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Title: Journals and Reports of Two Voyages to the Glenelg River, and the North-west Coast of Australia, 1863-4. Authors: James Martin and Frederick Kennedy Panter; Edited by Ned Overton. * A Project Gutenberg of Australia eBook * eBook No.: 1402601h.html Language: English Date first posted: September 2014 Date most recently updated: September 2014 Produced by: Ned Overton. Project Gutenberg Australia eBooks are created from printed editions which are in the public domain in Australia, unless a copyright notice is included. We do NOT keep any eBooks in compliance with a particular paper edition. Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing this file. This eBook is made available at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg Australia Licence which may be viewed online.GO TO Project Gutenberg Australia HOME PAGE
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1. Report for the Information of His Excellency the Governor of Western Australia, and the Promoters of the North-Western Expedition of 1864, on the Voyage and the Resources of the Districts Explored, by James Martin. A. The District of the Glenelg; Climate, Extent, Pastoral Resources, and General Capabilities of the Soil. B. The District of Roebuck Bay; Climate, Extent, Pastoral Resources and General Capabilities of the Soil. C. The Aborigines of the District of Roebuck Bay. 2. Report of an Expedition to Brecknock Harbour, Camden Sound and Roebuck Bay, by Frederick Panter. 3. Explorations in North-Western Australia: Journal of the First Voyage, 1863, by James Martin. A. From Doubtful Bay to the Lower Rapids of the Glenelg River. B. Land Exploration to Camden Harbour. C. From the Glenelg River to Collier Bay. D. Collier Bay. 4. Trip of the『Flying Foam』to the Glenelg River [1863], by Capt. Cooper (supplied by W. Bateman). A. Introduction. B. Journal. 5. Journal of a Voyage of Exploration to Brecknock Harbour and Roebuck Bay, on the North-west Coast of Australia, in March, April and May, 1864, by James Martin. A. From Champion Bay to Camden Harbor. B. Land Explorations, from Camden Harbor. C. From Brecknock Harbor to Roebuck Bay. D. Roebuck Bay and the Adjacent Country. E. From Roebuck Bay to Fremantle.
6. Journal of the
Expedition to the Glenelg [1864], by Frederick Panter.
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Chart 1—Bedout Island.
[SRO Series 50, Cons. 342 3_item 011.]
[Click on the map to enlarge it.]
On Thursday, the 29th of March, we sighted Caffarelli Island
towards sunset, and sailed a course midway between that island
and the Brue Rock. But at 8.30 P.M., it being very
dark and the weather threatening, we shortened sail; before this
was quite accomplished we struck upon a reef. After striking, the
vessel drifted into 25 fathoms water. At 8.45 P.M.
the anchor was let go, with 60 fathoms of chain. Half an hour
afterwards it became necessary to cast a second anchor, with 60
fathoms of heavier cable. During the night a gale from the S.S.E.
gradually sprang up. At noon, on the 30th March, the smaller of
the two cables parted, whereby we lost the kedge anchor and 70
fathoms of chain. The starboard anchor, weighing 12 cwt., with 60
fathoms of chain, dragged for about 30 minutes, when, just as the
preparations were made to unshackle it and try what sails could
do, it held; nor did the most violent bursts of the gale again
start it. This reef is not laid down upon the charts. The point
of the reef where we struck is between 5 and 6 miles from the
westernmost point of Caffarelli; the island bearing E.S.E. The
reef, on its northern and southern sides, is of a flattened
horseshoe shape, and it extends as far as we can see towards
Caffarelli. It is awash at three-quarter flood-tide. According to
the charts there should be a passage of 14 miles here, between
the Brue Rock and Caffarelli, with soundings from 15 to 25
fathoms.
Chart 2—Caffarelli Island and treacherous
reef.
[SRO Series 50, Cons. 342 3_item 011.]
[Click on the map to enlarge it.]
