Page:Historical records of Port Phillip.djvu/121

EARLY RECORDS OF PORT PHILLIP. 109 island, south point, N. 85° west. Cape Bassalter is one of tlie capes that you pass on the starbord side as you enter the bay ; it is the most remarkable of any that you see. This morn at 9 o'clock we were coming up the mouth of the river with a very fine breeze, but was obliged to i)ut back the wind was so much agst. us. Friday, 10. S.b.W. a.m. — At 8 more moderate and cloudy ; 8, light variable airs, inclining to a calm. At noon Cape Bassalter bore S. 85 W. ; sprung up a northward favourable light breeze from the northward. Latt. obsd. 43° 19 south, p.m. — At 2 fresh breezes and cloudy wr. ; at 3 squally ; in studding sails. At 6 Cape Bassalters N.W. ; sounded in 43 fathoms, white sand with brown specks. At 7 light breezes ; Cape Bassalters bore south 88 east. At 8 fresh breezes and hazy with squalls ; at past 8 wore ship ; at 10 sounded in 35 fthms. ; past 11 wore ship ; at midnight sounded 37 fthms. This night we were in Storm Bay, tacking repeatedly from shore to shore. Saturday, 11. N.N.W., W.b.S., West. a.m. — At 2 hazy with rain ; at 3 wore ship ; at 4 Cape Bassalters E.b.S. ; made sail. At 5 tackd ship and plyd to windward up Storm Bay. At 7 fresh breezes and light squalls ; at 11 strong gales and squally with rain. p.m. — At 2 strong gales, with very heavy gusts of wind ; wore ship. At 3 down top gallt. yards, and bore up for Frederic Henry Bay. At past anchord in 8 fthms. ; Cape Deslace^ S.S.E., and the north end of Frederick Henry Bay, Island N. 65'^ E. ; latter part more moderate and cloudy. At 4 Lieut. Lord Mr. Humphries landed with 4 convicts armd to walk to the Eiv. Derwent, dist. 14 or 15 miles by the charts. The first English ship anchord in this bay. Ship Ocean, at anchor, in Frederick Henry Bay, Van Diemens Land, Feb. 1804. Sunday, 12. W.N.W. a.m. — Fresh breezes and cloudy, with squalls at times. At 10 Capt. Merthew, Mr. Bowden, Mr. Collins, and self went on shore ; we went armd. Capt. M. and self left them ; we landed on the shore W.b.N., lagoon of salt W.KW., fresh lagoon N.W.b.W. At the back of the high hill we see a great number of wild fowl and one emew, quails, bronswin, pigeons, and parrotts. At 4 we returnd to the j)arty we left, and got a great quantity of oysters. It appeard to me that the natives were much better supplied with fish and birds than those at Port Phillip. The trees are very large and good, and a great deal of underwood. Near the fresh lagoon, which was large — more than 12 or 14 miles round — was a great quantity of flax and very fine ; besides ducks and teal were snipes, and I think a wood- cock was flushd. At -^-past 6 we returnd in a very heavy gale of wind, with hard rain. Monday, 13. W.N.W. a.m. — Strong breezes, with heavy squalls of wind and rain. At 10 a party were sent on shore to get oysters, but the tide did not suit the lagoon. 17 of the natives were seen by the party ; they reported the natives to be men well made, entirely naked, and some of them had war wepons ; they had a small boy with them ' Cape Deslaco of the charts, near Pipe Clay Lagoon.— [C]