Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2

Discoveries in Australia, Volume
2

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Title: Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2 Discoveries In Australia;
With An Account Of The Coasts And Rivers Explored And Surveyed
During The Voyage Of H.M.S. Beagle, In The Years
1837-38-39-40-41-42-43. By Command Of The Lords Commissioners
Of The Admiralty. Also A Narrative Of Captain Owen Stanley's Visits
To The Islands In The Arafura Sea
Author: John Lort Stokes
Release Date: April 25, 2004 [EBook #12146]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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DISCOVERIES IN AUSTRALIA, VOLUME 2 ***

Produced by Sue Asscher

DISCOVERIES IN AUSTRALIA;
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE
COASTS AND RIVERS
EXPLORED AND SURVEYED DURING THE
VOYAGE OF H.M.S. BEAGLE,
IN THE YEARS 1837-38-39-40-41-42-43.
BY
COMMAND OF THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OF THE
ADMIRALTY.
ALSO
A NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN OWEN STANLEY'S VISITS
TO THE
ISLANDS IN THE ARAFURA SEA.
BY
J. LORT STOKES,
COMMANDER, R.N.
VOLUME 2.
LONDON: T. AND W. BOONE, 29, NEW BOND STREET.
1846.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 2.

CHAPTER 2.
1.
Leave Port Essington. Clarence Strait. Hope Inlet. Shoal Bay. Ian for
Observations. Explore a new Opening. Talc Head. Port Darwin.
Continue Exploration. Mosquitoes and Sandflies. Nature of the Country.
Its parched appearance. Large ant's nest. Return to Shoal Bay. Visit
from the Natives. Remarks. Their teeth perfect. Rite of Circumcision.
Observations on the Migrations of the Natives. Theory of an Inland Sea.
Central Desert. Salt water drunk by Natives. Modes of procuring water.
Survey the harbour. Natives on a raft. Anecdote. Bynoe Harbour. Well.
Brilliant Meteors. Natives on Point Emery. Their surprise at the well.
Importance of water. Anecdote. Languages of Australia. Specimens.
Remarks. Leave Port Darwin. Tides. Squall. Visit Port Patterson. Leave.
Examine opening to the south-west. Table Hill. McAdam Range.
Adventure with an Alligator. Exploring party. Discovery of the
Victoria. Ascend the river. Appearance of the Country. Fitzmaurice
River. Indian Hill. The Beagle taken up the river.
CHAPTER 2.
2.
Exploration of the Victoria. First appearance of Sea Range. Curiosity
Peak. Appearance of Country from. Whirlwind Plains. Encounter with
an Alligator. His capture and description. Cross Whirlwind Plains.
White and black ducks. Kangaroos. Enter hilly country. Meet the boats.
Thunderstorm. Carry boats over shoals. New birds. Reach Hopeless.
Progress of boats arrested. Reconnoitre the river. Prospect from View
Hill. Preparation for pedestrian excursion. Leave Reach Hopeless to
explore the upper part of the river. Native village. Squall. Mussel Bend.
Meet Natives. Successful fishing. Party distressed. Thirsty Flat.
Tortoise Reach. Singular appearance of the ranges. Effect of the great
heat. One man knocked up. Approach of natives. Preparation for
defence. Appearance of the natives. Move further up the river. Emu
Plains. Select position for night quarters. Upward course of the Victoria.

Commence return. Kangaroo shot. Wickham Heights. New Tortoise.
Lucky Valley. Race was with a native. Meet his tribe. They make off.
Hard day's work. Quarters for the night. Return to Reach Hopeless.
CHAPTER 2.
3. VICTORIA RIVER.
Proceed down the river from Reach Hopeless. Meet watering party.
One of the men deserts. Kangaroo shooting. The writer left to complete
survey of river. Silk cotton-tree. Fertility of Whirlwind Plains. Attempt
of one of the crew to jump overboard. Reach the Ship. Suffer from sore
eyes. Lieutenant Emery finds water. Geological specimens. Bird's
Playhouse. Tides. Strange weather. Range of Barometer. Accounted for
by proximity of Port Essington. Hurricane. Effects of the latter. Dreary
country behind Water Valley. Fruitless attempt to weigh ship's anchors.
Obliged to slip from both of them. Proceed down the river. Complete
survey of Main Channel. Visit south Entrance Point of river. Discover a
number of dead turtles. Cross over to Point Pearce. Mr. Bynoe shoots a
new finch. The Author speared. Pursued by natives. Escape. Flight of
natives. Armed party pursue them. Night of suffering. General
description of the Victoria. Gouty-stem tree and fruit.
CHAPTER 2.
4. VICTORIA RIVER TO SWAN RIVER.
Leave Point Pearce. Error in position of Cape Rulhieres. Obtain
soundings on supposed Sahul Shoal. Discover a shoal patch on it.
Ascertain extent of bank of soundings off the Australian shore. Strange
winds in Monsoon. See Scott's Reef. Discover error in its position.
Make Depuch Island. Prevalence of westerly winds near it. Sperm
whales. Tedious passage. Death and burial of the ship's cook.
Anecdotes of his life. Good landfall. Arrival at Swan River. Find
Colony improved. Hospitality of Colonists. Lieutenant Roe's account of
his rescuing Captain Grey's party. Burial of Mr. Smith. Hurricane at
Shark's Bay. Observations on dry appearance of Upper Swan.

Unsuccessful cruise