early australian voyages-第17部分

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r　else　here　was　a　tide　unknown　to　us　that　deceived　us；　though　we　had　found　very　little　of　any　tide　on　this　coast　hitherto；　as　to　our　winds　in　the　coasting　thus　far；　as　we　had　been　within　the　verge　of　the　general　trade　（though　interrupted　by　the　storm　I　mentioned）；　from　the　latitude　of　28　degrees；　when　we　first　fell　in　with　the　coast；　and　by　that　time　we　were　in　the　latitude　of　25　degrees；　we　had　usually　the　regular　trade　wind　（which　is　here　south…south…east）　when　we　were　at　any　distance　from　shore；　but　we　had　often　sea　and　land　breezes；　especially　when　near　shore　and　when　in　Shark's　Bay；　and　had　a　particular　north…west　wind　or　storm　that　set　us　in　thither。　　On　this　18th　of　August　we　coasted　with　a　brisk　gale　of　the　true　trade　wind　at　south…south…east；　very　fair　and　clear　weather；　but　hauling　off　in　the　evening　to　sea；　were　next　morning　out　of　sight　of　land；　and　the　land　now　trending　away　north…easterly；　and　we　being　to　the　northward　of　it；　and　the　wind　also　shrinking　from　the　south…south…east　to　the　east…south…east　（that　is；　from　the　true　trade　wind　to　the　sea　breeze；　as　the　land　now　lay）；　we　could　not　get　in　with　the　land　again　yet　awhile　so　as　to　see　it；　though　we　trimmed　sharp　and　kept　close　on　a　wind。　　We　were　this　19th　day　in　latitude　21　degrees　42　minutes。　　The　20th　we　were　in　latitude　19　degrees　37　minutes；　and　kept　close　on　a　wind　to　get　sight　of　the　land　again；　but　could　not　yet　see　it。　　We　had　very　fair　weather；　and　though　we　were　so　far　from　the　land　as　to　be　out　of　sight　of　it；　yet　we　had　the　sea　and　land　breezes。　　In　the　night　we　had　the　land　breeze　at　south…south…　east；　a　small　gentle　gale；　which　in　the　morning　about　sun…rising　would　shift　about　gradually　（and　withal　increasing　in　strength）　till　about　noon　we　should　have　it　at　east…south…east；　which　is　the　true　sea　breeze　here。　　Then　it　would　blow　a　brisk　gale　so　that　we　could　scarce　carry　our　top…sails　double…reefed；　and　it　would　continue　thus　till　three　in　the　afternoon；　when　it　would　decrease　again。　　The　weather　was　fair　all　the　while；　not　a　cloud　to　be　seen；　but　very　hazy；　especially　nigh　the　horizon。　　We　sounded　several　times　this　20th　day；　and　at　first　had　no　ground；　but　had　afterwards　from　fifty…　two　to　forty…five　fathom；　coarse　brown　sand；　mixed　with　small　brown　and　white　stones；　with　dints　besides　in　the　tallow。

