Departure from Port Lincoln.
Sir Joseph Banks' Group.
Examination of the coast, northward.
The ship found to be in a gulph.
Anchorage near the head of the gulph.
Boat expedition.
Excursion to Mount Brown.
Nautical observations.
Departure from the head, and examination of the east side of the gulph.
Extensive shoal.
Point Pearce.
Hardwicke Bay.
Verification of the time keepers.
General remarks on the gulph.
Cape Spencer and the Althorpe Isles.
New land discovered: Anchorage there.
General remarks on Kangaroo Island.
Nautical observations.
[SOUTH COAST. SPENCER'S GULPH.]
SATURDAY 6 MARCH 1802
At ten in the morning of March 6 we sailed out of Port Lincoln, and
skirted along the east side of Boston Island and the entrance of Louth
Bay. In the afternoon we passed within two miles of Point Bolingbroke,
and at six in the evening came to an anchor in 10 fathoms, off the north
side of Kirkby Island, which is the nearest to the point of any of Sir
Joseph Banks' Group, and had been seen from Stamford Hill. A boat was
lowered down to sound about the ship, and I went on shore to take
bearings of the different islands; but they proved to be so numerous that
the whole could not be completed before dark.
SUNDAY 7 MARCH 1802
I landed again in the morning with the botanical gentlemen, taking
Arnold's watch and the necessary instruments for ascertaining the
latitude and longitude. Twelve other isles of the group were counted, and
three rocks above water; and it is possible that some others may exist to
the eastward, beyond the boundary of my horizon, for it was not
extensive. The largest island seen is four or five miles long, and is low
and sandy, except at the north-east and south ends; it was called
_Reevesby Island_, and names were applied in the chart to each of the
other isles composing this group. The main coast extended northward from
Point Bolingbroke, but the furthest part visible from the top of Kirkby
Island was not more than four or five leagues distant; its bearing and
those of the objects most important to the connection of the survey were
these;
Main coast, furthest extreme, N. 13° 40' E.
Point Bolingbroke, N. 86 50 W.
Stamford Hill, station on the north end, S. 45 17 W.
Thistle's Island, centre of the high land, S. 5 37 W.
Sibsey Island, extremes, S. 16° 27' to 13 2 W.
Stickney Island, S. 18 30 to 22 40 E.
Spilsby Island, S. 39 30 to 48 25 E.
Granite forms the basis of Kirkby Island, as it does of the neighbouring
parts of the continent before examined; and it is in the same manner
covered with a _stratum_ of calcareous rock. The island was destitute of
wood, and almost of shrubs; and although there were marks of its having
been frequented by geese, none of the birds were seen, nor any other
species of animal except a few hair seals upon the shore. This
description, unfavourable as it is, seemed applicable to all the group,
with the exception of Reevesby and Spilsby Islands, which are higher and
of greater extent, and probably somewhat more productive.
The _latitude_ of the north side of Kirkby Island, observed from an
artificial horizon, was 34° 33' 1" south, and _longitude_ by timekeepers,
136° 10' 8" east. The _variation _from azimuths taken on board the ship
at anchor, with the head south-by-west (magnetic as usual), was 2° 40'
east; which corrected to the meridian would be 2° 2' east, the same
nearly as was observed in Memory Cove and at the entrance of Port
Lincoln; but an amplitude taken on shore with the surveying theodolite
gave 3° 57' east. This seemed extraordinary when, except at Cape
Donington, no local attraction of importance had been found in the shores
of Port Lincoln, where the stone is the same. It was, however,
corroborated by the bearings; for that of Stamford Hill, with 3° 57'
allowed, differed only 2' from the back bearing with the allowance of 1°
39'; which is a nearer coincidence than I have generally been able to
obtain.
At two in the afternoon the anchor was weighed, and leaving most of Sir
Joseph Banks' Group to the right, we steered northward, following the
direction of the main land. The coast is very low and commonly sandy,
from Boston Bay to the furthest extreme seen from Kirkby Island; but a
ridge of hills, commencing at North-side Hill in Port Lincoln, runs a few
miles behind it. In latitude 34° 20' this ridge approaches the water
side, and in its course northward keeps nearly parallel at the distance
of two or three miles. It is moderately elevated, level, destitute of
vegetation, and appeared to be granitic. At half-past six, when we hauled
off for the night, the shore was five or six miles distant; the furthest
part bore N. N. E. ½ E., and a bluff inland mountain was set at N. 71°
W., over the top of the front ridge.
The wind was moderate from the south-eastward; and at seven on the
following morning [MONDAY 8 MARCH 1802], when the bluff inland mountain
was bearing W. 2° N., we resumed our north-eastern course along the
shore; which was distant seven miles, and had not changed its appearance.
Towards noon the water shoaled to 6 fathoms at three miles from a sandy
beach; a lagoon was visible from the mast head, over the beach, and a
small inlet, apparently connected with it, was perceived soon afterward.
