[Early Australian Voyages by John Pinkerton]@TWC D-Link book
Early Australian Voyages

CHAPTER XXI: REMARKS UPON THE VOYAGE
56/148

Of shell-fish, here were oysters both of the common kind for eating, and of the pearl kind; and also whelks, conchs, muscles, limpits, periwinkles, &c., and I gathered a few strange shells, chiefly a sort not large, and thickset all about with rays or spikes growing in rows.
And thus having ranged about a considerable time upon this coast, without finding any good fresh water or any convenient place to clean the ship, as I had hoped for; and it being moreover the height of the dry season, and my men growing scorbutic for want of refreshments, so that I had little encouragement to search further, I resolved to leave this coast, and accordingly in the beginning of September set sail towards Timor.
On the 12th of December, 1699, we sailed from Babao, coasting along the island Timor to the eastward, towards New Guinea.

It was the 20th before we got as far as Laphao, which is but forty leagues.

We saw black clouds in the north-west, and expected the wind from that quarter above a month sooner.
That afternoon we saw the opening between the islands Omba and Fetter, but feared to pass through in the night.

At two o'clock in the morning it fell calm, and continued so till noon, in which time we drove with the current back again south-west six or seven leagues.
On the 22nd, steering to the eastward to get through between Omba and Fetter, we met a very strong tide against us, so that although we had a very fresh gale, we yet made way very slowly; but before night got through.

By a good observation we found that the south-east point of Omba lies in latitude 8 degrees 25 minutes.


<<Back  Index  Next>>

D-Link book Top

TWC mobile books