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 anchored to prevent being taken back through Dundas Strait by the
return tide, which from 5 P.M., to midnight, set South-East by South from
two to three knots an hour. High-water at Popham Bay on the east side of
the Strait being at a quarter past eleven, we may conclude the North-West
stream began at this anchorage three quarters of an hour after
high-water. Weighing as soon as the tide made out of the strait, although
there was still no wind, we were rather surprised at daylight to find how
little the ship had drifted to the North-North-West. The only reason I
can give in explanation is that the ebb or North-West stream out of the
gulf joins with, and is thrown out of its course by the easterly or ebb
stream setting past Cape Fleming.
ARRIVAL AT THE PORT.
A breeze springing up late in the morning, we beat along the north side
of the Cobourg Peninsula, entering Port Essington at dusk. In working
round Vashon Head, we found the water shoal very rapidly to 12, 9, and 7
fathoms on approaching it; on the bearing South 30 degrees West. This
head is fronted by a reef of some extent, which similar to the other at
the entrance of Port Essington, cannot be distinguished, owing to the
muddy colour of the water; it is therefore necessary that the lead should
be kept constantly going when in its vicinity. When daylight broke, we
found no fresh arrival to greet our anxious gaze, the Britomart being
still the only guardian of the port. Her solitary aspect at once
destroyed our hopes of supplies, and on reaching the settlement our fears
proved to have too much foundation. Hope, however, is the last feeling
which leaves the human breast, and in this instance did not desert us; as
there was still a chance of a vessel arriving, while we were engaged in
watering the ship.
VICTORIA THEATRE.
The news of our discovery of the Adelaide was hailed with infinite
satisfaction, and the numerous speculations and ideas on the subject
which were at once afloat, afforded an agreeable variety to the monotony
of existence in the settlement, where however at the moment of our
arrival an unusual degree of excitement prevailed through the activity of
Captain Stanley.
THEATRICAL AMUSEMENTS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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