Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume II Part 26

The beach of the bay is fronted by coral rocks, but affords easy landing in all parts, particularly at high water. This beach is covered with turtles' nests; and at daylight thirty to fifty might be turned and embarked without any difficulty or delay. The animals are easily taken, since the rocks prevent their escaping into the sea; and it is only at high water that they can return. M. De Freycinet says (page 189) that there is a pa.s.sage between the reef, off the east point of the bay, and the sh.o.r.e with ten fathoms.

The following account of Shark's Bay is taken from M. De Freycinet's account (page 189 et seq.)

In the fairway of the entrance to Shark's Bay, between Dorre and Dirk Hartog's Islands, is DAMPIER'S REEF; it is two miles in extent from east to west, and about one mile wide. It has but two and a half and three fathoms water over it, and should be approached with care, on account of the swell. Proceeding southerly from Cape Levillain, which is the east head of Dirk Hartog's Road, at the distance of five or six miles is a cove (barachois) formed by reefs, where boats might obtain shelter. Hence to Quoin Point (Coin-de-Mire) the coast has no sinuosities. TETRODON BAY is seven miles wide and very shallow; it has two or three sandy islets in it, and can only be entered by small boats. Near Refuge Point is a safe and convenient creek. To the southward of this there are several shoal bays. To the eastward of Cape Ransonnet, which is peaked and of a moderate elevation, there are several little creeks well adapted for boats and, to the westward, a sandy plain extends to the south extremity of the island. That part of Shark's Bay, between Dirk Hartog's Island and Peron's Peninsula, is formed by Le Pa.s.sage Epineux, Useless Harbour (Havre Inutile) and Henry Freycinet's Harbour: to the southward of the line of bearing between Quoin Point and Cape Lesueur, the sea is shoal and studded with banks, but to the north it is quite open.

The Pa.s.sage Epineux, which separates Dirk Hartog's Island from the main, is about two miles wide; but the reefs and rocks, which protrude from either sh.o.r.e, reduce the pa.s.sage to half that width. The depth upon the rocky bar which stretches across the entrance is six fathoms, but immediately without it the depth is twenty-two fathoms. M. De Freycinet says, that a ship upon a lee sh.o.r.e in the vicinity of Point Escarpee may enter this opening with confidence; she will find a good shelter and excellent anchorage in five and six fathoms fine sand. To enter it, pa.s.s in mid-channel, if anything, borrowing upon Point Escarpee, and steer for the Mondrain de Direction, and pa.s.s over the bar without fearing the breakers upon it, which are caused by the sudden decrease of depth, from twenty-two to six fathoms; after this the depth will continue without altering more than one fathom. The best anchorage is to the South-West of Cape Ransonnet, for within it the pa.s.sage is blocked up by shoals, over which a boat cannot without difficulty pa.s.s.

USELESS HARBOUR is so shoal as to be, according to its name, quite unserviceable; since boats can with difficulty penetrate to the bottom, although its length is twenty-one miles: HENRY FREYCINET HARBOUR is twenty-two leagues long in a South-East direction; and from three to six leagues wide. Its entrance is blocked up by a bar; and, although the depth within is in some parts considerable, it is very doubtful whether ships can enter it. The sh.o.r.es are difficult to land upon, from the shoals extending so far off.

On the western side of this harbour there are several inlets and deep bays, but too shoal to be of any service. The eastern sh.o.r.e of the harbour is formed by PERON'S PENINSULA, which separates it from HAMELIN'S HARBOUR. It is sixteen leagues long and five leagues wide. DAMPIER'S BAY, at the north-west end, contains several sandy bays, where boats may almost always land. It is here that the French had their observatory.

From the northern point of the peninsula, Pointe des Hauts-Fonds, the reefs extend for three leagues to the North and North-North-West. They were then supposed to extend to the North-East.

The French only examined the western sh.o.r.es of Hamelin Harbour. The opposite coast was seen only at a distance, and the shoalness of the water prevented their boats from approaching it. M. De Freycinet says: "Ces terres, ba.s.ses et steriles, ne contiennent aucune coupure; l'uniformite y est par-tout complete," page 194.

Although Hamelin Harbour is not so deep as that of Henry Freycinet, on the opposite side of Peron's Peninsula, it is nevertheless of larger size. The centre is much occupied by banks, which entirely surround FAURE ISLAND; the diameter of which is about two leagues.

Although many sandy beaches were seen at a distance upon the eastern sh.o.r.e of Shark's Bay, yet the boats of the French ships could not reach the sh.o.r.e on account of the reefs which front it. Here and there they distinguished red cliffs, and some signs of a scanty and burnt up vegetation.

