Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 1: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 1: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
After completing our water we left the river; but owing to light winds
did not succeed in getting out of the harbour until the following
morning. Its examination had been performed as narrowly as time and
circumstances admitted: it is of considerable size and in most parts
offers good and secure anchorage; with abundance of wood for fuel and
perhaps always water of good quality. Its western side was very
indistinctly seen; and it was thought probable from appearances that, in
the space between Cape Pond and Anderdon Islands, there are perhaps two
or three small mountain streams.
The harbour was called Prince Frederic's, and the sound that fronts it
York Sound, in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke of York.
September 20.
After passing Point Hardy we entered a fine harbour bounded on the west
by a group of islands, and on the east by the projection of land that
forms the western side of Prince Frederic's Harbour. The flood-tide was
not sufficient to carry us to the bottom so that we anchored off the east
end of the southernmost island of the group; which on the occasion of the
anniversary of the late king's coronation was subsequently called the
Coronation Islands. The harbour was called Port Nelson, and a high rocky
hill that was distinguished over the land to the southward received the
name of Mount Trafalgar.
Notwithstanding we had constantly experienced since the period of our
leaving the east coast both fine weather and smooth water, yet the leaky
state of the vessel had been gradually increasing; leading me to fear
that the injury received at Port Bowen had been much more serious than we
had then contemplated. Having the advantage of smooth water and a fair
wind during our passage up the east coast, the damage had not shown
itself until we reached Cairncross Island: after this it was occasionally
observed, but with more or less effect according to the strength and the
direction of the wind and the state of the sea. At the anchorage off
Booby Island, being exposed to a swell, she made four inches of water in
an hour; but during the examination of Montagu Sound and the harbour we
last left it did not show at all: upon leaving Hunter's River and working
against a fresh sea-breeze, the leak gained more than three inches in the
hour; and in passing round Cape Torrens, the vessel being pressed down in
the water from the freshness of the sea-breeze, it gained as much as nine
inches in one hour and twenty minutes.
From the alarming increase of the leak it became absolutely necessary to
ascertain the full extent of the damage, in order that we might, if
possible, repair it, so as not to prevent the further prosecution of the
voyage, or at least to ensure our return to Port Jackson.
We were fortunately upon a part of the coast where the tides had a
sufficient rise and fall to enable us to lay her on shore without
difficulty; but the beaches in York Sound and Prince Frederic's Harbour
were all too steep for the purpose.
September 21.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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