There is but one tide in the twenty-four hours, with about 3 or 4 feet rise and fall; the stream in the gut did not exceed 1 knots while we were there. The timber grows to a great height, many of the trees being 80 or 90 feet, and perfectly straight, and of sizes from 9 feet in circumference downwards, the small being as tall as the large. No natives reside here. A few may come round the cape in fine weather, with some trifles to barter. Should refreshments be required, as they cannot be got here, they may be procured on the North side of New Ireland; the canoes will come off 5 or 6 miles to a ship, bringing taro, cocoanuts, plantains, and sometimes yams, which they barter for pieces of iron hoop, knives, hatchets, &c.* NEW BRITAIN. Dampier was the first to decide that this was a distinct island; prior to his voyage, it was supposed to form an integral part of New Guinea. Its southern side was examined by Dampier, and has been more recently and more exactly described by the celebrated D'Urville, under very adverse weather. On the North side D'Entrecasteaux is the principal authority, though his observations were very imperfect for a survey. Its native name is Birara. CAPE STEPHENS is the N.E. point of New Britain. The name was applied by D'Entrecasteaux to another headland to the West of it. North of it is an island, called by Carteret Isle of Man. This portion of New Britain forms a peninsula, and on its North part are some high land and three remarkable hills, close to each other, which Carteret called the Mother and Daughters. The Mother is the centre one, and the largest. They are very remarkable, and may be readily seen in clear weather at the distance of 20 leagues. Capt. Hunter says that a little way with the S.E. Daughter there is a small flat-topped hill or volcano, which emitted vast columns of black smoke, a fact to which Carteret also witnesses, but he saw the smoke behind the principal mountain. To the East of these hills, and S.E. of Cape Stephens, is Cape Palliser. The interval between them is a bay, with low land near the shore, gradually rising into lofty hills towards the Mother and Daughters, and covered with extensive forests having many clear spots or plantations. It was supposed to be well inhabited. Entrance Point (Pte. de l'Entrée) is the first point determined by D'Urville; he places it in lat. 4° 52′ S., lon. 152° 15′ E. Cape Buller is directly to the South of it, 20 miles distant. Nautical Magazine, January, 1839, pp. 37-8. + Capt. D'Urville was very unfortunate in the weather he experienced off New Britain. He says: "I am compelled to retract the favourable opinion I had formed of it from the narrative of Dampier, and the conjectures of the president Desbrosses. If the latter had experienced the miseries of our voyage, he would not certainly have chosen this country as the site of the colony he wished to establish in this part of the globe. Never, in any country, have I observed anything approaching to the torrents of rain with which we were inundated for twelve whole days. Bougainville and D'Entrecasteaux experienced similar weather at the anchorages at Praslin and Carteret. We were more fortunate, and generally had fine weather at Port Praslin. But it would seem as if these were rare cases, and are not to be calculated on."-Vol. iv. p. 531, July, 1827. It may be observed, however, that notwithstanding the continued bad weather, and the very arduous duties on board the Coquille, there was not a single sick person except the commander, who suffered from other causes. "At noon we found ourselves at 10 miles to the E.S.E. of Cape Buller, before a deep embayment, which exists between Cape Buller and Cape Orford, and which in this part must reduce the connexion of the North part of New Britain to a narrow isthmus. From this part the peak, which corresponded very well with D'Entrecasteaux's Deschamps Peak, was very remarkable in the West. The deep and spacious bay spoken of above was not sufficiently made out to affirm that it may not disconnect the two portions of New Britain; but if so, the channel must be narrow, and was not distinguished from the offing."* CAPE ORFORD,† which is at the South point of this bay, and the S.E. point of New Britain, is composed of three rounded points, backed by very high mountains. It is in lat. 5° 24', lon. 152° 4. The land near the sea, though generally covered with trees, is in some parts apparently cleared, which would lead to the supposition that some cultivation exists. Not far from the shore the water changes colour, but this must arise from the nature of the bottom, as neither reefs nor rocks were seen, and the swell seemed to break directly on the shore, and Cape Orford itself is a very high and perpendicular cliff, overhung with enormous mountains, some distance inland. Between Quoy Peak (lat. 5° 37', lon. 151° 47') and Cape Orford, a distance of 25 miles, the coast is uniformly high, steep, and covered with thick forests. Quoy Peak is an immense mountain, and very remarkable from its isolated position. It is in the form of a very regular cone, viewed from seaward. Point Owen is in this portion of the coast, near to Cape Quoy. The smoke from a small island indicated natives. Jacquinot Bay lies to the West of Cape Quoy, and is terminated to the S.W. by Cape Cunningham. PORT MONTAGU was also named by Dampier in honour of his noble patron. He was here in March, 1699. He watered in a small river in its N.E. part, and here also he procured wood, and bartered for provisions, pigs, &c., with the natives, who he found rather disposed to be troublesome, though his treatment did not warrant much else. Capt. D'Urville, when here in July, 1827, experienced a long continuance of very bad weather, which prevented a more close examination of Port Montagu. Its eastern point was named Point Dampier by him, and he states it to be a high, steep, and conspicuous promontory. He also saw in the bay, but did not visit them, three islands of various sizes, one of which was remarkable from its conical form. He was unable to trace farther this important part of New Britain, but saw sufficient to be assured that the coast is continuous, and to affirm that there is no passage through, though the land is here reduced to a very narrow neck.