Of the anchorages in Shark's Bay, the most convenient appears to be that in Dampier's Bay, at the north-west end of Peron's Peninsula, as well on account of the excellency of the holding-ground, as the facility of procuring fuel. The Naturaliste remained a long time at this anchorage, and never experienced any ill effect from the winds. The distance from the sh.o.r.e was six miles, and the depth six fathoms, fine sandy bottom.

The sea was so clear, that the anchor was easily distinguished. The Naturaliste found only occasion to moor with a kedge, merely to keep the cable clear of the anchor. As the strongest winds were the South and East, the bower anchor was laid in the latter direction.

The above seems to be all that is worth taking from M. De Freycinet's account as regards the navigation of Shark's Bay. The coasts of the harbours of Henry Freycinet and Hamelin are much more detailed by him, and there is also much valuable information upon various heads, particularly as to meteorological observations, and the productions of the land and sea, and a curious example of the effect of a mirage; but as these subjects are irrelevant to the matter of this paper, they have been disregarded.

From POINT ESCARPEE to GANTHEAUME BAY, the coast is formed by a precipitous range of rocky cliffs, rising abruptly from the sea, to the height perhaps of three or four hundred feet. The coast is fringed with an uninterrupted line of breakers. The summit of the land is so level, and the coast so uniform, that no summits or points could be set with any chance of recognizing them. The depth at ten miles off the sh.o.r.e, was between fifty and seventy fathoms, decreasing to thirty-four in the neighbourhood of Gantheaume Bay.

GANTHEAUME BAY probably affords shelter on its south side from South-West winds: there was some appearance of an opening in it, but Vlaming, who sent a boat on sh.o.r.e here, has not mentioned it; and if there is one, it is of very small size, and unimportant. The sh.o.r.es of the bay are low and of sterile appearance.

RED POINT, a steep cliffy projection, is the north extremity of a range of reddish-coloured cliffs, of about two hundred feet high, that extends to the southward for eight miles, when a sandy sh.o.r.e commences and continues with little variation, except occasional rocky projections and sometimes rocky bays, as far as Cape Burney. The coast is moderately high, and, in the interior, some hills of an unusual height for this part of the coast are seen. MOUNT NATURALISTE is in lat.i.tude 28 degrees 18 minutes, and between the lat.i.tudes 28 degrees 25 minutes and 28 degrees 55 minutes, is MORESBY'S FLAT-TOPPED RANGE. It is terminated at the north end by three hills, called MENAI HILLS; and at the southern end, by the WIZARD HILLS. MOUNT FAIRFAX is in lat.i.tude 28 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds, and longitude 114 degrees 38 minutes 45 seconds. The coast in front of this range is of pleasing and verdant appearance; two or three small openings in the sandy beach, with an evident separation in the hills behind, particularly one in lat.i.tude 28 degrees 36 minutes, bore indications of rivulets; and the smokes of natives' fires, and the more wooded character of the coast, showed that the country was evidently more fertile and productive than any other part between Cape Leeuwin and the North-west Cape. The bottom at from ten to twelve miles off, is from twenty to twenty-five fathoms deep, and composed of a fine sand, of a dark gray colour.

CAPE BURNEY is in lat.i.tude 28 degrees 56 minutes: four miles to the southward is a reef, apparently detached from the sh.o.r.e.

HOUTMAN'S ABROLHOS. The old Dutch charts give a very considerable extent to this reef; Van Keulen makes it cover a s.p.a.ce of sea, forty-seven miles long, and twenty-five broad. We only saw the islands at the south end, with three detached reefs between them and the sh.o.r.e; one of which (the southernmost) may probably be the TURTLE DOVE. The islands lie West 4 degrees North true, forty-one miles from Cape Burney, but the channel (GEELVINK CHANNEL) between the sh.o.r.e and the reefs, is not more than twenty-six miles wide. The south-easternmost reef that we saw is about three miles long, and lies nearly ten miles South 55 degrees East from the islands; it appeared to be covered, but the sea was breaking high over it. In pa.s.sing this part of the coast, Captain Hamelin, who commanded the Naturaliste under Commodore Baudin's orders, must have steered within the reefs, as the Geelvink (Vlaming's ship) did. The reef that is laid down upon the chart, in lat.i.tude 29 degrees 10 minutes is from Van Keulen. We did not see it. (See Horsburgh volume 1 page 98.)

