THE TRACK OF THE LADY NELSON TO PORT NUMBER 2. (PORT BOWEN). By John Murray
This chart and the one in Illustration 15 differ in delineation from the rest of Murray's charts of his voyage northwards, and are beautifully drawn and coloured. Probably they were the work of Westall, the artist with Flinders, Murray merely adding to them his homeward track.
"Sunday, August 22nd. A.M. Sent the First Mate and a party to water and wood the vessel; hoisted our main keel* (* That is the middle centre board.) out of the trunk and found half of it gone, this must have been occasioned by the shock it received at Faceing Island on Monday 9th instant, when running down to the Investigator. It also accounts for her not sailing so fast as formerly. A.M. Received one boat-load of water. I went on shore to the watering-place, it lies between two hills of a considerable height and springs out of a rock—the water is both good and clear, it is convenient to be got at.* (* The ships anchored in Port Bowen or Number 2 Port, named by Flinders in honour of Captain Jas. Bowen of the Navy, and the hilly projection on the side of its entrance, Cape Clinton after Colonel Clinton of the 85th Regiment. "The water was very good. It drained down the gully to a little beach between two projecting heads. The gully will be easily known, but Mr. Westall's sketch will obviate any difficulty. There were pine trees in the gully, but the best were on Entrance Island, some being fit for topmasts. I was surprised to see trees (upon Hervey Isles) resembling the pines of Norfolk Island." Flinders.) Latitude (good) observed 22 degrees 28 minutes 58 seconds south.
"Monday, August 23rd. Reported our main keel to Captain Flinders being gone.
"Tuesday, August 24th. P.M. Hoisted in our launch and secured everything for sea. At daylight weighed and made sail in company with the Investigator. By half-past 7 A.M. got out of the bay and at 11 A.M. came to Pine Island bearing south by east 1/2 east. Distant 1 1/2 miles. Hope Point south by west 6 or 7 miles and the northern entrance south-south-west 2 miles.
"Wednesday, August 25th. At 2 P.M. weighed in company with the Investigator and made all sail. At 7 came to...At daylight weighed in company with the Investigator, worked to windward until 10 A.M. when the Investigator came to in the offing and we came to...between Rocky Island and the main, Rocky Island bearing north-east by north distant 2 1/2 miles...the nearest of the Pine Islands, south-east by east distant 3 miles.
"Thursday, August 26th. At 3 P.M. the Investigator lifted her anchor and worked to windward. At half-past 4 P.M. saw a native fire ahead. At daylight weighed with a light air at north-west. By 6 A.M. the Investigator got close into an opening (seeming a large bay* (* Shoal Water Bay or Number 3 discovered port. See Flinders.)) and hoisted out 2 boats, at 8 A.M. she bore up for the entrance and we followed without sweeps rowing. At half-past 8 A.M. observed the Investigator to anchor and shortly after we were obliged to drop our kedge close to the rocks of the south-eastern entrance. I went on shore with a small party.* (* On this day Mr. Westall made a drawing of Shoal Water Bay and the islands here. Flinders named a high hill Mount Westall in compliment to his landscape painter.) I saw on the beach the footmarks of natives and the tracks of turtle, but nothing else worth mentioning. Apparently this is a place of very huge extent and safe for shipping. Latitude observed 22 degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds south.
"Friday, August 27th. At 2 P.M. the tide having somewhat slackened and a breeze of wind coming from the north-east weighed and made all sail up the bay; by half-past 2 P.M. having passed the Investigator by about a quarter of a mile came to in 6 fathoms water. At 40 minutes past 2 P.M. the vessel swung to the flood and in half an hour its rate was found to be 3 1/2 knots per hour, it increased from that very nearly 5 knots and its rise 11 feet.* (* This place was named by Flinders Strong Tide Passage.) At 6 P.M. one of the Investigator's boats got upset under our stern and one man thrown into the water by the accident. He drifted down with the tide and our boat picked him up with some of the boat's gear. At 6 A.M. got the vessel under weigh and let her drift up the bay with the tide having from 6 to 10 fathoms and from that to 5 and 8 where we anchored. The Investigator anchored a little before us. From where we lay the east point of bay bore north 47 degrees east.