Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 1 / Performed between the years 1818 and 1822

by Philip Parker King

July 31.

At daylight we were enveloped in a dense fog which nearly concealed the land; but on weighing two conspicuous points were set, by which I was enabled to connect my survey. Soon afterwards the fog spread so thickly over us that the land was entirely concealed; and as the water was shoal we were obliged to anchor until the fog cleared off, when we again got under weigh and ascertained the form of the south-west corner of the bay; it is of very shoal approach: our anchorage at night was not more than four miles and a half to the north-east of that of the evening before.

1819. August 1.

The next day we attempted to steer to sea between the islands but our course was interrupted by a reef which connected the islets on either side of us; being thus embayed, we were obliged to anchor, but as the wind was light no danger was anticipated. Mr. Roe was sent in a boat to sound about our anchorage: on his return he reported the water to be of tolerably even depth, excepting to the southward where there was a spit, on which the least water was four and three quarters fathoms, beyond which it deepened again.

As the night advanced, the wind freshened from the South-East and rendered our situation extremely unsafe. When the tide made against the wind the swell rose and caused our only remaining anchor to drag; more cable was instantly veered; but as the vessel did not bring up and we were drifting towards the reef no alternative was left but to weigh and keep under sail; which, during a long and dark night, and near so extensive a reef, was running great risk. Our loss of anchors was now much felt for no sooner were we under sail than the wind died away; and from the heavy swell the cutter was so ungovernable that the vessel twice missed stays in endeavouring to tack in shoal water; fortunately the water deepened again on standing on, or nothing could have prevented our going on shore. After plying to windward for an hour the weather tide ceased; when the disadvantage of a lee tide was counterbalanced by smoother water and a steadier breeze. We passed a very anxious night, but without encountering any accident.

August 2.

With daybreak the breeze freshened; and at noon we were near the small easternmost islet of the group. The afternoon was passed in steering round the northern side of the island; but before sunset we had to alter the course twice for shoal water, being at one time within half a mile of a reef that was nearly dry.

During this night the cutter was kept under weigh.

August 3.

And at daylight was considerably to the westward of our reckoning from the effect of a current. The land to the westward of the Crocodile Islands trends deeply in, forming a bay in which two low wooded islands were noticed. As we steered into it the water shoaled; and as there was nothing to induce our persevering we steered round the next point of land, and anchored at sunset to leeward of a shoal projecting in a North-West direction from the point. The coast falls back round this point and forms an unsheltered bay seven or eight miles deep.