BAMPTON and ALT. 1793.

The last passage known to have been made through Torres’ Strait, previously to the sailing of the Investigator, was by Messieurs WILLIAM BAMPTON and MATTHEW B. ALT, commanders of the ships Hormuzeer and Chesterfield.  Their discoveries were made public, in two charts, by Mr. Dalrymple, in 1798 and 1799; and from them, and captain Bampton’s manuscript journal, the south coast of New Guinea, and most of the reefs and islands near it, are laid down in Plate XIII.; after having been adjusted to the observations of captain Bligh, and to those subsequently made by me in the Investigator and Cumberland.  The journal was obtained through the kindness of Mr. Arrowsmith; and, though no courses and distances be given, and the differences from the charts be sometimes considerable, it is yet so interesting in many points, that I have judged the following abridgement would be acceptable, as well to the general, as to the nautical, reader.

The Hormuzeer and Chesterfield sailed together from Norfolk Island; with the intention of passing through Torres’ Strait, by a route which the commanders did not know to have been before attempted.  June 20, 1793, in the evening, being in latitude 10 deg. 24’ south, and longitude 144 deg. 14’ east (by captain Bampton’s chart), a dry reef was seen extending from W. 1/2 S. to N. W. by W., distant four or five miles, and breakers from the mast head at N. by E. 1/2 E. An island (Murray’s), which appeared to be large and woody, was also seen, and bore N. W. 1/2 W. The ships got ground in 60 fathoms, and hauled the wind to the eastward, till midnight; when, having no bottom at 70 fathoms, they lay to, till morning.

June 21.  The Hormuzeer’s long boat was sent ahead; and, at ten o’clock, the ships bore away northward.  At noon, the latitude was 9 deg. 30’.  The course was altered, at three, to the north-west; and at dusk, they hove to, for the night:  soundings from 70 to 56 fathoms.  The same course being resumed on the 22nd, the latitude, at noon, was 8 deg. 48’; and the depth 30 fathoms, on a bottom of sand, mud, and shells.  From noon to five p.m., when they anchored, the ships appear to have steered W. by S. The land had been seen at one o’clock; and at two, the water had shoaled suddenly, from 30 to 10 fathoms, and afterwards diminished to 5, which continued to the place of anchorage.  The land was part of the coast of NEW GUINEA; and the extremes were set at W. by N. 1/2 N. and N. W. 1/2 N., six or seven leagues, (in the chart, miles.) The flood tide here, set two miles per hour, towards the land; and the rise, by the lead line, was nine feet.