Thursday, 1st August, 1799
At day break, on Thursday morning, the land was only distant from three to five leagues and the weather had a very squally appearance; but the wind was variable, and at noon, settled to the south-westward – At this time, the observed latitude was 25°:44’ south, by which we knew, that the space abreast of the Sloop, where no land was visible, was the wide bay of Captain Cook. In the evening, the wind came from the eastward as on the preceding day and towards the next morning shifted to the SW. Our distance from the land being considerable, we hauled up at daylight for Sandy Cape. Capt. Cook’s description of the coast seems to apply excellently well, as far as our distance would permit of observation; but it was too great for us to notice the half buried trees or other marks of the Sand’s having shifted their place. The observed latitude at noon was 24°:45’:38″ south and the low extreme of Sandy Cape bore N62°W between five and seven miles; whence its latitude is 24°:42’; differing but 3’ from that of its discoverer who had it bearing S3/4W twenty miles, when the observation was taken, by which he fixed it. This latitude also seems to be referred to the high patches of sand, which are near two miles south of the low extreme. The Head, which is said to resemble Indian Head and lays a few miles nearer to Sandy Cape, bore, at this time S13° E.
Our distance from the land, during the last 24 hours, had been more considerable than on the day preceding, and to this I attribute the difference of the current; this day it had set us 6’ to the southwards, whereas on the former, it was 17’ in the contrary direction. This circumstance may perhaps be explained but it requires to be admitted that the general current sets to the southward parallel to the line of the coast, or nearly so. This datum is not required to the north of Sandy Cape; and there will not be much difficulty in granting it, if what Capt. Cook says upon the subject be consulted. It must necessarily follow, that the immense quantity of water thrown into Glass House Bay, during, and after, rainy weather, will occasion the outset to be greater that the indraught, both from the Moreton and the larger entrance: the surplus outset will from the the position of the bay, take the line of the coast, and either constitute a northerly current to a certain distance off the land – reduce the general southerly one to nothing, in that space – or, weaken its force according to the different degrees of strength, which the rains may have given to it; upon which also its distance along the coast will depend. Its extent from the coast we may suppose will not much exceed the distance of Cape Moreton from the west side of the bay, or about five leagues off the land.
At the same time that the bearing of [‘bearing’ is repeated here and partly erased] Cape was taken, we saw the breakers extending from it; and keeping at the distance of two or three miles from them, the soundings were twelve fathoms during the run of as many miles from Noon; but being then unable to reach the Ground without heaving the Sloop up in the wind, we discontinued sounding; it being a material object to get round the end of Break-Sea-Spit before dark.
Friday, 2nd August, 1799
Having run nineteen miles we hauled up West but finding only six fathoms, kept more away, steering various courses between that, and NNW, and, in sounding between three and a half and six fathoms, the water breaking but a little way within us. After running two miles more the water deepened to seven and ten fathoms and on hauling up SW into Hervey’s Bay, there was no Ground with seventeen fathoms at the next cast of the lead. The Sandy Cape bears S20°E from the end of the spit.
Saturday, 3rd August, 1799
A strong rippling in the deep water announced the running of a weather tide, with which we made a good stretch up into the bay on the larboard tack, and as the wind pursued the same routine as on the preceding night, backing round to the westward of south towards morning we laid SEBS on the other side at 5 o’clock; but as the day advanced the wind died away: and a little before noon, we anchored in seventeen fathoms, suspecting a lee tide, and which was then found to run one knot per hour from the South. In this situation the extreme of Sandy Cape, bore N54 1/2 E seven or eight miles, and the observed latitude being 24°:45’:21″ corroborates the observation of Friday, within a very few seconds. The farthest land in sight did not extend beyond South. No part of Break-Sea spit being visible from the masthead, I conjecture that it must be laid down too broad in Capt Cooks chart.
Like Moreton Island, the country is sandy, but more covered with brushy trees; – this east side of Herveys Bay lays in the same direction as Glass House Bay, and the observations on Wide Bay are nearly the same as those on Moreton Bay, in Capt. Cook’s voyage: from these similarities I was induced to hope, that we should find a passage out by Wide Bay; which, by facilitating our return, would leave time for a more perfect examination of this very extensive opening.
