Sailors, Beware!] on Their Rising to the Surface, from the Number of Sharks ------Which Have Been Seen
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
D 7733(Misc) Six Pages of Matthew Flinders’ log of the Investigator, 2-25 February 1802 (in the possession of the Mitchell Library, Sydney) Transcribed by F. Hemstock, Volunteer at the State Library of South Australia, February 2003 1802 Feb. 2 – 25th extra remarks – in Memory Cove on the south coast of New Holland time that the moon passes over the meridian. There Memory Cove are two regular tides in the day, and the flood ap- ------------- -pears to rise about 6 or 7 feet. I think it probable H.M.S. Investigator, M. Flinders Comd that the direction of the tide from the southward, is Anchored here Feb. 22. 1802 mostly influenced from the position of the islands ------------------------- that lie off the cape, and that probable it may Mr John Thistle, the master, run a little differently on the east side of the is- Mr William Taylor, midt and -lands. Six of the crew were most unfortunately As we had now made every search for our un- drowned near this place from being upset -fortunate ship mates, that we could think and any pros- in a boat. The wreck of the boat was found, pect of being attended with success, I thought it could but their bodies were not recovered. avail nothing to remain longer on their account, for ----------------------- there was only a small chance of obtaining their bodies Nautici, cavete! [Sailors, beware!] on their rising to the surface, from the number of sharks ------------- which have been seen. Even this small chance would I must take occasion to observe in this place, that have induced me, had not the want of water been so pres- Mr Thistle was truly a valuable man, both as a seaman, sing to hurry us forward. I caused a stout post to be an officer, and a good member of society. I have known him, set up in the cove and to it was nailed a piece of sheet copper upon and we have been mostly together, since 1794. He constantly which was one in the several excursions that were made for the further discovery of the coasts near Port Jackson, and for his was engraved the following inscription, superior merit and prudent conduct was advanced to be a master in the service, from being before the mast. In a voy- -age like the present, his loss cannot be otherwise than felt most severely, and he is equally lamented by his messmates and friends, in which latter class, may be reckoned every individual on board D 7733(Misc) Flinders log transcript Page 1 of 3 H K F Courses Winds Sound 1802 Apr. 8 – 9th H.M.S. Investigator, exploring the south coast of New Holland ings Officer 1 1 6 SW½S. S.S.E. 22,23 1½ P Mod breezes and fine weather On the first appearance of the ship, we were in doubt whether 2 1 “ E½S. Yell. S. 23,23 LW At 1.30 tacked ship to the eastward it was a whaler or the French ship which it proved to be. 3 2 “ 23,23 Harpooned a porpoise. About 4, saw a ship On going on board, I was shewn their passport, upon request- 4 3 “ EbS. SbE. 23,23 SF ahead, cleared at quarters and shewed our colour ing to see it, and in return offered mine for inspection , but captain 5 4 2 Mud 24,23 On their shewing French colours with an English Baudin put it back without looking at it. He informed me 6 2 2 23,22 TE jack that he had come through Bass’s Strait after exploring } “ “ shewed a white flag, shortened sail and hove to. the southern and eastern parts of Van Diemens Land. Having - 4 N.E. On his coming up, found the ship to be the met with bad weather in the strait, he had parted with his 7 6 Fine S. 22,22 Geographe consort, the Naturaliste, and had not found any place in 8 2 “ SW½S S.S.E. 24,24 RF captain Baudin, upon a voyage of discovery which he could [anchor] since; the coast being uninterrupted by 9 3 6 24,24 from Mauritius. Hoisted out the cutter, and any 10 2 6 24,24 went on board. At 7.10 returned, hoisted up the inlets or rivers from the strait to the place of our meeting 11 2 6 S.S.W. S.E. 24,23 boat and made sail upon a wind in company *see two pages forward. Captain Baudin was sufficiently com- 12 2 2 Fine S. 25,25 SF with the Geographe. -municative of his discoveries about Van Diemens Land and of 1 2 “ N.E. Vble 24,24 Backed the miz top-sail occasionally, to keep his remarks upon my chart of the strait, an imperfect 2 2 “ N.Eb.E. 24,24 company. copy of which he had gotten: these remarks were not ungratifying. 