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
the interior, still we succeeded in setting at rest the speculation, such
a deep indentation of the coastline had hitherto afforded, and increased
our geographical knowledge of this part of the continent 35 miles.
RETURN OF THE BOATS.
In the afternoon we commenced our return to Port George the Fourth, from
which we were then distant about 80 miles; after delaying to examine two
islands lying North by East four miles from the inlet, of slate
formation, we reached a narrow point six miles further down the bay, in
time to save a true bearing from the sun's amplitude. We were surprised
to find this point also composed of the same kind of grey slate. The
islands we examined differed from those of the same formation in King's
Sound, having steep precipitous sides to the North-West instead of to the
South-East. As it was by this time nightfall we did not proceed farther.
April 12.
Towards the morning there was a South-East breeze which brought the
thermometer down to 76 degrees; it generally ranged between 80 and 96
degrees.
RAFT POINT.
The large bay discovered on our way to the southward now became the point
of interest, and as daylight closed in the boats were secured in a small
sandy cove, just within its southern point, where there were several
native rafts, constructed precisely in the same manner as those seen in
King's Sound, from which circumstance we called the place Raft Point.
Immediately over it was the high land first seen in coming down the bay;
huge masses were rent from its lofty frowning crags, on which the rays of
the setting sun produced the most grotesque figures. A beautiful stream
of water fell into the sea, in leaping cascades, half a mile inside the
cove. Several rock kangaroos were seen on the heights; and after securing
observations with some early stars, for latitude, which placed Raft Point
in 16 degrees 4 minutes South, we tried an experiment to get a shot at
the kangaroos, by setting fire to the grass and small wood growing at the
base, and in the interstices of the rocks.
A CONFLAGRATION.
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