A few miles short of this the ridge of hills turns suddenly from the
shore, and sweeps round at the back of the lagoon, into which the waters
running off the ridge appeared to be received. The corner hill, where the
direction of the ridge is changed, was called _Elbow Hill_; and since
losing sight of the bluff inland mount, it was the first distinguishable
mark which had presented itself for the survey; it lies in latitude 33°
43' and longitude 136° 42'. The coast there trends nearly east-by-north,
and obliged us to haul close to the wind, in soundings of 7 to 9 fathoms.
We had then advanced more than twenty-five leagues to the
north-north-east from Cape Catastrope; but although nothing had been seen
to destroy the hopes formed from the tides and direction of the coast
near that cape, they were yet considerably damped by the want of boldness
in the shores and the shallowness of the water; neither of which seemed
to belong to a channel capable of leading us into the Gulph of
Carpentaria, nor yet to any very great distance inland.
At two o'clock the shore again took a northern direction, but it was
still very low in front, and the depth did not materially increase. Land
was presently distinguished on the starbord bow and beam; and before
four, an elevated part, called _Barn Hill_ from the form of its top, bore
E. 4° N. We continued to follow the line of the western shore, steering
north-north-east and north; and the wind being at south, we hauled
north-westward at six o'clock, intending to anchor under the shelter of
the land. From 7 fathoms the depth diminished to 5, and quickly to
seventeen feet; upon which we veered round, ran back into 5 fathoms, and
came to an anchor three or four miles off the shore on a sandy bottom.
The wind blew fresh, with rainy squalls; but a whole cable being veered
out, we rode smoothly all night. The furthest land visible to the
northward consisted of detached hummocks of which the highest was called
_Mount Young_ in honour of the admiral. Abreast of the ship the land rose
gradually from the beach to the ridge of hills which still continued to
run behind it; but at this place some back hills were visible over the
ridge; and the highest of several hummocks upon the top, which served as
a mark in the survey, was named _Middle Mount_. Observations for the
time keepers were taken in the morning [TUESDAY 9 MARCH 1802] before
getting under way, and the situation of the anchorage was found to be in
Longitude, 137° 27½'
Mount Young bore, N. 11 E.
Middle Mount, N. 62½ W.
Low western shore, extreme, S. 21 W.
High eastern land, about the middle, N. 71 E.
Having obtained the observations, we steered for the outermost of the
northern hummocks, with soundings gradually increasing to 12 fathoms; but
shoaling on a sudden to 7, upon coral, we hauled to the wind and tacked
instantly; finding, however, that the depth did not further decrease, I
let the ship go entirely round, and continued the former north-eastern
course, with soundings from 7 to 9 fathoms.
At noon, the furthest hummock seen from the anchorage was distant four or
five miles; it stands on a projection of low sandy land, and beyond it
was another similar projection to which I gave the name of _Point Lowly_.
This was the furthest visible part of the western shore; but the eastern
land there approached within seven or eight miles, and extended
northward, past it, in a chain of rugged mountains, at the further end of
which was a remarkable peak. Our situation and bearings at this time were
as follow:
Latitude, observed to the north and south, 33° 5' 14"
Longitude by time keepers, 137 41 1/3
Middle Mount, S. 75 W.
Mount Young, S. 87 W.
Point Lowly, the extreme, N. 43 E.
High peak on the eastern land, N. 25 E.
Our prospect of a channel or strait, cutting off some considerable
portion of Terra Australis, was lost, for it now appeared that the ship
was entered into a gulph; but the width of the opening round Point Lowly
left us a consolatory hope that it would terminate in a river of some
importance. In steering for the point we came into 4 fathoms, but on
hauling to the eastward found 8, although a dry sand-bank was seen in
that direction. The depth afterwards diminished to 6, on which the course
for Point Lowly was resumed; and we passed it at the distance of a mile
and a half, in 9 fathoms water. Here the gulph was found to take a
river-like form, but the eastern half of it was occupied by a dry, sandy
spit and shoal water. We continued to steer upwards, before the wind; but
as the width contracted rapidly, and there was much shoal water, it was
under very easy sail, and with an anchor ready to be let go. At four
o'clock, in attempting to steer close over to the western side, we came
suddenly into 2½ fathoms; the ship was instantly veered to the eastward,
and on the water deepening to 7, we let go the anchor and veered out a
whole cable; for the wind blew a fresh gale right up the gulph, and
between S. 4° W. and 30° E. there was no shelter from the land. At sunset
a second anchor was dropped under foot.
We had reached near five leagues above Point Lowly, at the entrance of
the narrow part of the gulph; but the shores were low on both sides, and
abreast of the ship not so much as four miles asunder. At the back of the
eastern shore was the ridge of mountains before mentioned, of which Mr.
