Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1.: With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During; The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.; By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative; Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea.Stokes, John Lort
History
Discoveries in Australia, Volume 1.: With an Account of the Coasts and Rivers Explored and Surveyed During; The Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, in the Years 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.; By Command of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Also a Narrative; Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea.
Stokes, John Lort
Australia -- Description and travel; Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Natural history -- Australia
This morning the thermometer was down to 72 degrees at daylight, which
gave us the novel sensation of cold. It was late in the forenoon before
the violent ripplings at Tide-Race Point had subsided sufficiently to
allow of our passing it. The rate of the current at this point appeared
at times scarcely less than eight knots per hour, and traversing a rocky
ledge, extending to some islands, and nearly dry at low-water, rendered
it almost impassable, except when nearly high tide.
CASCADE BAY.
In the afternoon we reached the cascade discovered on our way to the
northward, and from which the bay within which it is received its name.
We spent an hour or two luxuriating in the thorough enjoyment of a treat
so rare, as this beautiful stream must be considered in North-western
Australia. In the evening we continued our return to Port Usborne, by a
channel leading from the bottom of Cascade Bay into the large sheet of
water first seen from Compass Hill; our progress was arrested at its
inner entrance by the violence with which the tide rushed through, and we
were therefore obliged to pass another night in the boats.
RETURN OF THE BOATS.
March 29.
We reached the ship this morning, entering Port Usborne by a narrow rocky
channel, on its North-West shore; on the precipitous sides in this
passage we noticed several of the Rock Kangaroo.
We found that Mr. Usborne had returned three days before us: from his
account of the islands he had visited, they appear to have the same
sterile character as most of those we had seen; in other respects, his
trip was void of interest, beyond that of surveying. During the absence
of the boats, tidal and magnetic observations had been made, some
specimens in Natural History had been collected, and all that could in
any way add to the interest of the expedition, had been as well attended
to as the means placed at our disposal would allow.
We closed at Port Usborne our explorations in King's Sound, the result of
which enabled us to fill up the gap long existing in the charts of the
North-west coast of Australia, and which had for years been the theme of
much ingenious geographical speculation. The result of our labours, if it
had been less brilliant than eager anticipation at the onset led us to
hope for, had nevertheless been on the whole satisfactory. The river
Fitzroy, although not of the magnitude that we hoped to find, was still
an undoubtedly valuable acquisition to our stock of geographical
knowledge, and offered a way of access into the interior, of which we had
availed ourselves to the extent of 90 miles, and which subsequent
explorers might yet further improve: while in many minor yet important
matters, much had been done, and much seen, to more than compensate for
the disappointments and annoyances inseparable from the pursuits of the
adventurer.
LEAVING PORT USBORNE.
March 30.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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