Sand mixed with shells and brown
specks.
"Wednesday, 6th January. Kept running for Cape Albany and by 7 P.M.
having nearly run into its latitude stood off and on during night. In the
morning it was very hazy otherwise would have seen the land. At half-past
9 A.M. saw Cape Albany, bearing west-north-west 10 or 12 miles distance
and Cape Danger north-west 16 or 17 miles; both these capes marked with
white sandy front and middling high, all the land between is sandy hills
and long sandy beach, as also what part of the land we saw stretching
into Portland Bay. Ground invariably mixed with shells and brown specks,
sometimes a little gravel, till the last time when we had 24 fathoms fine
sand. At the time Cape Albany bore 26 or 27 miles. At noon hauled our
wind for Harmingar Rock* (* Harbinger.) but owing to heavy sea and wind
did not make better than south-east course - the vessel labouring and
pitching a great deal.
"Thursday, 7th January. From noon till 5 P.M. strong winds at
north-north-east and a confused heavy sea...This weather settled into
hard gale at south-west by 7 a tumultuous sea up and we laboured much and
lurched very heavy. At 6 A.M. it cleared - set sails, out all reefs
intending to make Governor King's Island while this clear weather
continued; as it will be seen, unfavourable winds and weather has
prevented me either tracing coast from Cape Shanks to Cape Albany, as
after making Cape Albany from being able to run a straight course to
Harminger Rock; both of these points will be attempted.
"Friday, 8th January. Altitude 145 degrees 07 minutes 15 seconds - this
confirmed me that we must have been driven eastward.
"Saturday, 9th January. Saw the loom of the land from the masthead which
I take to be Governor King's Island - its southernmost point bore S.W.S.
distant 16 miles. We could only see it now and then as the squalls passed
over. Kept working to this land which I rather think is part of the same
that on the 6th I saw and supposed it to be the northernmost cape, Cape
Danger, and another Cape Albany. I...will in making circuit easily know
them, both being sandy bluffs.
"Sunday, 10th January. Kept all night working up to land and by 7 A.M.
got within 6 miles of the body of the island; kept edging down along it a
4 or 5 miles distance; the land in general high and covered with brush
and now and then spots of large trees very tall. At 8 A.M. we saw two
rocks we had passed at 7 A.M. - make out exactly like 2 boats under sail,
they are both very near the land...As we kept running down along the land
I saw a low point of rock make out with a good deal of surf and the land
lay so far back that I concluded at least a deep bight must be
there - this proved true, as we rounded it the swell of the sea which
before was high greatly took off and although the wind blew hard yet as
it was off shore...lowered the boat and sent Mr. Bowen and two good hands
in her on shore...At half-past 11 the weather looking worse instead of
better made a signal for our boat which they noticed and came off - by
noon they got on board, and Mr. Bowen reported that wood and excellent
water was in abundance, that safe anchorage and good ground was close
into the beach - the soil is middling good, in short, it is an excellent
place to take shelter in from all worst winds that blow in this
country...Latitude of this bight is 40 degrees 00 minutes 09 seconds
south and Longitude 143 degrees 57 minutes 45 seconds east.
"Monday, 11th January. Running along shore at a distance of 4 miles at 1
P.M. Saw a rock bearing west distant 10 miles and a low point
north-north-west 9 or 10 miles - as we run down, this point still making
out made us begin to think that we should here find a bay or harbour. By
2 P.M. we completely opened it and saw it was a bay of large extent and
fine shelter...where we came to anchor. Found the tide of flood running
to the Westward nearly done (4 P.M.) - the different parts of the bay bore
as follows: Elephant Rock* (* (Note in log.) So named from resemblance to
that animal.) north by east distant at 5 miles north part of the bay
north 1/2 west distant 6 miles - the bottom of bay west-north-west 2 1/2
miles distant and the south point of ditto south-south-east, or 4 miles.
I now went on shore, found a good deal of surf on the beach till we got
on the southern side...here we landed and the first thing we saw was a
number of sea elephants* (* The Phoca proboscidea of Peron.) of an
immense size lying asleep on the beach, each of them, Barnes the
boatswain's mate told me, would make 8 or 9 barrels of oil; as we rowed
down the shore we took them to be bluish rocks. We found along this beach
two freshwater lagoons full of those animals which made it taste
brackish...We could not get near the upper part of them on account of the
number of elephants playing in them both. I named the bay Elephant Bay
from this circumstance.
"Tuesday, 12th January. Boat returned on board, they caught 4 badgers and
saw several kangaroos, but were not able to get any from the thickness of
the brush - they also found feathers of emus and a dead one.
