A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) by Robert Kerr

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[Footnote 113: In the last note, we saw how remarkably Monsieur de Pages
and Captain Cook agree about the appearance of the south point of the
harbour; I shall here subjoin another quotation from the former,
containing his account of the harbour itself, in which the reader may
trace the same distinguishing features observed by Captain Cook in the
foregoing paragraph.

"Le 6, l'on mit a terre dans la premiere baie a l'Est du Cap Francois, &
l'on prit possession de ces contrees. Ce mouillage consiste en une
petite rade, qui a environs quatres encablures, ou quatre cents toises
de profondeur, sur un tiers en sus de largeur. En dedans de cette rade
est un petit port, dont l'entree, de quatres encablures de largeur,
presente au Sud-Est. La sonde de la petite rade est depuis quarante-cinq
jusqu'a trente brasses; et celle du port depuis seize jusqu'a huit. Le
fond des deux est de sable noir et vaseux. La cote des deux bords est
haute, & par une pente tres rude; elle est couverte de verdure, & il y a
une quantite prodigieuse d'Outardes. Le fond du port est occupe par un
monticule qui laisse entre lui, et la mer une plage de sable. Une petite
riviere, de tres bonne eau, coule a la mer dans cet endroit; & elle est
fournie par un lac qui est un peu au loin, au dessus du monticule. Il y
avoit sur le plage beaucoup de pinguoins & de lions marins. Ces deux
especes d'animaux ne fuyoient pas, & l'on augura que le pays n'etoit
point habite; la terre rapportoit de l'herbe large, noire, & bien
nourrie, qui n'avoit cependant que cinque pouces ou plus de hauteur.
L'on ne vit aucun arbre, ni signe l'habitation."--_Voyage du Monsieur de
Pages_, tom. ii. p. 69, 70.--D.]

After I had finished this business of the inscription, I went in my boat
round the harbour, and landed in several places, to examine what the
shore afforded; and, particularly, to look for drift wood. For, although
the land here was totally destitute of trees, this might not be the case
in other parts; and if there were any, the torrents would force some,
or, at least, some branches, into the sea, which would afterward throw
them upon the shores, as in all other countries where there is wood, and
in many where there is none: But throughout the whole extent of the
harbour, I found not a single piece.

In the afternoon, I went upon Cape St Louis,[114] accompanied by Mr
King, my second lieutenant. I was in hopes, from this elevation, to have
had a view of the sea-coast, and of the islands lying off it. But, when
I got up, I found every distant object below me hid in a thick fog. The
land on the same plain, or of a greater height, was visible enough, and
appeared naked and desolate in the highest degree, except some hills to
the southward, which were covered with snow.

[Footnote 114: Cape Francois.--D.]

When I got on board, I found the launch hoisted in, the ships unmoored,
and ready to put to sea; but our sailing was deferred till five o'clock
the next morning, when we weighed anchor.[115]

[Footnote 115: The reader is probably not a little wearied with Dr
Douglas's minute comparisons of Kerguelen's and Cook's accounts of the
lands in question, which indeed seem unworthy of so much concern. It was
of consequence, however, to guard our navigator's reputation; and some
persons may relish the discussion, as exhibiting the acumen and good
sense which the detector of the infamous Lauder, and the author of "The
Criterion," so eminently possessed.--E.]

SECTION V.

_Departure from Christmas Harbour.--Range along the Coast, to discover
its Position and Extent.--Several Promontories and Bays, and a
Peninsula, described and named.--Danger from Shoals.--Another Harbour
and a Sound.--Mr Anderson's Observations on the Natural Productions,
Animals, Soil, &c. of. Kerguelen's Land_.

As soon as the ships were out of Christmas Harbour, we steered S.E. 1/2
S., along the coast, with a fine breeze at N.N.W., and clear weather.
This we thought the more fortunate, as, for some time past, fogs had
prevailed, more or less, every day; and the continuance of them would
have defeated our plan of extending Kerguelen's discovery. We kept the
lead constantly going; but seldom struck ground with a line of fifty or
sixty fathoms.

About seven or eight o'clock, we were off a promontory, which I called
Cape Cumberland. It lies a league and a half from the south point of
Christmas Harbour, in the direction of S.E. 1/2 S. Between them is a bay
with two arms, both of which seemed to afford good shelter for shipping.
Off Cape Cumberland is a small but pretty high island, on the summit of
which is a rock like a sentry-box, which occasioned our giving that name
to the island. Two miles farther to the eastward, lies a group of small
islands and rocks, with broken ground about them: We sailed between
these and Sentry-Box Island, the channel being a full mile broad, and
more than forty fathoms deep; for we found no bottom with that length of
line.