Westall made the sketch given in the Atlas (Plate XVII. View 10.); and
the highest peak toward their northern extremity, afterwards called
_Mount Brown_, bore N. 32° E. On the western side, upwards, there was
moderately high, flat-topped land, whose eastern bluff bore N. 36° W.,
about three leagues, and there the head of the gulph had the appearance
of terminating; but as the tide ran one mile an hour past the ship, we
still flattered ourselves with the prospect of a longer course, and that
it would end in a fresh-water river.
WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH 1802
Early on the following morning, Messrs. Brown, Bauer and Westall, with
attendants, set off upon an excursion to the eastern mountains,
intending, if possible, to ascend to the top of Mount Brown; and I went
away in a cutter, accompanied by the surgeon, to explore the head of the
gulph, taking with me Arnold's pocket time-keeper. After crossing the
middle shoal, upon which we had 2½ fathoms in the ship, the water
deepened to 10, but afterwards diminished to 2, on approaching the
mangroves of the western side. Keeping then upwards, I had from 7 to 10
fathoms in the mid-channel, but found shoal water extending a mile, and
sometimes more, from the shore and no possibility of landing until we
came near the broad, flat-topped hill. From the eastern bluff of this
hill, Mount Brown bore N. 62° 20' E., and _Mount Arden_, a peak nearly at
the furthest extreme of the ridge, N. 18° 40' E.; and the inlet was seen
to run in a serpentine form to the northward, between low banks covered
with mangroves. After taking the bearings we returned to the boat and
pursued our course upward along the western shore, having from 4 to 7
fathoms past the bluff; but the inlet was there less than two miles wide,
and a league further on it was contracted to one mile, half of which,
besides, was occupied by mud flats. These banks were frequented by ducks
and other water fowl; and some time being occupied in chasing them, our
distance above the ship was not so much as five leagues in a straight
line, when the setting sun reminded us of looking out for a place of
rest. A landing was effected with some difficulty amongst the mangroves
on the eastern shore; and from a small eminence of red earth I set the
ship's mast heads at S. 14° E., and Mount Brown N. 85° E.
THURSDAY 11 MARCH 1802
Next morning we continued the examination upwards, carrying 4, 3, and 2
fathoms in mid-channel; but at ten o'clock our oars touched the mud on
each side, and it was not possible to proceed further. I then landed and
took observations in an artificial horizon for the time-keeper, which
gave 4' 34" of longitude to the west of the ship, or only two seconds
more than was deduced from the bearings. Mount Brown bore S. 72° E.,
Mount Arden N. 26° E., and my last station on the eminence of red earth
S. 6° E. The inlet wholly terminated at one mile and a half to the N. 16°
W.
It seemed remarkable, and was very mortifying, to find the water at the
head of the gulph as salt nearly as at the ship; nevertheless it was
evident that much fresh water was thrown into it in wet seasons,
especially from the eastern mountains. The summits of the ridge lie from
three to four leagues back from the water-side, but the greater part of
that space seemed to be low, marshy land. To the northward no hill was
visible, and to the westward but one small elevation of flat-topped land;
all else in those directions was mangroves and salt swamps, and they
seemed to be very extensive.
Two miles below the place where the observations for the time-keeper were
taken was a small cliff of reddish clay on the western shore; and being
near it on our return, when the sun was approaching the meridian, I
landed to observe the latitude. It was 32° 27' 56" south, so that the
termination of the gulph may be called in 32° 24½' without making a
greater error than half a mile. Mount Brown bore from thence S. 80½° E.,
and its latitude will therefore be 32° 30¼' south; the longitude deduced
from bearings and the time-keepers on board is 138° 0¾' east.
Our return to the ship was a good deal retarded by going after the black
swans and ducks amongst the flats. The swans were all able to fly, and
would not allow themselves to be approached; but some ducks of two or
three different species were shot, and also several sea pies or red
bills. Another set of bearings was taken on the western shore, and at ten
in the evening we reached the ship, where Mr. Brown and his party had not
been long arrived. The ascent of Mount Brown had proved to be very
difficult, besides having to walk fifteen miles on a winding course
before reaching the foot; by perseverance, however, they gained the top
at five on the first evening, but were reduced to passing the night
without water; nor was any found until they had descended some distance
on the following day. The view from the top of Mount Brown was very
extensive, its elevation being not less than three thousand feet; but
neither rivers nor lakes could be perceived, nor anything of the sea to
the south-eastward. In almost every direction the eye traversed over an
uninterruptedly flat, woody country; the sole exceptions being the ridge
of mountains extending north and south, and the water of the gulph to the
south-westward.
Mr. Brown found the stone of this ridge of craggy mountains to be
argillaceous, similar to that of the flat-topped land where I had taken
bearings on the west side of the inlet. It is reddish, smooth,
close-grained, and rather heavy. Bushes and some small trees grown in the
hollows of the rising hills; and between their feet and the mangrove
swamps near the water there was some tolerably good though shallow soil.
