We held on although all
ataunto with the small bower and one-third of a cable out, a proof of the
goodness of the holding ground.
"Thursday, February 25th. First part the gale continued, latter fair
winds. Observed several very large native fires at the foot of Arthur's
Seat and on the western side of the port, hauled our seine several times
along the shore nearest us but caught no fish owing probably to there
being flats of sand lying off them to the distance of 200 yards.
"Friday, February 26th. Examined the beach and land for about 8 miles.
A.M. Sent our long boat on shore, turned her up and set our carpenter to
work on her, she leaking so much as to keep a hand constantly bailing,
and our small boat is so bad as to render it hazardous to go any distance
from the vessel in her.
"Saturday, February 27th. Fine weather and moderate winds. Both boats
sounding and on survey of harbour. A number of very large native fires on
the hills round the eastern and western shores of the Port have been seen
these two days past. Sent Mr. Bowen and Mr. Brabyn in the gig to get the
Latitude of the north end of Swan Isles and at noon I got the Latitude of
a point about 7 miles North and South of them from which a base line was
got for the survey of the harbour.
"Sunday, February 28th. Gave some of the people liberty on shore.
"Monday, March 1st. At 5 A.M. took up our kedge, hove short, loosed sails
and sheeted home the top-sails, weighed and made sail up the port,
intending to run as high as the watering place. The wind in a little time
flied away and the tide ran so rapid as to sweep the vessel on a shoal of
sand with only 5 feet of water on it, as it was perfectly smooth we
immediately hove her off without her sustaining the least damage and
dropped back into our old berth between Point Paterson and Bowen's Point
so named from Mr. Bowen's skirmish with the natives in it. The flies are
now so troublesome as to almost hinder a person from sitting a moment in
one place.
"Tuesday, March 2nd. Employed getting on board stones for ballast and
stowing them away. At 4 A.M. sent the longboat for a turn of water and to
sound that part of the harbour between the vessel and it; by noon she
returned on board with a turn of water, it was found that a bank of sand
lay from shore to the distance of a mile or a mile and a quarter with
only, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 feet on it at low water and it extends nearly 4
miles along shore. When you have passed this there is from 5 to 9 fathoms
water abreast of the watering place, there is however little doubt of a
deep channel being outside of this shoal, and this point will be
ascertained in the course of to-morrow.
"Thursday, March 4th. P.M. The launch returned on board with a turn of
water but had not been able to find a channel for vessel of any draught
of water though she stood well out from the shore to at best 3 miles.
This bank has only from 4 to 8 feet water on it and in many places is not
above a hundred yards broad.
"Friday, March 5th. I went in the launch in search of a channel by which
vessels of a larger draught than ours might be got up abreast of the
watering place and was fortunate enough to find one a mile at least in
breadth lying off the southern shores of this Port about 3 miles and
having from 16 to 6 fathoms water in at low water and neap tides; and in
this water a vessel of any draught may be secure from all winds at about
a mile and a half from the spring at which to-day I loaded the boat with
water and examined it. As far as we are judges it is most excellent water
as clear as crystal - lies from the beach about 10 or a dozen yards and
plenty of it to water the Grand Fleet of England; it is nearer the
entrance than the foot of Arthur's Seat by about 2 miles, and can easily
be found out by the land which for a few miles before you come to it is
low whereas all the other land on both sides is high with bold points; if
a boat then East or east by south from Point Paterson 9 miles puts into
the shore they will not be far off it, there is plenty of duck about it,
but so shy that only two have been shot, a circumstance we did not a
little regret as they exceed in flavour any I ever eat. We are now
complete in water and will soon be wooded.
"Saturday, March 5th. Employed on board fitting new waist-cloths, the
others being decayed and her sides and bends being very bare I gave them
a coat of red (the only colour we had on board) and blacked the bends and
upper works. A.M. I went in the launch over to the sheet of water* (*
Mentioned on 22nd.) (as I intended) with an armed boat's crew and by noon
got to its entrance. This day has been so clear that we are able to see
the land all round the Port and in many places very high headlands. In
those low places, where we could not be certain of the land by the eye
there were numerous native fires and some of them very large.
