Examination of the coast resumed.
Encounter Bay.
The capes Bernouilli and Jaffa.
Baudin's Rocks.
Differences in the bearings on tacking.
Cape Buffon, the eastern limit of the French discovery.
The capes Northumberland and Bridgewater of captain Grant.
Danger from a south-west gale.
King's Island, in Bass' Strait: Anchorage there.
Some account of the island.
Nautical observations.
New Year's Isles.
Cape Otway, and the north-west entrance to Bass' Strait.
Anchorage in, and examination of Port Phillip.
The country and inhabitants.
Nautical observations.
[SOUTH COAST. ENCOUNTER BAY]
FRIDAY 9 APRIL 1802
I returned with Mr. Brown on board the Investigator at half past eight in
the morning, and we then separated from Le Géographe; captain Baudin's
course being directed to the north-west, and ours to the southward. We
had lost ground during the night, and the wind was very feeble at east,
so that the French ship was in sight at noon, and our situation was as
follows:
Latitude observed, 35° 44'
Longitude by time keepers, 138 53
Cape Jervis bore N. 82½ W.
Hummock at the east end of the high land, N. 4½ E.
Nearest sandy hillock, dist. 3 or 4 leagues, N. 65 E.
At the place where we tacked from the shore on the morning of the 8th,
the high land of Cape Jervis had retreated from the waterside, the coast
was become low and sandy, and its trending was north-east; but after
running four or five leagues in that direction it curved round to the
south-eastward, and thus formed a large bight or bay. The head of this
bay was probably seen by captain Baudin in the afternoon; and in
consequence of our meeting here, I distinguished it by the name of
ENCOUNTER BAY. The succeeding part of the coast having been first
discovered by the French navigator, I shall make use of the names in
describing it which he or his country men have thought proper to apply;
that is, so far as the volume published enables me to make them out; but
this volume being unaccompanied with charts, and containing few latitudes
and longitudes by which the capes and bays can be identified, I must be
excused should any errors be committed in the nomenclature.
There was no wind from noon to two o'clock; and it appeared by the lead
that the ship was drifted to the west-north-west, probably by a flood
tide. On a breeze springing up from the southward we stretched in for the
shore; and at six in the evening it was four miles distant, being sandy
and generally very low; but there were several hillocks upon it high
enough to be seen four or five leagues from a ship's deck, and one of
them, more bluff than the rest, and nearly destitute of vegetation, bore
N. 17° E. Next day [SATURDAY 10 APRIL 1802] at noon our situation was
within three miles of the land, but very little advanced beyond that of
the preceding day, our latitude being 35° 49 1/3', and the bluff hummock
in sight bearing N. 22° W.
A tide or current setting along the shore appeared to retard us
considerably, for at sunset we were not so much as two miles from the
noon's place; the hummock then bore N. 25° W., and the furthest part of
the coast south-east-by-east from the mast head.
An amplitude taken in the morning, with the ship's head west-by-south,
gave 5° 11' _east_ variation; and in the afternoon, when the land was
only three miles distant and the head south-east, azimuths with the same
compass gave 0° 50' _west_. These, corrected to the meridian in the mode
I have adopted, will be severally 1° 57' and 1° 30' east; and the mean 1°
44'. The variation had therefore _decreased_ considerably since leaving
Kangaroo Island, contrary to the natural order; which proves that the
quick increase on passing Yorke's Peninsula, was owing to some peculiar
attraction, either in that or the neighbouring lands. Whilst beating
through the Back-stairs Passage, I had observed an amplitude when the
ship's head was south-south-west, which gave the extraordinary variation
of 2° 41' east, or reduced to the meridian, 1° 27' east; although we were
then not so much as four miles from the anchorage where it had been found
4° 13' east. Another amplitude was observed at eight leagues to the east
of Cape Willoughby, when the head was north-east-half-east, and gave 2°
5' east variation, or reduced, 4° 36'. This last is correspondent with
what was observed near Kangaroo Head and in the Gulph of St. Vincent; but
the variation of 1° 27' in the passage is totally irregular, and must I
think be ascribed to an attraction either in Cape Jervis to the
north-east, or in the east end of Kangaroo Island to the south-east, or
to both. When the great variation Of 4° 36' was obtained, both these
lands were to the west; and when afterwards the 1° 57' and 1° 30' were
observed, the nearest land was again to the eastward of the ship; and
nearest in the last case.
The winds continued to be light and unfavourable; but by taking advantage
of the changes in direction, and keeping further from the land, out of
the tide or current, we had gained eight leagues by noon of the 11th
[SUNDAY 11 APRIL 1802]. About twenty miles of coast beyond what had been
set as the furthest extreme on the preceding day, was then in sight
(Atlas Plate V.); and our situation and bearings were as follow:
Latitude by corrected log, 36° 11'
Longitude by time keepers. 139 29½
Northern extreme, from the mast head, N. 10 E.
Nearest part, distant 7 or 8 miles, N. 59 E.
A broad patch of white sand, N. 78 E.
Southern extreme, from the mast head, S. 66 E.
At one o'clock we bore away along the coast with a light breeze from the
north-eastward; and having run five leagues, tacked to seaward soon after
dark. Next morning [MONDAY 12 APRIL 1802] we again followed the coast at
the distance of from five to three miles; and at noon a somewhat
projecting part, which appears to be the _Cape Bernouilli_ of the French
navigators, was three or four miles distant to the east. Its latitude is
36° 33' and longitude 139° 51'; and about six miles to the
south-south-east there are two low, black rocks lying close under the
shore.
[SOUTH COAST. TOWARDS CAPE NORTHUMBERLAND.]
From Encounter Bay to this slight projection the coast is little else
than a bank of sand, with a few hummocks on the top, partially covered
with small vegetation; nor could anything in the interior country be
distinguished above the bank. The shore runs waving between
east-south-east and south-south-east; but to form what is called Cape
Bernouilli it trends south, and then curves back south-eastward into a
bight. The land then becomes better clothed with bushes and small trees;
and it also differs from the more northern part in that some little
risings of back land were visible.
