Volume II Part 36 (2/2)

New Guinea

Straitsines

Port Phillip

Directions for shi+ps passing King Island

Complete survey of Bass Strait

Farewell to Sydney

Moreton Bay

The Cohthouses in Bass Strait

EXPLORATION OF INTERIOR

Thetopic of conversation on our arrival at Sydney was the projected expedition into the interior Two candidates for this i had presented themselves--Mr EJ Eyre and Sir Thomas Mitchell, both experienced Australian explorers The latter proposed to start fro; and the forthened by recent experience, neither of these are practicable routes; or at any rate, they are not the best that could be selected

The centre of the continentadvisable to avoid the despondency that seizes on a party during a protracted expedition, and to keep up throughout a certain degree of excitereatest indentation on the shores of the continent is the Gulf of Carpentaria, the head of the Albert River, which discharges its waters into the bottom of it, is unquestionably the best point of departure that could be selected, being one-half the distance of Fort Bourke from the centre, and two-thirds nearer than Moreton Bay

(Footnote Whilst this sheet was going through the press, the report of our greatest Australian traveller, Captain Sturt, reached England; wherein he writes, speaking of his furthest (February 1845) in latitude 28 degrees South and longitude about 141 degrees 22apparently entered the central desert, as follows: ”I could see no change in the terrible desert to which I had penetrated The horizon was unbroken by a single ain, and it was as level as that of the ocean My view to the north extended about eight miles, but I did not venture to compass that distance, only perhaps to have overlooked a si and desolate scene” This bears out the opinion expressed in the text I do not hesitate, however, in the face of the interesting evidence brought forward by Captain Sturt, still to doubt the existence of an inland sea I think the high temperature he experienced contradicts such an hypothesis; and I believe the large expanse of water, reported by the natives, to be the Gulf of Carpentaria, which bore about north (true) six hundrednearly equidistant on an east bearing, whilst Adelaide bore South by West 1/2 West about four hundred and thirty miles

SUGGESTED ROUTE

I have before reco water, in an undertaking of this kind; and I hbourhood of the Gulf of Cutch, which place the vessel should leave in the North-East monsoon, in time to have the latter end of the North-West monsoon to take her to the Gulf of Carpentaria, where at Sweers Island the final arrange, before alluded to, could be hbourhood, when they are not required for war service, for about five pounds a head Besides, the natives of that part are more easily to be obtained as attendants than Arabs

(Footnote See above)

In a country like Australia, with so varied a surface, it is certainly i beyond the point of departure for an exploring party Their direction must, of course, depend on the country they find; but I think it may be said from the most recent, and I much fear melancholy, experience, that the routes from neither Moreton Bay nor Fort Bourke are practicable That from the head of the Albert is, I believe, much superior, and I consider, after mature deliberation, that the plan I have recommended is at once thea question of daily increasing interest, and of relish enterprise which is daily beco more serious

The other routes of exploration which appear to me both practicable and useful are from Halifax Bay to the Albert, a distance of above four hundred ht to the Victoria, about three hundred These will be foundthis work

(Footnote This route I suggested to his Excellency Sir George Gipps, in March, 1842)

TWOFOLD BAY

After leaving Sydney we had a succession of south-easterly gales, of three or four days' duration, and equal in severity to any we had experienced since leaving England To avoid one froh-peaked hill, Mount I South-West 1/2 West, leads in

(Footnote This we found to be a very convenient anchorage; and the constant resort of coasters From its proximity to the southern parts of the Manero country, it is likely to beco place, under the auspices of Mr Boyd, who is erecting a town there This gentleman, I am happy to say, employs the natives as part of the crew of his yacht; they are also constantly engaged in the boats of the whaling station, where their excellent eye renders the the fish; and being particularly well-disposed, theyof)

I was surprised to find by my observations here that this part of the coast is laid down ten miles too much to the eastward of Sydney, an error I subsequently found to be continued to Jervis Bay; so that the course fro to the chart, North 1/4 East netic is North by East, a fact that should be borne in mind by masters of vessels, until this part of the coast is properly surveyed

(Footnote Which placed Point Brierly in latitude 37 degrees 6 ree 18 rees 57to what I consider the meridian of Sydney)

The error I found in the position of Twofold Bay induced me to co the position of Cape Hohich I discovered to be ratheroff it, lies four miles to the south-west

(Footnote This Cape, in latitude 38 degrees 31 ree 14 h rather low, is of bold approach, and adhthouse

Others erected on Montague Island and Point Perpendicular, would light the whole coast as far as Sydney)

FLINDERS ISLAND