269
The hygrometric conditions, &c., are detailed in the
annexed Table:—
The direction of the winds, reduced to eight points of the
compass, and the force estimated by the Beaufort notation from
1-12 (observations being made at 9 A.M., 3
P.M., and 9 P.M.) are recorded in
the Table subjoined:—
The extent of the known portion of the Glenelg
district—that is, from the meridian of E. 125° 15' to the
sea-coast, and from the parallel of S. 16° 15', to the latitude
of Camden Harbour—includes only 2925 square miles; of which
area, deducting one-third for stony ridges, an excessive amount,
and the sea-inlets Doubtful Bay, George Water, &c., 1,000,000
acres are suited to the depasturing of sheep. Of these 1,000,000
acres, about 100,000 acres are adapted to the cultivation of rice
and similar grain; 250,000 acres are especially favourable to the
growth of spices, sugar, tea, and coffee; even cereals at high
altitudes, and at certain seasons of the year, might be grown at
any rate in sufficient quantities to meet the requirements of a
pastoral and agricultural population. It is essentially a
wool-growing country; it would be difficult to conceive a more
luxuriantly grassed and watered territory; at the very lowest
estimate it would carry a sheep to an acre, but in some picked
spots there would be no risk in quadrupling that number of stock
per acre, especially if sheep-farming were here practised with
such intelligence as may be found in the tropical and subtropical
districts of the Eastern Colonies of Australia. The district,
however, is neither fitted for cattle nor horses, except they be
paddock-fed.
The islands westward of Brecknock Harbour, although quite as
stony as the Glenelg district, are superbly grassed and watered.
Augustus Island contains 56,000 acres of pastoral land, after
deducting 0.4 of its whole area on account of the deep bays with
which its shores are indented. Byam Martin's and Heywood's
islands give 20,000 acres more. There are, therefore, about
80,000 acres of the richest pastoral land upon these islands,
capable of carrying 80,000 sheep. All this country is so superior
in grazing capabilities to the best districts occupied in the
southern parts of Western Australia, that it is difficult to
institute a comparison.
Mineral Resources.—Excluding building materials,
the chief mineral resources are copper and iron.
1. Copper.—Indications of copper-lodes are to be
met with in several parts of the Glenelg district; whether these
lodes will be found hereafter to yield sufficient quantities to
be profitably worked remains to be seen. Other specimens are
collected than appear in the following list; but as the means of
identification are not now to be obtained, their examination must
be made at some future time:—
a. Bornite—East base of
Mount Lookover.
b. Remolinite—Ditto.
c. Lettsomite—Beach of Brecknock Harbour.
d. Liroconite—Mount Double Cone.
e. Sand containing Erinite, a dystomic Habroneme
Malachite
—Beach on Camden Peninsula.
2. Iron.—Hydrous oxides, veins of both
crystalline and amorphous iron-ore, together with nodular masses
of specular iron-ore, highly crystalline and of considerable
size, occur abundantly throughout the district. In Brecknock
Harbour, at the base of Mount Lookover, and in the summer bed of
the Glenelg, vast quantities of these examples may be found;
scarcity of manual labour alone can prevent these ores of iron
from becoming an important resource to the Glenelg district when
occupied. Titaniferous iron-sand occurs plentifully wherever the
formation is either basaltic or sedimentary; it is even found
largely predominating in soundings of from 10 to 15 fathoms, at a
distance of several miles from the coast-line.
Of the existence of an extensive gold deposit there is no
evidence. From the discovery of exceedingly minute particles in
the mud of the Glenelg River, and from the finding of a single
specimen of nagyagite, an auroplumbiferous telluret, search, if
made, should be directed towards the source of the Glenelg River
and thence southward as far as the FitzRoy River and the
"provincia aurifera" of the old charts.
Precious stones will not be found in sufficient quantity to be
of economic value; indifferent specimens of topazes, sapphires,
zircons, rubies, agate, &c., will reward the seeker in almost
any stream-bed; more rarely beryl, chalcedony, porzellanspath,
obsidian, and flint, will be found.
