Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
HOUTMAN'S ABROLHOS. The old Dutch charts give a very considerable extent
to this reef; Van Keulen makes it cover a space of sea, forty-seven miles
long, and twenty-five broad. We only saw the islands at the south end,
with three detached reefs between them and the shore; one of which (the
southernmost) may probably be the TURTLE DOVE. The islands lie West 4
degrees North true, forty-one miles from Cape Burney, but the channel
(GEELVINK CHANNEL) between the shore and the reefs, is not more than
twenty-six miles wide. The south-easternmost reef that we saw is about
three miles long, and lies nearly ten miles South 55 degrees East from
the islands; it appeared to be covered, but the sea was breaking high
over it. In passing this part of the coast, Captain Hamelin, who
commanded the Naturaliste under Commodore Baudin's orders, must have
steered within the reefs, as the Geelvink (Vlaming's ship) did. The reef
that is laid down upon the chart, in latitude 29 degrees 10 minutes is
from Van Keulen. We did not see it. (See Horsburgh volume 1 page 98.)
From Cape Burney the coast is rather low and sandy; in 29 degrees 16
minutes is a reef; and seven miles more to the south is another; they lie
from five to seven miles from the shore.
In latitude 29 degrees 6 minutes 30 seconds, there is a small peaked
hillock; and in 29 degrees 17 minutes 50 seconds, a small sandy patch
upon the land.
Between latitudes 29 degrees 25 minutes and 29 degrees 55 minutes, we did
not see the coast, having passed it in the night. It is laid down from
Van Keulen's chart. Hence to Island Point, which is low and rocky, the
shore is lined with reefs, extending off shore for two to four miles. At
the back of this, and at about eight miles from the coast, is a rocky
range, of three leagues in length, on which are MOUNTS PERON and LESUEUR.
To the south of ISLAND POINT, are two bays fronted by reefs; the
southernmost, JURIEN BAY, has three or more small islets in it. The coast
to the south of the bay is sandy. In latitude 30 degrees 37 minutes, are
three small rocky lumps, very remarkably placed; the middle one is in
latitude 30 degrees 37 minutes 40 seconds: fourteen miles to the south of
these are two others, the north-easternmost is in latitude 30 degrees 51
minutes 50 seconds, they are very conspicuously placed upon a ridge of
bare white sand. Hence the coast winds to the South-South-East for eighty
miles as far as the entrance of Swan River. The coast is low and slightly
wooded, and lined with reefs, that in some places extend for two miles
from the shore. Off CAPE LESCHENAULT (in latitude 31 degrees 21 minutes)
is a reef, lying six miles and a half from the shore; it appeared to be
connected with the rocks that line the coast.
The following account of SWAN RIVER is taken from Captain De Freycinet's
account of Baudin's voyage (page 175 et seq).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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