The extensive harbour we had thus unexpectedly found I supposed must be
Western Port, although the narrowness of the entrance did by no means
correspond with the width given to it by Mr. Bass. It was the
information of Captain Baudin, who had coasted along from thence with
fine weather, and had found no inlet of any kind, which had induced this
supposition; and the very great extent of the place, agreeing with that
of Western Port, was in confirmation of it. This however was not Western
Port, as we found next morning; and I congratulated myself on having
made a new and useful discovery, but here again I was in error. This
place, as I afterwards learnt at Port Jackson, had been discovered ten
weeks before by Lieutenant John Murray, who had succeeded Captain Grant
in command of the _Lady Nelson_. He had given it the name of Port
Phillip, and to the rocky point on the east side of the entrance, that
of Point Nepean.
Before proceeding any higher with the ship, I wished to gain some
knowledge of the form and extent of this great piece of water; and
Arthur's seat being more than a thousand feet high and near the water
side, presented a favourable station for the purpose.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62