A light breeze rising from the NW we got the Anchor up at half past two and made all sail, steering SE. From sunset till dark we steered S.S.W. on seeing land rise in that quarter; and the wind being moderate & and the water tolerably smooth, we anchored in eleven fathoms, 15’ south of the former Anchorage, according to the log. This, I preferred to keeping to keeping to the wind all night, for the advantage of preserving the connexion in the bearings of objects on the land, by which, the distances given by the log might be corrected. The east shore of the bay was by no means parallel to our course during this run; for at about ten miles south of Sandy Cape, the coast line falls so far back to the east, as to peninsulate the Cape: I conjecture that the land there is not two miles in breadth. It then trends about S.S.W. past some very white cliffs, for a considerable distance.
Sunday, 4th August, 1799
At sunrise we were underway, beating upwards against a fresh breeze at S.W. by S. Two Hummocks bearing S.54W. were the farthest land visible; neither was the continuation from the eastern shore, at all perfect. The bearing of a very white arched cliff, shewed that we had advanced but very little by noon; but the latitude given by the Suns meridional Altitude was 25°:8’:15″, whence it should appear, that instead of fifteen miles, we had run near twenty on the preceding afternoon. Thus, had no observation been taken for the latitude on this day, an error of 5’ at least, would have existed in the sketch; for the tide was running nearly a Knot from the South, at the time that we weighed from the first anchorage. This difference is particularly noticed, because, from the happy concurrence that appeared to subsist between the various bearings of fixed objects taken at different times, the smoothness of the water and the attention paid to the log; I should have placed almost as much reliance on the distance, as if it had been measured with a chain on shore; and it may be also observed, that our Azimuth compass was a very good one: but in opposition to all this, it is scarcely possible that an [word omitted – probably ‘error’] of even one mile can exist in the observed latitude; for mine, was not the only observation taken which was besides in a great measure confirmed by the meridional altitude of a future day.
The wind coming nearer to West in the afternoon, enabled us to make a stretch to the south until sunset; but in so doing we passed a line of breakers of some extent to the West of us & some patches to the eastward; indeed there were breakers in every part except that, by which we came into the channel. The soundings have now decreased to four fathoms and decreasing rapidly, we tacked to the northward into the bay.
The inducement that led me so far amongst the breakers was the hope of finding a secure anchorage under their shelter, or, of finding a channel through them, by which we might look, if not get, into one of the two small openings that appeared at the head of the bay. This hope had been prolonged, by finding from five to seven fathoms for some time, altho’ the water was breaking on each side of us. It is true, that the water was discoloured and there were indistinct appearances of breakers, in the direct course towards a head for which we steered; but I always doubt indistinct appearances of that kind, when in confined situations. This head, I now suspected to be the west end of an island, which extended from South to S.24°E. and distant from us about five or six miles; the head had bore S. 14°W. on the preceding noon. The two hummocks, which lay S.54° W. from the second Anchorage, born S.79°W at the time we tacked; the difference of situation being more than eight miles in a S.S.W. direction, shews that they were not at a less distance than ten leagues: I called them Double Mount. The soundings being carefully marked marked in the Sketch, but little notice has been hitherto taken of them, and it will be equally unnecessary to detail them during this nights run into the open bay; but their great irregularity kept us in a continued state of alarm till nine o’clock; because I did not choose to run more to leeward for the deep water, than was absolutely necessary.
Monday, 5th August, 1799
The wind permitting us to continue on the larboard tack with advantage, during the greatest part of the night; we made the land to the westward at daylight and at eight o’clock a sloping hummock bore W.16°.N: the Double Mount at that time bore S.42° W. The land was also in sight to the eastward, but too indistinct for any of the former fixed points to be ascertained or distinguished. Continuing on the same tack till noon, the latitude by observation was 24°:53’:11″ south, when the Double Mount bore S.29°.W. and the sloping hummock W.10°N.; but the western shore was now visible as far as N.62.W. our distance from the nearest shore being between two & three leagues. The wind now came so far round to the West, that we could lay along the west side of the bay on the other tack; the Sloop was accordingly put about, with the hope of finding a passage into the head of the bay, between the western shore and the breakers; but the wind dying away soon after sunset, we came to an Anchor for the night in five fathoms water upon a sandy bottom, at little more than three miles distance from the beach. From hence the sloping hummock bore N.48°W and a low, sandy, projection, behind which, there was some appearance of an opening S.13°E. four or five miles. Double Mount bore S.47°.W: This Mount may be seen 15 or more leagues, which is not the case with any other land round this large bay: it is about 6 leagues inland.
