Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume I Part 32

In this s.p.a.ce they pa.s.sed several pools of fresh water which, in some parts, was running over a pebbly bottom; but the supply was so trifling as to be not sufficient to alter the taste of the seawater.

Our gentlemen described the country to be as dest.i.tute of soil as we had found it lower down; and so rugged as to be scarcely pa.s.sable. The ravine is formed by precipitous rocks of sandstone rising perpendicularly on both sides to the height of two hundred feet, here and there lightly sprinkled with a few shrubs which had lately been burnt.

Some of our party thought they saw both an emu and a black swan amongst the bushes on the banks of the river. In some parts of the north coast we have certainly noticed marks on the sand like the impressions of an emu's foot, but as we have never seen the bird it is probable that we have mistaken them for the traces of the Ardea antigone. Black swans we have never seen at all within the tropic and it is equally likely that in this instance we may have also been deceived by the appearance of a bird of similar size and plumage. On the return of the boat two alligators swam past it.

September 19.

After completing our water we left the river; but owing to light winds did not succeed in getting out of the harbour until the following morning. Its examination had been performed as narrowly as time and circ.u.mstances admitted: it is of considerable size and in most parts offers good and secure anchorage; with abundance of wood for fuel and perhaps always water of good quality. Its western side was very indistinctly seen; and it was thought probable from appearances that, in the s.p.a.ce between Cape Pond and Anderdon Islands, there are perhaps two or three small mountain streams.

The harbour was called Prince Frederic's, and the sound that fronts it York Sound, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke of York.

September 20.

After pa.s.sing Point Hardy we entered a fine harbour bounded on the west by a group of islands, and on the east by the projection of land that forms the western side of Prince Frederic's Harbour. The flood-tide was not sufficient to carry us to the bottom so that we anch.o.r.ed off the east end of the southernmost island of the group; which on the occasion of the anniversary of the late king's coronation was subsequently called the Coronation Islands. The harbour was called Port Nelson, and a high rocky hill that was distinguished over the land to the southward received the name of Mount Trafalgar.

Notwithstanding we had constantly experienced since the period of our leaving the east coast both fine weather and smooth water, yet the leaky state of the vessel had been gradually increasing; leading me to fear that the injury received at Port Bowen had been much more serious than we had then contemplated. Having the advantage of smooth water and a fair wind during our pa.s.sage up the east coast, the damage had not shown itself until we reached Cairncross Island: after this it was occasionally observed, but with more or less effect according to the strength and the direction of the wind and the state of the sea. At the anchorage off b.o.o.by Island, being exposed to a swell, she made four inches of water in an hour; but during the examination of Montagu Sound and the harbour we last left it did not show at all: upon leaving Hunter's River and working against a fresh sea-breeze, the leak gained more than three inches in the hour; and in pa.s.sing round Cape Torrens, the vessel being pressed down in the water from the freshness of the sea-breeze, it gained as much as nine inches in one hour and twenty minutes.

From the alarming increase of the leak it became absolutely necessary to ascertain the full extent of the damage, in order that we might, if possible, repair it, so as not to prevent the further prosecution of the voyage, or at least to ensure our return to Port Jackson.

We were fortunately upon a part of the coast where the tides had a sufficient rise and fall to enable us to lay her on sh.o.r.e without difficulty; but the beaches in York Sound and Prince Frederic's Harbour were all too steep for the purpose.

September 21.

The spring tides were now at hand; and, it being on this account very important that it should be done as speedily as possible, I left the cutter the following morning in search of a convenient place, in which I was fortunately very soon successful; for at the bottom of the port in which we had anch.o.r.ed we landed on the sandy beach of a bay which, to my inexpressible satisfaction, was found in every way suitable for the object we had in view. Deferring therefore any further examination for a more convenient opportunity, I hastened on board and in the course of the morning anch.o.r.ed the cutter close to the beach.

It has been already stated that the construction of the Mermaid was rather sharp, so that it was necessary to land everything before it would be safe to lay her on the ground: her masts were therefore struck and the sails, being sent on sh.o.r.e, were suspended to trees and converted into tents for the preservation of our provisions and stores and for habitations for the officers and crew.