We had seen fires upon the eastern shore opposite to Point Lowly on first
entering the head of the gulph, and wherever I had landed there were
traces of natives; Mr. Brown found them even to a considerable height up
the side of the mountain; and it should therefore seem that the country
here is as well inhabited as most parts of Terra Australis, but we had
not the good fortune to meet with any of the people.
The observations taken by lieutenant Flinders fixed the position of the
ship in _latitude_ 32° 44' 41" south, and _longitude_ by the time keepers
137° 49' 56" east. Twelve sets of distances of the sun and moon gave 137°
50' 9"; but these being all on one side, the time keepers are preferred.
Azimuths observed from the binnacle, when the ship's head was between S.
by E. and S. S. E., gave 0° 42' east, or 1° 37' east, nearly, for the
true _variation_; and there was no particular attraction upon the
theodolite at any of my stations on shore.
We had two flood _tides_ in the day setting past the ship, and they ran
at the strongest one mile and a half per hour; the rise appeared to be
from six to eight feet, and high water to take place at _two hours and a
half after_ the moon passed the meridian. Except in the time of high
water, which is considerably later than at Thorny Passage, the tides at
the head have a near affinity to those at the entrance of the gulph;
whence the great differences at Port Lincoln, intermediately situate,
become so much the more extraordinary.
SATURDAY 13 MARCH 1802
Nothing of particular interest having presented itself to detain us at
the head of the gulph, we got under way in the morning of the 13th,
having a light breeze from the north-westward. The western shore had been
followed in going up, and for that reason I proposed to keep close to the
east side in returning; but before eight o'clock the water shoaled
suddenly from 4 to 2 fathoms, and the ship hung upon a mud bank covered
with grass, two or three miles from the shore. A kedge anchor was carried
out astern; and in half an hour we again made sail downward, in soundings
from 5 to 10 fathoms near the edge of the shoal.
At noon, latitude observed to the N. and S. 32° 57' 6"
Mount Brown bore N. 9 30 E.
Pt. Lowly south extreme dist. 7 miles, S. 79 0 W.
The depth was then 7 fathoms; but there were banks ahead, extending to a
great distance from the eastern shore, and in steering westward to pass
round them, we had 3½ fathoms for the least water. It afterwards deepened
to 7, and we again steered southward, but were not able to get near the
land; on the contrary, the shallow water forced us further off as we
proceeded. The wind was at west-southwest in the evening; and this not
permitting us to lie along the edge of the bank, we came to an anchor in
7 fathoms, soft bottom; being then above four leagues from the eastern
low shore, although there was only 3½ fathoms at less than a mile nearer
in.
Mount Brown bore N. 21° E.
Barn Hill, S. 43 E.
Mount Young, N. 66 W.
SUNDAY 14 MARCH 1802
In the morning we followed the line of the great eastern shoal, and its
direction permitted us to approach nearer to the land, with soundings
between 8 and 4 fathoms. A little before noon, after running half an hour
in less than 4 fathoms and getting within about six miles of the land, we
were obliged to tack and stretch off, the wind having veered to the
south-west. Our situation twenty minutes afterward, was in
Latitude, observed to the north and south, 33° 23' 49"
Longitude by time keepers, 137 47
Mount Young bore N. 38 W.
Middle Mount, west side of the gulph, N. 66 W.
Barn Hill, on the east side, S. 60 E.
We beat to windward all the afternoon, and at sunset anchored in 3½
fathoms near the edge of the great bank and seven or eight miles from the
land. The shore was low and sandy, but there was a ridge of hills behind
it nearly similar to that on the west side of the gulph. Barn Hill lies
at the back of this ridge and about twelve miles from the water; and
towards the southern end of the ridge was another hill, also some
distance inland, of which I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. A
middle mount on the west side of the gulph, higher and further back than
the one before set, was in sight from this anchorage; and the bearings
taken were these:
Middle back mount, N. 61° W.
Barn Hill on the east side, S. 74 E.
A more southern hill, S. 38 E.
Mount Br own was no longer visible; but it had been seen this afternoon
at the distance of fifty-eight miles, and was sufficiently above the
horizon to have been distinguished some miles further from a ship's deck
in a perfectly clear day.
MONDAY 15 MARCH 1802
On the morning of the 15th the wind had shifted to south-east; and the
great bank then trending south-westward, we followed it with variable
soundings between 3 and 10 fathoms. At ten o'clock the water had deepened
to 15; and being then nearer to the west than to the east side of the
gulph, and the wind having come more ahead, we tacked to the
east-south-east; but in fifty minutes were obliged to steer westward
again, having fallen into 3 fathoms on the edge of the bank. This is the
narrowest part of the gulph below Point Lowly, the two shores being
scarcely more than twenty miles asunder; and of this space, the great
eastern bank, if the part where we last had 3 fathoms be connected with
it, occupies about eleven, and the shallow water of the west side one or
two miles. The soundings we had in stretching westward across the deep
channel were, from the shoal, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 12, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 7,
6, 5 fathoms, at nearly equal distances asunder, and the last at six
miles from the western land.
