登陆注册
14823400000044

第44章

We did not make the land till noon, and then saw it first from our topmast head; it bore south-east by east about nine leagues distance, and it appeared like a cape or head of land. The sea breeze this day was not so strong as the day before, and it veered out more, so that we had a fair wind to run in with to the shore, and at sunset anchored in twenty fathom, clean sand, about five leagues from the Bluff point, which was not a cape (as it appeared at a great distance), but the easternmost end of an island about five or six leagues in length, and one in breadth. There were three or four rocky islands about a league from us, between us and the Bluff point, and we saw many other islands both to the east and west of it, as far as we could see either way from our topmast-head, and all within them to the south there was nothing but islands of a pretty height, that may be seen eight or nine leagues off; by what we saw of them they must have been a range of islands of about twenty leagues in length, stretching from east-north-east to west-south-west, and, for aught I know, as far as to those of Shark's Bay, and to a considerable breadth also, for we could see nine or ten leagues in among them, towards the continent or mainland of New Holland, if there be any such thing hereabouts; and by the great tides I met with awhile afterwards, more to the north-east, I had a strong suspicion that here might be a kind of archipelago of islands, and a passage possibly to the south of New Holland and New Guinea into the great South Sea eastward, which I had thoughts also of attempting in my return from New Guinea, had circumstances permitted, and told my officers so; but I would not attempt it at this time, because we wanted water, and could not depend upon finding it there. This place is in the latitude of 20 degrees 21 minutes, but in the draught that I had of this coast, which was Tasman's, it was laid down in 19 degrees 50 minutes, and the shore is laid down as all along joining in one body or continent, with some openings appearing like rivers, and not like islands as really they are. This place lies more northerly by 40 minutes than is laid down in Mr. Tasman's draught, and besides its being made a firm continued land, only with some openings like the mouths of rivers, I found the soundings also different from what the pricked line of his course shows them, and generally shallower than he makes them, which inclines me to think that he came not so near the shore as his line shows, and so had deeper soundings, and could not so well distinguish the islands. His meridian or difference of longitude from Shark's Bay agrees well enough with my account, which is two hundred and thirty-two leagues, though we differ in latitude; and to confirm my conjecture that the line of his course is made too near the shore, at least not far to the east of this place, the water is there so shallow that he could not come there so nigh.

But to proceed. In the night we had a small land breeze, and in the morning I weighed anchor, designing to run in among the islands, for they had large channels between them of a league wide at least, and some two or three leagues wide. I sent in my boat before to sound, and if they found shoal water to return again, but if they found water enough to go ashore on one of the islands and stay till the ship came in, where they might in the meantime search for water. So we followed after with the ship, sounding as we went in, and had twenty fathom till within two leagues of the Bluff head, and then we had shoal water and very uncertain soundings; yet we ran in still with an easy sail, sounding and looking out well, for this was dangerous work. When we came abreast of the Bluff head, and about two miles from it, we had but seven fathom, then we edged away from it, but had no more water, and running in a little farther we had but four fathoms, so we anchored immediately; and yet when we had veered out a third of a cable, we had seven fathom water again, so uncertain was the water. My boat came immediately on board, and told me that the island was very rocky and dry, and they had little hopes of finding water there. I sent them to sound, and bade them, if they found a channel of eight or ten fathom water, to keep on, and we would follow with the ship. We were now about four leagues within the outer small rocky islands, but still could see nothing but islands within us, some five or six leagues long, others not above a mile round. The large islands were pretty high, but all appeared dry, and mostly rocky and barren. The rocks looked of a rusty yellow colour, and therefore I despaired of getting water on any of them, but was in some hopes of finding a channel to run in beyond all these islands, could I have spent time here, and either got to the main of New Holland or find out some other islands that might afford us water and other refreshments; besides that among so many islands we might have found some sort of rich mineral, or ambergris, it being a good latitude for both these. But we had not sailed above a league farther before our water grew shoaler again, and then we anchored in six fathom, hard sand.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 蛇精病进化史

