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
Part of our road lay through a thick mahogany scrub; and as the horse I
rode was a young unbroken one from the Cape, I might perhaps with less
trouble have tried to take an elephant straight with a snaffle bit in his
mouth. The sameness of the trees in this part being very great it is
difficult to hold a direct course; and if, after having chosen one to
steer by, my attention happened to be taken off by a kangaroo starting
up, I was always obliged to refer to the compass.
We made the Hay a mile or two above Ungerup; it is there a small tortuous
rivulet, with rich grassy banks, overhung by wide shady trees. The valley
is narrow, sloping gently up on either side. If I had been pleased with
the good piece of land just left, I was still more so with this; the
mould was rich and fine: I did not believe there was land of such quality
near the Sound.
LADY SPENCER'S FARMS.
In passing another of Lady Spencer's farms, seven miles farther down the
same river, we were glad to pocket a large piece of damper for our
evening meal, which we made at our old bivouac near the Great Plain,
where we found the native under the break-wind, which he had covered with
another bough or two. Next evening we got into Albany, and on the morning
of the 15th the Beagle was running out of King George's Sound.
It was resolved that we should touch at South Australia, to secure a good
meridian distance by short stages between Swan River and Sydney.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 27th, we entered Investigator Strait,
having been detained by strong easterly winds about a hundred and fifty
miles to the westward of Kangaroo Island. Whilst contending with them we
discovered a small high rocky island, the summit of which we found to be
in latitude 34 degrees 49 minutes South and in longitude 19 degrees 4
minutes East of Swan River; it bore South 8 degrees East nine miles from
the high peak on Greenly's Island. The name of the Beagle was bestowed
upon it.
At noon, as we entered the Strait, we committed to the deep the body of
Nicholas Lewis, seaman, who died of sickness contracted at Timor.
NEPTUNE ISLES.
We kept close to the Neptune Isles, a low rocky group, the southernmost
of which we give the position of; Captain Flinders, who passed too far to
the northward, having not exactly determined it: it lies in latitude 35
degrees 22 minutes 15 seconds South and longitude 20 degrees 22 minutes
15 seconds East of Swan River. These islands appear well adapted for a
light-house.
There was a strong indraught of a knot an hour into Spencer's Gulf.
Kangaroo Island has no remarkable features; whilst Althorpe and Quoin
islands are sufficiently striking to be recognized by anyone who has once
seen them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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