From Cape Burney the coast is rather low and sandy; in 29 degrees 16 minutes is a reef; and seven miles more to the south is another; they lie from five to seven miles from the sh.o.r.e.

In lat.i.tude 29 degrees 6 minutes 30 seconds, there is a small peaked hillock; and in 29 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds, a small sandy patch upon the land.

Between lat.i.tudes 29 degrees 25 minutes and 29 degrees 55 minutes, we did not see the coast, having pa.s.sed it in the night. It is laid down from Van Keulen's chart. Hence to Island Point, which is low and rocky, the sh.o.r.e is lined with reefs, extending off sh.o.r.e for two to four miles. At the back of this, and at about eight miles from the coast, is a rocky range, of three leagues in length, on which are MOUNTS PERON and LESUEUR.

To the south of ISLAND POINT, are two bays fronted by reefs; the southernmost, JURIEN BAY, has three or more small islets in it. The coast to the south of the bay is sandy. In lat.i.tude 30 degrees 37 minutes, are three small rocky lumps, very remarkably placed; the middle one is in lat.i.tude 30 degrees 37 minutes 40 seconds: fourteen miles to the south of these are two others, the north-easternmost is in lat.i.tude 30 degrees 51 minutes 50 seconds, they are very conspicuously placed upon a ridge of bare white sand. Hence the coast winds to the South-South-East for eighty miles as far as the entrance of Swan River. The coast is low and slightly wooded, and lined with reefs, that in some places extend for two miles from the sh.o.r.e. Off CAPE LESCHENAULT (in lat.i.tude 31 degrees 21 minutes) is a reef, lying six miles and a half from the sh.o.r.e; it appeared to be connected with the rocks that line the coast.

The following account of SWAN RIVER is taken from Captain De Freycinet's account of Baudin's voyage (page 175 et seq).

"The mouth of Swan River is in lat.i.tude 32 degrees 4 minutes 31 seconds, and longitude 113 degrees 26 minutes 28 seconds East of Paris, or (115 degrees 46 minutes 43 seconds East of Greenwich). The channel is obstructed by a bar of rocks, which it is very difficult to pa.s.s over, and, indeed, impracticable if the wind blows from the sea. On entering, the pa.s.sage is on the starboard side: it is narrow and shoal, and divided into two channels; in each of which there is from five to six feet of water; after pa.s.sing this, there is seven and eight feet: the course must then be towards the west, to avoid two shoals, which are upon the right bank: after half a mile the navigation is free, and in mid-channel the depth is not less than seven, eight, and nine feet. The river then trends in a northerly direction for seven miles, without any sinuosity of consequence. On the eastern bank, are two shoals; the pa.s.sage is then on the opposite side of the river, the depth of which is eight feet: beyond these banks the course of the river trends to the eastward towards a low point, upon which there is a solitary tree; an extensive bank fronts this point, and the channel continues on the western sh.o.r.e, ten feet deep.

Here the river is a mile broad; it then increases its width, and forms s.p.a.cious bays on either side, that were not examined. To the South-East is an opening, which may probably be an arm of the river; it was called MOREAU INLET; it was not examined. Opposite to it is a sharp point, fronted by a shoal, and the channel is on the eastern side of the river, with thirteen feet water. Here the river widens and forms a basin, two miles and a half wide: a little above this the river is blocked up by shoals and islets (HEIRISSON ISLES) between which the depth is not more than two or three feet, but afterwards deepens gradually from five to fifteen feet: the banks of the river are then not more than one-third of a mile wide, and then continue in a serpentine course, with a channel from seven to ten feet deep, and free from shoals, as far as the French boats examined it. The stream of the river ran very slowly, and winds through a valley, one side of which is abrupt and precipitous, and when it ceases to be so on one side, the heights immediately appear on the other."

In front of this river is a group of islands, of which two only are of large size, namely, ROTTNEST and BUACHE. We anch.o.r.ed on the north side of the former, but broke the fluke, from the rocky nature of the bottom. On the North-East side of the island, the anchorage is better, since it is more sheltered. Rottnest Island is five miles long: it was discovered by Vlaming in 1696. Its sh.o.r.es are very rocky and difficult to land upon, particularly those of its northern side, which is fronted by rocks. Off its north point there are some rocky islets, and on the north-east side a convenient landing place in a sandy bay, where boats may put ash.o.r.e with great facility. The island is covered with a pine-like tree, which is very good for fire-wood, but no fresh water was found in any part; the French were equally unsuccessful in their search. The north-east point of Rottnest Island is in 31 degrees 59 minutes 30 seconds South, and 115 degrees 31 minutes 12 seconds East; and the variation 4 degrees 50 minutes West.