    蛇精病进化史

    这是一个有点小聪明、会点小算计、性情并不讨喜的一个女孩子的故事。最初的她自私凉薄,全然不相信也无法理解爱情,她身上有许多缺点,甚至没有一些道德观,有点蛇精病,因此她有时候会做些为人诟病的事,这样一个人绝对不是可以做小孩子榜样的存在。她或许会得到幸福,或许会因为她的性格而更悲惨。且看她的病情在各个世界如何一步步加重。
  • 剑荡神纹

    剑荡神纹

    别人有老爷爷!别人有老奶奶!!别人还有个姑姑!!!我有什么!?我特么有个主人!!?什么鬼!!!?
  • 鬼事拾遗

    鬼事拾遗

    很多人坚信,这个世界上,只有人类才是真正的主宰。否认神鬼,同时也是在否认自己!这个世界,并没有那么单纯,区别是,你了解到的,以及,你还没有了解到的...
  • 雪舞墨月歌

    雪舞墨月歌

    这是一场家国天下与双人爱情的抉择,这是一场一生束缚与一生自由的赌局。齐名南北朝四公子的两大人物,她是恣意江湖的北公子,潇洒如风如她,不得不在山河破碎之时,回归柔然王妃身份,在家国与自由间做出最后的抉择;他是雍容儒雅的南公子,完美无缺如他,志在天下,欲登王座,却让她成了自己争天下路上最要命的软肋。小白龙:我此一生,心望江湖自由,却终是为千万柔然子民而送了性命,你说,可笑不可笑?沐月:吾生挚爱,唯龙儿矣;约突邻.穆月:慕理,你与柔然于我是同等的重要,无论失去你们中的哪一个,我都会忿恨终生;秦淮王萧慕理:刘邦赢天下,因他心狠手辣,腹黑无脸;项羽失天下,因他心慈手软,我不会做刘邦,也不会是项羽,我要做的,是历史上独一无二的帝王!名垂青史,万古称扬。
  • 战恸

    战恸

    沧海桑田,我因何生?无尽时光,我为何死?金玲鸣动苍穹,厮杀震动天下,舞尽火焰绝伦一世,战尽我青春流沙风华。
  • 海贼王之帝临

    海贼王之帝临

    一个倒霉又幸运的少年穿越到这个强者如林的世界,不称霸,只逍遥,在这个混乱的世界遨游,YY小说,11吗!稍微有点,实力最强肯定是主角。..........小弟第一本小说,不求最好,但求完本,希望大家多多支持!!!!!!!!
  • 江湖云烟录

    江湖云烟录

    龙渊崖壁透着一丝的寥落,噙着血的长剑轻轻一点地,抵住了单薄的身体。山上依旧冷冽,岩壁间的水凉的似在滴血,凋零的枯枝无力的耷拉着。他随意捡起一枝枯草,含在口中,摇摇晃晃地朝山下走去。
  • tfboys之降临的天使

    tfboys之降临的天使

    今天,我认识了认识了一位天使,可能是老天也可怜我了吧,我从不后悔认识你。----------沅安沁
  • 以尊之名

    以尊之名

    直男癌请点击退出23岁那年,陈绍宇遇见了一个怪人。从此,他便被带入了一个光怪陆离的奇妙世界。他抱着守护世界的伟大愿望坠入了一个深坑。那个人的存在,到底是帮助他的导师,还是一个巨大的阴谋?世界的兴衰,战争的胜败,冥冥中暗示着的一切……再看世间漫漫,行色匆匆的人们所追求的各有千秋,又有什么规律。有朝一日,我即为尊,去挖掘世界的秘密。
  • 校园之超级老师

    校园之超级老师

    一部能让仙界无数强者抢破脑袋的书籍他拿给学生当课外书看。一件能让仙界甚至是神界所争夺的武器,他对学生说:“学生们,今天发福利了。这些东西你们随便挑,回家当玩具玩!”一瓶能让人间无数大佬疯狂的弹药他给学生随便吃,他对学生们说:“学生们,今天我带你们统一人间,百年后还要统一仙界,万年后还要统一神界!”他是一个传奇,他能为自己的女人放弃整个世界,他也能为自己的女人灭掉整个世界!他也能为了自己的学生与整个世界为敌!注:此书类型选错,应该是玄幻一类的,望各位大大不要建议。