Being through this channel, we discovered, on the south side of Cape
Cumberland, a bay, running in three leagues to the westward. It is
formed by this Cape to the north, and by a promontory to the south,
which I named Point Pringle, after my good friend Sir John Pringle,
President of the Royal Society. The bottom of this bay was called
Cumberland Bay; and it seemed to be disjoined from the sea, which washes
the N.W. coast of this country, by a narrow neck of land. Appearances,
at least, favoured such a conjecture.

To the southward of Point Pringle, the coast is formed into a fifth bay;
of which this point is the northern extreme; and from it to the southern
extreme, is about four miles in the direction of S.S.E. 1/4 E. In this
bay, which obtained the name of White Bay, on account of some white
spots of land or rocks in the bottom of it, are several lesser bays or
coves, which seemed to be sheltered from all winds. Off the south point
are several rocks which raise their heads above water; and, probably,
many more than do that.

Thus far our course was in a direction parallel to the coast, and not
more than two miles from it. Thither our glasses were continually
pointed; and we could easily see that, except the bottoms of the bays
and coves, which, for the most part, terminated in sandy beaches, the
shores were rocky, and, in many places, swarmed with birds; but the
country had the same barren and naked appearance as in the neighbourhood
of Christmas Harbour.

We had kept, on our larboard bow, the land which first opened off Cape
St Louis,[116] in the direction of S. 53 deg. E., thinking that it was an
island, and that we should find a passage between it and the main. We
now discovered this to be a mistake; and found that it was a peninsula,
joined to the rest of the coast by a low isthmus. I called the bay,
formed by this peninsula, Repulse Bay; and a branch of it seemed to run
a good way inland towards the S.S.W. Leaving this, we steered for the
northern point of the peninsula, which we named Howe's Foreland, in
honour of Admiral Lord Howe.

[Footnote 116: Cape Francois.]

As we drew near it, we perceived some rocks and breakers near the N.W.
part; and two islands a league and a half to the eastward of it, which,
at first, appeared as one. I steered between them and the Foreland;[117]
and was in the middle of the channel by noon. At that time our latitude,
by observation, was 48 deg. 51' S.; and we had made twenty-six miles of east
longitude from Cape St Louis.[118]

[Footnote 117: Though Kerguelen's ships, in 1773, did not venture to
explore this part of the coast, Monsieur de Pages's account of it
answers well to Captain Cook's. "Du 17 au 23, l'on ne prit d'autre
connoissance que celle de la figure de la cote, qui, courant d'abord au
Sud-Est, & revenant ensuite au Nord-Est, formoit un grand golfe. Il
etoit occupe par des brisans & des rochers; il avoit aussi une isle
basse, & assez etendue, & l'on usa d'une bien soigneuse precaution, pour
ne pas s'affaler dans ce golfe."--_Voyage du M. de Pages_, tom. ii. p.
67.--D.]

[Footnote 118: Cape Francois.]

From this situation, the most advanced land to the southward bore S.E.;
but the trending of the coast from the Foreland was more southerly. The
islands which lie off Christmas Harbour bore N.; and the north point of
the Foreland N. 60 deg. W., distant three miles. The land of this Peninsula,
or Foreland, is of a moderate height, and of a hilly and rocky
substance. The coast is low, with rocky points shooting out from it;
between which points are little coves, with sandy beaches; and these, at
this time, were mostly covered with sea birds. We also saw upon them
some seals.

As soon as we were clear of the rocks and islands before mentioned, I
gave orders to steer S.E. by S. along the coast. But before these orders
could be carried into execution, we discovered the whole sea before us
to be chequered with large beds of rock-weed, which we knew to be fast
to the bottom, and to grow on rocky shoals. I had often found a great
depth of water on such shoals; and I had, as often, found rocks that
have raised their heads nearly to the surface of the water. It is always
dangerous, therefore, to sail over them before they are well examined;
but more especially, when there is no surge of the sea to discover the
danger. This was the case at present, for the sea was as smooth as a
mill-pond. Consequently we endeavoured to avoid them, by steering
through the winding channels by which they were separated. We kept the
lead continually going; but never struck ground with a line of sixty
fathoms. This circumstance increased the danger, as we could not anchor,
whatever necessity there might be for it. After running in this manner
above an hour, we discovered a lurking rock, just even with the surface
of the sea. It bore N.E. 1/2 E., distant three or four miles, and lay in
the middle of one of these large beds of weeds. This was a sufficient
warning to make us use every precaution to prevent our coming upon them.

