Flinders
and Bass
1798.
latitude and longitude, are the best distant marks for finding Port Dalrymple. If a ship come along shore from the eastward, the Ninth Island, and afterward Stony Head with the Tenth Islet lying three or four miles to the north-west, will announce the vicinity of the port; and Low Head will be perceived in the bight to the S.S.W., but it is not a conspicuous object.
Three or four leagues to the westward of the port, the back land is uncommonly high, and the top of the ridge is intersected into uncouth shapes. From the brilliancy of some of these mountains, on the appearance of the sun after rain, I judged them to be of granite, like those of Furneaux's Islands. These mountains, with the direction of the coast and what has been said of the clusters of hills, may serve as marks for Port Dalrymple to ships coming along shore from the westward.
Reefs and banks extend out to a considerable distance on the west side of the entrance; so that strangers should avoid that side, and endeavour to come in with Low Head. The greater part of these shoals, as also of those in Sea Reach, are covered at half tide; therefore the first of the flood, or even a little before, is the best time to enter Port Dalrymple, as almost the whole of the dangers are then visible. A signal post, with pilots, was fixed at Low Head on the settlement of the new colony in 1804, and beacons have since been placed on the most dangerous rocks and shoals; it has therefore become unnecessary to give particular instructions for sailing up the port, especially as they may be found in my Observations on the coasts of Van Diemen's Land, &c.; a little memoir published by Mr. Arrowsmith, in 1801.[1]
We found Port Dalrymple to be an excellent place for refresh-
- ↑ In Mr. Horsburgh's Sailing Directions, &c. Part II., are given, upon my friend captain Kent's authority, notices of the beacons laid down, and directions respecting them; to which I add, from the information of lieut. Oxley, that a rock, on which H.M. ship Porpoise struck, lies W. ½ N. by compass, one cable's length from Point Roundabout. There is no more than four feet upon it at low water, but it may be safely passed on either side.