‡ Dampier says:-"The country hereabouts is mountainous and woody, full of D'Urville, vol. iv. pp. 321–323. + Cape Orford was thus named by Dampier in honour of his noble patron. "The land trends from this cape N.W. by W. into the bay, and on the other side S.W. by compass, which is S.W. 9° W., allowing the variation, which is here 9° East. The land on each side of the cape is more savannah than woodland, and is the highest on the N.W. side. The cape itself is a bluff point, of an indifferent height, with a flat table-land on the top. When we were to the 8.W. of the cape it appeared to be a low point shooting out."-(March, 1699.)—Dampier, vol. iii. pp. 208-9. D'Urville, vol. iv. p. 529. rich valleys, and pleasant fresh-water brooks. The mould in the valleys is deep and yellowish; that on the sides of the hills of a very brown colour, and not very deep, but rocky underneath, yet excellent plant land. The trees in general are neither very straight, thick, nor tall, yet appear green and pleasant enough, but all unknown trees. Cocoa-nut trees thrive very well here; as well on the bays by the sea-side as more remote among the plantations. The nuts are of an indifferent size, the milk and kernel very pleasant. Here are ginger, yams, and other very good roots for the pot, that our men saw and tasted. What other fruits or roots the country affords, I know not. Here are hogs and dogs; other land animals we saw none. The fowls we saw and knew were pigeons, parrots, cockadores, and crows, like those in England, a sort of bird about the bigness of a blackbird, and smaller birds many. The sea and rivers have plenty of fish; we saw abundance, though we catched but few, and these were cavallies, yellowtails, and whip-rays." Westward of this D'Urville saw but imperfectly from the bad weather. At one time he saw, through the driving rain, that the coast extended to the W.N.W., when it was terminated by a low island. All the land seen was also very low, covered with large trees, and apparently composed of a crowd of islets lying before the coast of New Britain. The land of this, much more elevated, receded farther into the interior, and was rarely visible, on account of the squalls of rain and fog. Along the coast there extended a belt of troubled water, which reached above 4 miles off the coast, the direction of which appeared to be from East to West. It formed a very distinct line of demarcation with the sea in the offing, and he was obliged to cross a portion of it. M. D'Urville remarks that the weather was so very bad, the currents so variable, and consequently the difficulties of their navigation and examination of this almost unknown coast (for Dampier's very imperfect sketch afforded but little service) so great that it is more imperfectly delineated by M. Lottin than that of any other portion of the countries explored by the Astrolabe. The Roos Islands, which are low, lie about 30 miles N.W. from Cape South; and at about the same distance to the W.N.W. of these again is a considerable group, which D'Urville named the Gracious Isles (Iles Gracieuses). The land of New Britain itself, which was imperfectly seen at intervals, consists of high mountains. DAMPIER STRAIT is limited on the East by the West extremity of New Britain, and on the West by an island which he named Sir George Rook's Island. It was the discovery of this passage that caused Dampier to name the island to the East Nova Britannia, it having been previously represented as part of New Guinea. According to the examinations of D'Entrecasteaux and D'Urville, the greater portion of the southern entrance to Dampier's Strait is obstructed by dangerous reefs, on which both the ships of these commanders nearly met with serious accidents. Dampier was more fortunate, though he notices these coral reefs, so * Dampier, vol. iii. pp. 216-7. that it is probable that there are channels between. To avoid them you must keep near the coast of New Britain. D'Urville was set nearly 20 miles to the West in the course of the night when to the southward, and this ought to be carefully considered in traversing it. Of the western part of New Britain all speak in high terms. Dampier says:"The East land (of the strait or passage) ends with two remarkable capes or heads, distant from each other about 6 or 7 leagues. Within each head were two very remarkable mountains, ascending very gradually from the sea-side, which afforded a very pleasant and agreeable prospect. The mountains and lower lands were pleasantly mixed with woodlands and savannahs. The trees appeared very green and flourishing, and the savannahs seemed to be very smooth and even; no meadow in England appears more green in the spring than these. We saw smoakes, but did not strive to anchor here; but rather chose to get under one of the islands (where I thought I should find few or no inhabitants), that I might repair my pinnace, which was so