BUACHE ISLAND, according to Captain De Freycinet's account (page 170) is equally difficult to land upon; it is well wooded, but dest.i.tute of fresh water.

To the south of CAPE PERON is a long range of sandy coast, for seventy miles, to GEOGRAPHE BAY, which is open and exposed to the northward and north-west; its western head is formed by Cape Naturaliste, a rocky point, in lat.i.tude 33 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds, and longitude 114 degrees 57 minutes 53 seconds, beyond which the coast extends to the southward, without any bays to Cape Leeuwin. Off the cape is Naturaliste Reef, in lat.i.tude 33 degrees 12 minutes, and longitude 114 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds; it was seen by the French expedition. The land is here of a moderate height, but of level aspect. There is a remarkable patch of bare sand, in lat.i.tude 34 degrees 12 minutes, and longitude 114 degrees 57 minutes. It is the Tache blanche remarquable of De Freycinet's chart.

It lies about seven miles from the south extreme of the island.

APPENDIX A. SECTION 6.

OF THE WINDS AND WEATHER UPON THE SOUTH COAST. DIRECTIONS FOR KING GEORGE THE THIRD'S SOUND, AND HYDROGRAPHICAL REMARKS RELATING TO Ba.s.s STRAIT.

SOUTH COAST.

Between the meridians of Cape Leeuwin and Ba.s.s Strait, the weather is generally very unsettled and tempestuous; and, at certain seasons, very much against a ship making the western pa.s.sage from Port Jackson, which is by pa.s.sing through Ba.s.s Strait, and along the south coast; but it so happens that at the time when ships cannot proceed through Torres Strait, by reason of the Westerly Monsoon, namely, from the month of December to that of March, easterly winds prevail upon the south coast, and are more regular and strong in that s.p.a.ce between the land and the parallel of Ba.s.s Strait.* I have been told that the south-westerly gales that sometimes occur during that season, seldom, if ever, blow home upon the coast; and that when they do reach the land, they partake more of the character of the sea breeze; be that as it may, a ship steering to the westward should keep to the north of 40 degrees, in order to benefit by the regularity of the wind, which to the south of that parallel generally blows from some western quarter. From April to October the westerly gales are very constant, and veer between South by West and North by East; but, in the months of June and July, seldom veer to the southward of South-West or northward of North-West; they are then accompanied by a deep and heavy sea. The wind, in the summer season, generally revolves with the sun, and, as the atmosphere becomes more dense, veers to the South-East, with fine weather.

(*Footnote. Horsburgh volume 2 page 506.)

The marine barometer is here of considerable importance, as its rise always precedes a south-east wind, and its fall a change from the North-West; it seldom, however, stands lower than twenty-nine and a half inches. The currents generally set to the north, and seldom run with any velocity either to the east or west. A ship steering along this coast to the eastward, bound to Port Jackson through Torres Strait, should steer upon the parallel of 41 degrees, to avoid being thrown into the bight to the west of Cape Northumberland, where with a South-East wind, that would otherwise be fair for carrying her through Ba.s.s Strait, she would be detained probably a week.

Upon making Van Diemen's Land, she is ready for either a northerly or a southerly wind; since, with the former, she can round Van Diemen's Land, without suffering much detention, or materially lengthening her voyage.

KING GEORGE THE THIRD'S SOUND was discovered by Captain Vancouver in the year 1791, on his celebrated voyage to the North-west Coast of America.

It offers an excellent resort for vessels, and is convenient for all the purposes of refitting, wooding, and watering. The natives are friendly; the banks of Oyster Harbour afford a large abundance of oysters and other sh.e.l.l-fish, and the harbours and rivers are well-stocked with fish and birds.

There are many convenient anchorages in the sound; the best place for a large ship, when it is necessary to refit the rigging at the same time that she is completing her wood and water, is PRINCESS ROYAL HARBOUR; but for a small vessel, not drawing more than eleven feet, OYSTER HARBOUR is preferable, because she is secured to within one hundred yards of the sh.o.r.e, and therefore better situated for the protection of her people at their occupations from the natives, who are numerous, and will daily visit them. But, for a ship only wanting fuel and water, there is a sandy bay in the south-west corner of the sound, in which two or three streams of excellent water run into the sea over the sand, from which a ship might complete her hold in a day or two, by digging a well to collect it.

Wood may also be procured at this place, but not of so large a size, or perhaps of so good a quality as at other parts. This bay is readily found, by its being the first to the westward of a rocky point, that projects from some remarkable bare sand hillocks, as also from its being the second sandy beach to the westward of the low flat rocky islet at the back of Seal Island.