Our anchorage was four hundred yards distant from the beach; which, since the vessel took the ground at low water, was as near as we could prudently approach it but sufficiently close to protect our property from the natives until everything was landed. None had as yet appeared, but, the country having been lately fired, and the impression of a man's foot having been noticed on the sand when we landed in the morning, gave evident proofs that they were not far off. On the beach were the remains of several huts; but they did not appear to have been recently occupied: in order however to avoid surprise or loss, the stores and provisions that had been landed in the evening were placed at a distance from the gra.s.s and trees and covered over with a sail: near this pile our four-pounder was planted, loaded with musket b.a.l.l.s, ready to be fired at a moment's warning.

Having thus taken all possible precaution our people returned on board to pa.s.s the night. My anxiety however prevented my retiring to bed so early and I continued watching our property in the momentary expectation of something occurring. The moon was fortunately at her full and shone sufficiently bright to enable me to distinguish any moving object near the tent. At eight o'clock a light was suddenly observed on the summit of the hill that rises over the beach; but after being stationary for ten minutes it disappeared: at first it was thought to be a native's fire; and afterwards it was suspected to be occasioned by an insect. At midnight, as the light had not again been seen, I retired to rest, leaving a watch on the deck to give alarm should anything occur; but in less than an hour was disturbed by the cry, "The tent's on fire!" On reaching the deck I found the alarm had not been made without reason, for a flame was actually blazing close to them.

At the first appearance of the flames two muskets were fired in the direction of them and our people were immediately landed. On reaching the tent everything was secure and quiet but the fire was still burning at about twenty yards behind it. Having cautiously approached it we found our fears had been groundless and that they were occasioned by no less innocent an enemy than a half-consumed log of wood, in the heart of which a fire had been lying dormant for some days, having been lighted by the fires which had lately pa.s.sed over the country; it had been fanned into a flame by the land-breeze which sprung up at midnight. The light seen in the early part of the night originated, most likely, from a similar cause; so that we returned to the vessel without further apprehension.

September 22.

The following day all our wet and dry provisions, our wood and guns were landed; and the greater number of the crew slept on sh.o.r.e.

A discovery of great importance was this day made which enabled us to carry on our operations with much greater facility and comfort; this was our finding near the tents some deep holes containing a great abundance of excellent water; so that by emptying our water-casks we avoided the trouble and delay of hoisting them out: our operations were in consequence so much expedited that the next morning at high tide the vessel was warped and secured as far up the beach as the water would allow, preparatory to her taking the ground, which event we awaited with considerable anxiety.

When the tide left her dry we proceeded to examine her bottom, and having stripped the copper off the stern-post, the full extent of the injury she had sustained was detected and found to be greater even than our fears had antic.i.p.ated.

September 22 to 28.

The after-part of the keel was rent for two feet in an horizontal direction and its connexion with the stern-post and garboard streak so much weakened that, at the first impression, there was every reason to fear we could not remedy the defects sufficiently to ensure even an immediate return to Port Jackson; but when the full extent of our means were considered it was thought not only possible to repair the injury, but to do it so effectually as to permit our completing the voyage according to our original intention.

As it now appeared certain that some considerable time must elapse before we could reload the cutter, she was secured at the next tide in a situation nearer the high-water mark. At low water a deep hole was dug under her bottom, to enable the carpenter to work with his auger; and this operation was necessarily renewed every tide, since the hole was always found filled up after the high water. An armourer's forge and tools were now much wanted but the deficiency of an anvil was supplied by the subst.i.tution of a pig of ballast; and some chain plates that we had fortunately taken from the Frederick's wreck, and some bar-iron which was brought out from England by the Dromedary, enabled us to place our vessel in a state of security which we were by no means in before.

In order to connect the keel and stern-post, both of which were almost separated from the frame of the vessel, two bolts, each twenty-four inches long, were driven up obliquely through the keel and two of the same size horizontally through the stern-post into the dead wood; besides which they were also united by a stout iron brace which was fitted under the keel and up each side of the stern-post; by which method the injury appeared to be so well repaired that we had no fears for our safety if the weather should be but moderately fine.

