Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1Grey, George
History
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1
Grey, George
Natural history -- Australia -- Western Australia; Western Australia -- Discovery and exploration
This island is exactly of the same nature as Bernier Island, the only
difference being that the land here was rather higher than on the former.
From the top of the cliffs the prospect was not at all inviting; to the
westward lay the level and almost desert land of Dorre Island, which we
were on; we had the same prospect to the southward; to the northward we
looked over a narrow channel which separated us from the barren isle of
Bernier and was blocked up by fearful-looking reefs, on which broke a
nasty surf; to the north-eastward lofty bare sandhills were indistinctly
visible on the main; whilst to the eastward we could see nothing but the
waters of the bay, which were tossed wildly to and fro as if by a coming
storm; yet the wind had fallen perceptibly, and the only alarming sign
was the peculiar look of the sky. After having made these observations,
and sucked up as much bitter dirty water as I could contrive to do, I
returned with the others to the boats.
WANT OF WATER.
The holes we found the water in were so small that we could only dip a
spoon into a few of them; the men however got plenty to drink and then
commenced hunting a small species of kangaroo-rat which is found on these
islands, and searching for turtle's eggs, in both of which pursuits they
were very successful. We then made blazing fires from driftwood which we
found about, and retired early to rest.
A HURRICANE.
About eleven o'clock I heard a cry of one in great distress, "Mr. Grey,
Mr. Grey!" I instantly sprung up and answered the call, when Ruston, the
boatkeeper in my boat, said, "I must heave all overboard, Sir, or the
boat will be swamped." "Hold on for a minute or two," was my answer,
whilst I stripped my clothes off. I found that it was blowing a terrific
gale of wind which increased every moment in a most extraordinary manner;
the wind was from the south-east, and the breakers came pouring over the
reef as if the bay was going to empty bodily all its waters into the
little cove in which the boats were anchored. I now called Mr. Walker and
Mr. Smith and desired them to follow me off to the boats with two or
three hands, and then swam out to my own, which I found nearly full of
water, and it was all that the boat-keeper could do to keep her head on
to the sea. In a minute or two Mr. Walker and Mr. Smith, who were ever
foremost in difficulties and dangers, swam off to assist me, but they
could not induce any of the men to face the sea and storm, which was now
so terrible that they were all quite bewildered. Mr. Walker swam to his
own boat; Mr. Smith came to mine. We made fast a line to all the stores,
etc. and Mr. Smith boldly plunged in again amongst the breakers and
returned ashore with it, a service of no ordinary danger, for the shore
was fronted with a sharp coral reef, against which he was certain to be
dashed by the waves, and, after having got on it, the breakers would keep
knocking him down and thus cutting his legs to pieces against the rocks.
Mr.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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