Our soundings were more shallow along this part of the coast than before.
The depth in passing Cape Bernouilli was from 8 to 12 fathoms; and on
tacking out of the southern bight, at half past five in the evening, it
was no more than 6, at three miles from the shore. We then saw land
extending as far out as S. 29° W., which was the south head of the bight,
and appears to be the _Cape Jaffa_ of the French; but I do not find that
they have given any name to the bight or bay, although much more
deserving than some other sinuosities in the coast on which that honour
is conferred.
This evening the variation from azimuths was 1° 25' east, taken when the
ship's head was S. S. E. ½ E.; which being corrected upon the same
principle as before, is 3° 0' east, and showed the variation to be now
increasing, according to the regular order.
During the night, we worked up successfully against a south-south-east
wind, for at six in the morning [TUESDAY 13 APRIL 1802] the low, outer
extreme of Cape Jaffa bore N. 15° E., six or seven miles. The shore is
sandy, but rises from the beach to a moderate elevation, and is then well
clothed with small wood. About three leagues to the south of the cape is
a cluster of low rocks, apparently the same of which captain Baudin had
given me information; they do not, however, lie exactly in the situation
expressed in his memorandum, and are not more than two miles from the
land. We called them _Baudin's Rocks_; and since no name is applied to
them in M. Peron's account of their voyage, the appelation is continued.
Four miles beyond the rocks is a point of moderate elevation; sandy, but
mostly overspread with bushes. This is their _Cape Lannes_; and on its
north side is a small bay, called the _Baye de Rivoli_, with a sandy
shore and open to west winds. The bearings of these places, and our
situation at noon, half an hour after tacking from Baudin's Rocks, were
as under;
Latitude, observed to the north 37° 7¼'
Longitude by time keepers, 139 41
Cape Jaffa, extreme, N. 2 E.
Baudin's Rocks, distant 3 miles, N. 70 E.
Rivoli Bay, about the middle, S. 72 E.
Cape Lannes, distant 4 or 5 miles, S. 46 E.
Furthest extreme of the coast, S. 38 E.
WEDNESDAY 14 APRIL 1802
For the last two days there had been a little current in our favour, and
notwithstanding that the winds had been mostly adverse, we made some
progress along the coast; but on opening out the land beyond Cape Lannes,
the current took a northern direction, and at noon of this day we were no
further advanced than to have that cape bearing N. 86° E. at the distance
of nine or ten miles. The furthest part of the coast then visible was a
peaked sandy hummock, bearing S. 68½° E. In the night, the wind came more
off the land, and permitted us to make an advantageous tack to the
southward; and at noon next day [THURSDAY 15 APRIL 1802], when we had
reached in again with the coast, our situation was in
Latitude observed, 37° 23½'
Longitude by time keepers, 139 50
Cape Lannes, west extreme, bore N. 13 W.
The peaked sandy hummock, dist. 5 miles, N. 29 E.
Furthest extreme, S. 59 E.
In the evening we got sight of a projecting and somewhat elevated part
which lies ten leagues to the south-eastward of Cape Lannes, and appears
to be the _Cape Buffon_ of the French navigators. The intermediate coast
is similar to that between Encounter Bay and Cape Bernouilli, with the
sole difference that the hummocks upon the sandy bank are somewhat
higher: nothing inland appeared above them.
The wind was again favourable in the night for making a long stretch to
the southward; and it was prolonged to the next day at noon [FRIDAY 16
APRIL 1802], when our distance from the coast was judged to be ten
leagues; but no part of it was in sight, and we had then got out of
soundings, there being no bottom at 200 fathoms. The latitude was 37° 57'
south, and longitude from six sets of distances of stars east and west of
the moon, 139° 39', but by the time keepers corrected, 139° 45' east. Not
more than seven or eight leagues from this situation, there should lie an
island according to the account given by captain Turnbull of the
Britannia south whaler, who saw it in his passage out to Port Jackson.
Having thick weather at the time, he was not able to ascertain its
latitude or longitude, otherwise than by the log; and as it was not in
sight from our mast head, its position must be considered as very
uncertain.
The variations observed this day, with the same compass always on the
binnacle, were as under:
By morning's amplitude, ship's head S. E. by S. 2° 39' east.
By morning's azimuth, ship's head S. S. E. 2 2
By evening's azimuth, ship's head N. E. 2 2
The mean, reduced to the meridian, will be 4° 5' east. Nine leagues to
the north, and half the distance nearer to the land, an amplitude had
been taken with the ship's head in the meridian, which gave 4° 8' east.
On the three preceding days many tacks had been made from the shore, and
I had frequently taken bearings just before the helm was put down; and so
soon as the ship was round and the compass steady, they were again taken.
Differences always took place; and without any exception the bearings
required a _greater_ allowance of variation to the right after tacking,
when the head was _westward_, than before, when eastward; agreeing with
the differences so frequently found in the azimuths and amplitudes, which
had always been to show a greater east or less west variation when the
head was on the west side of the meridian. The least average difference
in any one of five sets of bearings was 5°, the greatest 6½°, and the
mean 5° 54'; and according to the system adopted in correcting the
variations, explained in the Appendix No. II. to the second volume, the
mean difference arising from the five changes in the direction of the
ship's head, should be 5° 33'.
The eastern wind died away at noon of the 16th, and the ship scarcely had
steerage way until after midnight; a breeze then sprung up from the
north-westward, and we steered north-east to make the land near Cape
Buffon. At half-past seven [SATURDAY 17 APRIL 1802] the cape bore N. 1°
W. seven miles, and was ascertained to be in nearly 37° 36' south and
140° 10' east. There is a bight in the coast on its north side where the
land was not distinctly seen all round, owing probably to its being a low
beach. At nine o'clock we bore away southward, keeping at the distance of
two or three miles from the shore. It was the same kind of hummock-topped
bank as before described; but a ridge of moderately high hills,
terminated to the southward by a bluff, was visible over it, three or
four leagues inland; and there was a reef of rocks lying in front of the
shore. At noon, two larger rocks were seen at the southern end of the
reef, and are those called by the French the _Carpenters_. They lie one
or two miles from a sandy projection named by them _Cape Boufflers_; and
here a prior title to discovery interferes.