After sounding across the channel we stood back, lying up south-east, and
reached within five miles of the eastern shore, where the anchor was
dropped in 4½ fathoms; Barn Hill bearing N. 69° E., and a cliffy
projection, named _Point Riley_ after the gentleman of that name in the
Admiralty, S. 14° W., two or three leagues. This point was the furthest
visible part of the eastern shore; and so low and uniform had the coast
been from the head of the gulph, that this was the first mark I had found
upon it for the survey. The great eastern bank, which we had already
followed about sixty miles, seemed to terminate at Point Riley; and from
thence southward the gulph greatly enlarges its breadth. The situation of
the point is about 33° 53' south and 137° 30' E.
TUESDAY 16 MARCH 1802
We got under way at six in the morning, and the wind being from the
south-eastward made a good stretch along the coast until noon. A patch of
breakers then lay five miles to the south-east; but the land was ten
miles distant, and some white sandy cliffs, four or five leagues from
Point Riley, bore S. 52° E. The intermediate coast, as also that which
extends several leagues to the north of the point, is low and sandy; but
at a few miles back it rises to a level land of moderate elevation, and
is not ill clothed with small trees. In the afternoon we had to beat
against a southern wind; and the coast in that part being too open for
anchorage, this was continued all night and the next morning [WEDNESDAY
17 MARCH 1802]; but with so little profit that the same land was still in
sight at noon, and our situation found to be as follows
Latitude, observed to the north and south, 34° 15' 24"
Longitude by time keepers, 137 24½
North extreme near the sandy cliffs, dist. 6 miles, N. 19 E.
Low red cliffs, south end dist. 6 or 7 miles, S. 54 E.
At six in the evening, the reddish cliffs were brought to bear N. 44° E.,
and a long point, or an island lying off a point, bore S. 43° W. two
leagues. Our distance from a cliffy islet, close under the shore, was two
or three miles, but the breakers from it were only half a mile off, and
the depth was 4 fathoms.
THURSDAY 18 MARCH 1802
On the 18th, in the morning, we fetched to windward of the island-like
point, to which I gave the name of _Point Pearce_, in compliment to Mr.
Pearce of the Admiralty. Its latitude is 34° 28½' south and longitude
137° 21' east. On the south side of this point or island, for I could not
fully ascertain its connection, the shore falls back seven or eight miles
to the east, and then trends southward. It is low and very sandy, but
rises gradually to a level country of the same description as that near
Point Riley. At sunset the land was seen as far as south-west-by-south;
and the wind favouring us a little, we made a stretch for it. A fire upon
the shore served as a mark to steer by; and on approaching it at ten
o'clock, the anchor was let go in 6 fathoms, upon a bottom of coarse sand
and small stones, the weather being fine, and wind moderate off the land.
The howling of dogs was heard during the night, and at daylight [FRIDAY
19 MARCH 1802] the shore was found to be distant two or three miles, and
was woody, rising land, but not of much elevation. A remarkable point,
which I named _Corny Point_, bearing S 73° W. three miles, was the
furthest land visible to the westward; its latitude, from meridian
observations of Jupiter and the moon, is 34° 52' South, and longitude
from the time-keepers 137° 6½' east. Between this point and Point Pearce,
twenty-eight miles to the north-north-east, is a large bay, well
sheltered from all southern winds, and none others seem to blow with much
strength here. The land trends eastward about seven leagues, from Corny
Point to the head of the bay; but what the depth of water may be there,
or whether any fresh stream fall into it, I am not able to state; the
land, however, was better wooded, and had a more fertile appearance than
any before seen in the neighbourhood. I called this HARDWICKE BAY, in
honour of the noble earl of that title.
Several observations for the variation of the compass had been taken
whilst beating in the neighbourhood of Point Pearce. On its north side,
eight miles from the shore, an amplitude with the ship's head S. W. by S.
gave 4° 38' east; at E. by N., when fourteen miles off, another gave 1°
13' east; but azimuths three or four miles nearer in, 0° 10' _west_; and
at S. E., when six miles off, 0° 35' _west_. On the south side of Point
Pearce, the head being S. S. W., and the land distant thirteen miles, an
amplitude gave 3° 15' east. These different observations, which were all
taken with the surveying compass, being corrected upon the principles and
by the proportion explained in the Appendix No. II. to the second volume,
will be respectively, 2° 51', 4° 21' furthest from the land, 2° 58', 1°
41' nearest the land, and 2° 1' east. The mean is 2° 46' east; which may
be taken for the true variation at three or four leagues off Point Pearce
in 1802; but close in with the shore, I suspect it was less by 1°, or
perhaps 2°.
