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
At three o'clock the tide began to ebb and the boat-keeper awakened us to
re-embark on our return. On looking about we were surprised to find that
the tide had reached within three feet of our fireplace and must have
risen at least thirty feet since we landed. The air was now so cold from
a copious fall of dew that we were obliged to resort to our blankets and
cloaks for warmth; but with the sun the mercury rose from 80 to 88 and 90
degrees; and the morning being quite calm became excessively sultry.
On reaching the cutter we found that Mr. Roe had returned the preceding
evening from having examined the north-east shore of the basin and traced
two openings that trend for a short distance in on either side of the
mounts. On his return he pulled round the south side of St. Andrew's
Island and landed at its south-west end where he made a fire which spread
rapidly through the dried grass and set the surface of the island in a
blaze. It continued to burn for several days afterwards.
During our absence the shore of the bay of anchorage had also been
examined and several pools of water were discovered, from which we filled
our empty casks. Mr. Cunningham ascended the hills which rose nearly
perpendicularly for at least 400 feet; they were thickly clothed with
trees and plants from which he obtained a large addition to his
collection. In wandering about through the spinifex upon the cliffs he
saw four small kangaroos; and near the waterholes one of the crew saw a
fifth, of a gray colour and of a larger size than usual.
Our people were now all laid up with sores upon their feet and legs from
cuts and bruises received in scrambling over the rocks; and several were
affected by ophthalmia. Besides this the rainy season was approaching; it
commenced last year about the 18th of October, and as the weather was now
close and sultry and daily getting more unfavourable, the change was
evidently at hand.
October 13.
We therefore determined upon quitting the coast as soon as possible; and
as there was nothing to detain us here any longer we weighed the
following afternoon as soon as the tide commenced to ebb.
Our distance from the mouth was sixteen miles and the breeze blew
directly against us but, as the tide was running out with great strength,
we succeeded in reaching an anchorage in Brunswick Bay before dark; not
however without incurring considerable danger in passing through strong
tide ripplings when abreast of Rothsay Water; which caused me to suspect
that it communicated with Prince Frederic's Harbour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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