On arriving at Port Jackson I learned, and so did captain Baudin, that
this coast had been before visited. Lieutenant (now captain) James Grant,
commander of His Majesty's brig Lady Nelson, saw the above projection,
which he named _Cape Banks_, on Dec. 3, 1800; and followed the coast from
thence through Bass Strait.* The same principle upon which I had adopted
the names applied by the French navigators to the parts discovered by
them will now guide me in making use of the appellations bestowed by
captain Grant.
[* See _A Voyage in the Lady Nelson to New South Wales_, by James Grant.
London, 1803. This voyage was published four years previously to M.
Peron's book; but no more attention was paid at Paris to captain Grant's
rights than to mine; his discoveries, though known to M. Peron and the
French expedition in 1802, being equally claimed and named by them.]
The termination to the west of that part of the South Coast discovered by
captain Baudin in Le Géographe has been pointed out; and it seems proper
to specify its commencement _to the east_, that the extent of his _Terre
Napoléon_ may be properly defined. The beginning of the land which, of
all Europeans, was first seen by him, so far as is known, cannot be
placed further to the south-east than Cape Buffon; for the land is laid
down to the northward of it in captain Grant's chart, though
indistinctly. The Terre Napoléon is therefore comprised between the
latitudes 37° 36' and 35° 40' south, and the longitudes 140° 10' and 138°
58' east of Greenwich; making, with the windings, about fifty leagues of
coast, in which, as captain Baudin truly observed, there is neither
river, inlet nor place of shelter, nor does even the worst parts of
Nuyts' Land exceed it in sterility.
At noon of the 17th we were in
Latitude observed, 37° 47½'
Longitude by time keepers, 140 16½
Cape Buffon bore N. 26 W.
Reef of rocks, (nearest part dist. 2½ miles) N. 51° to S. 42 E.
Hills behind the coast, N. 38 to N. 79 E.
Sandy hummock on _West_* Cape Banks S. 44 E.
[* The addition of West is made to the name, to distinguish it from Cape
Banks on the East Coast, named by captain Cook. It is to be regretted,
that navigators often apply names in so careless a manner as to introduce
confusion into geography.]
In the afternoon the wind veered to the southward, and we tacked from the
shore, not being able to weather the Carpenters at the south end of the
reef. A long swell rolled in at this time, and seemed to announce a gale
from the southward, yet the wind died away in the night, and at daybreak
[SUNDAY 18 APRIL 1802] a light breeze sprung up at north-west, and
enabled us to close in with the land. We passed the Carpenters at the
distance of four miles; but at two in the afternoon the wind again died
away. A cliffy point, which proved to be the _Cape Northumberland_ of
captain Grant, was then in sight, as also were two inland mountains lying
to the north-east; the nearest is his _Mount Schanck_, of a flat,
table-like form; the further one, Mount Gambier, is peaked. The following
bearings were taken whilst lying becalmed.
West C. Banks, sandy hummock, dist. 2 leagues, N. 2° W.
Mount Schanck, N. 70 E.
Cape Northumberland, dist. 3 or 4 leagues, S. 82 E.
The long swell from the southward still prevailed, and the barometer was
fast falling; but at seven in the evening a breeze sprung up once more
from the north-west, and after stretching a little off from the shore, we
laid to for the greater part of the night. At daylight [MONDAY 19 APRIL
1802] the wind was at north-north-west, and blew fresh, with squally
weather. We reached in for the land; and at eight,
C. Northumberland, dist. 6 or 7 miles, bore N. 32° W.
Mount Schanck, N. 1 W.
Furthest extreme, obscured by haze, S. 66 E.
Close to Cape Northumberland are two pointed rocks resembling the back
fins of sharks; and on its eastern side were heavy breakers, extending
more than a mile from the shore. The situation of the cape, as near as it
could be ascertained, is in 38° 2' south and 140° 37½' east.
Beyond Cape Northumberland the coast was found to trend east-by-north,
but curved afterwards to east-by-south; it was higher than we had lately
seen and not so barren; nevertheless, the shrubs and small trees did not
more than half cover the sandy surface. We pursued the round of the coast
at the distance of four or five miles, having three reefs in the
top-sails on account of the squally weather. At ten o'clock, in a clear
interval, land was seen bearing S. 51° E.; and a thick squall with rain
coming on, in which the wind shifted suddenly from north-north-west to
south-west, we were forced to haul close up and let out the third reefs
in order to weather the coast. A constant succession of rainy squalls
prevented us from knowing how the land lay for some time, nor could an
observation for the latitude be obtained; but at half-past noon our
anxiety was relieved by distinguishing the furthest extreme, a bold,
cliffy, cape, bearing S. 72½° E., broad on the lee bow.
[SOUTH COAST. OFF CAPE BRIDGEWATER.]
This high projection was the _Cape Bridgewater_ of captain Grant. A hill
upon it slopes to the edge of the cliffs in which the cape is begirt
toward the sea; and on the land side it descends so low that the
connection of the hill with the main could not be clearly discerned. To
the northward, and nearly in a line with the first, are two other hills
almost equal to it in elevation. As we passed Cape Bridgewater, a second
cliffy head opened at S. 73½° E., and a further round the last at N. 83°
E. These are the _Capes Nelson_ and _Sir W. Grant_, though differing
considerably in relative position from what they are laid down in captain
Grant's chart.
At two o'clock, the weather having become somewhat finer, I ventured to
bear away along the coast; and presently a small island with two hummocks
on it and a rock nearer to the shore were visible: these are _Lawrence's
Isles_. The bearings of the land at four were,
C. Bridgewater, top of the hill, dist. 4 leagues, N. 44° W.
Cape Nelson, the south-west extreme, N. 21 W.
