Sunken one) we did not escape by 10 yards...Lady Nelson's Reef is
east-south-east and west-north-west distance about 30 miles in Latitude
40 degrees 20 minutes 30 seconds south and Longitude by Time-keeper 145
degrees 40 minutes 53 seconds, it has many sandy bights in it where I
would not scruple to anchor in south-south-west, south-east and east
winds.
"Tuesday, January 26th. At half-past 12 bore away for Elephant Rock. At 5
P.M. the south extreme of Three Hummock Island bore south by east
distance 19 or 20 miles...At sundown extremes of Governor King's Island
bore south-west to west by north distance 11 or 12 miles. At 8 P.M.
shortened sail and threw her head off shore intending to have lain off
and on all night, this was done. At 4 A.M. made sail for land and we
exactly made Elephant Rock right ahead therefore the distance between
Three Hummock Island and Elephant Rock is north 65 west distance 44 miles
true by compass north-west by west. We then stood on for the sandy capes
or bluffs and by half-past 9 A.M. the largest and perpendicular one bore
south by west distant 8 or 9 miles, this I named Cape Farewell. I took a
departure from it intending to run to Cape Albany (Otway); the wind from
4 A.M. has blown at east-north-east and from that to north-east with its
usual hazy dirty weather, in consequence of which we kept our wind till
noon to be certain of clearing the shoals and breakers lying off this end
of the island. At noon saw the looming of the western end of the island
bearing distant perhaps 12 miles, the direct distance from Mid Hummock of
that island to Cape Farewell is north 51 degrees west distance 56 miles
true but by compass north-west a little westerly."
CHAPTER 6.
THE DISCOVERY OF PORT PHILLIP.
On leaving King Island, Murray, on January 30th (civil time),* (* In this
chapter civil time is given in the author's observations. The time in the
logs throughout is according to nautical reckoning, i.e. the day
beginning at noon before the civil reckoning.) returned again to Western
Port and next day, at 4 A.M. he sent Mr. Bowen with 5 men in the launch
to examine the harbour to the westward which is now known as Port Phillip
and at the head of which stands the city of Melbourne. On Wednesday the
launch returned and the first mate reported that he had found a good
channel into the harbour which was "a most noble sheet of water." He also
reported that he saw no natives but only their huts. Shortly afterwards
Murray himself entered the newly discovered Port in the Lady Nelson.
Murray arrived there on February 14th and anchored at 3.30 P.M. in a
sandy cove off a point of the shore which lay distant a quarter of a mile
to the south-west. He named a high mountain Arthur's Seat; a cluster of
islands where black swans were plentiful Swan Isles; a bold rocky point
to the east-south-east Point Paterson and a long sandy point Point
Palmer.
The chart of Port Phillip (Illustration 11) is possibly a reproduction of
the track of the Lady Nelson's boat when the bay was explored for the
first time. Arthur's Seat and Watering Place apparently are the only
names placed on it by Murray* (* It is preserved at the Admiralty.) as
Swan Pond and "Point Repear" are in a different handwriting. At "Point
Repear" the long boat of the Lady Nelson may have been repaired or the
name may have been written in mistake for Point Nepean, also named by
Murray.
The following entries describe his coming to Port Phillip.
"Wednesday, January 27th. From noon till 8 P.M. variable winds, hot
sultry weather, dull fiery sky and so thick that we could not see above a
mile ahead; kept making for Cape Albany (Otway). At 8 short sail and hove
to...at 4 A.M. the wind settled into a westerly gale attended with heavy
squalls and rain. By 9 A.M. it turned into a clear gale and a very high
sea up which makes us labour a good deal. Had altitude longitude by then
143 degrees 13 minutes 40 seconds, these agree with the dead reckoning
within 3 or 4 miles. Latitude 39 degrees 12 minutes 33 seconds. This
weather has again rendered abortive my plan of getting the direct line of
bearing and distance between Cape Farewell and Cape Albany Otway. I shall
only observe that I never experienced such length of bad weather at any
time of year or in any country since I sailed the seas.
"Saturday, January 30th. At half-past 9 A.M. the north point of land bore
north distant 12 miles - made sail for it. At 10 A.M. perceived with
surprise that it was Cape Shanks and Grant's Point instead of Cape
Albany. I now judged it prudent to send our boat down to overhaul for a
channel into the harbour mentioned in the Log of the 5th of this month,
accordingly stood in for it and by noon Cape Shanks bore north-west
distant 6 or 7 miles and Grant's Point north-east by east 10 or 11 miles.
We had a very heavy swell and perceived the surf about Seal Islands
breaking in a fearful manner; sounded every hour.
"Sunday, January 31st. At 2 P.M. passed Seal Island. Observed the long
range of breakers on the western side of the Port: several of them had
shifted their berths nearer to mid channel...the whole of them for
several miles broke incessantly and remarkable lofty - we passed within 2
miles of them.