Tuesday, 6th August, 1799
A breeze sprung up from N.W. in the evening and continued the greater part of the night; but at daylight on Tuesday morning was at W.S.W. We then weighed and stretched towards the low sandy projection but were soon obliged to alter the course to S.E., seeing shoals and breakers laying some distance from the shore which seemed to present a barrier to the supposed entrance. The lowness of this land and the hazey weather prevented me from ascertaining whether any stream falls into the Bay here; but the sketch will more concisely explain what we saw of it, as well as soundings whilst steering along the Shore to the eastward.
At twenty minutes past ten we hauled up S.E.1/2S. for an opening which I presently knew to be the western entrance round the supposed island, which the breakers & shoal water had prevented us from approaching on Sunday Evening: these breakers had been in sight from the masthead for some time.
There is a small sandy islet, laying in the centre of this opening, past which we carried from seven to five fathoms, passing to the right of it; but we saw that it was surrounded with shoal water. This islet bore N.N.W. one mile and a half, at half an hour before noon, and our soundings then decreased to three fathoms and very soon to two, which obliged us to tack; but more than three fathoms could not anywhere be found. After trying in every direction for two hours more and having been repeatedly in six feet of water, I was obliged to conclude that there was no channel on the west side of the large island; altho’ the tide appeared to have considerable strength and there was a large spread of water above us. On repassing the sandy islet, we saw a great flight of curlews, many gulls and some pelicans, which was an additional inducement to land upon it; we therefore dropped the small anchor in three fathoms, when the islet bore, S.58°.E. about half a mile.
On landing, I found that the base of this small Island was a hard stone, over which was a covering of sand mixed with coral and shells. There was a small cluster of palms upon it and some other small trees. Two or three larger trees were laying on the shore, thrown down, either by the wind or the flood, assisted by the weight of the trees themselves, which the depth of soil was not sufficient to support. They were tough, hard and close grained. It was now about half ebb and the shoal which nearly surrounds the island, but extends at the greatest distance from the NW side, was dry. There was some thousand curlews upon the sands as well as gulls, but too shy to allow us to approach within musquet shot. Upon one of the trees was stuck the cap of a small whale’s scull, and in one of the sockets of the eyes, was a bird’s nest, apparently of last season.
The eastern shore of Hervey’s Bay curving towards the west and the western towards the east, they approach within about five miles of each other; 33’ or 34’ of latitude south of Sandy Cape; but the shores then, run nearly parallel, inclining somewhat from each other, till they curve round and appear to meet, a few leagues farther to the southward and thus form a kind of upper bay, which in comparison with the large bay, is as the cod to a seine. Nearly in the center of the entrance into this upper bay, lays the large island already mentioned, leaving a passage on each side of it, at two or three miles in width, the island not laying across the entrance but diagonally. Curlew Islet is placed in the center of the western passage, which, tho’ it appears to be the smallest of the two passages, is yet two miles in width but the deep channel is not more than half or three quarters, and is the same which we had so unwittingly hit on, coming in. There did not seem to be any deep water on the east side of the islet, and the only place where there was any appearance of a continuation of the Channel, lays in the direction of S.39°.E. from the center of it; but this is not half a cable’s length in width and has but three fathoms of water. The bank on the east side of this small channel, will, I believe be dry at low water; as most probably, will a considerable part of this upper bay, on the west side of it. The shore on the east side of the upper bay, is high and bounded by white, steep cliffs; whence, I was induced to hope, that a deep channel might be found there, being unwilling to believe that there was no good passage even to the head of a sheet of water of six or seven miles square; and into which most probably, one or two more streams of water emptied themselves. The latitude of Curlew Islet is 25°:17’ deduced from the observation at Noon, when it bore N10°E one mile and a quarter. Its center lays S36°W. from the western extreme of the larger island.
With the intention of attempting the eastern passage into this upper bay, I returned on board from the islet and, we got under weigh. In steering to go round the larger island the water gradually shoaled to eight feet, altho’ not nearer to it than a mile, which obliged us to tack; and, finally I gave up all idea of getting into the upper bay, finding the shoal water to be so extensive, as to make it probable, that it joined to the before mentioned outer breakers; and the sun being near the horizon; to get clear of the shoal water before dark, became a principal object, and, together induced me to shape a course for the sloping hummock on the west side of the bay.
Wednesday, 7th August, 1799
The soundings deepened gradually to six fathoms, but at nine o’clock shoaled again to three and even two fathoms, from whence I suspected that the flood tide might have set us to the southward towards the shore; but this did not appear to have been the case for at day light, our situation was what I supposed it would be; the sloping hummock bearing W.5°.N and our distance off shore about two miles, the wind having remained at S.W. the whole night.
