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. Snakes are
here, as the skin of one was found. We got several gallons of elephant
oil out to-day as a specimen to Government and for our own use...some
wood growing here reported different to any seen before...
"Wednesday, 13th January. Received some specimens of wood and some water.
At half-past 10 up and run out of bay, hoisted in gig, running down
shore; surveyed as well as weather would permit.
"Thursday, 14th January. Fair wind and cloudy. Running along shore 3 or 4
miles off and surveying it. At 4 P.M. having run as far as North-West
Point, and seeing a number of breakers ahead, hove to. We could have done
nothing by standing on in such weather. At 5 P.M. dropped kedge with the
warp to see if that would ride her and found she would ride by it very
well, furled sail and pointed yards. The land from Elephant Bay to here
is rather low of sandy soil and a very long white sandy beach all this
distance. The two sandy capes or rather bluffs are about 20 miles from
Elephant Bay and are so remarkable that I think no person could be well
mistaken in them. The course to Elephant Bay is nearly south-east by
compass; no person need mistake the bay as Elephant Rock lies in the
mouth of it about 3 miles from its north part.
