It drained down the gully to a little beach between two projecting
heads. The gully will be easily known, but Mr. Westall's sketch will
obviate any difficulty. There were pine trees in the gully, but the best
were on Entrance Island, some being fit for topmasts. I was surprised to
see trees (upon Hervey Isles) resembling the pines of Norfolk Island."
Flinders.) Latitude (good) observed 22 degrees 28 minutes 58 seconds
south.
"Monday, August 23rd. Reported our main keel to Captain Flinders being
gone.
"Tuesday, August 24th. P.M. Hoisted in our launch and secured everything
for sea. At daylight weighed and made sail in company with the
Investigator. By half-past 7 A.M. got out of the bay and at 11 A.M. came
to Pine Island bearing south by east 1/2 east. Distant 1 1/2 miles. Hope
Point south by west 6 or 7 miles and the northern entrance
south-south-west 2 miles.
"Wednesday, August 25th. At 2 P.M. weighed in company with the
Investigator and made all sail. At 7 came to...At daylight weighed in
company with the Investigator, worked to windward until 10 A.M. when the
Investigator came to in the offing and we came to...between Rocky Island
and the main, Rocky Island bearing north-east by north distant 2 1/2
miles...the nearest of the Pine Islands, south-east by east distant 3
miles.
"Thursday, August 26th. At 3 P.M. the Investigator lifted her anchor and
worked to windward. At half-past 4 P.M. saw a native fire ahead. At
daylight weighed with a light air at north-west. By 6 A.M. the
Investigator got close into an opening (seeming a large bay* (* Shoal
Water Bay or Number 3 discovered port. See Flinders.)) and hoisted out 2
boats, at 8 A.M. she bore up for the entrance and we followed without
sweeps rowing. At half-past 8 A.M. observed the Investigator to anchor
and shortly after we were obliged to drop our kedge close to the rocks of
the south-eastern entrance. I went on shore with a small party.* (* On
this day Mr. Westall made a drawing of Shoal Water Bay and the islands
here. Flinders named a high hill Mount Westall in compliment to his
landscape painter.) I saw on the beach the footmarks of natives and the
tracks of turtle, but nothing else worth mentioning. Apparently this is a
place of very huge extent and safe for shipping. Latitude observed 22
degrees 19 minutes 33 seconds south.
"Friday, August 27th. At 2 P.M. the tide having somewhat slackened and a
breeze of wind coming from the north-east weighed and made all sail up
the bay; by half-past 2 P.M. having passed the Investigator by about a
quarter of a mile came to in 6 fathoms water. At 40 minutes past 2 P.M.
the vessel swung to the flood and in half an hour its rate was found to
be 3 1/2 knots per hour, it increased from that very nearly 5 knots and
its rise 11 feet.* (* This place was named by Flinders Strong Tide
Passage.) At 6 P.M. one of the Investigator's boats got upset under our
stern and one man thrown into the water by the accident. He drifted down
with the tide and our boat picked him up with some of the boat's gear. At
6 A.M. got the vessel under weigh and let her drift up the bay with the
tide having from 6 to 10 fathoms and from that to 5 and 8 where we
anchored. The Investigator anchored a little before us. From where we lay
the east point of bay bore north 47 degrees east.
"Saturday, August 28th. At 2 P.M. I received orders to get the vessel
under weigh and proceed up the bay - half-past 2 P.M. weighed and made
sail, the Investigator following us. At half-past 3 P.M. perceived the
Investigator to be aground in consequence of which we let go our kedge
and I went in the boat ahead. At 5 P.M. on the Investigator floating;
again got under weigh, kept standing up the bay sounding and making
signals. At 6 P.M. anchored with the small bower in 5 fathoms of water.
"Sunday, August 29th. At daylight weighed in company with the
Investigator and moved up a little further, sounding from 3 fathoms to 7,
where we anchored. Latitude observed 22 degrees 20 minutes 56 seconds
south.
"Monday, August 30th. At 4 P.M. in company with the Commodore made sail a
little further up the bay; we perceived a shoal nearly dry on the
south-east end, it seemed to lie nearly in that direction for perhaps two
miles. Waited on Captain Flinders who desired me to send our main keel on
board in order to be repaired and at the same time he informed me that he
would be on board in the morning and move the Lady Nelson for the
examination of the bay. At daylight sent our keel on board and at
half-past 6 Captain Flinders came on board, immediately weighed and made
all sail to the south-east part of the bay. At half-past 10 entered a
large branch or arm of the bay or river following Captain Flinders in his
boat steering east and east-south-east we anchored per order of Captain
Flinders and he continued on in his boat.* (* Flinders went two miles up
the river, landed, and took a set of angles here. He describes an islet
with "signs of visits of the natives" and on the main, in low grounds,
were holes where they dug for fern root. An iguana 2 or 3 feet long was
the sole animal killed, but the mud banks here were frequented at low
water by various sea birds.) Double Peak* bore 1/2 west by south.
