Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia eBook

Philip Parker King
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 567 pages of information about Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia.

Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia eBook

Philip Parker King
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 567 pages of information about Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia.

(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.

...

APPENDIX A. SECTION 5.

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.

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Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.