Part 6 (2/2)
shortened sail and threw her head off shore intending to have lain off and on all night, this was done At 4 AM ht ahead therefore the distance between Three Hummock Island and Elephant Rock is north 65 west distance 44 miles true by compass north-west by west We then stood on for the sandy capes or bluffs and by half-past 9 AM the largest and perpendicular one bore south by west distant 8 or 9 miles, this I na to run to Cape Albany (Otway); the wind from 4 AM has blown at east-north-east and from that to north-east with its usual hazy dirty weather, in consequence of which we kept our wind till noon to be certain of clearing the shoals and breakers lying off this end of the island At noon saw the loo distant perhaps 12 miles, the direct distance frorees west distance 56 miles true but by compass north-west a little westerly”
CHAPTER 6
THE DISCOVERY OF PORT PHILLIP
On leaving King Island, Murray, on January 30th (civil tiiven in the author's observations The ti, ie the day beginning at noon before the civil reckoning) returned again to Western Port and next day, at 4 AM he sent Mr Boith 5 men in the launch to examine the harbour to the hich is non as Port Phillip and at the head of which stands the city of Melbourne On Wednesday the launch returned and the first ood channel into the harbour which was ”a most noble sheet of water” He also reported that he saw no natives but only their huts Shortly afterwards Murray himself entered the newly discovered Port in the Lady Nelson
Murray arrived there on February 14th and anchored at 330 PM in a sandy cove off a point of the shore which lay distant a quarter of a h mountain Arthur's Seat; a cluster of islands where black sere plentiful Swan Isles; a bold rocky point to the east-south-east Point Paterson and a long sandy point Point Palmer
The chart of Port Phillip (Illustration 11) is possibly a reproduction of the track of the Lady Nelson's boat when the bay was explored for the first ti Place apparently are the only names placed on it by Murray ( It is preserved at the Admiralty) as Swan Pond and ”Point Repear” are in a different handwriting At ”Point Repear” the long boat of the Lady Nelson may have been repaired or the name may have been written in mistake for Point Nepean, also na to Port Phillip
”Wednesday, January 27th From noon till 8 PM variable winds, hot sultry weather, dull fiery sky and so thick that we could not see above afor Cape Albany (Otway) At 8 short sail and hove toat 4 AM the wind settled into a westerly gale attended with heavy squalls and rain By 9 AM it turned into a clear gale and a very high sea up which itude by then 143 degrees 13within 3 or 4 rees 12 ain rendered abortiveand distance between Cape Farewell and Cape Albany Otway I shall only observe that I never experienced such length of bad weather at any time of year or in any country since I sailed the seas
”Saturday, January 30th At half-past 9 AM the north point of land bore north distant 12 miles--made sail for it At 10 AM perceived with surprise that it was Cape Shanks and Grant's Point instead of Cape Albany I now judged it prudent to send our boat down to overhaul for a channel into the harbour ly stood in for it and by noon Cape Shanks bore north-west distant 6 or 7 miles and Grant's Point north-east by east 10 or 11 miles
We had a very heavy swell and perceived the surf about Seal Islands breaking in a fearful manner; sounded every hour
”Sunday, January 31st At 2 PM passed Seal Island Observed the long range of breakers on the western side of the Port: several of them had shi+fted their berths nearer to mid channelthe whole of them for several miles broke incessantly and remarkable lofty--we passed within 2 miles of them The reefs on the eastern side also broke much further out
In short the mid channel up this port has (by the iot to anchor in Elizabeth's Coveout boats Got the launch ready for sailing in theto explore the channel of the western harbour beforeFound the well as we left it full of fine clear water and our board of directions hanging at the entrance of the pathway At 4 AM ( It will be seen that Bowen left to explore Port Phillip at 4 AM of January 31st and not on February 1st) I sent the launch with Mr
Bowen and 5 men ariving him particular instructions how to act both with respect to the harbour and natives should he fall in with any, the substance of which was that in finding a channel into the Port he would takein with the vessel and immediately return to me and at all times to deal friendly with the natives It may now be proper to observe that e into that harbour is found I will take the vessel down into it and survey it as speedily as circumstances will allow, from that trace the coast to Cape Albany, froer Rocks, and if time, after that follow up the remainder ofthe beach for 8 reat variety of birds were in the brush and their notes very different; flights of white cockatoos of perhaps 100 were often seen At Lady Nelson's Point20 or 30 swans in the salt-water lagoonone and all of the birds we have seen were so shy thatwe did not shoot one (a single pigeon excepted) The trees also were all in blooin in this part till January On penetrating further into this island the soil was found to be good