3 2 4 S.E.b.6d 24,24 At 12, burnt a blue light, on which the Geographe We parted with the intention of keeping company during the night Grey sand wore, as we did after her. and of seeing each other in the morning o 4 1 4 22,22 TE Light breezes and fine weather At day light, Mr Brown accompanied A cape W.1 N.- P.M. 5 1 2 24,24 At day light ran alongside the French ship, me on board as before. We learned from dif- h ’ ” 6 1 4 ENE. SE: 23,23 lowered down the cuter and went again -ferent circumstances that the French had At appt time 4.26. 31,5 7 1 6 Brown S. fine on board. At 8, returned and hoisted up visited the west coast of New Holland, Time 543 19.13. 5,5 b 8 1 “ 22,22 RF the boat. Made sail, and at half past an u[n]explored part of which, between OLL .483 14.12.25, 9 “ 2 Vble 22,23 8, wore to the southward, the French ship Leuwen and Edels Land they had exami- __________________ N.NE o “ 4 S.S.E. standing to the N.W. ned; but the opening of Dampier near Longitude 139. 19.’31”.SE 10 “ 6 S.b.E. 23,23 the Rosemary Isles they had left untouch- E.520 ----.19.24, 11 1 “ Reddish 23,23 At noon, light airs and cloudy weather -ed. __________ 12 1 “ sand 23,24 SF Hummocks of land, apparently sandy, seen Six of their scientific gentlemen had Mean – 139.19.28E and brok. sh. from the mast head as far S.E. remained behind at Mauritius, and 45 .6 at Timor, their last port, they had lost Mer.alt. 0 10 people by dysentery; amongst whom LLb483 -} 46 o.44’.33” 17 .98 4” o 18, 029 .6 Latitude – 35 .43’.49” Course Dist. Latitud. So Longit. Et Var.~ Set or Thev Bar ~ d t o D.R. Obs. D.R. T.K. all Girr 66 6 30,08 o S83 E. 10’ O ‘ O ‘ O ‘ O ‘ O 4 S 6. --,08 35.40 35.44 139.26 139.19 3. Et 4 W. 66½ --,02 D 7733(Misc) Flinders log transcript Page 2 of 3 1802 Apr. 8 – 9th continued. Additional remarks From Kangaroo Island to Bass Strait was their best botanist. They had spent a considerable captain of the Naturaliste, he, “a propos,” begged to know mine, and time upon the south and eastern parts of Van Die- finding -mens Land, on the last of which, his geographer, a boats that it was synonymous to the author of the chart crew, and his largest boat, had been left, and probably of the strait which he had been criticising, expressed lost: he recommended them to our care in case of meeting some surprise and congratulation; but I did not with them, or of their reaching Port Jackson. apprehend that my being here at this time, so far along the This morning captain Baudin was much more inqui- coast, gave him any great pleasure -sitive concerning the Investigator and her destination, than He gave me information of a rock lying about 2 leagues before, having learnt from the boats crew that our business was off the coast with shoal water about it, at the distance of 22 discovery; leagues from his situation on 4 at noon, and in the latitude and finding that we had examined the of 37o,1’S.- south coast of New Holland thus far, he appeared to be somewhat morti- -fied. I gave him as much information respecting Kanga- ※ I inquired concerning a large island lying on o o -roo Island, the Inlets N 12 and 14 and Bay N 10, the western entrance of the strait, but he had not seen as was necessary to his obtaining wood and water. it and seemed much to doubt its existence I offered to convey any information he wished to the Na- -turaliste in case of meeting with her, but he only requested me to say that he should go to Port Jackson as soon as the bad weather came on. As he had an imperfect copy of my chart of Van Diemens Land, and of Bass Strait; I presented him this morning with a copy of the three charts lately published, and of the small memoir attached to them; for which he expressed his thanks, and said that his charts were yet unfinished, but that when he came to Port Jackson he should be able to make some re- -turn.