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
We were on the top of the northern Slate Island early; a small islet with
a reef off its northern extreme, bore north a mile and a half, and a low
sandy isle, West 1/4 North about 15 miles; this was a most unwelcome
discovery, as it lay in the track of vessels approaching Brecknock
Harbour, and which Captain King must have passed very close to in the
night without being aware of it. We were fortunate in being able to
intersect our lines to the extremes of all the islands forming the north
side of Camden Sound from this station, which rendered it one of great
importance. Of the interior we saw even less than from Point Hall, and
the prospect if possible was more cheerless.
Our again meeting rocks of transition origin, led us to infer that the
soil in the neighbourhood was of a better quality, as the decomposition
of rocks of this class furnishes a much more fertile soil than sandstone
of recent formation.
Leaving the Slate Islands, we reached Entrance Isle, in Brecknock
Harbour, in time to secure observations for the rates of the
chronometers, which we found had been performing admirably; they placed
the sandy bay on the east side of Entrance Isle, in longitude 124 degrees
30 minutes East; the latitude as before given, 15 degrees 27 1/4 minutes
South.
FERTILE COUNTRY.
At this place Mr. Helpman rejoined us, having completed the examination
of the south shore of the harbour; from a high hill over it he discovered
some fine country, bearing East-South-East about eight miles. In speaking
of it, he says, "I was invited to the top of this hill by the certainty
of a good view of the interior over the low land forming the
south-eastern shore of the harbour, and most amply was I repaid for the
toil of ascending it, by feasting my eyes on a most luxuriant
well-watered country, lying at the eastern foot of a remarkable peak,
visible from Port George the Fourth. To the North-East there lay a range
of hills,* apparently of no great elevation.
(*Footnote. Macdonald Range of Lieutenant Grey, considered by him 1400
feet high.)
BRECKNOCK HARBOUR.
Part of this rich land extended to within five miles of the south-eastern
part of Brecknock Harbour." The proximity of such fertile land to this
fine port was of great importance, and induced us to consider it a great
addition to our discoveries in north-western Australia. Under this
impression, I trust the following brief description of it may not be
without its value in the eyes of some of my readers. Brecknock Harbour is
six miles deep, extending gradually from a width of one and three quarter
miles at the entrance to five at the head, and has a depth of water
varying from five to seven fathoms, with a soft muddy bottom. The few
observations on the tides our short visit afforded, make the time of
high-water, on full and change day, about half an hour before noon, when
the rise is nearly thirty feet, and the strength of stream in the
entrance nearly two knots.
LIEUTENANT GREY.
April 16.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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