Building Materials.—The principal building stones
are basalt and sandstones of various kinds, micaceous,
argillaceous, and pseudo-crystalline. The latter, as it has no
tendency to split in one direction more than another, may be
termed a freestone: it is nearly white in colour, and can be
procured in vast quantities upon the surface. The argillaceous
variety is a flagstone well fitted for street flagging, steps,
&c.; it would likewise be found effective in ecclesiastical
architecture.
Limestone yielding lime for building purposes is found in
several localities; the specimens obtained from the range of
hills to the westward of George Water contain the highest
percentage of lime. In the district of the Upper Glenelg there
are fine varieties of crystalline limestone of the saccharine
kind, together with large deposits of a true magnesian limestone
of a pearly lustre. Until an accurate examination of the
palæontological contents and petrological relations of these
limestones be made, their precise value cannot be more exactly
determined.
Indigenous Vegetable Productions.—The following
is a very imperfect sketch of the resources which the indigenous
vegetation furnishes to this district. In grouping these
according to the products afforded by them, the variety,
abundance, colossal size of many and the durability of some,
first attract the attention. By far the greater number of trees,
valued for their timber, may be included among the Eucalypti,
several species of which here attain a height but little inferior
to the E. globulus, or bluegum-tree of Victoria. The
flooded gum-tree (E. rostrata), the white gum (E.
acervula), and the ironbark-tree (E. resinifera), are
all to be found here in situations where, although too distant
from the coast to export, they will prove invaluable to the
future settler. Other species of Eucalypti, e.g. E.
aspera, ferruginea, citriodora, aurantiaca,
phœnicea,—besides their notable service in the
bush as ample shade-givers, will all prove useful woods to the
settler and to the artisan.
Upon the dividing ranges between the Prince Regent's River and
the Glenelg, and in many other localities, the Callitris
verrucosa, a pine not unfrequently met with throughout the
interior of the Australian continent, from Victoria westward and
northward to Champion Bay, Shark's Bay, and Arnheim's
Land,—here, in the above-mentioned district, attains a size
rendering it an object of great value. It is fitted for all the
usual purposes to which deal is applied in buildings generally,
and it occasionally reaches dimensions that suffice for the
making of masts and spars of moderate size. The wood is nearly of
equal value with the well-known Dammara australis, or
Kauri pine. Perfectly straight trees of the following
admeasurements are common:—Circumference near the base, 8
feet; 5 feet from the ground, 7 feet; approximate height of the
whole tree, 100 feet. Sir George Grey speaks of this tree (vol i.
p. 275) as "fit for the purposes either of building or making
spars for vessels"; he adds,﹃it is abundant and good, and could
be readily and cheaply exported, if they were cut in the vicinity
of the streams, and floated down to the sea in the rainy season,
whereby all land carriage would be avoided.﹄This Callitris is
frequently associated with the Araucaria excelsa on the
higher ranges both inland and on the sea-coast.
A melaleuca, very closely allied to if not identical with the
Melaleuca leucodendron of India, from whose leaves the
cajeput oil of commerce is extracted, grows abundantly, and
attains an enormous size. There are many other trees yielding
timber in every respect suitable to the requirements of the
cabinet-maker, whether of plain or ornamental works.
Fruits.—Amongst the edible indigenous fruits,
those of the "quandang" or native peach-tree (Santalum
preissianum) deserves first mention: the fruit,
notwithstanding its thin pericarp and strongly acidulous taste,
is grateful and largely available for food. Other fruiting bushes
of the same order (Santalaceæ) yield berries of a pleasant
flavour.
Three species of Cissus are found: two run along the ground or
entwine amongst shrubs, the third is arborescent. All bear fruit
in size, appearance, and flavour like the small black cluster
grape, and in bunches from ten to forty. The Baobab-tree yields a
drupe as large as a cocoa-nut: the pulp and seeds of this fruit
are very palatable; the bark and spongy inner wood, when soaked
in boiling water, afford an agreeable mucilaginous drink not
unlike maccaroni in taste. These trees attain an enormous
diameter (50 feet in one instance), but they rarely exceed 25
feet in height. The young leaves and seeds of the palm fruit are
of an excellent flavour: when green the seeds or nuts are not
dissimilar to the English filbert.
