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

The whole of the next day and night was spent in endeavouring to approach the main, but we made very little progress. During the day natives' fires were burning on many of the islands and the coast of the main was enveloped in smoke.

June 7.

At daylight on the 7th the cutter was about eight miles East by South from Point Slade, with a projecting bluff cape in sight, which proved to be Captain Cook's Cape Hilsborough.

The country in the vicinity and particularly to the southward of the Cape is rocky and mountainous; but the lower grounds are verdant and well clothed with timber; and, judging from the numerous fires along the coast, it must be very populous; the islands near it are rocky and very barren, but many of them being wooded with pine-tree have a picturesque appearance.

In the evening, having passed round the Cape, we anchored in Repulse Bay, at about three miles from the shore, which is here low and fronted by a chain of low islands, apparently connected by reefs. Water was seen over the low land at the bottom of the bight in the South-West side of the bay, and is probably a lagoon.

June 8.

The next morning we steered to the North-West to look at the head of Repulse Bay; the bottom of which appears to be correctly described by Captain Cook as being bounded by low land. I obtained a view of it from the summit of one of the islands, named in my chart the Repulse Isles, off which we anchored in the afternoon.

These islets are furnished with a very poor and shallow soil. On the sides of the hills we noticed a species of xanthorrhoea, remarkable for its stunted growth and for the curly habit of its leaves. Pumice-stone was found at the foot of the hills, washed up, perhaps, by the tide; and on the beach was a European ashen oar. Under the projecting rocks several firing and sleeping places were observed which had been recently occupied by the natives.

June 9.

The following morning we sailed and steered for Whitsunday Passage; a little before noon, I landed with Mr. Roe and Mr. Cunningham in a small bight round the north side of Cape Conway, for a meridional observation and bearings.