Volume I Part 4 (1/2)
Mr Maclear and Captain Wauchope: 115 seconds South
HM Sloop Beagle: 110 seconds South
ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN HARRIS
We found at the Cape the renowned Captain Harris, HEI Coineers, who had just returned fro expedition into the interior of Southern Africa, having h every obstacle, froh the territories of the chief Moselekatse, to the Tropic of Capricorn With his spirit-stirring accounts of hunting adventure and savage ratified What he had seen, where he had been, and what he had performed ”by flood and field,” have since been told to the world by himself, and therefore need not be repeated here: but it would be unpardonable not to do justice to his energy, his perseverance, and his success He had collected quite a ainst whom his crusade had been directed; while his collection of drawings, both as regarded the animals delineated, and the appearance of the country in which they were found, was reallythe various specimens and illustrations, each one of which testified the intrepidity and skill of himself or his no less adventurous companion, William Richardson, Esquire, BCS It will readily be believed that these two gentlereat Lions of that part of Africa
SAIL FOR SWAN RIVER
Having completed our observations, and crale with various stores--a proceeding rendered absolutely necessary by the unsatisfactory accounts we received of the state of affairs at Swan River--we sailed for that place on theof the 12th of October
It should beit would be impossible for him to obtain a suitable vessel at Swan River, hired a small schooner from this port, and sailed, with his party, for Hanover Bay, on the north-west coast of Australia, the day after our departure
His subsequent perils, wanderings, and adventures having been fully described in his own published account, I need do no ood deal of heavy weather, shi+fting winds, and consequently irregular seas, during our run to Swan River; and owing to the deep state of our loaded little vessel, her decks were almost constantly flooded For many days we had never less than an inch and a half of water on theht, in our already overburdened craft, did not, of course, add to her liveliness; however, she struggled on
ISLAND OF AMSTERDAM
And on the 1st of Noveht of the Island of Amsterdam, and in the afternoon passed to the southward of it, sufficiently near to determine its position The summit of the Island, which has rather a peaked appearance, we found to be 2,760 feet high, in latitude 38 degrees 53 rees 37 h this Island, which is aler-post for shi+ps bound fro known to all navigators of these seas, its true longitude should have been till now unascertained The western side presented the appearance of a broken-down crater, nor indeed can there be any reason to doubt its volcanic origin Light broas the pervading colour upon the sides of the island, and appeared to be caused by stunted bushes and grass The southern island, St Paul's, affords a good anchorage in 21 fathorees 42 minutes, and is in every way preferable to the spot chosen for that purpose by Vla in 1764, on the south-east side of Aenerally quite impracticable
ST PAUL'S
The well ascertained fact, that water is found in abundance at St
Paul's, leads to a very fair inference, that in this hureater elevation, the same essential commodity may be met with at Amsterdam; but certainly at St Paul's, and ed nature of the travelling over these volcanic islands, would render useless any atteh it eneral reader, will not be without its value in the eyes of my nautical brethren: it shows the increase of variation since 1747:
COLUMN 1: SOURCE
COLUMN 2: DATE AD
COLUMN 3: WESTERLY VARIATION
Fro's Directory : 1764 : 18 3/4
Frole : 1837 : 21
As these islands lie in the saiven above of Amsterdam, will equally apply to St Paul's: they are ad the ht of A, and flattered ourselves that ere also leaving the bad weather behind The sky : such indications, however, cannot be implicitly trusted in this boisterous cli shi+pped a very heavy sea, we rounded too for the night The constant set of the huge following seas, carried our little vessel much faster to the eastward than could be easily credited, till proved by actual observation During the last three or four days, we had run upwards of 195from twenty to thirty
ROTTNEST ISLAND
Weof Wednesday, November 15th; and in the afternoon of the sae's Road, Swan River
Our position at ht before, made us about 30 miles froetting round again towards noon to south and by west This uide to the li the three days previous to ourthe land, we experienced a northerly current of one knot per hour We tried during the sas, with nearly 200 fatho the north shore of Rottnest at the distance of a ot to the eastward, where it is not so rocky The north shore should not be approached within aout the bay on the north-east end of the island, we passed over a rocky patch, with, from appearance, not more than three fathoms on it, it is small, and we had 14 fathoms close to it This patch is about one mile North by West from the north-west point of the bay Off this point is a low rocky islet; and when on the shoal, we could just make out the white sandy beach in the bay open between it and the point The western points of the island are all shut in by the north point; therefore, keeping theerous rock a wide berth
(Footnote Now called Roe's Patch)