Cape Sir W. Grant, east part of the cliffs, N. 12 E.
Lawrence's double Isle, dist. 3 leagues, N. 25 E.
Before six we hauled the wind off shore; having set the double isle at N.
43° W., six or seven miles, and seen the land indistinctly as far as
east-north-east.
During the night there were squalls of wind with hail and rain, but
tolerably moderate weather in the intervals. At daylight [TUESDAY 20
APRIL 1802], we bore away for the land; and at half past seven, the
Hill on Cape Bridgewater bore N. 66° W.
Lawrence's double isle, N. 53 W.
A cliffy, flat-topped isle, west extreme, N. 16 E.
This last is _Lady Julia Percy's Isle_; and when it bore N. 64° E. five
miles, we steered eastward along the coast. At some distance inland, to
the northward of Lady Percy's Isle, a round hill was distinguished; but
the shore was scarcely perceptible through the squalls and haze: what
little of it could be seen, appeared to be sandy and of moderate
elevation.
At eleven, the land was perceived to the eastward, and we hauled up
east-south-east. Our latitude at noon, from an indifferent double
altitude, was 38° 33½' and it is upon this uncertain observation, that
the correctness of the neighbouring lands in the chart principally
depend; I do not, therefore, specify here either the latitudes or
longitudes. The coast was seen to leeward at times, and appeared to he
moderately high; we ran along it at the distance of five, and from that
to eight miles, clewing down the treble-reefed top sails occasionally,
and setting them after the squalls were passed. At two o'clock, the land
appeared to be trending south-east, which obliged us to haul up to the
wind and take in close reefs; and the gale increasing, the fore and mizen
top sails were handed.
It was seldom that the weather would allow of any thing being
distinguished beyond two miles; and when the night came on we were quite
uncertain of the trending of the coast. At eight o'clock, by favour of
moon light and a short cessation of rain, land was perceived on the lee
beam; it seemed to be a head of considerable elevation, and was judged to
be from three to six miles off. The fore and mizen top-sails and reefed
main-sail were immediately set, notwithstanding the danger to the masts;
and there being much sea running, the ship was kept one point from the
wind to make her go through the water. We had no chance of clearing the
land on the other tack, and therefore our sole hope was that the coast
might not trend any further to the southward.
WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL 1802
At two in the morning the strength of the gale obliged us to take in the
fore and mizen top sails and main sail; and we had soundings in 45
fathoms, small stones. Our anxiety was great until daylight, when it was
dissipated by not finding any land near us; and in the course of the
morning the wind moderated, the barometer began to ascend, and the
weather became even fine. Our latitude at noon was 39° 10½' and longitude
144° 22'; the last being 22' more than given by the log. High land was
then visible astern, extending from about N. 50° to 17° W., at the
supposed distance of twelve or fifteen leagues.
[SOUTH COAST. BASS' STRAIT.]
We were now entered into Bass' Strait; and the subsiding of the sea made
me suspect that the large island, concerning which I had made inquiry of
captain Baudin, was to windward. The south part of this island was
discovered by Mr. Reid in a sealing expedition from Port Jackson; and
before quitting New South Wales in 1799, I had received an account of its
lying to the north-west of Hunter's Isles. It afterwards appeared that
the northern part was seen in January 1801 by Mr. John Black, commander
of the brig Harbinger, who gave to it the name of KING'S ISLAND.* Of this
I was ignorant at the time; but since it was so very dangerous to explore
the main coast with the present south-west wind, I was desirous of
ascertaining the position of this island before going to Port Jackson,
more especially as it had escaped the observation of Captain Baudin.
[* _Grant's Voyage to New South Wales_, page 86.]
Our soundings in the afternoon, and until four in the morning [THURSDAY
22 APRIL 1802] when we tacked to the westward, were from 35 to 28
fathoms, sand and shells. At eight o'clock, land was seen to the
south-west; and at noon our
Latitude observed was 39° 31¼'
Longitude by time keepers, 144 16
King's Island, south extreme, bore S. 18 W.
King's Island, a middle hummock, S. 37 W.
King's Island, northern extreme, S. 74 W.
High main land from the mast head, N. 23 W.
We tacked to the south-south-east at three o'clock, working up for King's
Island, which was distant about five or six leagues directly to windward.
In the night we lay up south, parallel with the east side of the island;
but the soundings having diminished to 16 fathoms, I feared we might be
approaching a reef of rocks lying off the south-east end, of which Mr.
Reid had spoken. We therefore tacked to the northward at eleven o'clock;
and after beating until three in the following afternoon [FRIDAY 23 APRIL
1802], got to an anchor in 9 fathoms, fine sand, under the north-east end
of King's Island; the nearest part of the shore being distant a short
half mile, and the extremes bearing S. 37° E. and N. 69° W.
A boat was immediately hoisted out, and I landed with the botanical
gentlemen. On stepping out of the boat I shot one of those little
bear-like quadrupeds called _Womat_; and another was afterwards killed. A
seal, of a species different to any yet seen by us, was also procured;
its phippers behind were double when compared to the common kinds of
seal, and those forward were smaller, and placed nearer to the head; the
hair was much shorter, and of a blueish, grey colour; the nose flat and
broad; and the fat upon the animal was at least treble the usual
quantity. I never saw the sea elephant, and possibly this might have been
a young female; but there was no appearance of any trunk. A top-mast
studding-sail boom, not much injured, was lying near the landing-place;
and as I afterwards learned that the wreck of a vessel had been found
upon the west side of the island, this boom had probably drifted from
thence.
