Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/401

Investigator's Strait.]

The wind fixed itself at south-east, and it took us two days to work back against it as far as Troubridge Hill. The shore is generally low and sandy; but with the exception of one very low point, it may be approached within two miles. Many tacks were made in these two days, from the northern land across to Kanguroo Island, and gave opportunities of sounding the intermediate strait. From 45 fathoms, in the middle of the western entrance, the depth diminishes quickly to 25, then more slowly to 20; after which it is irregular between 12 and 20 fathoms, as far as the mouth of the second inlet. Of the two sides, that of Kanguroo Island is much the deepest; but there is no danger in any part to prevent a ship passing through the strait with perfect confidence; and the average width is twenty-three miles. It was named, after the ship. The bottom is mostly broken shells, mixed with sand, gravel, or coral, and appeared to hold well.

From two amplitudes taken to the north-north-west of Point Marsden, and near the middle of the strait, the variation was 1° 49′ east; the ship's head being south-south-east in one case, and north-east-by-north in the other. The true variation deduced from these, is 3° 20′ east; which is 1° 7′ greater than at Cape Spencer, and 0° 53′ less than at the anchorage near Kanguroo Head.

At noon of the 37th, the eastern wind died away; and we dropped a kedge anchor in 15 fathoms, about two miles from Point Marsden, where the following observations and bearings were taken.