The　21st　day　also　we　had　small　land　breezes　in　the　night；　and　sea　breezes　in　the　day；　and　as　we　saw　some　sea…snakes　every　day；　so　this　day　we　saw　a　great　many；　of　two　different　sorts　or　shapes。　　One　sort　was　yellow；　and　about　the　bigness　of　a　man's　wrist；　about　four　feet　long；　having　a　flat　tail　about　four　fingers　broad。　　The　other　sort　was　much　smaller　and　shorter；　round；　and　spotted　black　and　yellow。　This　day　we　sounded　several　times；　and　had　forty…five　fathom；　sand。　We　did　not　make　the　land　till　noon；　and　then　saw　it　first　from　our　topmast　head；　it　bore　south…east　by　east　about　nine　leagues　distance；　and　it　appeared　like　a　cape　or　head　of　land。　　The　sea　breeze　this　day　was　not　so　strong　as　the　day　before；　and　it　veered　out　more；　so　that　we　had　a　fair　wind　to　run　in　with　to　the　shore；　and　at　sunset　anchored　in　twenty　fathom；　clean　sand；　about　five　leagues　from　the　Bluff　point；　which　was　not　a　cape　（as　it　appeared　at　a　great　distance）；　but　the　easternmost　end　of　an　island　about　five　or　six　leagues　in　length；　and　one　in　breadth。　　There　were　three　or　four　rocky　islands　about　a　league　from　us；　between　us　and　the　Bluff　point；　and　we　saw　many　other　islands　both　to　the　east　and　west　of　it；　as　far　as　we　could　see　either　way　from　our　topmast…head；　and　all　within　them　to　the　south　there　was　nothing　but　islands　of　a　pretty　height；　that　may　be　seen　eight　or　nine　leagues　off；　by　what　we　saw　of　them　they　must　have　been　a　range　of　islands　of　about　twenty　leagues　in　length；　stretching　from　east…north…east　to　west…　south…west；　and；　for　aught　I　know；　as　far　as　to　those　of　Shark's　Bay；　and　to　a　considerable　breadth　also；　for　we　could　see　nine　or　ten　leagues　in　among　them；　towards　the　continent　or　mainland　of　New　Holland；　if　there　be　any　such　thing　hereabouts；　and　by　the　great　tides　I　met　with　awhile　afterwards；　more　to　the　north…east；　I　had　a　strong　suspicion　that　here　might　be　a　kind　of　archipelago　of　islands；　and　a　passage　possibly　to　the　south　of　New　Holland　and　New　Guinea　into　the　great　South　Sea　eastward；　which　I　had　thoughts　also　of　attempting　in　my　return　from　New　Guinea；　had　circumstances　permitted；　and　told　my　officers　so；　but　I　would　not　attempt　it　at　this　time；　because　we　wanted　water；　and　could　not　depend　upon　finding　it　there。　　This　place　is　in　the　latitude　of　20　degrees　21　minutes；　but　in　the　draught　that　I　had　of　this　coast；　which　was　Tasman's；　it　was　laid　down　in　19　degrees　50　minutes；　and　the　shore　is　laid　down　as　all　along　joining　in　one　body　or　continent；　with　some　openings　appearing　like　rivers；　and　not　like　islands　as　really　they　are。　　This　place　lies　more　northerly　by　40　minutes　than　is　laid　down　in　Mr。　Tasman's　draught；　and　besides　its　being　made　a　firm　continued　land；　only　with　some　openings　like　the　mouths　of　rivers；　I　found　the　soundings　also　different　from　what　the　pricked　line　of　his　course　shows　them；　and　generally　shallower　than　he　makes　them；　which　inclines　me　to　think　that　he　came　not　so　near　the　shore　as　his　line　shows；　and　so　had　deeper　soundings；　and　could　not　so　well　distinguish　the　islands。　　His　meridian　or　difference　of　longitude　from　Shark's　Bay　agrees　well　enough　with　my　account；　which　is　two　hundred　and　thirty…two　leagues；　though　we　differ　in　latitude；　and　to　confirm　my　conjecture　that　the　line　of　his　course　is　made　too　near　the　shore；　at　least　not　far　to　the　east　of　this　place；　the　water　is　there　so　shallow　that　he　could　not　come　there　so　nigh。

But　to　proceed。　　In　the　night　we　had　a　small　land　breeze；　and　in　the　morning　I　weighed　anchor；　designing　to　run　in　among　the　islands；　for　they　had　large　channels　between　them　of　a　league　wide　at　least；　and　some　two　or　three　leagues　wide。　　I　sent　in　my　boat　before　to　sound；　and　if　they　found　shoal　water　to　return　again；　but　if　they　found　water　enough　to　go　ashore　on　one　of　the　islands　and　stay　till　the　ship　came　in；　where　they　might　in　the　meantime　search　for　water。　　So　we　followed　after　with　the　ship；　sounding　as　we　went　in；　and　had　twenty　fathom　till　within　two　leagues　of　the　Bluff　head；　and　then　we　had　shoal　water　and　very　uncertain　soundings；　yet　we　ran　in　still　with　an　easy　sail；　sounding　and　looking　out　well；　for　this　was　dangerous　work。　　When　we　came　abreast　of　the　Bluff　head；　and　about　two　miles　from　it；　we　had　but　seven　fathom；　then　we　edged　away　from　it；　but　had　no　more　water；　and　running　in　a　little　farther　we　had　but　four　fathoms；　so　we　anchored　immediately；　and　yet　when　we　had　veered　out　a　third　of　a　cable；　we　had　seven　fathom　water　again；　so　uncertain　was　the　water。　　My　boat　came　immediately　on　board；　and　told　me　that　the　island　was　very　rocky　and　dry；　and　they　had　little　hopes　of　finding　water　there。　　I　sent　them　to　sound；　and　bade　them；　if　they　found　a　channel　of　eight　or　ten　fathom　water；　to　keep　on；　and　we　would　follow　with　the　ship。　　We　were　now　about　four　leagues　within　the　outer　small　rocky　islands；　but　still　could　see　nothing　but　islands　within　us；　some　five　or　six　leagues　long；　others　not　above　a　mile　round。　　The　large　islands　were　pretty　high；　but　all　appeared　dry；　and　mostly　rocky　and　barren。　　The　rocks　looked　of　a　rusty　yellow　colour；　and　therefore　I　despaired　of　getting　water　on　any　of　them；　but　was　in　some　hopes　of　finding　a　channel　to　run　in　beyond　all　these　islands；　could　I　have　spent　time　here；　and　either　got　to　the　main　of　New　Holland　or　find　out　some　other　islands　that　might　afford　us　water　and　other　refreshments；　besides　that　among　so　many　islands　we　might　have　found　some　sort　of　rich　mineral；　or　ambergris；　it　being　a　good　latitude　for　both　these。　　But　we　had　not　sailed　above　a　league　farther　before　our　water　grew　shoaler　again；　and　then　we　anchored　in　six　fathom；　hard　sand。