crazy that I could not venture ashore anywhere with her. As we stood over to the islands we looked out very well to the North, but could see no land that way; by which I was well assured that we were got through, and that this East land does not join to New Guinea; therefore I named it Nova Britannia. The N.W. cape I called Cape Glocester, and the S.W. point Cape Anne; and the N.W. mountain, which is very remarkable, I called Mount Glocester." M. D'Urville, who was here in August, 1827, in equal terms of admiration says of it :-" Rarely has nature imprinted so delicious an aspect on a country untouched by the hand of man, with such an agreeable diversity of surface, and beautiful effects of perspective. The coast throughout quite safe, accessible, and washed by tranquil waves; the land gently rising in the form of an amphitheatre in various places, here and there shaded by dark forests, or by less thick vegetation; and more particularly by extensive tracts of greensward, the yellowish tints of which contrasted richly with the darker shades of the more sombre forests and woods surrounding them. The two peaks of Mount Glocester crowned this smiling scene with their imposing masses, their majestic summits frequently hidden in the clouds. In all the western quarter, and at 12 miles' distance, our horizon was occupied by the undulating lines of Rook Island, which, with New Britain, forms the Strait of Dampier." + From some good observations made by M. Jacquinot, on board the Astrolabe, the longitude of the West Cape of New Britain was found to be 148° 17′ 2′′, measured from Carteret Harbour, and which only varied two minutes from that by D'Entrecasteaux; the mean (which is given above) is therefore taken. VOLCANO ISLAND, which served as a beacon to Dampier, who discovered it on the evening of March 24, 1700, according to D'Urville's observations, is in lat. 5° 32′ 20′′ S.; Dampier says, lat. 5° 33', a proof of his accuracy. The latter, in his account of it, says :-"The island all night vomited fire and smoak very amazingly; and at every belch we heard a dreadful noise like thunder, and saw a flame of fire after it, the most terrifying I ever saw." The funnel (crater) was on * Dampier (March, 1700), vol. iii. p. 220, + Voyage de L'Astrolabe, tome iii. pp. 537-8. the South side, so that he could not see the eruptions so plainly after passing it. D'Entrecasteaux, who passed it in 1793, found it yet enveloped in smoke. When D'Urville passed it, in August, 1827, the crater was quite extinct, and its surface, without trees, was nevertheless clothed with an agreeable verdure on the eastern face. Its form is that of a very regular cone, broken at the summit, about 2,500 feet, and its diameter at the base about 3,700 feet. The form of this protuberance and its remarkable escarpment on all its faces sufficiently indicate that it has arisen directly from the depth of the ocean, and that it was probably the last of these burning masses which were still increasing two centuries ago, like a chain of volcanic spirailes on the North of New Guinea. ROOK ISLAND, which, as before mentioned, was named by Dampier after Sir George Rook, is about 22 miles in length, and 10 or 12 broad. Its N.W. point is Cape King. It is formed inland of high and imposing mountains. It is in lat. 5° 29′, lon. 147° 46′. TUPINIER ISLAND, which was seen, but not named, by Dampier or D'Entrecasteaux, lies to the North of Volcano Island; it is very high, and falls in gentle declivity in every direction to the sea. It is not more than 12 miles in circuit, and is most probably inhabited, for smokes were observed in different parts. Lat. 5° 26', lon. 148° 4'. It is to the voyage of D'Entrecasteaux that we owe what little knowledge we have of the North coast of New Britain. But there is a melancholy interest in this; it was the last of the labours of that commander, who shortly after died. in hurrying back to Java to recruit. MERITE ISLAND is the first point named in this exploration; it was first seen June 30, 1793. It is tolerably high, and its highest part is in lat. 4° 54′, lon. 149° 5' 0". To the North of it are several other islands, the easternmost of which appeared to be the largest. This was called Des Lacs Island, and the group Françaises Islands. They all appear to be tolerably high, and their coasts, as far as could be seen, were quite clear; but off the S.W. point of Forestier Island there are several islets, the outermost of which is rather more than a league off. Willaumez Island, which is to the S.E. of Des Lacs Island, is tolerably high in the centre, but the extremities are very low. The trees which cover it from the sea-shore to its summit indicate great fertility. There were no houses near the beach, and it would have been supposed to be uninhabited if it had not been for some smokes rising inland. On the middle of the West side of it a large bay appears as if it would afford good anchorage, but it is open to the West. The island, being small and apparently quite uncultivated, would seem as if but few resources could be gained from it. Its South point is in lat. 5° 15′ 3′′, lon. 149° 58' 10". To the South of Willaumez Island are two other islands, very much smaller and much wooded; they were called Raoul Island and Gicquel Island. Du Portail Island lies 20 leagues to the East of Willaumez Island. D'Entrecasteaux saw it at 12 leagues' distance. When within 7 or 8 leagues it was seen that three small islets lie off its western extremity; they were very lofty for their extent. The high land of New Britain was seen at the same time beyond it. |