Having remained at anchor until the sun was high enough to admit of
observations for the time keepers, we got under way at half past seven
o'clock; and the coast round Corny Point being found to trend S. 27° W.,
nearly in the wind's eye, I stretched westward across the gulph towards
Thistle's Island, in order to compare the time keepers with the
longitudes of places before settled. Our latitude at noon, observed on
both sides, was 34° 50' 10"; Spilsby Island, the south-eastern most of
Sir Joseph Banks' Group, was seen bearing N. 56° W., and the eastern
bluff of Wedge Island, the central and largest of Gambier's Isles, bore
S. 16½° W. Gambier's Isles, four in number besides two peaked rocks, had
been first seen from the high land behind Memory Cove. They lie nearly in
the centre of the entrance to the gulph; and the latitude of Wedge Island
is 35°11' south, and longitude 136° 29' east. Soon after four in the
afternoon, I had the following bearings:
Wedge Island, highest part, S. 21½° E.
Thistle's Island, highest part, S. 29 W.
C. Catastrophe, former station on the S. E. point, S. 53½ W.
Stamford Hill, former station at the top, N. 86 W.
Sibsey Island, centre, N. 33 W.
Stickney Island, N. 11 W.
Spilsby Island, N. 17½ E.
The longitude deduced from these bearings was 30° 22" east, from the head
of Port Lincoln, and that resulting from observations for the time
keepers taken in the same place, was 30° 53"; showing a difference of no
more than 0' 31" to the east, since quitting the port. This quantity in a
sea observation is so small and uncertain, that I considered the time
keepers to have gone correctly from March 4, when the last observations
in Port Lincoln had been made, up to this time; and that the lunar
observations taken in the interval might be reduced back to the head of
the port by their means, and used to fix its longitude without any
further correction.
Besides the bearings above given, there was a rocky islet four miles
distant in the S. 78° W.; part of a ledge of low rocks which extended
towards the north end of Thistle's Island, and may possibly be connected
with the rock set from thence. This ledge is marked _dangerous_, in the
particular chart.
Having satisfactorily ascertained the going of the time keepers, we
tacked and stretched back for the coast on the east side of the gulph;
but did not get sight of it before dark. At six on the following morning
[SATURDAY 20 MARCH 1802],
Corny Point, dist. 5 or 6 leagues, bore N. 63½° E.
A cliffy head, distant 10 miles, S. 85 E.
Furthest extreme, a cliffy point, S. 21 E.
Wedge Island, eastern bluff, S. 49 W.
Thistle's Island, highest part, West.
An amplitude taken when the ship's head was south-by-east, gave variation
1° 25' east, and azimuths at south-south-east, 1° 10': the mean, reduced
to the meridian, is 2° 13' east, or a few minutes more than had been
found on the west side of the gulph, and half a degree less than off
Point Pearce.
The tide appeared to set us along the shore to the southward, although,
from what was observed at Thistle's Island, it should have been the time
of flood. With its assistance, and the wind having become less
unfavourable, we were enabled to make a course for the furthest land.
This proved to be a cape, composed of three cliffy points, near the
northern part of which lay a cluster of black rocks. The southernmost
cliff bore at noon E. 4½° S. six or seven miles, and beyond it there was
no main coast visible; but three small islands, with several rocks and a
reef, were seen to lie as far as five miles to the southward, out from
the cape.
Although the continuation of the main coast was not to be distinguished
beyond the cape, yet there was land in sight at the distance of seven or
eight leagues, from about south to S. 18½° W. Whether this land were an
island or a part of the continent, and the wide opening to the eastward a
strait or a new inlet, was uncertain; but in either case, the
investigation of the gulph was terminated; and in honour of the
respectable nobleman who presided at the Board of Admiralty when the
voyage was planned and ship put into commission, I named it SPENCER'S
GULPH. The cliffy-pointed cape which forms the east side of the entrance,
and lies in 35° 18' south and 136° 55' east, was named CAPE SPENCER; and
the three isles lying off it, with their rocks, _Althorp Isles_.
A line drawn from the nearest part of Cape Catastrophe to Cape Spencer
will be forty-eight miles long, and so much is the entrance of the gulph
in width. Gambier's Isles lie not far from the middle of the line; and if
we measure upward from them, the gulph will be found, without regard to
the small windings, to extend one hundred and eighty-five miles into the
interior of the country. For the general exactness of its form in the
chart I can answer with tolerable confidence, having seen all that is
laid down, and, as usual, taken every angle which enters into the
construction. Throughout the whole extent of the shores the water line
was almost every where distinguished; the only exceptions being small
portions at the head of Hardwicke and Louth Bays, of a bight near Point
Lowly, and of the low land at the back of the great Eastern Shoal.