September 28.

These repairs were completed by the 28th but, just as we were congratulating ourselves upon having performed them, a fresh defect was discovered which threatened more alarming consequences even than the other: upon stripping off some sheets of copper, the spike nails which fastened the planks were found to be decaying; and many were so entirely decomposed by oxidation that a straw was easily thrust through the vacant holes. As we had not nails enough to replace the copper, for that was now our only security, we could not venture to remove more than a few sheets from those parts which appeared to be the most suspicious, under all of which we found the nails so defective that we had reason to fear we might start some planks before we reached Port Jackson, the consequence of which would unquestionably be fatal to the vessel and our lives. All that we could do to remedy the defect was to caulk the water-ways and counter, and to nail an additional streak of copper a foot higher than before.

This further temporary repair was finished by the 30th.

1820. October 5.

But we were detained until the 5th of October before the tide rose high enough to float the cutter.

During the time that the carpenter was thus occupied all the crew were employed either in a.s.sisting him or in cutting wood and filling water; so that I had no opportunity either of visiting the surrounding islands or of examining the country in the vicinity of the bay: but when the repairs were completed and the people were more at leisure I made an excursion as far as Bat Island, off Cape Brewster.

From the summit of this island a set of bearings was obtained, particularly of the islands to the northward and westward. The ascent, on account of its steep and rugged nature, was very difficult and even dangerous, for the stones were so loose and decomposed that no solid footing could be found. The top of the rock is covered with a thick brush of Acacia leucophoea (of Lacrosse Island) many trees of which were obliged to be cut down or cleared away before the various objects could be seen from the theodolite. Mr. Cunningham collected here specimens of eighteen different sorts of plants.

Bat Island is a ma.s.s of sandstone superinc.u.mbent upon a quartzose basis and intersected by nearly vertical veins of white quartz, the surface of which was in a crystallized state. The floor of the cavern was covered with heaps of water-worn fragments of quartzose rock, containing copper pyrites, in some of which the cavities were covered by a deposit of greenish calcedony. The sides of the cavern had a stalagmitical appearance but the recess was so dark that we could not ascertain either its formation or extent; it did not however appear to be more than twelve or fourteen yards deep. On first entering it we were nearly overpowered by a strong sulphureous smell which was soon accounted for by the flight of an incredible number of small bats which were roosting in the bottom of the cave and had been disturbed by our approach. We attempted to grope our way to the bottom, but, not having a light, were soon obliged to give up its further examination.

The island is connected to the cape by a narrow ridge of rocks which the spring-tides may probably cover. The main corresponds with the island in character and general conformation, being extremely barren and rocky, and of the same description of sandstone, the strata of which appear nearly horizontal; the greatest deviation from that position not being more than an inclination of 5 degrees to the south-east.

Upon our return we landed at Caper Point near the bottom of the bay; where, on taking some bearings, a considerable local magnetic attraction was detected, for the needle of the theodolite was nearly eight degrees in error. Whilst I was thus employed Mr. Cunningham, who was my companion upon this excursion, ranged about among the shrubs in the vicinity and was fortunate in finding the fruit of a tree that was first seen by us at Cambridge Gulf, and had for some time puzzled us from its immense size and peculiar appearance. It proved to be a tree of the natural order Capparides, and was thought to be a capparis; the gouty habit of the stem, which was soft and spongy, gave it an appearance of disease: but as all the specimens, from the youngest plant to the full-grown tree, possessed the same deformed appearance, it was evidently the peculiarity of its habit. The stem of the largest of these trees measured twenty-nine feet in girth whilst its height did not exceed twenty-five feet. "It was at this time in the earliest stages of foliation, the extremities of the naked branches appearing green; and one bud that was opened exhibited the character of Folium quinatum."* One of these trees has been introduced in the view of the encampment at Careening Bay. It bore some resemblance to the adansonia figured in the account of Captain Tuckey's expedition to the Congo.

(*Footnote. Cunningham ma.n.u.scripts.)

