Monday 26.
Tuefday 27.
A V O Y A G E O F D I S C O V E R Y
Portlock calls Stockdale’s harbour. Thefe rocks are flated to have been
feen by Mr. Portlock in his journal, but no notice is taken of them in
his Iketch of this part of Montagu ifland; yet they required to be particularly
pointed out, fince they are not always vifible, but are covered
at high tide, with fcarcely any weeds or other indications of their exigence.
Towards the upper part of the harbour we took a convenient
ftation, and when moored, the north point of the harbour bore by com-
pafs s. 58 w. ; the woody iflet s. 45 w. ; a detached rock s. 38 w . ; the
fouth-weft point of the harbour s. 36 w. ; and the watering place at the
diftance of about half a cable’s length N. 85 w ,; The weather throughout
the day having been ferene- and pleafant, afforded a good opportunity
for drying all the fails, .which were unbent and flowed away.
On monday morning the fore-yard was font on Ihore to be properly
finilhed, the empty calks to- be filled with water, and whilft the other
parts-of the fhip’s company were employed in unrigging1 the broken
bowfprit, and in various other repairs about the veffel, the crews.of the
boats were preparing for a furveying expedition.
Two boat parties were equipped; one under the direfilions of Mr.
Whidbey, the other of Mr. Johnftone; the former, with the yawl and
large cutter provided for a fortnight, received my inftrufiiions to proceed
to the fouth-weft point of entrance into the found, and there to
commence the examination of the weftern Ihpre of this inlet as far as
poflible, and thence round to the fouth point of Snug-corner cove;
where I purpofed that Mr. Johnftone, with the Chatham’s and pur fmaller
cutter, lhould begin the furvey of its Ihores fouthward, as alfo the exterior
coaft to cape Suckling ; on which fervices they refpcfitively departed
early the following morning.
The weather, now ferene and pleafant, was favorable to thefe excur-
fions, and to our feveral employments, amongft which we attempted
to take fome fifh with the feine, but without fuccefs. The Ihores did
not afford any convenient fituation for ere filing the obfervatory; this
gave me concern, as I much wilhed to have had the inftruments on
Ihore, although I had not any doubt of obtaining all the neceffary ob-
fervations we required by the means I otherways poffeffed. The next
day
R O U N D T H E W O R L D .
day the weather became gloomy and overcaft in all direftions ; the fore- ’ 794-
yard being finilhed was brought on board in the evening and rigged, 1 May~ .
and on the following morning the broken bowfprit was taken out and ™ca??r- s8'
found to be excefhvely rotten, and defefilive from end to end. Whilft
the carpenters were engaged on Ihore with the fore-yard, they had found
a fpar, or rather a tree, that promifed fair to replace the bowfprit,
but the lowering weather, which towards noon produced a very ftrong
gale from the e . n . e „ attended with violent fqualls and a heavy rain,
put a flop to all Out operations on Ihore for. this day and until friday Friday 30.
evening, when the wind moderated, and the rain which had defended
in torrents abated. In the courfe of the night it became calm, and
we had hopes that a favorable alteration had taken place, but in this we
were difappointed, for about five in the morning, the wind refumed its Saturday 31.
eafterly direfiliotr with increafed * violence.; The ftream cable gave way,
and broke near the anchor, and on examination it was found to be
ftranded m three different-places. By this accident we were obliged to
remain unmoored during the ftorm, and at low water the Ihip took the
ground for a fhort fpace of time, but on the returning flood' tide fhe
foon floated again. This very unpleafant weather, which occafioned no
fmall degree of anxiety for the welfare of our parties in the boats, con- June,
tmued- moft of the following day, but in the: morning of monday the s'^kÇTT’
weather-became more tranquil, the Ihip was-remoored, the ftream an- Monday2-
chor recovered, and our feveral neceffary concerns were again in a train
of execution. We were a little furprized in the ..forenoon: by the appearance
of Mr. Whidbey’s party returning, to the Ihip, being appre-
henfive that fome untoward accident had befallen them, as it was not
probable that they- could already have accomplifhed the fervice they
had been fent to perform. Their return proved: to. have-been occafioned
by one of the feamen having received an injury which had difabled him ;
and as the very boiffierous weather they had; encountered rendered the
progrefs of their furvey very flow, this opportunity was embraced of
recruiting their flores and provifions to a fortnight’s fupply, with which
m the afternoon the party proceeded again.
The