We were now cross the mouth of a large bay, that lies about eight miles
to the southward of Howe's Foreland. In and before the entrance of this
bay are several low islands, rocks, and those beds of sea-weed. But
there seemed to be winding channels between them. After continuing our
course half an hour longer, we were so much embarrassed with these
shoals, that I resolved to haul off to the eastward, as the likeliest
means of extricating ourselves from the danger that threatened us. But
so far was this from answering the intended purpose, that it brought us
into more. I therefore found it absolutely necessary to secure the
ships, if possible, in some place before night; especially as the
weather had now become hazy, and a fog was apprehended. And seeing some
inlets to the S.W. of us, I ordered Captain Clerke, as the Discovery
drew less water than the Resolution, to lead in for the shore; which was
accordingly done.

In standing in, it was not possible to avoid running over the edges of
some of the shoals, on which we found from ten to twenty fathoms water;
and the moment we were over, had no ground at the depth of fifty
fathoms. After making a few boards to weather a spit that run out from
an island on our lee, Captain Clerke made the signal for having
discovered an harbour; in which, about five o'clock, we anchored in
fifteen fathoms water, over a bottom of fine dark sand, about three
quarters of a mile from the shore; the north point of the harbour
bearing N. by E. 1/2 E., one mile distant; and the small islands in the
entrance, within which we anchored, extending from E. to S.E.

Scarcely were the ships secured, when it began to blow very strong; so
that we thought it prudent to strike top-gallant yards. The weather,
however, continued fair; and the wind dispersing the fog that had
settled on the hills, it was tolerably clear also. The moment,
therefore, we had anchored, I hoisted out two boats; in one of which I
sent Mr Bligh, the master, to survey the upper part of the harbour, and
look for wood; for not a shrub was to be seen from the ship. I also
desired Captain Clerke to send his master to sound the channel that is
on the south side of the small isles, between them and a pretty large
island which lies near the south point of the harbour. Having given
these directions, I went myself, in my other boat, accompanied by Mr
Gore, my first lieutenant, and Mr Bayly, and landed on the north point,
to see what I could discover from thence.

From the highest hill over the point, we had a pretty good view of the
sea-coast, as far as Howe's Foreland. It is much indented, and several
rocky points seemed to shoot out from it, with coves and inlets of
unequal extent. One of the latter, the end of which I could not see, was
disjoined from that in which the ships were at anchor, by the point we
then stood upon. A great many small islands, rocks, and breakers,
appeared scattered along the coast, as well to the southward as
northward; and I saw no better channel to get out of the harbour, than
by the one through which we had entered it.

While Mr Bayly and I were making the observations, Mr Gore encompassed
the hill, and joined us by a different route, at the place where I had
ordered the boat to wait for us. Except the craggy precipices, we met
with nothing to obstruct our walk. For the country was, if possible,
more barren and desolate than about Christmas Harbour. And yet, if there
be the least fertility in any part of this land, we ought to have found
it in this, which is completely sheltered from the predominating bleak
southerly and westerly winds. I observed, with regret, that there was
neither food nor covering for cattle of any sort; and that, if I left
any, they must inevitably perish. In the little cove where the boat
waited for us (which I called Penguin Cove, as the beach was covered
with these birds), is a fine rivulet of fresh water, that may be easily
come at. Here were also some large seals, shags, and a few ducks; and Mr
Bayly had a transient sight of a very small land bird; but it flew
amongst the rocks, and we lost it. About nine o'clock we got on board.

Soon after, Mr Bligh returned, and reported, that he had been four miles
up the harbour, and, as he judged, not far from the head of it. He found
that its direction was W.S.W.; and that its breadth, a little above the
ships, did not exceed a mile; but grew narrower toward the head. The
soundings were very irregular, being from thirty-seven to ten fathoms;
and, except under the beds of sea-weed, which in many places extended
from the shore near half channel over, the bottom was a fine sand. He
landed on both shores, which he found barren and rocky, without the
least signs of tree or shrub, and with very little verdure of any kind.
Penguins, and other oceanic birds and seals, occupied part of the coast,
but not in such numbers as at Christinas Harbour.