The anchorage is good, being a bottom of sand and weeds, and is sufficiently protected from easterly winds by BREAKSEA and MICHAELMAS ISLANDS. The anchorage between SEAL ISLAND and the first sandy beach to the westward of BALD HEAD, with the low flat rocky islet bearing west, in six or seven fathoms sand and weeds, should be preferred during the summer months; for the easterly winds then prevail, and sometimes blow strong, even as late as March; the anchorage is landlocked, excepting in the direction of East by North, the only quarter to which it is exposed, and even in that direction the angle subtending the sea horizon is not greater than ten degrees of the circle, which is of insignificant consequence.

There is no water nearer to this anchorage than in the sandy bay above mentioned, but the distance is trifling for a ship that can send boats with men enough to protect themselves while employed in filling the casks, for notwithstanding the friendly communication we have had with the inhabitants of this sound, they are not to be trusted, unless their character is different from the rest of their countrymen that we have seen.

Water is procured at Princess Royal and Oyster Harbours by digging holes at the edge of the sand under the hills; but, at the latter place, the stream that we used outside the bar affords plenty, of excellent quality, without the trouble of digging.

Over the bar of Oyster Harbour there is not more than ten and a half feet at low water, and in the neaps twelve feet at high water; but it is likely that, at spring-tides, there may be fourteen feet, or perhaps more if the wind is blowing into the harbour; but during the springs high water always takes place at night, and it would not, therefore, be prudent to attempt to pa.s.s the bar at that time.

A vessel intending to go to Oyster Harbour should anchor off the sandy beach immediately to the eastward of the entrance, that is, between the breakers off the point and the bar, in three fathoms sand, bringing the summit of Green Island, in the harbour, on with the extremity of the bushes of the west point of entrance, and the highest part of Breaksea Island in a line with the outer point of the bay: a boat should then be sent to sound the bar. The mark for the deepest part is when the western summit of some flat-topped land, at the back of Oyster Harbour, is a little open of the rocks off the east side of the entrance.

After the bar is pa.s.sed, the channel is deepest when the centre of the flat land is kept midway between the points of entrance, avoiding a spit of rocks that projects from the rocky point at the west end of the watering beach. The strongest winds are from the westward, and therefore bower anchors should be placed to the south-west and north-west: warps and the stream cable will be sufficient to secure her from easterly winds, as the hills rise immediately over the vessel on that sh.o.r.e. If the run of water outside the bar should fail, holes may be dug at the edge of the gra.s.s, about three feet deep, which will yield a sufficient quant.i.ty in two or three days for any vessel that can pa.s.s over it.

The flood-tide in the entrance generally ran sixteen hours, and ebbed eight hours. High water at full and change took place at 10 hours 10 minutes at night; but on the bar the rise and fall was very irregular, and a vessel going in should pay great attention to the depth, if her draught is more than ten feet, for it sometimes rises suddenly two feet.

The spring-tides take place about the third or fourth day after new or full moon. The variation here is about 7 degrees East. The situation of Seal Island, from Captain Flinders' observations, is in lat.i.tude 35 degrees 4 minutes 55 seconds, and longitude 117 degrees 58 minutes 7 seconds.

A small island was reported in the Sydney Gazette to have been seen in lat.i.tude 36 degrees 27 minutes, and longitude 127 degrees 2 minutes East; but as the account says, that Kangaroo Island was seen the same day, which is not less than one hundred and fifty leagues from the above position, it appears too vague to be correct. (See Horsburgh Supp. page 32.)

BLACK PYRAMID, off the north-west end of Van Diemen's Land, in Ba.s.s Strait, is situated about 4 minutes too much to the southward on Captain Flinders' chart.

BELL'S ROCK. The following account of a rock, seen by Mr. Bell, the Commander of the ship Minerva, on her outward-bound pa.s.sage to New South Wales, appeared in a Sydney (New South Wales) Gazette, of the 16th of December, 1824.

"On the 14th of November the Minerva very narrowly escaped striking on a rock, in the fairway of the west entrance to Ba.s.s Strait, on the south side of King's Island. Reid's rocks bearing North six miles, and the Black Pyramid East-South-East: from this situation the danger was about half a mile off (to the southward); but as the water broke only at intervals of three or four minutes, although the swell was very heavy, it is probable there may be sufficient depth of water to carry a ship over it. An indifferent observation made the lat.i.tude of the ship at the time 40 degrees 26 minutes."