The Logbooks of the Lady Nelson - With the journal of her first commander Lieutenant James Grant by Ida Lee
page 27 of 327 (08%)
page 27 of 327 (08%)
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venture in or not, I ordered a boat out and took two hands with me armed.
"After getting inshore about five miles we found there was not any shelter from southerly winds; the water was very deep and apparently so all the way in. We plainly saw several fires. At noon it was a matter of great doubt whether we should not be forced to anchor--the bay being very deep we could hardly clear it even with a steady breeze. Our latitude was 38 degrees 20 minutes south. Cape Bridgewater then bearing north-west by west 12 or 13 miles. I called the other Cape, Nelson, after the vessel. "December 5th. Saw several fires. This is a very deep bay and with southerly winds ought carefully to be avoided. Cape Nelson bears from Cape Bridgewater east-north-east 15 or 16 miles. The country is beautiful, apparently a good soil, plenty of grass, and fine woods. Towards evening saw many fires a little way inland. Many seals and porpoises about to-day. At 5 A.M. saw another cape not unlike the Deadman in the English Channel: it runs a considerable way into the sea. When to the west it appears like a long barn arched on the top with a high bluff and next the sea resembling the gable end of a house. I named the land Sir William Grant's Cape.* (* Lieutenant Grant also called this cape, Cape Solicitor. This name did not survive--the cape being known as Cape Sir W. Grant.) Off this Cape are two small islands (the largest appears like two) having two hummocks joined together by a neck of low land which is not seen till pretty close. On approaching, the smaller island is seen--a little nearer the shore. These I called Lawrence's Islands after Captain Lawrence, one of the Elder Brethren of Trinity House. As they will be an excellent mark for making this part...and Cape Northumberland, and being very remarkable, navigators will know where they are as they draw abreast of them, the largest being to the Southwards. Its outer end appears like a square-topt tower, very high, with a white spot in the |
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