Finding no encouragement to continue our researches, and, the next
morning, both wind and weather being favourable, I weighed anchor and
put to sea. To this harbour I gave the name of Port Palliser, in honour
of my worthy friend Admiral Sir Hugh Palliser. It is situated in the
latitude of 49 deg. 3' S., in the longitude of 69 deg. 37' E., and five leagues
from Howe's Foreland, in the direction of S. 25 deg. E. There are several
islands, rocks, and breakers lying in and without the entrance. We went
in and out between them and the north head; but I have no doubt that
there are other channels.

As we were standing out of Port Palliser, we discovered a round hill,
like a sugar-loaf, in the direction of S. 72 deg. E., about nine leagues
distant. It had the appearance of an island lying at some distance from
the coast; but we afterward found it was upon the main land. In getting
out to sea, we had to steer through the winding channels amongst the
shoals. However, we ventured to run over some of them, on which we never
found less than eighteen fathoms, and often did not strike ground with
twenty-four; so that, had it not been for the sea-weed growing upon all
of them, they would not have been discovered.

After we had got about three or four leagues from the coast, we found a
clear sea, and then steered E. till nine o'clock, when the Sugar Loaf
hill, above mentioned, which I named Mount Campbell, bore S.E., and a
small island that lies to the northward of it, S.S.E., distant four
leagues. I now steered more southerly, in order to get in with the land.
At noon, the latitude by double altitudes was 49 deg. 8' S.; and we had made
eighty miles of east longitude from Cape St Louis.[119] Mount Campbell
bore S. 47 deg. W., distant about four leagues; a low point, beyond which no
land was to be seen, bore S.S.E., at the distance of about twenty miles;
and we were about two leagues from the shore.

[Footnote 119: Cape Francois.]

The land here is low and level.[120] The mountains ending about five
leagues from the low point, a great extent of low land is left, on which
Mount Campbell is situated, about four miles from the foot of the
mountains, and one from the sea coast. These mountains have a
considerable elevation, as also most of the inland ones. They seemed to
be composed of naked rocks, whose summits were capt with snow. Nor did
the valleys appear to greater advantage. To whatever quarter we directed
our glasses, nothing but sterility was to be seen.

[Footnote 120: This part of the coast seems to be what the French saw on
the 5th of January 1774. Monsieur de Pages speaks of it thus: "Nous
reconnumes une nouvelle cote etendue de toute veu dans l'Est, & dans le
Ouest. Les terres de cette cote etoient moins elevees que celles que
nous avions veues jusques ici; elles etoient aussi d'un aspect moins
rude."--_De Pages_, tom. ii. p. 68.--D.]

We had scarcely finished taking the bearings at noon, before we observed
low land opening off the low point just mentioned, in the direction of
S.S.E., and eight miles beyond it. This new point proved to be the very
eastern extremity of this land, and it was named Cape Digby. It is
situated in the latitude of 49 deg. 23' S., and in the longitude of 70 deg. 34'
E.

Between Howe's Foreland and Cape Digby, the shore forms (besides the
several lesser bays and harbours) one great bay that extends several
leagues to the S.W., where it seemed to lose itself in various arms
running in, between the mountains. A prodigious quantity of sea-weed
grows all over it, which seemed to be the same sort of weed that Sir
Joseph Banks distinguished by the name of _fucus giganteus_. Some of
this weed is of a most enormous length, though the stem is not much
thicker than a man's thumb. I have mentioned, that on some of the shoals
upon which it grows, we did not strike ground with a line of twenty-four
fathoms. The depth of water, therefore, must have been greater. And as
this weed does not grow in a perpendicular direction, but makes a very
acute angle with the bottom, and much of it afterward spreads many
fathoms on the surface of the sea, I am well warranted to say, that some
of it grows to the length of sixty fathoms and upward.

At one o'clock (having run two leagues upon a S.E. 1/2 E. course, from
noon) we sounded, and found eighteen fathoms water, and a bottom of fine
sand. Seeing a small bending in the coast, on the north side of Cape
Digby, I steered for it. It was my intention to anchor there, if I
should find it might be done with safety, and to land on the Cape, to
examine what the low land within it produced. After running in one
league, we sounded again, and found thirteen fathoms; and immediately
after, saw a shoal right before us, that seemed to extend off from the
shore, from which we were distant about two miles. This discovery
obliged us to haul off, E. by S., one league, where our depth of water
increased to twenty-five fathoms. We then steered along shore, and
continued in the same depth, over a bottom of fine sand, till Cape
Digby bore W., two leagues distant, when we found twenty-six fathoms.

