Flinders
and Bass.
1798.
here and there, and formed a striking contrast with the verdure of the front scene.
Our soundings along the south side of the largest Swan Isle were generally 8 fathoms, on a sandy bottom; nor was there much decrease until noon, when the low shore of Cape Portland was at something less, and the outer rocky islets something more than a mile distant; and we came rather suddenly into 3 fathoms. The latitude observed was 40° 43′⅔ south, and the island last quitted bore N. 85° to S. 84° E., distant six miles.
There being little wind at this time, the sloop, in passing round the rocky islets of Cape Portland, was carried by the tide over a ledge where there was scarcely 2 fathoms; and was then driven westward on a curved line of rippling water, which extended northward from the islets as far as the eye could reach. We passed over the rippling in 9 fathoms; and the wind being entirely gone, were then carried to the south-west.
Soon after four o'clock, the ebb appeared to be making; and the anchor was dropped in 11 fathoms, sandy bottom, about one mile west of Cape Portland. The shore on this side of the cape trends south, in rocky heads and beaches, and afterwards curves westward, forming an extensive bay, which terminates in a point. To this the name of Point Waterhouse was given, in honour of the commander of the Reliance; and an island, whose top is level and moderately high, lying off the point, was named Isle Waterhouse.
The bottom of the large bay is sandy, and the hills of Cape Portland there retiring further back, permitted a view of the inland mountains, of which there was a high and extensive ridge. Mountains like these are usually the parents of rivers; and the direction of the ebb tide, which came from between S. W. by S. and S. W. by W. at the rate of two-and-half miles an hour, gave hopes of finding some considerable inlet in the bay, and increased our anxiety for fair breeze.
