1802.
February.
Wednes. 24.
to be 3° 20′, but upon the summit it was 1° 40′, being less than on board the ship.
The soil of the land round Memory Cove, and of Cape Catastrophe in general, is barren; though the vallies and eastern sides of the hills are covered with brush wood, and in the least barren parts there are small trees of the genus eucalyptus. The basis stone is granite, mostly covered with calcareous rock, sometimes lying in loose pieces; but the highest tops of the hills are huge blocks of granite. Four kanguroos, not larger than those of Thistle's Island, were seen amongst the brushwood; and traces of natives were found so recent, that although none of the inhabitants were seen, they must have been there not longer than a day before. Water does consequently, exist somewhere in the neighbourhood, but all our researches could not discover it.
Before quitting Memory Cove a boat was sent to haul a seine upon the beach, which was done with such success, that every man had two meals of fish and some to spare for salting. Thurs. 25.In the morning, we sailed for the new discovered inlet, and at two o'clock passed round the projection which had been set at N. 18° W. from Thistle's Island. It formed the south side of the entrance to the new opening, and is named Cape Donington. Our soundings in passing it were from 7 to 9 fathoms, and in steering south-westward we left an island four miles long, named Boston Island, on the starbord hand, and passed two islets on the other side, called Bicker Isles, which lie off Surfleet Point. On the depth of water diminishing to 5 fathoms we tacked, and presently came to an anchor on the west side of this point, in 4½ fathoms, soft grey sand. We were then three miles within the entrance, and the nearest shore was a beach half a mile distant, lying under the hill which had been seen from Thistle's Island. This is a ridge of moderately high land about two miles long, but when seen to the north or south it assumes a conical form. I named it Stamford Hill; and there being a good deal of wood scattered over it, a hope was given of procuring water by digging at