(Footnote. Vide below.)
The south-west point of this land has been named Point
Cloates until its insularity shall be determined,
when, for the sake of Geography, the name of CLOATES
ISLAND should be restored. At the bottom of the
south-eastern side of Exmouth Gulf the land is so
low and the islands so numerous, that it was in vain
that we attempted to examine its shores, which was
also rendered still more difficult and dangerous to
persevere in doing, from our losses of anchors, and
the strong winds which blew every night from the South-West.
The NORTH-WEST CAPE is a low, sandy point, projecting
for full two miles to the East-North-East from the
fall of the land, which was called VLAMING HEAD.
There is a reef of small extent off the cape, but separated
from it by a channel half a mile wide, and six fathoms
deep; a sandy spit extends also from the cape for
about a quarter of a mile.
The extremity of the North-West Cape is in latitude
21 degrees 47 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude 114
degrees 3 minutes 40 seconds; and Vlaming Head in
latitude 21 degrees 48 minutes 40 seconds, and longitude
114 degrees 1 minute 40 seconds.
...
OF THE WINDS AND WEATHER, AND DESCRIPTION OF THE WESTERN
COAST BETWEEN THE NORTH-WEST CAPE AND CAPE LEEUWIN.
NORTH-WEST COAST.
We did not obtain much experience of the winds upon
this coast, having only been upon it during the months
of January and February, when they prevailed between
South-South-East and South-South-West, veering sometimes,
though rarely, to South-West. In the winter season
(June, July, and August) hard gales of wind have been
experienced from the North-West, even as high as Shark’s
Bay; and at this season the coast ought not to be
approached. The South-east Trade is suspended
in the neighbourhood of the coast in the summer season,
and the winds are almost constant from South-South-West.
Between the North-west Cape and POINT CLOATES, which
is in 22 degrees 33 minutes 5 seconds South, a space
of about fifty-two miles, the shore is defended by
a reef of rocks, extending from three to five miles
from it. The land is high and level, and of most
sterile appearance: nearer the north end there
is a low, sandy plain at the foot of the hills; but
to the southward the coast appeared to be steep and
precipitous. This is evidently the land that
has been taken for Cloates Island; and, in fact, it
is not at all unlikely to be an island, for, to the
southward of the latter point, the shore trends in,
and was so indistinctly seen, that it probably communicates
with the bottom of Exmouth Gulf.* At latitude 23 degrees
10 minutes the coast slightly projects, and is fronted
by a reef, on which the sea was breaking heavily.
(Footnote. Vide volume 1.)
CAPE FARQUHAR, in latitude 23 degrees 35 minutes,
and longitude 113 degrees 35 minutes 35 seconds, is
a low, sandy point. To the northward of it the
coast trends in and forms a bay, but not deep enough
to offer shelter from the prevailing winds.
