Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2: Discoveries in Australia; 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 SeaStokes, John Lort
History
Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2: Discoveries in Australia; 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
Although Depuch Island is one vast pile of reddish-coloured blocks,
scattered about in the greatest possible confusion, sometimes resembling
basaltic columns, its outline from seaward appears even. In the valleys,
and on some of the more level spots near the summit, there are
occasionally slight layers of soil, affording nourishment to a coarse
grass, a few bushes, and several stunted eucalypti; but on the whole the
vegetation of the island is extremely scanty. From the highest point we
had a view over the main, extending inland for a great distance. It
appeared to be flat, with the exception of some isolated rocky hills, of
a formation similar to that of Depuch, from 200 to 500 feet in height,
and about six miles from the shore. We could also see at a distance of
twenty-eight miles a very remarkable pyramidal hill, surmounted by a
tower-like piece of rock, bearing from our position South 30 degrees
West. From the white appearance of many large patches of the level
country, we inferred that they were covered with a salt efflorescence;
and it is probable that a very great portion of it is occasionally
flooded, being cut up by a number of creeks, which must overflow at
spring tides, especially when they occur simultaneously with the
north-west winds that prevail on this coast during the monsoon.
This group of islands is so connected with the main by extensive
sandbanks, that at low-water it is possible to walk across to them; and
of this facility the natives no doubt avail themselves to procure turtle.
It appears indeed to be only on such occasions that they can visit
Forestier Group, as we saw no traces of rafts on this portion of the
coast. Depuch Island would seem to be their favourite resort; and we
found several of their huts still standing. They were constructed of
boughs and twigs fixed in the ground, and joined overhead in a circular
shape. Over this was thrown a loose matting of twisted grass.
NATIVE DRAWINGS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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