Volume I Part 6 (1/2)

ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE

At noon ere in latitude 18 degrees 26 rees 18 s of 75 fathoht variation in the at the twenty-four hours, the highest in the day being 85, and the lowest at night 83 The water was very shtened heavily and vividly, and most of us noticed and suffered fro state of the atmosphere, which the heat indicated by the thermometer was by no means sufficiently intense to account for

January 14

During the last twenty-four hours we had ress in the direction of Roebuck Bay; our noon observations placed us in latitude 18 degrees 25about 80 s at 72 fatho the afternoon, it being nearly a calm, we found ourselves surrounded by quantities of fish, about the size of the mackerel, and apparently in pursuit of a number of small and aler than the minnow

We sounded at sunset, and found bottom at 52 fathoms, which shoaled by half-past ten to 39 The circumstance, however, occasioned no surprise, as we had run South-South-East 25 miles, in a direct line for that low portion of the coast fro over extends

The first part of the night we had the wind at North-North-East, the breeze steady, and the water as slass; but as the watch wore on, quick flashes of forked lightning, and the suspicious appearance of gathering clouds in the South-East, gave warning of the unwelcome approach of a heavy squall

HEAVY SQUALL

At eleven we lay becal winds; that fro to the South-East, blew hard: meantime, a dark mass of clouds in the East-South-East appeared suddenly to assume the form of a deep-caverned archway, and moved rapidly towards us; in a fewflashed vividly and rapidly around us, alternately concealing and revealing the troubled surface of the foam-covered sea, while the thunder rolled heavily over our heads

The squall was heavy while it lasted, co at East-North-East It was accompanied by heavy rain Towards the end of the an to assume a more settled appearance, and we had a moderate breeze from the north; but between five and six o'clock AM, it shi+fted suddenly by the West to South-South-East, and becaht in from 32 to 35 fathoree very ith those reported in the account of the French expedition under Captain Baudin

Frohts, and which appear to be pretty regular in their visitation, I am inclined to believe they do not extend any considerable distance fro of their approach; yet, since they always coht, when their violence cannot be properly estimated, the shi+p's head should (if circumstances permit) be kept to the ard (West-North-West) until the short-lived fury of the storressed with light and variable airs through the day, gradually shoaling our water till nine PM, when the anchor was dropped in 14 fathoe of apparently coral formation, in 13 1/2 fathoms The land over the south point of Roebuck Bay bore East-South-East, about 17wore a threatening aspect, though not apparently so much to be dreaded as that of yesterday; however, ere disagreeably out in our anticipations, for about three o'clock AM (January 16) a heavy squall burst on us, veering from East-South-East to East-North-East, broke our best bower anchor, and drove us half afluke hooked a rock and brought us up It rained and blew till daylight, then ere again favoured with fine weather, and light westerly winds The land was now in sight, Cape Villaret being theEast-South-East some 16 or 17 miles The hillock upon this cape, and two other hu to the southward, forht

CAPE VILLARET

At this anchorage the flood-tide set East and by North, fro I procured a speciht airs, and the aid of the flood-tide, carried us into the centre of Roebuck Bay, where we ca South by West 1/2 West about 10 miles The fall of the tide here was no less than 18 feet

As we closed with the land, I had a good opportunity of speculating upon its appearance, and the probability of our investigation confir and Dampier, that a channel would be found to connect Roebuck Bay with an opening behind Buccaneers Archipelago, thusDampier's Land an island I confess, ht differed froh authorities, nor did a nearer exa East and West, and about 150 feet high, was still thea curious red appearance From the masthead the land was not visible to the eastward for the space of one point of the compass; yet its level character, and the shoalness of the water, led alike to the opinion that no such communication as supposed would be found to exist

January 17

Collecting materials for the chart was the chief occupation of the day

Mr Usborne discovered a high-water inlet in the south shore of the bay, fivea dry bank of sand before it at loater

VISIT FROM THE NATIVES

While the party were on shore, they were visited by six of the natives, a larger race of men than those on the south coast, naked, with the exception of a grass ht and tied up behind, see spears ill-shapen and unbarbed One of the, and each carried a rude hatchet of stone None of them had suffered the loss of the front tooth, which, with sons for fresh water, of which our party saw no traces, they pointed to the South-East; a circumstance which I record, as it may possibly be of so, one of the, I presuht therefore attack us with impunity, threw a stone at the boat, which luckily did no harreat dexterity and force Upon this, a pistol was discharged over their heads, when they retired with far greater rapidity than they had advanced

AN ALMOST WHITE RACE

Mr Usborne mentions, in an account of this interview (published in the Nautical Magazine for 1840, page 576) that one of the party differed in several physical characteristics fro from five feet six, to five feet nine inches tall, broad shoulders, long and slight legs, large heads, and overhanging brows--he continues, ”There was an exception in the youngest, who appeared of an entirely different race: his skin was a copper colour, while the others were black; his head was not so large, andbroas lost; the shoulders s ht be considered a well-ure” A si with one of a tribe, not apparently belonging to the same subdivision of the human family as those by whom he was surrounded, is recorded by Captain Grey, who speaks indeed of the existence of a distinct race, totally different (ie froines) and almost white I cannot say that I have myself encountered any of these almost white men, whose existence, as a distinct race, Captain Grey appears to have rather hastily admitted; such variation in form and colour as Mr Usborne alludes to, may, however, be accounted for by the intercourse which the natives on the north coast hold froe blackover the shi+p this hts of small white tern, and a bird, commonly called the razor-bill, passed and re-passed the shi+p everyfro at sunset Tater snakes were shot alongside the shi+p during the day; the largest ood-sized fish was taken fros were particularly long, and very e whatever

Some turtle also passed the shi+p to-day, and a day or two afterwards ere fortunate enough to shoot one which weighed 160 pounds: he had ah-water at 150 PM, and the streaed at the sa that ere not anchored in a strait