The north-east part of King's Island extends south-east-by-east, three or
four leagues. The shore is mostly of sand, and behind the beach it was
washed or blown up in great ridges, but partly overspread with a kind of
dog grass which kept the sand together. In general the land is low; but
some little eminences appeared at a distance, and at the north end of the
island there is a short range of hills, moderately high and covered with
wood. Granite seemed to be the basis of the shore where we landed. Behind
the front ridges of sand was a brush wood, so thick as to be almost
impenetrable; but whilst I was occupied in taking bearings, the botanists
found some openings in the brush, and picked up so many plants as to make
them desirous of a further examination. We returned on board at dusk,
with our womats, the seal and a kangaroo; the last being of a middle size
between the small species of the lesser islands and the large kind found
at Kangaroo Island and on the continent. It appeared indeed, all along
the South Coast, that the size of the kangaroo bore some proportion to
the extent of land which it inhabited.
SATURDAY 24 APRIL 1802
In the morning the wind blew fresh from the southward. A boat was sent on
shore with Mr. Brown and his party; and at eleven o'clock, when they
returned, we got under way.
A small lake of fresh water was found at a little distance behind the
sandy ridges in front of the shore. This was surrounded by a good
vegetable soil; and the number of plants, collected near it was greater
than had before been found upon any one island. The small lake is too far
from the sea side for a ship to obtain water from it conveniently; but
two little streams which drained from the sand hills made it probable
that fresh water might have been obtained anywhere at this time by
digging. The water of these rills was tinged red, similar to that
obtained at King George's Sound and to the pools I had before seen at
Furneaux's Islands; and as the stone in these places is granite, and
water so discoloured was not found any where else, it seems very probable
that the discolouring arises from the granite and granitic sand.
Two more womats were killed this morning; and a skull was picked up which
was thought to be of a small dog, but more probably was that of an
opossum.
From the observations taken whilst beating up to the anchorage, the top
of the highest hill at the north end of King's Island will be in
_latitude_ 39° 36½' south, and _longitude_ 143° 54' east. The _variation_
of the compass, taken on the binnacle with the ship's head at south, was
7° 59' east; but ten leagues to the eastward it was 11° 52', with the
head west-south-west, or reduced to the meridian, 8° 43' east. The
_tides_ set one mile and a half an hour past the ship, northwest-by-west
and south-east-by-east, nearly as the coast lies; that from the eastward
running nearly eight hours, and turning about two hours after the moon
had passed the meridian; but, which tide was the flood, or what the rise,
we did not remain long enough to determine.
The time was fast approaching when it would be necessary to proceed to
Port Jackson, both on account of the winter season, and from the want of
some kinds of provisions. Before this took place I wished to finish as
much of the South Coast as possible, and would have recommenced at Cape
Bridgewater had the wind been favourable; but it still blew fresh from
the southward, and all that part remained a lee shore. I determined,
however, to run over to the high land we had seen on the north side of
Bass' Strait, and to trace as much of the coast from thence eastward as
the state of the weather and our remaining provisions could possibly
allow.
In steering north-north-west from King's Island, two small isles were
seen lying off the north-west side; the first opening from the northern
extreme at S. 50°, and the second being clear of it at S. 36° W. These
are the same which Mr. Black named New Year's Isles; and his Harbinger's
Reefs were seen to extend, in patches, nearly two leagues from the north
end of King's Islands; but there is, as I afterwards learned, one or more
passages between the reefs, and another between them and the island.*
[* The New Year's Isles form a small roadsted, in which the brig
Harrington from Port Jackson, commanded by Mr. W. Campbell, had rode out
the south-west gale; and was lying there at this time, engaged in a
sealing speculation. Bass' Strait had not been discovered much above two
years, and it was already turned to purposes of various utility; a strong
proof of enterprising spirit in the colonists of New South Wales.]
At three in the afternoon the northern land was in sight, and the highest
hills of King's Island were sinking below the horizon as seen from the
deck. Their distance was twenty-five miles; and consequently the
elevation of them is between four and five hundred feet above the level
of the sea. At five o'clock a bluff head, the most projecting part of the
northern land, was distant three or four leagues; it was Captain Grants'
Cape Otway, and bore N. 54° W.
The extremes of the land, N. 58 W. to 23° E.
We then hauled to the wind and stood off and on; at daylight [SUNDAY 25
APRIL 1802] bore away for the land with a moderate breeze from the
southward; and at eight o'clock, when Cape Otway bore N. 69° W. ten miles
we steered north-eastward along the shore. On the west side of Cape Otway
the coast falls back somewhat to the north, and projects again at the
distance of ten or eleven miles, where it is not, as I think, more than
three leagues to the east of the headland seen under the lee at eight in
the evening of the 20th. From Cape Otway, eastward, the shore trends
east-north-east about three leagues, to a projection called Cape Patton,
and according to Captain Grant a bay is formed between them; but at three
leagues off nothing worthy of being called a bay could be perceived.
Beyond Cape Patton the coast took a more northern direction to a point
with a flat-topped hill upon it, and further than this it was not
visible.
The whole of this land is high, the elevation of the uppermost parts
being not less than two thousand feet. The rising hills were covered with
wood of a deep green foliage, and without any vacant spaces of rock or
sand; so that I judged this part of the coast to exceed in fertility all
that had yet fallen under observation.
Cape Otway lies very nearly in latitude 38° 51' south and longitude 143°
29' east. The width of the north-west entrance to Bass' Strait, between
this cape on the north and King's Island to the south, is therefore
sixteen leagues; and with the trifling exception of the Harbinger's
Reefs, which occupy not quite two leagues of the southern part, the
passage is free from danger. In such parts of it as we got soundings the
depth was between 38 and 50 fathoms.
At noon, the wind had veered to the south-east, which being directly upon
the shore, I did not think it prudent to follow the land too closely; and
we therefore kept up nearly to the wind. In the course of the afternoon,
land came in sight to the eastward; and the bearings taken at sunset were
these:
Furthest extreme towards C. Otway, S. 73° W.
Furthest connected part to the northward, N. 18 W.
Two small distant peaks, N. 1 W.
Bluff head, like the N. end of an island, N. 63 E.
Extreme of the eastern land, N. 83 E.
