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
The squall gave but slight warning of its approach, and four hours
afterwards the mutinous assemblage of clouds had wholly disappeared from
the heavens, leaving nothing to stay the advent of light which came
pouring itself in floods of molten glory over the cloudless sky, as the
morning broke. This was the signal of our again moving towards Port
Patterson, which we entered, passing on the eastern side of the reef in
the mouth, and anchoring close to the eastern shore of the outermost of a
chain of sandy islets, forming the west entrance point of the harbour,
and extending eight miles in a North-North-East 1/2 East direction from
the land. This group is based on a great coral ledge that dries in part
at low-water, thus affording the natives the means of going over easily
to them, a circumstance of which they avail themselves, as we found them
on the outer island. They would not, however, come near us, moving off as
we landed. Doubtless the terror of some of their party, in a great
measure arose from a vivid recollection of the raft interview, which was
likely to dwell long in their minds; at all events, if not of the same
party, they had heard of us, and it will readily be believed, that we had
been painted in sufficiently terrible and exaggerated colours to render a
second interview, in their minds, very undesirable.
QUAIL ISLAND.
Our discovering them in this place, which we named Quail Island, from
that bird being found in great abundance, quite destroyed the hope we had
previously entertained of procuring turtle there. It was the season for
their incubation, and at that time the island swarmed with them; but our
sable friends had abundantly availed themselves of this fact, as we saw
the remains of several of their turtle feasts. Although low, and composed
entirely of sand, we found a native well of excellent water near the
middle of the island, which, having been enlarged, afforded an ample
supply, a circumstance that at once renders this a spot of importance and
value. Both on this and others of the group there were a few small trees
and a sprinkling of brushwood.
We did not notice any of the singular detached hills seen at Port Darwin,
and the greatest elevation any of the land in the neighbourhood attained
was 200 feet; neither did we observe any primary rocks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account