The Chart (Illustration 2.) Is A Copy Of One Published In The Narrative
Of Grant's Voyage, And His Autograph Has Been Reproduced From A Logbook
At The Record Office.
[Jas Grant autograph facsimile.]
CHAPTER 2.
THE LADY NELSON RETURNS TO EXPLORE BASS STRAIT: VISITS JERVIS BAY AND
WESTERN PORT.
Governor King, in addition to ordering Grant to return and survey the
deep bay which he had passed in Bass Strait between Cape Sir William
Grant and Wilson's Promontory, instructed him to ascertain the correct
latitude of the promontory and of the islands lying off it. He was also
told to survey King Island, then to sail to King George's Sound and, in
returning to Wilson's Promontory, to make a general survey of the whole
of the south coast, going to the head of every inlet as far as possible.
Dr. Bass, when discovering Bass Strait, had rounded the promontory and
entered a harbour which, as Grant has told us, he named from its relative
situation - Western Port. In his journal Grant says that it was reserved
for the Lady Nelson to ascertain accurately the extent of Bass Strait,
but he did not carry out the whole of King's instructions on this second
voyage although his examinations of Jervis Bay and of Western Port proved
of great value and added much to the knowledge of both harbours.
Besides Ensign Barrallier, Mr. Caley, botanist, four soldiers of the New
South Wales Corps and two natives (Euranabie and his wife Worogan) went
with the expedition, and Mr. John Murray joined the ship as first mate*
(* Formerly Master's Mate on board H.M.S. Porpoise.). The Bee, of 15
tons, formerly a ship's launch, was also fitted out to accompany her.
The two ships left Port Jackson on March 8th, Lieutenant Grant
particularly wishing to make the examination of Jervis Bay* (* Jervis
Bay, named in honour of John Jervis, Lord St. Vincent, was discovered by
Lieutenant Richard Bowen in 1791.) on his way southwards in order "to
secure a harbour" if obliged to run out of Bass Strait. The Bee, however,
did not stay long with the Lady Nelson. On the morning of the 9th the
Master hove to and informed Grant that he had shipped much water and that
the sea was too heavy for him. Before sending the vessel back to Port
Jackson Grant wrote a letter to the Governor at Sydney stating the reason
of her return. He placed the letter between two flat pieces of lead, and
running close to the Bee threw it on board. The Lady Nelson then
continued her voyage, and at 4 P.M. on the 10th sighted the north head of
Jervis Bay bearing west-south-west 8 or 9 miles distant. At seven o'clock
on the following morning the first mate was sent in the boat to look for
an anchorage, and returned at nine with one of the natives, bringing the
information that there was good holding ground in the southernmost cove
between an island and the main.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 21 of 170
Words from 10571 to 11075
of 88304
