Volume I Part 25 (1/2)
Scarcely any traces are now to be found of the old settlement on a cliffy point of the eastern shore of the harbour The rapid growth of indigenous vegetation has cons of huhbourhood have helped themselves to the bricks to build their own ho indications of the fact that a settle others an old flagstaff still erect, on a bluff near the North-East end of Grant Island A very large domestic cat, also, was seen on the South-East point, doubtless another relic of the first settlers
The rocks chiefly to be ous to those of the Carboniferous series Over its eastern shore rises a range of woody hills to the height of between five and seven hundred feet, stretching away in a North-East direction This harbour presents one very curious feature, naut in the mud flats that front the eastern side of Grant Island Its depth varies from six to seven fathoms, whilst the width is half a mile The most remarkable object, however, is the helht of 480 feet, and for the South-East extreme of Grant Island It is the more conspicuous from the circumstance that all the rest of the island is covered with low hills, clothed in an almost impervious scrub The land at the head of the inner of the two bays I have alluded to in describing Port Western, partakes of the sareatly increases the difficulty of the overland communication between Port Phillip and the available land on Port Western, travellers being compelled to take a very circuitous road in order to avoid this almost impassable tract, and reach the banks of Bass river, where the best soil is found, and which has been na man whose memory must for ever remain intimately connected with this part of the world
SNAKE ADVENTURE
A few rare insects were collected by Mr Ereat rese out once on Grant Island, when his attention was attracted by the pitiful cries of a bird in a tree close at hand He soon discovered that a snake
was in the act of robbing the nest, whilst theto scare away the spoiler Mr Ee which few other men would have exhibited, seized the reptile by the back of the neck and killed it We found that it had already sed one of the young ones, which had so extended the skin, and e a lump, that ere quite puzzled to kno it could have been got down
(Footnote Lieutenant Emery has this snake still in his possession, stuffed in a masterly style, and set up with the bird in its mouth)
CAPABILITIES OF PORT WESTERN
We were astonished to find the tide here nearly an hour later than at Port Phillip, and higher by six feet The cause of this peculiarity is no doubt to be attributed to the fact of the tides at Port Western being influenced by the easterly flood-strea our stay enabled us to judge of the capabilities of the Port, which ere glad to find the finest we had yet seen in Bass Strait, not so much, however, from its size, for above Grant Island the extent of deep water is lireat facility of access
On the 19th we left Port Western, passing out by keeping an isolated piece of tableland, called Tortoise Head, on the South-East extremity of French Island, open of the North-East point of Grant Island The only danger is a sandbank, lying in the centre of the channel, foura cable's length from the eastern shore
The western half of the south side of Grant Island, is a line of cliffs, froht A remarkable pyramidal rock e of low hills, covered with scrub, stretches to Cape Wollaht North-East wind rendered our progress sloards Cape Patterson, we reaching it by daylight of the 20th It is a low point, covered with scattered sand hillocks; a few rocky patches here and there front its sand beach
Finding fros that we could not prosecute an easterly examination of the coast, we returned towards Port Phillip, and experienced some unusual swells off Port Western
EXTRAORDINARY SOUNDINGS
The soundings were in general tolerably regular; but in the sahbourhood we had soravelly bottom This was nearly one third of the way across from Grant Island to Cape Shanck, seven e depth was likewise found three ravel bottole cast of the lead On either side in this last case were 39 and 33 fathoe in the quality of the bottoreat a depth, which is the reatest within the Strait
The next day towards evening we again anchored in Hobson's Bay, where we stayed till the 23rd This tih the southern channel, we met with an accident I have beforethe eastern part of the north bank, which, on this occasion, co effect of the sun's rays ahead, was the cause of our grounding for a short time near the inner entrance
It was, therefore, noon next day before ere again outside, e steered across for the north end of King Island
January 26
In passing Franklin Road the next ,a cutter at anchor, doubtless the colonial vessel which is occasionally allowed to visit Captain Smith, and afford him supplies We passed down fouran outer line of soundings, varying fro anchored in Fitz we proceeded in search of Bell Rock, lying in the ht est of Reid's Rocks; but there being only a light air stirring from the ard, ere almost wholly at the ned position and the last-ers We passed near several sht whirlpools, in which no bottom was found in the boats with 25 fathoht with propriety be described as a s, and rising 25 feet out of the water The French charts exhibit some sunken rocks to the north of this; but, if they really exist, of which there is great doubt,nothing of thereat circuhbourhood of Reid's Rocks, as the soundings do not indicate their approach, and as the tide runs areat rapidity
(Footnote A rock was seen in HMS Conway five miles West-South-West from Bell Rock)
BLACK PYRAMID
Between them and the Black Pyraht standing to and fro close to the Pyramid, which I have before described as a dark rocky luh Its western side is a sombre storm-beaten cliff, whilst to the east it slopes away alrass may be seen on some sheltered spots Sealers, I am informed, have landed upon it on certain rare occasions of fine weather, and have been repaid for their daring by capturing a few fur-seals from the rookery that there exists
The Black Pyrareatly resembles Curtis Island, near the eastern entrance of the Strait A mile and a half from its eastern side, there was only 24 fathoht
January 27