second visit to the Resident.

The Timorees.

Arrive at Pritie.

Description of the country.

Muster of the shooting party.

Success of the excursion.

The Javanese Commandant.

Character of the Timorees.

Dutch settlement in New Guinea.

Leave Coepang.

Island of Rottee.

Tykal Inlet.

Inhabitants of Polo Douw.

SAIL FROM SWAN RIVER.

The improved state of the colony enabling us to get supplies, it was resolved that we should return to the North-west coast, examining on the way, Houtman's Abrolhos, a coral group that had very rarely been visited, since the Dutch ships were lost on them, one 120 and the other 220 years ago, and of which next to nothing was known.

Not being able to persuade Miago to accompany us, he being too much engaged with his new wife, we enlisted the services of a native youth who generally went by the name of Tom, and left Gage Roads on the afternoon of April 4th.

Off the west end of Rottnest a sail was seen, which we afterwards found, to our mortification, was H.M.S. Britomart, from Port Essington. We had another fruitless search for the bank reported to the northward of Rottnest. Steering North-North-West from the west end of it, the soundings increased gradually to 35 fathoms, till pa.s.sing Cape Leschenault at the distance of twenty-two miles; but afterwards, no bottom with 50 fathoms, till reaching the lat.i.tude of 31 degrees 7 minutes South, where the coast projecting, brought us again within twenty miles of it, and into a depth of 45 fathoms. We continued in soundings till in lat.i.tude 30 degrees 36 minutes South, varying from 26 to 98 fathoms, seventeen miles from the land with the former, and twenty-five with the latter depth, which shows the extent and steepness of the bank of soundings fronting the coast, between the parallels I have mentioned.

THE ABROLHOS GROUP.