We　were　now　on　the　inner　side　of　the　island；　on　whose　outside　is　the　Bluff　point。　　We　rode　a　league　from　the　island；　and　I　presently　went　ashore　and　carried　shovels　to　dig　for　water；　but　found　none。　　There　grow　here　two　or　three　sorts　of　shrubs；　one　just　like　rosemary；　and　therefore　I　called　this　Rosemary　Island；　it　grew　in　great　plenty　here；　but　had　no　smell。　　Some　of　the　other　shrubs　had　blue　and　yellow　flowers；　and　we　found　two　sorts　of　grain　like　beans；　the　one　grew　on　bushes；　the　other　on　a　sort　of　creeping　vine　that　runs　along　on　the　ground；　having　very　thick　broad　leaves；　and　the　blossom　like　a　bean　blossom；　but　much　larger　and　of　a　deep　red　colour；　looking　very　beautiful。　　We　saw　here　some　cormorants；　gulls；　crab…catchers；　etc。；　a　few　small　land　birds；　and　a　sort　of　white　parrots；　which　flew　a　great　many　together。　　We　found　some　shell…fish；　viz。；　limpets；　periwinkles；　and　abundance　of　small　oysters　growing　on　the　rocks；　which　were　very　sweet。　　In　the　sea　we　saw　some　green　turtle；　many　sharks；　and　abundance　of　water…snakes　of　several　sorts　and　sizes。　　The　stones　were　all　of　rusty　colour；　and　ponderous。

We　saw　a　smoke　on　an　island　three　or　four　leagues　off；　and　here　also　the　bushes　had　been　burned；　but　we　found　no　other　sign　of　inhabitants。　　It　was　probable　that　on　the　island　where　the　smoke　was　there　were　inhabitants；　and　fresh　water　for　them。　　In　the　evening　I　went　aboard；　and　consulted　with　my　officers　whether　it　was　best　to　send　thither；　or　to　search　among　any　other　of　these　islands　with　my　boat；　or　else　go　from　hence　and　coast　along　shore　with　the　ship；　till　we　could　find　some　better　place　than　this　was　to　ride　in；　where　we　had　shoal　water　and　lay　exposed　to　winds　and　tides。　　They　all　agreed　to　go　from　hence；　so　I　gave　orders　to　weigh　in　the　morning　as　soon　as　it　should　be　light；　and　to　get　out　with　the　land　breeze。

Accordingly；　August　23rd；　at　five　in　the　morning；　we　ran　out；　having　a　pretty　fresh　land　breeze　at　south…south…east。　　By　eight　o'clock　we　were　got　out；　and　very　seasonably；　for　before　nine　the　sea　breeze　came　on　us　very　strong；　and　increasing；　we　took　in　our　top…sails　and　stood　off　under　two　courses　and　a　mizen；　this　being　as　much　sail　as　we　could　carry。　　The　sky　was　clear；　there　being　not　one　cloud　to　be　seen；　but　the　horizon　appeared　very　hazy；　and　the　su