Page:A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume 1.djvu/407

Gulph of St. Vincent.]

We now hauled the wind to the south-east, and weathered the dry part of Troubridge Shoal; but passed amongst several patches of discoloured water in soundings from 4 to 3½ fathoms. At noon, when our latitude observed on both sides was 35° 9′ 38″ and longitude by time keepers 138° 4½′, the shoal was distant three leagues to the west-north-west; Cape Jervis bore S. 12°, and Mount Lofty N. 72° E.

Our examination of the gulph of St. Vincent was now finished; and the country round it had appeared to be generally superior to that on the borders of Spencer's Gulph. Yorke's Peninsula between them, is singular in its form, bearing some resemblance to a very ill-shaped leg and foot. The length of the southern part, from Cape Spencer to the sandy point near Troubridge Shoal, is about forty-five miles; and from thence northward, to where the peninsula joins the main land, about sixty miles. Its least breadth is from the head of Hardwicke Bay to the Investigator's Strait, where it appears to be not more than three leagues.

Having now made myself acquainted with the shores of the continent up to Cape Jervis, it remained to pursue the discovery further eastward; but I wished to ascertain previously, whether any error had crept into the time keepers rates since leaving Kanguroo Island, and also to procure there a few more fresh meals for my ship's company. Our course was in consequence directed for the island, which was visible from aloft; but the winds being very feeble, we did not pass Kanguroo Head until eleven at night. I purposed to have run up into the eastern cove of Nepean Bay; but finding the water to shoal from 12 to 7 fathoms, did not think it safe to go further in the dark; and therefore dropped the anchor about three-quarters of a mile from the shore, and two miles to the south-west-by-west of our former anchorage.

Early on the following morning a party was sent to shoot kanguroos, another to cut wood, and the naturalists went to pursue their researches. The observations taken by lieutenant Flinders,