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
SCOTT'S REEF (see Horsburgh volume 1 page 102) was discovered by Captain
Heywood, R.N., in 1811: the north-west end is in latitude 13 degrees 52
1/2, and longitude 121 degrees 59 minutes; thence it extends South 16
degrees East for eighteen or nineteen miles to the north-east point, in
latitude 14 degrees 1 minute, and longitude 122 degrees 16 minutes; the
south extent was not ascertained. It is ninety-seven miles due East from
the situation assigned to Dampier's Rocks. The Cartier also struck upon a
shoal hereabouts, and Captain Horsburgh seems to think that there is
little doubt of Scott's Reef being the same that Dampier saw, as well as
that on which the Cartier struck.
ROWLEY'S SHOALS consist of three separate reefs, the westernmost is the
Imperieuse, the middle Clerke's, and the north-easternmost the Mermaid's.
The Imperieuse is ten miles in length from north to south, and its
greatest breadth five miles: it is surrounded by very deep water and near
the eastern edge, in latitude 17 degrees 35 minutes, and longitude 118
degrees 51 minutes, are some dry rocks. Clerke's Shoal (south end in
latitude 17 degrees 28 minutes, longitude 119 degrees 18 minutes) extends
to the north-west, and probably joins the Minstrel's Shoal, which is
described below, and, if this is the case, trends North-North-West 1/2
West for seventeen miles. The south end of Mermaid's Shoal is in 17
degrees 12 minutes South, and 119 degrees 35 minutes East, and extends to
the northward for seven miles; but its termination in that direction was
not seen. The edges of all these reefs are steep to; and no bottom was
obtained with one hundred and eighty fathoms. Within the reefs, however,
there is a bank of soundings of the depth of from one hundred and seventy
to one hundred and twenty fathoms. (See Horsburgh volume 1 page 101.)
MINSTREL'S SHOAL (see Horsburgh's Supp. page 52) its north-east end is in
17 degrees 14 minutes South, and 118 degrees 57 minutes East, or 5
degrees 28 minutes East by chronometer, from the coast of New Holland in
latitude 23 degrees 10 minutes South. The longitude of that part of the
coast by my survey, is 113 degrees 42 minutes; this will make the
Minstrel's Shoal in 119 degrees 10 minutes, which agrees very well with
Clerke's Reef, the centre reef of Rowley's Shoals, of which it is
certainly the north end; so Captain Horsburgh also supposes.
A ship called the LIVELY was wrecked on a coral reef in about 16 degrees
30 minutes South, and 119 degrees 35 minutes East.
RITCHIE'S REEF, or the Greyhound's Shoal. The situation of this reef is
recorded by Captain Horsburgh (see Supp. page 38) to be in latitude 19
degrees 58 minutes, and longitude 114 degrees 40 1/4 minutes; but, by a
letter published in the Sydney Gazette by Lieutenant Ritchie, R.N., the
commander, it would appear to be in 20 degrees 17 minutes 40 seconds,
longitude by lunars 114 degrees 46 minutes 6 seconds.
ROCK OFF VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.
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