At noon, when off Cape Spencer, the wind became variable and light, with
very hazy, cloudy weather; and the mercury in my marine barometer had
fallen two-tenths of an inch. At six in the evening a breeze sprung up at
west-north-west; and as I expected a gale would come on, and that as
usual it would veer to the south-west, we ceased to follow the coast
beyond Cape Spencer, and steered for the land seen in the southern
quarter. The Althorp Isles were passed at eight o'clock, at the distance
of eight or nine miles; and the wind being fresh at west, we made short
trips during the night between the two lands, not knowing what might be
in the space to leeward. At daylight [SUNDAY 21 MARCH 1802] the ship was
nearly in mid-channel, between the southern land and Cape Spencer, and
nothing was seen to the eastward. It then blew a fresh gale at
south-west, with much sea running; we stretched south-west under
close-reefed top-sails, to get under the lee of the southern land; and at
eight o'clock, when the largest Althorp Isle bore N. 32° W., it was
distant six or seven miles to the south, and extended from S. 61° W. to
79° E. as far as the eye could reach. It was rather high and cliffy; but
there was nothing by which to judge of its connection with the main.
At ten o'clock we were close under the land; and finding the water
tolerably smooth, had shortened sail with the intention of anchoring near
a small, sandy beach; but the situation proving to be too much exposed,
we steered eastward along the shore under two close-reefed topsails and
fore-sail, the wind blowing strong in squalls from the south-west. The
furthest land seen ahead at noon was a projecting point, lower than the
other cliffs; it bore E. 7° S., four leagues, and and lies in 35° 33'
south and 137° 41' east. It was named _Point Marsden_, in compliment to
the second secretary of the Admiralty; and beyond it the coast was found
to trend southward into a large bay containing three coves, any one of
which promised good shelter from the gale. This was called NEPEAN BAY. in
compliment to the first secretary (now Sir Evan Nepean, Bart.), and we
hauled up for it; but the strength of the wind was such that a headland
forming the east side of the bay was fetched with difficulty. At six in
the evening we came to anchor in 9 fathoms, sandy bottom, within a mile
of the shore; the east extreme bearing S. 76° E., and the land near Point
Marsden, on the west side of Nepean Bay, N. 61° W., six leagues. A piece
of high land, seemingly unconnected, bore from N. 45° to 78° E.; but no
land could be distinguished to the northward.
Neither smokes nor other marks of inhabitants had as yet been perceived
upon the southern land, although we had passed along seventy miles of its
coast. It was too late to go on shore this evening; but every glass in
the ship was pointed there, to see what could be discovered. Several
black lumps, like rocks, were pretended to have been seen in motion by
some of the young gentlemen, which caused the force of their imaginations
to be much admired; next morning [MONDAY 22 MARCH 1802], however, on
going toward the shore, a number of dark-brown kangaroos were seen
feeding upon a grass-plat by the side of the wood and our landing gave
them no disturbance. I had with me a double-barrelled gun, fitted with a
bayonet, and the gentlemen my companions had muskets. It would be
difficult to guess how many kangaroos were seen; but I killed ten, and
the rest of the party made up the number to thirty-one, taken on board in
the course of the day; the least of them weighing sixty-nine, and the
largest one hundred and twenty-five pounds. These kangaroos had much
resemblance to the large species found in the forest lands of New South
Wales, except that their colour was darker, and they were not wholly
destitute of fat.
After this butchery, for the poor animals suffered themselves to be shot
in the eyes with small shot, and in some cases to be knocked on the head
with sticks, I scrambled with difficulty through the brushwood, and over
fallen trees, to reach the higher land with the surveying instruments;
but the thickness and height of the wood prevented anything else from
being distinguished. There was little doubt, however, that this extensive
piece of land was separated from the continent; for the extraordinary
tameness of the kangaroos and the presence of seals upon the shore
concurred with the absence of all traces of men to show that it was not
inhabited.
[SOUTH COAST. KANGAROO ISLAND.]
The whole ship's company was employed this afternoon in skinning and
cleaning the kangaroos; and a delightful regale they afforded, after four
months' privation from almost any fresh provisions. Half a hundred weight
of heads, forequarters and tails were stewed down into soup for dinner on
this and the succeeding days; and as much steaks given, moreover, to both
officers and men as they could consume by day and by night. In gratitude
for so seasonable a supply I named this southern land KANGAROO ISLAND.
TUESDAY 23 MARCH 1802
Next day was employed in shifting the topmasts on account of some rents
found in the heels. The scientific gentlemen landed again to examine the
natural productions of the island, and in the evening eleven more
kangaroos were brought on board; but most of these were smaller, and
seemed to be of a different species to those of the preceding day. Some
of the party saw several large running birds; which, according to their
description, seemed to have been the emu or cassowary.
Not being able to obtain a distinct view from any elevated situation, I
took a set of angles from a small projection near the ship, named
_Kangaroo Head_; but nothing could be seen to the north, and the sole
bearing of importance, more than had been taken on board, was that of a
high hill at the extremity of the apparently unconnected land to the
eastward: it bore N. 39° 10' E., and was named _Mount Lofty_. The nearest
part of that land was a low point bearing N. 60° E. nine or ten miles;
but the land immediately at the back was high, and its northern and
southern extremes were cliffy. I named it CAPE JERVIS, and it was
afterwards sketched by Mr. Westall. (Atlas Plate XVII. View 12.)