The only quadruped that was seen upon this excursion was a small opossum which appeared to be the same animal that the colonists at Port Jackson call the native cat: its colour was light red with small white spots.

The princ.i.p.al object of my investigation was to find an opening in the bottom of the bay communicating with a large sheet of water that we had seen from the hills to the southward; but as we were not successful in finding any it was supposed that its communication with the sea must be to the westward of Cape Brewster. Mr. Hunter and Mr. Cunningham had previously made an excursion in that direction to the summit of a hill, named by the latter gentleman after Thomas Andrew Knight, Esquire, the President of the Horticultural Society. From this elevation they had a good view of the water which appeared to be either a strait or an inlet of considerable size; it was subsequently called Rothsay Water. The country between it and our encampment was very rocky and rugged; but although almost dest.i.tute of soil it was sprinkled with some dwarf timber of various descriptions; and, had it not been for the late fires, there would have been a good share of gra.s.s.

The fires were still burning; and while we were employed upon the vessel the little gra.s.s that had before escaped the flames was consumed before our eyes, which greatly increased the oppressive heat we were experiencing. The thermometer during the day, exposed to a current of air and shaded from the sun, generally indicated a temperature of between 94 and 98 degrees; and on one occasion although it was exposed to a fresh sea-breeze the mercury stood at 101 degrees at noon: at night however we were usually relieved by its falling to 75 degrees; and at two o'clock in the morning it generally stood at 73 degrees. The maximum and minimum temperature during fourteen days was 101 degrees and 72 1/2 degrees. The daily range of the thermometer was as much as 20 degrees, while the mercury on board did not rise or fall more than 3 or 4 degrees. This great difference is to be attributed to the cooling power of the dew which was precipitated most copiously every night upon the surface of the earth; whilst the water, not being so easily affected by this nightly radiation, took so much longer to cool. In the daytime the reverse took place; for the earth being much more heated by the action of the sun's rays than the water, the temperature on sh.o.r.e was much greater than on the sea.

We had no thermometer with us that could measure the heat of the sand upon which our tents were erected. Mr. Hunter placed his pocket-thermometer in it but the mercury reaching the top of the tube, which was graduated to 130 degrees, he was obliged to withdraw it to preserve the instrument from being damaged. On one occasion we had a hot land-wind from the South-East that veered round as the day advanced to North-East, during which the thermometer stood at 96 degrees; generally however we had a fresh sea-breeze from the north-west, with clear and fine weather; but towards the latter part of our visit we had some very cloudy dull days and a few showers of rain: this change hurried my departure; and we considered ourselves fortunate in embarking our provisions and bread without getting them wetted.

On the 5th, after two ineffectual attempts to heave the cutter off the ground, she floated.

October 8.

And by the 8th, everything being embarked, we made preparations to quit this place which had afforded us the means of repairing our damage and stopping for the present the progress of an injury which had been every day a.s.suming a more serious aspect.

The country in the vicinity of the bay which, from the use we made of it, was called Careening Bay, is only slightly covered with a poor, stony soil; but notwithstanding this drawback the hills are well wooded and vegetation so abundant that, had it not been for the conflagration which has lately spoiled the trees of their leaves, the country would have appeared pleasing and verdant.

The following is a list of some of the trees indigenous to the sh.o.r.es and neighbourhood of Careening Bay, for which I am indebted to Mr.

Cunningham:--

COLUMN 1: NATURAL ORDER NAME.

COLUMN 2: LINNAEAN SYSTEM NAME.

COLUMN 3: ENGLISH NAME.

COLUMN 4: QUALITY OF THE WOOD.

COLUMN 5: HEIGHT OF TREE IN FEET.

COLUMN 6: DIAMETER OF TREE IN INCHES.

Leguminosae : Bauhinia microphylla. Cunn. ma.n.u.scripts : Mountain Ebony : Hard, coa.r.s.e grain, wet, black-heart : 10 to 20 : 5 to 8.

Mimoseae : Inga, sp. : Acacia-podded Inga : Unknown : 12 to 25 : 4 to 5.