Native Vegetables.—Amongst the indigenous plants
available as culinary vegetables the fine bean, which grows so
abundantly on the sand-hills of the coast, offers, when boiled, a
nutritious diet: as a species it is as yet unnamed The pea, Abrus
precatorius, is plentiful all over the district: its valuable
properties as a legume are recognised even by the aborigines.
Horses eat greedily the branches, ripe seeds, and leaves. Several
herbaceous members of the small family Basellaceæ may be
regarded as a substitute for spinach. The amylaceous roots of the
Dioscorea, "warrein", and Typha, "yun-jid" or "adjico", are here,
as in the southern parts of Western Australia, important articles
of vegetable food of the natives.
Fibres.—The lemon grass, Anatherum
schoenanthus, is pretty generally distributed throughout the
district: this and one of the Liliaceæ, not unlike a dwarf
Phormium tenax, yield a fibre from which the aborigines
manufacture a strong and well-made twine. But of all the
indigenous fibre-yielding leaves that of the palm deserves
especial examination: it is a species of Livistonia growing in or
near to every stream; its leaf, even if the fibre prove useless
for cordage, will be valuable for the manufacture of hats,
umbrellas, &c., suited to the climate. It might even be
employed in the making of any coarse kind of paper.
Medicinal Plants, Gums, &c.—In this division
of the indigenous vegetable productions, little can be safely
predicated until opportunity has been afforded for an
investigation into the medicinal properties of the plants already
discovered; which, doubtless, form a very inconsiderable number
of this class within even the limited area explored. The abrus
and the anatherum, the pea and the lemon grass, as of most
frequent occurrence, may be considered first. From the roots of
the former we expect a perfect substitute for liquorice in every
respect; from an infusion of the leaves of the latter, we know,
from Indian experience, we can obtain a tea acknowledged to be
stomachic, tonic, and useful in dyspepsia, From the
convolvulaceæ, one species of which is included in the genus
Ipomæa, we may extract deoretin, affirmed to be identical with
jalapin; from a second species, of the genus convolvulus,
scammony or a cathartic resin of equal value may be prepared from
the expressed juice of its roots and stalks. From the root-stocks
of the typha, extracts astringent and diuretic are obtainable. An
elastic gum, something like Indian-rubber, and gum tragacynth,
have been found. Sandaric resin can be procured from the pine and
gum-resins of various descriptions from several of the
eucalypti.
The bark of some of the trees indigenous to this district will
yield a tonic and stimulant, depending on the presence of an
alkaloid, which there is every reason to believe will make them
become an article of export ere many years. The unlimited
quantities of the melaleuca may be expected to produce an oil not
inferior to the cajeputi oil extracted even by the simple Indian
process. There are but few genera of the myrtaceous trees and
shrubs from whose leaves and flowers we fail to extract a greater
or lesser quantity of essential oil—aromatic, volatile,
though somewhat camphoric.
As perfume plants the Chamælaucieæ, the Rutaceæ,
and the Labiatæ abound in species; but to what extent they
will prove of value for perfume distillation is is difficult to
foresee. Lastly, the Acaciæ, producing flowers in the utmost
profusion (especially the large species fringing the upper
Glenelg and nearly all the freshwater streams of the district),
possessing such powerful and agreeable odours, may be indicated
as proximate objects of commercial value when this luxuriant
country shall become the home of an intelligent people.
Animal Products.—To the geological character of
the land its almost universal pre-oolitic fauna may be traced.
Here, as elsewhere throughout the Australian continent, the
pouch-bearing mammals, Marsupiata, rank next to man, so far as
the development of their physical organization is concerned.
These native animals, particularly the larger species of the
Macropidæ, are extremely numerous in the Glenelg district: the
skin of the M. major and the M. laniger, or large
red kangaroo, as well as the skins of the smaller varieties, will
form no mean item in the resources of the early settlers; whilst
these fur-clad skins are regarded as articles of commerce, the
value of the carcase of the animals, as excellent meat, must not
be wholly ignored.
