Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia - Performed between the years 1818 and 1822 — Volume 1 by Phillip Parker King
page 246 of 378 (65%)
page 246 of 378 (65%)
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September 10.
At midnight the land was seen from North-East to South-East and at daylight it was visible between Point Pearce, bearing South-South-East, and a point five or six miles south of Cape Hay which bore North-East by East. The coast is sandy; behind it there appeared a good deal of small stunted timber, and beyond this the range of Mount Goodwin was visible. Round Point Pearce the land trends in a South 59 1/2 degrees East direction and forms a very deep indenture: on approaching this point we observed an extensive dry reef and breakers projecting from it to a considerable distance. No land was seen to the southward of south-east, but the hazy state of the weather prevented our seeing far, especially land which is so low as to be scarcely distinguishable beyond the distance of three or four leagues. As we approached Point Pearce the soundings were very irregular and generally upon a rocky bottom. We passed many ripplings occasioned by the tide setting round the point and meeting the other tide from the southward. As these eddies were driving us towards the shore we steered off south-west. At six o'clock p.m. Point Pearce bore North 65 degrees East eleven miles, and in a line with the hills about Mount Goodwin. Between this time and noon the soundings were between nine and thirty-two fathoms, upon a rocky bottom. At sunset we were in fourteen fathoms, and during the night continued sounding on a rocky bottom between ten and fourteen fathoms. September 11. At daylight of the 11th no land was in sight, we therefore stood to the southward to make it but were obliged to tack off without seeing any, as we shoaled rather suddenly to five fathoms. We then stood to the |
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