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
Farther on, in latitude 23 degrees 10 minutes 30 seconds, is a projection
which, at Mr. Cunningham's request, was called after Mr. William Anderson
of the apothecaries' garden at Chelsea. The coast to the northward of
Point Anderson is higher than to the southward and falls back to the
North-East, but was very imperfectly seen on account of the thick haze
that enveloped it. At a quarter before seven o'clock we hauled to the
wind for the night with a fresh gale from the southward.
January 28.
The next morning was cloudy and the horizon tolerably clear; but towards
noon a light haze began to spread, which by sunset was so thick as
entirely to conceal the land. The mercury fell as low as 29.76 inches
and, although the thermometer was at 79 degrees and the sun powerful, yet
the atmosphere was so charged with moisture that the decks and everything
out of the immediate influence of the sun were quite damp. This
extraordinary and constant humidity appeared only to occupy the
atmosphere for the sky was always beautifully clear and serene.
During the night the gale blew strong from the southward with a high
topping sea from the South-West; and being occupied in shifting the main
topsail which had split during the night, we stood off until three
o'clock before we tacked towards the shore.
January 29.
At eight o'clock being in latitude 22 degrees 19 minutes 23 seconds, the
land was visible from North-East to South 35 degrees East at the distance
of five or six leagues: by its outline which, from the glare of the sun
was the only part at all discernible, it seemed to be of moderate height,
very level, and offering no particular mark that could be set with any
chance of recognition to obtain a cross bearing. As there is every reason
to believe that this part of the coast is what was taken by former
navigators for Cloates Island,* I have named the southernmost point of
the high land Point Cloates.
(*Footnote. See volume 1.)
At noon we were in latitude 21 degrees 57 minutes 5 seconds, having
experienced a current of twenty-three miles to the north since yesterday
at noon. The northern extreme, Vlaming's Head, bore North-East by East
1/2 East and the south extreme South 7 degrees West; and in the bearing
of between South 32 degrees to 82 degrees East the land is higher than in
other parts and declines very gradually towards the extreme.
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