Of birds, which are numerous both as to species and
individuals—the emu, geese, ducks, the native turkey
(Otis Australasianus), the "ngowoo" or native pheasant
(Leipoa ocellata), the jungle-fowl (Megapodius
tumulus), the lyre bird (Menura superba), and very
many others, may be mentioned as valuable either for their flesh,
brilliant plumage, oil, or eggs.
The waters of the district, both fresh and salt, are rich in
products which await enterprise alone to raise them. Foremost
amongst these ranks the dugong (Halicore), a marine
herbivorous animal included in the Cetacea, observed in both
Doubtful Harbour and Camden Sound: its flesh alone, which is not
unlike beef, would make it a welcome visitant; but regarded as
the source of an invaluable oil, superior in a nearly twofold
ratio to the best cod-liver oil, its annual visit would give rise
to a fishery attended with greater profit, outlay and other
things being taken into account, than that of the sperm oil. The
pearl oyster of commerce, the species valued for its nacreous
substance, is undoubtedly to be found here plentifully, for the
aborigines who would not be likely to undertake any excessive
labour to procure them, very commonly wear them as an ornament
suspended round the neck. The Tridacna, a conchiferous
mollusk, found upon any point of the coast between North-West
Cape and the Prince Regent's River, might be included in the
pearl-oyster fishery; for although its shell has no valuable
nacreous lining, in it pearls of great beauty and of considerable
size are not unfrequently obtained. The trepang fishery could not
be profitably carried on by Europeans. Whales and seals have been
more than once seen within the harbours of this district. There
are fine beds of oysters for the table in Brecknock Harbour:
turtles, crabs, cray-fish, &c., abound. Deep-sea fishery
would in all probability be a profitable occupation. The
fresh-water streams teem with fish of large size and of excellent
flavour.
Harbours, Rivers, and Internal Communication.—The
district of the Glenelg is especially rich in bays,
river-harbours, and sheltered anchorages. Along its western
shore, from Collier Bay to Camden Sound inclusive, a vessel may
at all times select a safe position with good holding ground in
15 fathoms water, and shelter from either the islands or the
great coral-reef known as Montgomery Shoal. Doubtful Bay into
which the Glenelg flows after receiving the Gairdner and the Fish
Rivers, both considerable streams, and almost an innumerable host
of minor tributaries, any one of which in the settled districts
of Western Australia would be called a river—is a
magnificent sheet of water, 9 miles in length from north to
south, and 6 miles in breadth from east to west. Although in the
summer vast quantities of water may from all sides pour into the
bay, and the tides gain additional force thereby, yet as it is
thoroughly protected from every wind and from a heavy sea by a
range of islands and reefs to seaward, and the natural breakwater
of the Montgomery Islands and the coral-reef, 14 miles still
further to the westward,—as the holding ground is of the
very best,—and as there is an abundance of room in which to
work the largest ship,—Doubtful Bay, when this portion of
the Australian coast is colonised, will prove a harbour of refuge
second to none. From the great rise and fall of the tide also, 36
feet, this bay is a good site for works necessary to the
repairing of ships. A better terminus to the system of Australian
telegraphs, when connected with those of Europe and Asia, it will
be difficult to find. About the centre of a large mangrove-swamp
on the eastern side of the bay, there is a red conical hill,
which vessels entering by "Foam Passage" should get in a line
with the centre of the passage; at a distance of 2 miles westward
of "Foam Passage", the summit of the red cone will just appear
above the horizon within the bay (bearing true east by south);
this course should be kept for 2½ miles within the bay when
Success Channel, the western entrance into George Water, will
bear due north. The anchorage is safe anywhere within the bay;
but in the vicinity of the spot indicated by the above bearings,
a vessel at anchor will feel the tidal effect to a much less
degree than elsewhere. There is but one known shoal within the
bay, and that is situated at a distance of 4 miles from the red
cone, on a line bearing N. 31° W. from the hill. At spring-tides
this sand-bank was seen dry at low water. Soundings through﹃Foam
Passage﹄and to the anchorage recommended are not less than 10
fathoms at low water; sand and mud bottom. Wood and water are to
be had without difficulty in Doubtful Bay.
