Volume I Part 31 (1/2)

A meridional alt.i.tude of the sun was obtained on the north side of the island; and before we embarked the boat's crew found fresh water enough to fill our barica: this was so unusual a discovery that the island was complimented with a name which will serve rather to record the fact than to distinguish it as a place where so important an article of refreshment may be procured with certainty. In the rainy season a large quant.i.ty may always be obtained from cisterns, or holes, which were observed naturally formed upon the surface of the rocks.

The marks of a turtle were noticed upon the beach; and near them was the impression of a native's foot as well as the broken sh.e.l.ls of some turtles' eggs which had very recently been eaten. This discovery set the boat's crew on the search for other nests but they were unsuccessful.

An extensive view of the surrounding islands was obtained from its summit, as well as a set of bearings for the survey of this Sound, which was named at Mr. Hunter's request after Robert Montagu, Esquire, Admiral of the White.

A sea-breeze set in before we left the island: upon arriving on board we got underweigh and at four o'clock anch.o.r.ed near the bottom of the bay (Swift's Bay) in the entrance of a strait separating Kater's Island from the main.

In the evening we landed upon the south-east end of Kater's Island and found it to be in character, both geologically and botanically, very similar to Water Island; excepting that there was more vegetation upon it in the shape of shrubs and trees. The surface of the ground was covered by spinifex, which rendered our walking both difficult and painful; this plant diffuses a strong aromatic odour, which quality it possesses, as it were, to counterbalance the annoying effects of its p.r.i.c.kly foliage.

September 7.

The next day Mr. Bedwell examined a small inlet at the bottom of the bay.

It proved to be merely a salt-water creek bounded by rocks and mangroves.

Traces of natives were observed; and he brought on board with him the remains of a fish-pot, nine feet long, made of strips of Flagellaria indica, but so imperfect and disfigured that we could not readily convince ourselves either of its particular construction or use. In the evening we found a few gallons of water in a hollow near the beach upon the south sh.o.r.e of the strait. During Mr. Bedwell's absence a hot land-wind from South-East sprung up and raised the temperature to 90 degrees.

The peculiar verdure of the vegetation in all parts hereabout was a proof that this part of the country had suffered less from drought than the coast to the eastward. The traces of a small species of kangaroo were found in every part but our appearance had frightened them away. The food of this animal appeared to be princ.i.p.ally the seeds and leaves of an acacia which they reach easily from the rocks.

Mr. Cunningham, who was as usual most indefatigable in adding to his collection, observed one of the large nests that have been so frequently before described. It was six feet in diameter, formed princ.i.p.ally of sticks, among which was found a piece of bamboo about five feet long, that had evidently been cut at its extremities by a sharp-edged tool, probably by the Malays. Whatever the inhabitant of this nest might have been it was doubtless a bird of considerable size and power to have transported a stick of such a length.

September 8.

The next morning after Mr. Roe had sounded the strait that separates Kater's Island from the main we got underweigh and pa.s.sed through it; and then rounding a high island named after Dr. W.H. Wollaston, we steered to the westward through a group of islets which were too numerous to be correctly placed in a running survey. To the westward of Wollaston Island is a deep bay which, from the broken appearance of the coast at the back, there is some reason to think may prove the embouchure of a small rivulet; but as it was not of sufficient importance to cause delay it was pa.s.sed with the appellation of Mudge Bay. In the evening we anch.o.r.ed off an island named on account of the peculiar shape of a rock near the beach Capstan Island; and as it wanted yet an hour to sunset we landed and ascended the summit which, from its very rugged ascent, was no easy task.

A view however from this elevated station, and an amplitude of the setting sun, repaid me for my trouble; and Mr. Cunningham increased his collection by the addition of some interesting plants and a few papers of seeds.

The distance that the French expedition kept from this part of the coast, of which M. De Freycinet so often and so justly complains, prevented it from ascertaining the detail of its sh.o.r.es: in fact very few parts of it were seen at all. Commodore Baudin's Cape Chateaurenaud must be some low island which we did not see, unless it was the outermost of our Prudhoe Islands.

Montagu Sound is bounded on the west by an island of considerable size which was named in compliment to John Thomas Bigge, Esquire, his Majesty's late Commissioner of Inquiry into the state of the colony of New South Wales. Bigge Island is separated from the main by a strait named after the Reverend Thomas Hobbes Scott, now Archdeacon of New South Wales, formerly Secretary to the above commission.

September 9.

The next morning we steered through Scott's Strait but not without running much risk on account of the muddy state of the water, and from the rocky nature of its channel. It was however pa.s.sed without accident; but as the tide prevented our doubling Cape Pond the anchor was dropped, and the evening spent on sh.o.r.e upon a rocky island that fronts the Cape, from the summit of which an extensive set of bearings was taken. The land was observed to trend in very deeply to the southward of Cape Pond and the western horizon was bounded by a range of islands on which were two hills of sugarloaf form. This island, like Capstan Island, is a heap of sandstone rocks, clothed with the usual quant.i.ty of spinifex and small shrubs. A path of the natives was observed winding among the gra.s.s and on the beach were the marks of feet. The tide fell whilst we were on sh.o.r.e twenty-two feet.

September 10.

The next morning we steered round Cape Pond and entered the opening; but, the wind being contrary, we did not reach farther than Anderdon's Islands, where the night was pa.s.sed.

September 11.

The next day we took advantage of the flood-tide and before high water anch.o.r.ed where the depth at low water was three fathoms. The tide subsequently rose twenty-eight feet.

We were now at the bottom of a very extensive harbour bounded by bold and irregular ranges of precipitous rocky hills, particularly on its eastern side, where three or four peaks were noticed, among which were Manning Peak and Mount Anderdon. Under these hills was the mouth of a large opening; and to the eastward of the anchorage we observed another of greater size but not so interesting in its appearance as the former.

The country hereabout, although equally rocky and rugged, is more wooded than that to the north-east; and from the number of fires that were burning there is reason to suppose it is more populous. We therefore prepared to examine the two openings in view, with sanguine expectations of finding something to repay us for the numerous disappointments we had already encountered.

September 12.

And the next morning Mr. Hunter accompanied me to explore the opening under Manning Peak whilst Mr. Roe and Mr. Cunningham embarked in another boat to examine the river that falls into the bottom of the bay.

After landing at the entrance of the opening we proceeded up a considerable reach, bounded on either side by precipitous rocks, in some parts from two to three hundred feet in height. This reach extends four miles; and being from five to seven fathoms deep, and more than half a mile wide, forms an excellent port: half way up on the north side is a wide inlet; probably the embouchure of a mountain stream, for it appeared to wind under the base of Manning Peak. We landed in many parts on search of fresh water but were on all occasions unsuccessful. At the end of this reach the river, for such it now appeared to be, gradually narrowed and wound with a more serpentine course under the base of the hills which still continued to be rugged and steep; but the banks were now thickly lined by mangroves, whereas in the first or sea reach they are formed princ.i.p.ally of large rounded ma.s.ses of rock that had been detached from the summits of the overhanging hills by the effect of the cascades, some of which must have fallen from a height of 200 feet without interruption in their descent. During the rainy season it would be dangerous to expose a vessel to the strength of the freshes in this river.