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
The inhabitants of Roti were described as being so indolent that it was
almost impossible to induce them to do anything: although every means
were used to tempt them to cut a sufficient quantity of fodder for the
ponies on their passage they constantly delayed doing so and, Mr.
Lushington's patience being at last worn out, the vessel put to sea on
the 12th of January 1838.
NEW ISLAND DISCOVERED.
On the 13th they sighted the Hibernian shoal which they made in 11
degrees 57 minutes south latitude and 123 degrees 22 minutes 30 seconds
east longitude. On Monday 15th of January at 10 P.M. they discovered an
island, thus described in the log of the Lynher:
At 10 hours 30 minutes P.M. saw land about a quarter of a mile ahead;
hauled our wind to west by south; sounded in 12 fathoms water, rocky
bottom; it appeared to be about one mile in extent, and about twenty feet
above the water. After running west by south one mile, got no bottom with
40 fathoms of line. Kept our course south by east: it (the island)
appeared to be quite level with rocks extending to north-west, with heavy
breakers. Made it by observation south latitude 14 degrees 4 minutes;
east longitude 123 degrees 31 minutes by good chronometer rated at Roti.
TROUBLE WITH THE HORSES.
At 6 A.M. on the morning of the 16th they experienced heavy squalls of
wind off Red Island, and this prevented them from getting into Hanover
Bay on that day; but on the morning of the 17th they anchored safely,
without having lost a single pony, or without having experienced any
serious misfortune, having made the passage from Roti in five days.
UNFORESEEN EMBARRASSMENTS.
Some short time was occupied in narrating the adventures we had
respectively encountered since we had last seen one another, and in
giving way to the pleasure arising from meeting again in so distant a
land, and under such circumstances: at last came the unpleasant
announcement that there was not an atom of forage on board, so that the
ponies must of necessity be landed tomorrow; and my plans of disembarking
them at a more eligible site were thus at once overthrown. Being the only
person who knew the route to Hanover Bay from the encampment, I was
obliged to remain on shore to guide the party over there the next
morning. Mr. Lushington and the Captain however returned on board to make
preparations for landing the horses at daybreak.
LANDING THE HORSES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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