Brecknock Harbour, area nearly 20 square miles, is so
thoroughly land-locked that a ship once at anchor, need fear no
wind. The coast line within the harbour is everywhere indented
with beautiful bays. There are several picturesque islands, on
nearly all of which there is fresh water; every valley of the
main has its rippling brook of the purest water running down to
the beach. Ships entering from Camden Sound have but two dangers
to avoid; one is the bank extending northwards from the pinnacle
rock,—the other is the rocky bar between Careening Island
and the circular reef. Until further surveys have been made,
Rogers' Strait is considered a very dangerous entrance on account
of the reefs, and Camden Harbour a hazardous anchorage by reason
of its terrace-like bottom, which at some tides has not more than
half or three quarters of a fathom of water. Brecknock Harbour is
an excellent place for watering ships, and drift-wood is abundant
near the line of high water; but timber, fit for spars and the
repairs of ships, grows at too great a distance inland to be
available.
Chart 3—Brecknock Harbour and
environs.
[SRO Series 50, Cons. 342 3_item 011.]
[Click on the map to enlarge it.]
Vessels entering from Camden Sound should do so only with the
flood-tide and with a fair wind; the rocks to the south-west of
New Island, to be seen at all times, may be passed in
mid-channel; but on sighting the Pinnacle, which is close to the
southern shore, a course about one-eighth of a mile distant from
New Island will command the deepest water, running from 13 to 14
fathoms at the narrowest part of the entrance; when the Pinnacle
bears south, a course E. 10° N. may be sailed for 2½ miles, when
the northern entrance opens out into Camden Sound, bearing
north-west, all bearings true; thence, a course E.N.E. of 3 miles
may be steered, with 6 and 7 fathoms of water, either towards
Green Island or Camden Harbour. Vessels above 100 tons register
may select any spot within these limits, and obtain safe
anchorage. Vessels of less than 100 tons register, with a draught
of about 10 feet, after crossing the rocky bar north-east by
north of Careening Island, may find a perfectly secure anchorage,
anywhere in mid-channel, as far as the entrance to Camden
Harbour, with not less than 3 and 4 fathoms of water; all these
soundings are at low tide. For beaching a vessel on a soft
bottom, it would be difficult to find a better spot than the
sand-patch on Careening Island; whilst if a hard even bottom be
desired, for repairs of keel, &c., the deep bay whose head
bears south-east from Mount Lookover, distant half a mile from
the base of the mount, will be found convenient and safe. The
time of high water within Brecknock Harbour, at full and change
of the moon, or the Establishment of the Port, is at noon; that
is 40 minutes later than in Camden Sound. Spring rise of tide 30
feet; neap, 12 feet. The tides rush through the entrances with
great force; it would not be advisable for any vessel to attempt
the passages under sail, with an opposing tide.
"Success Channel", the north-west passage from Doubtful Bay to
George Water, is safe for vessels of any draught, provided the
flood tide be made use of; and anchorage in George Water or
Maitland Bay is good; thence, to the lower rapids of the Glenelg,
distant 40 miles from "Foam Passage", the river Glenelg may be
described as safe and easy to navigate with cargo-boat or small
steamer. Above the rapids cargo-boats might ply, for fully half
the year, to a distance of 25 miles; but this last-mentioned
navigation would be uncertain between the months of May and
November. The Gairdner and Fish Rivers have a tide of not less
than 10 feet; water communication to a limited extent, therefore,
could be depended upon in these rivers for the same period as in
the case of the upper Glenelg.
With regard to the internal communication of the district, it
will suffice to state that there would be no great difficulty in
the construction of roads: but lines of railway would in several
directions entail great engineering difficulties, owing to the
naturally precipitous character of the hills, and deep
stream-beds of the rivers and gullies.
279
Chart 4—Roebuck Bay and
environs.