After this we did not strike ground, though we tried several times; but
the ship having a good deal of way, ran the line out before the lead
could reach the bottom, and being disappointed in my views both of
anchoring and of landing, I would not shorten sail, but pushed forward,
in order to see as much of the coast as possible before night. From Cape
Digby, it trends nearly S.W. by S. for about four or five leagues, or to
a low point, to which, in honour of her majesty, I gave the name of
Point Charlotte, and it is the southernmost on the low coast.

Six leagues from Cape Digby, in the direction of S.S.W. 1/2 W., is a
pretty high projecting point, which was called Prince of Wales's
Foreland; and six leagues beyond that, in the same direction, and in the
latitude of 49 deg. 54' S., and the longitude of 70 13' E., is the most
southerly point of the whole coast, which I distinguished by the name of
Cape George, in honour of his majesty.

Between Point Charlotte and Prince of Wales's Foreland, where the
country to the S.W. began again to be hilly, is a deep inlet, which was
called Royal Sound. It runs in W. quite to the foot of the mountains
which bound it on the S.W., as the low land before-mentioned does on the
N. There are islands lying in the entrance, and others higher up, as far
as we could distinguish. As we advanced to the S. we observed, on the
S.W. side of Prince of Wales's Foreland, another inlet into Royal Sound;
and it then appeared, that the foreland was the E. point of a large
island lying in the mouth of it. There are several small islands in this
inlet; and one about a league to the southward of Prince of Wales's
Foreland.

All the land on the S.W. side of Royal Sound, quite to Cape George, is
composed of elevated hills, that rise directly from the sea, one behind
another, to a considerable height. Most of the summits were capt with
snow, and they appeared as naked and barren as any we had seen. The
smallest vestige of a tree or shrub was not discoverable, either inland
or on the coast; and, I think, I may venture to pronounce that the
country produces none. The low land about Cape Digby, when examined
through our glasses, resembled the rest of the low land we had before
met with; that is, it appeared to be partly naked and partly covered
with a green turf, a description of which shall be given in its proper
place. The shore is composed of sandy beaches, on which were many
penguins, and other oceanic birds; and an immense number of shags kept
perpetually flying about the ships as we sailed along.

Being desirous of getting the length of Cape George, to be assured
whether or no it was the most southerly point of the whole land, I
continued to stretch to the S. under all the sail we could carry, till
half an hour past seven o'clock, when, seeing no likelihood of
accomplishing my design, as the wind had by this time shifted to W.S.W.,
the very direction in which we wanted to go, I took the advantage of the
shifting of the wind, and stood away from the coast.

At this time Cape George bore S. 53 deg. W. distant about seven leagues. A
small island that lies off the pitch of the cape was the only land we
could see to the south of it; and we were farther confirmed that there
was no more in that quarter by a S.W. swell which we met as soon as we
brought the cape to bear in this direction.

But we have still a stronger proof that no part of this land can extend
much, if at all, to the southward of Cape George, and that is, Captain
Furneaux's track in February, 1773, after his separation from me during
my late voyage. His log-book is now lying before me; and I find from it,
that he crossed the meridian of the land only about seventeen leagues to
the southward of Cape George, a distance at which it may very well be
seen in clear weather. This seems to have been the case when Captain
Furneaux passed it. For his log-book makes no mention of fogs or hazy
weather; on the contrary, it expressly tells us, that, when in this
situation, they had it in their power to make observations, both for
latitude and longitude, on board his ship; so that, if this land extends
farther S. than Cape George, it would have been scarcely possible that
he should have passed without seeing it.

From these circumstances we are able to determine, within a very, few
miles, the quantity of latitude that this land occupies, which does not
much exceed one degree and a quarter. As to its extent from E. to W.
that still remains undecided. We only know, that no part of it can
reach so far to the W. as the meridian of 65 deg., because, in 1773, under
that meridian, I searched for it in vain.[121]

[Footnote 121: If the French observations, as marked upon Captain Cook's
chart, and still more authentically upon that published by their own
discoverers, may be depended upon, this land doth not reach so far to
the W. as the meridian of 63 deg.; Cape Louis, which is represented as its
most westerly point, being laid down by them to the E. of that
meridian.--D.]