Between the first and last of these bearings there was a deep bight
formed, at the head of which no other land than the two small peaks could
be perceived.
MONDAY 26 APRIL 1802
In the morning we kept close to an east-south-east wind, steering for the
land to the north-eastward; and at nine o'clock captain Grant's Cape
Schanck, the extreme of the preceding evening, was five leagues distant
to the N. 88° E., and a rocky point towards the head of the bight bore N.
12° E. On coming within five miles of the shore at eleven o'clock we
found it to be low, and mostly sandy, and that the bluff head which had
been taken for the north end of an island was part of a ridge of hills
rising at Cape Schanck. We then bore away westward in order to trace the
land round the head of the deep bight; and a noon, the situation of the
ship and principal bearings were as under:
Latitude observed, 38° 22'
Longitude by time keepers, 144 31½
Cape Schanck, S. 68° E.
The rocky point, distant 6 or 7 miles, N. 48 E.
Highest of two inland peaks, N. 15 W.
A square-topped hill near the shore, N. 28 W.
Extr. of the high land towards C. Otway, S. 56 W.
On the west side of the rocky point there was a small opening, with
breaking water across it; however, on advancing a little more westward
the opening assumed a more interesting aspect, and I bore away to have a
nearer view. A large extent of water presently became visible within
side; and although the entrance seemed to be very narrow, and there were
in it strong ripplings like breakers, I was induced to steer in at
half-past one, the ship being close upon a wind and every man ready for
tacking at a moment's warning. The soundings were irregular between 6 and
12 fathoms until we got four miles within the entrance, when they shoaled
quick to 2¾. We then tacked; and having a strong tide in our favour,
worked to the eastward between the shoal and the rocky point, with 12
fathoms for the deepest water. In making the last stretch from the shoal
the depth diminished from 10 fathoms quickly to 3, and before the ship
could come round, the flood tide set her upon a mud bank and she stuck
fast. A boat was lowered down to sound, and finding the deep water lie to
the north-west, a kedge anchor was carried out; and having got the ship's
head in that direction, the sails were filled and she drew off into 6 and
10 fathoms; and it being then dark, we came to an anchor.
[SOUTH COAST. PORT PHILLIP.]
The extensive harbour we had thus unexpectedly found I supposed must be
Western Port, although the narrowness of the entrance did by no means
correspond with the width given to it by Mr. Bass. It was the information
of captain Baudin, who had coasted along from thence with fine weather,
and had found no inlet of any kind, which induced this supposition; and
the very great extent of the place, agreeing with that of Western Port,
was in confirmation of it. This, however, was not Western Port, as we
found next morning [TUESDAY 27 APRIL 1802]; and I congratulated myself on
having made a new and useful discovery; but here again I was in error.
This place, as I afterwards learned at Port Jackson, had been discovered
ten weeks before by lieutenant John Murray, who had succeeded captain
Grant in the command of the Lady Nelson. He had given it the name of PORT
PHILLIP, and to the rocky point on the east side of the entrance that of
_Point Nepean_.
Our situation was found in the morning to be near two miles from the
south shore, and the extreme towards Point Nepean bore N. 83° W., two
leagues. About three miles to the north-by-west were some dry rocks, with
bushes on them, surrounded with mud flats; and they appeared to form a
part of the same shoal from which we had three times tacked in 2½ and 3
fathoms. The mud bank where the ship had grounded is distinct from the
middle shoal; but I am not certain that it is so from the south shore,
from which it is one mile distant. The Bluff Mount (named _Arthur's Seat_
by Mr. Murray, from a supposed resemblance to the hill of that name near
Edinburgh) bore S. 76° E.; but from thence the shore trended northward so
far that the land at the head of the port could not be seen even from
aloft. Before proceeding any higher with the ship I wished to gain some
knowledge of the form and extent of this great piece of water; and
Arthur's Seat being more than a thousand feet high and near the
water-side, presented a favourable station for that purpose.
After breakfast I went away in a boat, accompanied by Mr. Brown and some
other gentlemen, for the Seat. It was seven or eight miles from the ship;
and in steering nearly a straight course for it we passed over the
northern skirt of the shoal where the ship had touched; but afterwards
had from 7 to 5 fathoms nearly to the shore. Having observed the latitude
there from an artificial horizon, I ascended the hill; and to my surprise
found the port so extensive, that even at this elevation its boundary to
the northward could not be distinguished. The western shore extended from
the entrance ten or eleven miles in a northern direction to the extremity
of what, from its appearance, I called _Indented Head_; beyond it was a
wide branch of the port leading to the westward, and I suspected might
have a communication with the sea; for it was almost incredible that such
a vast piece of water should not have a larger outlet than that through
which we had come.
I took an extensive set of bearings from the clearest place to be found
on the north-western, bluff part of the hill; and we afterwards walked a
little way back upon the ridge. From thence another considerable piece of
water was seen, at the distance of three or four leagues; it seemed to be
mostly shallow; but as it appeared to have a communication with the sea
to the south, I had no doubt of its being Mr. Bass's Western Port.
Arthur's Seat and the hills and vallies in its neighbourhood were
generally well covered with wood; and the soil was superior to any upon
the borders of the salt water which I have had an opportunity of
examining in Terra Australis. There were many marks of natives, such as
deserted fire-places and heaps of oyster shells; and upon the peninsula
which forms the south side of the port a smoke was rising, but we did not
see any of the people. Quantities of fine oysters were lying upon the
beaches, between high and low water marks, and appeared to have been
washed up by the surf; a circumstance which I do not recollect to have
observed in any other part of this country.
WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL 1802
We returned on board at dusk in the evening; and at daylight the anchor
was weighed with the intention of coasting round the port with the ship.
The wind was at north-east, but the flood tide was in our favour; and
having made a stretch toward the middle shoals, we tacked and ran
east-south-east along their south side, until past eight, when, the flood
having ceased, we came to in 7 fathoms. At slack water in the afternoon
we again steered eastward, but were soon obliged to anchor for want of
wind; and I found that this slow mode of proceeding was not at all suited
to the little time for which we had provisions remaining, besides that
there was much probability of getting frequently aground; the plan of
examining the port with the ship was therefore abandoned.