[SRO Series 50, Cons. 342 3_item 011.]
[Click on the map to enlarge it.]
The mean atmospheric pressure, temperature, &c., for the
month of May, from the 1st to the 23rd inclusive, is shown in the
following Table:—
The mean hygrometric conditions, &c., will be found in the
annexed Table:—
The direction of the winds, reduced to eight points of the
compass and the force estimated by the Beaufort notation,
observations being made at 9 A.M., 3
P.M., and 9 P.M., are recorded in
the Table subjoined:—
The extent of explored country within the limits already
mentioned as far eastward only as the meridian of 123° includes
an area of 3300 square miles; but from what has been seen at the
most distant stations from our depôt, there is every reason to
believe that the same kind of country extends eastward at least
as far as the Fitzroy River, in long. E. 123° 30'; and southward
we know not to what extent. The known portion, however, contains
2,112,000 acres of perfectly level country,—so level that
with the exception of the sea-coast range of sand-hills and three
little hummocks near Cape Villarêt, no spot traversed eastward
from the depôt exceeded 50 feet in altitude. Of these 2,112,000
acres, perfectly level, well-grassed and almost treeless plains
occupy 80,000 acres, the one-half of which lie round the south
and east shores of Roebuck Bay, and the remainder inland from or
east of Lagrange Bay. These plains possess chiefly an alluvial
soil capable of growing many tropical productions; they are
fringed with belts of moderately large Cajeputi trees. In the
native wells, which are found on these plains at intervals of not
more than a mile, water is obtainable within 16 or 18 feet,
whilst within the belt of Cajeputi trees it is found plentifully
within 4 or 5 feet of the surface. The rest of the country
consists of grassy plains with shrubs and small timber chiefly of
the order Myrtaceæ, sub-orders Chamælaucieæ, Leptospermeæ,
Myrteæ, not growing so thickly as to impede rapid riding except
where thickets occur. These thickets are rather difficult to
traverse on account of the mass of dead wood, the accumulation of
years, not because of the density of the vegetation; once burnt
thoroughly, as thickets they would disappear. The grass is fine,
sweet, and plentiful; our route crossed no sand plains or barren
places; in May the grass averages one foot in height, and it is
quite green. A distinguishing feature between the grass of the
Glenelg District and that found here must be mentioned, as upon
it is based the comparatively low estimate of sheep-grazing
capability. The grass grows in tufts. (This is also the
case in certain highly valued parts of the already settled
districts of Western Australia.) For this reason, as it is as
well to under-estimate the carrying capability of a newly
discovered country, a deduction of one-half its supposed
carrying power is now made, although it is more than probable
that the experience of the future settler will declare the amount
to be greatly underrated. This premised, the known parts of the
Roebuck Bay District, within the limits already mentioned, may be
safely asserted to be capable of carrying upwards of one million
of sheep.
No evidence of mineral resources was discovered in sufficient
quantities to warrant more extended research. Building materials
do not abound. The indigenous Vegetable resources are very
similar to those already named in reporting of the Glenelg
country. The Baobab, palm, and pine do not occur here, and the
timber generally can only be described as affording an ample
supply of firewood and an inferior material for fencing. With
respect to perfume plants, however, the whole district is
particularly rich. Nearly every tree and plant in flower yields a
strong and grateful odour; the dwarf myrtle, so common here,
perhaps, has the most powerful odour; but some of the acaciæ and
small shrubs possess scents exquisitely beautiful. The perfume of
the heliotrope, the violet, the clove pink, the rose, the stock,
were all recognised; but many others, although delicious, were
such as could not be likened to that of any commonly known plant
or flower. Such animal products as are found here are already
included in the list given of those within the district of the
Glenelg.