Keeping along the shore, at nine o’clock, the water shoaled to nine feet and obliged us to haul off to the NE. We were now to the northward of where Captain Cook has laid down the coast line, and the land being visible at W10°N. from the deck and as far as NW from the masthead, I thought it unnecessary to pursue the research, under the supposition of there being a double bay, any longer, and therefore we continued our course for the extreme of Break-Sea-Spit; the sloping hummock having born S.9°E. at the time of altering the course.
The idea of there being a double bay, arose from this; that altho’ the land abreast of us, was to the northward of that marked by Captain Cook, yet it was not so far west; and therefore it was probable that there might be a small bay or inlet round this west shore; the west side of which only, was what he had seen. For if the breadth of the opening in his chart, be compared with that of the bay on my sketch, there will be found a difference of about five leagues. Captain Cook saw the land about eight leagues to the S.E.E, from the latitude 24°:36’ south and remarks that the land is very low; now if it is possible that he can have missed seeing the sloping hummock in 24°:50 which however has been seen, five leagues off, from the sloop’s deck, it might have been the back land which had been taken for the coast, towards the verge of the eight leagues. What the true breadth of the bay is, must be left to a future discussion, and most probably a future examination; but it ought to be observed, that the course and distance given by the log to Break-Sea-Spit needed no correction whatsoever.
The Coast round Hervey’s Bay, is, in general, low near the shore, and on the west side, the low land extends to some distance inwards. On that side the land has a different appearance from that of Sandy Cape, there being few marks of sand and the shore mostly rocky. Advancing towards the Head, the beaches commence, and continue, with little interruption, into the upper bay. The larger Island shewed no marks of sand, but is well covered with wood & verdure; its height is equal to the higher parts of the main, and being four or five miles in length, seems to be a fine island On the east shore, the sand is more or less apparent everywhere; increasing in quantity towards the Cape. The white cliffs, that have been mentioned, very probably contain chalk; the upper stratum of two or three feet in thickness being of a superior whiteness, in those which were best seen.
With respect to fertility, the general aspect is the only document. About the head of the bay, three trees are of a fair growth, grass seems sufficiently abundant, and there are few appearances of sand; but I believe some parts of it are stony.
I can only observe of the inhabitants, that their smokes were numerous about the bay and that they sometimes frequent Curlew Islet.
Of the animal, vegetable or fossil productions that might have presented themselves to our very limited observations, nothing can be related, the shortness of our time not admitting any examination.
From the appearance of the tide, when we landed upon the islet, it had been high water between twelve and one o’clock, which is between three and four hours, before the moon came upon the meridian.
The mean of nine amplitudes which have been taken in this bay, gave the variation 9° 9°:44’ east, and of two sets of azimuths 9°:15’ east, from both, the mean variation of the azimuth compass was 9°:30’ east.
Continuing our course of NE from the west shore of Hervey’s Bay towards Break-Sea-Spit, the observed latitude at noon was 24°:38’:39″ and the sloping hummock bore S:29°W about five leagues. In the afternoon the Sandy Cape was in sight, and at sunset, bore S.EbE from the masthead. Wishing to lose as little time as possible in running an unnecessary distance, round the Spit, we steered E.N.E at nine o’clock, on finding the water very deep, and the latitude given by the star vega to be 24°:22’ agreeing with the log. At half past ten, Altair gave 24°:21’; we soon after struck the bottom with thirteen fathoms and at the next cast, found none with twenty five; whence, I concluded that we had passed the tail of the Spit, and, according to the latitude given by the stars at a mile and a half distant.
Thursday, 8th August, 1799
After steering E.S.E for an hour, we hauled to the wind, which now blew strong at S.S.W. At day light, the land was not in sight. At noon the observed [‘latitude’ has been omitted]was 24°:37’ agreeing closely with that given by the log.
The winds having moderated, we tacked to the westward at two o’clock, and at sunset saw the land about Indian Head; judging it to be so from the moons meridional altitude, giving 24°:42 1/2’ south.
Friday, 9th August, 1799
The wind continuing from the southward in light breezes; on Friday at noon, we observed in 24°:56’:11″. 8’ south of what the log gave: our distance from the land having been from eight to twelve leagues.
Saturday, 10th August, 1799
At noon, the latitude was 25°:6’:13″ only 4’ south of the log; but a fresh breeze springing up from the westward we observed in 27°:2’:56″ on the following.