Having left orders with Mr. Fowler, the first lieutenant, to take the
ship back to the entrance, I went in a boat early next morning [THURSDAY
29 APRIL 1802] with provisions for three days, in order to explore as
much of the port as could be done in that time. Round the east end of the
middle shoals I carried 6 and 7 fathoms; and keeping north-eastward, had
8 and 9 fathoms at a mile or more from the shore, and 4 close past the
second rocky point above Arthur's Seat. The wind being at north-west, I
was obliged to land behind some rocks more than two miles short of the
third point, but walked to it with my surveying instruments. This was
nine miles from the Seat, and the furthest part of the shore seen from
thence; further on the shore falls back more eastward, in long sandy
beaches, and afterwards curves to the north-west; but it was lost to
sight long before joining the land on the west side of the port. After
taking angles and observing for the latitude and longitude, I rowed to
windward for Indented Head, five leagues off. At the end of the first
mile and a half the depth was 11 fathoms, but afterwards no bottom at 12
until within two miles of the western shore, where it was 9 fathoms. We
landed at nine o'clock at night, near the uppermost part which had yet
been seen.
FRIDAY 30 APRIL 1802
In the morning a fire was perceived two hundred yards from the tent; and
the Indians appeared to have decamped from thence on our landing. Whilst
I was taking angles from a low point at the north-easternmost part of
Indented Head, a party of the inhabitants showed themselves about a mile
from us; and on landing there we found a hut with a fire in it, but the
people had disappeared, and carried off their effects. I left some strips
of cloth, of their favourite red colour, hanging about the hut, and
proceeded westward along the shore to examine the arm of the port running
in that direction.
Three natives having made their appearance abreast of the boat, we again
landed. They came to us without hesitation, received a shag and some
trifling presents with pleasure, and parted with such of their arms as we
wished to possess without reluctance. They afterwards followed us along
the shore; and when I shot another bird, which hovered over the boat, and
held it up to them, they ran down to the water-side and received it
without expressing either surprise or distrust. Their knowledge of the
effect of fire-arms I then attributed to their having seen me shoot birds
when unconscious of being observed; but it had probably been learned from
Mr. Murray.
At noon I landed to take an observation of the sun, which gave 38° 7' 6"
for the latitude; my position being nearly at the northern extremity of
Indented Head. Some bearings were taken from the brow of a hill a little
way back; and after a dinner of which the natives partook, we left them
on friendly terms to proceed westward in our examination. The water
became very shallow abreast of a sandy point, whence the shore trends
nearly south-west; and there being no appearance of an opening to the sea
this way, I steered across the western arm, as well to ascertain its
depth as with the intention of ascending the hills lying behind the
northern shore. Two of the peaks upon these hills had been set from the
ship's deck at sunset of the 25th, at the distance of thirty-seven miles;
and as their elevation must consequently be a thousand feet, or more, I
expected to obtain from thence such a view of the upper parts of the port
as would render the coasting round it unnecessary.
The width of the western arm was found to be six miles; and the soundings
across augmented regularly to 6 fathoms in mid channel, and then
decreased in the same way; but there was less than 3 fathoms at two miles
from the northern shore. That side is indeed very low and marshy, with
mud banks lying along it; and we had difficulty in finding a dry place to
pitch the tent, and still more to procure wood wherewith to cook the
ducks I had shot upon the banks.
SATURDAY 1 MAY 1802
At day dawn I set off with three of the boat's crew for the highest part
of the back hills called _Station Peak_. Our way was over a low plain,
where the water appeared frequently to lodge; it was covered with
small-bladed grass, but almost destitute of wood, and the soil was clayey
and shallow. One or two miles before arriving at the feet of the hills we
entered a wood where an emu and a kangaroo were seen at a distance; and
the top of the peak was reached at ten o'clock. My position was then 21'
of latitude from Point Nepean, in the direction of N. 28° 30' W., and I
saw the water of the port as far as N. 75° E., at the distance of seven
or eight leagues; so that the whole extent of the port, north and south,
is at least thirty miles. The extremity of the western arm bore S. 15°
45' W., which makes the extent, east and west, to be thirty-six miles;
but there was no communication with the sea on that side, nor did the
western arm appear to be navigable beyond seven miles above where I had
crossed it. Towards the interior there was a mountain bearing N. 11° E.,
eleven leagues distant; and so far the country was low, grassy and very
slightly covered with wood, presenting great facility to a traveller of
penetrating inland.
I left the ship's name on a scroll of paper, deposited in a small pile of
stones upon the top of the peak; and at three in the afternoon reached
the tent, much fatigued, having walked more than twenty miles without
finding a drop of water. Mr. Lacy, the midshipman of the boat, had
observed the latitude at the tent from an artificial horizon to be 38° 2'
22"; and Station Peak bore from thence N. 47° W.
In the evening we rowed back to Indented Head, and landed there soon
after dark. Fires had been seen moving along the shore, but the people
seemed to have fled; though we found two newly erected huts with fires in
them, and utensils, which must have belonged to some of the people before
seen, since there was boiled rice in one of the baskets. We took up our
quarters here for the night, keeping a good watch; but nothing was seen
of the Indians till we pushed off from the shore in the morning [SUNDAY 2
MAY 1802], when seven showed themselves upon a hill behind the huts. They
ran down to examine their habitations, and finding every thing as they
had left it, a little water excepted of which we were in want, they
seemed satisfied; and for a short time three of them followed the boat.
Along the north-east and east sides of Indented Head I found the water to
be shoal for nearly a mile off; but on approaching the entrance of what
Mr. Murray called Swan Harbour, but which I have taken the liberty to
converting into _Swan Pond_, it became somewhat deeper. Seeing swans
there, I rowed into it after them, but found the place full of mud banks,
and seldom more than three or four feet in depth. Three of the birds were
caught; and at the south side of the entrance, upon the sandy peninsula,
or island as it is when the tide is in, I shot some delicate teal, and
found fresh water in small ponds.
