The Harbour We Have Just Left Is Formed By
The Grand Capshine Island, Cat Island And Storehouse Island.
Between the
Grand Capshine and Cat Island is a narrow channel with deep water through
which we came to-day - it lies about north-west by north a few hundred
yards.
Between Cat Island and Storehouse Island is a two-fathom channel,
one-sixth of a mile broad through which Kable's schooner has passed to
the South. The harbour is very open and a good deal of sea heaves in, but
small vessels can up anchor and just run round to the opposite side of
Cat Island - there is a snug cove entirely secure from all southerly winds
where they may anchor, taking care to be off from this last place, if the
wind comes from the northward. From the Grand Capshine the land trends
away in a south-east and south direction as far as Cape Barren; from
where we lay the Bay of Shoals bore south by west distant 15 miles. A
vessel of a large draught would have to lie a good deal further out in
the Bay than we, as we rode in one quarter less than 3 fathoms.
"Wednesday, 25th November. Fresh breezes and hazy weather. At half-past 3
saw a single rock bearing south-south-west distance 9 or 10 miles, and an
island on our beam south-east...haze very thick and scud flying thick. At
4 P.M. saw a rock lying to north of Kent's Group about 3 miles...At
half-past 4 saw easternmost island of Kent's Group bearing west by south
distance 8 miles, by half-past 5 P.M. having come nearly up with the
land, passed in between the group and a rock that lies to the north and
by 6 opened the Sound that passes through the Islands...As we approached
the first cove saw a large part of the island on fire from which we
conceived there might be people on shore - kept standing up the Sound and
had furious gusts of wind at every point of the compass. We proceeded up
with sails, sweeps and boat till we opened the second cove but found it
impossible to get to anchorage in it as violent gusts constantly came
down it. At 7 P.M. bore away for the cove on the west side and at
half-past 7 P.M. came to anchor in 7 fathoms.
"Thursday, 26th November. Moderately fine weather in general. At 2 P.M.
the officer and his
party returned on board having found no water - every part of the cove was
overhauled and only rainwater could be found here, the rocks being
strongly marked with the stream of water that will naturally fall from
such a high land in heavy rain. From the mate's finding a small quantity
of Queyha rope in this cove, and seeing a dog dead on the beach, I fancy
the Harrington must have been here, the dog being much like one of Mr.
Cumming's. In the afternoon I sent the first mate to the second cove on
the east side to overhaul it for water, but on the strictest search they
found nothing, but a brackish kind of spring...they however shot and
caught three kangaroos.
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