”Tuesday, February 2nd PM I sent a hand on shore to the well in order to see if any birds were to be got by his sitting there a few hours steady as numbers towards sundown caeons were shot, a dozen of parrots; these latter were co them all were found to feed on seeds of various kinds
”Wednesday, February 3rd PM As I alking along the pathway to the well I nearly trod on a snake about 6 feet long, the first we have seen on the island It made its way into the brush
”Thursday, February 4th Throughout these 24 hours we have had calms with hot sickly weather and thick fiery haze At half-past 9 PM the launch returned on board, all well Mr Bowen reported that a good channel was found into this new harbour, water from 10 fatho to his accounts it is A MOST nobLE SHEET OF WATER larger even than Western Port, with many fine coves and entrances in it and the appearance and probability of rivers, a number of shells were found on its beaches--swans, pelicans and birds of various sorts were seen in great numbers The boat's crew lived on swans all the time they were away
”No water was as yet found--the officer having no time to spare, nor no natives seen but numbers of their huts, in short from such a report as I have received and of the truth of which I have no doubt (as the attention and care of this officer has always been conspicuous) it would be unpardonable in ive this new harbour a strict overhaul, in theout, at 8 AM hove up and towed the vessel up to Lady Nelson's Point in order to send the boat up the river for birds such plenty of various kinds being on this island At noon dropped our anchor in 6 fatho west by south half a aret Island north-east 1/2 north 7 or 8 e
”Friday, February 5th Variable flaws of wind all round the compass this last 24 hours and hot sultry weather Eood order AM Sent the launch with the First Mate and 4 hands arht to be observed that the past two or three days ere here numbers of native fires were seen on the coast and up both arms, since then they have disappeared
”Monday, February 8th At 3 PM the launch returned, all well, having got a live swan, sole duck was shot No fresh water was to be got even at dead loater and up as far as the boat could be pushed between the boughs of the fallen trees At AM took up our kedge, weighed our anchor, made sail for Elizabeth's Cove and at half-past 6 AM came to anchorsent empty cask on shore to complete our water--also a party to cut wood, we filled our casks frorees 13 minutes 53 seconds
”Tuesday, February 9th Calm weather, constant thick fiery haze, very close and sultry By 3 PM secured everything for sea intending to sail in theonly and two remarkable curious fish
”Wednesday, February 10th PM Sighted our Bower anchor suspecting it to be foul, found it so Having found a quantity of oysters, ave the shore a strict search at loater and plainly perceived that a co starved here for several months from the vast quantity of shellfish to be found We also have these so on seaweed many hundreds of a very handsome shell very scarce where ere in April last
”Thursday, February 11th This evening a snake 6 feet long was killed in the road to the well
”Friday, February 12th AM Hoisted in launch, took up kedge intending to sail if wind ca cal up for a few ed me to keep fast At noon heard distant thunder around us
”Saturday, February 13th Fro and very hard rain later part, till 9 AM Was cal up at east Hove up our B ( Bower, that is anchor) and hung by the kedge, by this ti to sea vanished, needless to observe this kind of weather is as destructive to the intent of this cruise as gales at sea I took a walk along the beach far enough to see all the entrances to this port and by ascending an eerous sand rollers had shi+fted their berths and by so doing had rendered the channel narrower than hithertofore
”Sunday, February 14thAt 5 AM weighed and made all sail down the port, by 8 AM Grant's Point bore east by north distant 10down the land AM
At half-past 10 South Head of the new Harbour or Port north by east 8 miles distant; by noon the island at entrance of harbour bore north half a mile distant At this time we had a view of this part of the spacious harbour, its entrance is wide enough to work any vessel in, but, in 10 fatho tide out and wind in, the ripple is such as to cause a stranger to suspect rock or shoals ahead We carried in with us water fro up the port with all sail set