The ship was lying about three miles within the mouth of the port, near
to the south shore; and after I had taken bearings at two stations on the
sandy peninsula, we steered a straight course for her, sounding all the
way. It appeared that there was a passage up the port of a mile wide
between the middle banks and the western shore, with a depth in it from 3
to 4½ fathoms. On the western extremity of the banks I had 2½ fathoms,
and afterwards 5, 7, 4, 7, 8, 9, 9 to the ship.
Lieutenant Fowler had had a good deal of difficulty in getting back to
the entrance of the port; owing in part to the western winds, and partly
from the shoals, which do not seem to lie in any regular order. He had
touched upon one of these, where there was ten feet on one side of the
ship, and on the other 5 fathoms. This seems to have been a more eastern
part of the same shoal upon which we had before grounded; but no danger
is to be feared from these banks to a flat-floored ship.
I find it very difficult to speak in general terms of Port Phillip. On
the one hand it is capable of receiving and sheltering a larger fleet of
ships than ever yet went to sea; whilst on the other, the entrance, in
its whole width, is scarcely two miles, and nearly half of it is occupied
by the rocks lying off Point Nepean, and by shoals on the opposite side.
The depth in the remaining part varies from 6 to 12 fathoms; and this
irregularity causes the strong tides, especially when running against the
wind, to make breakers, in which small vessels should be careful of
engaging themselves; and when a ship has passed the entrance, the middle
shoals are a great obstacle to a free passage up the port. These shoals
are met with at four miles directly from the entrance, and extend about
ten miles to the east-south-east, parallel with the south shore; they do
not seem, however, to be one connected mass, for I believe there are two
or three deep openings in them, though we had not time to make an
examination.
No runs of fresh water were seen in any excursions; but Mr. Charles
Grimes, surveyor-general of New South Wales, afterwards found several,
and in particular a small river falling into the northern head of the
port. Mr. Grimes was sent by governor King, in 1803, to walk round, and
survey the harbour; and from his plan I have completed my chart of Port
Phillip. The parts of the coast left unshaded are borrowed from him, and
the soundings written at right angles are those of his companion,
lieutenant Robbins.
The country surrounding Port Phillip has a pleasing, and in many parts a
fertile appearance; and the sides of some of the hills and several of the
vallies are fit for agricultural purposes. It is in great measure a
grassy country, and capable of supporting much cattle, though better
calculated for sheep. To this general description there are probably
several exceptions; and the southern peninsula, which is terminated by
Point Nepean, forms one, the surface there being mostly sandy, and the
vegetation in many places little better than brush wood. Indented Head,
at the northern part of the western peninsula, had an appearance
particularly agreeable; the grass had been burned not long before, and
had sprung up green and tender; the wood was so thinly scattered that one
might see to a considerable distance; and the hills rose one over the
other to a moderate elevation, but so gently that a plough might every
where be used. The vegetable soil is a little mixed with sand, but good,
though probably not deep, as I judged by the small size of the trees.
The most common kinds of wood are the _casuarina_ and _eucalyptus_, to
which Mr. Grimes adds the _banksia_, _mimosa_ and some others; but the
timber is rarely sound, and is not large.
Were a settlement to be made at Port Phillip, as doubtless there will be
some time hereafter, the entrance could be easily defended; and it would
not be difficult to establish a friendly intercourse with the natives,
for they are acquainted with the effect of fire-arms and desirous of
possessing many of our conveniences. I thought them more muscular than
the men of King George's Sound; but, generally speaking, they differ in
no essential particular from the other inhabitants of the South and East
Coasts except in language, which is dissimilar, if not altogether
different to that of Port Jackson, and seemingly of King George's Sound
also. I am not certain whether they have canoes, but none were seen.
In the woods are the kangaroo, the emu or cassowary, paroquets, and a
variety of small birds; the mud banks are frequented by ducks and some
black swans, and the shores by the usual sea fowl common in New South
Wales. The range of the thermometer was between 61° and 67°; and the
climate appeared to be as good and as agreeable as could well be desired
in the month answering to November. In 1803, colonel Collins of the
marines was sent out from England to make a new settlement in this
country; but he quitted Port Phillip for the south end of Van Diemen's
Land, probably from not finding fresh water for a colony sufficiently
near to the entrance.
Point Nepean is in _latitude_ 38° 18' south. The _longitude_ from twelve
sets of distances taken by lieutenant Flinders in the port, and six
others by me ten days before arriving, the particulars of which are given
in Table V. of the Appendix to this volume, is 144° 30½' east; but these
observations being mostly on one side of the moon, the corrected
longitude by time keepers, 144° 38' east, is preferred.
No observations were taken in the port for the _variation_ of the
compass; but at seven leagues to the south-south-west of Point Nepean,
azimuths gave 3° 41' when the ship's head was at N.E. by E. ½ E., and an
amplitude at N. N. E. ½ E., 6° 48' east. The mean of these, corrected to
the meridian, will be 7° 30', or half a degree less than at King's
Island; I therefore take the variation in Port Phillip to have been
generally, 7°, though at some stations it seemed to have been no more
than 6° 30' east.
The rise of _tide_ is inconsiderable in the upper parts of the port; near
the entrance it is from three to six feet. By the swinging of the ship,
which, however, varied at different anchorages, it appeared to be high
water _two hours and a half after_ the moon's passage; but at Point
Nepean the time of high water by the shore is said by Mr. Grimes to be
only _one hour after_ the moon. At Western Port, Mr. Bass found high
water to take place half an hour after the moon's passage, and the tide
to rise from ten to fourteen feet. This great increase, in a place so
near, seems extraordinary; but may perhaps be accounted for by the
meeting of the tides from two entrances, whilst Port Phillip has only
one, and that very narrow.