Volume II Part 29 (1/2)
(Footnote As the reader will perceive by a glance at the chart accoeneral appearance of the head of the Gulf is that of a low h, over which the interior is not visible fro
OBSERVATIONS ON THE CLIMATE AND WINDS IN THE GULF
During our visit to this part of the continent we found the cliht be in the middle of the north-westAt its commencement in the e on board between 81 and 90 degrees; but on shore, he says, that in the course of the day it her; the te alleviated by constant breezes either from sea or land, it was seldom oppressive In July, as I have already stated, the therrees; and on another, at noon, up to 87 degrees, being, in the first instance, six degrees lower than it was on board, and in the second, seven degrees higher, which gave an excess in the shore range of thirteen degrees
Generally on the land it was below 62 degrees before 7 AM and after 6 PM The range of the barometer in November was froht was 3008, andin both seasons inds fro hat had been observed on other parts of the continent, that winds from the sea raise the mercury, and those from the land depress it
The winds in July were fresh from South to South-East for about two days before and after the change in thebreeze between five and six in the ain towards noon, when a calht land and seabreezes prevailed
It will appear from this description of the winds in the Gulf of Carpentaria that they bear a great similarity to those experienced at the same season on the North-West coast, near Depuch Island; and the circuest from the land is also the sareat radiation of heat from the land over which they blew; but as the country at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria is not of a cold clayey nature, the idea is naturally suggested that there round in the interior, which strengthens the opinion I have before expressed
SUPPOSED ISLANDS
After hoisting in the boats we shaped a course along the eastern shore of the Gulf towards booby Island Our being obliged to return thither, for a chrono theto certain vague reports, there exist islands It is stated, for exaly, numbers of coconuts are thrown on the north-west shore of the Gulf of Carpentaria In the year 1839, moreover, a s the north-westhard drifted thehts, when they came to a low island, with no traces of inhabitants, and abounding in coconut trees, upon the fruit of which they lived until the ed, when they sailed back to Timor Laut Flinders, when off Batavia River, on the North-East side of the Gulf, was led to suppose that an island existed to seaward of hi froe round the World, speaks of the Macassar people reporting an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, with sandalwood growing on it
EXAMINE ENDEAVOUR STRAIT
Soon after daylight on the 13th, we anchored under booby Island, the flagstaff bearing East-South-East half athe previous night Between the observations for rating the chrono a cursory examination of the entrance of Endeavour Strait, and anchored aSouth 23 degrees East It is a conical rocky isle, upwards of 70 feet high, of a coarse sandstone formation; an extensive coral reef fronts it on all sides, except the north The result of a night's observations on shore placed the surees 51of booby Island was North 22 degrees 13 minutes West The natives appear to make a cemetery of this island; for on a srave, covered with turtle backs, and containing several skeletons This is a very different mode of burial from that noticed in Flinders River
(Footnote The result of the whole of our observations at this island are as follows: Latitude of the west point 10 degrees 36 rees 57 rees 0 e here and in Endeavour Strait; the strea to the ard (West-South-West to West-North-West) from nineteen to twenty hours, and to the northward and eastward (North to North-East) only from four to five hours The latter streah-water, which takes place at 430, on the full and change days, when the rise at springs is 12 feet, and at neaps 7; the length of flood and ebb is nearly six hours)
Leaving our anchorage, we steered West 1/4 North, six s of 6 and 7 fathoms We then crossed in 4 1/2 and 5 fathoe which appeared to be an elbow of the spit extending off the latter, and for the same course, the depth soon increased to 6 and 7 fathohly satisfactory, as it proved there ater for the largest vessels In the afternoon we anchored again under booby Island
(Footnote Captain Blackwood's recent survey of this Strait confirh this part of Torres Strait)
(Footnote The following is the extract froe: booby Island (June and August) 145 quails, 18 pigeons, 12 rails, of two kinds, 3 doves; Van Dieeons, 1 native companion; Bountiful Island (July) 8 quails, 11 doves, 1 pheasant, 3 plovers, 4 white cockatoos; Sweers Island (July) 151 quails, 87 doves, 20 pigeons, 3 pheasants, 8 white and 2 black cockatoos, 5 spurwing plovers; Disaster Inlet (July) 36 ducks, 9 white cockatoos, 2 native coreen ibis; on the coast (July) 10 curlews and plovers; Flinders River (July) 10 ducks, 5 rose-coloured cockatoos, 4 pigeons, 3 spurwing plovers, 1 rail of a new species, 1 white ibis, 1 spoonbill; Albert River (August) 20 ducks, 4 large water rails, 2 pheasants; between Van Dieust) 12 cockatoos, 1 kangaroo (Macropus unguifer); Wallis Isles (August) 6 quails, 6 doves, 1 pigeon)
LOOK FOR CAPE WESSEL
On the evening of the next day, the 17th, eighed, and steered West by South across the Gulf; and in the afternoon of the 18th passed eleven ned to it in the chart: but as the weather was tolerably clear, and nothing was seen of it, there appeared to be so to the southward of the position given to it
The wind freshened by ht, and, as usual, became more southerly, that is to say, South-South-East, whilst during the day it was generally East-South-East and East, and very hter The current was steady at North-West by West fro about the sa of the 19th we crossed the meridian of the centre of New Year Island, which our observations placed in 8 degrees 52 minutes west of booby Island, one mile less than Flinders
RETURN TO PORT ESSINGTON
It was late in the afternoon of the 20th before we reached an anchorage off the settlement of Victoria, where we met Captain Stanley, who had just returned in the Britomart from a cruise in the Arafura Sea, of which the reader will find an interesting account, fro chapter
CHAPTER 210 INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO
Leave Port Essington
Dobbo Island
Visit from the Schoolmaster
Church
Trade of the Arrou Islands
Their productions