Harbours and Internal Communication.—Roebuck Bay
was well explored by Mr. Arthur Du Boulay, during the absence of
the expedition inland. Six days were spent in its examination. It
is a sheet of water at high tide extending 15 miles inland and
having an opening from Cape Villarêt to the opposite coast of
Dampier Land of no less than 22 miles; but if a line be drawn
from Cape Villarêt to Point Gantheaume, the land dry at low water
is at no point distant more than 4 miles from that line. The bay
is thus reduced for the purposes of navigation to a trifling
indentation of the coast line not exceeding an average breadth of
2 miles at the most. The whole of this is very shallow, 3 fathoms
at low water, with the exception of a narrow channel running
parallel from Cape Villarêt along the south-east shore of the
bay. At a distance of 1½ mile to the north of Cape Villarêt this
channel has a depth of 12 fathoms, but on tracing it up the bay
it is found to shoal rapidly and ultimately disappeared at 6½
miles in a north-east direction. If a line due north from Cape
Villarêt be drawn, after crossing the narrow channel just
mentioned, for 20 miles extensive shoals are formed which give in
no instance deeper water than 4 fathoms upon that line. The
anchorage, however, in or near this deep channel is good and the
ship is protected from the strong south-east breezes by the
sand-hills of the coast; nor is it found a bad anchorage during
south-west, south, east, or north-east winds. No strong wind has
yet been registered from the west, north-west, or west. Only one
detached rock, dangerous to shipping, has as yet been seen, and
that is situated off Cape Villarêt, at a distance of about 1 mile
north by west from the beach at the foot of the Cape; it is well
above water at low tide. The bay has a series of fine sandy
beaches from Cape Villarêt in a north-east direction for 12
miles; to these succeeds a mangrove fringe, attaining its
greatest density and breadth at the head of the bay. High water
at full and change occurs at 10 A.M. Spring-tides
rise 23½ feet; neap-tide 12 feet.
Lagrange Bay as a harbour is of still less value than Roebuck
Bay. It is only an indentation of the coast line to the extent of
4 miles at the deepest part. Viewed from the high land on Cape
Latouche Treville it appears to be shallow. There was no
opportunity to obtain soundings in Lagrange Bay. From the hammock
on Cape Latouche Treville, whose summit is 180 feet above mean
sea-level, an excellent view of the hay was obtained extending
all round its coast line to Cape Bossut and Casuarina Reef. No
considerable stream, perhaps not a creek, falls into the sea by
this bay.
Throughout the country explored in this district there is an
entire absence of rivers and even creeks, except a number of very
short ones between Cape Villarêt and Cape Du Boulay. Land
transit, however, is exceedingly easy, for the country is
perfectly level; the soil, at a greater distance than 2 miles
from the sea coast, is a red sandy loam without stone and only
rarely showing a very fine gravel upon the surface. It is
sufficiently hard for heavy drays to traverse it in any
direction: nor does it seem likely to cut up much with continuous
traffic.
Summary of pastoral and other lands explored on the North-West
Coast:—
The following Table shows the direction and the force of winds
experienced on the coast between Champion Bay and Camden
Sound:—
283
By this it will be seen that the language ignores sibilant
letters; many of our consonants these natives cannot pronounce at
all; e.g. t, and its compound th, f, g, &c. In short,
the language may be said to be composed chiefly of vowel and
liquid sounds, with a limited number of consonants. The terminal
h in many of the native words given above is very strongly
marked, and is characteristic of and points prominently to the
origin of the dialect. The letter r is rolled in the native
pronunciation after the manner of the French.
James Martin.
Perth, W.A., June
16, 1864.
[END MARTIN's 1863 REPORT.]
| (Signed) | F. K. PANTER. |
| JAMES MARTIN. |
Chart 5—N. W. Australia [northern part];
J. S. Roe, 1864]
[SRO Series 50, Cons. 342 3_item 009.]
[Click on the map to enlarge it.]
| ft. diam. | years old. | |
| ←—→ | ←————→ | |
| 30 : 50 | : : | 5,150 : 8,583. |
| Area in acres | Estimated carrying capabilities (sheep.) |
|
| Glenelg district | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Augustus and other islands | 80,000 | 80,000 |
| Roebuck Bay district | 2,112,000 | 1,056,000 |
| Totals | 3,912,000 | 2,136,000 |
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