All the cliffs of Kangaroo Island seen to the west of the anchorage had
the appearance of being calcareous, and the loose stones scattered over
the surface of Kangaroo Head and the vicinity were of that substance; but
the basis in this part seemed to be a brown slate, lying in _strata_
nearly horizontal, and _laminae_ of quartz were sometimes seen in the
interstices. In some places the slate was split into pieces of a foot
long, or more, like iron bars, and had a shining, ore-like appearance;
and the _strata_ were then further from the horizontal line than I
observed them to be elsewhere.
A thick wood covered almost all that part of the island visible from the
ship; but the trees in a vegetating state were not equal in size to the
generality of those lying on the ground, nor to the dead trees standing
upright. Those on the ground were so abundant that in ascending the
higher land a considerable part of the walk was made upon them. They lay
in all directions, and were nearly of the same size and in the same
progress towards decay; from whence it would seem that they had not
fallen from age, nor yet been thrown down in a gale of wind. Some general
conflagration, and there were marks apparently of fire on many of them,
is perhaps the sole cause which can be reasonably assigned; but whence
came the woods on fire? That there were no inhabitants upon the island,
and that the natives of the continent did not visit it, was demonstrated,
if not by the want of all signs of such visit, yet by the tameness of the
kangaroo, an animal which, on the continent, resembles the wild deer in
timidity. Perhaps lightning might have been the cause, or possibly the
friction of two dead trees in a strong wind; but it would be somewhat
extraordinary that the same thing should have happened at Thistle's
Island, Boston Island and at this place, and apparently about the same
time. Can this part of Terra Australis have been visited before, unknown
to the world? The French navigator, La Pérouse, was ordered to explore
it, but there seems little probability that he ever passed Torres'
Strait.
Some judgment may be formed of the epoch when these conflagrations
happened from the magnitude of the growing trees; for they must have
sprung up since that period. They were a species of _eucalyptus_, and
being less than the fallen trees, had most probably not arrived at
maturity; but the wood is hard and solid, and it may thence be supposed
to grow slowly. With these considerations I should be inclined to fix the
period at not less than ten, nor more than twenty years before our
arrival. This brings us back to La Pérouse. He was in Botany Bay in the
beginning of 1788; and if he did pass through Torres' Strait, and come
round to this coast, as was his intention, it would probably be about the
middle or latter end of that year, or between thirteen and fourteen years
before the Investigator. My opinion is not favourable to this conjecture;
but I have furnished all the _data_ to enable the reader to form his own
judgment upon the cause which might have prostrated the woods of these
islands.
The soil of that part of Kangaroo Island examined by us was judged to be
much superior to any before seen, either upon the south coast of the
continent or upon the islands near it, with the exception of some
portions behind the harbours of King George's Sound. The depth of the
soil was not particularly ascertained; but from the thickness of the wood
it cannot be very shallow. Some sand is mixed with the vegetable earth,
but not in any great proportion; and I thought the soil superior to some
of the land cultivated at Port Jackson, and to much of that in our stony
counties in England.
Never perhaps had the dominion possessed here by the kangaroo been
invaded before this time. The seal shared with it upon the shores, but
they seemed to dwell amicably together. It not unfrequently happened that
the report of a gun fired at a kangaroo near the beach brought out two or
three bellowing seals from under bushes considerably further from the
water-side. The seal, indeed, seemed to be much the most discerning
animal of the two; for its actions bespoke a knowledge of our not being
kangaroos, whereas the kangaroo not unfrequently appeared to consider us
to be seals.
The _latitude_ of the landing place near Kangaroo Head from an
observation in the artificial horizon, was 35° 43' 0" south; and the
_longitude_ of our anchorage by timekeepers, 137° 58' 31" east. This
last, being deduced from observations only four days after the proof had
of the time keepers having gone correctly since leaving Port Lincoln,
should be as accurate, or very nearly so, as the longitude of that port.
The _variation_ observed from two compasses on board, with the head
south-westward, was 6° 31' east; but when the ship swung to a tide coming
from east-north-east, the change in the bearings of different objects
showed the variation to be about 4° less. The true variation I deduce to
be 4° 13' east; which is an increase upon what was observed on the west
side of Cape Spencer, of 2°; although the distance be no more than
twenty-four leagues, and the previous increase from Cape Catastrophe had
been almost nothing. It seems probable that the existence of magnetic
bodies in the land to the north-westward, and perhaps also in Kangaroo
Island and Cape Jervis, was the cause of this change in the direction of
the needle.
From appearances on the shore, I judged the rise of _tide_ to be about
six feet. The flood came from the east-north-east, twice in the day, and
by the swinging of the ship, ceased at _two hours and a half after_ the
moon's passage; but the time of high water was afterwards found to be
later by one hour and a half.