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
At daylight on the 6th we got underweigh to a light air of wind from the
southward, to leave Prince Regent's River; but notwithstanding the vessel
was under all sail she was very nearly thrown upon Lammas Island by the
tide, which was setting with great strength through the shoal passage
between it and Sight Point: as we passed without it we were not more than
five yards from the rocks. The wind then fell to a dead calm and the brig
was perfectly immovable in the water; but, drifted by the tide and
whirled round by the eddies, we were fast approaching the body of the
largest Midway Island, with a very great uncertainty on which side of it
the tide would drift us: when we were about three hundred yards from the
island the direction of the stream changed and carried us round its
south-east side, at about two hundred yards from the shore, but close to
the low rocks off its east end, on which we landed two days since. We
were under great anxiety for fear of being driven over the reef, on which
there could not have been sufficient water to have floated us; but our
fears of that danger were soon over for the tide swept us rapidly round
it. At this moment a light air sprang up which lasted only five minutes,
but it was sufficient to carry us past the junction of the Rothsay and
Munster Waters with the main stream. The vessel was at times unmanageable
from the violent whirlpools through which we passed, and was more than
once whirled completely round upon her keel; but our former experience of
a similar event prepared us to expect it, and the yards were as quickly
braced round.
Having passed all the dangers, the ebb-tide very soon carried us out of
the river into Hanover Bay. In passing the easternmost of the outer
isles, the shrill voices of natives were heard calling to us, and Bundell
returned their shout, but it was some time before we could discern them
on account of the very rugged nature of the island: at last three Indians
were observed standing upon the rocks near the summit of the island but,
as the tide was running out with great strength, we were soon out of
hearing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822 — John Shaqi
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